USA > New York > Queens County > Documents and letters intended to illustrate the revolutionary incidents of Queens county; with connecting narratives, explantory notes, and additions > Part 1
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IRM ( Queens Co) Onderdank
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ADVERTISEMENT.
In the course of the year there will, probably, be published a second volume, entitled, the Revolutionary Incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties, with an ex- tended account of the Battle of Brooklyn, the prison ships at the Walleboght, the whale boat warfare, and the illicit trade in Long Island Sound. Any information will be thankfully received and duly acknowledged.
LENOX.
DOCUMENTS AND LETTERS
INTENDED TO ILLUSTRATE
THE
REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENTS
OF
QUEENS COUNTY;
WITH
CONNECTING NARRATIVES, EXPLANATORY NOTES, AND ADDITIONS.
BY HENRY ONDERDONK, JR.
"Posterity delights in details."-J. Q ADAMS.
NEW-YORK : LEAVITT, TROW AND COMPANY, 194 BROADWAY .. 1846.
729 3.574
LENOX
BRARY
NEW YORK
TO THE INHABITANTS OF QUEENS COUNTY,
DESCENDANTS OF THOSE WHO LIVED HERE DURING THE STORMY PERIOD OF THE REVOLUTION,
THIS ATTEMPT TO RESCUE FROM OBLIVION THE HISTORY OF THE OPINIONS, DEEDS, AND SUFFERINGS, OF OUR COMMON ANCESTRY, Es respectfully Enscribed,
BY THEIR
FELLOW-CITIZEN.
PREFACE.
THE present work is not a history, but rather a con- tribution towards a history, of Queens County during the Revolution. The materials are derived from the fol- lowing sources :
I. The printed Journals of the Continental and New- York Provincial Congresses ; and the MS. Journal, Let- ters and Papers of the N. Y. Provincial Congress.
II. The military papers of Col. John Sands and Major Richard Thorne, kindly loaned me by T. W. Smith and J. W. Thorne, respectively.
III. Force's American Archives, Almon's Remem- brancer and Parliamentary Register, Gentleman's Mag- azine, and the Brodhead Documents.
IV. Rivington's Gazette, Gaine's Mercury, Holt's Journal, Loudon's Packet, Hartford Courant, New Haven Journal, New London Gazette, New Jersey Gazette, Kollock's New-York Gazetteer.
V. Sparks's Writings of Washington, Graydon's Me- moirs, Hinman's Connecticut, Simcoe's Journal, Gaine's Almanac and Register, Thompson's Long Island,
8
PREFACE.
Strong's Flatbush, Dunlap's Works, Haliburton's Nova Scotia.
VI. Conversations with aged people of Queens County.
Many thanks are due to G. C. Schaeffer, of Columbia College Library ; to Geo. H. Moore, of the Historical Rooms, New-York ; to S. F. Haven, of Antiquarian Hall, Worcester ; to E. C. Herrick, of Yale College Library ; and to Messrs. Robbins, Brinley and Parsons, of the Connecticut Historical Society, for their courtesy in lay- ing open the treasures of their respective libraries ; and also to Gen. Johnson, B. F. Thompson, the Historian of Long Island, the Rev. John Goldsmith, Rev. J. B. Felt, Dr. E. Seely, and H. Floyd Jones, for sundry communi- cations.
As this work is necessarily imperfect, the author would feel under obligations to any one who will take the trouble to send him any corrections, or point out other sources of information.
JAMAICA, L. I., May 1, 1846.
,
CONTENTS.
(A star is prefixed to papers never before published.) PART I.
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
SEC.
1 Resolutions at Oyster Bay, on the passage of the Stamp Act.
2. Meeting at Jamaica and election of a Committee.
3. Address of Jamaica Committee to Delegates in Congress.
4. Protest of Jamaica Loyalists against Committees.
5. Committee of seventeen chosen at Newtown.
6. Resolutions passed by the Committee at Newtown.
7. Protest of Newtown Loyalists.
8. Meeting at Oyster Bay.
9. Committee chosen at Flushing.
10. Poetry picked up in Queens County.
11. A Provincial Convention to be held.
12. Vote of Jamaica.
13. Vote of Newtown.
14. Hempstead Resolutions.
15. Vote of Flushing.
16. *Vote of Oyster Bay.
17. *Certificate of Minority at Oyster Bay.
18. Queens County has no vote in Convention.
19. A Provincial Congress to be held.
20. Lieutenant Governor Colden addressed at Jamaica.
21. *Protest of Oyster Bay Justices.
22. Election of Deputies in Queens County.
23. Congress opened with daily prayers.
24. List of Committee Men in Queens County.
25.
*Form of Association.
26. Congress consider the state of Queens County.
27. Congress order Members from Queens to take their seats.
10
CONTENTS.
SEC. 28. 29. 30 31. 32. 33. 34. Vote of Queens County for Deputies.
Congress appoint a day of fasting and prayer. I cwt. of gunpowder voted Joseph Robinson.
*A. Lawrence and G. Bethune examined.
Arms impressed from Non-Associators.
*List of Jamaica Minute Men. Cow and Great Neck separate from Hempstead.
35 The Asia supplies arms, &c., to the disaffected.
36. Resolutions of Congress against Queens County.
Continental Congress order delinquents to be disarmed.
Col. Heard's Expedition into Queens County.
40. Congress order Queens County to be regimented.
41. Expedition of Ward and Seers in Queens County. 42. Guard stationed at Rockaway.
43. Disaffected not to move into Cow and Great Neck.
A delinquent at Cow Neck advertised.
Arms of Non-Associators to be given to recruits.
47. 48. 49. Election of Deputies in Queens County.
50 Jamaica Committee revived. 51. Disobedience in Capt. Sands's Company. 52. *List of the Militia of Cow and Great Neck. 53. Currency counterfeited at Cold Spring. 54. *List of Militia Companies in Queens. 55. 56. 57. 58. Congress vote gunpowder to Jamaica Militia.
Congress order able-bodied citizens to return to New-York.
Disaffected not to move into or pass through Jamaica.
Jamaica Committee send a delinquent to New-York.
59. Newtown boys raise the King's standard. 60. 61. 62. *Gen. Scott orders Queens County drafts to New-York.
*Proceedings against the disaffected of Queens. Congress vote £100 and 1 cwt. powder to Queens County.
63. 64. 65.
*Defaulting Militia hunted in the swamps.
*Information respecting certain persons at Jamaica.
*Swamp fight in Hempstead.
66. *Queens County Committee apply for 500 troops.
67. *Warrant to search for arms at Hempstead.
.
37. 38 39 *Evidence against one of the disaffected.
44. 45. 46. Association of forty Jamaica Militia Men.
British pilot boat taken at Rockaway.
Petition of twelve disarmed Jamaica Militia Men.
11
CONTENTS.
SEC. 68. 69. *List of prisoners sent from Hempstead. 70. Election of Deputies in Queens County. 71. 72. Election of a Militia Officer at Jamaica. 73. 74. * All secreted persons to be apprehended.
Election of Militia Officers at Cow Neck.
*Stock to be removed from South Side of Queens County.
75. Congress approve the Declaration of Independence.
*Boats hauled up at Hog Island.
Congress vote 10,000 cartridges and 1,000 flints to Queens County. Congress vote $10 bounty to recruits.
81. List of Officers of drafted troops. *Gen. Woodhull's Letters to Queens County Militia.
76. 77. 78. 79. *Report on the state of Stock in Queens County. 80. *Militia drafted to drive off the Stock. 82. 83. *List of Recruits in Queens County. 84. *Congress grant money to Queens County. 85. Officers of Jamaica Minute Company. 86. Howe's Declaration posted in Queens County. 87. *Col. Birdsall ordered to Rockaway. *Defaulters hide in Massapequa Swamp. *Lieut. J. Townsend stationed at Matinecock. *Sergeant Manee stationed at Sands's Point. 88. 89. 90. 91. *Sergeant Hicks stationed at Hewlett's Point. 92. *Warrant to take security for removal of Stock. 93. *Gen. Greene orders the new Levies to his Camp.
94. Half the militia of Queens ordered to Brooklyn.
Congress vote £200 to Flushing for support of fugitives from N.Y.
*List of Capt. Nostrand's men stationed at Rockaway.
95. 96. 97. Capt. Suydam seizes a boat at Rockaway. 98. *List of Officers of Col. Smith's Regiment. 99. Congress order Gen. Woodhull to drive off Stock.
100. Woodhull writes to Congress for assistance.
101. The enemy's ships off Great Neck.
102. Queens County Militia recross to Long Island.
103. *Pay Rolls of Queens County Militia.
104. British Army march to Newtown.
105. British erect a Fort at Hell-Gate.
106. British embark at Newtown Creek and land at Kip's Bay.
107. British Officers quartered at Newtown.
.
Washington sends a party after the disaffected.
12
CONTENTS.
PART II. SEIZURE OF WHIGS.
SEC. 108. 109. 110. The Highlanders at Flushing. 111. 112. Woodhull's dying declaration. 113. 114. Other Whigs of Jamaica seized. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. Oyster Bay Committee break up.
British Light-Horse enter Newtown. do. do. Flushing. 4
The Light-Horse seize Woodhull at Jamaica.
Elias Bayles, of Jamaica, carried off.
Light-Horse enter North Hempstead.
do. visit Col. Sands's house.
do. carry off Adrian Onderdonk.
do. do. Major Thorne.
120. Kings County Light-Horse cross the Sound.
121. Ministerial Troops at Oyster Bay.
122. George Townsend and John Kirk carried off.
PART III.
PETITION AND REPRESENTATION OF QUEENS COUNTY.
123. List of 1293 Petitioners.
124. Gov. Tryon reviews the Militia of Queens County.
PART IV. ARMED OCCUPATION.
125-167. Incidents at Newtown.
168-211. Incidents at Flushing.
212-288 Incidents at Jamaica.
289-337. Incidents at North Hempstead.
338-367. Incidents at Hempstead.
368-430. Incidents at Oyster Bay.
431-480. British Proclamations relating to Queens County.
481-519. List of Troops that lay in Queens County.
PART V. CONCLUSION.
520-521. Evacuation of Queens County. 522-525. Emigration to Nova Scotia.
526. Celebration of the Peace.
527-530. Suits against Loyalists.
531. Tax laid on Queens County.
REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENTS
OF
QUEENS COUNTY.
PART I.
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
1. On the passage of the Stamp Act, the following pro- ceedings took place in Queens county :
To the Committee of the Sons of Liberty in New- York :
GENTLEMEN :- By order of a Committee of the Sons of Liberty in Oyster Bay, we are to acquaint you, that at a meeting of the inhabitants, on Saturday, February 22, 1766, it was unanimously agreed and resolved-
I. That the person, crown and dignity of our rightful sove- . reign, King George III., with all his just and legal rights of government, we will, to the utmost of our power, support, maintain, and defend.
II. That the liberties and privileges, which we as English- men have still enjoyed, particularly those of being taxed by representatives of our own choosing, and being tried by our own juries, we will also support, maintain, and defend.
III. That the late Stamp Act is destructive of these our liberties, and is by us deemed to be arbitrary and unconstitu- tional; that as such, we will, to the utmost of our power, en- deavor to oppose and suppress the same.
2
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RISE AND PROGRESS OF
IV. That the measures which you have taken, and the several noble efforts you have made. in vindication of the general cause of liberty, we do heartily approve of, and that with our lives and fortunes, we stand ready to assist you in the same.
V. That the Committee now chosen, do signify these our resolutions to the SONS OF LIBERTY at New-York and else- where, as they may think proper ; that the said Committee do for the future keep up appointed meetings, as may be thought necessary, at the house of George Weekes. in Oyster Bay, and maintain a correspondence with your Committee, in which we expect your concurrence .- Holt, March 6, 1766.
The Stamp Act was soon repealed, and we hear no more of public meetings in Queens county, till the passage of the Boston Port Bill, when a number of persons assembled at the inn of Increase Carpenter, and requested Othniel Smith, constable, to warn the freeholders to meet at the Court House, to take into consideration the state of public affairs.
2. At a Town Meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabit- ants of Jamaica, held in the Court House, on Tuesday, the 6th of December, 1774 :
Resolved, 1. That by principle and interest we have been always heartily attached to the Royal House of Hanover, as the guardians of the civil and religious liberties of the whole British Empire ; and that we esteem it our duty to render true and faithful allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, as our only rightful sovereign ; and to support and maintain the just dependence of the colonies upon the Crown of Great Britain, under the enjoyment of our constitutional rights and privileges.
Resolved, 2. That it is our undoubted right to be taxed only by our own consent, given by ourselves or our Representatives ; and that all acts made by the British Parliament, imposing taxes on the Colonies, are unjust, unconstitutional, and a mani- fest infringement of our dearest and most invaluable privileges.
Resolred, 3. That we have esteemed it our greatest civil happiness and glory to have been born subjects to the Crown,
15
THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
and members of society under the most excellent Constitution of Great Britain ; that we regard ourselves as one people with our mother country, connected together by the strongest ties of affection, duty, interest, and religion ; and that we lament as the greatest misfortune * * the unhappy disputes that have of late years subsisted between us. 1 *
Resolved, 5. That we heartily sympathize with our brethren of Boston and the Massachusetts Bay, under their present un- exampled sufferings ; and that we regard the Acts of Parlia- ment, under which they now groan, as cruel, unjust, unconsti- tutional, and oppressive in the highest degree, levelled not only at them in particular, but at the liberties of the other Co- lonies, and the British Empire in general.
Resolved, 6. That we do most gratefully acknowledge the difficult and important services rendered to their country, by the late General Congress, held at Philadelphia, and that we do highly approve of the measures by them concerted for the public good of their constituents, and that we will use all pru- dent and constitutional endeavors to carry those measures into execution.
Resolved, 7. That we do appoint for our Committee of Correspondence and Observation, the following gentlemen, viz : Rev. Abm. Ketelias, Capt. Richard Betts, Mr. Waters Smith,
Dr. John Innes, Capt. Ephraim Bayley, Mr. Joseph Robinson,
Capt. Joseph French, Mr. Elias Bayley, Mr. William Ludlum .*
Resolved, 8. That this Committee do, in our names, present an address of sincere and hearty thanks to the worthy Dele- gates of this Province, for their cheerful acceptance and faith- ful discharge of the arduous and important trusts committed to them by their countrymen.
Resolved, 9. That this meeting have as heartily approved of, and always been as ready to promote every prudent and constitutional measure for the redress of grievances, and the preservation of those invaluable liberties which have been in- fringed by the British Ministry and Parliament, as any of their brethren, and that it is not their fault that they were not sooner convenedt for this important purpose ; and that they do highly resent and heartily disapprove of the conduct of the super-
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RISE AND PROGRESS OF
visor,¿ and any other person, by whose backwardness, igno- rance, negligence, or remissness, this meeting has been so long delayed .- Gaine, Dec. 19, '74.
* Two of the Committee declined serving: one was absent, and one left them in their meditations.
+ Lieut. Gov. Colden to the Earl of Dartmouth, Oct. 5, 1774:
" A great deal of pains has been taken to persuade the counties to choose delegates for the Congress, or to adopt those sent by the city of New- York. Several counties have refused. In Queens county, where I have a house, and reside in the summer season, six persons have not been got to meet for the purpose, and the inhabitants remain firm in their resolu- tion not to join in the Congress."
# " The supervisor, Capt. Benjamin Whitehead, had received a letter from the New-York Committee, but on consulting with the leading men of the town, he concluded to take no notice of it."
3. January 19th, 1775. Address from the Committee of Correspondence of the Township of Jamaica, presented to the Delegates who represented this Province in the late General Congress :
GENTLEMEN : We cheerfully embrace this opportunity of publicly acknowledging, in behalf of ourselves and our con- stituents, our most grateful sense of the arduous, faithful, and important services, you have rendered your country in the pre- sent alarming conjunction of affairs.
Permit us to declare our hearty acquiescence in the prudent, just, and well-concerted measures, adopted by you at the last General Congress, held at Philadelphia, and to assure you, that we will exert our utmost endeavors to carry those mea- sures into execution.
We ardently pray that the Supreme Disposer of events may signally reward and succeed your noble and generous designs and efforts for the redress of our grievances, and the vindication of our injured rights and liberties.
We joyfully anticipate the pleasure of seeing your names, and the names of your very respectable brethren of the Con- gress, enrolled in the annals of America, and transmitted to the latest generations, as the friends and deliverers of your country ; of beholding your conduct and measures applauded
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THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
and adopted by every city, town, and county, in the British Colonies, and of having your just and well merited praises re- sounded from one end of this extensive continent to the other.
Gentlemen, with hearts penetrated with unutterable grati- tude, and overflowing with benevolent wishes for every blessing on you and your posterity, we have the honor of being your affectionate countrymen, and much obliged humble servants.
By order of the Committee.
ABRAHAM KETELTAS, Chairman.
To Philip Livingston, John Jay, Isaac Low. Henry Wisner, James Duane, John Alsop, Simon Boerum, and William Floyd, Esqrs.
4. Jamaica, Jan. 27, 1775. Whereas, a few people in this town have taken upon themselves the name of a Com- mittee, said- to be chosen by a majority of the inhabitants, we the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the said town- ship, do think it our duty to declare, that we never gave our consent toward choosing that Committee, or making any re- solves, as we utterly disapprove of all unlawful meetings, and all tyrannical proceedings whatsoever ; and as we have always been, so it is our firm resolution to continue, peace- able and faithful subjects to his present Majesty, King George the Third, our most gracious sovereign ; and we do further declare, that we do not acknowledge any other Representa- tives but the General Assembly of this Province, by whose wisdom and interposition we hope to obtain the wished redress of our grievances in a constitutional way.
Signed by 136 persons, (names omitted,) 91 of whom are freeholders, and the others very respectable inhabitants. There are not above 160 freeholders at most in this township.
5. Newtown, Dec. 10, 1774. The election of a Com- mittee of seventeen persons, for the purposes mentioned in the association entered into by the Continental Congress, for corresponding with the other Committees of this Province, having this day come on, pursuant to advertisement of the
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RISE AND PROGRESS OF
supervisor, a great number of the most respectable freeholders assembled at the Town House, and the following persons were unanimously chosen, viz. :
Jacob Blackwell, Jonathan Lawrence, John Alburtis,
Richard Alsop, Esq.,
Samuel Moore,
Abm. Brinckerhoff,
Daniel Rapalje, Esq.,
William Furman, James Way,
Philip Edsall, William Howard,
Samuel Morrell,
Thomas Lawrence,
Jeromus Rensen,
Jonathan Coe.
Daniel Lawrence, Samuel Riker,
6. This Committee did not meet till December 29th, (owing to the small-pox in Col. Blackwell's family,) when " having seriously considered the consequences that must evidently flow from the several acts of the British Parlia- ment to raise revenue in America, and likewise that of having power to bind the people of these Colonies by statute in all cases whatsoever ; and that of extending the limits of the Admiralty Court, whereby the judges are empowered to receive their salaries and fees from effects to be condemned by themselves, and his Majesty's American subjects deprived of the right of trial by jury ; that of empowering the Com- missioners of Customs to break open and enter houses, with- out authority of any civil magistrate ; stopping the Port of Boston ; changing the form of government in Massachusetts Bay; and the Quebec Bill :! all which, as appears to us, are absolutely intended to deprive his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects of the American Colonies of their most inestimable rights and privileges, by subjugating them to the British Parliament, and driving them to the dire necessity of having their property taken from them without their consent :
Resolved, 1. That we consider it our greatest happiness and glory to be governed by the illustrious House of Hanover, and that we acknowledge and bear true allegiance to King George the Third as our rightful sovereign, and under his protection have a right to enjoy the privileges of the Constitution of Great Britain.
19
THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.
2. That man ought to have the disposition of his property, either by himself or his representatives.
3. That it is our indispensable duty to transmit unimpaired to posterity all our most valuable rights and privileges as we have received them from our ancestors-particularly that of disposing of our own property.
4. That as some mode of opposition to the Acts of Parlia- ment imposing taxes in America, has been thought necessary by the inhabitants of the different Colonies on this Continent, to secure their invaded rights and properties : which mode has been left to the determination of the Delegates sent by each Colony, and met in Congress, at Philadelphia, in September last: they having, among other articles of their association,2 re- commended that a committee be chosen in every county, city, and town, whose business it should be to observe the conduct of all persons touching said association ; and, as we are willing to establish harmony and union, we will, so far as our influence extends, endeavor that the measures of Congress be strictly adhered to in this town.
5. As we highly approve of the wise, prudent, and const :- tutional mode of opposition adopted by our worthy Delegates in the General Congress, to the several late tyrannical and op- pressive acts of the British Parliament, we therefore render our most sincere and hearty thanks to those gentlemen for their pa- triotic spirit in so cheerfully undertaking the difficult and ar- duous task, for their faithfulness in council, and great wisdom in drawing conclusions, which, through the influence of Divine Providence, we trust will be the means of securing to us ou liberty and privileges as frecborn Englishmen, and again re store harmony and confidence throughout the British Empire, which is the hearty wish of all the friends to liberty and foes to oppression.
Signed by order of the Committee,
JACOB BLACKWELL, Chairman.
1 The Quebec Bill extended the limits of that Province so as to border on the western frontiers of the United Colonies. It established arbitrary · government therein, discouraged the settlement of British subjects, so that by the influence of civil principles and ancient prejudices, the Catholic population might not unite with the free Protestant Colonies.
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RISE AND PROGRESS OF
2 By this Association, signed Oct. 20, 1774, the members of Congress pledged themselves not to import or consume tea, or any articles from the British Possessions, until the revenue acts of Parliament were repealed. They also recommended that a committee be chosen in every county, city, and town, to observe the conduct of all persons touching this Asso- ciation.
7. Newtown, Jan. 12, 1775. We, the subscribers, were no way concerned in certain resolves signed by Jacob Black- well, Chairman, entered into by some inhabitants of New- town, approving the proceedings of the Continental Congress ; neither do we acknowledge any other representatives but the General Assembly of the Province.
Signed by 58 persons, (names omitted.)
Oyster Bay, Dec. 30, 1774.
8. " In December, 1774, there was a notification, signed by several of the principal freeholders, and set up in differ- ent parts of Oyster Bay, requesting the freeholders to meet at George Weekes', on the 30th, to take into consideration the resolves of the Continental Congress.
" On that day, a number of freeholders appearing, they made choice of Samuel Townsend, Town Clerk, for Mode- rator. A motion was then made for taking into consideration the resolves of the Continental Congress ; and there being present but a small part of the freeholders, the meeting was adjourned to the annual town meeting."-O. B. Records.
At a meeting for choosing a committee for Oyster Bay, December 30, 1774, about ninety freeholders assembled to take into consideration the present unhappy dispute between the mother country and her colonies ; when there appeared such a number of friends to our happy, regular, es- tablished government, under the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain, as to deem that meeting illegal and void, and that no business could with propriety be done ; and the meeting was adjourned till a future time, when it is hoped it will be so conducted as to convince the world that his Majesty is not without friends here who will support his government.
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