A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 43

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

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of these men that caused the twenty-one lodges in New York City on the morning of Septem- ber I, to assemble, clothed in regalia and with flags and staves to meet in the City Hall Park and escort the officers of the Grand Lodge to Brooklyn, where, having been joined by the local lodges, they all threw off their aprons and jewels and exchanged them for picks and shovels. After having diligently labored throughout the day the Freemasons returned at evening to the New York City Hall, where they were dismissed. On reaching Brooklyn they were joined by two lodges: Fortitude, still existing and now the oldest lodge of Masons in the borough ; and Newtown Centre Lodge, a body which was founded in 1808 and was crushed out of existence in the Morgan persecution which so nearly wiped out the fraternity in the State. The visit of the Ma- sonic fraternity aroused much local pride, and they had worked so well that the place upon which they had labored, a part of the old Revolutionary Fort Greene, was at once given the name of Fort Masonic. It is difficult to estimate the number who took part in the unique Masonic experience, but probably it was in the neighborhood of 500. The recep- tion their labors met with so pleased the "Sons of Light" that at a meeting of the Grand Lodge, on September 7, the giving of another day's labor to Fort Masonic was resolved upon and this was faithfully performed on the 19th.

On September 3d "the Columbian" re- ported: "Nearly 800 citizens of Newark transported in a line of wagons nearly cov- ering the causeway on the road reached Pau- lus Hook Ferry, crossed the North River and passed through the city to Brooklyn Ferry before I o'clock this morning. They had sev- eral bands of wind and military music, with flags and a label on each hat reading "Don't give up the soil," and proceeded to work on. the fortification at Brooklyn with an alacrity truly admirable and commendable. Such an instance of patriotic enthusiasm in the inhab- itants of a neighboring State, from a distance of seven miles, cannot be too highly appre-

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ciated or recorded in terms too honorable to the zeal and disinterestedness of our fellow citizens of New Jersey."

All through the building of the fortifica- tions nothing was more gratifying to those concerned than the aid received from the churches. Almost every day work was com- menced in some part of the long line, at least, with a prayer, and clergymen wielded a pick or trundled a barrow with as much zeal, if not with as much effectiveness, as an ordinary outdoor laborer. On one day the members of the Mulberry Street Baptist Church, of which the Rev. Archibald Maclay, a sturdy Scotch Highlander and a stanch lover of liberty, both civil and religious, was then and long after- ward minister, did a most gratifying amount of work, and their clerical leader did not the least. It was not until November that the preparations were regarded on the Brooklyn side as being practically completed,-com- pleted, that is, so far as the necessity for vol- unteer labor was concerned, and the continu- ance of work on the fortifications was left to the care of the constituted authorities and the military forces; but while the trouble lasted, until the news came that peace had been signed, those who still toiled knew that behind them stood ready a determined and dauntless people prepared at a moment's notice to fill up any breach or perform whatever serv- ice might be demanded of them in defense of their rights and their homes.

As each section of the Brooklyn fortifica- tions was completed Governor Tompkins be- gan sending on what troops he could to take possession ; but it was not until September had advanced a week or ten days that troops were present in strength at all equal to what the long line of fortifications actually required for its adequate defense, or the artillery was armed in proper shape to offer effective defiance to an invader. As might be expected, the Long Island militia were present in force, brigaded under General Johnson, of Brooklyn.

But the fortifications, happily, were des- tined never to be tested. They were hardly

completed when it began to be seen that the peace negotiations were most likely to be suc- cessful, and all military movements on land, in the northern section of the country at any rate, ceased, and only the cruisers at sea con- tinued peppering at each other wherever they met. Peace was formally brought about by treaty at Ghent, on December 24, 1814, but it was not until February 18th that it was ratified. In those days, of course, news trav- eled slowly, and to that is due the opportunity which gave General Jackson his title to the "Hero of New Orleans" when he defended that city from a determined attack on January 8, 1815. Even after the treaty was ratified the war was still carried on at sea and the "Constitution" added to the list of victims and her roll of prizes, and "The Hornet" closed a chapter in naval warfare full of glorious incidents for its history in connection with the story of the United States by capturing the "Penguin."

Still these were but incidents, and with the proclamation of peace came jubilation throughout the land, and in no section was that jubilation more heartfelt and sincere than in the district of which Manhattan Island was the center and which had so lately been ser- iously threatened. A day of thanksgiving was proclaimed. The bells which had been in read- iness to rouse the citizens now united in a mer- ry peal, the death-dealing snap of the musket was replaced by the jollier rattle of the fire- cracker and the ping of the blank cartridge; the cannon which frowned on Brooklyn Heights and the heights of Harlem, and from fort and block-house on the water front, now boomed in recognition of peace; and on the hills of Gowanus bonfires blazed and towns and villages were illuminated. The citizen soldiery, America's strength and pride, began returning to their places in the industrial walks of life, and by the following June, when Com- modore Stewart in the gallant "Constitution" sailed into the New York Harbor after a cruise which added much to the well-earned honors of the American navy, he was received

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with the plaudits and praises he so richly de- served ; but the plaudits were those of a people who had already unbent from all thought of war and were at peace with the world.

The Long Island hero of the war of 1812 was undoubtedly Brigadier General Jeremiah Johnson, and although his later active labors in Brooklyn would warrant him a place among the memories of the prominent citizens of that borough, he deserves to be remembered here in connection with the great service he rendered his country at a most critical period in her affairs. He was descended from Jan Barentse Van Driest, a carpenter by trade, who in 1658 emigrated from' Sutphen, in Gelderland. We know nothing of his movements until 1672, when he turns up as a resident of Flatbush. He evidently prospered, for in 1666 he bought some land at Gravesend, and in 1674 extended his holdings by buying the plantation lot and building which belonged to Daniel Morgan. In 1679 he married the daughter, Janet, of William Jansen Van Barkeloo, and died some time prior to 1697. One of his sons, Barent Janse, lived in Gravesend and carried on farm- ing, while another was a merchant in New York, and it seems to have been from this Barent that the name of Johnson was adopted as the family cognomen. The family gradu- ally spread over Gravesend and Brooklyn, and appear to have always stood well in the com- munity, although the records show that at least one was unfortunate as a merchant and had to depend in the end upon the assistance of his relatives. Business, like war, has its ups and downs, its varying fortunes. General Jere- miah Johnson was fourth in descent from Jan Barentsen Van Driest, and we deen it a priv- ilege to reproduce here the sketch of his life, written by Dr. Henry R. Stiles and published in that author's "History of Brooklyn :"

His father, Barent Johnson, born in 1740, was distinguished as an active patriot during the Revolutionary struggle. He was encamped, in command of a portion of the Kings county militia, at Harlem in 1776, and in the follow- ing year was captured by the British, and only obtained his parole (from General Howe)

through the kind interposition of a Masonic brother. In order to help on the cause to which he was devoted he shrank not from personal and pecuniary risks, but suggested loans from friends in his county to the American govern- ment ; and himself set the example by loaning, first $3,500, and afterward sums amounting to $5,000, all the security for which was a simple private receipt, given, too, in time of exceeding peril and discouragement-a noble and mem- orable deed. Jeremiah, his son, was born Jan- uary 23, 1766; was, at the time of the breaking out of the war, in his eleventh year, and old enough to understand the full meaning of passing events. That these stirring scenes made an indelible impression upon his mind and character is evident from the fact that his reminiscences, descriptions, maps, etc., have since formed the largest and certainly the most valuable portion of the Revolutionary lore of Kings county handed down to our day, and has been largely drawn upon by every local and general historian of Long Island.

His father dying before the peace, young Johnson was thrown the more upon himself ; and, though the times were very unfavorable to regular education, he improved his oppor- tunities as he was able ; attended night schools ; taught himself, and gradually disciplined and developed the elements of a manly, self-made and self-reliant character. Then, as a good, quiet citizen, he lived upon his farm in faith- ful industry ; married (1) Abigail, daughter of Rem. Remsen, in 1787, who died in 1788; (2), Sarah, daughter of Teunis Rapalye, in 1791, who died in 1825. He had ten children (two sons Barnet and Jeromus ; and two daughters, Sarah Anne, married to Nicholas Wyckoff, and Susanna, married to Lambert Wyckoff), all of whom well sustain the parental reputa- tion of benevolence and usefulness, patronizing every worthy cause. The old homestead was taken down and the fine substantial mansion, now occupied by the family, was erected near the same spot, in 1801. In 1796 he became a trustee of the town of Brooklyn, an office which he held for twenty years. Naturally of a social turn, of benevolent impulses, and pub- lic spirited withal, and from his very charac- ter, position and associations, he became early connected with public affairs. From 1800 until about 1840 he was a supervisor of the town, during a large portion of which time he was chairman of the board. In 1808 and in 1809 he represented Kings county in the State Assembly. He took an active part, also, in

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military matters. During the war with Great Britain, from 1812 to 1815, he was at first only a junior captain ; but, when one was solic- ited to go out in command on the frontier, others declining, he volunteered for a danger- ous duty, and so took precedence by consent, and early became colonel. Meanwhile he was very active in military affairs, and held him- self ready at call. He was then honored with a brigadier-general's commission, and was in the command ( of the 22d Brigade of Infantry, numbering 1,750 men) at Fort Greene, in Brooklyn, for three months. Whilst there he was conspicuous for his soldier-like ability ; proved himself an excellent disciplinarian ; and was a great favorite with officers and privates. He was fortunate, as well, for, in that three months' time, no one of his soldiers died. After the peace he was promoted to be a ma- jor-general, an office which he held during his life, though not in actual command of a di- vision.

When (in 1816) Brooklyn became a village his residence was left outside of the village bounds, and, of course, he could not (except by his own influence in a private capacity, which he ever largely exercised) participate in its public affairs ; but, in 1835, the city char- ter was obtained, and the bounds included the 8th and 9th wards, which brought his home again within the lines. In 1837 he was elected mayor of the city of Brooklyn, and re-elected in 1838 and 1839. As a public officer he was faithful, prompt and indefatigable, while his punctuality was proverbial. In 1840, and again in 1841, he was elected again a member of the State Legislature. At one time, also, he was judge of the Common Pleas. In 1848 he was chosen the first president of the St. Nicholas Society of Nassau Island, an office which he held until his death. In 1849 he was unanimously elected an honorary member of the American Institute (having been a mem- ber since 1836), and at the time of his death was chairman of its board of agriculture. As chairman of this committee he was quite active in urging to its final passage the act for the encouragement of agriculture in the State of New York.

Besides all these there was hardly an oc- casional or incidental duty in the business of agriculture, of education, of improvements, of reference, of management, to which he was not summoned, by reason of his business ca- pacity and experience, as well as the reputa- tion and high confidence he maintained amidst the community. He made no pretense to litera-

tttre, and seldom wrote anything for the public eye ; he nevertheless wielded an efficient pen, when his feelings were aroused, or his sense of justice and propriety were violated by offi- cial malpractices or the wrong-doing of others. He was fond of putting down memoranda and scraps of history, and interesting facts which his observation and experience had gathered ; though in an incidental way, rather as mate- rials for a more labored attempt. Well ac- quainted with the language of Holland, he was fond of making translations from its writ- ers ; as, for example, his excellent translation of Von der Donk's "History of New Nether- land." Indeed, there has not been an author meditating a work upon Long Island, or pub- lishing one, who has not conferred with Gen- eral Jeremiah Johnson, or who has not bor- rowed and used his communications and his notes, and made grateful mention of him and his assistance. He was a modest, consistent, obedient, habitual, conforming Christian. He belonged to the old Dutch Reformed congre- gation in Brooklyn. In that congregation for fifty years he was a communicant ; and a stand- ing member of the consistory, in and out, alter- nating, according to the parish method, con- tinually; and the clerk of its consistory for forty years, until his resignation in 1843. General Johnson was remarkably active, prompt, decided; never idle; of indefatigable industry ; kindly to all, warm-hearted and af- fectionate ; generous in all his instincts, sym- pathizing with the young. He was of a social, genial mood ; was fond of his pipe, even to the last, and handled it from his seventeenth year to within a quarter of an hour of his death. He was fond of his gun, of walking, and of manly exercise ; from youth up an early riser, and early to bed. His free, easy, unreserved manners made him ever a welcome and de- lightful guest. He could give information upon the gravest and most important themes ; he could sympathize with the most common. If there was an ancient tree, or stump, con- nected with some memorial of the past, he knew of it, and he was the one to mark it by a monumental stone. His perception was quick and clear, and his tact admirable; and well nigh to the last his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated, and his voice con- tinued full and strong. His death, which oc- curred on the 20th of October, 1852, was in harmony with his life-calm, trustful and serene-and caused a widespread and pro- found sensation of sorrow throughout the city of Brooklyn.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE STORY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.

HE people of Long Island have ever been proud of the educational priv- ileges they have placed before the children in their midst. The Dutch were stanch believers in the benefits of careful religious and moral training to the young, and the schoolmaster was as essential in their communities at home and abroad as the minis- ter. Wherever a Dutch church was erected a school-house was not far away, and in small communities, where the voice of the ordained preacher could only be heard at intervals, the schoolmaster was supposed to call the people together for public worship, or at least to hear a portion of the Sacred Book read and a word of prayer spo- ken. The early English authorities, while not so thoroughgoing in their educational ideas as the Dutch, did not neglect the school. As the island advanced in population and wealth so did the facilities for education increase. Acad- emies were founded which in other parts of the country would have been dubbed colleges, and which conferred educational privileges which are generally associated with the highest in- stitutions of learning, and the fame of these academies spread over the entire country. When at length the whole question of educa- tion was removed from private hands and be- came the subject of municipal or township care, when pedagogy itself became a study and a feature of professional life, we find a con- stant striving all over the island to introduce into every school the newest and most ap- proved methods, and attain the highest possi-

ble results. The position of the teacher was steadily advanced under all these changes until, instead of being virtually a servant to the minister, a sort of generally handy man, he became a recognized member of the pro- fessional class.

Long Island has never possessed a univer- sity, although the desirability of such an insti- tution has several times been discussed; but hier system of elementary and academic edu- cation has just stopped short of what are re- garded in modern times as university require- ments, and the public-school system of Brook- lyn has long been regarded as the highest de- velopment of American pedagogics.

Much doubt seems to prevail as to who was the first schoolmaster on Long Island. The honor of being the scene of his operations seems to belong to Flatbush; that much, ap- parently, has been happily settled. Two an- tiquaries of such local fame as Dr. Strong and Tennis G. Bergen, writing over a genera- tion apart, differed as to the personality of the earliest preceptor. Strong (History of Flat- bush, page 109) awarded the honor to Adrien Hegeman, and the dates of his occupancy of the office as 1659 to 1671. Later research has shown these dates to be wrong, and Dr. Stiles suggests ir their stead 1653 or 1654 to 1660, which, were they anything but mere sug- gestion, would give the honor unquestionably to Flatbush. Hegeman, the common ancestor of that now numerous family, came here from Amsterdam about 1650 and took up his resi- dence at first in New Amsterdam. In 1654

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he was a magistrate of Flatbush, and in 1661 schout fiscal of the five Dutch towns; and he held other public offices, besides being de- scribed as an auctioneer. He died in 1672, leaving a family of eight sons and one daugh- ter, Elizabeth, who married in 1684 Tobias Ten Eyck.

Hegeman appears to have been a man of wealthı, and it is impossible to conceive of his performing the full duties of schoolmaster, which, as we shall see, included much that were rather servile in their nature. Besides, the records nowhere speak of him as holding minute as to the offices held by him. It is possible, therefore, that he simply performed a part of the duties which fell to the lot of a schoolmaster until a regular and full appoint- ment was made. This was in 1660, when Reynier Van Giesen was installed. Bergen (Genealogy of Kings County) says : "Rey- nier Bastiaensen Van Giessen (probably from Giesen, a village in North Braband) married Dirkje Cornelis, and entered into an agree- ment, June 6, 1660, with the Magistrate of Flatbush and the Consistory of the Reformed Dutch Church of said place, to teach school, perform the duties of court messenger, to ring the bell, perform the duties of precentor, at- tend to the burial of the dead and all that was necessary and proper in the premises, for an annual salary of 200 florins, exclusive of perquisites. This agreement was signed by Adrian Hegeman, William Jacobse Van Boe- rum, Elbert Elbertson, Jan Snediker, Jan Strycker and Peter Cornelise, probably as the local Magistrates, and by Johannes Theo- dorus Polhemus, Jan Snediker, Jan Strycker and William Jacobse Van Boerum as the Con- sistory of the Church. Dr. Strong omits Van Giesen from his record, but the, above agree- ment shows this to be an error, and that Van Giesen was probably the first schoolmaster." There seems no doubt that Mr. Bergen's con- clusion was correct. Van Giesen held the office until 1663, when he removed to Bergen county, New Jersey, and Pilgrom Clocq was appointed schoolmaster in his stead, continu-

ing as such until 1671. From the agreement made with the latter we find that the Consis- tory agreed to pay one-quarter of his annual salary of 200 guilders, and that his perqui- sites included 2 guilders for teaching the al- phabet, 2 guilders, 10 stivers, for teaching spelling, 3 guilders for teaching reading, and 5 guilders for teaching writing, payable by each scholar.

Whatever reliance may be placed on the claims of Flatbush, there seems no doubt that Huntington was a close second to it, if not actually first, in the appointment of a school- master. It appears from the town records that in 1657 an agreement was made "at a corte or town meeting betwixt the inhabitants of the Towne of Huntington, of the one partie, and Jonas Houldsworth, of the other partie," by which Jonas was "to schoole such persons or children as shall be put to him for that end by ye said inhabitants" for a term of four years. For this service the "inhabitants doth likewise engage themselves to pay unto ye said Jonas Houldsworth twenty-five pounds (English accompt) and his diet the first year, and also to allow him what more may come in by ye schooling of any that come from other parts. The said twenty-five pounds is to be paid ye said Jonas as followeth: Three pounds twelve shillings in butter at six pence ye pound, and seven pounds two shillings in good well-sized merchantable wampum, that is well strung or strand, or in such commodi- ties that will suit him for clothing. These to be paid him by the first of October, and three pounds twelve shillings in corne, one-half in wheat and ye other in Indian at three and five shillings ye bushel (provided it be good and merchantable) to be paid by ye first of March. Also ten pounds fourteen shillings in well thriving young cattle that shall then be betwixt two and four years old, one-half being in the steare kind-these to be delivered him when the yeare is expired." For the sec- ond and third year his pay was to be £35, and for the fourth £40, the amounts being paya -. ble after the fashion of the first year. In

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addition to his pay, the inhabitants were to provide him with a suitable house, and in the proper season the children were to bring with them to school the necessary fire-wood. All these agreements seem to have been faithfully kept, the house was provided, and the entire outfit and the salary were defrayed by a tax laid upon the "inhabitants." It was a free school in the fullest acceptance of the phrase.

In 1661 Brooklyn received its first teacher in Carl de Bevoise, who, Bergen says, cmi- grated from Leyden in 1659, and after a short stay in New Amsterdam removed to Breuck- elen, where in 1687 he took the oath of alle- giance. He was the common ancestor of the now widespread and influential De Bevoise family. His duties as schoolmaster were much the same as those of his confrere at Flatbush, as is evident from the following petition, dated July 4, 1661, in which the Brooklyn folks asked help from the Provincial authorities in the way of paying him a proper salary :

To the Right Honorable Director General and Council of New Netherland :

The Schout and Schepens of the Court of Breuckelen respectfully represent that they found it necessary that a Court Messenger was required for the Schepens' Chamber, to be occasionally employed in the village of Breuck- elen and all around where he may be needed, as well to serve summons as also to conduct the service of the church and to sing on Sun- days ; to take charge of the school, dig graves, etc., ring the bell and perform whatever else may be required. Therefore the petitioners, with your Honor's approbation, have thought proper to accept for so highly necessary an office a suitable person who is now come be- fore them, one Carel Van Bevois, to whom they have hereby appropriated a sum of 150 guilders, besides a free dwelling ; and where- as the petitioners are apprehensive that the aforesaid C. Bevois would not and cannot do the work for the sum aforesaid, and the peti- tioners are not able to promise him any more, therefore the petitioners, with all humble and proper reverence, request your Honors to be pleased to lend them a helping hand, in order thus to receive the needful assistance.

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A history of Long Island, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 43

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