426 The Story of The Bronx 



above Rattlesnake Brook, the White Plains Road, now called 

 Columbus Avenue, branches off to the left and passes by the 

 ancient green in front of old St. Paul's, its route being over 

 the old Boston Road of 1673 for some distance. As it sweeps 

 down the hill, it passes a gateway guarded by quaint and im- 

 posing white posts. This is the entrance to the Halsey place, 

 which was the executive mansion of President John Adams 

 in October and November, 1797, several of his letters being 

 dated from Eastchester. During that year, Philadelphia, the 

 Federal capital, was visited by yellow fever, and Adams took 

 up his residence in the Halsey house, then occupied by his 

 daughter Abigail, and her husband, Colonel William Smith. 



During the Revolution, the communion service, the Bible, 

 and other valuables presented to St. Paul's Church by Queen 

 Anne, were buried upon this property and dug up after the 

 war; this was to prevent them from being looted by the British, 

 who used the church about half a mile above for a hospital, 

 and who frequently occupied this section in force, so that it 

 thus became the scene of many a raid and warlike encounter. 



At the time of the Revolution, this house was occupied by 

 the Vincents, the smiths of the village of Eastchester. Upon 

 one occasion, upon a Sunday, a French officer with the Ameri- 

 cans insisted upon having his horse shod; and upon the 

 refusal of Gilbert Vincent to do the work on Sunday, the 

 officer struck him to the ground, killing him. Elijah Vincent, 

 then took a commission from the British and became the terror 

 of the American and French officers who had occasion to 

 operate in the vicinity of Eastchester. According to authentic 

 tradition, Elijah Vincent fully revenged his brother's violent 

 death. 



The references to wolf pits and bounties offered for the ex- 

 termination of the wolves show that there were many of these 



