354 The Story of The Bronx 



New York, who erected a fine stone mansion which is still 

 used as one of the College buildings. Under the last owner 

 the estate which contained about two hundred acres, was 

 known as Rose Hill. The old homestead of the Corsas stood 

 until 1897, upon the north side of the college campus, but was 

 destroyed in that year to make way for the Auditorium, 

 erected for the use of the students. During the Revolution, 

 the Corsa house is said to have been frequently visited by 

 Washington and other distinguished leaders; but the same 

 thing is said of every house that has the least claim to antiquity, 

 even though the "Father of his Country" is known to have 

 never visited the neighborhood. It is stated on credible 

 grounds, however, that the gallant and dashing partisan 

 leader De Armond used the house on several occasions as his 

 quarters when engaged in some of his raids into the British 

 lines. The ancient road, connecting Kingsbridge and the 

 borough-town of Westchester formerly passed through the 

 college grounds. 



The Rose Hill property was acquired in 1839 by Bishop 

 John Hughes of the Roman Catholic diocese of New York for 

 the sum of $30,000; it comprised ninety-seven acres at that 

 time. At this writing, it contains less than seventy, as por- 

 tions were taken by the city for Bronx Park, and two other 

 strips have been taken for railroad purposes, the last in 1899 

 for an extension of the elevated railroad to Bronx Park from 

 its former terminus at Pelham Avenue. St. John's College 

 was formally opened on June 24, 1841, under the administra- 

 tion of secular priests. It was incorporated as a university 

 April 10, 1846; and the same year, the property was purchased 

 by the Jesuit Fathers for $40,500; it has since remained in 

 their possession and under their control. The Rose Hill 

 mansion, erected in 1838, is used for office and reception pur- 



