USA > New York > Kings County > Williamsburgh > A history of the city of Brooklyn : including the old town and village of Brooklyn, the town of Bushwick, and the village and city of Williamsburgh > Part 3
USA > New York > Kings County > Bushwick > A history of the city of Brooklyn : including the old town and village of Brooklyn, the town of Bushwick, and the village and city of Williamsburgh > Part 3
USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > A history of the city of Brooklyn : including the old town and village of Brooklyn, the town of Bushwick, and the village and city of Williamsburgh > Part 3
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
peculiar privileges, carefully confined, however, to those who were members of the company. Any member who should plant a colony of fifty adults, in any part of New Netherland (except Manhattan Island, which the Company reserved to itself), should be acknowledged as the " patroon," or feudal chief of such colony or territory, with the high and low jurisdictions, the exclusive rights of fishing, hunting, and grinding, etc., within his own domain ; to which, also, he was to have a full title of inheritance, with right of disposing of it by will, at death. Freedom of trade and of the fisheries, subject to certain limits, restrictions, and duties, were also granted to the patroons. For the space of ten years the colonists under these patroonships were to be entirely free from taxation, but were bound to the service of the patroon in an almost absolute servitude. The company, on its part, reserved to itself the fur and peltry trade, and the right of manufactures ; promising, moreover, to the colonists protection and defence against all enemies ; the prompt completion of the defences of Manhattan Island, and furnishing the colony with a supply of black servants. The colonists were required " to satisfy the Indians for the land they shall settle upon ;" to make immediate provision for the support of a minister and schoolmaster ; and cach colony was to make an annual return of its condition to the local authorities at Manhattan, for transmission to the company at home. In all its provisions, the Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions carefully recognized the commercial monopoly and the political supremacy of the West India Company ; and was, in fact, a transplanting to the New World of the "feudal" system so prevalent in Europe. While it cared for the rights of the aboriginal owners, and promised labor, capital, religion, and education to the young colony, it " scattered the seeds of servitude, slavery, and aristocracy." Its plan and spirit were selfish; its results most unfortunate. As might have been expected, cupidity induced some of the company's directors, even before the charter had been sanctioned, to reap the benefit of certain of its provisions, at the expense of their comrades, by appropriating to themselves some of the choicest portions of the province. Availing themselves of the privileges which it accorded to directors, patroonships were purchased, through their agents in
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
New Netherland, by Blommaert and Godyn on the South River ; by Van Rensselaer on the North River ; and by Pauw at Hoboken-Hacking and Payonia (now Jersey City ), and Staten Island. Thus, at the very outset, the selfishness which pervades all monopolies, by this sudden absorption of the most prominent positions in New Netherland, defeated and dis- couraged the inducements to independent emigrants which was the chief intent of the charter. So great, also, was the dissatisfac- tion and jealousy to which their actions gave rise, that the specu- lative patroons were finally obliged to share their original purchases with their fellow-directors in the company. Various partnerships were formed among them, and commercial operations commenced in New Netherland ; but it was apparent, from the first, that they were far more interested in the Indian trade than in the proper colonization of the colony. And, before long, their claims came so directly in conflict with the vested rights of the company, as to necessitate a revision of the Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, and the adoption of new articles limiting and restraining the privileges of the patroons. These quarrels finally challenged the attention of the States-General, who instituted an investigation. Shortly thereafter, Minuit, who as director had officially ratified the purchases which had created so much feeling, was recalled, and embarked for Holland in the spring of 1632. During the following summer, the company, determined to maintain its superior monopoly, and to arrest the encroachments of the patroons, dispatched commissaries to each settlement to post up their proclamation, forbidding any person, whether patroon or vassal, to deal in sewan, peltries, or maize. In the spring of 1633, the province, which had been without a head for a year past, received from Holland a new director. This was Wouter Van Twiller, a former clerk in the company's warehouse at Amsterdam, and a relative by marriage of Patroon Van Rensselaer. Singularly inex- perienced, incompetent, narrow-minded, and deficient in knowledge of men, this ex-clerk came to the command of the province at & time when it was shaken with internal jealousies and threatened with aggressions from English neighbors. With him came one hundred and four soldiers, and Everardus Bogardus, the
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
new clergyman of Manhattan. Scarcely had he assumed the duties of office, before the new director became involved in broils with English sea-captains and with the patroons, in which he displayed but little wisdom, self-respect, or courage. Yet he had, in some respects, a keen perception of what was needed for the pros- perity of the company, and was ambitious to promote its interests. On the 8th of June, 1633, he purchased from the Indians a large tract of land, on the Fresh or Connecticut River, originally dis- covered by Block, in 1614, since which time it had been periodically and almost exclusively visited by the Dutch traders, whose pur- chases formed no slight portion of the annual harvest of furs and other commodities. On this spot, the site of the present beautiful city of Hartford, a trading-post was erected, fortified with two cannon, and named "The House of Good Hope." This soon brought them in conflict with the English colonists of New Plymouth, who established a fort at Windsor, a little above, and resisted a force of Dutch soldiery sent to disperse them. Mean- while, at New Amsterdam, the fort was properly repaired, a guard- house, barracks, church, parsonage, director's house, and other improvements were in course of construction, and houses were also commenced at Fort Orange, at Pavonia, and Fort Nassau. The Indians were very troublesome this year, especially the Pequods on the Connecticut, and the Raritans of New Jersey, with the latter of whom a peace was fortunately concluded in 1634.
All this while, in "the Fatherland," there was great wrangling between the company and the patroons, and finally the questions in dispute being brought before the States-General were by them referred to a committee, before whom, in June, 1634, the patroons presented certain claims, together with a statement of their grounds of complaint against the company. After a patient hearing of the case, the States-General postponed their decision, and finally, in February, 1635, the Board of Nineteen effected a compromise of the matter by purchasing from the patroons their colonies on the South River. In that region the English, during the following summer, made an aggressive attempt to oust the Dutch, but were foiled ; in the broad and beautiful valley of the Connectient, how- ever, during this and the succeeding year (1636), they eneroached,
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
step by step, upon the Dutch, until the latter were dispossessed of nearly all that territory, to which, by prior discovery, exploration, and occupation, they were so fairly entitled.
Amid the irregularities and dissensions which prevailed during Van Twiller's administration, neither he nor his subordinate officials neglected the advantages which they enjoyed for advancing their private interests. In June, 1636, one of these officials, Jacob Van Corlaer, purchased from the Indians a flat of land called "Castateeuw, on Sewan-hackey, or Long Island, between the Bay of the North River and the East River," which is the earliest recorded grant, to an individual, in the present County of Kings. On the same day, Andries Hudde and Wolfert Gerritsen purchased the flats next west to Van Corlaer's; and shortly after, the tempting level lands to the eastward of these were secured by the director himself.1 On these purchases, amounting to some 15,000 acres, and which apparently were made without the knowledge or con- sent of the Amsterdam Chamber, the fortunate owners im- mediately commenced agricultural improvements-from which, in time, sprang the flourishing village of "New Amersfoort" now. Flatlands.
In the course of the same year (1636), WILLIAM ADRIAENSE BENNET and JACQUES BENTYN purchased from the Indians a tract of 930 acres of land at "Gowanus,"? upon which, at some time prior to the Indian war of 1642-'45, a dwelling-house was erected-affording presumptive evidence, at least, that absolute occupation and agri- cultural improvement followed close upon its purchase.3 The occupation of this farm, over a portion of which the village of Gowanus subsequently extended-and which comprised that portion of the present city lying between Twenty-seventh street and the New
1 These " flats" were miniature prairies, devoid of trees, and having a dark-colored surface soil ; and having undergone a certain rude culture by the Indians, were ready, without much previous toil, for the plough. On this account they were most sought for, and first purchased by the original settlers, who being natives of the low and level lands of Holland and Belgium, were inexperienced in the clearing of forests.
? The name of Gowanus is a purely Indian one, which philologists have been unable to explain. It was applied to all the land fronting on Gowanus Bay, and traversed by the creek of the same name.
3 See description of the Bennet and Bentyn patent, in chapter on "Early Settlers and Patents."
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
Utrecht line-may be considered as the first step in the settlement of the CITY OF BROOKLYN. The second step, according to the best documentary evidence, was taken about a year later, by JOHN (GEORGE) JANSEN DE RAPALIE, one of the Walloon emigrants of 1623, who first settled at Fort Orange (Albany), and in 1626 removed to New Amsterdam, on Manhattan Island. On the 16th of June, 1637, Rapalie purchased from its native proprietors a piece of land called " Rennegackonk," lying on Long Island "in the bend of Marech- kawieck," now better known as Wallabout Bay. This purchase, comprising about three hundred and thirty-five acres, now occupied in part by the grounds of the United States Marine Hospital, and by that portion of the city between Nostrand and Grand Avenues- although it may have been, and probably was, more or less improved as a farm by Rapalie-was not occupied by him as a residence until about 1654.3 By that time, the gradual influx of other settlers, many of whom were Walloons, had gained for the neighborhood the appellation of the " Waal-Bogt," or "the bay of the foreigners." Thus, at two isolated points-offering to the
1 " Rennegackonck" (sometimes spelt with an i or a u in the first syllable) is a small creek or stream of water emptying into the Wallabout Bay.
9 The Indian name of the territory of Brooklyn was Meryckawick, or "the sandy place ;" from me, the article in the Algonquin dialect, reckwca, sand, and ick, locality. The name was probably applied, at first, to the bottom-land, or beach ; and what is now Wallabout Bay, was formerly called "The boght of Mareckawick." O'Callaghan supposes that the Indians who inhabited that part of the present city of Brooklyn derived their tribal name from the bay ; but we are inclined to the opinion that the appellation was by no means so limited, for the present name of Rockaway, in another part of the county, seems to have the same derivation.
3 See biographical notice of Rapalie in chapter on " Early Settlers and Patents."
4 The earliest date at which the word " Waal-bogt" (or " Wahle-Boght," now corrupted to Wallabout) appears upon the colonial records, is in 1656, by which time a consider- able number of Walloons and other foreign emigrants had become located there.
In regard to the nationality of these settlers, Bergen (Hist. Bergen Family, 18, 19; Ilist. Mag., vi. 162) says : " The Montfoorts and Huybertsen may have been Walloons ; the name of Cornelissen indicates that he was a Netherlander ; Picet or Piquet was from Rouen, in France, which is located inny miles from the frontiers; * * Peter Cæser (Alburtus), as his name indicates, was an Italian ; Hans Hansen Bergen was a Norwegian ; and Rap: lie could not have been a Walloon by birth, if, as asserted and claimed, he was a native of Rochelle, in France, a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, several hundred miles fin he frontiers of Belgium. All Inguenots in those days may, however, have been known by the gen ral title of Walloons, and the settlement of emigrants of this class uten Vor priol in that vicinity, my account for the name; it being customury in If Hand in these days to distinguish churches in their midst, erected by French Huguenots, by the name of ' Waale Kerken,' or Walloon Churches."
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
settlers similar agricultural advantages and inducements1-were formed the nuclei of the present CITY OF BROOKLYN.2
Coincident with Rapalie's purchase at the "Waal-Bogt," the director secured for his own use the island "Pagganck," lying a little south of Fort Amsterdam, and which, from its abundance of excellent nut-trees was called by the Dutch "Nooten," or Nutten Island. From that time to the present it has been familiarly known as "the Governor's Island." One Jonas Bronck, also, became the owner of a large and valuable tract on the " mainland," in what is now Westchester County ; and the West India Company secured the Indian title to the island of "Quotenis" in Narragansett Bay, and of another near the Thames River-both advantageously located for trading purposes. From Michael Pauw they purchased his rights to Pavonia (Jersey City) and Staten Island, thus ridding themselves of an enterprising patroon, whose proximity was as galling to their pride, as his success would have been injurious to
1 Both around the "Bogt," and at Gowanus, were lowlands, overflowed by the sea at every tide, and covered with salt-meadow grass, coarse and hard to be cut with a common scythe, but which the cattle preferred to fresh hay or grass.
2 The statement, so often reiterated by our local writers, and even by the historians of our State, that some of the Walloon emigrants of 1623 settled first at Staten Island (O'Callaghan, i. 101), and afterwards, as early as 1624-'5, at the "Waal-bogt," (Brodhead, i. 153, 154), is entirely unsupported by documentary or other reliable evi- dence. It seems to have originated in faulty traditions, and in a misapprehension of an ancient record relating to the daughter of Rapalie, the first settler in the "Bogt." (See chapter on "Early Settlers and Patents.")
Equally unreliable is the statement (Brodhead, i. 170) that the settlement was in- creased in 1626 by Walloon settlers, who had been recalled from Fort Orange and the South River, in consequence of Indian disturbances. It will be evident, on reflection, that, in the then unsettled state of the province, no permanent settlement would have been allowed at such a distance from the fort on Manhattan Island; and, during the succeeding ten years (until 1636), concentration was the necessary policy of the infant colony. Even for more than thirty years afterwards the government exercised the greatest caution in permitting the establishment of new villages where they would be exposed to hostile attack. Nor is it a reasonable supposition that agricultural settle- ments were made here so many years prior to the purchase of the land from the Indians, and the granting of it by patents. If, indeed, there was any use of land on Long Island made by the Walloons before the date of the first known settlement in 1636, it must have been temporary in its nature, and confined entirely to the most accessible and easily improved portions along the shore. If such was the case, the settlers probably cultivated their little patches by day, returning across the river at nightfall, to their families and the security of Fort Amsterdam. But this is mere con- jecture, and there is no evidence of the permanent residence of any white family within the limits of our city, prior to 1636.
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
their interests. Their fur-trade, meanwhile, despite the loss of their traffic on the Connecticut, was steadily and largely increasing, and a new and profitable commerce had sprung up with New England and the West Indies. The constant reiteration of complaints and serious charges against Van Twiller, however, made to the West India Company, finally determined them to remove him from office. Ac- cordingly, early in the spring of 1638, he was superseded by William Kieft, who, though " a more discreet and sober man" than his pre- decessor, was of an active, "inquisitive," and grasping disposition ; and by no means so prudent a magistrate as the circumstances of the province demanded. He set bravely to work to correct the many abuses, both social and civil, which had grown up under Van Twiller's administration ; but the people were of too mixed a char- acter, and had been too long allowed the license of doing as they pleased, to yield readily to his proclamations, or even to the more forcible measures of restraint which he inaugurated. That he was not unmindful of the company's material interests, was evidenced by the judicious purchases of territory which he made in the neighborhood of Manhattan. On the 1st of August, 1638, he secured for the West India Company a tract of land adjoining Rapalie's plantation on Long Island, extending from " Rennegackonck" (ante, page 24, note) to what is now known as Newtown Creek, and from the East River to " the swamps of Mespaetches." The price paid to the native " chiefs of Keskaechquerem" for this extensive area, which comprised the whole of the former town of Bushwick, now forming the Eastern District of the city of Brooklyn, was eight fathoms of duffels cloth, eight fathoms of wampum, twelve kettles, eight adzes, eight axes, and some knives, corals, and awls.1
At "Paulus Hook" (Jersey City), at "Corlaer's Hook" (opposite Brooklyn) on Manhattan Island, and at other places in the vicinity of New Amsterdam, permanent improvements were commenced by various persons, and around the fertile region of the "Waal-bogt" began to cluster the " plantations" of active husbandmen.
Meanwhile, the prestige which the Dutch had heretofore main- tained on the South River, received a severe shock. A Swedish
1 The deed (the earliest recorded to the West India Company) for this important purchase, will be found, in full, as Appendix No. 2.
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
West India Company was formed, which sent out an expedition to establish a new colony in those parts, and its chief command was intrusted to no less a person than Peter Minuit, the former Director of New Netherland. In May, 1638, Minuit, undeterred by the protests and threats of Director Kieft, established near the site of the present city of Wilmington, Del., a trading-house and fort, which he loyally named, after the young queen of Sweden, "Fort Christina." Availing himself of the experience which he had previously gained at Manhattan, he quickly " drew all the skins towards him by his liberal gifts," so that, by midsummer, the vessels which brought him out, returned to Sweden well laden with furs.
At home, in " the Fatherland," the affairs of the province of New Netherland were again undergoing a searching investigation by the States-General, who finally directed the Amsterdam Chamber of the West India Company to take such immediate measures as should most effectually regenerate the social, political, and commercial state of the colony under their charge. Thus enjoined, the Amster- dam Chamber, by proclamation, in September, 1638, threw open New Netherland to free trade by all inhabitants of the United Provinces and of friendly nations, "in the company's ships," and subject to an import duty of fifteen per cent. and to an export duty of ten per cent. The director and council of New Netherland were directed to furnish every emigrant, "according to his condition and means, with as much land as he and his family can properly cul- tivate," a quit-rent of a tenth being reserved to the company, thus assuring legal estates of inheritance to the grantees. Each colonist or trader, availing himself of this proclamation, was required to sign a pledge of obedience to the officers of the company, acting in subordination to the States-General, and promising, in all questions and differences which might arise, to abide by the decision of the established colonial courts. Free passage, and other inducements, were also offered to respectable farmers who wished to emigrate to the new country.
The adoption of this liberal policy by the West India Company marked a new era in the history of the province, and gave a rapid impulse to its prosperity. Plans of colonization were formed by capitalists, and many persons of ample means came out from
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
Holland-as well as many from Virginia and New England. These all set about choosing favorable locations for husbandry or traffic; houses were built ; vessels were sent on trading-ventures in various directions ; New Amsterdam echoed with the sound of the axe and the hammer, and industry and enterprise, no longer shackled by the restrictions of a monopoly, gave to the country an appearance of thriftiness and progress. Thirty "bouweries" or plantations, "as well stocked with cattle as any in Europe," were soon under cul- tivation, and the numerous applications for land promised at least " a hundred more."
The increasing demand for homesteads near Fort Amsterdam induced the director and council to secure, by purchase from the native proprietors, as much as possible of the valuable land on the western end of Long Island. Accordingly, in January, 1639, Kieft effected the purchase of all the lands from Rockaway eastward to "Sicktew-hackey," or Fire Island Bay ; thence northward to Martin Gerritsen's, or Cow Bay, and westward along the East River, to the " Vlaack's Kill ;" thus securing to the company, in connection with his purchase of the previous year, the Indian title to nearly all the land comprised within the present County of Queens. And a few months later, the company became possessed of another large tract in what is now Westchester County. Portions of the lands thus obtained were ere long deeded by the company to enterprising settlers. In August of this year, Antony Jansen van Vaas from Saleć, obtained a grant of two hundred acres on the west end of Long Island, partly in the present towns of New Utrecht and Gravesend, of which towns he was the pioneer settler.1 On the 28th of November following, one THOMAS BESCHER received a patent for " a tobacco plantation," on the beach of Long Island "hard by Saphorakan," which is supposed to have been at Gowanus, and adjoining to that of William Adriaense Bennet .? The next settler, in this vicinity, was FREDERICK LUBBERTSEN, who, on the 27th of
1 Recorded in Book G. G., of Land Patents, p. 61. The house which he erected and occupied on the premises, it is supposed, was located on the New Utrecht side of the boundary line between said towns, and its remains were disturbed, some years ago, in digging for the foundations of a new building.
: Ser the discussion of the Bennet and Bentyn Patent in the chapter on " Early Settlers and Patents."
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HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.
May, 1640, took out a patent for a large tract lying on the northerly side of Gowanus Cove, and having, also, an extensive water-front on the East River ; comprising, with the exception of Red Hook, the largest portion of what is now known as South Brooklyn. There is abundant evidence, also, that the territory (subsequently forming the town of Bushwick, and now the Eastern District of the city of Brooklyn), purchased from the Indians, by the West India Company in 1638, had been more or less cultivated-probably, by " squatter right"-by settlers who now began to take out patents for the lands which they had thus occupied. Patents were issued in August, 1640, to ABRAHAM RYCKEN for a large plantation; and in September, 1641, to LAMBERT HUYBERTSEN (MOLL), for land on the East River previously occupied by one Cornelis Jacobsen Sille. In the same neighborhood HANS HANSEN BERGEN was already occupy- ing a large tract adjoining that of his father-in-law Joris Rapalie, and lying partly on the "Waal-bogt" and partly within the limits of Bushwick; while along the "bend of the Marechawick,"1 lay the farms and "tobacco plantations" of JAN and PIETER MONTFOORT, PIETER CÆSAR the Italian, and others.2
The West India Company, at this time, owned by purchase nearly all that portion of the western end of Long Island now embraced within the present city of Brooklyn, and the towns of Flatlands, Flatbush, and Newtown. To this was added, May 10th, 1640, the hereditary rights "of the great chief Penhawitz," the head of the Canarsee tribe, who claimed the territory forming the present county of Kings, and a part of the town of Jamaica. Thus the per- fected title of all the island west of Cow Bay and comprising the present counties of Kings and Queens became vested in the company by purchase. At the eastern end of the island, during this year, Lyon Gardiner, of Saybrook, had made the first permanent English settlement within the limits of the present State of New York, on the island which still bears his name, near Montauk Point; and in the following spring, emigrants from Lynn, Mass., made an attempt, under Lord Stirling's patent, to effect a settlement at Schout's Bay, within the limits of the present Queens County. Dislodged from
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