USA > New York > Kings County > Flatbush > A history of the town of Flatbush, N.Y. > Part 5
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Sidewalks and Crossings Flagged .- In the year 1874, by a special Legislative act, the Commissioners of Highways were authorized to flag the street side- walks of the village upon application of a majority of the property owners upon the street. A later act au- thorized them to lay cross-walks at the intersection of streets. On the west side of the main road, the walk is paved from one end of the village to the other; and, on the east side, from the city line to Vernon avenne.
Flatbush Main Road .- The road from Brooklyn to the Flatbush Reformed Church was originally a branch road, owned by the Brooklyn, Flatbush & Ja- maica Turnpike Company. In 1855, Teunis J. Bergen, Philip S. Crooke, John Lefferts, Jeromns I. Johnson, and others, organized a company, with Teunis J. Bergen, president, Philip S.Crooke, secretary; and buying out the interest of the Jamaica Company in the Flatbush sec- tion of this road, they formed the Flatbush Plank-Road Company, and proceeded to lay down a plank-road from Brooklyn to Flatlands. The road, as at present constituted, was surveyed in 1855, by Teunis G. Ber- gen. Right of way, with the privilege to charge toll and lay planks on the section of the road south of the Reformed Church in Flatbush, was obtained from the Road Commissioners of the towns; as this portion of the route belonged to the towns of Flatbush and Flat- lands. After a number of years this road became thoroughly worn out; and, about the year 1855-6, was taken up, and a macadamized-road was built in its place by the prisoners in the Kings County Peniten- tiary, hired by the company. Such of the plan.ks as
were available were used, at the suggestion of Tennis J. Bergen, for village plank-walks, and for a time did good service, but finally beenme warped, misafe and unpopular.
Old Stage Routes .- For more than one hundred and fifty years the inhabitants had ridden to the city over an "exceedingly stony road" in their connon farm-wagons, which were made in early days without springs. About the year 1830 a line of stages was established by Smith Birdsall. A stage left the village in the morning for the city and returned at evening. There was, at that time, no post-office here. Letters intended for those resident here, were addressed to Brooklyn and brought out to the village, for many years, as a favor, by Mr. Cornelius Duryea, whose busi- ness led him to the city daily. The first post-office was located here after Colonel James C. Church, of Fort Hamilton, established his mail. coach route between Fort Hamilton and Brooklyn. Mr. Michael Schoon- maker was the first postmaster at Flatbush, serving until about 1845, when his son, Richard L., was ap- pointed. In 1865 Miss Phebe Case was appointed serving until May, 1870, when Gilbert Hicks was ap- pointed, and held the office until 1882, when Heury Paton became postmaster. Another line of stage- coachies, owned by Conklin Carll, of Brooklyn, and driven by the well-remembered "Billy Cutting," was started between Gravesend and Brooklyn; and these two lines, in 1838-9, caused the withdrawal of Bird- sall's line. In 1845, after the discontinuance of the Fort Hamilton coaches, George Bennett, of New Utrecht, established a line between Flatbush and the city; and, in 1847, was succeeded by Thomas Jones, whose omnibus left the village every hour during the day. This line was bought, in 1849, by Garrett Stryker, who sold, in 1852, to James Davis; and, in 1854, it was sold again to Cornwell & Weeden, who ran a stage every half hour during morning and evening hours, and hourly at other times of the day. In 1858 Mr. William Smith bought and ran the line until the intro- duction of the street-cars, July, 1860.
Street Cars Introduced .- The next great change which affected the rural character of the village was the introduction of the street cars into the village. Until the year 1857, Flatbush, although so near to Brooklyn, had nevertheless preserved its strictly rural character.
About 1848, Mr. Theodorus Polhemns, owner of most of the land on the hill, together with Mr. Churchill C. Cambrelling and others, initiated the project of opening Flatbush avenne, from Fulton aveme, Brooklyn, to the village of Flatbush. The line of the avenue had been previously surveyed in 1537, and map filed in Register's office. This project was bitterly opposed, for some reason, by the residents of Flatbush. Soon after, Judge Lefferts, and others, of Bedford, projected the opening of Fulton avenue to
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSIT.
Bedford. This proposition met with better success, and Fulton avenne was speedily laid out and opened for travel. Court street and Fifth avenue had been opened a few years previous to Gowanus, and thus an easy outlet was made for the city in these directions. Soon the city began to grow rapidly out toward its suburbs, lying to the east, west and north. There was no growth, however, toward the south, in the direction of Flatbush. These localities, Gowanus and East New York, though further from the City Hall than Flatbush, were nevertheless more casy of access. The long, tedious ride, by stage, over the hill, was a serious barrier to the growth of the city toward Flatbush. This had been, no doubt, in some measure, a benefit to the village; keeping back the tide of immigration which flooded the eastern section of the city, and preserving intact the woodlands which were afterwards purchased by the city for Prospect Park. In the spring of 1854, Flatbush avenue (surveyed in 1837) was laid ont, graded and paved, from its junetion with Fulton avenue, Brook- lyn, to the city line, which at that time was a few hun- dred feet north of the present site of the Reservoir. In 1854, by Legislative enactment, N. B. Morse, John G. Bergen and Nicholas Stillwell were appointed com- missioners to lay out and arrange for opening Flatbush avenue, from the city line to the present terminus of the village, at Malbone street. The line of the street was surveyed by Teunis G. Bergen in November, 1854, and a map filed in the Register's office. This portion of the avenue, however, was not opened to the publie, until 1858, owing to the difficulty experienced by the com- missioners in raising the assessment made for the im- provement.
After the avenue was opened to the village, the Brooklyn City Railroad secured, in 1860, from the Plank-Road Company, a right of way through the village, and extended a single track (with a switch at Winthrop street) to the present depot at Vernon avenue. The first cars ran through to Flatbush in the latter part of July, 1860. Thus the serions bar- rier which, for two centuries, had separated Flatbush and Brooklyn, was removed; and the two localities were united, by iron bands, in a union never to be broken.
Streets Laid Out .- The first change in the origi- nal system of roads and streets (which had existed since 1654) was made in 1834, when Hon. Gerrit L. Martense bought a section of land 1,000 feet on East Broadway, and filed a map of thirty-eight lots in the Registar's office, September 1, 1834. He opened two short streets, called Erasmus and Johnson streets. Here, six or eight English mechanics bought lots and built homes for themselves. The section has since been known as the " English neighborhood." For many years, however, the greater part of the land remained as commons, and these houses formed a secluded little hamlet, entirely isolated from the rest of the village. In 1835, Dr. Ad-
rian Vanderveer had his farm on the east side of Flat- bush avenue, to the Clove Road (now Canarsie avque), surveyed into city lots. He opened, at this time, Ver- non avenue, and improved it by grading it and plant- ing trees upon it from Flatbush Road to the Clove Road. He also laid out Lott, Prospect, Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton streets, and Bedford avenne ; bnt these streets were not opened until 1867-68, and but little, if any, of the property was sold before that time. In 1837 a map was filed by John A. Sendder, of a sec- tion of the Cornelius Suydam farin, and a street (the continuation of the Clove Road, now Canarsie avenue) was opened through the property. (For a more detailed statement of this speculative movement see our account of the Holy Cross Cemetery). The next, and most decided change, was made in 1865, when a section of four aeres of land, owned by the Reformed Church, was laid out in city lots, and Locust street opened through the property. This section was bounded on the north by East Broadway, east by Johnson street, and west by the land of Erasmus Hall Academy. This property found a ready sale, and a number of houses were soon erected upon it. Soon after, in 1867, Teunis J. Bergen, of Flatbush, purchased the Antonides farm, which ad- joined the last named section on the south, and with a front on Flatbush road, and opened Union street through thecenter of the property, as far as Jolinson street. Sev- eral years after, the Board of Improvement openedl this street, from Flatbush Road to the Catholic Cemetery, and changed the name to Grant street. In a short time many of the streets laid down by Dr. Adrian Vander- veer, in his survey of 1834, were opened from East Broadway to Duryea's Lane, or to what is now called Avenue B. After the opening of these streets, build- ings of all descriptions were rapidly put up; so that now, this once secluded little hamlet of " English neigh- borhood " has assumed the appearance of the suburbs of a large city.
The Village of Parkville .- In 1849 a company was formed, the " Coney Island Plumk-Road. Com- pany;" a right of way was secured in 1850, and a road laid out from Brooklyn to Coney Island, passing through the western section of the town. Upon this road two sections of land were bought in 1851-52, and the villages of GREENFIELD and WINDSOR TERRACE were founded. On July 10, 1851, the trustees of the United Freeman's Association (who had formed a com- pany under the act passed April 10, 1851) purchased 67 acres of land from Johnson Tredwell, and proceeded to lay out a village, to which they gave the name of Greenfield. In 1852 they purchased from the farm of Henry S. Ditmas, immediately adjoining on the south, another section; bringing up their whole purchase to abont 114 acres, at the rate of $500 per nere. These purchases were made by Charles Foster, Hezekiah Rus- sell, John C. Myers, Charles A. Tilva, Win. Stevens, Trustees of the association. The officers of the associ-
21
THE VILLAGES OF PARKVILLE AND WINDSOR TERRACE.
ation were John A. Lawrence, President: J. C. Valen- tine, Vice-President; Francis Webb, Harry L. Pelouze, John Hall, Directors; J. K. Raymond, Robert Smith, Secretaries.
In 1853 the association contracted to have the streets laid out and graded. Shade trees were planted along the sidewalks, and numerous public wells were dug upon the line of the streets, for the convenience of the resi- dents. The association held control of the property, selling lots as demands were made for them. After a number of years the association closed up its affairs, the first section in 1854, the second about 1856; and each individual seenred a deed for such property as he desired as his share. None of these deeds for any of the lots sold by the association were given by the asso- ciation, but by the original owners, Johnson Tredwell and Henry S. Ditmas. The only member of the original association who still holds property and resides at Park- ville, is Mr. Wm. H. Taylor, who, as the first settler, eame to the village in 1852.
In 1853 a new road was opened and planked upon the southern boundary of the Greenfield purchase. This . road, ealled the "Shortest Route to Coney Island," be- gan at the Coney Island Plank Road, about 100 feet south of Mr. Tennis Bergen's residence, near what, ac- cording to the present system of streets, is the corner of Avenue HI, and ran in a southwesterly direction, crossing the Boulevard at Avenue I. Continuing in same direction as far as the northwesterly corner of Washington Cemetery, at Avenue K, it there turned south and followed what is now Gravesend avenue. This road, according to Mr. John V. N. Bergen (to whom, as well as to Mr. Wm. HI. Taylor, we are indebt- ed for many facts in the history of Greenfield), was opened by the adjoining property owners, in order to make a dircet route to the city for the residents of Gravescud.
In 1870 the name Greenfield was changed to PARK- VILLE. The Post-Offiee had for some time been called Cresco, but the authorities at Washington saw fit to change the name to Parkville. Within a few years past the original village has been increased by purchases made at the east of the Coney Island Plank Road, along the line of Newkirk avenue. The first house in this seetion was put np by Mr. Joseph Stelle, who pur- chased a large tract of land. On the southwest, Mr. A. F. Johnson bought a portion of the farm of Abram Duryea, upon which he built several houses for sale, and laid out thic section in city lots.
A portion of the John Ditmas farm, lying to the north of the village, was bought by Kingsland and Keeney, who afterward conveyed it to the " Butterick Pattern Company." This section of the village is as yet unimproved, the Congregational church being the only building thereon, at present.
During 1880-'81 an effort was made by Messrs. Wilder & Montgomery to secure an Act of Incorpora-
tion, a matter which is still agitated by some of the prominent residents of the village. There is now in the village a large and flourishing public school and five churches, of which we will speak more in detail when treating of the literary and ecclesiastical history of Flatbush.
The first settler upon the original purchase was Mr. William HI. Taylor, who built the first house in 1-52. Mr. E. McChesney erected a dwelling for himself in 1853. After this the number of inhabitants increased quite rapidly. Among these early settlers were D. I. Talt, Mr. Benton, J. P. Heath, J. Kershaw, J. Marquies, William Staites and William Matthews. The first house within the present limits of Parkville was erected in 1803 by Adrian Martense, the grandfather of Mr. Adrian Bergen. In 1836 Teunis Bergen, the brother of Adrian, built a house for himself upon land near the old homestead ; and, in the year 1852, Mr. Adrian Bergen built a commodious residence upon his farm within the limits of Parkville, for his son Jolm V. N. Bergen. Though not included in the original purchase, these residences are within the present limits of Park- ville, and are the oldest houses in the locality. Their owners have been largely interested in the increase and welfare of the new village.
In the year 1860 the population was about 200, and the valuation of the property, real and personal, accord- ing to the assessment rolls, was $02,450. In 1880 the population was about 525, and the valuation of prop- erty, real and personal, had reached the sum of $161,- 280.
Hon. A. G. Hammond, a man of considerable promi- nence among the early settlers, was the first post- master of the village. Several of the residents of Parkville have been elected to hold offices in the gen- eral town government. Among these we find, of Justices of the Peace, the names of A. G. Hammond, 1852-1857 ; G. W. Close, 1863-1867 ; Wm. McMahon, 1877-1881; Andrew MeKibbon, 1873-1877; and Daniel M. Cumiskey, Justice of Sessions for two years. Mir. William Staite held the office of Excise Commissioner from 1880-1883. J. PAULDING, for a long tine resi- dent of the village, was elected a member of the State Assembly, and was instrumental in securing the Act creating the Ocean Parkway. When this boulevard was laid out and graded it was necessary to remove the M. E. Church, the district school-house, the resi- dence of Mr. J. V. N. Bergen, and several other private houses. By the opening of the boulevard or parkway the village was divided into two sections.
Windsor Terrace .- The same year in which the " United Freemen" founded Parkville, a tract of land on the Coney Island road, near the present city Ime, was purchased by Robert Bell, who immediately proceeded to lay out the village, afterward e.did WINDSOR TERRACE. This section was bounded on the east by the Coney Island road, 1,025 feet to land of
22
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSH.
1
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Thomas Murphy ; south and west by the land of Thomas Murphy ; north by the patent line of the City of Brooklyn. The land was originally the farm of John Vanderbilt, divided at his death between his two sons, John and Jeremiah. The dividing line of these two farms, which were purchased by Robert Bell, is Vanderbilt street. Mr. Bell subsequently re- conveyed it to Edward Belknap, who laid out forty- seven building plots (each 100x150 feet) on each side of Seely street and north of Vanderbilt. On Adams street, south of Vanderbilt, the lots were only one hun- dred and eight feet deep. He laid down the following streets, since recognized by the town survey, viz .: Seely, Vanderbilt and Adams, as well as a short street not recognized by the town survey, but which now forms part of the present Prospect avenue. These streets were laid out at his expense.
In 1853 G. W. Brown, an extensive real estate operator and prominent builder of Brooklyn, purchased a number of the 100 feet lots on Vanderbilt and Adams streets. These, in 1855, he subdivided into 50 feet lots ; and again, in 1860, into 25 feet lots. In 1854 Brown made an agreement with the "Windsor Ter- race Land Association " to convey to them these sec- tions. This was the origin of the " Windsor Terrace Land Association," the name being first assumed when Brown agreed to sell these lots. The association had no charter, but existed only in name, and for the pur pose of carrying out the agreement between Brown and the members, to convey land to them from the original owners of the fee. No land was conveyed to the association as such, but to individual members, as they wished it ; and thus the agreement made with Brown, according to a record made by him in the Register's office, was carried out, for no such legally chartered body existed as the " Windsor Terrace Land Association."
After the village was laid out, Belknap creeted six houses, and filed a map of the plaec iu the Register's office, which he called " Map of Pleasant Cottage Sites." Those on Seely street were purchased by W. Ward Watkins, J. MeNaught and George Hudson. Those on Vanderbilt street were taken by Theodore Maguns, James Hardie and Dundas Dick. Three public wells were dug upon Adams, Vanderbilt and Seely streets. After these improvements were completed, Belknap caused the whole property to be sold by separate plots in open market. As the village lies upon the southern slope of the hills, the streets on its northern boundary required a great amount of grading in order to seeme a uniform grade. While the streets running frori north to south have quite a steep deseent, those lying east and west, having a nearly level grade, rise one 'above another, in the manner of terraces. This gives to the settlement a most picturesque appearance, appro- priately suggestive of the name, "Windsor Terrace." In 1860 the population of this locality was about 20
persons. In 1880 it was abont 185, while, at present, the old and new sections of the village comprise about 300 inhabitants.
The valuati. .. of property in the original purchase was, in 1860, $27,100; and, in 1880, it was $105,055. A commodious chapel was ereeted in 1874, and a fine school-honse in 1875.
The residents of Windsor Terrace who have held prominent positions in local and general government, are : C. C. Martin, Assistant Engineer of the Brook- lyn Bridge ; Michael E. Finnegan, Searcher in Regis- ter's office, Brooklyn, and for many years Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Democratie General Committee of the County, and at one time delegate to State Democratie Convention ; James Ilardie, Justice of the Peace ; Wm. E. Murphy, Assessor and Police Commissioner, and Theodore Magnus, Excise Commis- sioner. To Mr. Finnegan we are largely indebted for facts relative to this village.
Flatbush Fire Engine Company .- One of the oldest village organizations is the Flatbush Engine Company, authorized nnder a special law in 1821. . But little is known of the company until 1825. Then Mr. Kellogg, principal of the academy, was instrumen- tal in securing its thorough organization. The first foreman was Mr. Isaac Cortelyou. Through Mr. Ket- logg's assistance, an engine was procured from Con- neetient. This first engine was constructed somewhat after the form of the present garden engine. It con- sisted of a square box, as a reservoir, in which was placed a large force pump with two long arms, and the whole arrangement mounted on two wheels, giving it the appearance of a cart. It was called the "Cart Engine," and, in case of fire, was drawn by a horse to the locality needed. It could be worked by six or eight men, but was not a suction engine, merely a force pimp ; consequently the majority of the company, and all the men that could be indneed to assist, formed two lines and passed water in leather buckets, with which the company were well supplied, in order to keep the box, or reservoir, of the engine full of water. At the time of the burning of the Court House, in 1832, in the absence of the foreman, Mr. John J. Vanderbilt, inex- perienced parties had passed water in these buckets from a neighboring dnek pond. Soon the valves be- came choked with mud and the engine rendered tem- porarily useless. The engine was sold to A. R. & S. HI. Fox, and was instrumental, on several occasions, in saving their glass works at Sand Lake, New York, from destruction. The second engine was purchased at New Haven, Conn., where it had been in use for some years, until, on the occasion of a serious disturb- ance between the students of the college and the fire- men. the engine was somewhat injured. It was bought by the town for $800, and repaired at a moderate ex- pense. This engine was of much more modern con- struction than the " Cart Engine." having four wheels
MASONIC LODGE-GAS COMPANY.
and parallel arms on the side. It was both a suction and foreing engine." It was called " Washington No. 1;" and the number of members of the company limited by law. In 1861, through the influence of Hon. John Vanderbilt, the law was amended so as to allow the number to be increased to 25 firemen, who after a ser- vice of ciglit years were to be exempt from jury and military duty. In October, 1863, the company under- took the canvass of the town to raise, by subscription, means to purchase a new engine. Messrs. Abralmm Lott, John Lefferts and Nelson Hamlin were appointed the committee for the purpose ; and the amount was raised upon the understanding that it would be re- funded to the subscribers, if the Legislature would pass a bill making it a town charge. $2,100 was this raised. In 1864 the Legislature passed an aet authori- zing town bonds, to the amount of $6,000, for the purpose of purchasing a new engine and erecting a new engine-honse. A new engine and hose were bought at a cost of $2,382. The total expense for engine and house was $6,011,75. In 1872 a bell-tower was erected at the rear of the engine-house, and a fine large bell hung in it by the town. False alarms, however, were so frequently sounded, that in 1881 the town authori- tics ordered the bell to be taken down and properly hung in the tower of the new Town Hall. The first building used as an engine-house was sitnated in the grave-yard at the rear of the Reformed Church and faced on Church Lane. It was built originally as a town guard-house, and also for a house in which to keep the bier, used in carrying the dead to the grave, before hearses were brought into use in the village. On April 21, 1865, the company purchased a large flag, and on May 1, 1865, Mr. Henry Wall presented the company with a flag-staff about 100 feet high. The pole and flag were raised June 3, 1865, in front of their new engine-house. Formerly such a flag-staff, called "The Liberty Pole," stood for many years in the center of East Broadway, at its junction with Flat- bush road. The first trustces were David Johnson, Michael Schoonmaker and Jonathan Kellogg. The members of the present Board of Trustees are John Lefferts, Abraham Lott, Wm. S. Schoonmaker, J. P. Vanderveer and Henry Ditmas. The following is as accurate a list of the company's foreman as can be gleaned from the company's very imperfect records, and with the aid of Justice Peter Pigott, the secretary of the company, and Mr. Abram Lott, President of the trustees : Isaac Cortelyon, 1821-'30; John J. Vander- bilt, 1830-'33; Isaac Cortelyon, 1833-'42; John D. Prince, 1842-'60; Abraham Lott, 1860-62; Jomm L. Bergen, 1862-'69; Theodore B. Alston, 1809-'73; Joseph S. Story, 1874-'75; Adrian Bergen, 1875-'76; Jolm MeElvery, 1876-'79; Chas. MeKinney, 18 79-'82.
Masonic Lodge .- During the Winter of 1sco-1, a number of Masons, resident in Flatbush and Park- ville, secured from the Grand Lodge of the State, a
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