USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 13
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Facsimile of original Patent Granted to BARNE TYSEN in 1677
125
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
ily, the Moores, at Newtown, and he, sinking still deeper in intemperance, accepted the position of a sergeant of foot or marines and went on a voyage at sea on a man-of-war. This was in 1798 or 1799. He was familiarly known as "Jack " Dongan. The last of his financial resources were finally ex- hausted and, broken down in health, he became a public charge for his living. Fortunately he had a god-mother, who lived in Jamaica, West Indies, and she learning his condition, sent money to pay his passage, and he went thither to complete the measure of his broken down life under her generous care and patronage.
The remnant of the lordship containing the manor house was sold by John C. Dongan to John McVickar. He occupied it as a country seat from 1795 to 1802, when he sold it to Alexander McComb. McVickar constructed a canal two miles long from Fresh pond to the mill, took a hand in many public enterprises, and helped Mr. Vanderbilt the elder to funds with which to procure a piragna and dock at Factoryville. McComb sold the place to John Bodine, the younger, and he to his father. By the latter it was sold to Judge Edwards for Abraham Varick. But why continue to follow the changes. The glory of the manor has departed ; the last lord of its dominion has a long time slept in his grave, and the venerable manor house has been swept away by the devouring flame. Surely "man in honor abideth not."
"This Following Pattent for a Peece of Land Lyeing att Karles Neck att the Fresh kill on Staten Island Granted to Barne Ty- sen being Omitted to be Recorded when Granted is Now Entred att the Request of the said BARNE TYSEN this 29th day of No- vembr. 1681.
" Edmund Andros Esqr. Seigneor of Sausmarex Lievt. and Governor Generall under his Royl. Highs. James Duke of Yorke and Albany &c. of all his Terretorys in America Where- as by Virtue of my Warrant yr. hatlı Benn Laid out for BARNE TYSEN a Certaine Peece of Land Lyeing at Karles Neck at the Fresh Kill upon Staten Island being in Breadth by the Meadow side fforty and five Rods Ranging South East two hundred Eighty and fouer Rods Being Bounded to the Southwest by the Land of Thomas Morgan to the South East by the Commons and to the North East by the Land of Wolford Proll with tenn
126
HISTORY OF RICHIMOND COUNTY.
· Acres of Salt Meadow fronting to the said Land and fouer Acres of Fresh Meadow upon the Hills in the Reare of the Neck Con- teining in all Ninety fouer Acres as by the Returne of the Sur- vey nndr the Hand of the Surveyor: Doth and may appeare Know Yee that by vertne of his Maties Letters Pattents and the Commission and Authority unto me Given by his Royll Highs I have Given and Granted and by these Presents Doe hereby Give and Grant unto the said Barne Tysen his Heires and Assigns the afore recited Peece of Land and Premisses with their and every of their Appurtenuces. To have and to hold the said Peece of Land and Premisses unto him the said Barne Tysen his Heires and Assignes unto the proper use and Behoofe of the said Barne Tysen his Heires and Assignes For ever Hee making Improvemt thereon according to Law and Yeelding and Paying therefore Yearly and every Yeare unto his Royll Highs use as a Quitt Rent one Bushell of Good Winter Wheate unto such Officer or Officers as shall be Empowred to Receive the same. Given under my Hand and Sealed with the Seale of the Province in New Yorke this twenty Ninth Day of September in the 29th Yeare of his Maties Reigne Annoq Domini 1677.
The Meadow to be proporconable with the Rest of the In- habitants.
E. ANDROSS.
" Examined by me
" MATTHIAS NICOLLS Secr.
I do hereby Certify the aforegoing to be a true Copy of the Original Record Compared there with By me.
" LEWIS A. SCOTT, Secretary."
" Recorded at ye Request of Daniell Lake & Compa
" William the third by the Grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the ffaith &c To all to whome these prsents shall Come Sendeth Greeting. Whereas our Loveing Subjects Daniell Lake and Joseph Holmes have by their Petitions Presented unto our trusty and well beloved John Nanfan Esqr our Lt Governr & Commander in Cheif of our Province of New Yorke and the Territories Depending thereon in America & Pray our Grant and Confirmation of a Certain Tract of Land on Staten Island in the County of Richmond
127
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
finning at ye Northwest Corner of the Lott of Land Laid out Peter Billjean in the Reer of his three Lotts Granted by 'dmond Andros & Runs thence North Westerly by the Line braham Lakerman & William Barker to ye Land of Tennis .berts and Vincent fountain & so runs alongst his Line h Easterly to the South East Corner thereof thence to the hwest Corner of Jacques Guyen & so by the Reer of . tteans Lotts Westerly to ye Place where begunn being led on the Northwest by Abraham Lakerman & William r on the North East by Tennis Eghberts and Vincent in on the South East by the Lotts of Isaac Billjean & on seth West by the Lotts of Peter Billjean Conteining two d acres wch reasonable request wee being willing to Know Yee that of our Speciall Grace Certain Knowledge r motion wee have Given Granted Ratifyed and Con- by these prsents Doe for us our Heires and Successors int Ratifye and Confirme nnto our sd Loveing Subjects Lake and Joseph Holmes all the aforecited Tract of hin our County of Richmond & within the Limitts & Foresd together with all and Singular the Woods Under- '1 ees Timber feedings Pastures Meadows Marshes ods Pools Water watercourses Rivers Rivoletts Runs hing fowling hunting and hawkeing Mines Mineralls Fold Mines Excepted and all other Profitts benefitts
Liberties Advantages Hereditamts and appurte- bever to the afoerecitd Tract of Land within the
Lir unds aforementioned belonging or in any wise
app w have and to hold all the afoerecited Tract of Land together wth all and Singular the woods underwoods Trees Timber feedings Pastures Meadows Marshes Swamps Ponds Pools watercourses Rivers Rivers Rivoleits Runs Brooks Streams fishing fowling hunting and hawkeing Mines Mineralls Silver and Gold Mines Excepted & all other Proffitts Benefitts Privilledges Liberties Advantages Hereditaments and appurte- nances whatsoever to the aforesd Tract of Land within the Limitts and Bounds aforementioned belonging or in any wise appertaining unto to them the said Daniell Lake and Joseph Holmes their Heires and assignes to the only Proper use benefitt and behoof of them the said Daniell Lake and Joseph Holmes their Heires and assignes forever to be holden of us our Heires & Successors in free and Comon Soccage as of our Mannr of East
128
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Greenwch in our County of Kent within our Realm of Englar Yielding Rendring & Paying therefore Yearly and every Ye unto us our Heires and Successors at our City of New Yor on the feast Day of the Nativity of our blessed Saviour 11 annuall and Yearly Rent of twelve Shillings Currt Money New Yorke in Lien and Stead of all other Rents Dnes Du Services and Demands whatsoever In Testimony whereof have Caused the Great Seale of our said Province to be l unto affixed Witness John Nanfan Esqr our Lient Go' & Comander in Cheif of our Province of New Yorke our ffort in New Yorke the 20th day of Aprill in the fourt year of our Reign.
"JOHN NAN " By his honrs Comand M: CLARKSON, Secry. "I do hereby Certify the aforegoing to 1 Copy of the Original Record. "Compared therewith By Me "LEWIS A. SCOTT, SCOTT
Many other patents were granted for lands on These we have already said were generally fc 5. From the quit-rents affixed to such grants the c or's obtained a considerable revenue. A patent o ! by Governor Fletcher, December 20, 1697, to Sa , for a tract of land on the south side of the island The annual quit-rent on this was four shillings was soon after in the possession of Jacob Berger, and by the middle of the century belonged to John Keteltas in whose family it remained for several generations. A patent was granted by Queen Anne, September 1, 1708, to Francis Vincent for several parcels of land on the island, in which mention is made of the following adjoining owners : Peter Lecount, Albert Janson, one Pinhorne, John Melyore, John Breveele, Francis Welton, John Bodine, Benjamin Cooper, Mark Dussassway, Abraham Cannon, Jacob Galliott, John Cashee and Joshna Carsoon. In locating these parcels the following neighboring points are mentioned : Courtlandt, Freshi kill (16 acres of salt meadows at the mouth of it, " being almost round a certain Hammock of Upland," which is included, the whole "bearing N. W. from the house of
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
John Morgan "), Daniel's neck, Thomas's creek, Charles's neck, and Abraham Cannon's creek.
The last royal patent for lands on Staten Island was granted by Queen Anne, to Lancaster Symes, on the 22d of October, 1708. It conveyed all unappropriated lands, meadows, etc., etc., on the island, at an annual rent of six shillings current money of New York, payable on Lady-day of each year. It is recorded at Albany in book No. 7 of Patents, page 371, and quite recently recorded in this county.
The following receipts copied from the originals will be of in- terest to show the manner in which the business was done. Numerous receipts of the kind may be found in all parts of the county.
"Received of Arent Van Amer Two Bnshells and a half of Wheat in full for One years Quitt Rent of two Lotts of Land on Staten Island, one Granted to Philip Bendell & the other to John Taylor the 15th December 1680, being to the 25th March last, as Witness my hand this 12th August 1761.
RICHD NICHOLLS Depty Recr Gent."
"Received of Arent Van Amer Five busbells of Wheat in full for two Years Quitt Rent of the two Lotts of Land above mentioned to the 25th March last. As Witness my hand the 10th June 1763.
RICHD. NICHOLLS Depty Recr Gen !. "
"Received of Aarnt Van Amer Five Bushells of Wheat in full for two years Quitt Rent of the two Lotts of Land above mentioned to the 25th of March last. As Witness my hand this 2'd May 1765.
RICHD. NICHOLLS Depty Reer Gen !. "
The above receipts are all written in a distinct, but very cramped hand on a scrap of paper 4 by 6 inches. The three following are written on the reverse side of the same paper.
" Received of Arent Van Amer two bushells and a half of Wheat in full for one years Quit Rent of the before mentioned Lotts of Land due 25 March last.
New York 14 May 1766 JOHN MOORE Dep. Rec". Gen."
9
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
" Received of Arent Van Amer Two Bushells & a half of Wheat in full for One Years Quit Rent of the before mentioned Lotts of land due 25 March last.
Witness my hand 13 May 1767
JOHN MOORE Dep. Rec". Gen1."
"Recd of Arent Van Amen Two Bushells & half of Wheat in full for one Years Quit Rent of the above mentioned Lotts due 25th March last. Witness my hand the 6th July 1768."
There are three other receipts for wheat, bringing the pay- ment down to March 25th, 1775. The individual mentioned by the names of Arent Van Amer-Van Amen-Van Naum, was Aaron Van Name, the grandfather of Mr. Michael Van Name, and his brother Charles Van Name, both of Mariner's Harbor.
"Patent granted to John Taylor for a Tract of Land on Staten Island dated 15th Decemr 1680 at One & a half Bushel Wheat per Annum.
( From 25 March 1775 y m
Aaron Van Naum to 25 May 1787 is 12 ; 2 Deduct 8 .--
4. 2 @ 9/ £1. 17. 6 14 years commutation-9/ 6. 6. - £8. 3. 6
Reced New York June 21st 1787 from Aaron Van Naum per the hands of Joshua Mercerean Esq. Public Securities which with the Interest calculated thereon to the 25th May last amounts to Eight Pounds three shillings & Six Pence in full for Arrears of Commutation on the above Patent.
£8. 3. 6 PETER S. CARTENIUS State Andr"
It will be observed that during the royal government the quit rent was payable in wheat, according to the terms of the patent. Under the federal government it appears to liave been com- muted for money.
Resuming the order of our narrative we find the commotions
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
which had disturbed the people here for many years and finally reached the culmination of disorder and unrest in the usurpa- tion of Leisler, were followed by an extended period of com- parative tranquility, during which the colonial government was established upon a more equitable basis and was more uniform in its administration. From this time forward till the disrup- tion of the colonial government in May, 1775, the throne of Great Britain held undisputed control over the colony of New York. The government, as then constituted and afterward maintained, was composed of the governor and council, ap- pointed by the throne, and the assembly, whose members were elected by the freeholders of each county. The council at first numbered seven members, but was afterward increased to twelve. The governor was the chief executive. The legislative power lay in the governor, council and assembly. All laws were further subject to the revision of the king, to whom they were always to be sent within three months from the date of their passage.
Governor Slaughter appears to have shown more regard for the rights and wishes of the people than his predecessors had done, or some of his successors did. He succeeded, as far as the nature of the government would allow, in quieting the commotions that had disturbed the peace of the people, and in restoring harmony and friendly relations in the colony. Among his first acts was the confirmation, under the seal of the prov- ince, of all grants, charters or patents that had previously been issned. We may say that with his administration a new era commenced. The gubernatorial reins passed in frequent succession from one to another down through the prosperous years of the colony.
The governors and time of their administrations were as follows, those who died in office being marked by an asterisk (*):
Henry Slaughter, * 1691 ; Richard Ingoldsby, 1691-92 ; Ben- jamin Fletcher, 1692-98 ; Richard, Earl of Bellmont,* 1698- 1701 ; John Nanfan, 1701-02 ; Lord Cornbury, 1702-08 ; John, Lord Lovelace, * 1708-09 ; Richard Ingoldsby, 1709-10 ; Ger- ardus Beekman, 1710; Robert Hunter, 1710-19 ; Peter Schuyler, 1719-20; William Burnet, * 1720-28 : John Montgomery, * 1728- 31 ; Rip Van Dam, 1731-32 ; William Casby*, 1732-36 ; George Clarke, 1736-43 ; George Clinton, 1743-53; Sir Danvers Os- borne, * 1753 : James De Lancey, 1753-55 ; Sir Charles Hardy,
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
1755-57; James De Lancey, * 1757-60: Cadwallader Colden, 1760-61; Robert Monkton, 1761; Cadwallader Colden, 1761-65; Sir Henry Moore, * 1765-69 ; Cadwallader Colden, 1769-70 : John, Lord Dunmore, 1770-71 ; Willam Tryon, 1771-77.
We now turn to notice the courts, the officers connected with them, and some of their works, during this period. The courts were at first held in different places in the county, wherever convenience indicated. It is not known at what time they were first held at Stony Brook as a regular place for them, but we find the custom prevailing during the early years of the eigh- teenth century. At the same time the jail seems to have been at "Cuckoldstown," the early name for Richmond, where it was built in 1710, as the following order would indicate :
"Ordered that Mr. Lambart Garisone and Mr. Wm. Tillyer. See the prison House built at Cuckols Towne-ye Dimensions Twelve foot in breadth, fourteen foot Long. Two Story high, six foot ye Loer Room from beam to plank, and the uper Story Six foot, all to be built with stone, and for building of the sd. prison the Said Undertakers have hereby power To take the Monys out of the Collectors hands for carying on the sd. work & the order of ye sd. Undertakers & Receipts shall be a Suffi- vient discharge to ye sd. Collectors."
This building proved inadequate to the purpose as is seen by the fact that at a court of sessions held in the court house at Stony Brook, on the 5th day of March, in the ninth of his Ma- jestys' reign (1723), "Benjamin Bill Eqr high Sheriffe of the County of Richmond Complains to the Court of the Insuffi- ciency of his majesty Goal for the said County that it is all to- gether soe Insufficiency that it is impossible to keep any pris- oner safe as the Said Goal Divers prisoners having lately Es- caped thereout and therefore the said sheriffe protest against the Inhabitants of the County of Richmond for Repairing the said Goal and against all waits Escapes that may Ensue for the Insufficiency of the said Goal and pray that his protest may be entered accordingly."
In 1725, Nicholas Larzelier, then high sheriff, repeated the same complaint in the same terms. Two years after he repeated it again, but what result attended the complaints we are not in- formed, A new court house and jail were probably erected at Richmond, whence the county seat was removed and estab-
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
lished. The earliest mention of the court of sessions being held at Richmond is dated September 2, 1729.
Previous to the erection of a court house the courts were held in private houses or taverns. The following entry gives some hints :
"March 2, 1713 -- Court a journed till to morow at Ten of the Clock in the forenoon to the North Side To Coll Grahams Court opened, and ajourned Till ye fist Tuesday on 7ber [Sep- tember] next .- God Save the Queen."
Col. Aug. Graham was one of the judges of the common pleas and sessions.
Debtors were arrested and obliged to give bail or go to prison. The return of the precept of arrest by the sheriff or constable was "Cepi Corpus." In almost every instance where a prisoner was acquitted by the jury, he was discharged by the court upon payment of costs. The courts of general sessions were fre- quently conducted by an overflowing bench, as for example, on the 22d of September, 1761, there were present the first, second and third judges, and nine justices, making in all a bench of twelve. It was a common thing for a court to be constituted with eight, nine or ten judges.
The following abstracts from conrt records will be read with nterest :
"At a Court of Sessions held for the county of Richmond March 3, 1712.
" Jos. Arrowsmith, Lambert Garrison, Nathi Britton, Abm. Coole [Cole], Peter Rezeau, Esqs.
" March ye 4th. Court opened and Grand Jury calld. The presentmts of the Grand Jury brought in ; the Court orders prosess to be issued out against those presented-viz. Peter Bibout for beating Mr Mony [Manee] and his wiffe. Barnt Mar ling, Andrew Bowman, William Foord & The Taylor peter peryne & Vn. Buttler, Peter Catherick and Nath' Brittin Junr. all for fighting. John Dove and John Bilew for carrying of Syder upon the Sabbath Day. Abraham Van Tyle for allowing his negroe to Cary Irone to the Smiths on the Sabbath day, and Mark Disosway for being drunk on the Sabbath day."
At a court of sessions held March 5th, 1716, "it was ordered by the court that Nicholas Brittin pay Twelve shillings fline for his misbehavior to Nath1 Brittin Esq. and also ordered that
134
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
he beg Justice Brittins pardon and promise to doe so no more, and also to pay all the charges of this action."
September 3d, 1717, all the retailers of strong liquors were summoned to appear before the court of general sessions to show by what authority they retailed ; thereupon appeared " Mauris Williams, Jean Brown, Anthony Wright, Barnt Symerson, Daniel Lane, John Garrea, David Bisset, Cornelius Eyman, Lambt Garrittson Jun. Benjn Bill, Jacob Johnson, Isaac Symerson, Joseph Bastido "-thirteen in the whole county.
Simon Van Name was a justice of the peace, and a prominent man in his day. We give below copies of a couple of legal documents issued by him:
" Richmond County
To the Constable of the north diuision where as Complaind is made by Euert van name unto me Simon van name one of his Magistices Justice of the peace that Hennery day owith him the Sum of Senen Shillings and neglect to Pay the same this is theair for to require you to somins the same hennery day to apear before me at my dweling house on thursday next at one of the aclock in the after noon which will be the 13 day of this instient month els Jugment shall go against him by The fault giuen from under my hand this the tenth day of March Ano domini 1728-9
SIME VAN NAME."
The following venire has a paper attached to it containing the names of twenty persons, the first twelve of whom are num- bered, and probably constituted the jury in the cause: " Richmond to the Constable of
County
the North devision
Where as there is an action depending between Tommas mor- gan plantif & Isaac Garrison Defended Both of the County Abousd [above said] and the Defendant Desires a Jury upon the sd Action These are therefore in his Maiestyes Name to Require & Command you to Svmmons Twelve Sufficient Men to Appear Before mie on Wensday next at Twelve of the Clock in the forenoon of the Sameday at my Dwelling Hous to Serve as Jvrers upon the sd Action Depending Whereof fail not Given under my hand Thee twenty seventh day of July Annoq. Dom. 1730
SIME VAN NAME."
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Names attached; " 1 Abraham corshon, 2 richard crips, 3 John mengalroll, 4 garet cruse, 5 philip merel, 6 honas deker, 7 barnt sweme, S ranses bodine, 9 nicholes stilwell, 10 nichles depne, 11 John boker, 12 tunas te bout, nickles bush, mr couanoner, art simanson, Jacob benet, lambart garison, thomas lisk, alexander lisk, ben goman ayrs."
On the reverse of the venire are the following endorsements: " Richmond County July the 29
the Jury finds for the sd defendant.
venire
.0. 1.6
to the constabel. 0. 0
swaring the Jury 2. 0
swaring y evdens 1. 6
swaring the Constel
6
Entring verdeck. 1. 0
6-6
The last court of common pleas and general sessions in this county under the colonial government was held September 26, 1775. Following that a period of nearly nine years elapsed be- fore another court of the kind was held.
The following names appear as justices of the peace in this county at an early period: Ellis Duxbury, 1692; John Shotwell, 1692; Abraham Lackman, 1693; Cornelis Corsen, 1689-90; Joseph Billop, 1702-3.
The only case of capital punishment executed under a decree of the colonial courts, of which we have learned, took place about two or three years before the revolutionary war. We depend entirely upon tradition for the account of it, which is as follows : A negro, named Anthony Neal, was accused of break- ing into and robbing the store kept by Col. Aaron Cortelyou. The goods that were taken from the store did not exceed in value twenty dollars, and they were all found secreted in a wheat feald near by. The accused negro, after being imprisoned about two months, was tried and convicted and hung. The ex- ecution took place just by the school house at Richmond, the negro protesting his innocence with his latest breath. It is said that on the day following the execution his wife confessed that she had committed the theft herself.
A slight outline of certain important events in European his- tory now appears necessary as an introduction to the memorial
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
of an interesting incident, of which Staten Island was the scene in the autumn of 1761. Between the years 1756 and 1763 the seven years' war raged in Germany. In this remarkable contest the great Frederick had to defend his recently acquired Silesia and the new kingly dignity of his house against the combined powers of France, Austria and Russia, This war with " the three petticoats " (Elizabeth, Maria Theresa and the Pompadour), as he facetiously termed them, was in fact, on his part, a desperate struggle for existence, in which he would per- haps have succumbed but for the aid of England. In that country Frederick, whose religious ideas were of the most un- orthodox liberality, came somehow to be regarded as "the Protestant hero," and after ignominiously defeating the French he naturally became the popular idol.
This same seven years' war covers in American history a space of nine years, and is known by the name of the French and Indian war, beginning in 1754, with the disputes about the French and English colonial boundaries in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, and blending ultimately with the great European contest. In the spring of 1755 the colonies made extensive preparations for an attack on the French, but owing to the ig- norance of their commanders in regard to the tactics of Indian warfare the campaign was utterly unsuccessful. Crown Point and Niagara were both assailed, but neither captured. In the campaign of 1756 the English losses were even greater, their fort at Oswego, with 1,600 men, being captured by the French. This was followed by the still more unsuccessful campaign of 1757, in which Fort William Henry, on Lake George, with its garrison of 3,000 men was compelled to surrender to the French.
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