USA > New York > Queens County > History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals. > Part 47
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On Tuesday May Ist 1792 the academy, called Union Hall, because built by a union of Jamaica, Flushing and Newtown, was opened for the reception of students About twelve o'clock the trustees moved in procession trom Hinchman's inn to the Hall, the secretary being in front and bearing the charter granted by the regents. On arriving at the academy they were conducted by the master builder to the hall. The company then being seated, a psalm was sung by a number of young ladies and gentlemen, selected for the purpose. An oration was delivered by Abraham Skinner, Esq., to a very nu. merous and respectable audience, and the chanting of an ode (composed by the Rev. George Faitoute for the oc- casion) concluded the business. The trustees then re- turned to the inn and dined together. After dinner toasts and sentiments were drunk.
On the 21st of May 1792 Maltby Gelston, a gentleman of approved character and abilities, having been ap- pointed principal, began teaching Latin and Greek, mathematics, etc., for £6 per annum; writing, arith- metic and English grammar, £4; reading, writing and arithmetic, £3 45 .; reading and writing, £2 8s .; read- ing only, £2. Board was to be had on very reasonable terms.
Mr. Gelston was to have for his compensation the profits arising from the tuition of the scholars. The fol- lowing text books were adopted by the trustees:
English .- The Monitor, to be read daily as the last lesson; Webster's Grammar, to be read, or repeated by memory; the Testament or Bible, to be read by inferior scholars, and once a day by all.
Latin .- Ross's, Ruddiman's, or John Holmes's Gram- mar; Colloquia Corderii, Erasmus, Selectæ Veteris, Se- lectæ Profanis, Nepos, .Esop's fables, Florus, Mair's In- troduction, Cæsar, Virgil, Cicero's Orations and De Ora- tore, Horace.
Greek .- Moore's Grammar, Testament, Lucien's Dia- logues, the Cyropædia, Longinus, the Iliad.
Rhetoric .- Blair's Belles Lettres.
Geography .- Guthrie's or Salmon's grammar.
Mathematics .- Stone's Euclid, Martin's Trigonometry, or Warden's Mathematics.
Among the rules are the following:
3d. Every scholar, when the tutor, or any gentleman, comes in or goes out, shall rise up with a respectful bow. 7th. Every scholar shall be particularly careful to treat all men, and especially known superiors, with the great- est modesty and respect.
The motto of the seal was : Sigillum Aula Unitatis. Semper luceat scientiæ sol. Within: Hic lux et veritas. (Seal of Union Hall. May the sun of science always shine. Here be light and truth.)
It was announced May 24th 1796 that " the Latin and Greek languages, and sciences, are taught at Union Hall Academy, Jamaica, under the care of the Rev. George Faitoute. A room is devoted to the instruction of young ladies in the refinements of the needle."
In 1797 Mr. Faitoute removed his school from the academy to his house, where he continued to teach the Latin and Greek languages, sciences, etc. The school has been in a flourishing condition.
At first the academy seemed to fail of its object. The principals were not successful till 1797, when L. E. A. Eigenbrodt took charge. He soon gave it a celebrity by his skill, discipline and tact, that attracted many students from abroad, the West Indies and southern States. He was cut off by an early death August 30th 1828, in his 54th year, having been principal thirty-one years.
In January 1831 the first number of the Union Ilall Gazette appeared. It was semi-monthly, edited by the students of the academy.
Here follows a list of the principals: Rev. Maltby Gelston, Samuel Crosset, John W. Cox, William Martin Johnson, Henry Liverpool, Henry Crosswell, Rev. George Faitoute, Albert Oblenas, L E. A. Eigenbrodt, Michael Tracy, Rev. William Ernenpeutch, Rev. John Mulligan, Henry Onderdonk jr., John N. Brinckerhoff, Daniel O. Quimby, Jared Hasbrouck.
On March Ist 1873 the academy and lot were sold to Alexander Hagner for $5,250, and the male department of Union Hall Academy was closed, after an existence of eighty-one years.
FEMALE SCHOOLS.
From the days of Goody Davis (1685) to modern times there doubtless have been schools for girls, though the names of the teachers have passed into oblivion.
From 1802 to 1804 a Miss Wooffendale kept a board- ing and day school in Jamaica. In 1815 there appeared the following advertisement:
" Wanted, to take charge of a female academy, in the village of Jamaica, L. I., on the first of May next, a lady who is well qualified to teach all the branches appertain- ing to a polite and well finished female education. The academy is sufficiently capacious to enable the instruct- ress to accommodate from 25 to 30 boarders. The trust- ees are determined to give every support and patronage to the institution, and feel confident that the inducements that may be offered will make it an object worthy the attention of some person of the best talents and experi- ence.
" Reference may be made to Mr. Henry Kneeland, 74
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SCHOOLS ÁT JAMAICA-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
South street, in New York, or to the Rev. Jacob Schoon- maker, at Jamaica, L. I.
" Jamaica, November Ist 1815."
The trustees of Union Hall appear to have felt the necessity of having a young ladies' seminary that would rank in the higher grades of education with Union Hall, which had now reached a commanding position. Having secured suitable teachers they issued in November 1816 the following notice:
" The trustees of Union Hall Academy, Jamaica, pur- pose to open a female academy, May 20th 1817, in a building that will accommodate from thirty to forty boarders. They have engaged two ladies of approved talent and experience, Mrs. Elizabeth Bartlette and Miss Laura Barnum, by whom young ladies will be instructed in all the branches of a polite and well finished educa- tion."
The prices of tuition per quarter were: Reading and spelling, $3; writing, plain sewing, arithmetic and En- glish grammar, $3.50; geography and mapping, with use of globes, composition, history, chronology and astron- omy, $5; filigree, painting and embroidery, $7; fancy work in wax, and velvet painting, $10; extras-French $5, dancing $10, music $18, use of piano $2, entrance fee $5, board $35, washing $5.
In 1819 Mrs. and Miss Dawson opened an opposition boarding and day school, where music, French, Italian and English were regularly taught. In 1824 Miriam Ann Simonson opened a female school at the house lately oc- cupied by Mrs. Bartlette and Miss Barnum. Mr. and Mrs. Halworth also advertised a female academy. Wil- liam White, from London, advertised a boarding acad- emy. In 1825 Rev. Mr. Kingsbury opened a female academy, and William P. Robertson, with an assistant, kept a school. William Puntine about 1808 and there- after kept a school in the front room of his tin shop.
Miss Eliza M. and Mary Hannah were in succession preceptresses of the female department of Union Hall from 1828 to 1841.
March 11th 1843 the corner stone of the present female academy was laid, the former one, erected in 1792, having been burned February 12th 1841. The preceptresses in succession were Margaret Adrain, Helen M. G. Stevens, Hannah M. Fleury and Anna C. Townsend.
OTHER SCHOOLS.
Emile Vienot conducts a classical and English school called Maple Hall, which may be considered a continua- tion of old Union Hall.
The village of Jamaica was organized as a school dis- trict by act of the Legislature July 19th 1853. The dis- trict is a circle of about two miles in diameter. A three- story frame building was erected and subsequently en- larged. The principal is assisted by nine teachers. The board of education consists of Lewis L. Fosdick, presi- dent; Pierpont Potter, secretary; Isaac C. Hendrickson, treasurer, and Henry Onderdonk jr., committee on li- brary. There is a branch (colored) school maintained by the board in a separate building.
The "Sisters' school " (Roman Catholic), opened in 1878, is intended for youth of both sexes, and is under the supervision of Rev. Anthony Farley.
CHURCHES.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JAMAICA.
Jamaica or Rusdorp was settled in 1656 by colonists mostly from Hempstead, who were independents or Presbyterians, and of one way of thinking in religion, so that church affairs were considered and transacted at town meetings.
For the first six years they had no settled minister. In 1661 " some of the inhabitants earnestly petitioned Gov- ernor Stuyvesant that he would send one of the Dutch ministers of New Amsterdam to preach for them and baptize their children. In compliance with this request the Rev. Samuel Drisius (who could preach in Dutch or English) repaired to Jamaica on Saturday January 8th, and next day preached two sermons and baptized eight children and two women."
On March 6th 1662 it was " voted that the townsmen shall look after the procuring of a minister, and to build a house for him 26 feet long, 17 feet wide and 10 feet in the stud, for £23 in wheat at 6s. and corn at 3s. 6d. per bushel, and to be paid by Christmas next." The house was to have the sides clapboarded, the roof shingled, two fireplaces, one above and one below; a partition, to be well smoothed and "knast;" the chimney well "catted," two windows below and one above. The town was to provide hinges and nails and draw the timber and other stuff.
On the 20th of December Mr. Coe, Goodman Bene- dict, Goodman Smith, Luke Watson and Daniel Denton were appointed to make the rate for the minister's house and cost of transporting him to Jamaica, the rate to be levied on meadows and home lots.
On January 29th 1663 it was voted that Abraham Smith should "have 30s. a year for beating the drum on Sabbath days and other public meeting days, in tobacco pay, or wheat at 6s. 8d. and Indian corn at 4s. per bushel."
February 14th 1663 it was voted that Zachary Walker should have £60 per year by a rate levied on land and estates, to be paid yearly, in December, in wheat at 6s. and Indian corn at 3s. 6d. per bushel.
March 2nd 1663 " the house and home lot are given to Mr. Walker, provided that if he leaves us without just cause the town shall have the refusal on paying for what he has expended for improvements; but if the town cause his leaving then the property is to be his." To this record twenty-four names are appended, being prob- ably those of all the freeholders in the town, viz .: John Bayles, William Brinkley, Thomas Benedict, Benjamin and Robert Coe, Daniel Denton, Richard Everett, William and Thomas Foster, George Cummings, John Hinds, Rodger Linas, Samuel Matthews, Andrew Mes- senger, Nathaniel Denton, John Rodes, Edward Rouse, John Stickland, John Skidmore, Abraham Smith, William
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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.
Smith, Samuel Smith, Joseph Thurston and Henry Whitney.
August 30th 1663 the town agreed with George Mor- ton to build a meeting-house 20 feet square.
September 4th 1665 the town (for his further encour- agement) agreed to cut and draw the minister's firewood, to till the ground he had broken up, and harvest his corn. In lieu of this £65 per year was voted Mr. Walker, pro- vided he agreed to continue here and procured ordina- tion so as not only to preach but to baptize infants.
Mr. Walker, now aged 31, concluded to leave Jamaica, and a final settlement was made with him August 7th 1668; he was paid for the improvements he had made on the parsonage, and on September 14th the town voted to procure another minister. His successor, John Prud- den, a graduate of Harvard, was 25 years old when he was called " to be our minister," at £40 a year in good current country pay and the use of the house, land and accommodations commonly called the "minister's lot."
As the meeting-house had benches instead of pews, and a table instead of a pulpit, the town voted that a pew or pulpit be made for the minister to preach in.
January Ist 1671 Nicholas Everett was voted 20s. a year for beating the drum to give the town warning to come to meeting on the Sabbath. The town, "being desirous to come into a church way [i. e. the organization of a Presbyterian church], according to the rules of the gospel in this town, by Mr. Prudden and such as will join with him," desired a positive answer (January 13th 1674) from him whether he would remain as its minister. He
replied that he was engaged to another people.
June 24th 1675 the town agreed to give Rev. William Woodruff £60 per year, "in such pay as will pass cur- rent from man to man-i. e. wheat at 5s. per bushel, pease at 4s. and rye at 4s., Indian corn at 3s .- and the use of the parsonage and lands attached."
June 19th 1676 the town set apart 40 acres of meadow in the East Neck, together with upland, for the use of a minister. In the town records, April 21st 1753, it is said to have been continued "for the use of a Presbyterian minister since June 19th 1676."
June 19th 1676 Mr. Prudden appears to have come back to Jamaica and been re-engaged as minister on the following conditions: The town agreed to give him the house, land and accommodations set apart for a minister, with all their privileges and appurtenances, on condition that he continue as minister ten years; but if he left be- fore that the accommodations were to revert to the town after he had been satisfied for his expenditures; it was also agreed to give him £40 a year, half in " merchants' pay delivered at York, and the other half in coun- try pay in this town, and his firewood free." The un- dersigned agreed to bring Mr. Prudden a load of wood apiece yearly: John Carpenter, Nathaniel Denton, John Everet, Henry Foster, Abel Gale, Jonas Halstead, Roger Lynas, Samuel Mathews, John Oldfield, John Rodes, William Ruscoe, Thomas Smith, Samuel Smith, Wait Smith, Nehemiah Smith, Joseph Smith, John Skidmore, Anthony Waters, George Woolsey.
Mr. Prudden was a Congregationalist; his people, some at least, were slack in paying their rates, and-to satisfy the preferences of the congregation it is thought-he be- came a Presbyterian.
December 6th 1689, at a town meeting, it was voted to build a meeting·house, 60 feet long and 30 feet wide, " and every way else as shall be convenient and comely." January 9th 1690 Daniel Whitehead, William White, Jo- seph Smith, Nathaniel Denton, John Carpenter and Nehemiah Smith were appointed to agree with workmen for building and finishing the meeting-house; "and the town will stand by them in paying according to their abilities or estates proportionably."
August 21st 1691 a committee agreed with Mr. Prud- den about the proposals he made respecting his arrear- ages and for his encouragement to continue here. His proposals were accepted by the town, and September 3d it was agreed that he should have £60 per year paid him and his firewood free.
August 23d 1692 Mr. Prudden accepted a call to a Presbyterian church in Newark. September 29th 1693 he conveyed the parsonage to the town in exchange for other land.
Rev. George Phillips was minister here from 1693 to 1696. He was a licentiate and not a pastor; a graduate of Harvard College, aged 29. " The parsonage remain- ing in the hands of the town it was concluded to give Mr. Phillips the money raised by free gift, being £60 for one year from date, and to pay for his diet where he shall be dieted."
March 8th 1694 it was voted that Mr. Phillips should have " all the overplus of the money freely given above the £60 and take the parsonage in his own hands, the town paying his first quarter's diet."
January Ist 1694 a meeting was held in order to the building of a meeting-house for the town, and five men were chosen " to divide the town into five squadrons and to see timber, stones and lime all gotten and fitted pro- portionably as shall be necessary for said work."
February 19th 1694, at a town meeting called by order of the justices, Nehemiah Smith and William Creed were chosen to be vestrymen for Jamaica pursuant to act of Assembly, and to meet with the rest of the vestrymen from the other towns, with full power to choose two church wardens.
April 3d 1694 it was voted that "if Mr. Phillips con- tinues his lifetime among us one year's salary, £60, shall be paid his widow."
July 15th 1697, at town meeting, it was agreed by lot that the meeting-house should stand "between the ses- sions-house and the crossway west of it." October 2nd 1697 "the west end of the town condescends that the meeting-house shall be set up near the pound, the east end people agreeing to procure a good bell. January ,5th 1698 it was agreed by vote at town meeting that there should be a church built, and to begin the work the next spring and continue it with all diligence.
September 13th 1698 Joseph Smith and Jonas Wood were empowered to treat with the governor about set
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THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JAMAICA.
tling Rev. Jeremiah Hobart in the ministry here; and Captain Carpenter, Captain Woolsey, Jonas Wood, Ben- jamin Thurston, Captain Whitehead, Joseph and John Smith, Edward Burroughs and John Hansen were deputed to carry on the work on the meeting-house.
April 15th 1698 " the people of this town did signify their willingness for continuing Mr. Hobart, our present minister, by holding up their hands in a public vote."
January 4th 1699 at town meeting it was "agreed that John Oakey, Richard Oldfield, Theodorus Polhe- mus and Daniel Smith sr. shall go amongst their neigh- borhoods to see what money can be raised by free will offering for the building of the church." Their report is not recorded, but Colonel Morris writes that one party of the dissenters resolved to build a church, and got sub- scriptions and materials enough to build it about three feet from the ground; but, being unable to finish it with- out the assistance of the rest, they got a church-building act passed which enabled the town trustees to make a rate for erecting a church where wanted. By aid of this law the church was soon completed. April 15th 1701, Frederick Hendrickson, John Oakey, William Creed, Hendrick Lott, Theodorus Polhemus, Eldert Lucas and Robert Reade (chirurgeon), living at the west of Jamaica, refusing to pay toward the building of the church, it was referred to arbitrators, who decided that they must pay their rates.
November 25th 1700 it was agreed unanimously at town meeting that, "as Mr. John Hubbard has contin- ued some considerable time in the ministry in this town, we are willing to continue him still and have him ordained according to the Presbyterian way." January 13th 1702 church wardens and vestrymen (all dissenters) were chosen, who called Mr. Hubbard (already their pastor) to be the minister of the town.
The former governors of the colony had mostly been indifferent in religious matters; but Lord Cornbury (1702) strove to enforce the English statutes of uniform- ity and set up the Church of England, according to in- structions he had received from Queen Anne. As he in- terpreted the law "all meeting-houses raised by public tax become vested in the ministry established by law, and so of all lands and glebes set aside by public town meetings." He accordingly encouraged the Rev. John Bartow, a clergyman of the established church, to crowd Mr. Hubbard out of the Presbyterian meeting-house in Jamaica.
Hence occurred a scene which we will allow Mr. Bar- tow to describe in his own graphic style:
once met with great disturbance at Jamaica [on Sunday, July 25th 1703]. Mr. Hubbard, their Presbyterian minister, having been for some time in Boston on a visit, returned to Jamaica the same Saturday night as I came to it, and sent to me at my lodging (I being then in company with our chief jus- tice, Mr. Monipesson, and Mr. Carter, her Majesty's comptroller) to know if I intended to preach on the mor- row. I sent him answer I did intend it. The next morning the bell rang as usual, but before the last time ringing Mr. Hubbard was got into the church and had
begun his service, of which notice was given me, where- upon I went into the church and walked straightway to the pulpit, expecting Mr. Hubbard would desist, since he knew I had orders from the governor to officiate there, but he persisted and I forbore to make any inter- ruption. In the afternoon I prevented him by beginning the service of the Church of England before he canie. He was so surprised when he got to the church door and saw me performing divine service that he suddenly started back and went aside to an orchard hard by, and sent in some persons to give the word that he would preach under a tree. Then I perceived a whispering through the church and an uneasiness of many people, some going out, some seemed amazed and not yet determined to go or stay. In the meantime some that had gone out re- turned again for their seats; and then we had a shameful disturbance, hauling and tugging of seats, shoving one another off, carrying benches out and returning for more, so that I was fain to leave off till the disturbance was over and a separation made; by which time I had lost about half the congregation, the rest remaining devout and attentive the whole time of service; after which we locked the church door and committed the key into the hands of the sheriff. We were no sooner got into an ad- joining house but some persons came to demand the key of their meeting-house; which being refused they went and broke the glass windows, and put a boy in to open the door, and so they put in their seats and took away the pulpit cushion, saying they would keep that for their own minister. The scolding and wrangling that ensued are by me ineffable.
"The next time I saw my Lord Cornbury he thanked me for what I had done, and said he would do the church and me justice. Accordingly he summoned Mr. Hubbard and the heads of the faction before him, and forbade him evermore to preach in the church, for as it was built by a public tax it did appertain to the es- tablished church. He also threatened them all with the penalty of the statute for disturbing divine service, but upon their submission and promise of future quietness and peace he pardoned the offense."
On July 4th 1704 Lord Cornbury ordered Rev. John Hubbard to give up to the sheriff the house and lands whereon he dwelt; and ordered the sheriff to deliver the premises to Rev. William Urquhart, the Church of Eng- land minister. So the Presbyterians were now ousted from both church and parsonage. They erected a place of worship or used a barn at the east end of the village, where they held services. They at times met in the county hall. The parsonage they soon recovered by an odd incident: The daughter of the rector's widow had married a Presbyterian student, and the widow surren- . dered the parsonage to the Presbyterians. The meeting- house was recovered by due course of law in 1728.
Mr. Hubbard died October 5th 1705, at the age of 28. Francis Goodhue was the next pastor, licensed (January 1706) by Lord Cornbury to be the minister of the Pres- byterian congregation at Jamaica. He died in the sum- mer of 1707, while on a visit to New England.
For two or three years there was no pastor; but in the spring of 1710 Rev. George McNish was called, when the Presbyterians had a brief occupation of the meeting- house, owing to the death of the incumbent, Rev. Wil- liam Urquhart. The Presbyterians were soon ejected and six of them arrested for riot or forcible detainer of the church; brought before the court of sessions April
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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.
11th 1710 and fined 35. each, which was afterward re- mitted. The town, however, by vote (July 25th 1712) confirmed Mr. McNish in the possession of the parson- age; and in a memorial to the governor complained of being " deprived of their meeting house by force and violence without any process, trial or judgment," and prayed such relief as his excellency should judge consis- tent with equity and justice.
Mr. McNish died March 10th 1722, and was succeeded (October 16th 1723) by Robert Cross, aged 34 years. He married Mary, daughter of Justice Oldfield, and her sis- ter Sarah married Mr. l'oyer, the Church of England rector of Jamaica. In 1737 Mr. Cross removed to Phil- adelphia. At a town meeting January 20th 1725, " where- as Mr. Thomas Poyer, the Church of England minister, brought a suit of ejectment against several tenants in possession of the parsonage lands and was cast," it was voted that "Mr. Robert Cross shall have the use and benefit of said lands during the time he shall continue our minister."
The Presbyterians had made several violent attempts to regain possession of their church, but failed and were fined and punished. At a town meeting February 21st 1727 a majority of the freeholders of Jamaica voted that "the ground and the stone building or meeting-house now in the occupation of Mr. Thomas Poyer shall be granted to John Carpenter, Jonas Wood and Benjamin Thurston, some of the surviving trustees by whom it was built, to hold in trust for the town, and to be disposed of according to the first intention of the builders." Justices Betts and Oldfield, Richard Comes and Samuel Clowes protested against this vote.
On the strength of the above vote they commenced a suit at law, and were successful. This was one of the most important suits ever prosecuted on Long Island, and aroused all the bad feelings of the litigants. In the absence of a full report, we give the minutes of the trial as we find them noted in the private record book of the judge before whom the case was tried. They are dry and technical, but they are all we have to give :
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