USA > New York > Queens County > History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals. > Part 42
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In 1679 a resolution was adopted to send for the In- dians " to make our east bounds according to our former purchases." Questions as to boundaries often arose be- tween this and the neighboring towns of Flushing and Hempstead, and commissioners were appointed to settle these questions. In 1681 the constables of Jamaica and Flushing, each accompained by citizens of his town, met " to agetate determin marke out and conclude of division boundes to be and remaine betweene the land of Flush- ing and the land of Jamaica from time to time and to the end of time," and such line was recorded.
In 1670 fifty-two freeholders or proprietors were re- corded as residents of the town.
Nothing which appears in the records indicates that the revolution of 1664 affected the management of town matters. The extracts and statements that have been made show what the general plan of management was at that early time.
The first recorded road in this town was laid out in 1727 by Jonathan Whitehead, Gabriel Luff and Richard Betts, commissioners. This road is described as being two rods in breadth, and running "through the land of Thomas Whitehead in Jamaica, beginning at the north- west corner of Abraham Montonya's green, so running westwardly over the said Whitehead's land to a certain white oak tree standing near the mill pond, with a bulge on the south side near the root; and the said. road to be on the north side of the said boundaries; and from the said white oak tree running southwardly along the said mill pond as near the said pond as to leave a sufficient road as aforesaid; and from thence to a certain place where the people passeth over the brook below the mill now in the possession of Saml. Skidmore; then westwardly over the brook to the house of said Skidmore."
Several other roads were established within a few years, but the descriptions of them were quite as indefinite as this.
At a town meeting in 1786 it was "voted that no hogs shall run at large in this town, and if catched at any time in any inclosure shall be liable to be pounded, and the owner or owners of such hogs to pay the damage." In
1787 it was enacted "that Abraham Ditmars and Ben- jamin Everitt Esqs. be appointed to bind out the poor children as apprentices, and to compel such persons to work as have no visible means of gaining a livelihood." In 1797 William Ludlum, Abraham Ditmars and Benja- min Everitt were ordered to set up a "cage" in the town, at such a place as they should determine; and the expense was directed to be paid by the overseers. of the poor. In 1808 Abiathar Rhodes was directed to provide " a stocks" for the town, and the sum of thirty dollars was voted to defray the expense thereof.
The first recorded division of the roads in the town into districts was made in 1830, by George Johnson, Michael Skidmore and Abraham Hendrickson. Ten dis- tricts were then established. In 1859 the road districts were revised and fourteen were established.
The following appears in the record for 1846:
" At a special town meeting, held May 19th 1846 at the house of Rem. J. Snedeker, in the village of Jamaica, county of Queens, State of New York, pursuant to an act passed May 14th 1845 and February 16th 1846, to ballot for license or no license; in which was 316 votes polled for license, and 204 votes for no license. Major- ity was one hundred and four in favor of license."
JAMAICA IN THE REVOLUTION.
In Jamaica, as in other portions of Queens county, the tory feeling was dominant during the Revolutionary strug- gle. This feeling was held in check, and efforts were made to smother it, during the latter part of 1775 and the first half of 1776, but after the battle of Long Island and the re-establishment of British authority there ex- isted scarcely an obstacle to its exercise.
A company of " minute men for the defense of Amer- ican liberty," consisting of fifty-six, was formed in this town. Of this company John Skidmore was captain, Jacob Wright first lieutenant, Nicholas Everitt second lieutenant, and Ephraim Marsten ensign. Their uniform dress was a linen frock reaching below the knee, with a fringe around the neck and arms, and a white feather in the hat. Early in 1776 a company of forty was formed, of which Ephraim Bayles was captain, Increase Carpen- ter first lieutenant, Abraham Van Osdoll second lieuten- ant, and Othniel Smith ensign.
It will be remembered that an effort had been made to disarm the tories on this end of the island, and when, for disobeying Captain Bayles's order to appear in arms, the cattle and effects of some of these were seized and sold they petitioned the Provincial Congress for relief, alleg- ing that they had been disarmed, and could not therefore obey the order to appear in arms. Their sincerity was doubted.
The Harford Courant for April 25th 1776 contained the following: " Last Saturday the James pilot boat, one of the piratical tenders that infest this coast, came into Rockaway Inlet for plunder, but got aground. A party of American troops, receiving information of it, marched with two field pieces to attack her, but on the appearance of our men her hands took the long boat and fled. Our
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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.
men took possession, and found four wooden guns mounted; got her off and brought her into safe harbor."
In April 1776 the town committee, which had ceased to act, was revived, and the chairman, Captain Bayles, gave notice of the fact, at the same time warning all people of the town that acts in disaccord with the reso- lutions of the Continental Congress would not be toler- ated. In May this committee resolved that no person should be permitted to move into the town without bringing a certificate of his faithfulness to the cause of American freedom, and that suspicious persons passing through should be arrested and examined. A man named John Livingstone, a furloughed soldier, was arrested by the committee, and on refusing to answer their interrogatories sent to New York. For this contu- macy he was imprisoned.
It has been stated elsewhere that a partially success- ful attempt was made to disarm the tories in Queens county, and that they were promptly supplied with arms from the " Asia " man-of-war. Captain Benjamin White- head, Charles Ardin, Joseph French and Johannes Pol- hemus, who had been thus supplied, were summoned be- fore the Provincial Congress to " give satisfaction " con- cerning themselves. In July William Ludlum jr. was made captain of the Jamaica minute men, and Thomas Denton was chosen lieutenant in one of the companies of the first regiment in Queens county.
An account of the capture and death of General Wood- hull has been given on page 41. Of events in Jamaica succeeding the battle of Long Island the following ac- count is taken from Onderdonk's Revolutionary Inci- dents of Queens county :
" The day after Woodhull's capture Elias Bayles, chair- man of the Jamaica committee, was walking over to Nich- olas Smith's, at the one-mile mill, to hear the news, when he was arrested by a neighbor, who wished to do some- thing to ingratiate himself with the British.
" When the venerable man, blind as he was, was brought before the British officer at Jamaica, he exclaimed in surprise, 'Why do you bring this man here? He's blind; he can do no harm.' The unfeeling wretch who had in- formed against him replied, ' He's blind, but he can talk.' Bayles did not attempt to conciliate the officer, but unfor- tunately dropped a few words in vindication of the Amer- ican cause. This was enough. He was shut up in the Presbyterian church that night, and the next day carried to the prison at New Utrecht. He was subsequently re- moved to the provost in New York. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church and stood high in the com- munity. He was visited in prison by his wife and daugh- ter. After a confinement of about two months, at the intercession of friends, he was released, but barely in time to breathe his last without a prison's walls. He died in crossing the ferry with his daughter, and his mor- tal remains now repose without a stone to mark the spot or commemorate his worth. The heartless wretch who arrested him fled on the return of peace, to Nova Scotia, dreading the vengeance of his fellow citizens; after a two years' exile he ventured to return, but looked so poor and forlorn that he was never molested.
do it, but led the blind man to the pulpit steps. As he returned with it a British guard met him, beat him vio- lently, and took away the book. They were three weeks at New Utrecht, and then marched down to the prison ship.
"As fast as the Whigs were seized they were put in the Presbyterian church till a sufficient number were col- lected to send under guard to the prison ship. It is said that when these unfortunate prisoners, embracing, as they did, some of our worthiest and most aged citi- zens, were drawn up and ready to march, a crowd of spectators assembled to witness their departure, attracted, some by sympathy, others gazing with a fiendish smile on the Whigs in this their hour of retribution. One aged Wh'g, named Smith, appealed to a loyalist to intercede for him. The cold reply was, 'Ah, John, you've been a great rebel.' Directly the old man's searching eye de- tected a more benevolent look in the face of another loy- alist. 'McEvers, this is hard for an old man like me, to go to prison; can't you do something for me ?' ' What have you been doing, John ?' ' Why, I've had opinions of my own.' 'Well, I'll see what I can do for you.' McEvers then went to the officer, and made such a repre- sentation that Smith was immediately released.
" John Thurston was put in prison and had his health ruined. Abraham Ditmars, Robart Hinchman, David Lamberson and who can tell how many more ?) were carried off to prison.
" Rev. Abraham Keteltas crossed to the main; J. J. Skidmore went up the North River, and returned at the peace, his wife dying in the meantime. Increase Car- penter was commissary to the army."
During the time of the occupation of Long Island by the British, which extended from August 1776 to the close of the Revolution, many incidents of local histori- cal interest occurred in Jamaica, of which a lack of space prevents the record of more than a few here. Others will be found in the history of Jamaica village.
A town meeting was held November 24th 1777 to con- cert measures " for providing firewood and other neces- sary articles consisting with the article of billeting the king's troops, now quartered in Jamaica, for the use of the hospital and guard-house in the said town." All per- sons having soldiers billeted on them were exempted from furnishing any such necessaries. " John Polhemus for the western district, John Lamberson for Springfield, John Doughty and Jacamiah Valentine for the eastern district and Dow Ditmars for the southern district " were appointed trustees to provide for wood, and Edward Willetts was appointed to inspect the wood and give re- ceipts.
JAMAICA BAY AND ITS FISHERIES.
Jamaica Bay, as before stated, is thickly interspersed with islands through its central portion from east to west. A part of these islands are simply sand bars that are completely submerged at high tide, a portion are over- flowed by the highest tides only, and a few are composed of dry land that the tide never overflows. The sand bars are of course destitute of vegetation, and those which are at times overflowed produce a coarse grass called sedge, while a few of the higher are arable.
" Daniel Duryee (afterward assemblyman), Wmn. Fur- man, Wm. Creed, and two others were put in one pew in New Utrecht church. Bayles wanted them to get the The bay is navigable through Broad and Beach chan- Bible out of the pulpit and read to him. They feared to nels for vessels drawing six or eight feet, and through
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THE FISHERIES OF JAMAICA BAY-SLAVERY.
many of the other channels and in its northern portion at high tide by vessels of a lighter draft. It is crossed, near its middle, by the New York, Woodhaven, and Rock- away Railroad, which is built on piles across it, and has draw-bridges over three of the principal channels.
This bay has always been a place of resort for pro- curing clams, crabs, and oysters. The first recorded ac- tion by the town prohibiting the indiscriminate taking of these shellfish was taken in 1763. In July of that year the following notice was given:
" Whereas divers persons, without any right or license so to do, have of late, with sloops, boats and other craft, presumed to come into Jamaica Bay and taken, destroyed and carried away quantities of clams, mussels and other fish, to the great damage of said town, this is to give warning to all persons who have no right or liberty that they do forbear to commit any such trespass in the bay for the future; otherwise they will be prosecuted at law for the same by Thomas Cornell jr. and Waters Smith. By order of the town."
The following is found in the colonial manuscripts:
"May 31 1704 Tunis Johnson, Derick Johnson Amber- nian and Derick Longstreet, fishermen, of Flatlands, were brought prisoners to Jamaica for trespassing in Ja- maica Bay by fishing with nets without consent of the freeholders. They were let off on their giving a bond for £100 not to do so again. But in May 1707 Governor Cornbury ordered them to attend him at Rockaway Beach, with their boats and nets, and bid them, when there, to fish and draw their nets. After Cornbury was out of of- fice (May 1709) the people of Jamaica sued the fishermen for the penalty of their bond which they had forfeited. The prisoners petition for a release from their bond."
In 1791 it was "voted that all persons be precluded from coming with boats and pettiaugers in the bay of this town for the purpose of getting clams or oysters without paying to the commissioners authorized to receive the same the sum of one shilling for every thousand so taken as aforesaid, on pain of paying 40s. for each offence." This regulation was reenacted several times in subse- quent years. At the same town meeting it was “ voted that no person or persons other than inhabitants of the township and paying taxes within the same presume to cut any sedge on the marshes in the bay of this township, on the penalty of 4os. for each offence."
In 1863 the trustees of the town, for a consideration of six cents, granted to D. H. Waters " the privilege of planting oysters under the waters of Jamaica Bay to the extent of one hundred square yards, under said waters known as Hell Gate Marsh."
At the annual town meeting in 1869 the exclusion of non-residents from the fisheries in the bay was recom- mended, and at the town meeting in 1871 the trustees were instructed to remove all stakes or other obstructions illegally standing in the waters of the bay, or in the marshes thereof.
In 1871 an act was passed by the Legislature author- izing the board of auditors to lease to actual residents of the town, on certain prescribed conditions, portions of land under the waters of the bay for planting oysters, and prescribing penalties for any trespass on lands so leased.
In 1875 a vote on the question of these leases was taken by ballot, resulting as follows: “For granting ex- clusive privileges in the waters of Jamaica, 167; against the same, 808." Notwithstanding this emphatic protest of the people lessees are still in the enjoyment of the rights they acquired under the law.
The following appeared in the New York Mercury of January 27th 1754:
" Last Monday morning, the weather being uncom- monly pleasant and warm, many people were induced to go into Jamaica Bay for oysters, clams, etc .; but about noon such a severe gale of wind arose from the north- west, with a sudden change from warm to cold, as was scarce ever known here, when all the small craft put off to gain the shore in the best manner they could. A num- ber of canoes and pettyaugers came on shore at a point of meadow south of Jamaica, and, with the utmost dif- ficulty, the people belonging to them traveled up to a house two miles from the place of landing. All got safe to the house, though much benumbed and several speech- less, except Daniel Smith, a young man, who perished on the meadows half a mile from the house, his companions not being able to help him any further, having dragged him a mile after he lost the use of his feet. The same day the crews of two canoes in Jamaica Bay, consisting of eight people, from Newtown, not returning at night were sought for next day, but the ice being so thick it was impracticable to go far in quest of them until Friday, when one canoe was found driven on an island of sedge, in which were found the bodies of Samuel Leveridge, Amos Roberts, William Salier and Thomas Morrel, alias Salier-all frozen to death; the steersman sitting in an erect posture at the helm. The three former were mar- ried men, leaving distressed families behind them. To- day another canoe was seen but could not be come at by reason of the ice, in which, it is supposed, are the other four missing persons-one white man servant and three valuable negroes."
SLAVERY IN JAMAICA.
Slavery prevailed in Jamaica, as well as in other towns on Long Island, down to the time of its abolition by the several enactments of the Legislature. Here, however, as in the other towns, it had not the opprobrious features that characterized it in other countries, and in other re- gions of this country. As penalties for crimes corporal punishments were inflicted on slaves, but it must be re- membered that freemen were also subjected to these pen- alties, for the pillory, the stocks, the whipping post and the branding iron were approved institutions in those days. The following paragraphs and advertisements, among others, have been collected by Mr. Onderdonk and recorded in his "Queens County in Olden Time."
In 1672 Andrus, a negro slave of Captain Wm. Law. rence, was whipped 39 stripes, and branded on the fore- head with a hot iron, for theft and larceny of some linen etc., at Jamaica. " A mulatto fellow, Isaac, aged 24," was advertised July 3d 1749, as having run away from John Betts, of Jamaica. August 20th 1764 was advertised a negro man, "who speaks broken English," taken up. In 1766 a negro man, Mink, was advertised by John Polhe- mus; and another-Primus-by John Combes; both runaways, from Jamaica. In 1775 a report was circu- lated in Jamaica of a conspiracy among the negroes to
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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.
destroy the whites, and several were arrested; but the report proved to be false. In October of the same year an advertisement appears for the sale of some real estate at Old Neck, on which is a grist-mill etc .; also a fine healthy negro boy ten years old. In 1781 Ray & Fitz- simmons advertised an absconding " negro, llercules, apt to stutter on surprise; and a wench, young and lusty, with three scars on each cheek, from the southward." In 1784 Rev. John Bowden, of Jamaica, " offers a reason- able reward and charges for his negro boy Bill, who ran away," etc.
The Long Island Farmer of December 5th 1822 stated: "In and about Jamaica are great numbers of colored people growing up in ignorance of the Bible and everything that belongs to civilization, and who have no- where to look for instruction but to the Sabbath-schools. The teachers, having obtained permission, have opened a school for them in the Presbyterian church, and have already gathered in about fifty."
In the year 1814, and several years immediately fol- lowing, many certificates of manumission of slaves by their owners were recorded. These were preceded by certificates of the overseers of the poor that the slaves manumitted were less than forty-five years of age, and capable of providing for themselves.
SCHOOLS.
According to the census returns of 1880 the colored population of Jamaica is 324, most of whom reside in the village. Some of these are descendants of those who were slaves here before the " peculiar institution" was abolished in the State of New York.
The first known record concerning a school in Jamaica was made between January and March 1676, as follows: "ye constable & oversers have & doe give libberty unto Richard Jones to make use of ye meting house for to teach scoule in for ye yere ensuing, provided he keep- ye windowes from breaking and keep it deasent & clean one Saturday nights against ye Lords day & seats to be placed in order :- excepting what times ye constable and over- sers shall have ocation to make use of it; then they to have it at their disposal by order of ye constable and oversers."
Without doubt this "scoule," if Mr. Jones gave much attention to orthography, met an obvious want among the inhabitants of the town at that time. It is a well known fact that, as a rule, wherever New Englanders or their descendants settled the school-house as well as the church quickly made its appearance; and this town was not an exception to this rule, though the histories of the early schools here are lost.
The records for 1726 include this entry, which, it must be admitted, does not give evidence of astonishing pro- gress:
"Jamaica May the forth 1726 .-- At a town meeting held at Jamaica at the time aforesaid it was voted ye ma- jority of the freeholders then & there assembled voted that Mr. Pier [Poyer] Mr. Cross Just Betts Just Messin- ger Just Smith & Clerk Smith are appointed and chosen
to see what people are willing to agree to doe or sub- scribe toward ye incorrigement of a free scoule in ye town
" entered by me nehem Smith clerk "
Under the common school system which was estab- lished in 1812 the town in 1813 voted to "receive their quota of the school fund for the appropriation of com- mon schools of this State, and that the sum of $125 be raised for said fund." In that year Benjamin Wright, Jeremiah Skidmore, and David Lamberson jr. were elected school commissioners; and Daniel Smith, John Ludlum, Johannes S. Lott, Jacob Bergen, Abraham Hen- drickson, and John J. Messenger inspectors. The town was divided by the commisioners into seven school dis- tricts.
The following resolution, adopted the next year, illus- trates the conservative spirit which renders people cautious in adopting what they regard as innovations: " Voted that the town do not receive their quota of money from this State as regards common schools, and agreed that the town give the inoney to the poor that was raised as the quota for common schools."
In 1844 Henry Onderdonk jr. was elected the first town superintendent of common schools under the law creating that office.
There are now seven school districts in the town out- side of the village of Jamaica, and in these tasteful and convenient school-houses have replaced the ruder struc- tures of former times. In the schools taught in these houses two and in some instances three teachers are em- ployed; and as far as practicable they are graded.
From "reading, writing and ciphering " the curriculum of study has come to embrace many of the higher branches, and a good education is thus placed within the reach of all, whether of indigent or wealthy parentage.
TOWN OFFICERS.
At first the people of the town determined what offi- cers to elect, and prescribed the duties of those officers. No machinery of local government had then been devised for them, and from time to time, when assembled in town meeting, they chose such officers, and invested them with such functions, as circumstances seemed to require.
At the first town meeting, in 1656, Daniel Denton was chosen "Clark." He served about ten years, and was followed by Samuel Ruscoe, Nathaniel Denton, John Skidmore, Samuel Ruscoe, Benjamin Coe, and Zachariah Mills; each of whom served served several years during the first half century after the settlement of the town.
In 1659 Mr. Coe, Richard Everet, Samuel Mathews, and Luke Watson were recommended to the governor for appointment as magistrates. For the same office Robert Coe, John Baylie, Benjamin Coe, and Daniel Denton were recommended in 1662; John Baylie and Daniel Denton in 1663, and Robert Coe in 1664.
In 1662 Richard Brittnell and Richard Darling were chosen marshals. In 1663 William Foster and Daniel Denton were elected overseers of the poor, Francis Finch constable and Goodman Benedick lieutenant of the
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SUPERVISORS OF JAMAICA-EARLY MILLS.
town. Subsequent elections resulted as follows: 1664- William Waters, William Foster, Luke Watson, Abra- ham Smith, and Joseph Smith, townsmen; 1665-Henry Whitney, Benjamin Coe, Thomas Smith, Joseph Thurs- ton and Samuel Mathews, townsmen; 1666-Samuel Smith, constable; 1670 --- John Carpenter and Nehemiah Smith, overseers of the poor's stock; 1675-Samuel Smith, constable; 1679-Daniel Whythead and Nicholas Everit, overseers; 1681-Henry Foster and George Wool- sey, overseers; 1682-Nicholas Everit, constable, Sam- uel Smith and Nathaniel Denton, overseers; 1684-Dan- iel Denton, Joseph Smith and Nicholas Everit, commis- sioners; 1686-Thomas Smith, constable; Capt. Carpen- ter, Nehemiah Smith and Daniel Denton sen., commis- sioners.
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