A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 139

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188

USA > New York > A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 139

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""Articles of agreement made by the own- ers of a certain tract of Meadow Lands Lying in the Township of Hempstead on Little Mer- rick is as follows: Whereas, we the sub- scribers whose names are hereunto Written, Do agree for Ourselves, our heirs and assigns forever that we will take a Road that the Commissioners Shall Lay out. One Rod Wide In Leu of all other Rights or Priviledge that we Heretofore have had, to Pass to and From our Meadow, For the Use of Carting the Hay Cut on our Respective Meadows, Said Road to Begin at Duryea's Bars, Running as the Path Now Runs to the Bars Near Jacob Smith's and Timothy Titus' House, and from thence To the Island as the Cross Way Now Is. One Rod Wide Easterwardly from the Ditch on the West Side of Said Crossway. The Priviledges above written are no Other than the Priviledges we had In the Old Road which we have given for the New One. In witness Whereof We set our Hands, Nov. 9, 1809."

Agriculture naturally occupied the early attention of our colonists and has remained a principal occupation. Records show enormous crops gathered from productive soil, good prices in return for the same, and a gradual increase in the comforts and surroundings of the farmer. Nevertheless, we find him com- plaining of exhorbitant taxes, illegal assess- ments, and protesting to the Colonial Gov- ernor his inability to pay them. It is on record that this contention came to naught, but once resulted in an edict from Governor Lovelace to "lay such taxes upon them in future as may not give them liberty to entertain any other thoughts, but how they shall discharge them." This was in 1668.

The Merrick River was then a stream of some importance and for years a source of great value within the hamlet. Upon its banks were no less than four paper mills. The first,

about a quarter of a mile north of the present railroad track, was owned by Gilson Willis; Joseph Smart had another, still further north; the next belonged to Isaac Willis, and the last to F. S. Molineaux, but is now transformed into a grist mill. They all did a thriving busi- ness for years, and furnished a good market for all straw farmers could bring to them. Rags came from New York and were returned in the form of white paper, by a regular line of packets ; leaving a dock below the present residence of Mr. Gilbert Smith. There was every evidence of a long continued prosperity in this branch of manufacture, when that which has proved so destructive to the Eastern End of Long Island-the "Brooklyn Water Works Company"-by authority from the leg- islature reached out into the township, like the octopus sucking through its tentacles, water from streams and springs to its reservoirs and conduits, until the streams ran dry, the mills were closed, and so the industry came to an end. The several fulling mills which had long done a thriving business were also obliged to close for the same reason.

"Flotsam" and "Jetsam" were terms well known and understood. A copy of one re- corded document bearing upon goods of this nature appears of sufficient interest to war- rant its repetition :

"In March, 1814, the Privateer Mars ware Drove on Shore near the New Inlet, by the British Cruisers, and set on fire by them. We, the Subscribers, saved Sum property front her. Jacob S. Jackson and Thomas Treadwell made an agreement with the ajent and part owner, Peter H. Schenck to Save the property from her to the Halves and Deliver said prop- erty when saved to New York to said Schenck and to have the one haff of the neate proceeds for saving the same. And the above said property or part of it Whare Delivered to Mr. Schenck at New York by James Bedell, which said Schenck refused to make a settlement for. Now we the subscribers do agree that the sum of money that ware lodged in the hands of Patrick Mott should go towards bringing a sute against Mr. Schenck, and if not a suf- ficient sum to carry on the sute, we the Sub- scribers agree to pay all charges that may a Crew in carrying on said Sute.

"February the 14th, 1816."

As a means for promoting industries, build- ing churches, establishing schools and divers other public works, the lottery was frequently

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resorted to and was pretty generally in vogue. In 1763 the Reverend Samuel Seabury re- corded in his dairy: "The ticket No. 5866 in the Light House, drew in my favor, by the blessing of God, £500, for which I now record to my posterity my thanks, and praise to Al- mighty God, the Giver of all good gifts, Amen."

"There is abundant evidence," says Prime, "that the first settlers of all these towns, from East to West, considered the establishment of schools as second in importance to nothing but the institutions of the gospel, and many of them were as careful to bring their school mas- ters as their ministers with them." Flint re- cords that schools must have been opened im- mediately after the colonists settled in Hemp- stead. As early as 1671 we find an order, signed by Governor Lovelace, to the over- seers of Hempstead commanding them to "cause speedy payment to be made to Richard Charlton, who kept a school; otherwise he will have good remedy against you at Law." In 1871 there was a school on Cow Neck, taught by George Sheresby.

The first school house in Merrick was built early in the last century. It was of rough boards and timbers hewn from logs-from its size evidently not intended for a large number of pupils. The remnants of this building may still be seen in rear of Mr. William E. Hew- lett's residence, where until fallen into decay they did duty for many years as a chicken house. The old boards and logs bear indica- tions that the boys then, as well as now, had jack knives and knew how to use them; they record, cut deep in the wood, initials of many a girl and boy, long since passed away, and of whom there is probably no other me- morial extant.

The second school house, on the Merrick Road, east of Mr. Hewlett's, was erected in 1844, and used until the modern building further east was completed in 1892. In this second edifice many of the present residents of Merrick received their education ; and for years this school produced the best scholars and gave the most thorough instruction of any on Long Island. The early teacher lived on the premises, sleeping over the school room, and cooking his frugal meals upon the rough apology of a box stove. It is said of one that his chief nutriment was derived from buckwheat cakes in their season, and other kinds of cakes during the rest of the

year. An "old bov" remembers that this teach- er was famous for his skill in cooking, "and when the process was about to commence the scholars gathered around to watch him flop the cakes on top of the hot iron."

"In Merrick," writes Thompson, "the Methodists have a meeting house, erected in 1830, and another east in 1840." This first meeting house referred to has been identified as one which stood near Hempstead Turnpike in Freeport, about one mile north of the Mer- rick Road ; it was formerly known as the Sand Hill Church. The grave yard, with its head stones, is yet to be seen in the still kept in- closure where the building formerly stood. The edifice east, to which Thompson refers, was probably the Merrick school house, where services were occasionally held and a regular Sunday-school maintained.

The first building erected within Merrick precincts for religious services was undoubt- edly the Union Chapel, commenced in the fall of 1875, completed in the summer of 1876, and dedicated Sunday, August 27th, of that year, by Methodist Elder Graves.

The famous Merrick camp meeting at- tracts hundreds of Methodists in August every year. It was established about a quarter of a century ago, and is now held on a tract of ninety acres of land, off Merrick avenue, about a mile from the railroad station. An audi- torium, capable . of seating 1,500 persons, stands in the center of the grounds and around it are grouped some sixty cottages.

Probably the best known portion of Hemp- stead, the portion which attracts the most vis- itors every year and has done so now for near- ly half a century, is the great sand bar which practically stretches along the entire south front of Long Island, forming a succession of inland seas-Hempstead Bay, Jamaica Bay, South Bay-and which is known by many names. The part included in Hempstead township, Long Beach, virtually a continua- tion of Rockaway Beach, became famous in 1880 for the mammoth summer hotel which was then opened for guests. It was a huge structure, capable of entertaining 5,000 guests at one tinie. Far Rockaway, now incorporated in the Greater New York, was purchased from the Indian proprietors in 1676 by a pioneer

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named Cornwell, and remained for many years in possession of his descendants. Its Marine Pavilion was long a popular resting place by the sea, and later came more elaborate struc- tures. For the past twenty years Far Rock- away has had a settled community and many really beautiful villas adorn its streets. It does not now attract such throngs of visitors as it formerly did, but it cannot be said that those who have built their summer homes there much regret its loss of popularity in that re- spect.

From an interesting and valuable mono- graph on the "History of the Rockaways," by Mr. William Soper Pettit, we quote the follow- ing interesting details concerning Rockaway and its environs :

Over half a century ago, this part of Long Island was a fashionable resort, as is shown by the following extracts from the New York Mirror of 1833: "For a number of years the Rockaway beach has attracted numbers of our townsmen with their families to that healthful and agreeable part of Long Island. The at- mosphere there is fresh, cool and delightful; invalids soon find themselves invigorated by the constant sea breeze; and the tired den- izen of the town, whose scorching pavements have long blistered his feet, and whose hetero- geneous and fanciful odors from gutters, sew- ers, piles of filth, dust and smoke, have regaled his olfactory organ, finds a plunge or two in the Atlantic a truly delicious luxury. 3

They have a real pleasure in perspective, who have never ridden down to that broad, white, end- less, magnificent beach, where the heavy swell of the ocean rolls so superbly to the snowy and silvery sand. One after another forever the waves come heaving, swelling, breaking, tum- bling, flashing, foaming and roaring in. Hither the stranger delights to resort when the fervor of the long summer day begins to abate. For miles and miles around the eye wanders over the dead level. Fearless of interruption, he loves to feel the grateful, wet, velvet sand crushed beneath his feet as he. wanders into the foaming tide, for the next billow. Soon it comes : he takes his place so as to stand exactly within its green transparent curve, when it lifts its head just in the act of breaking. The emerald wall rises suddenly before him, and, with a skillful spring, he plunges headlong into

the liquid mass, which bursts above him with stately and measured sweep, while, with a few well timed strokes, or, with an attitude braced with more than ordinary care, he stems the swift current of the returning flood, rejoicing in this exercise of his amphibious abilities, till some crab, perhaps as large as his thumb nail, seizes him by the foot, as if the ocean were not big enough for them both, and warns him that he is but a timid intruder in the empire of Nep- tune."

In 1841, Howe in his history says: "Far Rockaway, about 29 miles from New York, (by the old road) has grown into importance as a fashionable watering place. The Marine Pavilion, a splendid hotel, was erected here in 1834, near the beach, 76 rods from the ocean."

From the foregoing extracts it will be seen that the Rockaways have long been known and appreciated by the citizens of New York.

Mention has been made of the "Marine Pavilion." This was a hostelry of note in its dav; it stood near the Cheever mansion in Wave Crest. In speaking of this hotel Thompson says: "It is a large and splendid edifice standing upon the margin of the At- lantic, and has hitherto been kept in a style not excelled by any hotel in the Union. The main building is two hundred and thirty feet front, with wings, one of which is seventy-five, and the other forty-five feet long. The peristyles are of the Ionic order, the piazza being two hundred and thirty-five feet in length by twenty in width. The dining room is eighty feet long, and the drawing room fifty." The sleeping apartments numbered one hundred sixty. It was erected by an association of gentlemen of the city of New York, and the building cost forty-three thousand dollars.

This grand hotel was destroyed by fire on June 25th, 1864; not a vestige of it remains. "It was made memorable by its old-time hos- pitality and the distinguished persons who patronized it, among whom were conspicuous, Longfellow, N. P. Willis, Washington Irving, Trumbull the artist, and General George P. Morris," and Herbert, who it is believed in- dited from its porch the well known lines :

On Long Island's sea-girt shore Many an hour I've whiled away, Listening to the breakers' roar

That washed the beach at Rockaway. Transfixed I've stood while Nature's lyre, In one harmonious concert broke, And catching its Promethean fire

My inmost soul to rapture woke.

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Oh, how delightful 'tis to stroll

Where murmering winds and waters meet, Marking the billows as they roll And break resistless at your feet ! To watch young Iris as she dips Her mantle in the sparkling dew, And, chased by Sol, away she trips

O'er the horizon's quivering blue,-

To hear the startling night winds sigh, As dreamy twilight lulls to sleep, While the pale moon reflects from high Her image in the mighty deep: Majestic scene where Nature dwells, Profound in everlasting love, While her unmeasured music swells The vaulted firmament above.

These verses were put to music, and were popular for many years; "they are supposed to have been inspired by the measured rhythm of the waves breaking against the magnificent jutting headland which is Rockaway's pride."

Other well known personages have had their summer homes in this section: there were the Franklins, of Philadelphia ; the Blenn- erhassets, of Blennerhasset, on the Mississippi ; the Livingstons, of Livingston Manor; the Van Rensselaers, descendants of the famous patroon; Admiral Wilkes; the Bleeckers, the Hoffmans, the Aspinwalls, and the famous Mme. Jumel, widow of Aaron Burr.

At this early period no railroad extended to Rockaway; it was not until 1832 that the Long Island Railroad Company was chartered to run from Brooklyn to Jamaica. All our visitors came in carriages and stage coaches, driven by way of Hempstead. Before the bar was formed opposite Far Rockaway, the beach at low tide stretched out many rods and was known as The Strand. During the height of the season it was customary to see the white sand dotted with portable tents, under whose shelter were groups of gay young folk from the city and adjoining towns. Bathing was then carried on in a peculiar fashion. The bath houses were on wheels and driven di- rectly into the surf. The bath chair was also in vogue. The scene resembled that of Brigh- ton, in England.

Within the last half of the nineteenth cen- tury the towns known as Lawrence, Cedar- hurst, Arverne, and Edgemere have sprung into existence and have received their names from various sources. Lawrence was named in honor of its founder, Mr. John Lawrence,

brother of Messrs. Newbold and Alfred Law- rence. This place was recently incorporated and now includes territory formerly within the bounds of Cedarhurst. With its peaceful in- habitants, its scenic landscape, and its clean, shaded and well sprinkled streets, Lawrence is indeed a model village. The ideal name Cedarhurst was given to that section front- ing the Hempstead Bay, where primeval pine and cedar abound. Here ultra-fashionable colonists have erected handsome summer resi- dences. Cedarhurst is also the home of the Rockaway Hunt Club, an organization that has done much to popularize polo with society people.

Arverne was founded in 1880 by Reming- ton Vernon, who coined the name Arverne, from R. Vernon. Within five years the sand hills of this section were converted into a pretty village.

West of Wave Crest is Edgemere, a fash- ionable summer resort that has recently come into prominence through the construc- tion of the magnificent hotel of that name, which is directly on the ocean, at the head of the Inlet, with its rear to the bay. "The Edge- mere," in its unique position, is one of the most aristocratic hotels on the Atlantic Coast. It enjoys to-day the reputation the "Marine Pavilion" had a half century ago.

Mr. Lancaster's original idea was to have a "New Venice" at this place, but the uncon- trollable deep convinced him that this plan was not feasible.

Until a recent period the development of this part of the beach was very slow, but now it gives promise of becoming the most pictur- esque section of all "The Rockaways." The arrangement of the streets and the disposition of the houses are worthy of favorable com- ment.

Far Rockaway, called "Far" in contradis- tinction to "Near" Rockaway, measuring from the town seat, Hempstead, is said to be the brightest gem in the diadem of Imperial Man- hattan. It is the City by the Sea, which has not been deprived of its rural features. Its railroad facilities and other modern advan- tages may, without hesitation, be compared with those of any section of our greater city.

The streets in and about Far Rockaway recommend themselves; they are well graded and are either brick or macadamized; all are shaded with maple or other trees. The drives through the adjacent country are unsurpassed. Beautiful scenery and interesting sights

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abound. The educational facilities of Far Rockaway are exceptionally good. The high school and grammar school, with their efficient corps of teachers, stand second to none in educational advantages. The attractive, con- venient and imposing high school building was erected in 1894. Since that time the school has grown to a surprising extent. In 1896 it was necessary to add two wings on the north and south ends, thus nearly doubling the size of the original building. In 1900 a well equipped gymnasium was added, together with a new library of several hundred volumes. During the early part of last year the Board of Education set up a physical laboratory and business department, which is a new and ad- mirable feature of public school education.

West of Far Rockaway lies beautiful Ja- maica Bay, on the shores of which nestle many unique and handsome cottages.

The Bayswater Yacht Club, incorporated in 1892, at the foot of Bayswater avenue, lies situated some four hundred feet from the shore, surrounded by water. This is the meet- ing place for those who are fond of yachting and social pleasures. On its roll of member- ship are to be found the names of Judge Ed- mund J. Healy, John M. Frucks, S. B. Alt- hause, Thos. Henderson, Watkin W. Jones, Edgar Mott, Richard Mott, F. L. Richmond, Daniel Whitford, John Renehan, John Dohse, David N. Carvalho, Chas. E. Pretz, Rev. Henry Mesier, E. A. Brinkerhoff, Sr .; Fredk. Haw- ley, Hubert Cillis, John Guilfoyle, John W. F. Nichols, P. F. Griffin, Frank M. Cronise, Franklin B. Lord, Louis J. Bossert, John F. Schumann, Edward Roche, Andrew McTigue, E. N. Dickerson, Hermann Miller, Malcolm R. Lawrence, Harold Werner, John N. Moser, John W. Masury, H. G. Heyson, F. J. Heney, S. N. Decker, C. R. Betts, A. C. Haynes, J. A. North, D. L. Starks, Wm. J. Buck- ley, R. W. Buckley, Otto L. Roche, Andrew L. Sullivan, Frank Jenkins, Philip R. Sim- monds, Houghton Wheeler. James Lynch, Henry Frielman, and others.

The property designated as Wave Crest (so named by Mr. John H. Cheever ) on the west boundary of Far Rockaway, includes the

land formerly owned by the Marine Pavilion Association, and what was known as the Clark estate. Until a recent date the grounds were enclosed as a private park, with lodges at the entrances.

To-day the gates of Wave Crest are open to the public and it is the delight of all to drive through this picturesque park, with its mean- dering roads and beautiful lake. Among the residents are: Messrs. A. W. Nicholson, E. A. Brinkerhoff, John Cowdin, Murray, Ben- jamin F. Einstein, I. A. Bach, M. Foster, Louis Auerbach, Lowenstein and A. J. Bach, Mrs. E. N. Dickson and Mrs. J. Cheever.

Perhaps before closing this sketch it would be appropriate to tell what finally became of the Rockaway tribe of Indians. Alas! They met the same sad fate as the Mohicans.

To the whites these aborigines were just, generous, and hospitable, and less warlike than many other tribes of North America. Their admirable qualities were esteemed by our Quaker forefathers, and from the time of the treaty of 1657 there never was an actual breach of friendship between the English and the Rockaway Indians.

After the natives sold their property at Far Rockaway, for a few cents an acre, they moved eastward to Cedarhurst and, in that vicinity, lived for nearly a century. In the woods near the old turnpike road, at Cedar- hurst, lived and died the last of the Rocka- way sachems, Culluloo Telawana, who, there is every reason to believe, was a lineal descend- ant of Tack-pou-sha. Mr. Abraham Hewlett, who, in his boyhood, was personally acquaint- ed with this chief, erected a monument to his memory at Cedarhurst, L. I., opposite the Hewlett homestead. About 1819 the tribe left Cedarhurst in a body and joined their breth- ren on Barnum's Island at Near Rockaway, (now East Rockaway) and there, with the aid of the White Man's fire-water, one by one, went to the happy hunting grounds.

For them-the children of Tack-pou-sha- the beautiful waters laugh no more, for the pale-faces are masters of the earth, and the time of the red men has not yet come again.

FARM SCENE.

From "Flatbush, Past and Present." By permission of the Flatbush Trust Company.

CHAPTER LXI.

NORTH HEMPSTEAD.

S has been said, the present township of North Hempstead was taken from 1784. It lies upon Long Island Sound the original Hempstead township in between Hempstead Harbor and Little Neck Bay, while to the south it extends to the center of Hempstead Plains. It was com- puted to contain 34.470 acres. A range of hills extend east and west near the cen- ter, and from them spurs extend to the Sound, giving to the northern part of the township a peculiarly hilly character. The coast line is rocky and rugged and is indented with several deep and irregular bays-Hemp- stead Harbor, Manhasset Bay, and with sev- eral "points,". Hewlett's Sands' Baker's --- while immediately off the coast are a great number of half sunken rocks-such as the Ex .- ecution Rock; and the whole coast line, as'

may readly be conceived, is dangerous to navi- gation. The soil, as a general rule, is light and sandy, but in the northern section is a stretch of loam which is markedly adapted for farming purposes. Harbor Hill is the highest point on Long Island-380 feet above tide water.

While, however, the coast line is dangerous it is very beautiful, sometimes beautiful even in its ruggedness and desolation, sometimes in its stretches of sand, its coves and eddys, and many charming villas have been erected in these open places, notably on Great Neck. The light house on Sands' Point, erected first in 1809, caused that spot to become quite a resort up to about the middle of the century, and quite a number of private residences sprung up in its vicinity. Communication with New York by rail is ample, while from Roslyn,

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Glen Cove, Sea Cliff and other places there is abundant facilities for water communication with the great city.

The earliest settlement of which we have record was in 1640, when a party of advent- urers from Lynn, Massachusetts, armed with a permit from Lord Stirling's agent, landed on the west side of Cow Neck, tore down the arms of the Netherlands, which they saw nailed to a tree so that all the world might know their "High Mightinesses“ held sway there, and carved a fool's face on the tree in- stead. Then they took possession of the land, erected dwellings and entered into negotia- tions with the Indians for the sale of a gen- erous slice of the soil. The aborigines, how- ever, carried information of these wayward do- ings to Governor Kieft, and the blood of that peppery little inan boiled with indignation at the recital. The settlement, unauthorized as it was, might be forgiven and arranged, but the insult to the arms of the Fatherland could not be condoned. So he sent twenty-five picked soldiers to Cow Bay, who made short work with the settlers. They took most of them cap- tives, demolished their houses and effectually quenched their aspirations. Many of those thus summarily dispossessed aided in the set- tlement of Southampton. The more method- ical settlement under Fordham and Carman in 1644 was arranged peacefully enough, and settlements gradually spread north as well as south from Hempstead village. In 1676 Great Neck was fairly well settled and the records tell of other early colonies.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 139

Author: Ross, Peter. cn Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1188

Author: Ross, Peter. cn
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1188