abounds with foxes, rabbits and other wild game, and retains much of its ancient grandeur.

At the for meadows, Scarsdale, was born on the 21st of June, 1774, that distinguished individual Daniel D. Tompkins, Vice President of the United States. He was the seventh son of the Hon. Jonathan G. Tompkins, by his wife Sarah Hyatt, and grandson of Stephen Tompkins, whose ancestors emigrated originally from the north of England, (during the time of the religious persecution in that country,) and landed at Plymouth, in the colony of Massachusetts; from Plymouth they removed to Concord. John Tompkins of that place, had John born there in 1642, and a daughter, Ruth, in 1640. The Tompkins family subsequently emigrated to Fairfield, in Connecticut. In 1649, we find John Tompkins proprietor of lands in Fairfield. From Fairfield, the family removed to Eastchester, Westchester Co. The name of Nathaniel Tompkins occurs among a list of the first proprietors of Eastchester, in 1665. Of this family was Micah Tompkins of Milford, Connecticut, who secreted King Charles' judges when they fled to Milford. "The regicides. Whalley and Goffe, (says Mr. Lambert) lived in the town from the 20th of August, 1661, for more than two years, till they went to Hadley. Here they were secreted by Mr. Tompkins, in the basement story of a shop standing near his dwelling. It is related that Mr. Tompkins's daughters often spun in the shop, and sometimes would sing some poetry which was composed about that time, concerning the martyrdom of King Charles, (in which they are mentioned) which much amused the judges. The girls were of course acquainted with their concealment. After remaining in Eastchester a short time, the sons of Nathaniel and John Tompkins removed to Scarsdale and Greenburgh, where they purchased lands and permanently settled.

"The father of Daniel D. Tompkins was a member of the state convention, which adopted the Declaration of Independence and the first constitution of the state. He was a member of

The fox meadow estate originally belonged to the Griffin family, and passed from Jonathan Griffin to his adopted son, Jonathan Griffin Tompkins,

b Herring's Nat. Portrait Gallery.

• Shattucks' Hist. of Concord.

Lambert's Hist. of New Haven, 144.

the legislature during the whole period of the Revolution, also for many years first judge of the court of common pleas for this county; and on the institution of the university, was appointed one of the regents, which situation he held until his resignation of it, in 1808. He died after seeing his son elevated to the second office in the gift of his country.

Governor Tompkins was educated at Columbia college in the city of New York, and received the first honors of his class in 1795. He was admitted to the bar of the supreme court in the capacity of attorney, 5th Aug., 1797.a In 1801, he was elected

representative of the city, in the convention to revise the constitution of the state; in 1802, was chosen to the state legislature; and in 1804, was appointed a judge of the supreme court of the state, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the election of Chief Justice Lewis to the gubernatorial chair. In the same year he was elected a member of congress for the city, as a colleague of the late Dr. Mitchell. Gov. Tompkins (continues his biographer) seemed to embody within himself, the peculiar characteristics of the citizens of his native state, activity, energy and perseverance, and his talents constantly and variously as they were tried, were always found equal to any emergency. At the bar in the city of New York during the early part of his life, he sustained an honorable rank; on the bench of the supreme court of the state, amid the bright constellation of judicial talent, learning and eloquence which then adorned it, he was conspicuously distinguished while yet a comparative youth, and we venture to say, that no judge since the formation of our government, ever presided at nisi prius, or travelled the circuit with more popularity. Dignified in his person, peaceful and conciliating in his address, and thoroughly amiable in his character, he won the respect and confidence of the bar, and the admiration of the

As attorney in the court of common pleas in N. Y. and Westchester Co., 26 Sept. 1797; counsellor in court of common pleas, 26th Sept. 1797; counsellor in Mayor's court, Feb. 24, 1801; counsellor in supreme court, 2 May, 1801; solicitor in court of chancery, 5 June, 1801; elected representative of city to convention on revision of constitution, 7 June, 1802; solicitor in circuit court of the U. S., 1804; justice of supreme court, 2 July, 1804, member of congress for N. Y., 1804, judge of district court, March, 1805. -Editor.

public. The distinction which he gained in his judicial capacity, soon elevated him to a different theatre of action, the gubernatorial chair of his native state. (In 1807, when not thirtythree years of age,) he was put forward as a candidate by the most influential of the republicans of that day, and in the mode in which he administered the government he did not disappoint their choice. Those were turbulent times in politics, but like a skilful pilot, he safely and triumphantly weathered the storm, 1:ot only that which was raging within our own bounds and among ourselves, but a more painful one which was pouring in upon us from a foreign foe. By his unwearied efforts in repeatedly pressing the subject upon the attention of the legislature, slavery was finally abolished in the state of New York.

The subject of public education and morals, was always near his heart. The benevolent feelings of Gov. Tompkins, prompted him to call the attention of the legislature on repeated occasions, to the abolition of corporeal punishment, and he at length happily effected that of the former; the latter siill remains. So early as 1811, we find him raising his voice in favor of the encouragement of manufactures. In 1812, he prorogued the senate and assembly of the state. In this brief sketch, it is not to be expected that even all the most prominent measures of Gov. Tompkins's administration can be noticed."a

We come now, (continues his biographer) to the part which he bore in our late war with Great Britain, which embraces a most interesting period of his life. Whenever the history of that war shall be written for posterity, his name will fill an ample space.

As governor of the state of New York, he had the direction of all her energies, and many and arduous were the duties which he was ordered upon to perform, but those who were conversant with the scenes of that period, will recollect the universal confidence which he inspired in every lover of his country. The following letter, dated a few days after the declaration of war, will show the perilous situation of the state of New York at that time, the condition of the army, and the responsibility he assumed to meet the exigency.

TO MAJOR GENERAL DEARBORN,

Albany, June 28, 1812.

Sir, your letter of the 22 inst. has been received. I had anticipated your request by ordering the detachments from Washington, Essex, Clinton and Franklin counties into service, and have fixed the days and places of their rendezvous. Upon application to the quarter master general, I find there are but 139 tents and 60 camp kettles at this place, and even those I take by a kind of stealth, the deputy quarter master general declines giving an order for their delivery, until he shall have a written order from the quarter master general, and the latter is willing I shall take them, but will not give the deputy a written order for that purpose, under such circumstances. I shall avail myself of the rule of possession, and by virtue of the eleven points of the law, send them off tomorrow morning without a written order from any one. You may remember, that when you were secretary of the war department, I invited you to forward and deposite in our frontier arsenals, arms, ammunition and camp equipage, for self defence, to be ready for defence in case of war, and the same invitation to the war department has been repeated four times since. The United States have now from five to six hundred regular troops at Plattsburgh, Rome, Canandaigua, &c. And yet those recruits are now and must be for weeks to come, unarmed, and in every respect unequipped, although within musket shot of arsenals. The recruits at Plattsburgh, are within fifty miles of two tribes of Canadian Indians. In case of an attack upon the frontiers, that portion of the United States army would be as inefficient and as unable to defend the inhabitants or themselves even, as so many women. As to cannon, muskets and ammunition, I can find no one here who will exercise any authority over them, or deliver a single article upon my requisition, neither can I find any officer of the army who feels himself authorized to exercise any authority, or do any act which will aid me in the all important object of protecting the inhabitants of our extended frontier exposed to the cruelty of savages, and the depredations of the enemy. If I must rely upon the militia solely for such protection, I entreat you to give orders to your officers here, to furnish upon my order for the use of militia detachments, all needful weapons and articles with which the United States are furnished, and of which we are destitute.

"You may rely upon the assistance which my talents, influence and authority can furnish, in the active prosecution of the just and necessary war, which has been declared by the constituted authority of our beloved country."

From the day of the declaration of the war, the governor entered heart and soul into the prosecution of it, and so continued until its close. Most of the frontier troops the first campaign, were militia, and many of them were marched several hundred