Palmer, towai-ds the end of the century, unsuccessfully applied to the Assembly for aid on the same account. The press took up his cause and declared that his work had been " the first step towards freedom in this State, « « « "for it was almost as diflicult for Mr. Palmer to get a free bridge in "those (lays as it was for .\merica to get her freedom." Aaron Burr auu others made up a purse of t:lii for the needy old man in I81IO.

BRIDGE. 749

tion gone, threw up his lease, and the proprietor had to advertise for a new tenant. It is probal)le that attempts to collect tolls were abandoned soon afterwards.

In 1763 the Rev. John Peter Tetard purchased from Petrus Vermilye a farm of sixty acres, near King's Bridge, lying on the old Boston road, to which he removed about three years later. In 1772 he opened there a French boarding-school, probably the first in New York, where, besides French, he taught " the most useful sciences, such as geography, the doctrine of the spheres, ancient and modern history, etc." The house was destroyed during the Revolution. The old stone archway yet standing near its site is variously called " Dominie Tetard's Wine Cellar," the old " i)0\vder magazine," the " old bakery," etc., but its real purpose is unknown.'

Across the Boston road from Tetard's farm was one of about seventy-five acres, which Richard Montgomery purchased and occuj)ied in 1772, pursuant to his longcherished wish to leave the service and engage in husbandry.* His house stood on the brow of the hill, near the Boston road,' and there he lived until his marriage to Janet Livingston and removal to another farm he had puchased near Rhinebeck." The King's Bridge farm was devised to hissisterSarah, Viscountess Ranelagh, by the will found by Arnold among his papers at (Quebec, a few days after his untimely death.