Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1888 — MR.MORTON'S HOME LIFE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MR.MORTON'S HOME LIFE.

'BfAMTIFIK. NEW RESIDENCE NEAR RHINEBECK, fk Y. I A l Ho tint Companionship of Hi* Associations —His JTew York llouae —DeaCrlptlon of the KUerslle Villa. Levi Parsons Morton, Republican nominee' for vice president, no tv lives at bis • country seat, Ellerslie, near Rhinebeck, on the Hudson, about 100' miles above New York. From the moment the news of the nomination was deceived* ho trustees of that pretty little hamlet fairly outdid themselves in testifying their appreciation of the great honor conferred upon pne whom, for six mopths in the year at least, they claim as a fellow townsman. Cannon'has answered cannon from village to village across the American Rhine. Mr. Morton was living at the Hunting-, don cottage, about three miles, from Rhinebeck, when visited by the coipmittee appointed by. the Republican national .convention at Chicago to officially notify him pf his nomination for the vice presidency.

Mrs. Morton, who takes great interest in hfs candidacy, hoped to have the Ellerslie villa ready for, occupancy before the visit of the committee so as to receive them, there, but was disappointed. It was at the Huntingdon that Mr. Morton and his amiable and- beautiful wife were found by a reporter who visited the statesman to learn something of his homo life. The reporter was ushered by a porter into a richly furnished library, the Walls of which were ornamented by rare and costly paintings and bric-a-brac. Soon after Mr. Mortpir returned. from a drive to Ellerslie and invited the reporter to a seat on the broad veranda During the chut that followed ms cnarmlng wife appeared. Her beauty has been described too frequently to require repetition here. She is rather tall, though her rounded figure readily disguises the fact. Her carriage is stately and her manner genial. Though perhaps 42 years old, and the mother of five daughters, Mrs. Morton appears to be younger. Her features are blonde, her hair is just tinged with gray, and is worn ins.tlie prevailing fashion. Her eyes are a grayish blue, and look straight through one. When pleased they dance merrily and her takes on n fairly fascinating expression. No one >vho meets her will wonder why her dinners and recept ions at Washington, Paris, Newport or New York have become so popular with the. circle in which she moves. She is splendidly educated and shows it in her conversation. An exquisite house costume of gray mid black striped silk sets off her tine figure to advantage.. Mrs. Morton listened to the conversation with much apparent interest. Mr. Morton is exceedingly domestic in Ilia disposition. He i 3 devoted to his wife and family. Though a member of the Union League and other clubs, he rarely drops in except in company with his wife, when ho attends a dinner or reception. He can always be found at his home in the; evening. When in the city he resides at 85 Fifth avenue. Of into Mr. Morton lias not been quite so active in business as in former years. When in town bo reaches his office in the Mutual Life building about TU a. m., and leaves by 3p. m. Just now he remains in the country. - It has been his- custom to spend a portion of eacli summer at his cottage, “Fair Lawn,” Newport.. /"' 4 V The salt atmosphere aggravated a meu\ ralgic ailment contracted by hi* wife. vjßSx therefore concluded to purchase property.? along the Hudson and build a villa there. A thousand acres throe miles south of Rhinebeck, belonging to the William Kelley estate, were purchased by him. Here ho built his summer homo and named it Ellerslie. To call it a cottage is a misnomer. It is a mansion, if ever such a building-was constructed. It stauds upon a great knoll which rises several hundred feet above the level of tho river, Hud can be seen from points miles away up.and down * the Hudson. 4 Tho style is of the modem Renaissance order. The material is brown stone up to the second floor, thence upward it is constructed of tinted woods. Entering the admirably kept grounds, enclosed as they are by a great stonewall, one is reminded of an English manor. Macadamized driveways lend through a forest of gigantic chestnuts,, maples and oaks. Past a huge conservatory, resplendent with buds and blossoms, over a curiously wrought bridge that crosses a gem of a hike, tho road leads up to a great sheltered, entrance, at tho rear, of tho mansion. One enters,an immense hall that runs away through to the front. Its floor, like the floors of-all the rooms in the first story, is of highly polished oak. ‘ On the left is the dining room, eapablo of seating, if. necessary, at least forty guests. It is trimmed’throughout with block walnut highly polished. The library, sitting- room, reception room and

billiard room, are decorated with mauy varieties of rare woods, and mautcls of _ Italian and Parian marble and onyx. A winding oak staircase, glistening with oil and repeated burnishing, ascends to the third and last floor. To tho right, on the second, floor, is Mrs. Morton’s room. It is trimmed in delicately tinted crcalu colored wood. I'roni its windows a superb view is to be had not only of tho acres of lawn and terrace below, Upt for miles the course of tho river is marital, tho Catskills mounts ing up from the opposite bank, while the stretch of farms aid woodlands f-.r Iwgues produce » moot maguiticeut spec-

taelp, 9ust lit the rear as Mrs. Morton's apartment is tfiat of her htuiband. *Tp the left is a drawingroom, whose magnificent proportions would, certainly accommodate a half score seta of diyieers. Other room& on this and the upper flow are occupied by Mr. Morton's daughters as sleeping apartments. Mr. Mu-ton would probably-refuse, au offer of $350;000 for the house and grounds. The stable in the rear would make a comfortable lodging place for any two families-; at any rato ai sight of tho quarters of" the ■ blooded stock Contained therein send an envious shock through the system of a man of moderate means. Mr. Morton will hereafter make Ellerslie bis hoihe for at* least six months iu the year. Mr. Morton is not at ajl miserly. He gives abundantly of his millions for charitable purposes. In 1880 congress placed tho Constellation at the disposal of those who desired to succor tliq victims of the famine in Ireland. Mr. Morton learned, that no offer had been made to load' the vessel, r lie addressed a letter to a morning paper in which ho said? “You are an-to-aunonneo that a *geutleman known to you, who "declines to liavo 'his name made public, offers to pay for onequarter of the cargo of the Coustellation if other parties will make upthe balauee.” The proprietor of the newspaper, however, and W. R. Grace contributed-each one-quarter, and other gentlemen furnished the remainder. The Roekaway beach improvement troubles occurred iii the summer'of 1880. Five hundred workmen were unable to obtain their wages because of the financial ruin in which the gigantic hotel enterprise had been involved. Certificates of indebtedness were issued to the workmen, but they were useless to the men, who needed food for their wives’ nnd children. At flsis juncture Mr. Morton joined tho house of Drexel, Morgan & Co., and each corn tributed £50,000 for the relief of t lie workingmen. - They paid the full amount of the certificates and declined to accept any discount. In 1885 lie gave to Dartmouth college a houso and lot near Rollins chapel, for which he had paid $7,500. The gift was for the purpose of enabling the college to erect an art gallery and museum., Wheu'Mr. Morion was mafle minister to France, Dartmouth conferred ou him the degree of LL. I}. As is well known, l|r. Morton began Ills business life a poor boy and all this wealth and power, to do good is the result of hls'wpnSerful executive ability, and all of it has been made honestly and honorably. In business circles he stands a monument of Integrity. He is richly entitled to the enjoyment of his vast wealth.

MORTON'S NEW HOME AT ELLERSLIE.

THE MORTON HOUSE AT RHINEBECK.