USA > New York > Kings County > Flatbush > A history of the town of Flatbush, N.Y. > Part 7
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The association numbers thirty-six members and bids fair to be of great service to the future welfare of the town. With the increase of liquor saloons, and the in- flux of an army of undesirable visitors upon holidays, Saturdays and Sabbath days, drunkenness and crime was rapidly upon the increase in the town. The local coustables were of little avail in maintaining the law and good order upon these days. They were also utterly unable to protect the property of the residents of the vil- lage against the depredations of thieves who made fre- qnent incursions into the village at night. For several years a number of the inhabitants upon the Main Avenne subscribed a suthicient sum to employ three or four private watchmen who patrolled the village every night. Through these men frequent arrests were made and some slight protection afforded at night. The need of a local Police Board and a regular police force became every year more evident.
Police Commissioners Appointed .- In the Fall of 1877 the matter was taken in hand by Mr. John Lef- ferts, Homer L. Bartlett, M. D., and Michael E. Finne- gan. A bill framed by Michael E. Finnegan was taken by him to Albany, and on January 12, 1575, was passed by the legislature. This law authorized the organiz.s- tion of a Police Board and gave to them certain powers necessary to enable them to afford a competent police foree and protection to the village. Through the kit.l-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSHI.
ness of Mr. J. Z. Lott, the Clerk of the Board, we have obtained the following faets. According to the provi- sions of the act, the Board was to consist of five mem- . bers, appointed by the Supervisors and Justices of the Peace. The first members of this Board were : Homer L. Bartlett, M. D., five years ; Wm. E. Murphy, four years ; John Z. Lott, three years ; Joli Lefferts, two years ; and Michael Kelly, one year. On June 19, 1878, these gentlemen met and organized, according to the law, as Police Commissioners for the Town of Fluthush. Homer L. Bartlett, M. D., was chosen President ; John Z. Lott, Clerk ; Wm. E. Murphy, Treasurer. They im- mediately organized a regularly constituted police foree, of which James Byrne was appointed Sergeant ; having under his control seven men. These men were expected, however, to accomplish an almost impossible task. They were to thoroughly protect a section of eonn- try about two miles square, composed of three distinct villages, nearly a mile apart. To do this, they must travel every night over a traet of country, surrounded by open fields, affording easy means of escape for a host of burg- lars, had they been disposed to plan their attacks upon the houses of the residents, when they knew the police- man in the distriet was far distant. Under the efficient management of the gentlemen who compose the Board, very inneh, however, has been accomplished ; and the (wholly inadequate) forec has been used to the very best possible advantage. With more means at their disposal, a very much more perfeet system of protection of property could be carried out. The fact that a very large proportion of the houses are furnished with Hohnes' Burglar Alarm has been of great assistance to the police, enabling each man to undertake the patrol of so large a district each night. As a result of their three years work, there were 336 arrests the first year ; in the second year there were 450 ; in the third 429. The expenses of the Board are met by special tax, taken to the amount of $9,000 the first year, and $5,000 eael year afterward. This amount is wholly inadequate to the sneeessful accomplishment of the purpose designed by the law organizing the Board.
arrests and imprisonments, in almost every instance. are for offences committed by outsiders, coming into the village ; or of persons residing upon the outskirts of the village ner the city limits. The village has always been noted as a well-governed, law-abiding and patriotic lo- cality. During the War of the Revolution many of it- inhabitants enlisted in the Federal Army, and large sums of money were raised for the American canse. In the late Civil War a number of its citizens entered the Army of the Union, some of them serving for the whole term of the war. Mueh was done and compara- tively large sums of money raised in the village, for the various relief committees. There is now in active operation here a Post of the Grund Army of the R .- public.
Flatbush Water Works .- As early as 1853. James I. Murdock, of Flatbush, proposed a plan for supplying Flatbush and Brooklyn with an unlimited water-supply, by forming large basins at Flatland fex- envated to the depth of the water-floor under this part of the island) from which the water conld be pumped by suitable apparatus into a general reservoir on Pros- pect Hill. Diseussions ou this point did not take any definite shape until the spring of 1881, when Benjamin F. Stephens, of Brooklyn, was engaged -- the necessary surveys having been made-by the B., F. and C. I. R. R. Co., to build water-works at Sheepshead Bay. He earried into practice Mr. Murdock's theory with success. and procured our unlimited water-supply. Through the netive interest of Mr. John Lefferts, Treasurer of the R. R. Co., who associated with him Mr. John Mat- thews, John Z. Lott, and others, a company was formed for supplying the village with water. Its members were, in addition to those already named, William W. Wicks. President ; Aaron S. Robbins, Treasurer ; Benjamin F. Stephens, N. Cooper ; Mr. Lott being Secretary, and Jeremiah Lott, General Superintendent. The money necessary for the immediate proseention of the work was loaned by W. W. Wicks and A. S. Robbins. on bonds issued by the company. The stock has never been placed upon the market. Land was proenred at the southern boundary of the town, at Perdegat Pond, near what was formerly "Little Flats "-the lowest point in the village and the only one where surface springs of purest water abound. The water in the wells of this vicinity is of an entirely different charac- ter from that in the Northern section of the village. near the hills. The Paerdegat water is very soft and wholly free from any trace of mineral or vegetable mat- ter ; while that of the wells in the north seetion of the village, near the hills, is hard and impregnated with iron and lime. Having secured the necessary authority. the Company, during the summer of 1891, sank twelve well-placed in a series of three-stretching over a traet of 1,300 feet, east and west, and directly aero -- the water-course which underlies the Island. These
The present officers of the Board are Jolin Lefferts, President ; Wm. E. Murphy, Treasurer ; John 7. Lott, Clerk. The law provides that all members appointed after the expiration of the term of the first Board shall hold office five years, and that their snecessors shall be appointed by the Supervisors and the Justiees of the Penee. Mr. Lefferts was appointed in 1880 for five years ; Mr. Kelly for four years ; Mr. Lott re-appointed in 1881, for five years. The members of the Board re- ceive no compensation for their services. No better evidence of the law-abiding character of the citizens of Flatbush-for which they have been justly usted for two hundred years-can be offered, than the fact that seven policemen can thus watch a rural distriet nearly two miles square, a suburb of one of the largest cities of the Union, and so well proteet the interests of all. The ! wells were connected by 2,400 feet of suction pipe (>
HEALTHFULNESS OF THE VILLAGE-CHURCHIES.
to 24 inches diameter), in such manner that they could be drawn from by the pumps, singly, or in any desired combination. During the winter of 1881-'s2 about ten miles of mains were laid. A reservoir-tower, 100 feet high and 20 in diameter, standing on a concrete base of 98 feet above the lowest part of the town, was erected on high ground at the north end of the town, on Washington avenue, ncar Malbone street. The engines and pumps, especially constructed according to Mr. Stephens' patent, have a pumping capacity of 2,000,000 gallons per day. The pumping mains are 20 and 16 inches. The wells, which are 35 feet deep (with a depth of 26 feet of water), are built with water-tight walls, which effectually prevents any surface-water from entering them ; and secures, also, a supply of per- feetly pure water.
Healthfulness of the Village .- Flatbush has al- ways maintained an exceptional reputation for health- fulness, to which the gravestones in the village burying- ground bear testimony. A very large proportion of those buried here were persons over fifty years of age. There is a row of stones, eleven in number, marking the graves of one family-connection, of whom all but two were over 63. The aggregate of their ages was 774 years ; and seven of them were over 80, and one over 90. Along the edge of the woods, near the base of the hills, ague prevailed in former days, arising from the undrained ponds within the woods lying in the limits of Brooklyn. And the changes consequent on the forma- tion and improvement of Prospeet Park, the excavations for its lake, etc., eaused, at the time, a considerable out- break of malarial disease. But, since the completion of the Park, this source of trouble has been dissipated, and the most prominent physicians of the town declare that there has been during the past two years scarcely a case of well-defined malaria in their practice, within. the village.
Board of Health .- The first local Board of Health was organized by Dr. John B. Zabriskie, July 24, 1832, and consisted .of Supervisor John Wyckoff : Join R. Snedeeker and Henry S. Ditmas, Orerseers of the Poor ; David Johnson and John A. Lott, Justices of the Peace ; Dr. Adrian Vanderveer, Health Oficer, with whom were associated Drs. J. B. Zabriskie, Robert Ed- mond and William D. Creed. Several years ago, a law was enacted establishing a Village Board of Health on the same basis as the Metropolitan Board of Health, but its duties have always been light, contined to the enforeing of ordinary sanitary regulations, the recording of vital statistics, etc .; and, at no time has it been called upon to deal with epidemics. The present members of the Board are Supervisor Peter Williamson, President ; Justices Peter Pigott, Christian Wulff, Thomas H. Glass, William MeMahon ; Town Clerk Henry Vander- veer ; Citizen John Z. Lott. The Board is organized with John L. Zabriskie, M. D., Health Officer ; William Gaynor, Counsel.
Ecclesiastical, the Reformed (Dutch) Church. [The peculiar collegiate relation of the churches of the five Dutch Towns of Kings County, renders it neces- sary, in order to avoid repetition, that this portion of their history should be considered as a whole. This has been done in our chapter on the Ecclesiastical Hix. tory of Kings County from 1654 to 1800. The facts which MR. STRosG has gathered in relation to the Re- formed Dutch Church of FLATBUSH will, therefore, be found carefully preserved, and inwronght in that chap- ter .- Eprrok.]
At the beginning of the present century, as will be seen by reference to that elapter, the Rev. MARTINUS SCHOONMAKER, and the Rev. PETER LOWE, were col. leagues in the charge of the Kings County churches.
Rev. Mr. Lowe continued pastor until his death in 1818. He was buried at Flatbush, but his remains were, in 1875, removed to Greenwood and placed in the lot purchased by the Reformed Church of Flat- bush. These lots were purchased on May 17, 1873, for the use of the pastors of the church. The total cost for lots and fencing was $1,850. The churches of Flatbush and Flatlands then united in ealling the Rev. WALTER MONTEITH, who was installed in 1819, but re- signed his charge in the following year and accepted a call to the Presbyterian Church at Schenectady, New York. The church remained without a pastor until 1822, when the Rev. THOMAS M. STRONG, D. D., WHIS called and installed on November 17th of that year. The house near Vernon avenne, formerly used as a par- sonage, having been sold, the consistory erected a com- modious parsonage-house upon a lot nearly opposite the church, and immediately adjoining the Academy. This was a single frame house, two-stories and an attie. The Rev. Martinus Schoonmaker continued to reside in the old parsonage next the church until the time of his death, May 20th, 1824. He had been a faithful and ctieient pastor over the congregation for nearly forty years. After his death, the collegiate bond which had existed for so many years between the Dutch churches was finally dissolved. The Rov. Dr. SrRox .. continued pastor of the church at Flatbush until June 14, 1861, when, having served the congregation faith- fully for thirty-nine years, he died at the age of 64 years. As a token of their love and esteem the consis. tory eansed a beautiful tablet to be erected to his mem- ory and placed in the west wall of the church, beside the pulpit. He was interred in the village church-yard, and his remains, in 1875, were removed by the consistory to the church lot in Greenwood Cemetery. Dr. Strony was a man possessed of traits of character eminently fit. ting him for the work of the ministry. A man of enlarged views, he was always active in every good work in his own congregation, and in these enterprises intended for the extension of the cause of Christ abroad. He gave his best energies to the church over which he ministered, and to the denomination at large. He was clerk of the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSHI.
General Synod of the Reformed Church for thirty-four years ; and, through his intimate knowledge of church matters, was appealed to as authority on ecclesiastical law in the denomination. During the last sickness of Dr. Strong, which continued for three years, the con- sistory engaged his son, the Rev. Robert G. Strong, to act as colleague and assistant. After Dr. Strong's death his pulpit was supplied for about two years by the Rev. William W. Howard, Principal of Erasmus Hall Academy.
In April, 1863, the Rev. CORNELIUS L. WELLS, of Jersey City, was called to the pastorate, which he now fills. Thus, during a period of two hundred and twen- ty-eight years, sixteen pastors have been settled over the congregation. Of this number two served the church for nearly forty years, and nine of the number died while in its active service.
from Mr. Henry Crabb, who for many years had a large organ-factory in the village; at one time at the rear of the Allgeo house in East Broadway, and in lat- ter years : Clarkson St. The old round box-pulpit, mounted on five or six columns about five feet high, and entered by two circular stairways with banisters on each side, was removed, and a more modern pulpit erected in its plaec. The old pulpit was given to the First German Reformed Dutch Church, corner of Her- kimer street and Howard avenne, Brooklyn. The crimson satin curtain, at the back of the pulpit, repre- senting the rising sun, was replaced by a large painting on canvas intended to give the appearance of heavy curtains looped up in elegant style. The impression, however, at a short distance, was rather suggestive of a gathering storm-cloud ready to hurl its thunderbolts upon the assemblage. In 1861, while the pulpit was
The Neefus House.
FLATBUSH CHURCH, 1842. Copied from the view in Dr. Strong's History.
The Zabriskie House, and Tree.
The interior of the present building has been re- modelled three times since 1836. At that time the old straight, high-back pews on the main floor were re- placed by more modern ones. The high fronts of the side galleries were lowered, and a gallery erected across the east end of the church. In 1852 the parsonage, on the lot adjoining the Academy, was sold for abont 85,000 to Mr. Rich. L. Schoonmaker. The old stone parsonage next the church was torn down, and a bean- tiful double house, which has been used since that time as a parsonage, was erected in its place at a cost of $9,881.52. During this year the church was again renovated at a cost of $4,514.25. The straight-back old fashioned pews in the side galleries were removed, and more comfortable ones put in their place, and the backs of all the pews in the church upholstered. A large organ was purchased at a cost of $2,249.93, and placed in the east gallery. This organ was purchased
vacant, the church was thoroughly remodelled. All the pews on the main floor were replaced with more comfortable ones ; the walls were frescoed, and the can- vas painting back of the pulpit replaced with a fresco on the wall representing a recess. A marble tablet, in memory of Rev. Thomas M. Strong, D. D., was placed in the west wall by the side of the pulpit. Most of the seats belonging to New Lots were purchased by the consistory.
Heretofore, the pews had been owned by individual-, and the salary raised by a subscription list. It was now resolved to rent the pews owned by the church, and fix a ground-tax npon all pews owned by individu- als. At this time, the subject of procuring a new clock for the steeple was agitated by Il. L. BARTLETT, M. D .. author of "Sketches of Long Island." The matter was finally taken in hand by the consistory, who re- moved the old clock which had been silent from age for
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PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHIES.
many years, and replaced it Sept. 20, 1862, with a new clock of Sperry & Co's make, costing $375.
Sabbath-School of Reformed Church .- Through the influence of Rev. Dr. Strong and Adrian Vander- veer, M. D., a sabbath-school was organized the year after Dr. Strong began his labors. Dr. Vanderveer was the first superintendent, and held the office for nearly thirty years. Until 1830, the Sabbath-school was held in the school-rooms of the Academy. During this year, an effort was made by the " Ladies' Sewing Society " of the village, and $1,195.82 were raised, and a suitable frame building 25x50 feet was erected, about twenty-five feet south of the church, with its gable end to the main road. This building was taken down during the summer of 1881. The other superintendents of the school have been Mr. Irwin Cortelyou and Mr. John D. Prince; the Assistant-Superintendents were Mrs. Ellen C. Strong, Mrs. Susan Schoonmaker, Mrs. Maria L. Lefferts, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Strong, Miss Mary Vander- veer. In 1871, the school had so increased that it was impossible to find accommodation in the old building, although it had been once enlarged. The Consistory, therefore, resolved to erect a new one ; and a building committee, consisting of Rev. C. L. Wells, D. D., Mr. A. J. Ditmas and Mr. John D. Prince, was appointed.
Lots, on the corner of Union place or Grant street, were purchased from Hon. John A. Lott, at a cost of $11,000. The old wheelwright and blacksmith shops, and the old Antonides house were removed. In their place a beautiful (Gothic) brown stone building was erected, at a cost of $49,823.59, making the total amount expended $60,823.59. The school now num- bers S officers, 45 teachers, and 350 scholars.
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church was organized July 11, 1836, with Matthew Clarkson and Robert J. Crommelin, Wardens ; David Johnson, James Mowatt, George Cornell, C. Durand, Charles Waldron, A. Norrie, William H. Story and Samuel Richards, Jr., Vestrymen. Rev. Dr. Benjamin C. Cutler acted as Rector for the congregation ; which, until the completion of their church, occupied the lecture-room of the Reformed Church. The corner-stone of a church edifice was laid August 13, 1836, by the Rt. Rev. Benjamin T. Onderdonk, and the church completed in December, at a cost of $8,480, of which over $6,000 was donated by Mr. Matthew Clarkson. December 23, 1836, Rev. Thomas T. Brittain became rector ; and, on the 20th, the edifice was consecrated. Rev. John F. Messenger was assistant minister until September 1, 1837, when he was followed by Rev. James Coghlan. Mr. Brittain resigned March 29, 1836, and was suc- ceeded by Mr. Coghlan as rector, who resigned October 21, 1839. IIe was followed by William Barlow, March 30, 1840, who resigned April 20, 1-42. Rev. George Burker was then rector until February 12, 1844, fol- wed by Rev. William HI. Newman, who died in Flat- sh, after ten years' service, and was buried in the
churchyard of the Reformed church. In 1854 Rev. Willi.un Rudder became rector ; succeeded, in 185s, by Rev. Mr. Pennington ; and he, September 30, 1861, by Rev. B. S. H! . ington, who resigned July 12, 1863. The Rev. J. A. Spencer, D. D., became rector July 25, 1863, nud resigned September 9, 1865. Then Rev. HI. W. Fay was called Sept. 21, 1865, resigned December 20, 1516. Rev. Robert B. Van Kleeck, D.D., was called March 7, 1867 ; resigned July, 1874, and was succeeded by Rev. James W. Braden. He was called to Hartford, Ct., and in June, 1882, was succeeded by the present inemubent, Rev. Summerfield E. Suively. In July, 1874, the church edifice was sold to General Philip S. Crooke, and a new one erected, at a cost, with furni- ture, of $7,000 ; C. C. Haight, architect ; William Vanse, builder. It was first occupied for service Thanksgiving-day, November, 1874, and consecrated May 31, 1877, by Rt. Rev. A. N. Littlejohn, Bishop of Long Island. The church stands near the site of the first church, on the corner of Church Lane and Irving Place. During Mr. Van Kleeck's rectorship, a commodi- ous (Gothic) rectory was ereeted at a cost of $11,000. Soon after the building of the church, Mr. Matthew Clarkson inangurated a Sunday-school, of which he was the superintendent, until about 1850 ; after which the rector assumed the charge. During Mr. Van Klerek's term, his son, Robert Van Kleeck, Jr., was superintendeut, followed by Henry G. Marshal, Rov. Mr. Braden, and Robert S. Walker, the present super- intendent. The infant school, for years a strong feature of the school, has been under the successive charge of Mrs. Robert Van Kleeck, Mrs. John H. Bergen, Miss A. Hopkins, Miss Fannie Miller. We have taken Rev. DR. STRONG as the authority for facts of the early history of this church ; and are also in- debled to the assistance of Rev. Mr. Braden and Mr. William Matthews.
St. John's Episcopal Church, Parkville .- (Sketch furnished by the pastor, Rev. R. B. Snowden.) The incorporation of this church dates September 28, 1859. In 1860 it was received into union with the Con- vention of the Diocese of New York, the Diverse of Long Island not having then been formed. The ineor- porators were William Matthews and George W. Clore, Wurdens, and Lawrence Powers, Henry Wiggins. B. S. Hilton, James Sutherland, John Marquis, William Staite, John V. N. Bergen and Walter Kelsey, Vistry- men. No further records of this early period are extant ; until the year 1868, when the Diocese of Long Island was formed. The Rev. R. B. Van Kleeck, D. D., then rector of St. Paul's Church, Flatbush, took charge of the parish. Services were held either by himself, or his son, R. B. Vau Klecck, Jr., who being a candidate for Iloly Orders, acted as Lay Reader. Services were hell for several years at the village school-house. In Feb- ruary, 1871, the sum of $1,000 was obtained, with which, in March 1873, was purchased a section of lund
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FLATBUSH.
200 feet square, pleasantly located on Webster avenue, near the Ocean Parkway. In the work of soliciting funds Mrs. Mary Tunison was especially active and successful. In the summer of 1873 the use of the school- honse being desired by the parish for public worship, Mr. Mortimer C. Tunison placed at their disposal a small building near the corner of Coney Island Road and Newkirk avenue ; and, at his own expense, fitted it mp for a chapel. Service was held in it for the first time September 6, 1873, the Rev. Mr. Cromwell officiating. The Rev. Dr. Van Kleeck was rector of the Church until after Easter, 1874; Mr. Ritchie ofhi- ciating as Lay Reader. He was succeeded by Rev. William W. Ayres, who discharged the same duties until Christmas, 1874. In February, 1875, the Rev. R. H. Tighe was appointed by the Bishop to the charge of St. John's. His relation as minister in charge con- tinued until Easter, 1876, although the Rev. R. B. Snowden, then awaiting orders, was appointed in Octo- ber, 1875, to conduct the service, and lie is still the rec- tor. In the summer of 1875, Mr. M. C. Tunison made certain necessary alterations in the building, and en- larged it by the addition of a chancel. In 1882, this edifice, having been presented to the parish by the heirs of Mr. M. C. Tunison, was removed and placed on the church plot on Webster avenue. It is thirty-six feet in length by sixteen in width. A subscription is now in progress to obtain funds wherewith to remodel and en- large the building. A Sabbath-sehool has been main- tained since the organization of the parish, and has at present a membership of thirty-five pupils and teachers. For several years Mr. Charles Leigh was superintend- ent ; he was succeeded by Mr. John Mower, who still holds the position. There are at present twenty-two families connected with the parish, and eighteen com- munieants. The corporation is now constituted as fol- lows : Rev. Robert Bayard Snowden, M. A., Rector ; C. W. H. Carter and Charles Leigh, Wardens ; and C. A. Benners, James Busby, Spencer A. Wallace, Little Rutherford, James Rutherford, Thomas Rowe, and Samuel Stretch, Vestrymen.
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