10
Smith's is about a mile and a half distant, in what is now West Haver-
straw, nearly a mile north by west of the West Shore railroad station, and half a
mile from the station of the New Jersey and New York road. Here the Stony
Point highway comes in from the north at a right angle to that which extends to
Garnersville. It is quite straight for some distance, at the foot of a bluff forming
the western boundary of the alluvial plain on which stands the greater part of the
two Haverstraws. An old road which extended to it from Hay's dock, and which
our two riders probably followed, has long disappeared. The tourist is apt to be
misled as to which of the residences on the ridge is the landmark he seeks. Two
are white, and very similar, but the northernmost is our goal. It is but a short
distance from the other, and reached by a very steep road, directly up the face of
the ridge. Up this Arnold and Andre must have ridden. Smith's name for the
property was | Belmont." It is just four and one-tenth miles1 from the scene of
the interview at § The Firs." The Smiths—there were fourteen sons and
daughters — were extensive landowners in this region, and Joshua seems to have
built his house on land belonging to his brother Thomas. This was about 1770,
probably just before his marriage. It remains practically as in 1780, save in
two minor particulars: the eastern piazza is modern,2 and the roof balustrade.
The east side originally had only the narrow Dutch " stoep " (stoop) with a seat on
either side. The hallway is broad and the stairs make a square turn half-way up.
The east half of the ground floor comprises a single room, the parlor. Its
windows command a magnificent view south and east, only excelled by the same
prospect from the second story. Everything about the building (which is locally
known as <(Treason House" and its site as "Treason Hill) shows its connection
with the eighteenth century. Its form is nearly square—55- by 45 feet—its
material stone, stuccoed white. The wings are wooden and probably—certainly
as to the exterior—of the second generation since 1770, but the same as the
4 Ann Hawkes Hay (whose singular Christian name recalls that of De Montmorency, the historic Constable
of France) was the son of a Scotch planter in the island of Jamaica, where he was born about 1754. He
was sent to New York to be educated, and in 1772 married Martha Smith, sister of Joshua Hett Smith. (A
coincidence is that his distinguished contemporary, Alexander Hamilton, was, like him, born the son of a
Scotch planter, in the island of Nevis, 1757, and sent to New York for his education. The two may have
met at King's College.)
The Tory influence of some of his wife's relatives was exerted to the utmost, to win him to the British cause
at the outbreak of the Revolution. Twice a commission in the royal army was offered him, but refused.
He was appointed (1776) Colonel of the Haverstraw militia regiment, which did duty on the west bank of
the Hudson from Haverstraw to Fort Lee. He attracted the notice of Washington, who was a frequent
visitor at his house. Soon after the execution of Andre1 a British force was sent, at the instigation of
Tryon, to Haverstraw, to burn the dwelling. A negro slave betrayed the place in the garden where the
family silver and other valuables had been buried, and they were carried off.
Colonel Hay died suddenly in New York, about 1786, leaving a large family. The present members of it now
reside in South Carolina and in Clinton County, New York. I am indebted to his great-grandson, Mr.
L. D. Hay, of West Chazy, N. Y., for most of these facts.
In the last letter written by Washington to Arnold (September 14) he says: " I hope Colonel Hay's plan for
obtaining a supply of flour from the State of New York, and his application to the people of the [New
Hampshire] Grants will both meet with success. He is a faithful and indefatigable officer."
1 Measured by B. H. Hall, 1897.
2 Possibly the western, also, but I am not sure of this. An odd feature is, that while there is no approach by
road from the west, the house really faces that way, as is shown by the brass knocker still in place on the
hall door.
