USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 1
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1887
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 3 3333 01087 2816
974.726 B History of Richmond County 106820750
REFERENCE
The Branch Libraries
RICHMONDTOWN BRANCH RT 200 Clarke Avenue Staten Island, N.Y. 10306
REFERENCE
The Branch Libraries RICHMONDTOWN BRANCH 200 Clarke Avenue Staten Island, N.Y. 10306
RT
REFERENCE
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY GREAT KILLS BRANCH
200 CLARKE AVENUE 1 STATEN ISLAND, NY 10306
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofrichmon00bayl
REFERENCE
HISTORY
-OF-
RICHMOND COUNTY, (STATEN ISLAND)
NEW YORK,
From its Discovery to the Present Time.
EDITED BY RICHARD M. BAYLES.
"Staten Island ! the name hath a charm to the ear: " Fair Island of Beauty !' ' The Gem of the Sea !' Let other harps sing of the scenes ever dear, But mine, be it tuned in its praises to thee.
" Thou 'rt like a vast garden of verdure and flowers- Spread out in the distance, enchanting to view; With its green, shady knolls and luxuriant bowers, Surrounded by waters of loveliest blue. "
NEW YORK: L. E. PRESTON & CO. 1887.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY GREAT KILLS BRANCH 200 CLARKE AVENUE STATEN ISLAND, NY 10306
COPYRIGHT, 1887, -BY- L. E. PRESTON & CO.
1
-
3
PRESS OF J. HENRY PROBST, 36 VESEY ST . N. Y.
974.74
01087 2816
REFERENCE
1
PREFACE.
The preparation of a history like this involves the employ- ment of a great variety of means, drawing from a multitude of sources. The compiler is frequently obliged to accept the statements of others without knowing upon what data those statements are made. The utter impossibility of any one man being able, during the brief term of one human life, to go to the bottom of every fact stated in a work of this kind must be too apparent to need explanation. There are a hundred ways by which errors may creep in. The editor can but use his best judgment as to the reliability of the authorities upon which he depends for statements, and his constant and most careful vigilance in guarding against erroneous statements. This he has done in the preparation of this work, and that vigilance has been rendered more effective by the experience the editor has had heretofore in the preparation of similar works in other fields.
Opportunity is taken here to make expression of our gratitude for the generous response with which requests for information have been met by the ministers of the different churches, the officers of different societies, and others who were in possession of special information that was desired, in general; and we would also make particular acknowledgment of the valuable assistance which we have received from Dr. James Brownlee, Alfred de Groot, James McNamee, Governor G. D. S. Trask, Sidney F. Rawson, County Clerk C. A. Hart, School Com- missioner Theodore Frean, Professor N.L. Britton, the family of the lato Gabriel P. Disosway, Dr. Arthur Hollick, Hamilton
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY GREAT KILLS BRANCH 200 CLARKE AVENUE STATEN ISLAND, NY 10306
iv
PREFACE.
Willcox, Ira K. Morris, William T. Davis and John H. Gar- retson.
The readiness with which these gentlemen have answered the calls of the editor for the assistance that each could give, has encouraged him through the many weary months of labor which the preparation of this volume has cost.
Besides all the sources of information and assistance which have been indicated there are many others which have been laid under contribution which we cannot mention specifically. Two of the most important, however, cannot be justly omitted. These are the " Annals of Staten Island," compiled by Mr. J. J. Clute, and the note books of Prof. Charles Anthon, both of which have been drawn upon for whatever they contained of sufficient valne and as far as the limits of this volume would allow. The copyright of the former was purchased from the heirs of Mr. Clute, and the note books of the latter, from a relative in whose possession they were. These were gathered while he was a resident of the island and a professor in Columbia Col- lege, about 1850 to 1854, he at the time having in view the prep- aration of a history of the island, which project he afterward abandoned. From these note books we have obtained many important facts which have hitherto never been published, and we deem it especially fortunate that the books were discovered in time for those facts to be embodied in this work.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
-
CHAPTER I PAGE.
Description of Staten Island (Richmond County).
1
CHAPTER II. NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ISLAND.
Geology .- Flora of the Island. - Animal Life .- Indian Relics. ..... 9
CHAPTER III. THE PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT-1609 TO 1683.
Discovery .- The First Settlement and the Settlers .- Conquest by the English. 38
CHAPTER IV. THE COLONIAL PERIOD-1683 TO 1775.
Erection of Richmond County .- Arrival of Huguenots .- Division of Rich- mond into Towns .- The Claims of New Jersey .- Patents and Land Grants .- Establishment of the Colonial Government .- Administration of Justice .- The Time of the French War .- Colonial Description .-- Colonial Customs .- Statistics. 90
CHAPTER V. THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD-1775 TO 1783.
Events Prior to the Declaration of Independence .- The Coming of Howe .- Incursions and Skirmishes .- The Close of the War and the Evacuation of New York and Staten Island .- Incidents of the Revolutionary Period. 157
CHAPTER VI. UNDER THE REPUBLIC-1783 TO 1883.
Condition at close of Revolution .- Population .- County Buildings .- Manners and Customs .- War of 1812 .- Extracts from the Records .- TheMilitia. - Growth and Improvement. - Earthquakes. - Quarantine. - The Civil War .- Some Notable Events . . 250
CHAPTER VII. CIVIL DIVISIONS AND CIVIL OFFICERS.
The County .- The Towns. - The Villages .- Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins. - Hon. Erastus Brooks .- Cornelius A. Hart. 326
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII. PAGE.
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
The Dutclı Reformed Churches. - The Episcopal Churches. - Baptist Churches .- Methodist Churches .- The Moravian Church .- The Roman Catholic Churches .- The Church of the Huguenots .- Unitarian Church .- Presbyterian Churches .- Lutheran Churches .- Y. M. C. A. ..... 349
CIIAPTER IX. EDUCATION AND LITERATURE.
The Schools of the Colonial Period .- The Public Schools under the State Government .- Richmond County College .- Brighton Heights Seminary. -Staten Island Academy .- The Natural Science Association .- News- papers .- George William Curtis .- John Adams Appleton .- The Smith Family 445
CHAPTER X.
THE PROFESSIONS OF LAW AND MEDICINE.
The Bench and Bar .- Henry B. Metcalfe .- Alvin C. Bradley .- Tompkins Westervelt .- Lot C. Clark .- Robert Christie .- John and William H. Anthon .- Theodore C. Vermilye .- List of Practising Attorneys .- Augus- tus Prentice .- Richmond County Medical Society .- I. K. Ambrose .- Herman Beyer .- Alfred L. Carroll .- Ephraim Clark .- Alva D. Decker .- Henry S. Earl .- Joseph Feeny .- John L. Feeny .- R. Henry Golder .- Edwin A. Hervey .- George C. Hubbard .- Robert M. Ames .- F. E. Mar- tindale .- James J. O'Dea .- S. A. Robinson .- Robert Rogerson .- Henry W. Sawtelle .- Samuel Russell Smith .- Walker Washington, Jr .- J. Wal- ter Wood .- Notes of Quarantine Superintendence, etc. 469
CHAPTER XI. OLD FAMILIES AND PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS.
Alston .- Androvette. - Bedell. - Barnes. - Samuel Ward Benedict. - Read Benedict .- Bodine .- W. H. J. Bodine .- Blake .- Bogart .- Braisted. ---- Britton. - Burbanck. - Burgher, Burger. - Bush .- Butler .- Cannon .- Christopher .- Cole .- Abraham Cole .- William A. Cole .- Colon .- Con- ner .- Corsen .- Cortelyou .- Crips. - Crocheron .- Cruser .- Cubberly .- George William Daley .- George Henry Daley .- Decker .- De Groot .- De Hart .- Depuy .- Disosway .- DuBois .- Dustan .- Eddy .- Andrew Eddy. -Egbert .- Ellis .- Enyard. - Fountain .- Frost. - Garrison .- Guyon .- Hatfield. - Hanghwout. - Charles A. Herpich. - Hillyer. - Holmes .- Housman .- Jacobson .- Johnson .- Jones .- Journeay .- La Forge .- Lake. - Larzalere. - Latourette. - Lawrence. - Lisk .- Lockman. - Manee .- James M. Manee .- Martling .- Martino .- Merrill .- Mersereau .- Metcalfe. -Nicholas C. Miller .- Morgan. ... 497
CHAPTER XII.
OLD FAMILIES AND PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS (concluded).
Perine .- Poillon .- Post .- Prall .- Aquila Rich .- Alfred Z. Ross .- Ryerss .- Seguine .- John G. Seguine .- Henry S. Seguine .- Sharrott .- Francis G. Shaw .- Simonson .- Stilwell .- Sprague .- Taylor .- Totten .- Ephraim J. Totten .- Tyson .- Van Buskirk, Van Duzer .- John H. Van Clief .- The
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vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE. Vanderbilts .- The Van Name Family .- Van Pelt .- Wandel .- Albert Ward .- Stephen Whitman .- Winant .- Garrett Ellis Winants .- Wog- lom .- Wood .- Abraham C. Wood .- Jacob B. Wood .- Abraham J. Wood .- Other Families .- Eminent Men and Women of Staten Island ... 563
CHAPTER XIII. OHARITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS.
The S. R. Smith Infirmary .- The Seamen's Fund and Retreat .- Home for Destitute Children of Seamen .- County Poor House .- Staten Island Diet Kitchen .- Cemeteries. - Staten Island Water Supply Company .- The Crystal Water Works .- The Sailors' Snug Harbor .- The Police and Fire Department. 641
CHAPTER XIV. MUTUAL ASSOCIATIONS.
Staten Island Athletic Club .- Clifton Boat Club .- Staten Island Rowing Club .- Kill Von Kull Rowing Association .-- Staten Island Cricket and Base Ball Club .- German Association .- Grand Army of the Republic .- Masonic Societies .- Odd Fellows' Lodges .- Miscellaneous Organizations. 666
CHAPTER XV. TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC.
The Ferries .- Bridge Across the Sound .- The Staten Island Railroad .- The Shore Railroad .- North and South Shore Railroad .- The Richmond County Railroad .- The Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad .- Lewis Henry Meyer .- Eckstein Norton .- Roderick W. Cameron .- John Frank Emmons .- Harry L. Horton .- Reon Barnes .- Orlando A. Wood .. . 678
CHAPTER XVI. INDUSTRIES.
Agriculture .- Shipbuilding .- The Oyster Interests .- John Scott .- Silas N.
Havens .- Edward Lowrey Woodruff .- Barrett, Nephews & Co .- The New York Dyeing and Printing Establishment .- The Breweries .- George Bechtel .- Monroe Eckstein .- B. Kreischer & Sons .- Jewett White Lead Company .- Silk Mill .- John Irving .- Linoleum Works .- Paper Mill .- Plaster Mill .- Dental Supplies .- Other Industries. 702
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PORTRAITS.
Appleton, John A. 464
Barnes, Reon 699
Barry, John 430
Bechtel, George
728
Benedict, Read
500
Benedict, Samuel W. 499
Bodine, W. H. J 503
Brooks, Erastus 342
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Brownlee, James
360
Cameron, Roderick.
694
Cole, Abraham
514
Cole, William A.
516
Curtis, George William
456
Daley, George H.
402
Eccleston, John C.
532
Eddy, Andrew
487
Feeny, Jolın L. .
346
Hart, Cornelius A
719
Havens, S. N.
542
Herpich, Charles A
698
Horton, H. L.
738
Irving. John
734
Kreischer, B.
432
Manee, James M
554 692
Meyer, Lewis H.
561
Norton, Ex
693 478 566
Rich, Aquilla.
492
Robinson, S. A.
568
Ross, A. Z.
718
Scott, John.
571
Seguine, Henry S
570
Seguine, John G
572
Smith, R. Penn
466 338
Tompkins, Daniel D.
583
Van Clief, J. H.
386 588 60-4
Vanderbilt, Jacob H.
596
Vanderbilt, William H
611
Ward, Albert.
614
Whitman, Stephen.
618
Winants, G. E.
625
Wood, A. J ..
701
Wood, Orlando A.
220
Woodruff, Edward Lowrey.
VIEWS.
Old Billop House, looking toward South Amboy 111
111
The Old Billop House, Tottenville.
Old British Fort 237
253
House of Isaac M. Marsh, formerly used as the Court House.
256
Building formerly used as a Clerk's Office and Jail
257
Present Court House and Jail
The Jaques Guion House, New Dorp. 337
Port Richmond Dutch Reformed Church
360
Lewis, John
Miller, N. C.
Prentice, Augustus.
Shaw, Francis G.
Totten, E. J.
Vanderbilt, Cornelius
524
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ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
St. Andrew's Church, Richmond.
PAGE. 398
St. John's Church and Rectory 400
Woodrow M. E. Church 415
Old Moravian Church and Parsonage 424
Moravian Church, New Dorp. 426
" Beechlawn," Residence of Col. R. Penn Smith. 467
" Tower Hill," House of L. W. Faber. 468
" Tower Hill," House of Mrs. Jenny Faber 469
House of A. L. King, Clifton, N. Y. 497
" Ravenhurst," House of Read Benedict
501
The Barne Tysen House
549
The Daniel Lake House.
549 630
St. James Hotel, Port Richmond.
Mt. Loretto, S. I.
641
" Arrochar," Residence of W. W. MacFarland
647
Residence of George W. White.
668 672
Residence of James M. Davis.
690
Dining Room at Fox Hill
691
House of Ex. Norton.
693
Residence of R. W. Cameron. 695
" Portledge," Residence of J. F. Emmons 697
Staten Island Fancy Dyeing Works 722
The Old Staten Island Dyeing Establishment 726
House and Stables of George Beclitel. 729
Fire-Brick Works of B. Kreischer & Sons 732
Residence of the late B. Kreischer ₹35
Resideuces of Charles C. and Edward B. Kreischer 736
The Irving Manufacturing Company 739
MAPS AND PLANS.
Map of Richmond County 1
Geological Map of Richmond County. 9
Facsimile of Original Patent Granted to Barne Tysen in 1677 125
Plan of Christiau Low Dutch Church 365
" Fox Hill," House of L. H. Meyer
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A
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
DESCRIPTION OF STATEN ISLAND. (RICHMOND ('OUNTY.)
T HE first thing we know of Staten Island is its name, and we trust it will not be considered out of place to intro- duce our subject by an explanation of its name. Its present form is an English rendering of the name given by the Dutch, " Staaten Eylandt." Hudson gave the name, which meant the "Island of the States," as a memorial to the states general, under whose flag he was sailing. / By the native occupants it was called "Aquehonga Manacknong," and sometimes " Eghqua- hous," which was probably only a slight variation of the first part of the former. Schoolcraft interprets "Aquehonga Ma- nacknong," as far as the place of bad woods. The meaning of "Eghquahous" is also interpreted the place of bad woods. It is not easy uow to see the application of such a name, unless it was that the woods here were dense, and perhaps filled with tangled undergrowth, that made it difficult to move through them in pursuit of game or to secure good aim upon it.
The Island lies in or upon New York bay, but closely drawn to the New Jersey shore. It is separated from the latter by Newark bay and a narrow estuary called Kill von Kull on the north, and on the west by Staten Island sound, which is crooked and narrow but navigable by steamboats and river craft. The south side is washed by the waters of Raritan bay, Prince's bay and the Atlantic ocean, while the main seaward channel of the Hudson river flows along its eastern shore. It lies centrally in latitude 40° 34', and longitude 2' 52' east from Washington, or 74° 8' west from Greenwich. The center of the
1
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2
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
island is eleven miles southwest of New York city, one hun- dred and forty-three miles south of the state capital, and one hundred and ninety miles southwest by an air line to the national capital.
With respect to its surrounding waters we can approve the remarks of J. Fennimore Cooper, who in his " Water Witch" locates a scene here. He says:
"The fine estuary which penetrates the American coast be- tween the fortieth and forty-first degrees of latitude is formed by the confluence of the Hudson, the Hackensack. the Passaic, the Raritan and a multitude of smaller streams; all of which pour their tribute into the ocean within the space named. The Island of Nassau [Long Island] and Staten Island are happily placed to exclude the tempests of the open sea, while the deep and broad arms of the latter offer every desirable facility for foreign trade and internal intercourse.'
Arthur kill separates the island on the west side from the New Jersey shore, and extends from Elizabethport to Perth Amboy. It is the grand highway for all the local commerce of the several ports and streams on the west side of Staten Island, as well as the inter-state commerce passing south and west through the Delaware and Raritan canal, which connects the Raritan river at New Brunswick with the Delaware river at Trenton. This canal is one of the principal links in the chain of internal navigation of the Atlantic seaboard, and has a tonnage amounting to about two millions annnally passing throngh it.
What may be said in regard to the commerce of Arthur kill is equally true of Kill von Kull, and perhaps in a still greater degree. The latter extends from New York bay to Newark bay, separating the north shore of Staten Island from the New Jersey shore at Bergen Point. Through this channel must pass the great bulk of the commerce already mentioned and that of Newark bay and its tributaries in addition.
Neither of the channels mentioned, however, can compare in the importance of its commerce with that of the channel which lies along the east side of the island. That is the gateway through which is constantly passing the commerce of our own great nation with all other nations of the earth. Thus we see Staten Island is peculiarly situated, as it were in a whirlpool of the commerce of a hemisphere.
1
3
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
In passing, let us notice the names of the bodies of water that surround the island. The water now known as the kills was first called by the Dutch " Het Kill van het Cul," meaning the Kill of the Cul. The Dutch word "Kill " meant a stream or creek, while the word "Cul," perhaps borrowed from the French, meant a bay. Hence Kill von Kull was " the stream of the bay," the appropriateness of which name is seen in the fact that it connects the two bays of New York and Newark. " Achter Cul," as Newark bay was called by the Dutch, meant the "Back bay." The narrow body of water known as Staten Island sound, to which the name Arthur kill is also attached, was perhaps regarded as only a part of the "back bay," and so the name of the larger body, slightly corrupted, was appro- priated to the smaller arm. A reef in the bay at the mouth of the Kill von Kull was once frequented by seals, to which the Dutch gave the name Robyn ; hence the name " Robyns Rift," which has by careless usage become " Robbins Reef."
The shores of the island are designated with respect to the points of the compass, as follows : The region from the Fort to Billop's point is called the South Shore : from the latter point to the junction of the sound with the kills is known as the West Side : from the latter point (to which the name Howland's hook has been applied, with reference to the meadows, and De Hart's point to the knoll of upland which overlooks it) to where the kills meet the waters of New York bay is called the North Shore ; and thence to the point of departure the East Side.
The shape of the island is that of an irregular triangle. The longest line that can be drawn through it, from the extreme northeastern to the extreme southwestern point. is a few feet more than thirteen and a half miles ; while the longest line that can be drawn across it, from the shore of the sound near Buck- wheat island to the shore at the light-house near the Narrows, is two hundred feet over seven and three fourths miles. It con- tains about seventy-seven square miles. or 49,280 acres.
The topography of the island corresponds in general with that of Long Island, being in the northern part hilly and stony. and in the southern part flat and sandy. But in detail the sur- face is more diversified. The island may justly claim attention for the beauty of its landscapes, presenting, as they do, so many mutations in character, through high, boldly precipitous Mid- dletown, diversified Castleton, gently undulating Westfield,
4
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
rolling Northfield, and low, more or less flat and marshy South- field. Two prominent ranges of hills extend partially across the island, in different directions, one being near the eastern shore and touching it at both ends. This extends from New Brighton, on the northeastern extremity, where it reaches an elevation of 310 feet, and sweeping inland behind Tompkinsville and Stapleton, comes out again upon the shore of the Narrows, with such precipitons form as to suggest the name of Clifton. The second may be said to commence to the south and just in the rear of West New Brighton, and extends southward, rising as it advances, till it nearly reaches New Dorp, when it swerves away to the westward and settles down again on the shores of the Fresh kill. . This reaches its greatest height in Toad or Todt hill, which has an elevation of 370 feet above tide. Still farther west it makes a prominent elevation in Richmond Hill. At La Tourette's hill, still farther, it overlooks the village of Rich- mond, and there you gaze far away over green, wooded, rolling Westfield, while Fresh kill runs at its base, nearly dividing the island in two.
To the southeast of this hilly region, which by the way may be described as covering the northeast quarter of the island, is a level, and probably alluvial, tract of country, composed of upland and salt meadow extending to the ocean, where it is designated as the south shore. To the northwest of the "hill country " the surface is undulating, gradually declining to level upland and salt meadows. Almost every farm in the county is furnished with several acres of this meadow, from which large quantities of grass are annually taken without any expense for fertilizing or renewing.
. The island is well watered with springs, some of them very copious, and all of them affording water of excellent quality." These are the sources of numerous rivulets and brooks which irrigate the surface in all directions. At Springville, on the western part of the island these native waters burst from the soil in such spontaneous abundance as to suggest a name for the locality. . The water of these springs is very cold and pure. . Their value in the arts has been discovered by the proprietors of several large breweries and dye works as well as by the projectors of public water works. On this subject the fol- lowing extract from the report of investigations made in 1876 by Mr. Clarence Delafield, C. E., in regard to the available
5
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
sources of water supply for the village of New Brighton, will be found very interesting:
" West of Port Richmond and Graniteville lies a sandy sur- face soil: under this is an impervious clay of considerable depth, under which again is a stratum of gravel that extends westward under the sound into New Jersey for a long distance. This gravel is the storage reservoir for the drainage of an im- mense district. Springs break out at or near tide water in large numbers in Mariners' Harbor. At Singer's factory in Eliza- bethport, the well that furnishes the factory is sunk through this clay stratinn to the gravel, and furnishes a large volume of water. I feel confident that an ample supply can be found in this region for pumping.
"The geological formation is peculiar. From the Palisades on the Hudson river, the trap rock is seen running in a south- westerly direction, generally depressed as it passes under Bergen hill, thence passing under Bergen Point and the Kill von Kull, emerging at the water side of Jewett's residence, Port Richmond, passing thence to the quarries at Graniteville, and from there dipping under the Fresh kill, is lost sight of until discovered on the Raritan river between Perth Amboy and New Brunswick. West of this line lies the white and blue clays of various depths, forming impervious strata. covering the water bearing gravel.
"East of the line of trap described is another step of the same rock, noticed at Bergen Point, at Gunther's residence, but only found on the island, in digging wells just east of the Pond road.
" Between the Pond and Mill roads there is a depression of the rock, and wells forty feet in depth pass through a stratum of water-proof clay into a stratum of gravel, the reservoir of drainage of the surface above of limited area, the water rising and falling with the rains. and often chalybeate in taste from the deposits of hematite iron in the hills above.
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