USA > New York > Kings County > Flatbush > A history of the town of Flatbush, N.Y. > Part 4
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"that portion of the Hessian corps was driven back upon the main body, then lying south of the Dutch Church. and the whole detachment was held at bay for more than one hour. The fire of the American riflemen- was so galling that the Hessians were compelled to improvise redoubts, from the houses of Adrian Hegeman and Lefferts Martense. for the purpose of repelling their attack. In these buildings they cut holes, wherever these atforded them position for firing upon the American sharp-shooters. At length the cannon, from which the Hessian gunners had doubtless been driven by our riflemen, were brought into position. and opened their fire upon the assaulting party. At this time the houses of Jeremiah Vanderbilt, Letfert Letterts. and Evert Hegeman were in flames, and added, by their confla- gration, the horrors which war had brought upon this quiet village. Although it has been a popular habit to charge this incendiarism upon the Hessian invaders, it is yet certain that these dwellings were fired by the Americans, to prevent their occupation as defensive positions by the enemy."
"On the 25th the Americans determined to meet the Hes- sian artillery with the same arms ; and, accordingly. a strong body of ritlemen, accompanied by several guns, pushed for- ward beyond the edge of the woods, and opened fire with round and grape-shot, upon the devoted village. behind whose walls the enemy sought shelter from the rebel sharp- shooters. The attack was well maintained for a time. but was at length repulsed by the greater weight and steadiness of the Hessian artillery,"
The poor Germans, however, were much harassed and disgusted by this, to them, novel and irritating method of warfare; and Cornwallis was finally obliged to relieve them from picket and guard duty, so that they might be enabled to procure a little rest.
"The inconsiderate Americans. however. beat up their camp again at 2 o'clock on the morning of the 20th. and they were once more hurried to the front to assist in repelling these midnight prowlers. This was the fifth considerable skirmish, in three days, which those uneasy Yankees had compelled the slow-moving Germans to repel, and their per- tinacity was becoming unendurable. During the afternoon of the 26th a stronger force than had yet been engaged was pushed forward upon the Hessian lines : and this time with such threatening demonstrations that Lord Cornwallis, who- instructions were imperative not to press the rebels from their position. immediately ordered Col. Donop to retire. The brave, though cruel, Hessian, bogged hard to be per- mitted to remain and intrench himself, but was compelled I to retire to the main body, which was far too powerful for
15
THE BRITISH OCCUPATION OF THE TOWN, 1776-1783.
the light assaulting column of the Americans to make any impression upon it."
Late in the evening of that day, the whole British force was in motion, in the decisive movement which precipitated the battle of the 27th.
The British Occupation of the Town, 1776- 1783 .- Flatbush, of course, suffered its full share of the lawlessness and oppression to which Long Island was subjected during the seven years occupation of the British forces. Mrs. G. L. VANDERBILT, in her very interesting Social History of Flatbush, thus speaks of its unhappy condition after the battle of the 27th An- gust, 1776, which placed the whole county at the merey of the British :
"It is almost impossible to realize the picture of devasta- tion this village presented at that period. The cattle belong- ing to the farmers had been driven, by command of the American officers, into Queens and Suffolk Counties, to pre- vent their falling into the possession of the invaders, and the grain, the produce of the year, was stacked in the fields and burned, for the same reason. The houses of those in the northern section of the town were burned. In the line of march of the British, and over the district of hills and woods which embraced or bounded the area of the battle-ground. were strewn the bodies of the dead who had fallen either in battle, or in irregular fighting in the hills and hollows, for there was no quarter given by the Hessians. It is probable that some of these were never buried, for bones were fre- quently found long after the engagement, and the supersti- tious avoided a locality said to be haunted. During that dreadful August many of the inhabitants fled from their · homes, which were taken possession of by lawless adventur- ers. The sick and wounded were placed in the church, and the want of attention to their sufferings caused the whole air to be infected. In the Autumn a camp-fever became epi- demic, and proved very fatal. The grass grew in the streets, all business was at an end ; the wet Autumn which succeeded a hot Summer added to the filth of the encampment, and the want of many of the common comforts of life caused almost constant illness, even among those who escaped the fever. Amid all their sickness and poverty they were constantly harrassed by petty exactions from which there was no ap- peal ; their fences and even their farming utensils were used for firewood ; their horses were taken from before the plow ; their cattle were driven away or butchered : their fowls were stolen ; and frequently small parties of soldiers on the march took temporary possession of their homes, driving out the owners if the room was needed. As a sort of practical joke the feather-beds were sometimes emptied into the wells. The dark cherry-wood cupboards were dismantled. and from the shelves the horses of the cavalry-officers were fed. It was useless to seek redress. none could be had. To make the scanty supply still more inadequate, the whole town was filled with soldiers. Some of these were of the roughest class. These were billeted upon the people without their consent, and often in opposition to their express wishes. For a regiment of Waldeckers no compensation was ever given. Even where Congress promised two dollars per week, there were very little prospect at that time that it would be paid ; and the Continental money, which was a legal tender, was much depreciated. There was no safety from thieves either Old Houses .- These have nearly all passed away, one by one. The only one still standing is that owned day or night, but the loss of property was small compared to the danger of life, and the constant feeling of personal security. A band of men of notoriously bad character con- | by the heirs of John C. Bergen. In Mrs. Gertrude
stituted a company under the name of the 'Nassau Blues.' and were in possession of the Court House. They not only helped themselves freely to the property of the inhabitants. of whom they were called the 'Guards,' but they were the terror of rep .. _ table people."
In connection with this subject the reader is referred to pages 100 and 101; as well as to Chapter VI, of our General History of Long Island.
In the appendix to Mrs. VANDERBILT'S book, is an exceedingly vivid sketch of "Home Life During the War of the Revolution," taken from the lips of an old Indy of Flatbush, who was in her sixteenth year at the time of the Battle of Long Island.
Old Mills .- In former days two large windmill- formed a conspienous feature in the village landscape. One of these stood east of the main road and south of the road to New Lots, formerly called Cow Lane, now East Broadway, -- or near the northeast corner of present Erasmus street and Nostrand avenue. It was of very peculiar construction ; built by a Mr. Molineanx, of Westbury, L. I., in 1820, and owned by Rich. Willis. of New York city. It was eirenlar in form, abont cy feet in diameter, and about 25 feet high to the caves, surmounted with a conical roof, from the top of which issued the shaft, rising some 25 feet above the roof. To this shaft were attached an upper and lower set of arins, extending at right angles to the shaft, for a dis- tanee of 20 feet. Between these upper and lower arms, at their extremities, a series (16 or 18) of perpendicular fans, or movable wings, were attached, which could be so adjusted, at any angle, as to take the wind from any direction. It turned one "run" of stones only, and was more lately known as "Lloyd's Mill. It is sup- posed to have been the only mill of this peenliar construction upon the Island, and was taken down Jannary, 1868. Another old mill stood upon Mr. John C. Vanderveer's farm, in the southern seetion of the village, and was always ealled " Vanderveer's Mill." This is said to have been the first windmill erected upon Long Island. The Rural Gazette, March 4, 1978. states that it was completed in 1801 by John C. Van- derveer. It was of immense strength, the main timbers being twenty-eight feet high and two and a half feet thick. It was four stories high, with a stone found- tion of about three feet. The arms and sails, similar in construction to the Holland mills, were twenty-six feet long. There were three sets or " run" of stones. The sails were first blown off in the famous September gale of 1821. Abont ten years after the sails were blown off again, after which they were not repaired. During the drafting: riots" of 1863 it was a refuge for the colored people, who were threatened by the Irish. It was destroyed by fire on the night of the 30th of April, 1879.
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16
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSH.
Lefferts Vanderbilt's delightful book, Social History of | in 1759, which is the probable date of his coming to Flatbush, and Dr. P. L. Schenck's interesting Zabriskie New York. Here he lived until 1703, when he sold Homestead, will be found reminiscences of these ancient dwellings, which our limited space will not allow us to dwell upon. The old " Robinson House," alias " Mel- rose Hall," which is soon to be demolished, deserves more than a passing notice.
Melrose Hall .- There are few towns in this State possessing more of historic interest than Flatbush ; and, certainly, no single dwelling in this lovely village has witnessed more of tragic or romantic incident than las Melrose IIall. Its erection ante-dates, by many years, the American Revolu- tion ; it possesses a style of architec- ture quite unknown to the early Dutch settlers ; and on a plan grander and more pretentious than any of its co- temporaries.
It is said to have been built by an Englishman by the name of Lane, in 1749. It was adorn- ed with gilded drawing-rooms and wide wainscoted- halls ; surrounded by ample grounds, tastefully laid out in flower-beds and garden-plots, all hid away behind the far-stretching lawn. Here its proprietor, with his numerous friends, led a merry life, not unfrequently awakening the still echoes of the night by their bacchanalian songs and revels.
After Lane's death the property was purchased by Col. William . Axtell. Axtell was a descendant of Daniel Axtell, a Colonel in Cromwell's army, who was beheaded by order of Charles II-he having been re- fused the benefits of the act of " General pardons and obligations," by Parliament.
William Axtell was born on the Island of Jamaica. Here he owned large sugar plantations which were sold
his house and lot in Wall street and came to Flatbush to reside. He was a member of the King's Council ; by birth and edneation a loyalist ; and, from instinet as well as choice, a Tory. Being a man of much influence and considerable wealth, his new home became a fav- orite rendezvous for all the Tory element in and about the metropolis. Here many a secret conclave was held, and many a plan concocted, to thwart the designs of the Rebels. Here the beauty and fashion of the day were often hospitably entertained, and the spacious ball- room resounded with the dulcet notes of the lute or viol, while flying feet kept even pace with the swift-tly- ing hours. "
In 1778 Axtell was commissioned. by Sir William Howe, to raise a regiment of foot, of which he was Colonel. In 1753 the Colonel and his officers were presented by their lady friends with a handsome standard of colors. This pre- seutation took place in front of his house; his men and officers forming in a circle around the tlag, which they saluted, taking a solemn oath to sup- port it forever. Afterwards, a sumptuous dinner was served in the hall and grounds, and the event closed with a brilliant ball, the like of which was seldom seen in the infant colony.
MELROSE HALL, 1853.
In 1776, a few days before the Battle of Brook- lyn, while Axtell was entertaining a party of British officers, an American gunter, stationed on the wooded heights beyond, threw a shell into the house. causing nineh damage, and great consternation to the inmates. After the battle of Long Island, as is well known, Flatbush remained in the hands of the British
17
OLD HOUSES-MELROSE HALL.
until the close of the war. During this period many American prisoners were paroled here ; among them several officers. The condnet of the Tories towards them was so insolent and overbearing, that one of the Americans, Captain William Marriner, after his release, resolved to be avenged. For this purpose he procured a whale-boat and a picked crew, and set out from the Jersey shore for Gravesend Bay, where he landed in the evening, and proceeded without delay or molesta- tion to Flatbush. Here he divided his men into four parties and proceeded to the residences of Major Mon- ericf,. Col. Sherbrook, Col. Mathews (then Mayor of New York), and Col. Axtell. At a given signal, the doors of the various houses were battered in, and Mon- crief and Sherbrook captured; but, fortunately for Mathews and Axtell, they escaped, having remained in New York that night.
Even if Colonel Axtell had been at home, his capture would have been no easy task, for the honse abounds in secret closets, and ont-of-the-way nooks, where one could easily hide. Indeed, much mystery surrounds these secret rooms. By some, they were supposed to have been constructed by order of Col. Axtell for such emergencies as the above. By others, they are asso- ciated with secrets of a more terrible nature, and have been peopled with ghosts and hobgoblins. One thing is certain, for no inconsiderable period of its history, Melrose was looked upon suspiciously by its neighbors as a place to be avoided after night-fall ; and children were awed into subjection and silence by stories of phantom sights and sounds, seen and heard in and about the ancient place.
In consequence of Axtell's well-known Tory proeli- vities, his property was forfeited by an act of the legis- lature, and sold by a Commission, on the 21st day of October, 1784. The purchaser was Aquila Giles, an American officer of some distinction, who had often visited here in the carly part of the war, but who was subsequently forbidden the place. Among the then in- mates of the house was Miss Shipton, said to have been a niece of Mrs. Axtell, to whom Col. Giles was be- trothed, and whom he afterwards married. Thus, by the fortimes of war, master and guest changed places; and Col. Giles, and his wife Eliza, were the happy possessors of Col. Axtell's estate until June 28, 1800, when they conveyed the same to Bateman Lloyd.
Lloyd was a native of Salem, N. J., an officer in the American army, and died here in 1815. Through his heirs it finally passed into the possession of James Mowatt, husband of the well-known actress, who resided here from 1836 to 1841.
Mrs. Mowatt, in her auto-biography, speaks of her life in Flatbush most enthusiastically. Of the house she says there were dark and spacious vaults beneath the kitchen, where it was said English prisoners had been confined ; and a secret chamber above the great ball-room, where it was affirmed a young girl had been
purposely starved to death, and whose ghost wandered, at night, about the house.
Here she spent happy years, as she herself writes, trundling hoop., skipping the rope, riding horseback, and dressed in half Turkish costume, shooting birds on the wing, much to the annoyance and disgust of her staid Dutch neighbors. In 1844 Dr. John Robinson purchased the property, and came here to reside with his family. Dr. Robinson was a gentleman of the olden school, and a graduate of Dublin University. Though his practice was mostly in the city of Now York, he took a just pride in Melrose, and preserved its trees and rare shrubs with serupulous care. He re- sided longer in Melrose Hall than any other person ; and gave character, by his individuality, to the whole place. He died in 1879, much regreted by those who had the pleasure of an intimate acquaintance with him.
Since his death, Melrose Hall, and a part of the origi- nal domain, have been purchased by his old friend and neighbor, Dr. Homer L. Bartlett, who contemplates re- moving the ancient mansion, and converting the lawn and grounds into a beautiful park, where family resi- dences can be built beneath the shadows of these von- erable and historie trees. Such is the logie of fate. The cry of the whip-poor-will gives place to the prattle of childhood ; and the shadows of ghosts are supplanted by the spray and mist of the fountain of Melrose Park.
Town Pound .- On the south side of Cow Lane, or East Broadway, about sixty feet cast of Loenst street, in former days, was located the town pound. Its high board-fence enclosed an area of about forty feet square, extending almost half way across the street. Adjoin- ing it was the colored people's burying-ground, extend- ing west about 100 feet, to a pond, ou the land now ocenpied by the Public School and the building of the Flatbush Engine Company. This pond, in early days, probably extended to the middle of the line of the street; this accounts for the angle in the street at this point. When this property, then owned by the Re- formed Church, was improved, and the street laid out in 1865, these relies of the old town were removed. The graves were opened and the remains removed to a new burying-ground in another section of the Reformed Church land, at the northeast corner of the cemetery of the Holy Cross. Dr. Strong quotes a record of the court, November 12, 1695, ordering a pound and a good pair of stocks to be built immediately. It is prob- able, therefore, that the pound had been located on this site for one hundred and sixty or more years.
Stocks and Whipping Post .- The stocks were erected in front of the old Court Honse, and were still in existence in the early part of this century. Near by was a shipping-post; and one of the town ofcer- was a public-whipper, with an ammal salary of $3. There was also a public brew-house, located in the southern part of the town, near Vernon avenne, on the property now owned by the Brooklyn City Railroad Company.
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18
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSH.
THE MODERN HISTORY OF FLATBUSH, 1830-1883
P OPULATION .- After obtaining the patent from Governor Stuyvesant, in 1651, the settle- ment appears to have increased in population more rapidly than any of the other towns. This may have arisen from its central position, and because it carly became the market town. As early as 1658 it was the seat of justice for this scetion of Long Island, and in 1654 the governor issued an order for building the first church for the " Five Dutch Towns," at Flat- bush.
The first reference to the population is found in Vol. II. of Colonial Documents, N. Y., where it is stated that "all the men in the town to the number of sev- enty-three took the oath of allegiance." Breuckelen and " dependencies" had at this time eighty-one men. None of the other towns had over fifty men.
The next mention of the population is in Vol. III of Doc. ITist., in a census of the Kings county towns for the year 1698. According to this, Flatbush contained sixty-two men, seventy-two women, two hundred and sixty-three children, eight apprentices, and seventy-one slaves, making a total of four hundred and seventy- six; Brooklyn at this time numbering five hundred and nine. In 1840 the population was one thousand five hundred and thirty-seven; in 1880 the population of Flatbush (including the settlements of Parkville and Windsor Terrace) numbered 7,634. The first assess- ment rolls give the valuation of the taxable property of the town for 1675 as £5079 19. 0 .; 1676, as £4872 11. 0 .; 1683, as £7757 10. 0. (while Breuckelen for the same year had a valuation of £5793 10. 0.); Flatbush, 1820, $504,408.00; 1840, $1,100,555.00; 18SO, Real- estate, $4,005,550.00; Personal, 8281,500.00. In the census of 1755 Flatbush possessed the largest number of slaves, there being 108 as against 67 in Brooklyn, and thirty-five in Flatlands.
Changes in the Village .- The destruction of the court-house by fire, in 1832, was the first of the many and great changes which have taken place in the town during the past fifty years. By this event, and the removal of the courts to Brooklyn, the character of the village was changed. No longer the county-seat, it became the quiet country village; and, instead of being considered the most important town in the county, it was now distinguished from the other villages only by its rural beauty, and the larger number of its inhab- itants. One change has followed another in quick sue- cession, so that the village has changed in a more rapid and marked manner within the last forty years than during the previous two hundred years. Dr. Strong states that the first fenees through the village were
made of stone, surmounted by earth and sod, mpwatt which were planted shoots of the primrose. The .. were kept properly trimmed and gave a very neat al .!! pretty appearance to the village. But these fences wer- destroyed at about the time of the Revolutionary war. the primrose-bushes all dying during a single sea-or. Gradually the common post-and-rail fener took it ... place of the stone fences, making a very marked ani unpleasant change. After a number of years the-e were displaced by neat picket fences. About the year 1812, Lombardy poplars were planted in great number- on both sides of the main street; but, although they gave the village a most picturesque appearance, wer- illy adapted to this climate, and in a few years were mostly destroyed and taken down. Until the year 1855 a large number of weeping willow trees formed a beautiful feature in the village scenery. There were six or eight of these trees around the Reformed Church.
Historical Trees .- In addition to these, there have been five remarkable linden trees in the village, whose age goeth beyond the memory of the oldest iuhabitant. and which were probably relies of the primeval forest. One of these grew upon the site now occupied by the residence of John A. Lott. Dr. Strong states that, on oue occasion, the Court of the county held its session under this tree. The second was upon the southeast corner of Flatbush road and East Broadway, or Cow Lane, as i: was originally called. Another stood on the corner of Grant street and Flatbush road, adjoining the yard of the chapel of the Reformed Church. The fourth. standing like a village sentinel, on the northwest corner of the Main road and Church Lane, shading and pro- teeting with its aneient arms the old homestead of the Lloyd aud Zabriskie families, was destroyed by a gale of wind in October, 1876. According to village tradi- tion this tree has quite an historical notoriety. It is said that during the war Washington and his officers pitched their tents under its far-reaching branches; aud that the English officers placed their tents in the shade of the same tree after the capture of the village. Tra- dition also says that in early times, at stated intervals during the summer, an itinerant Methodist preacher hell services under this tree. Dr. Strong states that during the war of the Revolution Major David Lennox, as a prisoner, was billeted upon Mr. Bateman Lloyd, who then owned this house. While thus a prisoner he w.a. visited by his brothers, Robert and William, who en- deavored to influence him to desert the American cause. The interview took place under this tree. They use ! every inducement, but although completely overconte by the prospect of separation from his brothers, Le
10
SIDEWALKS-ROADWAYS-STAGES-STREET CARS.
turned from them, and, amid his tears, exclaimed with Roman firmness : "I will never forsake my country in her need." Both house and tree disappeared from siglit at about the same time. The old house, more than two hundred years old, was taken down in Novem. ber, 1877, to make room for the new and elegant resi- deuce of Dr. John L. Zabriskie. The fifthi tree still stands in front of the residence of the late Gen. Philip S. Crooke. The huge trunk, in its extreme age, is no longer capable of sustaining the weight of its immense branches ; and, several years before his death, Gen. Crooke had riggers to fasten chains around the branches in the upper part of the tree, and a strong iron band around the trunk, so that it might still be preserved in its beauty.
Sidewalks Regulated .- About the year 1827, the first attempt was made to regulate the sidewalks of the village, and bring them to a uniform appearance and grade. The first to undertake this improvement was Mr. Matthew Clarkson. The next improvement was the placing a neat wooden, and often quite ornamental, railing in front of each dwelling, separating the side- walk from the road. This railing, in later days, ex- tended, on either side of the street, in an almost un- broken line, from one end of the village to the other, giving to the street a neat and beautiful appearance.
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