USA > New York > Kings County > Williamsburgh > A history of the town of Bushwick, Kings county, N.Y. and of the town, village and city of Williamsburgh, Kings county, N.Y > Part 5
USA > New York > Kings County > Bushwick > A history of the town of Bushwick, Kings county, N.Y. and of the town, village and city of Williamsburgh, Kings county, N.Y > Part 5
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The first house-builder was John Hillyer, the mason, who boldly broke ground in the field on India street, in November, 1839; the edifice, a substantial brick one, be- ing sufficiently completed to admit of his occupying it with his family, in June of the following year. A few months after, Mr. Brightson commenced building on two lots in Java street, and almost simultaneously, three other buildings were begun, viz .: a building, which afterwards became an inn, well remembered by the oldest inhabitants of Greenpoint as Poppy Smith's tavern ; the residence of Mr. Archibald K. Meserole, on the hill, north side of Eagle street, between Frank- lin and Washington streets; and the store-house, after- wards Vogt's paint shop, built by Cother & Ford for A. K. Meserole.
From this time buildings increased so rapidly as to defy the most active historian to keep track of their erection.
Many of these houses stood up on stilts, bearing very much the appearance of having been commenced at the roof and gradually built downward, a sufficient number of stories being appended to reach the ground. This style of building, peculiarly characteristic of Greenpoint in the earlier days, obtained mostly on the locality known by the people of that day as " the Or- chard," and, also, in Java, Washington and Franklin streets, and was rendered necessary by the extreme depth of the mud, always the great drawback of the place.
Trade at Greenpoint commenced in the store-honse above spoken of. David Swalm succeeded the first tradesman here.
A coal-yard was opened at the foot of Freeman street, on the East River, at the projection of the shore which originally gave Greenpoint its name. This establishment was purchased, in 1849, by Abraham Meserole, who transferred the business to the corner of Java and Franklin streets; and the yard was speedily followed by other lines of industry, and by various mannfactories.
A Union Sabbath-school was established in the au- tumn of 1845, under the superintendence of William Vernoon; and sessions were held at various places in the village. The Episcopalians commeneed here in 1846. The Methodist, Baptist, and Dutch Reformed denominations commenced their distinctive church or-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BUSHWICK.
ganizations in 1847, and were followed by the Univer- salists and Roman Catholics in 1855.
The profession of medicine was first represented in Greenpoint by Dr. Snell, from Herkimer county, N. Y., who settled here in 1847. He was followed in 1850 by Dr. Job Davis, and he, in turn, by Doctors Peer and Hawley, Heath, Wells, and others.
The first magistrate and constable were appointed about 1843.
Mrs. Masquerier, in 1643, opened the first school. This good woman's ministrations were finally sup- planted by the public-school system; and in 1846, a school-house was erected on the hill east of Union ave- nue, between Java and Kent streets, and which was first presided over by Mr. B. R. Davis. This was the commencement of School No. 22.
In 1850 a ship-yard was established by Mr. Eckford Webb (since Webb & Bell) ; and the first vessel con- strueted was a small steamer called the Honda, which was made to ply upon the Magdalena river of South America. Since that day he has constructed many vessels. Other ship-yards were established, until ten or twelve were at one time in active operation, turning out every variety of eraft, from the humble skiff to the largest wood and iron steamers.
In September, 1852, the Francis' Metallic Life- Boat Company was incorporated, with a capital of $250,000, and erected a large and commodious factory. They had a snecessful career, until the repeal, by Congress, of that seetion of the steamboat law respecting life- boats, when the demand fell off, and, so did the com- pany.
The ferry between the foot of Greenpoint avenue and the foot of Tenth street, New York, was estab- lished, in 1852, by Neziah Bliss, and soon afterwards transferred to Mr. Shepard Knapp. Previously, all water communication with New York had been by skiffs, at a charge of four cents per passenger.
In 1853 the Greenpoint Gas Light Company was in- corporated, with a capital of $40,000, and a patronage at the outset of twenty-sir customers. In the summer of 1854, what was projected as the Greenpoint and Flushing plank-road was first used. The intended ter- mini of this road were the Greenpoint ferry and a point on the Astoria and Flushing railroad, half a mile from the latter place. By reason of the opposition of some Dutch farmers along the proposed route the road was not completed according to the original design; but united with the Williamsburgh and Newtown road at the end of Calvary cemetery.
(The history of Greenpoint, subsequent to 1854, is included with that of the consolidated city of Brook- lyn).
Arbitration Rock .- We have thought desirable to place in permanent form, by re-producing it in these pages, the substance of a very interesting article by WILLIAM O'GORMAN, Esq., the antiquarian town-elerk,
of Newtown, published originally in the Long Island Weekly Star, concerning this historie land-mark be- tween Old Bushwick and its neighbor, Newtown.
"Arbitration Rock " marked the final end of that famous fight between Newtown and Bushwick, which raged with unabated fury, from the days of Governor Stuyvesant, in 1660, to 1769. Stuyvesant loved Bush- wiek. He hated Newtown. He bequeathed a legacy of raneor to the two towns ; but he also opened up a field on which all the brave sons of either town could display their determination to defend their boundary rights.
In Governor Cornbury's time the dispute between Newtown and Bushwick had waxed hot and furious to a white heat. It suited the Governor to a charm. He " saw" twelve hundred acres in it-he " discovered sinister practices," he realized "pernicious conse- quenees."
The Bushwick men claimed that their boundary extended to the straight line which ran from the Old Brook School to the northwest corner of Ja- maica. The Newtown men elaimed that their bound- ary. ran from the "Arbitration Rock" to the same point ; or more clearly to be understood-the New- town men claimed up to the present dividing line between Newtown and Brooklyn, where the city lamps shine on old Mrs. Onderdonk's house.
It is a long walk on a hot day from the Old Brook School to Mrs. Onderdonk's house beyond Metropolitan avenne : the longer it was, the more acres it would give to Lord Cornbury, the Governor of the province. The evidence was very conflicting between Newtown and Bushwiek. The boundary line oscillated between them like a pendulum, from the arbitration rock to the Old Brook School, and so for years it had vibrated back and forward, but fastened to the same suspension point on the East New York hills in the Cemetery of the Evergreens. It was a large gore of land, and con- tained 1200 acres of land for Lord Cornbury. There were riots between the Bushwiek men and the New- town men, and some houses were burnt and some houses were torn down. Governor Lord Cornbury, of all men, hated "anarchy ;" and he considered it to be the duty of an impartial Governor to remove the cause of such anarchy. He decided that the gore lot of 1200 acres belonged neither to Bushwick, nor to Newtown. He also decided that the tract of 1200 acres belonged to himself, the Lord Cornbury.
He was surrounded by a body of able counselors- Arma Bridgens, Robert Millwood, William Huddle- stone, Adrian Hoogland, and of course Peter Praa- Peter Praa from Greenpoint, always keen after real estate ; and among these disinterested persons, or in- struments, in vulgar eyes, the Governor divided the 1200 acres of Newtown land. Newtown, at this un- expected juneture, had need of trustworthy men, and on the 6th of May, 1706, the township vested all their
21
ARBITRATION ROCK.
powers of defence in Richard Alsop,* Joseph Sackett, Thomas Stevenson and William Hallett. This law- suit lasted twenty years, and the Town House and all the public lands of the township had to be sold to fee the lawyers, a useful precedent for future Newtown officials who may have to carry on law-suits. The re- sult of that law-suit was not decisive ; the boundary line between Newtown and Bushwick remained un- decided until the 7th day of January, 1769, on which day the dividing line was run out to the full satisfac- tion of Newtown, and so remains to the present day.
What became of the grantees after Lord Cornbury's recall is not positively known ; Newtown fought them under the name of the "Faucouniers" from 1712 to 1727, in a suit in which Richard Alsop and John Coe were plaintiffs on behalf of Newtown. Peter Praa, of Greenpoint, had sold out his patent two days after it was granted. Peter was too sagacious to trust to such titles ; but the name of Bridgens, true to its instincts, broke out again in 1873, as a plaintiff in the celebrated ejectment suit against the property owners of Laurel Hill, so sensationally got up by Weston, the walker. In the columns of the Sun he had provided an old oaken chest with an ancient will in it, both of which little adjuncts made up a little romance only to be spoiled by the fact of the same will having been in printed form for twenty-five years previously, and con- tinuously in every house on Laurel Hill. So history repeats itself.
The following report terminated the dispute of a century :
"Pursuant to an act of the Governor, Council and General Assembly, appointing John Watts, William Nicoll and Wil- liam Nicoll, Jr., Esquires, or the major part of them, or the survivor or survivors of them, Commissioners to run out and ascertain a line of division between the Counties of Kings and Queens, as far as the townships of Bushwick and New- town extend :- We, the said Commissioners, having called the parties before us, and duly heard and considered their several proofs and allegations, do adjudge and determine that the Division Line aforesaid, shall be and hegin at the mouth of Maspeth Kills, or creek, over against Dominie's Hook, in the deepest part of the creek, and so run along the same to the west side of Smith's Island, and so along the creek on the west side of that island TO AND UP A BRANCH LEADING OUT OF THAT CREEK TO THE POND OR HOLE OF WATER NEAR THE HEAD OF MR. SCHENCK'S MILL POND; AND FROM THENCE EASTERLY TO A CERTAIN ROCK COMMONLY CALLED THE 'ARBITRATION ROCK,' AND MARKED N. B., a little west- ward of the house of Joseph Woodward; and from said rock running south twenty-seven degrees, east to a heap of stones with a stake in the middle known by the name of the 'Arbitration Heap ;' and from thence in the same direct line up the hills or mountains until it meets the line of
* In this connection we cannot but allude to a series of exceedingly interesting papers, by Mr. O'Gorman io the L. I. Weekly Star, of March and April, 1880, on the ALSOP FAMILY, of Newtowo, whose ancient mansion, rich in Colonial and Revolutionary history, stood on the edge of Newtown Creek, near the Penny Bridge. It was de- molished in October, 1879, and its site, as, also, that of the Alsop family burying-ground, is now within Calvary Cemetery grounds.
Flatbush, as the same is described by the survey and card hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 10th day of January, Anno Domini, 1769. JOHN WATTS. W. NICOLL.
Sealed in presence of us, W. Wickham, John S. Roome."
The Annals of Newtown tells us that the survey was performed, January 7th, by Francis Marschalk, and thus describes the boundaries :
" BEGINNING AT A CERTAIN ROCK, COMMONLY CALLED THE ARBITRATION ROCK, MARKED N. B .; said rock lies N. 16 de- grees 3 minutes W. 4 chains 50 links from the northerly corner of the house, formerly the house of Frederick Van Nanda, and now in possession of Moses Beigle; running from said rock S. 27 degrees E. 155 chains to a noted heap of stones, with a stake in the middle, known by the name of . Arbitration heap," and from thence in the same direct line up the hill or mountain until it meets the line of Flat- bush."
The Woodward House still stands in the same good preservation that Lord Cornwallis left it in the Revo- lution ; and the Beegel House is occupied by the Onder- donk family.
After the Revolution Mr. Hendrick Beegel made another survey of the line, and in 1837, during the Su- pervisorship of Mr. DeBevoise, the line was again run over and monuments erected over its entire length.
The late Mr. Nicholas Wyckoff, President of the First National Bank of Brooklyn, in 1880, made a proposi- tion to the Commissioners appointed to re-survey the boundary line between Kings and Queens Counties ; to " replace, at his own expense, by a monument to be ap- proved of by the Commissioners, the old 'Arbitration Rock,' once of such importance, but blown to pieces by some parties ignorant of its historic and trigonometrical value as a ' Bench Mark' in the survey of the base line between Kings and Queens Counties."
A note in Riker's Annals, page 171, has led its read- ers into a labyrinth of confusion, and they have propa- gated the error far and wide-as the Annals of New- town is a standard work every way worthy of its repu- tation for research and accurate details. The note reads :
" This house is that now occupied by Mrs. Onderdonk. Arbitration Rock has disappeared. It stood in the meadow lying opposite this house, on the other side of the road, and early in the present century was blown to pieces, and re- moved by individuals who probably knew not its value as an important land-mark."
In fact, however, the Arbitration Rock is as intact and sound as when the commissioners and surveyors were vociferating around it in January, 1769.
"On November 19th, 1880, another group of excited men, the late Nicholas Wyckoff, Peter Wyckoff and Wm. O'Gorman, stood around the same old rock watch- ing its discovery by Martin G. Johnson, Surveyor. Mr. Johnson had found the okt rock, from which he had started his own survey in 1850, when he had com-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BUSHWICK.
menced to lay out the streets and blocks of Bushwick, and mark their position with the stone monuments, still existing in the ground, all over from Greenpoint, through all the limits of ancient Bushwick as contained in the several wards now incorporated into Brooklyn. Far off through all the fields Mr. Johnson determined his angles with the theodolite and measuring-chain ; from many distant points he defined the position of monu- ments long since ploughed over ; and, when he would eall out that 'here is one,' or 'one ought to be here,' there was consequent excitement to dig down and see that his calculation was correct. And, indeed, a monu- ment was invariably found wherever the word was passed that one ought to be found. The same process through the fields revealed them in plenty ; but large trees had grown up since the monuments were set in . 1850, and the face of nature had changed considerably since that time. But the trigonometrical work of the young surveyor still holds good and will be the perma- nent base-lines for all ages to old Bushwick, no matter what name will be granted her in the vicissitudes of time. "
"Finally, the converging sights of the theodolite from all the monuments intersected each other on the time- honored head of the old Rock, and thus established its identity beyond question. The 'Arbitration Rock' is therefore still in existence. "
"The history of the fight between Newtown and Bushwick-a legacy bequeathed by old Governor Stuy- vesant-embraces the period included between 1656 and 1769. The territory included that gore-lot of country between the old Brook School at Maspeth and the Arbitration Rock beyond Metropolitan avenue, narrow- ing to a point toward the hills beyond Ridgwood. In that direction there is still some undefined trouble, and the Legislature of last year issued a commission to certain persons to settle it."
HENRY BOERUM .- Among the old Long Island names is that of BOERUM-a name which the citizens of Brooklyn have perpetuated in Boerum street, and Boerum place. The emigrant of the family was a Hollander, and his descen- dants, for many generations, have been landed proprietors on the Island. His father, Jacob Boerum, married Adrianna Remsen. a daughter of William Remsen, at the Wallabout. They had eight children-Henry being next to the youngest, boru April 8, 1793. He passed the days of his boyhood on his father's farm, and during the idle winter months, availed himself of the limited educational advantages afforded by the public schools of his time and locality. After he grew to man's estate, he managed the farm, which, at that time, meant hard work, as all the market truck had to be carried to the Wallabout in a wagon, then put in a row-boat, pulled across to the New York market, and sold out by measure as the hucksters now do. On November 21, 1827, he married Susan Rapelje, a daughter of Folkert Rapelje, at Cripple- bush, of the well-known family of that name, which has been prominently identified with Long Island almost from the date of its first settlement. May 1, 1828, he purchased from the executors of the estate of Folkert Rapelje sixty-
two acres of land, being a part of the old Rapelje farm, at Cripplebush, for the sum of $7,000, on account of which he paid $2,700-money which he received as a part of his wife's dowry-and gave a mortgage for the balance, $4,300. He was a hard worker and good manager; and, in October, 1834, he had paid off his indebtedness, the executors having given him the privilege of paying on account of the principal when he paid his yearly interest. In 1835, during the great land speculation, the homestead farm was sold, by which he secured, as his part, several thousand dollars, which, together with his earnings, amounted, in 1842, to some $20,000. About this time, the bubble hurst, taking away from liim the greater part of his income. He also sold, in 1835, three and one-half acres of the Cripplebush farm for $3,500, with which he built the house now occupied by his son, F. Rapelje Boerum. In 1853, De Kalb avenue was opened, graded and paved through the farm, and Mr. Boerum began selling lots and making loans ou the property to purchasers, enabling them to erect dwellings thereon. His policy toward pur- chasers was a liberal one, and resulted in the rapid develop- ment of that part of the city embraced within the limits of the Cripplebush farm, and indirectly to considerable con- tiguous property. Within the borders of the farm now stand some 500 or 600 houses. Mr. Boerum pursued a similar policy with respect to hiis part of the old Boerum homestead, at Bushwick; and, it was mainly through his instrumentality that the section commonly called Dutch- town was built up and populated. In all matters of public interest he always took an intelligent and helpful part; aud, although he was not, in the active sense, a politician, his judgment was often sought by those in authority, and he was many times asked to become a candidate for public honors ; but he almost invariably declined, though he served two terms as Assessor, and two as Alderman of the old 9th ward. He was, from time to time, connected with numerous well-known institutions, having been an organizer and director in the old Brooklyn Gas Company, the Mechanics' and City Banks, the Mechanics', Montauk and Atlantic Insurance Companies, and as stockholder in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Brooklyn Athenæum. Mr. Boerum had seven children; a son and daughter died in infancy. F. Rapelje Boerum was born October 26, 1829, and now occupies the old homestead. He married Diana Remsen, May 26, 1868, and has three children living. Charles died in boyhood. Susan was born February 22, 1835, and married Charles Vanderveer, deceased, and has three children. Adrianna, born November 27, 1836, married Charles Bush, and Agnes, born September 27, 1839, died October 24, 1875. Mr. Boerum was a man of plain, unostentatious manners and unquestioned integrity. His life was a busy one from boyhood, and terminated May 8, 1868. In a quiet way he did much good, was instrumental in developing a now important part of the city, and left the impress of his busi- ness capacity and high commercial honor on the times in which he lived. He was a friend and companion of the leading Brooklynites of the period during his manhood; and his name is inseparably linked with that part of the city within the borders of which he lived and died. When he passed away his death was sincerely regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, and such honor was paid to his memory as was due to one who had long been an influential resident of the city. His wife died May 18, 1859, aged fifty-seven years.
IION. WILLIAM CONSELYEA .- The subject of this article is a son of the late Judge Joseph and Ann (Hopper) Conselyea,
23
BIOGRAPHIES.
and was born in Bushwick, Kings county, N. Y., October 12, 1804.
Mr. Conselyea's early life was spent on his father's farm and in assisting his father in the milk trade, in which the latter was extensively engaged, and his educational advan- tages were limited to those afforded by the common schools of Bushwick. In 1835 he embarked in hotel-keeping at the corner of North Second street and Bushwick avenue, and, in 1840, removed to the corner of Grand and First streets, Williamsburgh, where he opened a wholesale and retail liquor store. In 1845, he assumed the proprietorship aud management of a hotel at the corner of Bushwick and Flushing avenues. During a portion of this period, and later, he was a well-known auctioneer until his removal to his present residence, 457 Bedford avenue, in 1870, since which time he has lived retired from active business.
In 1840, Mr. Conselyea, who had, since his majority, been a consistent democrat of the old school, but never an aspirant for office, was nominated for Member of Assembly from Kings county, but was defeated by the election of his uncle, William Conselyea 1st. In 1842, he was again nomi- nated for the same office, and was elected, and served until the expiration of his term.
April 6, 1825, Mr. Conselyea was married to Anna Maria Griffin, daughter of A. Tabor Griffin, of Bushwick, who has borne him nine children, two of whom are living. After a happy union of fifty-eight years' duration, both Mr. and Mrs. Conselyea are in excellent health, considering their ages, and are looking forward to several years more of peaceful companionship.
HON. ADRIAN M. SUYDAM .- Jacob Suydam, grandfather of Adrian Martense Suydam, was born February 3, 1740, set- tled at Bushwick and married Elizabeth Leaycraft, April 14th, 1764. He was a worthy and respected citizen, and died in Bushwick, July 27, 1811. His children, who attained mature age, were George, born June 20, 1767, who married Jane Voorhees, and died at Gravesend ; Gertrude, born Juue 25, 1770, who married Adrian Martense : Jacob, who was born March 3, 1773, and married Cornelia Farmer, of New Brunswick, N. J., and Hendrick, who was born May 16, 1778, and married Helen, daughter of John Schenck.
Jacob Suydam, son of Jacob Suydam, was the father of Adrian Martense Suydam, and died August 31, 1847. Ad- rian Martense Suydam was born on the old Suydam home- stead, in Bushwick, where he has been a life-long resident.
November 25, 1826, and is now tilling a portion of the farm of his forefathers.
Mr. Suydam's educational advantages were limited to those afforded by the district schools of his native town; and he early began to assist on the farm, a portion of which passed into his possession, in 1844, when he was only eighteen years of age, and which he has occupied continu- ously to the present time.
January 5, 1852, Mr. Suydam was married to Sarah G., daughter of Nicholas Wyckoff, who died in 1862, having borne him four children, only one of whom is now living.
Mr. Suydam, having passed his lifetime thus far on the homestead of his family for generations before him, has seen many changes in his section of the city-of Brooklyn- and is, at this date, the only farmer, except one, living along the old Bushwick road, who has spent his days on the place on which he was born.
In 1869, there was nc house ou the Suydam farm, except the ancient residence of Mr. Suydam, out of which bis grandfather was driven by the British during the Revolu- tionary war. During the year mentioned, Mr. Suydam, wishing to induce settlement in his neighborhood with a view to developing that section of the city, gave a man a lot on condition that he would at once erect and occupy a dwelling thereon ; and, since then, his policy has been so liberal that, at the present time, there are no less than one hundred and twenty-five residences within the borders of the old homestead, bounded by Knickerbocker avenue, Vigelius street, Broadway and Palmetto street. Palmetto street, Woodbine street, Evergreen avenue, Ivy street and Central avenue have since been opened through the home- stead, and some of them are being rapidly improved. It was years after Mr. Suydam assumed control of his farm before there was any means of reaching the ferries, except by private conveyance, and he relates that he has seen men hunting on the site of the present City Park.
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