k, and here the son was born and educated to the
law. His dwelling place is pointed out, and it is truly the site but
not the substance, as the old building has fallen victim to the march
of improvement.

Elson says of Martin Van Buren:--

"He was a man of greater individuality and ability than is generally
put to his credit by historians.... In the Cabinet of Jackson he was
by no means a figurehead even there, for it was largely due to his
skill that Jackson made the two brilliant strokes in his foreign
policy.... Van Buren has been pronounced the cleverest political
manager in American history, and no other man has held so many high
political offices. He was small of stature, had a round, red face and
quick, searching eyes. He was subtle, courteous and smooth in
conversation."

[Sidenote: _PARSONAGE-FORT._]

As early as 1670 Hollanders settled here. The first interesting house
one meets on entering the village from the south is the old Dutch
parsonage which, being of brick, was a tower of strength against the
Indians as well as the Devil. The Indians raided this region in 1755
and visited the neighborhood of Kinderhook at a time when the men were
away, but their stout-hearted wives and daughters were equal to the
occasion; for, donning such male attire as they could find and
shouldering the family arms, they made such a brave show in and about
the fort that the Indians retired without attempting its capture. A
short distance east of this stands another old parsonage-fort, but
little or nothing seems to be known concerning its history, though
legend mentions its cellar door as bearing the marks of Indian
tomahawks. It is said to be a fact that the heavy timbers in some of
these old houses were imported from Holland to these heavily wooded
banks of the Hudson.

[Sidenote: _CENTENNIAL MANSION._]

On the pleasantest street of the village stands the Centennial
Mansion, opposite the Dutch Church, erected in 1774 by Daniel Van
Schaack. The house has been the social centre of the town for more
than a hundred years. One of its earliest associations concerns the
visit of General Richard Montgomery, when on his way to take command
of the army against Canada. Henry Van Schaack, a brother of Daniel,
was an intimate friend of the General, they having been thrown
together while in the Seventeenth Regiment in the war of 1755.

In October, 1777, General Burgoyne, a prisoner of war, was quartered
here for a short time, and du