USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 24
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
the Jersey shore, and cross the kills from Bergen Point, taking Shooter's island on the way,
The village of Richmond in the time of the war was generally called Cuckold's town. Todt hill was not so called before the war, but the name began to be used during the latter part of the war. Decker's ferry was afterward called Ryers', and still later Merserean's. Opposite to it was a house called Duf- fy's ferry, on the Bergen Point side. The wood cut by the British during the war was chiefly from the hills behind quar- antine, which were covered with all kinds of timber. Between Old Town and New Dorp it was very wild, with scattered trees and huckleberry bushes. There was heavy timber all around Fresh pond. The riflemen from Virginia were very fond of fresh water fish, and would make a raft of rails upon which they would go out on the pond and catch cat fish and very large eels. The cat fish sometimes weighed eight or ten pounds apiece.
Wandel, when a boy, went to school to Mr. Rogers, in a small one-story house that stood just above the Port Richmond church ; afterward taught by Mr. Riley, and moved to a point near the dock. His father's house was a short distance east of the Snug Harbor site. He stood at the door of his father's house and saw Hetfield's party engaged in hanging Ball on a tree on Peter Buskirk's farm. The night the British arrived his family was up in the clove, his father having removed them all thither through fear of the troops, but being assured of safety they all returned the next day. The British turned their horses in upon the growing crops on the farm. No com- pensation was ever received for it, At that time then there were not over nine houses between Van Duzer's and Richmond. When the fleet came up to Prince's bay the children all went up into the garrets to look out to see the ships come in. All the people in the neighborhood immediately got fresh provisions ready and killed great numbers of their yonng cattle. The English came ashore to purchase these articles.
After the ships had come to at quarantine, the sailors took the sails off, and made tents of them for some of the soldiers. The encampment extended from New Brighton to Stapleton. In all the space occupied by them, in a short time there was not a blade of grass to be seen. Everything was trodden down by the troops, who were kept "forever marking time." Before
247
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
the arrival of the main body of troops three vessels kept cruis- ing in the waters about Staten Island. These were, in the or- der of their size, the " Asia," the "Phoenix" and the "Sav- age," the last being a sloop. At this time there were on the island a body of New England troops stationed at the Narrows and another of Virginia riflemen, among whom were some men sixty years of age. These were billeted among the farmers on the north side. The Britishi vessels stopped at the watering place to get water one day, the "Savage" lying quite close to the shore, while six or seven of her men were engaged in get- ting water. The Virginia riflemen heard of it, and taking Peter Wandel's father for a guide, started for the spot. They rushed upon the sentinel so suddenly that he had not time to fire be- fore he was seized and made a prisoner. As they continued their course down the hill they were seen from the sloop and fired upon by those on board. The riflemen protected them- selves behind rocks and trees as well as they could, and none were hurt by the fire. The men who were getting water ran into the stream up to their chins, but being ordered to come out under pain of death, they obeyed, and all were taken prisoners. One of the men on board the "Savage" went up into her "round top" with a blunderbuss, but the riflemen shot him off. The British were prevented from getting water on this occasion. This was the first blood shed in the war in this quarter. On the American side none were injured except Neddy Beattie, who heard the firing and took a walk over the hill to see what was going on. He was struck by a spent ball, but without receiving any serious wound.
There were three forts during the war near the Watering Place, one near where the pavilion now stands, one at the " Marble house," and one behind Dr. Westervelt's. Colonel Billop was accounted very clever, a large, stont, noble looking man. He pretty much governed the island during the war. Some robbers from Jersey plundered a Mrs. Marshall who lived near Rossville. She had a mare and colt. They took the former but left the latter. The next morning the mare came home again, swimming across the sound. During the war little " bush shops" were frequent all over the island. Their whole stock in trade consisted of rum and a gill cup. The latter hav- ing no handle the dealer would put his thumb in it to hold on by and at the same time lessen the quantity required to fill it.
248
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
From a conversation with Mr. Dissosway, December 26, 1850: There was an encampment of British soldiers in Edwards' orchard, on the Shore road corner toward New Brighton. In making excavations while erecting one of the buildings on this property an entire skeleton was dug up. From time to time several baskets full of bones have been uncovered at the same place. It was the custom to send the invalid soldiers of the British army to Staten Island. There was another encampment at Belmont's hill, where the Hessians lived underground. The Port Richmond hotel, or the building that occupied its site and was the property of Judge Ryers, a leading tory, was the scene of a great deal of fun during the revolution. Ryers was the grandfather of Dissosway. He made a fortune out of the British. He was a contractor for supplies to the British troops. The Americans would drive their cattle over from Jersey to be sold. These would be kept at the slaughter-house, which was near Bard's. The Americans would come over at night, steal the cattle and sell them again to Ryers, who never said any- thing. He was a man of large size and great business tact. His first wife was killed by fright at the landing of the British.
From a conversation with a Mrs. Blake, who had been a Miss Merrill: She was born near Bull's Head. There were a number of Americans who came over from the Jersey shore one day and were making merry at a drinking house. An English officer who was staying at her father's house appeared at dinner with his ruffles all bloody. He explained that he had killed half a dozen drunken Americans. She recollected seeing a negro woman covering one dead body with brush.
Captain Blake said: Bodine's mill was the third one erected on that spot. During the war the Scotch Forty-second regi- ment was quartered in Dongan's orchard. The Hessians lived near about the "marble-house," in caves. He had visited them in their underground habitations to get the money for a beef which had been run through by them. They were fed on slices of pork, and rum with sugar shaken up in it, which later they called " Schnaps."
From a conversation with Mr. Peter Jacobsen, October 18, 1851: His grandfather, Christian Jacobsen, was killed in his own house by the British. Four soldiers came at night, when he was in bed. They entered the kitchen and aroused the blacks, demanding to know where their master kept his money,
249
IIISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
and threatened to kill them if they did not tell. An old black woman passed by a secret route to the room of Mr. Jacobsen and aroused him. He opened the kitchen door and asked what the noise was about, whereupon one of the soldiers returned some insolent reply and at the same time fired upon him. The ball entered his side and he died in a few hours. The soldiers were made known to the officers, and the man who did the firing was hung.
CHAPTER VI.
UNDER THE REPUBLIC-1783 TO 1883.
Condition at close of Revolution .- Population .- County Buildings .- Manners and Customs .- War of 1812 .- Extracts from the Records .- The Militia .- Growth and Improvement .- Earthquakes .- Quarantine .- The Civil War .- Some Notable Events.
W TE come now to the history of a period of almost uniform prosperity and advancement, with perhaps varying degrees at different times, but with no more such eras of de- vastation as that which we have been reviewing. Returning peace found the island in a demoralized state of desolation. But the sunshine of peace quickened its capabilities into new life. We see it now as a new era of prosperity has dawned upon the land. The clouds have rolled away and the vigorous youth of a new government, set out to run the race of its exist- ence, fills the prospect with cheering promises.
The whigs who had left their homes and property at the be- ginning of the war now returned and began the work of rebuild- ing the places that had been laid waste. The condition in which they found their property need not be described. It was what may readily be imagined as the result of seven years' oc- cupancy by a lawless military force and frequent raids of plun- derers from abroad. But the town organizations were re-estab- lished and the wheels of government gradually set in motion.
It would be interesting to note the manner of doing this, but the records are too scanty to give us much knowledge.
On the 26th day of September, 1775, there was a court of common pleas and general sessions held at the court house, in Richmond town, after which there is no record of any court having been held in the county until Monday, the 3d day of May, 1784, " being the first Court held after the Declaration of Independence being published." This court was held at the house of Thomas Frost, the court house having been burned by the British, David Mersereau, Esq., being judge.
251
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
The first case on the record is entitled, " The State os. Thomas Frost." The grand jury brought in a bill of indictment against the defendant for profanity, "and the Deft. being in Court was called and the Indictment Read to him. - Whereupon he pleaded not guilty and entered into recognizance himself in twenty pounds and Peter Mersereau his security in ten pounds to appear at the next Session to Try the Traverse." Unfortun- ately there is no record of the result of this indictment. The next court whose proceedings are recorded was held in Septem- ber, 1794.
It may be a matter of interest to know the names of the officers of the first court held under the new government ; they are as follows : David Mersereau, Esq., judge ; Cornelius Mer- sereau, Hendrick Garrison, Peter Rezeau, Anthony Fountain, John Wandel, Gilbert Jackson and Lambert Merrill, associate judges ; Abraham Bancker, Esq., sheriff ; Jonathan Lewis, cor- oner ; Daniel Salter, James McDonald, John Baker and Abra- ham Burbanck, constables. The first act was to read the com- inissions of the several officers. The first civil suit on the cal- endar was Richard Housman against Henry Perine. Trespass, damages £50.
Subsequent to this the courts of this county were regulated by the following act of the state legislature passed February 5, 1787 :
" Be it enacted," &c.
" That the Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, in and for the County of Richmond, shall be held at the Court-House in the same County, on the fourth Monday in January, the first Monday in May, and the fourth Monday in September, in every year, and may continue and be held until the several Saturdays next following, inclusive."
It is probable that in the work of restoring order and improve- ment to the desolated farms and homesteads the surplus ener- gies of the people were so much engaged that they had little time for unnecessary litigation. A paper of May 9, 1788, con- tains the following item :
" A correspondent observes, much to the credit of the inliab- itants of Staten-Island, that the courts of general session, and common pleas, on that Island, county of Richmond, held on the 5th instant, in four hours after their convening, adjourned to September term, not having found a single bill of indictment,
252
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
or a recognizance, presented .- Who, except lawyers, would not wish to become a resident in so virtuous a community ?"
A record under date December 1, 1789, contains the following accounts :
" To Richard Scarret for digging a Grave £0. 10. 0 " To Lewis Dey for Boarding the Carpenters when repairing the County House & Building the Gallows & Furnished 100 shingles 1 Bushel of Lime a pair of hinges & For fetching Anthony Cornish from New York Goal fees &c &c £6. 0. 0
"To Lewis Ryerss [then sheriff ] for two locks for the Goal, for going to New York for to Report Anthony Cornishes Escape from Goal, for Going to New York when he was apprehended, for Fetching him. from New York, Making the Gallows & Exe- cuting of Anthony Cornish, for Expence of Apprehending of sd Cornish at New York, Goal costs £16. 16. 0"
"We have been unable to find a more detailed account of this case. A very aged man, living when this was written (1875) and nine years old at the time of the execution, and who remembered it well, said that the prisoner was known as ' Black Antony,' being a negro ; he had committed a murder on board of a vessel in the sound. The place of execution was near the site of the present school house in Richmond village."
The explanation above is that made by Mr. Clute. We have in another chapter given an account of the execution of a negro, which corresponds so nearly in some points with the above as to make it quite probable that it was the same case. But if such is true, there are differences enough to make one or the other inaccurate. As we have not the means at hand to de- cide which is the correct one, we leave them both for the judg- ment of others to decide.
"Oct. 19: 1790. The following is the amount of the In- habitants of the county of Richmond as numbered by the Supervisors and Assessors of said county Agreeable to an Act of the Legislature passed the 18th day of February 1790.
Males. Females.
Slaves.
Town of Southfield
309
330
258
Town of Westfield
440
451
267
Town of Northfield
463
409
167
Town of Castleton
381
340
127
Souls in Richmond Co.
In all 3942
1593
1530
819"
253
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
The growth of the county in population during the decades from that time to the present is as follows :- 1790, 3,838; 1800, 4,564; 1810, 5,347; 1820, 6,135; 1830, 7,082; 1840, 10,965; 1850, 15,061 ; 1860, 25,492; 1870, 33,029 ; 1880, 38,991.
The following extract from the records tells its own story of the preliminary steps toward building a new court house.
"July 7: 1792 At a meeting of the Supervisors Together with the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Richmond the 26th of June 1792 Lawrence Hillyer, Joseph Barton Jun. were unanimously appointed Commissioners to Superintend the Building of a Court House in the Town of Richmond on a Lott of ground given by Doctor Thomas Frost,
HOUSE OF ISAAC M. MARSH, FORMERLY USED AS THE COURT HOUSE.
and Thomas Frost having since been appointed a Commissioner to be with the said Lawrence Hillyer and Joseph Barton to Superintend Said Court House and to Advertise for Undertakers & to receive proposals that may be Consistent with æconomy and the Interest of the County.
"RICHARD CONNER CIK Supervisors."
In 1792 a tax of £315 ($787.50) was levied upon the county for building the court house, and the sum of £15 ($37.50) was paid to Dr. Thomas Frost in payment for the "Lott" which the previous entry says he had given for the purpose. The record
254
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
does not give the name of the " undertaker" to whom the con- tract was awarded.
This building is still standing opposite the hotel known as the Richmond County hall. When the present court house was built, the old court house property was sold to Walter Betts, who converted it into a dwelling. It is now (1875) owned and occupied by Isaac M. Marsh, Esq. While this building was used for a court house, the brick building on the opposite cor- ner was the prison.
The same year, 1792, another tax of £84 ($210) was levied for finishing the court house. The completion of it was delayed for nearly two years, for under date of October, 1794, we are informed that the supervisors met in it for the first time.
The lot on which the present court house stands was con- veyed to the supervisors by Henry I. Seaman and wife, by deed bearing date April 19, 1837, at a nominal price, for the purpose of erecting a court house thereon; according to the terms of the conveyance, when the property shall cease to be used for that purpose, it shall revert to the said Seaman or his heirs.
On the 22d December, 1847, Farnham Hall and wife, in consideration of fifty dollars, conveyed to the supervisors the lot in the rear of that on which the court house now stands.
In one of the old record books containing minutes of the pro- ceedings of the supervisors, is the following entry:
"1827, May 5th, At a meeting held this day, present Har- manus Guyon, John Totten & Nicholas Crocheron, Supervisors, also Richard Crocheron, Esq., James Guyon, Esq., and Walter Betts, Esq., Commissioners appointed according to a law passed April 10th, 1826, an act to provide for Building a Fire proof Clerk and Surrogate's office in the County of Richmond, whereby it was made the duty of the Supervisors at their an- nual meeting to cause to be levied and collected a sum not ex- ceeding One Thousand five hundred Dollars, over and above the expense of Collecting the same, for the purpose of building a fire proof Clerk and Surrogate's Office for Said County, to be located in such part of Said County as the Judges of the Said County, or a majority of them shall direct, and in which all the public Records and Papers belonging as well to the Clerk as the Surrogate of the Said County shall be kept, and the said
255
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Judges have fixed Upon the Cite of the Old County-house on the East side of the Goal for the locating the same.
" Whereupon resolved by the Said Supervisors Present that the county-house be sold and removed without delay to make a clear Cite for the purpose of erecting Said Clerk and Surro- gate's office, and also that the proceeds of such sail be paid to the County Treasurer, subject to the order of the Supervisors, and also that the said Commissioners be and hereby are em- powered to sell Said County house for the best price that can be got for the same at public Vendue, notice to be given of the sime (się) of such sale. And the Supervisors having caused to be raised and paid into the Treasury of Said County the sum of six hundred dollars for and towards the Building Said Clerk and Surrogate's office. Also resolved by the Supervisors that they will in case the six hundred dollars raised for the purpose of building Said Clerk and Surrogate's office should be Insuffi- cient to pay for building the same; In such case they will Bor- row as much as will be sufficient to complete the same. Pro- vided however that the whole cost of building such office shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars.
Signed HERMS GUYON, NICHOLAS CROCHERON, JOHN TOTTEN.
"Whereupon it was ordered by the Supervisors that their Clk shall Immediately give to said Commissioners an order on the County Treasurer for the said sum of six hundred Dollars.
" Which said order was in due form made out and delivered to one of the said Commissioners for the Payment of the said six hundred Dollars as aforesaid.
RICHARD CONNER, CIK 1 $ C. 00."
of the board of Supervisors $ 600
The above document is given in full, as a specimen of the verbose and exceedingly precise style in which Col. Richard Conner, as clerk of the supervisors, kept all the county records under his official care.
The " Goal " herein alluded to is that building which stands on the corner, north of the old dilapidated hotel called the " Richmond County Hall," and the clerk and surrogate's fire- proof offices, built on the "cite" of the former county house is the brick building adjoining it on the east. The cost of
256
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
erecting it is not known, but bills for material and labor to the amount of $941.08 were andited that year. The building was completed during that and the following years, as will be seen by the following record dated October 7, 1828.
" It is Resolved by a Majority of the Supervisors of the Connty of Richmond that three men be appointed to take charge of the records of the County of Richmond, in conse- quence of the Ill health of the present County Clerk, Jonathan Lewis, Esq., and that they make an Inventory of such Books and Papers as they shall find in the office of Said Clerk, and shall deposit such Books and Papers in the office now erected
BUILDING FORMERLY USED AS A CLERK'S OFFICE AND JAIL.
in the Village of Richmond for that purpose. Resolved that Walter Betts, Esq., Richard D. Littell, Esq., and Abrahan Auten, Deputy Clerk, is hereby appointed to take an Inven- tory of said Books and Papers and deliver them to the said Abraham Auten, Deputy Clerk, on his giving a receipt for such Books and Papers on the Schedule or Inventory, and deliver such Schedule so signed to the Supervisors of Said County."
The old court house and the lot in which it stands was sold at auction to Isaac M. Morris December 17, 1837. That build- ing still stands on the west side of the street, nearly opposite
257
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
a point midway between the old Dutch Reformed church and the old jail above referred to. It is a two-story-and-basement building, and is now devoted to private uses.
The present jail, in the yard in the rear of the present court house, was built in 1860. A new county clerk's office, on the opposite side of the street from the court house, is now being completed.
PRESENT COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
We have but little evidence of the use of the whipping-post and stocks in this county. All that we have at hand is the record of the supervisors under date of October 26, 1801, when a bill was audited for the amount of 812 to Lawrence Hillyer " for Erecting a Public Stocks according to Law."
In giving a glimpse of the domestic and social customs of the early years of the republican period we condense from an interview made years ago with one whose personal recollection
17
258
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
extended back to that time. Most articles of home consump- tion were then made at home. Each member of the family had one new pair of shoes every year, made by a shoemaker who came to the house in the fall. It was the custom of that craft to go from house to house in annual rounds of repairing and newly fitting shoes for the feet of the family. There was little money on the island. People were paid in articles of pro- duce. A girl who could spin at the rate of seven hundred strands to the pound was considered a good spinner. The young ones spun tow. It was customary for the negroes to raise tobacco for their own use. All people drank a great deal of cider. It was offered to every neighbor or stranger on ar- riving. It was a custom to put into the pitcher of cider a piece of hot toasted bread or a doughnut, to warm the beverage. This hospitality was indulged on the occasions of the people assembling at some neighbor's house for a religious service.
The conveyance then in use was the farm wagon, with a pair of clean sides to be put on it after it had been all the week used for carting manure or other dirty substances. The old fash- ioned rush-bottom chairs were placed in it for seats. To this the horses were hitched and their movements were guided by means of a single rope rein on the outside of each horse and a connecting rope running across from one bit to the other. These were called "couple-towse." Men of somewhat wealthy or aristocratic pretensions wore knee-buckles. A silver- mounted riding whip was considered a great acquisition to the make-up of an aspiring man. Two-wheeled gigs were some- times used. They had no tops, but had wooden springs, called " grasshopper springs."
It is said that John C. Dongan brought to his wife, from Europe, the first silk dress ever seen on Staten Island. He pronounced it only a "middling good one," having cost but fifty pounds, when for one hundred pounds he could have ob- tained a really good one. A schoolmaster, by the name of Pritchett was remembered as coming to the employer to get his pay for teaching. He took it in fresh meat and other articles. After spending the evening, chatting and drinking cider, he went home, having prepared for his lonely walk through the woods by having a stout hickory stick burned to a live coal at one end. By brandishing this stick in the air he kept the
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY. 259
wolves, with which the woods abounded, and which would be attracted by the smell of the meat, from attacking him. It was customary for the most respectable persons to go to taverns. One of the highest repute was the "Bull's Head," then kept by a man named Johnson, and later by one Garrison. The "Black Horse" was of rather inferior tone, being frequented by those who ran horses on the road there.
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