USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 14
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In 1758, William Pitt (afterward Lord Chatham) was placed at the head of the government as prime minister of England. A new impulse was now given to the energies of the nation, and success followed. In July, Louisburg, which at the former peace had been restored to the French, was recaptured, Fort Frontenac was captured soon after, and the French were compelled to abandon Fort du Quesne. General Abercrombie attacked Fort Ticonderoga, but was obliged to retire.
Encouraged by these successes, the colony of New York re- newed her exertions with the utmost energy, In 1759, during the short period of five months she raised a suni of 8625, 000 to aid
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
in carrying on the war, and levied a force of 2,680 men. In that levy the quota for Richmond county was 55 men. Ticonderoga was captured by General Amherst, early in the season, and Crown Point surrendered a few days later. In July, General Prideaux invested Fort Niagara, and though he was killed in the attack, Sir William Johnson, his successor in the command, effected its reduction. On the 13th of September, General Wolfe laid down his own life in the moment of victory, when the Englishi banners floated over the towers of Quebec. In 1760, the French made an unsuccessful attempt to recapture Quebec, and on the 8th of September, all the French possessions in Canada, except the two small islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, were surrendered to the Eng- lish. The provincial forces who had been engaged in its reduc- tion, now turned their faces homeward, while a large body of British troops were established in a camp on Staten Island. where they remained for several months. General Robert Moncton had command of this army. During their encamp- nient here an important ceremony, the investment of Sir Jeffery Amherst with the "Order of the Bath " took place, and to this interesting event our introductory remarks under this sub- ject pointed. Probably Staten Island was never honored with being the scene of a more dignified or important royal ceremony.
On the 28th of Angust, 1761, General Amherst, having rode on horseback down the west side of the Hudson river from Albany, arrived in camp at Staten Island. The 35th regiment of British regulars, called Otway's regiment, from its com- mander, had arrived in the Staten Island campfrom Albany about two weeks previous. The ceremony of investing General Am- herst with the knighthood took place October 25, 1761, in the presence of all the dignitaries of the province and a large con- course of spectators, assembled at the camp on Staten Island.
The explanation will not be out of place here that the mili- tary order of Knights of the Bath originated, as is supposed, about the time of Henry IV, of England. At the coronation of that king, in 1339, a number of esquires were made knights of the bath because they had watched and bathed meanwhile during the preceding night. From that time it was usual for the kings of Great Britain to create knights of this order on great and joyous occasions, such as their own coronation or the birth or marriage of princes or on the eve or following the successful
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
issue of some great foreign expedition. The investment of General Amherst was probably in honor of the advantageous conclusion of the struggle with the French on the Canadian frontier. The badge of the order was of pure gold, a sceptre of three united imperial crowns, from which grew the rose, thie thistle and the shamrock, and around which was inscribed the ancient motto, " Tria juncta in uno." It was hung by a red ribbon from the collar obliquely over the right shoulder. Other accessories of the insignia a massive gold collar, rich in engraved designs, and a silver star resembling the badge and with a glory of rays proceeding from its center, to adorn the left shoulder. The order was divided into three ranks, desig- nated in importance as first, knights grand crosses; second, knights commanders, and third, knights companions. The proper place for their installation to be celebrated was in the nave of Henry the Seventh's chapel, Westminster Abbey, which in this instance was impracticable. The warrant for the ceremony here was found in the following letter from the prime minister of England:
" Whitehall, July 17th, 1761. " Sir.
"His Majesty having been graciously pleased, as a Mark of His Royal Approbation, of the many and eminent Services of Major General Amherst, to nominate him to be one of the Knights Companions of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath; and it being necessary that he should be invested with the En- signs of the said Order, which are transmitted to him, by this Opportunity; I am to signify to you the King's Pleasure, that you should perform that Ceremony; and it being his Majesty's Intention, that the same be done in the Most Honourable and Distinguished Manner that Circumstances will allow of, you will concert, and adjust with General Amherst such Time and Manner for Investing him with the Ensigns of the Order of the Bath as shall appear to you most proper for shewing all due Respect to the King's Order, and as may, at the same Time mark in the most publick Manner, His Majesty's just sense of the Constant Zeal, and Signal Abilities, which Gen- eral Amherst has exerted in the Service of His King and Country.
"I am &c.
"W. PITT. "Honourable Robert Monckton."
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
In presence of the concourse of people assembled at the time and place appointed for the ceremonies General Moncton read the foregoing letter, and then proceeded to place the ribbon over General Amherst's shoulder, meanwhile making an apology that circumstances would not admit of more formal investi- ture. To this General Amherst replied in the following short speech :
" Sir: I am truly sensible of this distinguishing mark of His Majesty's royal approbation of my conduct, and shall ever esteem it as such. And I must beg leave to express to you the peculiar satisfaction I have, and the pleasure it gives me to re- ceive this mark of favor from your hands."
Demonstrations of applause followed the ceremony, and a few days later, when General Amherst went from Staten Island to the city his arrival there was greeted by the firing of seven- teen guns from Fort George. He was now spoken of as "his Excellency Sir Jeffery Amherst, K. B., from the army on Staten Island." Following this ceremony General Moncton was installed governor of New York, and the city was illumi- nated.
Governor Moncton did not remain in the seat of state, but appointing a deputy, he went with the army on its expedition to the West Indies. The army encamped on Staten Island com- prised eleven regiments who had returned from the Canadian frontier, under Generals Moncton, Amherst and Otway. The encampment was on the central part of the island, and they remained here from August till November. Here they formed a market and invited the farmers to bring in stock and produce to sell to the army. When all was ready the army embarked on board of a fleet of one hundred sail of vessels, which on the 15th of November put to sea with a fair wind.
Reviewing the French war, we find but little in which the people of Staten Island were directly connected with it. They raised their proportion of money and their quota of men as contributions to sustain the cause. Of the men we have no knowledge farther than that Thomas Arrowsmith was captain of a company in 1758 and '59, and Anthony Waters was a captain in 1760.
One of the most important services was the capture of the French Fort Frontenac, on the 27th of August, 1758. With 3,000 men, mostly provincials, Colonel Bradstreet traversed
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
the wilderness between Albany and Lake Ontario, carrying with him eight pieces of cannon, and three mortars. Among these troops was a regiment commanded by Colonel Corse, of Queens county, and in that regiment was Captain Thomas Ar- rowsmith's company of Staten Islanders. This regiment con- tributed materially to the success of the expedition. Corse volunteered to erect a battery during the night of the 26th, and effected his purpose under a continuous fire from the fort. On the morning of the 27th, this battery opened on the enemy, who at once deserted the fort and fled. The material captured with the fort consisted of forty-six pieces of cannon, sixteen mortars, and a very large quantity of military stores, provisions and merchandise.
In connection herewith the following advertisement which appeared in April, 1756, affords interesting suggestions and ex- plains itself, though we do not know the result:
SCHIEME
Of a Lottery for raising One Hundred and Fifty Pounds.
" Whereas the Free holders and Inhabitants of the County of Richmond, are enabled by an Act of the Governor, Council and General Assembly, of the Colony of New York, to raise by Way of Lottery a Sum not exceeding the sum of One Hun- dred and Fifty Pounds, to purchase Arms and Accoutrements, for the Use of such Persons. in the said County, as are unable to provide themselves therewith, in Cases of Necessity. And whereas the said County of Richmond is a Frontier County. and liable, in Case of an Attack, to be the first invaded, it is hoped all Lovers of their Country will generously encourage the said Lottery.
No. of Prizes.
1
of
Pieces of Eight. 375
is
Whole Value. 375
2
187
and a half are
375
4
125
500
10
25
250
25
12
300
40
10
400
60
5
300
142 Prizes.
858 Blanks.
1,000 Tickets at 2 and a Half Pieces of 8 is 2,500
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
". As soon as the Lottery is finished Drawing, the Prizes will be published in the New York Gazette, and the Money paid to the Possessors of the fortunate Tickets, fourteen Days after the Drawing of the said Lottery, Fifteen per Cent. being first de- ducted out of the Whole; which several Deductions of Fifteen per Cent. are to be applied for the Purposes aforesaid.
"Proper Notice will be given by the Persons appointed to manage the said Lottery, of the precise Time of Drawing the same ; which Persons are Mr. Samuel Brooms and Colonel Ben- jamin Seamans, who are to give Bond, and be under Oath, for the faithful Performance of the Trust reposed in them.
"Tickets are to be sold by the said Managers at their respect- ive Dwellings, in the said County, and by the Promoters liereof."
Some description of scenes and physical improvements under the colonial period will be of interest, and may perhaps be pre- sented here as fitly as elsewhere. The laying out of roads was one of the first forms of public improvement, some of which remain in their original position to the present day. As matter of interest in connection herewith we copy the following record.
" This following Instrument was Recorded for the Inhabit- ants of the west divishone by the order of the worshipefull bench sitting in Coarte of seshones the week In september 1694 for the Regelating & Laying out all the highwayes with in said quarter & Entred upon Record the : 9th day of septr 1694. Richmond County this first day of september annoque dom: 1694: By vertue of Awarend dyreckted to the Constabell of the west dyvishone with In the fore said County to sommonse the free holders of said quarter to Asemble & meete to Gather to Ereckte Apoainte & Lay out such hyghwaies with in said quar- ter As the Inhabitants shall thinke futt and most Conveainent for the youse & behoofe of his magistie and his subgeckts & for the Inhabitants That lives back in the woods to transport them- selvfes & Goods to the water sid. The freeholders having mett to Gather on the day & yeare Above written And ordred and apoainted & Laid ont the highwayes as heare after are spresi- fied
: 1 : ordered one highway of six Rod to be betwene Anthoney deshon and Iofa fonoay Cut by Consent Alltred and Laid out betwene Anthoney deslion and Jerome deshon begining att the Could spring
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
: 2: To one highway betwene Clays Lazeleare & Jolin Cor- nealisone of six Rood
: 3: To one highway betwene Williame Elstones Land de- ceased & abraham Coole of six Rod.
: 4: To one highway betwene mr Leflore & peter Jonsea wide of six Rod
: 5: To one high way betwene Adame hud & mr Emet next to adem hud of six Rod
: 6 : To one high way betwene fransis barber & the Copper Planes of six Rod
: 7: To one high way betwene John Ray & markes disosway of six Rods
: 8: To one highway betwene mr John Lecount & Capten bilope of six Rod
: 9 : To one highway from the west side begining att mr Le- counts frount & Runes Cleare over throw the wods by the Line of Capten bilope to the widow bealies house
: 10: To one highway betwene Cornell dongones Land and anthoney Tyse throw the wods To the west side betwene the Guset and Richard wods Land but Left out of the Guset & soe downe betwene Abraham Cooles & the Land that was william Elstones
: 11 : To one high way betwene mr Cathientone & the widow haule of six Rood
: 12 : To one high way betwene domeney tarsmaker & John bodine of six rood
: 13: To one high way by the water side from John bodines to Capten bilopes Land of eight Rod
: 14 : To one high way by the water side begining att mr John Lecounts & soe to the pipe makers and from thence throw the woods to the water side by peter Jonseames his house and from thence by the water side to the Land of John hendriksone
: 15: To one high way from peter Jonseameses alongst the water side in the frount of mir Stimorles Land & adaham huds & Elishea parbers and soe alongst the water side to the Coper planers
:16: To one high way from the koirb of John hendrikesone alongst the water side To Clais Laseleare
This is atrew Record by the order of the Coarte of seshones "Entred & Recorded by mee
"JACOB CORBETT : Cla : "
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
In compliance with a similar order of the court of sessions March 4, 1700, relating to the inhabitants of the north division, the following roads were laid out in that quarter and recorded the 17th day of March, 1700 :
"1 : To one highway along the front of Karels neck Six Rods in breadth & so along royl land where oswald ford liveth
: 2 : To one high way between the Land of Christian Corsson & Segir gerritse running to Coecles Town Six rodd in breadth."
There is a tradition that the Richmond road is the oldest road on the island, but at what date it was opened we are not in- formed. Very probably it follows the course of a pre-historic Indian trail. It is said that it was originally laid out eight rods in width. The object of this was to prevent as much as possible the danger of Indians lying in ambush and attacking travellers nnawares, by giving a chance for clear vision some distance ahead.
A road from Betty Morgan's house to Dongan's lower mill was closed and another opened in its stead April 8, 1758. The latter ran from the road that connected Karle's neck and Rich- mond, beginning on that road at a point on John Betty's land, thence past Betty Morgan's honse, taking on its way the course of the "gully running to Mr. Totten's Bridge," and other lines and paths till it reached Colonel Dongan's lower mill.
A road from Darby Doyle's ferry to Billop's ferry, and another from the Narrows or Simonson's ferry to meet the other at the school house of Garrison's were laid out March 14, 1774. A road from the soldiers' lots to John Bodine's was laid out at the same time.
From a publication in London, dated 1760, we abstract the following description of Staten Island at that time :
" Staten Island at its east end has a ferry of three miles to the west end of Long Island ; at its west end is a ferry of one mile to Perth-Amboy of East Jersies ; it is divided from East Jersies by a creek ; is in length about twelve miles, and about six miles broad, and makes one county, called Richmond, which pays scarce one in one and twenty of the provincial tax ; it is all in one parish, but several congregations, viz., an English, Dutch, and French congregation ; the inhabitants are mostly English ; only one considerable village called Cuckold's-town."
Professor Kalm, a French traveller, made the journey from Philadelphia to New York, by way of Staten Island, on horse-
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
back in 1748. The party of which he was a member left Phila delphia October 27th, and came by way of Bristol, Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick, Woodbridge, Elizabethtown and Staten Island. From his accounts of the places on his route we make the following extract.
" At night we took up our lodgings at Elizabethtown Point, an inn about two English miles distant from the town, and the last house on this road belonging to New Jersey. The man who had taken the lease of it, together with that of the ferry near it, told us that he paid a hundred and ten pounds of Pennsyt- cunia currency to the owner.
" October the 30th. We were ready to proceed on our jour- ney at sun rising. Near the inn where we had passed the night, we were to cross a river, and we were brought over, together with our horses, in a wretched, half rotten ferry. This river came a considerable way out of the country, and small vessels could easily sail up it. This was a great advantage to the in- habitants of the neighboring country, giving them an oppor- tunity of sending their goods to New York with great ease ; and they even made use of it for trading to the West Indies. The country was low on both sides of the river, and consisted of meadows. But there was no other hay to be got, than such as commonly grows in swampy grounds ; for as the tide comes up in this river, these low plains were sometimes overflowed when the water was high. The people hereabouts are said to be troubled in summer with immense swarms of gnats or musque. toes, which sting them and their cattle. This was ascribed to the low swampy meadows, on which these insects deposite their eggs, which are afterwards hatched by the heat.
" As soon as we had got over the river, we were upon Staten Island, which is quite surrounded with salt water. This is the beginning of the province of New York. Most of the people settled here were Dutchmen, or such as came hither whilst the Dutch were yet in possession of this place. But at present they were scattered among the English and other European inhabitants, and spoke English for the greatest part. The prospect of the country here is extremely pleasing, as it is not so much intercepted by woods, but offers more cultivated fields to view. Hills and vallies still continued, as usual to change alternately.
" The farms were near each other. Most of the houses were
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
wooden ; however, some were built of stone. Near every farm- house was an orchard with apple trees ; the fruit was already for the greatest part gathered. Here, and on the whole jour- ney before, I observed a press for cyder at every farm-honse, made in different manners, by which the people had already pressed the juice out of the apples, or were just bnsied with that work. Some people made use of a wheel made of thick oak planks, which turned upon a wooden axis by means of a horse drawing it, much in the same manner as the people do with woad; except that here the wheel runs upon planks. Cherry trees stood along the enclosures round corn-fields.
" The corn fields were excellently situated, and either sown with wheat or rye. They had no ditches on their sides, but (as is usual in England) only furrows; drawn at greater or less dis- tances from each other.
" In one place we observed a water mill, so situated that when the tide flowed the water ran into a pond : but when it ebbed the floodgate was drawn up, and the mill driven by the water flowing out of the pond.
" About eight of the clock in the morning we arrived at the place where we were to cross the water, in order to come to the town of New York. We left our horses here and went on board the yacht : we were to go eight English miles by sea ; however we landed about eleven o'clock in the morning at New York. We saw a kind of wild ducks in immense quantities upon the water : the people called them Blue bills, and they seemed to be the same with our Pintail ducks, or Linnaeus's Anasacuta : but they were very shy."
Without any especial attempt at order in arrangement or date we shall now review such of the customs and habits of the people of this period as the sources of our information afford us a glimpse of.
In colonial times the people used wooden trenches and pew- ter platters and other dishes at their meals, the poorer classes using the former and the more wealthy using the latter. They were very fond of pewter mugs and porringers, which were a kind of round bowl with a handle prettily carved, and was used more particularly for drinking chocolate, that beverage being then more common than tea or coffee. Chocolate was the common drink for supper. Coffee and tea were little used, though it is said coffee was introduced here about 1650. When
10
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
tea was first introduced here there seems to have been some un- certainty as to what was its most appropriate use, An amus- ing story is told of one Mr. Crocheron, who, having heard of the new herb called tea, bought a pound of it and took it home. When he wished to boil a ham he thought the aromatic qualities of the tea would improve it, so he strewed his pound of tea over the ham and boiled them all up together. To have her pewter ware scoured clean and bright, and well arranged for display on the shelves of her kitchen was the pride of the in- dustrious housewife. Feather beds were in common nse, sum- mer and winter.
The general breakfast of rich and poor was suppaun and milk. Toast and cider was a very common article of diet, the bread being toasted and put into the cider, and sometimes the cider was substituted by chocolate. They often had four meals a day. After the breakfast described above came dinner in the middle of the day, at which a favorite dish was "samp-por- ridge," a kind of soup made with meat, potatoes, turnips and the like. Between daylight and dark they took a light lunch, with, perhaps, a cup of tea, then had supper about nine o'clock. This consisted of suppann and milk, or bread and milk, or toast and cider again. Thus it will be noticed that thongh they had frequent meals their bill of fare was a very plain one and was not remarkable for its variety.
To ride on horseback was a much more common method of travelling than it is now. It was indeed then the most com- mon one in nse. A man took his wife and a young man took his girl, on the same horse with himself, the lady riding behind her cavalier. Sometimes a pillion was used, but they generally rode bare-back. Vehicles were very rare, and consisted almost entirely of farm wagons and carts, which were used for pur- poses of pleasure as well as business. Carpets on the floors were then almost unknown, but the tidy housewife of those times kept the floors of her living rooms well scrubbed, bright and clean, and then sprinkled white sand over them, distributing it in frescoes over the floor by artistic flourishes of the broom.
Shortly before the revolution, tradition asserts that the people were nnusually superstitions. A number of stories of witches and strange apparitions are handed down. One tells of a child that was seen at night all clothed in red on a certain rock at Springville which lay across the road from the school house,
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
but has since been blasted. Another tells us of a mysterious black dog as large as a horse that used to frequent a spot called " the signs," and at night would appear beside horseback riders and trot along with them. One negro who was riding with a broad-axe in his hand, had the boldness to strike a terrific blow, but the dog vanished from beneath it and the axe fell to the ground. Another tells of a negro slave who ran away and a well disposed witch brought him back and placed him in his bed at night. But he was so much exhausted from the rough handling of the witch that he could not get out of bed for three or four days. There were also the " Haunted Woods," on the road to Old Town, and the "Haunted Bridge," on the road to Amboy, each of which had its tale of supernatural mystery. Had the sage of "Sunnyside " pitched his tent for awhile on Staten Island he might have embalmed some of them in the charms of classic literature, where perchance they would have been rivals for " Sleepy Hollow " or " Rip Van Winkle."
In the time of which we are speaking flax was raised here, and linen manufactured from it in the families of the farmers. "Flax bees" were social merry-making occasions on which labor was combined with entertainment. The flax having been properly rotted was " crackled," "hatcheled " and otherwise prepared for the more tedious work of spinning and weaving. After the work of the evening was done girls and boys would join in a dance for a considerable part of the balance of the night. And who shall say that the sturdy youths and ruddy faced girls of that day, in their plain home-spun clothing, after an evening's vigorous toil and surrounded by the rustic appurten- ances of the homes in which they were assembled, did not en- joy the sweets of social intercourse just as fully as the beaux and belles of to-day with all the dainty luxuries of modern dress and surroundings.
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