USA > New York > Queens County > Long Island City > History of Long Island City, New York. A record of its early settlement and corporate progress. Sketches of the villages that were absorbed in the growth of the present municipality. Its business, finance, manufactures, and form of government, with some notice of the men who built the city > Part 3
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John Berrian Riker was a surgeon under Washington during the entire period of the war. He was a brother of Abram, who died at Valley Forge.
Col. Jacob Blackwell had participated in the French and Indian war. When the British troops invaded Newtown, room was not left for patriots such as hic, and he fled to IIopc- well, New Jersey. His home at the foot of Webster Avenue (which we adjure the reader to
HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
see before it falls under the infirmities of age), was confiscated and marked with the Broad Arrow of the King of England. In 1780, returning to end his days amid native scenes, he found it still occupied by the military chieftains of the enemy, who long made it their head- quarters. .
Turn to a point of land jutting out into the tides of Hell Gate at Hallett's Cove. The guns of the enemy are trained upon Horn's Hook on Manhattan Island, and bring a spirited response from the sons of freedom, who now have well learned the smell of gunpowder. The Britishers, commanded by General Robertson, had hastened from Brooklyn to this position at Hell Gate, under the supposition that General Lee was here to effect a landing with his army. The rumor proving gratuitous, the opportunity was improved to hold controversy with the Con- tinental rebels upon the opposite shore. Both sides confided temper and shot to the engage- ment, which lasted two days. The enemy was emboldened to push out into the river, for the purpose of crossing, but our men made it altogether too hot for them, and they were satisfied to remain on the Long Island side. General Robertson's army was encamped at Hell Gate for about three weeks.
Five years later, in about the same locality, Colonel John Connolly was quartered an entire
winter with the Royal Foresters. One of the officers, Lieutenant Barry, having died, was buried at Hallett's Cove with military honors.
THE OLD BRAGAW HOUSE.
The vicinity of the present light-house on Hallett's Point, marked the sight until recent years, of Fort Stevens. Upon the terraces of the hills which rise eastward from the point, stood the residence of Major General Ebenezer Stevens. This gallant officer began his brilliant career when twenty-one years of age, by participating in the historic "Tea Party " which occurred at Boston, Dec. 16, 1773. From that hour, to the close of the war of Inde- pendence, by his skill in handling artillery, he rendered invaluable service to his country. He con- veyed his artillery parks over the Green Mountains and commanded the batteries of Ticonderoga and
Crown Point. When with the army of General Lafayette, he was promoted by Congress to the head of the Artillery Department of the Northerni division, and when Washington, at the dropping of French anchors at the mouth of the Chesapeake, threw his troops around Yorktown, it is said that it was the well-trained guns of General Stevens that persuaded Cornwallis to surrender his sword to the Commander-in-Chief.
These various sites within our municipal bounds, therefore, perpetuate reminiscences worthily associating the soil of our city with the conflict which for all time demonstrated to the world man's capacity for self-government by establishing a nation of freemen whose prosperity is the astonishment of mankind.
The end of the struggle was hailed by Whig and Tory, both alike rejoicing in a promised era of peace.
THE OLD BLOCK HOUSE.
In the war of 1812, the causes of which it is not within our province to diseuss, the western part of Long Island was not the theater of conflict, though British war ships cruised along the American coast, and British frigates occupied the lower part of New York Harbor.
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
The eastern coast of the United States, with the exception of a part of New England, was under blockadc. Yet there was a daily menace to the inhabitants of Kings and Queens The capture of so strategic a point as New York City was
Counties of active hostilities. as desirable as it was in 1776. To a call to arms for the defence of our territory there was a tre- mendous response. From every walk of life citizens gathered for organization. Under the inspira- tion of the hour Yankee blood rose above normality.
Among the means adopted for self-defence was the erection of block houses. Such a crude fort was located at Fort Hamilton, two others at New Utrecht, another at Rockaway, and still another upon old Mill Rock, in Hell Gate. On the north side of Stevens Street, near Franklin, Astoria, stood one of these picturesque structures for many years after the incorporation of the village. It was erected during this war THE OLD VAN PELT HOUSE. scare, every stone being laid by patriotic hands. Could it have endured, it would now De a cherished monument of a critical period that marked our development as a people into a lasting and mighty nationality.
IMCORPORATION AND ORGANIZATION OF ASTORIA AS A VILLAGE.
THE OLD PAYNTAR HOUSE.
One of the first 'and most decisive steps in the historical development of Long Island City into a municipality, was the passage of a bill, April 12, 1839, entitled "An act to incorporate the village of Astoria."
This being the only village charter which has ever been granted to any community within the town of Newtown, it is worthy of the record herewith given.
The people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1 .- The village hereby incorporated, shall be composed of all that part of the town of Newtown which lies within the follow- ing lines and bounds-to wit : commencing on the East River at the point of intersection between the farms of John Lawrence and Charles Richmond, and following the dividing line of said farms to the land of Stephen Hallett, deceased; thence, following the line between said John Lawrence's land and the land of said Stephen Hallett, deceased, to the land owned by Henry F. Blackwell and G. C. Furman ; thence, following the line dividing last mentioned land of the before mentioned John Lawrence.
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
to the land of one Rapelye, deceased ; thence, along the division line of the last mentioned land and land of the before mentioned Blackwell and Furman, to the land of Jeromns J. Rapelye ; thence, along the line dividing land of the said Jeromus J. Rapelye, and land of the before mentioned Rapelye, deceased, to the land of James McDonald ; thence, along the line dividing the land of said James McDonald and land of the before mentioned Jeromus J. Rapelye, to the Flushing avenue ; thence, crossing the Flushing avenue and following the line dividing land of said James McDonald from the land of Dr. Baylies, to Newtown avenue ; thence, crossing said Newtown avenue and following the south side of the said avenne to the land of Abraham Polhemus ; thence, following the line dividing said Polhemus' land, from land of the before named James McDonald, to the land now, or late of, Lewis Hartman and others ; thence, along the line dividing the land of said Hartman and others, and the land of said James McDonald, to land of Samuel Stevens ; thence, along the line dividing land of said Samuel Stevens from the land of said James McDonald and the farm of Samis, to land of William R. Prince ; thence, following the line that divides the land of said William R. Prince from the farm of said Abel Samis, to the ridge road ; thence, crossing the ridge road to the land of Richard Clark, and following the line dividing the said Richard Clark's land from the farm of the before mentioned Abel Samis, to the land of William R. Prince, known as the McDonough farm ; thence, following the line dividing said MeDonough farm from the land of said Richard Clark and of II. L. Penfield, to other lands of said Richard Clark ; thence, along last mentioned line to the land of Jacob Polhemus; thence, along the line dividing land of said Jacob Polhemus from the land of before mentioned Richard Clark, to Sunswick Creek ; thence following the middle of the channel of said creek to Hallett's Cove or Bay ; thence, following the line of the cove or bay, and thence, following the line of the cove and East River at low water mark, to land of John Lawrence, at the place of beginning, shall hereafter continue to be known THE OLD STEVENS MANSION. and distinguished by the name of the " Village of Astoria," and the free-holders and inhabitants residing in said village are constituted a body corporate, by name of the trustees of the village of Astoria.
SECTION 11 .- The corporation hereby created shall possess all the powers and privileges and be subject to all the restrictions and limitations which are granted or imposed upon the trustees of the village of Angelica, by the act incorporating that village May 2, 1835.
The first election under this charter, June 11, 1839, resulted in the election of Homer Whittemore, Robert M. Blackwell, William H. Bolles, Alfred R. Mount and Stephen A. Halsey as trustees; Henry F. Blackwell, Hersey Baylies and John B. Reboul as assessors; William T. Payntar as treasurer and clerk; James O. Jackson, collector and constable.
At the time of the passage of this charter, Astoria had a population of two thousand inhabitants. The village was in its infancy. It had but one main street, with two turnpike roads branching off, one leading to Williamsburgh on the south, the other to Flushing on the east. For a long time after corporate organization, the many improvements projected by the progressive men who had been chosen to office. met with that proverbial opposition on the part of the old conservative element which is incident to the development of every community.
1
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
The slightest increase of taxes marshalled old fogyism into united activity. Increase of rights, privileges and immunities under better social conditions were not recognized as involving the rights of property.
Gradually, however, the village government passed into the hands of the people through their representatives, the trustees, and through the gates thus opened, a new era entered. Many of the old estates to which reference has been made and which had long remained tied up, yielded to its de- mands. With increase of population came increase of business, the opening of new streets, and the erection of new and better type of buildings. Communication with New York was improved by enlarged steamboat and ferry facilities -- an advance the advan- tages of which the people were not slow to recognize as superior to the old stage coach system which required two and a half hours for a trip to City Hall, N. Y.
The incorporation of the village and the numerous improvements which J.C. S. n OLD BLOCK HOUSE, HALLETT'S POINT-1814. followed, were chiefly due to the public spirited activity of Stephen A. Halsey. ' Attracted by the beauty and natural advantages of the village site and surroundings, he removed from Flushing in 1835, having purchased the Perrot and Blackwell farms, comprising nearly all the land lying between Pot and Hallett's Coves, west of what is now Stevens Street. Devoting himself at once to public improvements, the community soon evinced new life and enterprise, was incorporated as lias been related, was named "Astoria" in honor of John Jacob Astor, an old friend of Mr. Halsey's, and business associate in the fur trade, was connected with Eighty-sixth Street, N. Y. by ferry known as "Horne's Hook Ferry" for thirty years, had facilities of travel with Flushing and Williamsburgh, had the first fire company in the city, whose house, built by Mr. llalsey, forms a part of the saloon now standing on the southeast corner of Fulton Avenue and Halsey Street, saw churches rise by his aid-the Reformed Dutch Church in 1836, and the Presbyterian Church in 1846-received the donation of a plot of ground 100x200 feet for school purposes, on which the Fourth Ward School now stands, was supplied with gas by the "Astoria Gas Co.," which he organized in 1853, and in short the present village may be said to be the creation for the most part of the intelligent enterprise of this progressive citizen. Mr. Halsey was a trustee of the village of Astoria nearly the whole period, SCENE ON THE SHORE ROAD. from its incorporation to its ab- sorption into the municipality of Homer Wittemore, 1839, 1840,
Long Island City. Other trustees have served as follows: 1843-48; Joseph M. McJinsey, 1841; Nathaniel Felbey, 1849, 1850; Josiah M. Whitney, 1851,
2.1
HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
1856, 1857, 1869; W. J. Townsend, 1852; Henry Baylies, 1853; C. R. Trafford, 1854, 1855, 1864; John R. Morris, 1858; John McAloney, 1859, 1860; A. Gallatin Stevens, 1861; Gabriel Mace, 1862; Charles W. Strang, 1865; R. M. C. Graham, 1866-68, W. R. Taylor 1870.
During the years between 1845 and IS71, Astoria was a highly prosperous village, and was a favorite suburb for many prominent and wealthy New York families. Its charming water front was adorned with superb residences, many of which still linger amid gencrous grounds in testimony of former grandeur and an honored history. Thousand who daily pass the Astoria shores on the waters of the Sound, catch glimpses of the fine old mansions and of ideal homes amid environments still bearing traces of beauty despite the encroachments of the surveyor and sales agent.
HUNTER'S POINT AND UNION COLLEGE.
Fifty years ago Hunter's Point was the most retired region around New York. The explorer, if he paid his toll upon the road leading from Flushing, or was ferried in a skiff across the river from Kip's Bay, might see the old Hunter homestead crowning the solitary hill at the mouth of Newtown Creek, and the old well at its foot on the south. Now, however, the hill lies in the river under Borden Avenue and the ferry houses of the Long Island Railroad, while the Hunter House which was let down to the present city level and used for a blacksmith shop, was swept away some twenty years ago, before the advance of the railroad company. Thus another ancestral hall was removed, which was associated with the deeds and memories of colonial days. When the locality was called Bennett's Point, as elsewhere narrated, a mur- der was committed here, for which the guilty parties were hung in 1782, three years later upon a chestnut trce at the Wallabout. In more recent days, about 1850 perhaps two Polanders enticed a fellow coun- tryman into the sand pits near Ferry Street for the purpose of rob- bery and murder. The episode is chiefly remarkable from the inverted DR. JAMES D. TRASK. nature of the proceedings, for the intended victim killed the intend-
ing murderers. These tragic occurrences are the only ascertainable traces of romance which linger about the locality of Hunter's Point.
The extensive landed interests and the development of this section of the city are closely identified with Union College, an institution concerning which a brief word-sketch is befitting before connecting it with the narrative where it was stopped upon a previous page.
Union College situated at Schenectady, New York, was founded in 1795, largely through the instrumentality of General Philip Schuyler, of Revolutionary famc, who at that time had just completed a term of service in the United States Senate. The name of " Union " had
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
its origin in the circumstance of several religious denominations cooperating in its organization. It was incorporated directly by the Regents of the University of the State of New York. In point of time it was the second college in the State, and as to place, the first beyond the limits of New York City, to receive its charter. During the century of its illustrious service, it has repeatedly enlarged its curriculum and widened its field until it has obtained influential rank as a University. Besides its classical department, it has a special school of civil engineer- ing founded in 1845; a medical college which was established in 1838; a law school organized in 1851 ; and the Dudley Observatory in Albany, which was so named in honor of Charles E. Dudley, whose widow bestowed liberal endowments resulting in the addition of a meteoro- logical department. The Institution has a library of 20,000 volumes and valuable philosophical apparatus and natural history collections.
Its management is vested in a board of trustees consisting of the permanent trustees of Union College, the Governor, Lieu- tenant-Governor, Attorney-General, Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer of the State of New York, as ex-officio members of the Board, and four representatives of the Al- umni Association elected annually.
Its list of presidents constitutes a line of honored names. First came the Rev. John Blair Smith, of Philadelphia; then Jonathan Ed- wards, son of the great Calvinistic divine, the profound impression of whose genius will long remain in the world of religion and theology; then Jonathan Maxey, President of Brown University, Rhode Island; and then in 1804 the Rev. Eliphalet Nott, D. D., who held the office more than sixty-one years, until his death in 1866. Dr. Nott was one of the foremost educators of the continent. More than 3700 students graduated during his presidency. He gave much attention to the physical sci- ences and was a prolific inventor. The first stove made for the con- sumption of anthracite coal was one of his notable inventions. The Rev. L. P. Hickok succeeded him, but resigned in 1868. The Rev. Charles A. Aiken followed, and then the Rev. Eliphalet Nott Potter, grand- son of Dr. Nott.
JOIIN E. LOCKWOOD.
The resources of the College are large and are invested in productive securities.
In the war of 1812 Newtown Creek was a prominent naval rendezvous and afterwards was considered an eligible site for a permanent naval station. With this in view and partly under the impulse awakened by the project Dr. Nott became the possessor of the Hunter homestead and other adjoining tracts.
The title of Union College to its property in this city is short, straight and valid. Hunter's Point, from 1650 to 1800, known as Dominie's Hook, then for twenty-five years as Bennett's Point and from 1825 by its present name, was, in the early days whereof we write, bounded as follows: on the north by a small creek and ditch separating these premises from
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
the lands once owned by the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of New York; easterly by a creek formerly Peter Mann's Killitie, late Jaek's Creek; southerly by Newtown Creek and westerly by the East River. "Killitie" is the diminutive of Kill, and means small Creek.
We have already seen that Jacob Bennett acquired his title by four releases, each from his brothers and sisters individually. It may be interesting to note that the value of Hunter's Point with one house upon it, was, with Jacob's share included, valued at £2550. The pound British then meant a pound of the provincial currency of New York, which was half of a British pound sterling. Hunter's Point, therefore, in 1780 sold for $6375.
Jacob Bennett dying in 1817, his will was found to contain this provision in favor of George and Anne Hunter. "I give, devise, and bequeath unto my son-in-law, George Hunter, and to my daughter, Anne Hunter, the wife of said George Hunter, the premises in question, to have and to hold the same ete., forever." There were nineteen heirs-at-law who had serious doubts as to Jacob Bennett's testamentary capacity and entered a contest. The will was not probated, on the other hand was thrown into chancery in 1818. It was, however, ultimately pronounced valid, whereupon all the heirs-at-law released their claims to the lands to George Hunter and wife, and the name of Bennett gave place to Hunter in connection with the given locality. George Hunter died 1825, bequeathing the property to his wife Anne, who at her death in 1833, thus disposed of the estate: "I give, devise, and bequeath all my real and personal estate which I may die seized or possessed of, on Long Island or elsewhere, to my executors herein mentioned, being my sons, Jacob Hunter, John B. Hunter, and Richard Hunter, their heirs and assigns forever. In trust, nevertheless, that they shall sell and dispose of the same as they may deem most expedient and advantageous, and duly convey the same to the purchasers thereof, within three years, after the time of my death, and to divide the proceeds thereof according to the bequests hereinafter particularly mentioned."
This will was the instrument whereby Hunter's Point passed beyond the limits of olden systems and became the field of modern enterprise, for the sons, who had been made trustees of the estate with power to sell and convey, on the 17th day of June, 1835, sold the estate to Jeremiah Johnson for $100,000. In this transaction Jeremiah Johnson was the representative of Eliphalet Nott, of Union College. An agreement between Nott and Neziah Bliss provided that one-half of the property purchased by Johnson should be conveyed to Bliss for one-half of the consideration paid to the trustees under the will. On September 27, 1837, Jeremiah Johnson released to Eliphalet Nott all the premises in question for the consideration of $200, 000. In 1838 Eliphalet Nott quit claimed to the Trustees of Union College the undivided half of the
premises for $100,000. In May, 1843, Neziah Bliss released to Eliphalet Nott the undivided half of the premises for $135.000. On April 12, 1847, the Trustees of Union College, in con- sideration of $100,000, released the undivided half to Eliphalet Nott. At this point Jonathan Crane and Charles Ely appear as participants in the interests at stake. To them as joint tenants December 28, 1852, Eliphalet Nott and Urania, his wife, conveyed the premises. By this
instrument Messrs. Cranc and Ely were constituted representatives of Dr. Nott in the manage- ment and sale of the property. They were to pay to Nott one-third of the net profits, retaining $1500 annually as a compensation for supervision. In pursuance of their obligation as stipulated, Charles Perkins, a civil engineer, was employed to survey the Hunter Farm and prepare a map of the samc. From this map, various lots and parcels were sold till the year 1861, when, the Van Alst Farm having been added to the tract, Peter G. Van Alst made a map of the entire property which has remained the authoritative plot thereof.
The further business conduct of this enterprise assumed the form of two trusts, one of which was known as the " Nott Trust," the other as the " Hunter's Point Trust."
The "Nott Trust" may briefly be summarized as follows : On December 28, 1853, Eliphalet Nott and wife duly assigned in trust to Union College, the property for the establishment and maintenance of nine professorships, six assistant professorships, tutors, fellow and seliolarships, the purchase of scientific apparatus, a special library and speeimens for a geological museum. In this conveyance Nott reserved to himself certain powers in trust for the purpose of fulfilling his obligations to Crane and Ely, and to place the property in as advantageous condition as possible for the production of value.
The "Hunter's Point Trust " was created by act of the Legislature, April 14, 1860. By it Union College undertook the control of the "two-thirds undivided " of this property for the
GILBERT K. HARROUN, TREASURER OF UNION COLLEGE.
UNION COLLEGE, SCHENECTADY, N. Y. NORTH COLLEGE BUILDING.
....
UNION COLLEGE, SCHENECTADY, N. Y. SOUTH COLLEGE BEI.DING.
AP
UNION COLLEGE, SCHENECTADY, N. Y. MEMORIAL, HALL, AND WASHBURNE BUILDING
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HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND CITY.
benefit of "Crane, Judson, and the two Elys;" in connection with the " one-third undivided," which belonged to the Nott Trust. This responsibility was assumed by the College as Trustees, at the request of Dr. Nott, for the purpose of more rapidly marketing the one-third belonging to the Nott Trust.
Under these two distinct Trusts, Union College as Trustee controlled the estate till 1884. The College having brought a suit-an action in equity-to wind up the trust of 1860, and separate its own property from that of others interested, ten years of litigation followed. Judgment of partition, low- ever, was finally entered in 1884, and the several parties interested, had their proportion of lots set off to them, the College receiving two-thirds of the entire property then remaining. There were in all 1800 lots, the total valuation of which, as fixed by the Commissioners, was over $900, ooo; of these lots, Union Col- lege received of that time the led its own prop- crease in valua- of Hunter's Point was held at little may be under- ume of the trans- College as Trus- 1881, which ooo. Up to 1873 paid for the im- development of ooo, of which pended for grad- general improve- dends were de- stockholders $843,000, consist- lots, money, gages, etc. In there has been a tion in the pro- property, owing causes which have in general. ment of Hunter's was at first iden- speculativeenter- phalet Nott, and policy and inter- College. That CORNELIUS RAPELYE TRAFFORD. inaugurated by course 1200; since College has hand- The in - erty. tion of the realty which in 1780, more than $6000, stood by the vol- actions of Union tee from 1860 to reached $2, 300, - the College had provement and lands about $800, $415,463 was ex- ing, docking, and ments. Divi- clared among amounting to ing of improved bonds, mort- more recent years marked diminu- ductiveness of the to economic modified values The develop- Point, therefore, tified with the prise of Dr. Eli- later with the ests of Union development was the deed of Nott to Crane and Ely. Under the management of these men important changes occurred in the topography or Hunter's Point. In 1853, the year following the passage of the property under their control, they applied to the Commissioners of the Land Office for a grant of the lands under the waters of Newtown Creek and of the East River, adjacent to their premises. The lands in question being ceded, the lofty hill which from ages immemorial had stood as a sentinel at the mouth of Newtown Creek, and from whose summit Peter Praa had often surveyed The rest orer which the maddated sides bad mitted for- prehistorie eras, was buried beneath the soil of the Hunter farm. The shore front which theretofore had been West avenue, was pushed nearly to its present limit.
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