USA > New York > Geography of the state of New York. Embracing its physical features, climate, geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, history, pursuits of the people, government, education, internal improvements &c. With statistical tables, and a separate description and map of each county > Part 19
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During the early part of the Revolution, Kings county was the scene of many interesting incidents. Here occurred, on the 27th August, 1776, the battle of Long Island, which threw such gloom upon the rising hopes of our countrymen, in the outset of the revolutionary struggle.
The British ministry, determined, if possible, to close the war by a single blow, had concentrated a large force in the neigh- borhood of New York, well equipped, and furnished with all the munitions of war.
Congress had assembled a force of near 27,000 men upon Long Island, but they were undisciplined militia. More than one- fourth of them were invalids, and the remainder but scantily supplied with guns and ammunition.
On the 22d of August, the British fleet approached the Nar- rows, and landed the troops at Gravesend and New Utrecht, without resistance.
Dividing here, into three sections, under the guidance of in- habitants of these and other towns, who loved the gold of the British, more than their own country, they proceeded, by three distinct routes, to invest the American camp, which lay princi- pally on Brooklyn heights.
* There is a tradition extant, that during the infancy of this darah Rapalje, Min- uit, the Dutch Governor, being on a hunting excursion, with some associates, near the Wallabout bay, entered the cabin of Rapalje, to find something to satisfy his hunger. Finding no one at home, and no food, except an Indian dumpling, they devoured that, when the wife of Rapalje, with her infant in her arms, en- tered, and berated them soundly for their intrusion, and particularly, for devour- ing the food she had reserved for her infant. The Governor, to appease her an- ger, promised her a milch cow, on the arrival of the ships from Holland, as a com- pensation for her dumpling. On their arrival, in addition to the cow, he gave her twenty morgen, (nearly forty acres,) of land, fer pasturage for her cow.
t These towns were named by the Dutch, Breukelen, Midwout, Amersfoort, Gravenzande, Nieuw Utrecht, and Boswyck,
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One division of the British army took the road leading along near the Narrows, another, that passing through the village of Flatbush, and the third passed by the way of Flatlands.
Descending, on the morning of the 27th, to the village of Bed- ford, General Clinton, who commanded one wing of the British army, carried an important point, and an attack was made on the three sides of the camp at once. Suitable precautions seem not to have been taken, by the American officers, to avoid sur- prise, and although, when thus surrounded, they fought brave- ly, defeat was inevitable.
Attempting to retreat, they were driven upon the enemy's forces on every side, and those who fought were slain, while those who attempted to fly were made prisoners.
The loss of the Americans was variously estimated at from 1100 to 3300, in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The British loss was less than 400. On the night of the 29th, General Washington silently drew off his troops to New York, and from this time till the close of the war, Kings county was in the hands of the British.
The prison ships, in which the American prisoners of war were confined, during the revolution, were stationed in Wallabout bay. In these ships, nearly 11,000 American citizens perished, from disease and starvation, through the in- humanity of the British officers who had charge of them.
They were crowded into these ships in such numbers that to obtain fresh air was impossible ; robbed of their clothing, fed upon the most loathsome and putrid provisions, and scantily supplied even with these, allowed no drink but the most fetid bilge water, and when sick, unattended by either physician or nurse.
Yet, amid the horrors of such-a condition, the most distressing of which it is possible for the human mind to conceive, our noble countrymen preferred death, with all its horrors, to a traitor's life, with plenty ; and very few of them could be persuaded to enlist in the British army, although they were assured that they .. should be amply , provided with food, and suitable clothing. Their heroism, and the brutal inhumanity of their jailors, should go down to the latest posterity.
CITIES, VILLAGES, &C. BROOKLYN city, the seat of justice for Kings county, is situated at the west end of Long Island, direct- ly opposite the lower portion of New York city. Its location is a commanding and delightful one, and its growth, within a few. years past, has been rapid, beyond precedent in the state.
It is the residence of very many of the business men of New York city, who prefer its pure air, and quiet streets, to the more crowded and bustling squares of the great metropolis. It is remarkable for the neatness and taste displayed in its private residences.
The city has a number of literary and scientific institutions of a high order. The principal of these are the Brooklyn Insti- tute, formed by the union of the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library Association, the Brooklyn Lyceum, and the City Library ; this institution has a large library, and is in a highly flourishing condition ; the Lyceum of Natural History, which is engaged, with commendable zeal, in the investigation of the physical
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sciences; the Hamilton Literary Association, and the Franklin Literary Association, both composed of young men desirous of improvement. There are also several academies and female seminaries of distinction.
The United States Government have a navy yard at Walla- bout bay, covering forty acres of ground, and well provided with all the necessaries, for the construction of the largest ships of the line. They are constructing a dry dock here, at an immense expense. Connected with the yard, is a Naval Lyceum, com- posed of officers of the United States navy, and possessing a large library and museum.
The Greenwood Cemetery, situated in the south part of the city, contains more than 200 acres of land. Its situation is de- lightful, and comprises every variety of surface, which is calcu- lated to make it attractive, as a place of repose for the dead.
The harbor of the city is extensive, and its depth sufficient to allow the largest vessels to come to its wharves. The Atlantic dock, now in progress of construction, is a stupendous work, and one of the most remarkable monuments of private enterprise and wealth, in the country. Population, 62,000.
Williamsburgh, taken from Bushwick, and organized as a distinct town in 1840, is favorably situated for business, and from its proximity to New York, has had a rapid growth. It is the residence of many of the business men of the metropolis, and is fast increasing in population and wealth. It is connected with New York by three steam ferries. Population, about 12,000.
Flatbush, in the town of the same name, is a pleasant though small village. Erasmus Hall, located here, and incor- porated in 1787, is one of the oldest and most ably conducted academies in the state. The battle of Long Island was fought mostly within the limits of this town.
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IV. QUEENS COUNTY.
Square miles, 396. Organized, 1683.
Population, 31,849. Valuation, 1545, $11,568,350.
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TOWNS.
1. Flushing, 1788.
4. Newtown, 1789.
2. Hempstead, 1788.
5. North Hempstead, 1788.
3. Jamaica, 1758.
6. Oyster Bay, 1788.
Rivers, &c. D. Long Island Sound. E. Atlantic Ocean. B. East River.
says. j. Oyster Bay. r. Jamaica Bay. k. Flushing Bay. 1. Cow Bay.
Villages. NORTH HEMPSTEAD, Flushing, Jamaica, Newtown.
BOUNDARIES. North by Long Island sound and the East river ; East by Suffolk county ; South by the Atlantic Ocean, oad West by Kings county.
SURFACE. The northern portion of this county is rolling, but with no high hills. Harbor Hill, the highest elevation in the county, is 319 feet above the ocean. The great Hempstead plain extends through the central portion of the county.
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RIVERS, &c. The county is well watered, but none of the streams are of considerable size.
BAYS AND HARBORS. These are numerous, both on the northern and southern coasts. The principal on the north, are Flushing, Hempstead, Little Neck, Cow, Oyster, and Cold Spring, bays. On the south, are Jamaica, Rockaway, and part of the Great South bay.
These bays abound with a great variety of fish, oysters, &c., and at certain seasons, large numbers of wild fowl congregate here, the taking of which affords ample amusement to the sportsman.
ISLANDS. Riker's island, on the northern coast, Hog island, Cow island, and several others in Jamaica bay, on the south- ern, are the principal.
PONDS. Success, or Sacut pond, in Flushing, is the only one worthy of special notice.
This pond is very deep, and its waters of remarkable purity and coldness Perch are very abundant in it. They were first put into its waters by Doctor Samuel L. Mitchell.
CLIMATE. Like that of the Island generally, it is mild, equa- ble and healthy. The seasons are early, and the frosts occur late in autumn; consequently, fruits attain great perfection.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The geological character of the county alluvial and diluvial, the boulders are mostly granitic. In the southern portion of the county, there are no rocks, nor even stones, of more than a few ounces weight. There are few min- erals of importance.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil of the northern portion is very fertile, and perhaps under as high cultivation as that of any other part of the state. The southern part is sandy and naturally sterile, but by judicious management, it has been made to produce tolerable crops.
The timber is principally oak, hickory, chestnut, and locust in great abundance. The latter was originally introduced from Virginia. In the northern part, the apple, pear, peach, cherry, &c., thrive well. Wheat, corn, and grass, are also favorite crops.
PUREUrTs. Agriculture and horticulture are prominent pu- suits of the inhabitants of this county. Large quantities of corn and oats are raised. Butter, pork, and wool are produced in abundance. Shrubs, fruit trees, and rare exotic plants are sent from the numerous gardens and nurseries in the county, to all parts of the Union.
Fishing, and fowling, are also the employments of many of the inhabitants. Manufactures are not extensive. The most con- siderable are flour, woollen cloths, distilled liquors, and leather.
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The commerce of the county is confined to the coasting trade, and carried on through the ports of Flushing, Glen's Cove, Oye- ter Bay, and Cold Spring. Steamers ply between New York, and Flushing, Glen's cove, and Rockaway.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Corn, oats, butter, wool, fruit trees, and flowers.
SCHOOLS. The county has seventy public schoolhouses, in which schools were taught, in 1846, an average period of ten months. In them 4960 children received instruction, at an ex- pense of $15,346. The school libraries contained 13,803 vol- umes.
. Beside these there were thirty-six private schools, with 708 pupils, four acad- emies and three female seminaries, with 272 pupils. One of these is a collegiate school, of a high order.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Episcopalians, Bap- tists, Friends, Dutch Reformed, Presbyterians, and Roman Catholics. Total number of churches, 59, of clergymen, 43.
HISTORY. The first settlement made in this county, was at Hempstead, by a company of emigrants from Stamford, Conn., in 1644. This company acknowledged the Dutch jurisdiction, and obtained a patent from Governor Kieft. The place was first called Hemsteede ..
In the spring of 1645, a company of Englishmen who had previously resided in Vlissingen, in Holland, emigrated to this country, and locating themselves in Queens county, founded the town of Flushing, called by them Vlissingen. They, too, obtained a patent, from Governor Kieft, for their lands. Be- tween this period and 1656, settlements were commenced at Oyster bay, Newtown, and Jamaica.
A considerable number of Friends having settled in Vlissin- gen, Governor Stuyvesant, animated by the spirit of intolerance so prevalent at that day, issued an order requiring the people of the town to cease giving them any countenance, or enter- taining them.
To this order, the people of that town sent a dignified remon- strance. Gov. Stuyvesant, however, persisted in his intolerant measures, inflicting heavy fines, protracted imprisonment, and severe corporeal punishment, on those who professed the Qua- ker faith, as well as upon all who assisted or sheltered them. Some thirteen or fourteen prominent individuals were thus made to feel the weight of his displeasure.
One of the sufferers, having manifested more firmness than the rest, in the avowal of his sentiments, was sent by the Gov- ernor, a prisoner in chains, to Amsterdam. He was liberated from confinement, and sent back by the West India Company, and made the bearer of a letter from the company to the perse-
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· eating Governor, which, for the noble sentiments, in regard to religious liberty, which it avows, deserves to be written in letters of gold.
But the intolerant spirit of the Dutch governor did not stop here. The Lutherans also fell under the ban of his displeasure, and he banished them from the colony.
This bigotry did much toward rendering the people dissatisfied with the away of the director, and but for the incursion of the English, in 1664; they wo .14, in all probabilty, have thrown off their allegiance, by a civil revolution. In the ex- change of masters, however, there was little else than an exchange of tyrants. Religious intolerance still prevailed, under a new form.
In 1702, Lord Cornbury, having taken refuge in Jamaica, from yellow fever, (at that time epidemic in New York city), occupied the residence of Rev. Mr. Hubbard, the Presbyterian minister of the place, which was courteously tendered him, by its occupant, as the best dwelling in the village.
With characteristic ingratitude, he dispossessed this clergy- man of his pulpit, in which he placed an Episcopal .minister, whom, on his return to New York city, he ordered to occupy Mr. Hubbard's parsonage .. Twenty-six years elapsed, before the Presbyterians were able to recover possession of their church edifice.
In 1707, Lord Cornbury imprisoned two Presbyterian clergy- men, in this county, for preaching without his license, and finally liberated them, on the payment of a fine of $500.
During the Revolution, a majority of the inhabitants of this county took the oath of allegiance to Great Britain. British troops were stationed in different portions of the county, and the people were obliged to furnish them with large quantities of wood and provisions ..
There were many, however, whose hearts beat with true loyalty to the cause of their country, and who rejoiced, when she succeeded in throwing off the yoke of foreign oppression.
It was rather, perhaps, the misfortune than the fault of the people of this county, that, exposed as they were, without defence, to the hostile power of the enemy, they yielded to a force they could not oppose.
Yet this was made a subject of reproach to them, and in 1784, a tax of £100,000 was levied upon the southern district, to be appropriated, as a com- pensation, to the other parts of the state, on account of their not having been able to take an active part in the war ; and Queens county, in addition to her se- vere losses from the British, was obliged to atone for her own misfortunes.
.VILLAGES. NORTH HEMPSTEAD, the seat of justice for the county, is situated near the southern boundary of the town of the same name. It is an inconsiderable village, and. was se- lected for the county seat, from its being the geographical cen- tre of the county.
Flushing village, in the town of Flushing, situated at the head of the bay of the same name, is one of the most beautiful villa- ges in the state. It is a favorite summer residence of merchants
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and others, from the city of New York, and has many noble villas and country seats. Population 2500.
Its schools are highly celebrated. St. Ann's Hall, a female sem- inary of a high order, St. Thomas' Hall, and St. Paul's college,. about three miles from the village, a collegiate school for boys, are among the most distinguished. These schools are under the direction of the Episcopalians. The Friends have also a flourishing seminary, and there are several well conducted select schools.
The nurseries and botanic gardens here, have long held the first rank in our country. The Linnean Botanic garden was established, by Mr. Prince, in 1750, and still maintains a high reputation, while the new nursery of the Messrs. Prince, the Bloodgood nursery, the Commercial garden and nursery, and the Floral and Pomological nursery, contend with it for the palm.
In this town is still standing the Bowne mansion, where the celebrated George Fox, the apostle of the Friends, spent much of his time. Near it stands the an- cient and venerable oak, under the canopy of which he proclaimed his views, with an eloquence which won many hearts.
Jamaica village, in the town of that name, is situated on the line of the Long Island railroad, twelve miles east from the city of Brooklyn. It is a beautiful village, with many facilities for intercourse with the adjacent towns. The railroad company have here a large manufactory, for the construction and repair of their cars. It also contains Union Hall academy, an old and flourishing institution, a female seminary of some reputation, and several select schools. The Union race course is within the limits of this town. Population about 2000 .:
Hempstead village is delightfully situated, on the southern margin of the great Hempstead plain, in the town of the same name. For beauty and salubrity, it has few equals. The Hempstead seminary has a fine and costly edifice, and is in a flourishing condition. The village is a favorite summer resort. Population about 1800 ...
There are several other villages in the town. Rockaway beach, or Far Rockaway, is a headland projecting from the southern shore of the town, on which the restless surges of the ocean beat, with ceaseless vehemence.
Near Rockaway is a pleasant and thriving little village. Near the Methodist church, stands a marble monument erected to the memory of 139 unfortunate emigrants, whose bodies were washed ashore from the wrecks of the ships Bristol and Mexico, in the winter of 1836-7. In these two melancholy shipwrecks 215 persons were lost.
Newtown, Astoria, Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, and Norwich, are villages of some importance. Lloyd's neck belongs to the town of Oyster Bay.
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V. SUFFOLK COUNTY.
Square Miles, 976. Organized, 1683.
Population, 34,579. Valuation, 1845, 85,962,618.
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TOWN9.
1. Brookhaven, 1788.
2. East Hampton, 1798.
3. Huntington, 1788.
4. Islip, 1788.
5. Shelter Island, 1788.
6. Smithtown, 1788.
7. Southampton, 1788.
8. Southold, 1788.
9. Riverhead, 1792.
Rivers. a. Connecticut creek. b. Nissiquogue River. c. Sampawan's creek. d. Conesqua River. v. Peconic.
Bays, &c. E. Atlantic Ocean. D. Long Island Sound. f. Great South Bay. e. Great Peconic. g. Gardiner's. j. Smithtown. m. Huntington's. n. Shinecock. o. Great West.
Ponds. h. Ronkonkama.
Islands, &c. q. Fisher's. r. Gardiner's. s. Robbins'. t. Plumb. u. Shelter. p. Montauk point.
Villages. RIVERHEAD. Sag Harbor. Greenport.
BOUNDARIES. North by Long Island Sound; East and South by the Atlantic Ocean ; and West by Queens county.
SURFACE. Toward the northern shore, the surface is hilly and broken. The southern portion is level and sandy. There are no hills of considerable altitude in the county. The Great Peconic bay, extending nearly into the centre of the county, di- vides it into two peninsulas.
RIVERS. The county is not well watered. The Peconic, Con- necticut, Nissiquogue, Sampawan's and Conesqua rivers are the principal.
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BAYS, &c. The Atlantic Ocean washes its southern and eastern shores, and Long Island sound its northern. Its most considerable bays are Huntington, Smithtown, Gardiner's, Great Peconic, Shinecock, Great West, and Great South bays.
PONDS. Ronkonkama pond lies at the junction of the towns of Islip, Smithtown and Brookhaven.
ISLANDS. Shelter, Gardiner's, Fisher's, Robbins', Plumb, and the Gull islands on the coast belong to this county.
CLIMATE. Similar to that of the Island generally. The pre- vailing winds are from the southwest. The atmosphere is at all times moist, and the cold of winter is accompanied by a de- gree of chilliness, which renders it unpleasant. The longevity of its inhabitants is greater, however, than that of any other portion of the state.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The geological formation of this county does not differ from that of the other countries of the island.
It is a disputed point, whether the formation of the whole county is alluvial or not. That of the southern portion is undoubtedly so, and the immense granite and gneiss boulders imbedded in the soil, would indicate that the northern part might be also.
It is the opinion of many eminent geologists, that the northern portion of the island once formed a part of the coast of Connecticut, and that it was rent from the main, either by the force of the waves, or by some convulsion of nature.
Hematite, iron pyrites, lignite, clay, suitable for making porcelain ware, mag- netic iron sand, and garnet, are the principal minerais.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. Portions of the soil of this county are barren wastes of sand, producing little except pitch pine timber. Other portions on the southern shore are composed of sand dunes, or small hillocks of sand, affording no sustenance to any vegetable, except an occasional tuft of coarse grass. There are large tracts, however, of highly fertile land, which, manured with ashes, seaweed, and the fertilizing moss- bonker, or whitefish, yield ample crops, to repay the husband- man for his toil.
The timber of the county is chiefly pitch pine, oak, hickory, chestnut and locust. The bay berry, or wax myrtle, abounds in Riverhead.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the pursuit of a majority of the in- habitants. The preparation of lumber and wood, for market, occupies considerable attention, though less now than formerly. Corn and oats are raised to some extent, and in some parts of the county, there are extensive dairies.
The fisheries also afford employment to many of the inhabit- ants. The whale fishery is extensively prosecuted from Sag Harbor and Greenport. A considerable number of vessels are employed in the codfisheries, and numerous smacks, &c., in the coast fisheries. The entire amount of shipping, enrolled in this district, in 1845, was 28,348 tons.
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The manufactures of this county are not extensive. Flour, woollen and cotton goods; and leather, are the most important. STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Oil, fish, corn and oats ..
SCHOOLS. There are in the county 142 district school-houses. The schools were maintained, in 1846, nine months; 9117 chil- dren received instruction, at a cost of $17,953. The district libraries contained 19,728 volumes.
There were, in addition, forty-six select schools, with 634 pupils; seven academies and one female seminary, attended by 119 scholars.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Con- gregationalists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Universalists and Ro- . man Catholics. There are seventy-nine churches, and eighty- two clergymen.
HISTORY. This county was peopled mostly by emigrants from New England, and the inhabitants have retained, in a great de- gree, to this day, their primitive simplicity of manners and habits.
Southold was the first town settled in the county, and the first to adopt a municipal organization, on the island. Its settlers removed here from New Haven, and remained under the juris- diction of that colony, until it was included in the charter of Connecticut, in 1662, after which, it became a dependency of that colony, till 1676, when Sir Edmund Andross insisting on his right to jurisdiction over it, the people submitted, somewhat un- willingly.
Southampton and East Hampton were also included under the government of New Haven and Connecticut, until this period.
Smithtown was purchased by Richard Smythe, of Narragan- sett, Rhode Island, who obtained a patent from Governor An- dross, in 1677, and removed here and founded a settlement. Gardiner's Island was settled by Lyon Gardiner, in 1635 ;* Shelter Island in 1652, by James Farrett and others ; and Brook- haven in 1655, by emigrants, mostly from Boston.
In 1673, Colve, the Dutch governor of New Netherlands, at- tempted to reduce these towns to subjection to the Dutch au- thority at New Orange [New York]. This effort called forth a sharp remonstrance from John Winthrop, the then governor of Connecticut, and a spirited correspondence ensued, which re- sulted in a partial compromise, on the part of the Dutch gov- ernor.
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