He was actually Lord of the Manor, with baronial power. From 1693 till his death in 1702 his country residence was probably at Tarrytown, in the stone house -- called "Castle Filipse" -- that he built there, and that has been going slowly but surely to decay up to this year of grace, 1902, because of a lack of public spirit or sentiment, or whatever the emotion may be that moves men to the preservation of historic landmarks. The Philips manor-house at Yonkers, though not

From Spuyten Duyvil to Yonkers 207

so old as the "castle" at Tarrytown, is a much more pretentious dwelling. It became the home of the descendants of the first Sir Frederick. It was there that the wedding of the beautiful Mary Philipse took place. Tradition has coupled Washington's name with hers, as that of a suitor, but there is certainly no evidence that he ever proposed marriage to her. As already stated, she married his former companion in arms, Roger Morris, the builder of the old "Jumel" mansion. The marriage, w^hich took place in January, 1758, was a magnificent affair, long remembered throughout the country-side. x\mong the traditions that have grown about the event is one to the eftect that in the midst of the festivities an Indian soothsayer made an oracular statement that filled the bride's heart with apprehension. Stcinding in the doorway, he delivered himself in this wise: "Your possessions shall pass away when the eagle shall despoil the lion." If the reader wishes to take a grain of salt with that Indian no objection will be made. All of the central portion of the present city of Yonkers was purchased in 181 3 by Lemuel Wells. This estate, having the Nepperhan River running through the middle of it and including, among other buildings, the Philips manor-house, had previously been acquired by Cornelius P.