▁by ▁others ▁whose ▁titles ▁he ▁subsequently ▁bought , ▁this ▁tract , ▁together ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁tract ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River ▁opposite ▁the ▁prom ont ory ▁of ▁Anthony ' s ▁N ose , ▁which ▁he ▁also ▁purchased ▁from ▁the ▁Indians . ▁ ▁The ▁Man or ▁House ▁was ▁built ▁som etime ▁before ▁ 1 7 3 2 ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁any ▁owner ' s ▁principal ▁residence ▁until ▁a ▁grand son , ▁Pierre ▁Van ▁Cort land t , ▁moved ▁there ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 9 . ▁ ▁At ▁that ▁time ▁the ▁man or ▁house ▁was ▁on ▁a ▁ ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁tract . ▁ ▁Pierre ▁brought ▁his ▁family ▁to ▁the ▁estate ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 9 ▁and ▁established ▁the ▁man or ▁into ▁its ▁most ▁v ibr ant ▁days , ▁according ▁to ▁some . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁the ▁man or ▁was ▁operating ▁an ▁apple ▁orch ard , ▁da iry ▁farm , ▁a ▁be e ▁house , ▁a ▁kil n , ▁a ▁ta vern , ▁and ▁car p enter ▁and ▁black sm ith ▁sh ops . ▁ ▁Van ▁Cort land t ▁Man or ▁was ▁a ▁self - s ust aining ▁community ▁while ▁Pierre ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁res ided ▁in ▁the ▁estate . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁though , ▁t ensions ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War ▁were ▁building ▁and ▁the ▁man or ▁would ▁become ▁a ▁place ▁of ▁w art ime ▁retre at . ▁Pierre ▁s ided ▁with ▁the ▁colon ies ▁and ▁the ▁man or ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁assist