USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69
A very appropriate and commendable demonstration was made by the people of this county on the anniversary of the second centennial of the organization of the county of Rich- mond. The credit of being the first to suggest such a demon- stration here is given to Mr. Robert Moore, then supervisor of Castleton. In accordance with that suggestion the board of supervisors called a meeting of citizens to cooperate with them in perfecting plans for such a celebration.
The first meeting of citizens was held September 22d, 1883, at which Hon. Erastus Brooks was chosen president; Hon. George William Curtis, Louis De Jonge, Erastus Wiman and Dr. Ephraim Clark, vice-presidents; George H. Daley, record- ing secretary, and Charles Arthur Hollick, corresponding sec- retary.
323
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
At this meeting the subject was fully discussed, and the su- pervisors were authorized to appoint a committee of four citizens from each town, in conjunction with themselves, to act as a committee of arrangements. This committee was afterward in- creased to nine from each town, which, together with the super- visors, was to be known as the citizens' committee of fifty. At this meeting, on motion of Dr. Ephraim Clarke, Hon. Eras- tus Brooks was unanimously chosen to prepare and deliver an historical address. At a subsequent meeting of this committee, Professor Anton G. Methfessel was chosen chairman, and Theo- dore C. Vermilye, secretary.
A sub-committee of four from each town, in conjunction with the supervisors, was appointed by the chairman, to be known as the executive committee, and to them was referred the whole subject of preparing a plan for the celebration. The executive committee organized, witli Frederick White as chairman and Duncan R. Norvell as secretary, and after considerable discus- sion, a parade was decided upon, and full particulars reported to the committee of fifty.
The executive committee was composed of the following men: George Bechtel, Frederick White, Philip Wolff, A. G. Meth- fessel, Nathaniel Marsh, Benjamin Brown, C. A. Hart, D. J. Tysen, Abram Crocheron, De Witt Stafford, Robert Moore, D. R. Norvell, R. B. Whittemore, Read Benedict, Jesse Oakley, B. H. Warford, M. Conklin, P. G. Ullman. J. II. Van Chief, sr., William Ricard; Frederick White, chairman; Duncan R. Norvell, secretary.
Arrangements having been perfected, in accordance therewith the procession formed at Elm Park at 12 o'clock at noon on the 1st of November, 1883. The procession was made up of the following organizations in the order named: mounted police, Kickapoo Indians in a wagon, Fort Hamilton band, marshals, Staten Island Schutzen Corps, chariot containing "Goddess of Liberty," Tottenville Cornet Band and Drum Corps, Battalion Grand Army of the Republic, Shaw Post, Lenhart Post, fifty sons of veterans, disabled veterans on a truck, citizens' associ- ation, carriages containing speakers, county officials, Staten Is- land Quartette Club and citizens, Citizens' Cornet Band of South Amboy, Red Cross Division of Knights of Pythias of South Amboy, Protection Hook and Ladder Company of Perth Amboy, Lincoln Hose Company of Perth Amboy, Totten-
324
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
ville Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, Kreischer- ville Drum Corps, one hundred and forty employees of B. Kreischer & Sons, New Dorp Pioneer Corps, Mulligan's Band of New York, one hundred men of One Hundred and Thirteenth regiment, Washington Band, Enterprise Hook and Ladder Com- pany No. 1 of Stapleton, Neptune Engine Company No. 6, Protection Engine Company No. 7, Sixty-ninth Regiment Drum Corps, Excelsior Bucket Company No. 1, Relief Bucket Com- pany, Engine Company No. 8 of Clifton, Columbia Cornet Band of Pleasant Plains, Clifton Hose Company No. 6, Excel- sior Drum Corps of Tompkinsville, Ben. Brown Hose No. 3, Eterick's Band of Brooklyn, Engine Company No. 9, Robinson Hose No. 9, Forty-seventh Regiment Drum Corps, Neptune Engine Company No. 1 of West Hoboken, Lincoln Club Band, Niagara Engine No. 5, Neptune Hose No. 1, Olvany's Band, Columbia Hook and Ladder, South Amboy Band. Continental Council No. 27, Order United American Mechanics, the Z. Z. Z. Z. Social Club, Newark Cornet Band, Colored Citizens' Associa- tion of Newark, Twelfth Regiment Band, Washington Engine No. 4 of Port Richmond, Osceola Cornet Band of Mariners' Harbor, Aquehonga Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, West Brighton Band, Cataract Engine Company No. 2 of West Brighton, Union Base-ball Clubs of Young Men's Christian Union of West Brighton, Elizabeth Cornet Band, Granite Hook and Ladder Company No. 2, Port Richmond Engine Company No. 3, Medora Hook and Ladder Company No. 3 of West Brighton, Joyce's Band of New York, New Brighton Engine Company No. 4, Friendship Hook and Ladder Company No. 4, Oceanic Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 of Travisville, Linoleum Social Club, In-Seine Club and sixty-seven vehicles representing trades, business, characters and fancies, among which were several four-horse turnouts, and one wagon drawn by ten horses. A large number of private wagons followed to bring up the rear. The procession started at 12 o'clock, and proceded by the Shore road to Finger Board road and then re- turned to Stapleton Flats, where a large tent had been erected, in which addresses were made and music was given. Invitations had been given to the president, governor, mayors of New York and Brooklyn and General Hancock to participate in the ceremo- nies, none of whom however found it practicable to attend. By the favor of the secretary of the navy, obtained through
325
HISTORY OF RICHIMOND COUNTY.
Hon. Perry Belmont, the United States ship "Vandalia," an- chored off Stapleton, where she lay during the day, being deco- rated with flags and fired a salute of twenty-one guns at noon.
For the public exercises of the occasion a large tent had been erected on a portion of Stapleton Flats. The interior was taste- fully trimmed with United States fiags. At the conclusion of the parade the meeting in the tent was called to order by the secretary, Theodore C. Vermilye. Prayer was offered by the Rev. Dr. Brownlee. Dr. Ephraim Clark was made chairman of the meeting, and addresses were delivered by Hon. Erastus Brooks, Hon. Perry Belmont, Hon. George William Curtis, Hon. A. S. Sullivan, Hon. Henry J. Scudder and Hon. Brad- ford L. Prince, the exercises closing with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Palmer of Tottenville. In the evening a grand display of fireworks was made at Stapleton, and thus closed the day cele- brated to mark the completion of two centuries of the exist- ence of Richmond county.
CHAPTER VII.
CIVIL DIVISIONS AND CIVIL OFFICERS.
The County .- The Towns .- The Villages .- Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins .- Hon. Erastus Brooks .- Cornelius A. Hart.
W E have already seen in a previous chapter that the county of Richmond was erected by an act of the colonial legis- lature, "to divide this province and dependencies into Shires and Counties," which was passed November 1, 1688. The act specified-" The county of Richmond to conteyne all Staten Island, Shutter's Island, and the islands of meadow on the west side thereof."
Under this organization it remained till the colonial govern- ment was supplanted by that of the state, when, by the act of the state legislature passed March 7, 1788, for dividing the state into counties, the previous organization was confirmed in the following language, which differs from that in the former act only in orthography :- "The County of Richmond to con- tain all Staten Island, Shooter's-Island and the Islands of Meadow on the West Side thereof."
The act of March 7, 1788, dividing the counties of this state into towns, gives the division of Richmond as follows:
" And all that Part of the County of Richmond, bounded northerly by Kill-Van-Cull, easterly by Hudson's- River, south-, erly by the Road leading from Van Duerson's Ferry south- ward of the Watering-Place to Richmond-Town, and westerly by a Lyne beginning at the Mouth of Dongan's Mill-creek, and running from thence along the Line of the Manor of Castle-Town to the Road at the Rear of the Patent of Corsen and Company, thence along the northerly Side of the said Road westerly to the Road leading to Haughwout's Mill, and then southerly along the westerly Side of the last mentioned Road as it runs along by Richard Conner's, to the Tavern called the Rose and Crown, on the said Road leading to Rich-
-
327
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
mond-Town, shall be and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of Castle-Town.
" And that all that Part of the said County of Richmond, bounded northerly by the North Side of said Road leading from Van Duerson's Ferry to Richmond-Town and the Fresh- Kill, easterly by Hudson's-River, southerly by the Bay, and westerly by a Line beginning on the Fresh-Kill at the North- west Corner of the Land and Meadow late of James Egberts, and running from thence southerly along the same to Egberts' Lane, and then along the same Lane to the Road called the New Road and then along the same New Road westerly to the Land of Henry Perine. and then southerly along his easterly Bounds to the Bay shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of South-field.
" And that all that Part of the said County of Richmond, bounded northerly by the Fresh-Kill, easterly by Southfield, southerly by the Bay, and westerly by the Sound, shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of Westfield.
"And that all the Residue of the said County of Richmond, shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the Name of Northfield."
The following men from this county have been members of important state and national representative bodies as indi- cated:
Members of the Provincial Congress :- Adrian Bancker, 2d Prov. Cong., 1775-76 ; Richard Conner, 1st and 3d Prov. Cong., 1775-76 ; Aaron Cortelyou, 1st and 3d Prov. Cong., 1775 -76 ; John Journeay, 1st and 3d Prov. Cong., 1775-76 ; Richard Lawrence, 1st and 2d Prov. Cong., 1775-76 ; Paul Michean, 1st and 3d Prov. Cong., 1775-76.
Representatives in Congress :-- Daniel D. Tompkins, 9th Congress, 1805-06 ; Henry Crocheron, 14th Congress, 1815-17 ; James Guyon, Jr., 16th Congress, 1819-21 ; Jacob Crocheron, 21st Congress, 1829-31 ; Samuel Barton, 24th Congress, 1833-37; Joseph Egbert, 27th Congress, 1841-43 ; Henry I. Seaman, 29th Congress, 1843-47 ; Obadiah Bowne, 32d Congress, 1851-53 ; Henry G. Stebbins, 38th Congress, resigned ; Dwight Townsend, 38th Congress, 1863-65 ; Henry B. Metcalfe, 44th Congress, 1875 -77.
Presidential Electors :- 1808. John Garretson ; 1812, Joseph Perine ; 1836, Jacob Crocheron ; 1840, John T. Harrison ; 1844,
328
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
John C. Thompson ; 1848, James M. Cross ; 1856, Minthorne Tompkins ; 1864, Obadiah Bowne.
State Senators :- Panl Micheau, 1789-92; Jacob Tysen, 1828 ; Harman B. Cropsey, 1832-35 ; Minthorne Tompkins, 1840-41 ; James E. Cooley, 1852-53 ; Robert Christie, Jr., 1864-65 ; Nicholas La Bau, 1866 67 ; Samuel H. Frost, 1870-71.
Members of the State Constitutional Conventions :- Conven- tion of 1788, Abraham Bancker, Gozen Ryerss ; 1801, Joseph Perine ; 1821, Daniel D. Tompkins ; 1845, John T. Harrison ; 1868, George Wm. Curtis.
Regents of the University :- Abraham Bancker, John C. Dongan, first board. 1784 ; Harmanus Garrison, second board, 1784 ; after which time the county was not represented in the board until April 12th, 1864, when George Wm. Curtis was ap- pointed, and still continues in office (1886).
The following men have served the county in the offices specified during the years indicated :
Judges of the County Courts :- 1691, Ellis Duxbury ; 1710, Daniel Lake; 1711, Joseph Billop; 1712, Thomas Farmar; 1739, Richard Merrill ; 1739, John Le Conte ; 1756, William Walton (He was also a member of the council from 1758 to 1768, when he died) ; 1761, Joseph Bedell ; 1775, Benjamin Seaman ; 1786, Panl Micheau ; 1797, Gozen Ryerss ; 1802, John J. Murray ; 1803, John Garretson ; 1823, Jacob Tysen; 1840, Henry B. Met- calfe ; 1841, William Emerson ; 1844, Albert Ward ; 1847, Hen- ry B. Metcalfe ; 1876, Tompkins Westervelt ; 1882, Stephen D. Stephens, Jr.
District Attorneys* :- 1818, George Metcalfe; 1826, Henry B. Metcalfe ; 1833, Thorn S. Kingsland; 1839, George Catlin; 1840, Roderick N. Morrison ; 1841, Lot C. Clark ; 1849, George Cat- lin : 1850, George White ; 1853, Alfred DeGroot ; 1860, Abra- ham W. Winant ; 1865, John II. Hedley ; 1872, Sidney F. Rawson ; 1875, John Croak ; 1881, John Gallagher.
Surrogates, under Colonial Government : 1733, Walter Don- gan ; 1759, Benjamin Seaman.
Under Federal Government :- 1787, Adrian Bancker ; 1792. Abraham Bancker ; 1809, John Housman ; 1810, Cornelius Be- dell ; 1811, Jonathan Lewis ; 1813, Cornelius Bedell ; 1815, Tu- nis Egbert ; 1820, Richard Conner ; 1820, John Garrison ; 1821, Tunis Egbert ; 1830, Richard Crocheron ; 1843, Lewis R. Marsh;
*This was made a county office in 1818.
329
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
1847, Henry B. Metcalfe ; 1876, Tompkins Westervelt ; 1882, Stephen D. Stephens, Jr.
County Clerks :- 1682, Francis Williamson; 1684, Samuel Winder; 1689, Jacob Corbet; 1691, Thomas Carhart; 1698, Thomas Coen; 1706, William Tillyer; 1708, Alexander Stuart; 1728, Adam Mott; 1738, Daniel Stilwell; 1739, Daniel Corsen; 1761, Paul Michean . 1781, Abraham Bancker; 1784, John Mersereau; 1798, Joseph Perine; 1810, John V. D. Jacobsen; 1811, Josephi Perine: 1815, Jonathan Lewis; 1828, Walter Betts; 1843, Joshua Mersereau, Jr .; 1852, Israel C. Denyse; 1855, James Cubberly: 1858, Israel C. Denyse; 1861, Abraham V. Connor; 1864, Michael P. O'Brien; - , Joseph Egbert; 1869, John H. Van Clief, Jr .; 1873, David H. Cortelyon; 1876, Abraham V. Conner; 1879, Cor- nelius A. Hart.
School Superintendents, etc .:- Harman B. Cropsey, county superintendent, appointed 1843. David A. Edgar, Henry M. Boehm, Isaac Lea, James Brownlee, county commissioners, elected.
Sheriff's :- 1863, Jolm Palmer; 1684, Thomas Lovelace; 1685, Thomas Stilwell; 1689, Eli Crossen; 1691, Thomas Stilwell; 1692, John Stilwell; 1698, John De Pne; 1699, Jacob Coulsen; 1700, Christian Corsen; 1701, John De Pue; 1702, Lambert Garrison; 1709, William Tillyer; 1722, Benjamin Bill; 1730, Charles Garri- son; 1736, Paul Micheau; 1739, Nicholas Larzalere; 1751, John Hillyer; 1775, Thomas Frost; 1784, Abraham Bancker; 1788, Lewis Ryerss; 1792, Benjamin Parker; 1796, Isaac Cubberly: 1799, John Hillyer; 1802, Jacob Crocheron; 1806, Jonathan Lewis; 1810, Daniel Guyon; 1811, Jacob Crocheron; 1813, Jacob Ifillyer; 1815, Henry Perine; 1819, John Hillyer; 1821, Jacob Crocheron; 1825, Walter Betts; 1828, Harman B. Cropsey; 1831, Lawrence Hillyer; 1834, Israel Oakley; 1837, Andrew B. Decker; 1840, Jacob Simonson; 1843, Israel O. Dissosway; 1846, Jacob G. Guyon; 1849, Israel O. Dissosway; 1852, Abraham Ellis; 1855, Abraham Lockman; 1858, Isaac M. Marsh; 1861, Moses Alston; 1864, Abraham Winant; 1867, Jacob G. Winant; 1870, Moses Alston; 1673, William C. Denyse; 1876, Benjamin Brown; 1880, Abraham V. Conner; 1883, Benjamin Brown; 1886, John J. Vanghn, Jr.
Members of the Colonial Assembly :- John Dally, 1691; Lam- bert Dorland. 1691 ; Ellis Duxbury, 1691-95-98 ; Thomas Mor- gan, 1692-98-1702 ; J. T. Van Pelt, 1692-97-98 ; John Shadwell,
330
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
1693-95 ; Thomas Stilwell, 1693-98; Jolin Tunison, 1694-95-98 ; John Woglom, 1698-99 ; Garret Veghte, 1699, 1702 ; John Stil- well, 1702, -25 ; Abraham Lakerman, 1702-26 ; Richard Merrill, 1725-37 : John Le Count, 1726-56 ; Adam Mott, 1737-39 ; Richard Stilwell, 1739-48; Paul Micheau, 1748-51; William T. Walton, 1751-61; Benjamin Seaman, 1756-75; Henry Holland, 1761-69; Christopher Billop, 1769-75.
Members of Assembly for Richmond County, under the State Government :- Abraham Jones, 1777-78; Joshua Mersereau, 1777-78; no name recorded, 1778-79, Joshua Mersereau, 1779- 80, 1780-81. 1781-82, 1782-83; Adrian Bancker, 1784; Johannes . Van Wagenen, 1784; Joshua Mersereau, 1784-85; Cornelius Corsen, 1784-85; Joshua Mersereau, 1786; John Dongan, 1786; John C. Dongan, 1787; Thomas Frost, 1787; John C. Dongan, 1788; Peter Winant, 1788; Abraham Bancker, 1788-89; John C. Dongan, 1788-89 ; Abraham Bancker, 1789-90; Peter Winant, 1789-90; Peter Winant, 1791; Gozen Ryerss, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794; Lewis Ryerss, 1795, 1796, 1797; Paul J. Micheau, 1798, 1799; John P. Ryerss, 1800; Paul J. Micheau, 1800-01, 1802, 1803; John Housman, 1804; John Dunn, 1804-05, 1806: David Mersereau, 1807, 1608, 1808-09; Richard Conner, 1810; James Gnyon, 1811, 1812; James Guyon, Jr., 1812-13, 1814; Jesse Oakley, 1814-15; Richard Corsen, 1816; Richard C. Corsen, 1816-17, 1818; Harmanus Guyon, 1819, 1820; Samuel Barton, 1820-21, 1822; Isaac R. Housman, 1823; Henry Perine, 1824; Harmanus Garrison, 1825; no election, 1826; Abraham Cole, 1827, 1828; John Vanderbilt, 1829: John T. Harrison, 1830, 1831; Jacob Merserean, 1832, 1833; Paul Mersereau, 1834; Lawrence Hillyer, 1835; John Garrison, Jr., 1836; Lawrence Hillyer, 1837; Israel Oakley, 1838, 1839; Bornt P. Winant. 1840; Israel Oakley, 1841; Henry Cole, 1842, 1843; William Nickles, 1844; Peter Mersereau, 1845; George H. Cole. 1846, 1847; Ephraim J. Totten, 1848; Gabriel P. Disosway, 1849; Benjamin P. Prall, 1850; William H. Anthon, 1851; Lawrence H. Cortelyon, 1852 ; Henry De Hart, 1853; Nicholas Crocheron, 1854; John F. Raymond, 1855; William J. Shea, 1856; Joshua Mersereau, 1857; Eben W. Hubbard, 1858; Robert Christie, Jr., 1859; Theodore C. Vermilye, 1860; N. Dane Ellingwood, 1861; Smith Ely, 1862; Theodore Frean, 1863; William H. Rutan, 1864; James Ridgway, 1865; Thomas Child, 1866; Nathaniel J. Wyeth, 1867; John Decker, 1868-71; David W. Judd, 1872;
331
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
John B. Hillyer, 1873; Stephen D. Stephens, Jr., 1874-75; Kneeland Townsend, 1876; Samuel R. Brick, 1877; Erastus Brooks, 1878, 1879, 1881, 1882, 1883; Oliver Fiske, 1880; Ed- ward A. Moore, 1884; Michael S. Tynan, 1885; Edward P. Doyle, 1886; Edward A. Moore, 1887.
Supervisors of the several towns in Richmond county since the beginning of the year 1766, alphabetically arranged:
Castleton :- Barnes, George, 1792-93; Barrett, Nathan, 1837- 38; Burbanck, Abraham, 1794-98; Cary, Richard S., 1804; Christopher, Richard, 1846, 1849, 1857-8-9, 1868-9, 1874-5-6; Clute, John J., 1860; Conner, Richard, 1766 84, 1786-92; Crab- tree, James H., 1865; Crocheron, Abraham, 1832-3; Davis, George B., 1853; De Groot, Jacob, 1839; Dongan, John C., 1785; Ely, Smith, 1861-2; Esterbrook, Joseph, 1866; Gardiner, David L., 1864; Garrison, John, 1803; Garrison, John, Jr., 1834 5-6; Hazard, Robert M, 1847-8; Heal, Nathan M., 1867; Herpeck, Charles A., 1877; Housman, Jolin, 1799 to 1802, 1810; Hous- man, Isaac R., 1822-31; Laforge, Peter D., 1841-2; Martling, Joseph B. H., 1850-52; Martino, Gabriel, 1855; Mersereau, Joshua, 1854; Minturn, Robert B., 1871; Pell, D. Archie, 1870; Thompson, John C., 1840; Tysen, Jacob, 1811-21; Tysen, John, Jr., 1805-09; Vermeule, John D., 1872-3: Vreeland, Eder, 1844- 5; Ward, Albert, 1843.
Northfield :- Bedell, Cornelius, 1790, 1794; Burger, James G., 1855; Child, Thomas, 1863; Corsen, Cornelius, 1779-84; Croch- eron, Henry, 1800-04, 1808-14; Crocheron, Nicholas, 1805-7, 1825-30, 1846-7; Crocheron, Richard. 1816 23: Denyse, Israel C., 1866-7; Hillyer, Jolin, 1767; Hillyer, John B., 1872; Hillyer, John, Jr., 1772-3; Hillyer, Lawrence, 1851, 1856; Laforge, Peter C., 1862; Lake, Daniel, 1795 97; Latourette, Henry, 1767; La- tourette, Richard, 1876-77; Martin, Oliver R., 1848; Mersereau, David, 1815; Merserean, Jacob, 1792-3, 1799; Mersereau, John, 1788; Mersereau, Peter, 1841-44; Moore, Richard C., 1854; Perine, James, 1831-32; Post, Garret G., 1850, 1857 61; Prall, Willian, 1824; Ryerss, Gozen, 1785-87; Simonson, Bornt, 1774-78; Si- monson, Garret, 1873-76; Simonson, Jacob, 1833 40, 1849; Tysen, John, 1789, 1791, 1798; Wright, Garret P., 1852; Van Clief, John H., 1868-71; Van Name, Charles, 1853, 1864; Van Name, Michael, 1845.
Southfield :- Barnes, George, 1789, 1800; Barton, Edward P., 1869; Barton, Samuel, 1852, 1857; Brady, Philip, 1870; Britton,
332
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Alexander H., 1844; Clark, Ephraim, 1866-67; Cocroft, James, 1865; Coddington, Samuel, 1841-43, 1857; Cole, George H., 1845; Corry, William, 1876, 1877; Cortelyou, Peter, 1789 98: Egbert, Joseph, 1855-56; Fountain, Anthony, 1767, 1769, 1784; Gar - rison, John C., 1849, 1858-60; Greenfield, George J., 1872 to --; Guyon, Harmanus, 1816-20, 1822-33; Guyon, James, 1782-3, 1785- 6; Guyon, James, 1838-40, 1847-8, 1850-51; Hall, Farnham, 1846; Jacobson, Christian, 1772-81; Jacobson, John V. D., 1802-15; Johnson, Anthony, 1834-36; Keeley, Dennis, 1861-64, 1871; Ketteltas, J. S., 1868; Merserean, Jacob W., 1853-4; Perine, Henry, 1821; Poillon, John, 1766, 1768; Tysen, John, 1795-98.
Westfield :-- Bancker, Adrian, 1772-73: Cole, Cornelius, 1788, 1794; Cole, Gilbert A., 1857, 1862; Cropsey, Jacob R. 1844-45; Depuy, Nicholas, 1766 to 1769; Eddy, Andrew, 1846; Ellis, George W., 1870-71; Frost, Samuel II., 1851 to 1856; Guyon, Jacob, M., 1876; Jackson, Richard, 1828; Larzelere, Benjamin, 1789, 1795 to 1801; Latourette, David, 1835-36; Mersereau, Daniel, 1829-33; Micheau, Paul, 1790-93: Oakley, Israel, 1840; Oakley, Jesse, 1850; Perine, Henry, 1774-83; Rutan, William II., 1858-61; Seguine, Henry H .. 1874, 1877; Seguine, Joseph, 1826, 1837-39; Tstten, Ephraim J., 1847, 1849; Totten, Gilbert, 1802-25, 1827; Totten, Jolm, 1784, 1809-25, 1827; Winant, Peter, 1785-87; Winant, Bornt P., 1834, 1841-43, 1848; Wood, Abraham II., 1864-65; Wood, Abraham J., 1866 69, 1872-73.
Middletown :- Armstrong, John E., 1873; Bechtel, Jolin. 1864; Bradley, Alvin C., 1872; Brick, Samuel R., 1868-71; Davis, George B., 1861; Frean, Theodore, 1866, 1877; Frost, Henry, 1876; Hornby, Alexander, 1862; Lord, D. Porter, 1865, 1867; White, Frederick, 1874; Wood, Jacob B., 1860.
N. B .- There is no record of supervisors' names earlier than 1766, except in a few instances noticed below. The names of the supervisors of 1770 and 1771 are not recorded. It is pos- sible that the names of some of the earliest supervisors are arranged under the wrong town, as in no case are the names of the towns and supervisors connected.
Supervisors prior to 1766 :- 1699-William Tiljen, North; Anthony Tyson, West; Abm. Lakeman, South. 1703-Richard Merrill, North; Stoffel Garrison, South; Anthony Tysen. West. 1704- -- Merrill, North; Tunis Egbert, West. 1705-Aron Prall, North: Tunis Egbert, West; Stoffel Van Sant, South. 1706-Tunis Egbert. West; Aaron Prall, North. 1709 -Alex-
333
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
ander Stuart, South; Jacob Corsen. North; Tunis Egbert, West.
The earliest record of a town election in Castleton now to be found is that dated 1781. At that election the following officers were chosen: Richard Conner, supervisor; Peter Housman, clerk; James Lisk, constable and collector; Peter Housman and George Barnes, assessors; Peter Housman and Daniel Corsen, commissioners of roads, and other officers.
The following list, dated December 22, 1783, in Castleton, contains the "Names of the persons that swore to the State of New York." Hendrick Garrison, John Wandel, John C. Dongan, John Dorsett, Matthew Decker, Tunis Egberts, Na- thaniel Britten, Abraham Egberts, Joseph Barton, Daniel Corsen, Joseph Christopher, Abraham Housman, Matthias Smith, John Honsman, Thomas Kingston, Edward Blake, Samuel Van Pelt, James Johnston, John Lisk, John Bodine. Nicholas Bush, William Van Pelt, Edward Egberts and George Barns.
The town of Middletown was erected by an act of the state leg- islature passed April 16th, 1860. It was formed from parts of Southfield and Castleton, the new town being bounded by a line "commencing on the bay or shore on the east side of Staten Island at the point where the Richmond turnpike strikes said bay; thence running westerly along said Richmond turnpike road to the town of Northfield; thence southerly on the line between the towns of Northfield and Castleton to where said line terminates at Southfield; thence northeasterly on the line between Castleton and Southfield, along the Richmond plank- road to Vanderbilt avenue; thence easterly along the south- erly side of said Vanderbilt avenue to the bay of New York; thence northerly along the shore or bay of New York to the point of beginning." These bounds included the eastern por- tion of Southfield and the southierly portion of Castleton. The first town meeting of the new town was held at Nantilos hall, on the second day of May following, and the act appointed Thomas Standerwick, Thomas Garrett and Cary Devery to pre- side at that meeting.
The village of Edgewater, comprising part of Tompkinsville, and all of Stapleton and Clifton, was originally incorporated in 1866, being then divided into nine wards, but some legal defect having been detected, a new charter was obtained the following.
334
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.