Among the famous men whose homes were, for a longer or shorter period, at Tarrytown, Commodore Matthew Galbraith Perry, to whom the world owes the opening of Japan to Western influences, must not be forgotten. His house was to the north of the estate of Mr. William Aspinwall, now owned b>' Mr. William Rockefeller. Not far away was the cottage in which Captain Alexander Slidell Mackenzie resided, after the distressing episode on the brig Soiucrs, when he caused the son of the Secretary of the Navy to be hanged from the A-ard-arm for mutin\-. General James Watson Webb was also for vears a resident of Tarrvtown, his

^38 The Hudson River

estate being afterwards purchased by General John C. Fremont^the Pathfinder.

«OKOUT AT OLD QUARRY -- TAKKYTi IWN (From a drawing by the authoy)

Those whose memories include the stirring days of the Civil War will recollect how% in 1863, at the time

In the Land of Irving 239

of the dreadful "draft riots" in New York, a demonstration of sympathy with the rioters was suggested by some of the inhabitants of what was then known as Beekmantown, and how a gunboat, anchored within range, produced a change of heart in the most turl)ulent. At that time a company of roughs from farther down the ri\-er were marching upon Tarr}^town, with the intention of doing mischief to the cok)ured ])ortion of the i;)0])ulation. The latter, badly frightened, swarmed over the hills, taking refuge in the woods back of the village. But the rioters never reached the town. A brave minister of the place, the Rev. Abel T. Stewart, accompanied by one or two companions, went unarmed to meet that mob of several hundred bloodthirsty ruffians, and succeeded l)y his fearless resolution and j^ersuasive eloc[uence in turning them from their purpose.