OLDEST HOUSE IN PASSAIC,N.J. TORN
DOWN WITH NO REGARD TO ITS AGE
by William Winfield Scott, Passaic Historian.

History Since 1815

After the death of John, his son
Gerrit became owner who in 1815,
for $2000 conveyed the house and
twenty-six acres to his son Cor-
nelius who by his will made in 186I
devised this house and about twelve
acres of land to his granddaughter
Christianna Ryerson, upon whose
death the same descended to her
only child Christianna, the wife of
Andrew Z. Terhune. She died in-
testate whereupon this house des-
cended to her three sons: Frank C.,
Howard and Cornelius A.. The last
two on October II. last conveyed the
house and plot in Palmer Street, fif-
ty by 240 feet for $10,000. Occupan-
cy for two and a quarter centuries
by those of Van Riper blood is a
most remarkable record well worth
remembering , and I am writing this
in hope that some day this informa-
tion may be of assistance in placing
a marker on the location of the
house. .
One of John’s sons, Richard was
one of Washington’s spies during
the Revolutionary War and among
his daring exploits was that of a
trip to York City, then in the
possession of the British disguised
as a farmer. February 28, 1781
Colonel Robinson, of the enemy ar-
my before whom Richard was ta-
ken, reported that he “had come
only on the scheme of trade and af-
fects total ignorance of publick
matters.”
Richard returned to his home and
on March 4 reported to Washing-
ton then in camp at Pompton.
Richard was made a captain in
Colonel Thomas’s Battalion of De-
tached Mlilitia. He died in 1820, and
in was buried in the graveyard of
the Old First Reformed Church, now
Armory Park,and today, not only
are his Services unknown and his
praises unsung, but his grave has
become obliterated and nothing-
but what the writer has discovered
and written will remain as a re-
minder a faithful patriot.
John’s Grandson was for twenty-
eight years superintendent of the
Old First Reformed Sunday School
and the only layman appointed a
Master in Chancery, because of his
integrity and knowledge of the law,
he having served as judge of the
Court of Common Pleas..
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9/22/2002
George Van Riper
Fair Lawn,NJ.