44 
old building, on Richmond terrace, 
New Brighton, which for many years 
was the home of one of the most dis- 
tinguished officers of the United 
States Navy. I refer to the Sloat 
mansion, now the property of ex- 
County Clerk Cornelius A. Hart. 
The house was erected at a time 
when the New Brighton Association 
was doing so much for the North 
Shore of Staten Island, by inducing 
families of wealth and reputation to 
come here and make the place their 
home. It was originally erected back 
in a period when Staten Island was 
almost strictly a residential quarter, 
and when its natural beauties were so 
greatly admired by a class of wealthy 
people who desired to live in retire- 
ment. From time to time additions 
were made to the structure until it 
became quite large, its architecture 
being principally of the southern 
style. 
There are few buildings on Staten 
Island, built during the present cen- 
tury, that have been the scene of 
more important social events than 
theold Sloat mansion. Admiral Sloat 
wasa great entertainer, and delighted 
in having his friends from all parts 
of the globe sitting at his hospitable 
table, or at his open fire-grates in 
winter, or on the broad piazzas in 
summer. 
Our older citizens well remember 
the dignified old officer. He took a 
great interest in the affairs of the 
Island, and made himself felt as a 
useful citizen and a member of the 
common community. Popular as a 
naval officer, a United States war 
vessel seldom came into the Port of 
New York, but that its officers visited 
“the Admiral” in his New Brighton 
home. To very miny, the old house, 
now charred and mutilated, probably 
beyond redemption, recalls many 
happy memories of days and events 
Brighton. 
that belong to the past. 
John Drake Sloat was born in New 
York City, in 1780, and entered the 
United States Navy as sailing master, 
in 1800. In the war of 1812, he was in 
the engagement between the famous 
war vessels ‘‘United States” and 
‘‘Macedonian.’’ He participated in 
the expedition against the West 
Indian pirates, in 1824-’25, and com- 
manded the Pacific Squadron from 
1846 to 1852, rendering services which 
aidcd very materially to make Cali- 
fornia a State in the American 
Union. 
Later he was commandant at the 
Norfolk Navy Yard, and finally 
superintended the building of the 
famous Stevens Battery, at Hoboken. 
He retired from active service with 
the rank of commodore, in 1862, and 
was promoted to rear-admiral in 1866. 
He died in 1867. 
Admiral Sloat gave several years 
to the work of building the Stevens 
Battery. The owner ot it, Edwin K. 
Stevens, a wealthy resident of 
Hoboken, New Jersey, endeavored, at 
the beginning of the Southern Rebel- 
lion, in 1861, to induce the Govern- 
ment to make use of the iron-clad 
battery, which had been begun by 
Robert L. Stevens, but the offer was 
declined. 
Kdwin then left in his will one mil- 
lion dollars for the completion of the 
battery, but that amount was insuffi- 
cient, and it was sold to the United 
States in 1874, by the State of New 
Jersey, to which it had been bequeath- 
ed. Congress, however, neglected to 
make the appropriation, and the ves- 
sel was sold in 1880, fora very small 
amount. 
We have it on good authority that 
Admiral Sloat did a great deal of the 
work, in company with his assistants, 
in the once neat old mansion at New 
It was his pride to make 
