USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 61
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On the 22d of April, 1831. the legislature of the state of New York enacted a law which directs that the moneys levied and col- lected by law upon masters, mates, mariners and seamen arriv- ing at the port of New York, be paid to the trustees of the "Seamen's Fund and Retreat," in the city of New York. These
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
trustees were to consist of the mayor, collector of customs, president of the Seamen's Savings Bank, president of the Marine Society, the health officer of the city of New York, together with five shipmasters of the city of New York, to be chosen annually. The second section of the act directs that convenient and suitable buildings be erected in either New York, Kings or Richmond counties. This act received varions modi- fications subsequently, and was the authority for establishing the present " Seamen's Fund and Retreat."
A tract of forty acres was purchased of Cornelius Corsen the same year for $10,000. This was located on the east side of Staten Island, fronting on New York bay. In addition to the buildings upon the land when it was purchased, others were immediately erected, and the institution was opened on the first day of October, 1831, when thirty-four patients were re- ceived from the marine hospital at the quarantine. The report for that month states that seventy-three patients had been re- ceived and thirty-two discharged.
Dr. Peter S. Townsend was the first resident physician. Rev. John E. Miller, of the Reformed Dutch church at Tomp- kinsville, was the first chaplain, which office he retained until his death in 1847. Captain James Morgan was appointed superintendent in July, 1832, but in October following Captain Henry Russell was appointed at a salary of $1,000 with house and subsistence.
By an act passed in 1847 the trustees of the Seamen's Retreat were directed to provide for the support of destitute, sick or infirm mothers, widows, wives, sisters and daughters of seamen, and the sum of $10,000 was applied to the erection of suitable buildings. An association of ladies, styled "The Mariners' Family Industrial Society," was incorporated May 9, 1849, hav- ing for its object the relief of the destitute families of seamen. The building was completed in December, 1853, opened in May, 1855, and dedicated June 9th of the same year.
The retreat is, in many respects, unlike any other hospital in the world. It is a retreat indeed. The sailor who has been from one United States hospital to another, and spent in each the allotted period of four months, at the end of which he must seek for quarters elsewhere, finds a home here where, if dis- eased beyond the reach of medical or surgical art to restore him, he is provided for for the remainder of his days. If worn
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
out in the hard service of the sea, hopelessly crippled or super- annuated, he is transferred, if entitled, and he desires it, to the Sailor's Snug Harbor, or sent, at the expense of the board of trustees, to his home and friends, however distant.
The cemetery of the retreat is located upon a knoll at the western end of the grounds, overlooking the bay and city of New York. Here poor Jack finds a quiet resting place by the side of his comrades, when his life of hardship, privations and peril is ended.
The "Home for Destitute Children of Seamen" was estab- lished in 1846 by a society of ladies who took a small house at Port Richmond, for the purpose of rescuing from misery a few children whose fathers had gone to sea and whose mothers could not support them. It was decided that Staten Island afforded the best location on account of its healthfulness as well as from the standpoint of economy, and also for its vicinity to New York, where many of the managers resided.
When, with the growth of the family to be cared for, the house became too small, another was taken at Stapleton, where the children were domiciled until 1852, when they were re- moved to the new building which had been erected.
Ground for the site of this building was leased of the trustees of the Sailors' Snug Harbor, and a building was erected speci- ally for the purpose. This building was partly paid for by the donations of the managers at the time, and the balance, advanced by the Snug Harbor trustees, was secured to them by a mort- gage on the premises. In 1857 the " Home" was so much in debt, that it was thought best to sell the house to the mort- gagee, so as to get rid of the mortgage. In the following year such a sale was effected, and the building passed into the pos- session of the Sailors' Snug Harbor, the privilege being re- served to the " Home," however, of occupying it, rent free, for a term of fonrteen years.
The parents or guardians of the children received here are expected to pay fifty cents per week for each child, for which food, clothing, education, and in case of sickness, medical care, are furnished. Children placed here are surrendered to the managers at least for one year, none are received under two or over ten years of age, and if they remain here until they have attained a proper age, they are either returned to their parents, or provided with respectable places.
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
The institution was incorporated in 1851. An annual pay- ment of two dollars constitutes a member, and a single pay- inent of twenty-five dollars makes one a life member. This is chietly supported by ladies, and the yearly expenditure is abont $7,000. The inmates usually have numbered about one hun- dred.
Prior to the establishment of a county poor-house, the desti- tute poor were provided for by being boarded in private fam- ilies, and sometimes under circumstances such as now would not be tolerated, as when children were paid for taking care of their helpless parents, of which there were several instances.
On the second day of May, 1803, Joseph Barton, Sr., car- penter, and Mary, his wife, sold to the supervisors, justices. and overseers of the poor of the county, for the sum of $262.50, two acres of land, on the road leading from Richmond to New Dorp, on which was a small frame house, containing two or three rooms. This property was purchased for the purpose of a county poor-house. though it was not able to accommodate one-fourth of the poor of the county, who appear to have been more numerons in proportion to the population than they are at present; the remainder were disposed of as before stated. The public charity continued to be dispensed in this manner for more than a quarter of a century after the purchase.
In January, 1829, the supervisors called a public meeting of the taxpayers of the county, to devise some cheaper method of supporting the poor, "as the taxes were becoming burden- some." Whatever methods may have been proposed at that meeting, the proposition to purchase a farm large enough to enable the poor to earn their own subsistence by their own labor was adopted, and John Guyon and Richard D. Littell were ap- pointed to ascertain what farms could be purchased, and at what prices, and to report at an adjourned meeting. The legis. lature in the mean time passed an act, April 8, 1829, author- izing the supervisors to sell the house and ground then owned, and to appropriate the proceeds to the purchase of a new one, and to raise by tax a sum sufficient to meet the expense of such purchase, but not to exceed the amount of $4,000.
The farm of Stephen Martineau, located in the town of North- field, and containing about one hundred acres, was purchased for $3,000, and on the 30th of April, 1830, the old property was
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RESIDENCE OF W W. MAC FARLAND Clifton, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
sold to William D. Maltbie for $150. This lies near Richmond, opposite the parsonage of St. Andrew's church.
On the 18th of October, 1836, the supervisors purchased four- teen and eight-tenths acres of salt meadow from John Egbert for $205. On the 7th day of January, 1842, the supervisors purchased five acres of woodland adjoining the county farm on the west, from William Decker, for $250.
The establishment has been regularly maintained, new build- ings have been erected as circumstances developed their neces- sity, among which are apartments for the insane, a pest house, and a respectable school house.
The "Staten Island Diet Kitchen," a benevolent association, having for its object the supplying of wholesome, nutritious food to the sick poor, was organized at the parlor of the Ger- man Club rooms at New Brighton, Thursday afternoon, Decem- ber 8, 1881. The "kitchen " was opened January 9, 1882, and the association was incorporated June 21, of the same year. The officers then elected were : Mrs. W. W. Macfarland, presi- dent ; Mrs. Lowery, vice-president ; Mrs. F. U. Johnson, secre- tary ; Mrs. L. H. Meyer, treasurer. The charter members of the association were : S. B. Macfarland, Eliza Macdonald, Mar- garet A. Johnston, Caroline L. Peniston, A. C. H. Meyer, Eliz- abeth W. Clark, Clara K. Oelime, Mary T. Ripley, Reverend J. C. Eccleston, L. H. Meyer. The first officers were : Mrs. W. W. Macfarland, president ; Mrs. Francis Macdonald and Mrs. Daniel Low, vice-presidents ; Miss Peniston, treasurer; Mrs. F. U. Johnston, secretary ; Mrs. George B. Ripley, assistant secretary ; Mrs. W. W. Clark, auditor; Mrs. F. G. Oehme, pur- chaser; Mrs. L. H. Meyer, bookkeeper.
The work of the society is maintained by subscriptions, dona- tions in money, and contributions of various articles of food, delicacies, flowers, etc. The treasurer's report for the first year showed the sum of $1,084.77 received in cash, and $803.77 ex- pended. In response to the requisitions of the physicians du- ring the year 2,756 orders were filled to 540 patients, in 2,115 pints of beef tea, 540 pints of mutton broth, 69 pints of chicken broth, 2,901 pints of milk, 399 portions of farina, 191 of rice, 194 of oat meal, 183 of hominy, 11 of barley and grits, and 1,210 eggs. There had also been substantial donations of meats, fruits and luxuries at Thanksgiving and Christmas times,
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11ISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
which the " kitchen " had been able to distribute among those who would appreciate them.
The presiding officers have been the same from the begin- ning. The treasurer is now Mrs. Edward L. Bridgman (for- merly Miss Low), one of the original directresses. The meetings of the association are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the " kitchen."
The corner-stone of a new building for the purposes of the association was laid January 9, 1886, most of the ceremonies connected therewith being held at the house of the president, on account of inclement weather.
There are several cemeteries on the island, among which are the Staten Island and Fountain cemeteries, at West New Brighton, the cemetery of St. Peter's church, on the Clove road ; Silver Mount and Woodlawn cemeteries on Richmond turnpike, in Middletown ; Springville and Sylvan cemeteries, in Northfield ; St. Mary's cemetery in Sonthfield, and the Mo- ravian cemetery at New Dorp.
The latter, containing over sixty acres, is larger than all the others combined. This was a burial ground more than twenty years before the Moravians obtained possession of the land. It is a site of great natural beauty, and this has been greatly im- proved by the hand of art, in regulating the grade, clearing the wild growth off, constructing a pond, planting trees, and water- ing and keeping in order the velvet-like sward with which the older established parts of the ground are covered. It contains several objects of special interest. One of these is the tomb of Commodore Vanderbilt. This stands on the elevated ground, about ten rods west of the church. The tomb is a granite structure, rather plain in design, about ten by twelve feet on the ground and twelve feet high, snrmonnted by a pyramidal spire, six feet square at the base and twenty feet high. The cemetery also contains a number of handsome monuments, among which is that erected to the memory of Colonel Robert G. Shaw. In this cemetery is also located the magnificent mausoleum of William H. Vanderbilt. This was begun during the summer of 1885, and was several months in process of con- struction.
Besides those already mentioned there are numerous other re- positories of the dead, of smaller size, many of which are located around or near some of the churches of the island. In that of the
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Dutch Reformed church at Port Richmond may be found the family names of Van Pelt, Cortelyou, Haughwont, Zeluff, Cor- sen, De Hart, Merrell, De Groot, Kruser, Merserean, Prall, Post, Housman, Crocheron, Tysen, Jaqnes, Martling, Vreeland and Van Name. In the churchyard of St. Andrew's Episcopal church at Richmond we find among others the following family names : Taylor, Journey, Crocheron, Seguine, McQueen, Lake, Barnes, Parkinson, Guyon, Disosway, Holmes, Betts, Moore, Blake, Egbert, Biddle, Butler, Silva, Wandel, Merserean, Prall, Seaman, Mandy, Poillon, Van Duzer, Jones, Lockman, Perine, Bedell, Van Dyke, Larzelere, Latourette, La Forge, Bowne, Robins, Dongan, Alston, Hillyer, Wood, Braisted, Simonson, Metcalfe and Johnson.
The works of the Staten Island Water Supply Company were begun in 1880. Steps were taken to provide a water supply for the village of New Brighton as early as 1879. A contract was entered in August of that year, but nothing was done. The contract was again made on October 5, 1880, and work was be- gun. The works were built by John Lockwood and associates, under a contract with the company, for one hundred thousand dollars in cash and two hundred thousand dollars in stock. The works progressed during the season of 1881, and by the end of July they were completed. The works were first operated on August 4, 1881. The formal completion, however, was dated September 29, 1881. At that time the water supply was at the rate of one million gallons a day. The pumping engine had a capacity of delivering one and a quarter million gallons a day into a reservoir two hundred and ten feet above tide. The well from which water is taken is twenty-seven feet deep and thir- teen feet in diameter, giving an exhaustless supply of beautiful, clear water. Cast iron mains to the extent of eighteen thou- sand feet in length were laid to the reservoir, and about fifteen miles of delivery pipes through the streets of New Brighton were laid. The reservoir on Fort hill occupies a lot of land one hundred and thirty by one hundred feet, and has a depth of seventeen feet. It is estimated to hold six hundred thousand gallons. The village of New Brighton was supplied with one hundred and fifty hydrants.
In the summer of 1882 an additional plot of ground was purchased in the rear of the engine house, and a new pumping
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
engine and boiler were put in, having a capacity of one and a half million gallons in ten hours.
The company was granted permission, by the town board of Northfield, to lay their pipes in that town July 25, 1881, to leave all roads in as good condition as they found them, and to complete their contract in five years.
Some preliminary surveys were made with a view to locating the "Crystal Water Works," at the deep ravine back of Eg- bertville, in July, 1883. The scheme contemplated the con- struction of a large reservoir, which would have an elevation of one hundred and thirty-seven feet above the sea, and the work was to be done by November following. Another site was, however, fonnd and this field of operations was abandoned. Works were erected at Bull's head. Water was led thence to New Brighton, and a reservoir constructed at Castleton corners. A tank was erected on Grymes hill, which has a capacity of eighty thousand gallons. The pumping station, erected at Bull's head, has a capacity of one million five hundred thou- sand gallons a day, the water being drawn from ten wells. A distributing reservoir, having a capacity of four million gallons, was constructed, and a pumping station at the junction of Clove and Little Clove roads. for elevating water from the large main to the tank on Grymes hill. In August, 1885, the company had mains extending into New Brighton, Northfield and Middle- town.
THE SAILORS' SNUG HARBOR.
The title of this institution was given by its founder. The motto is that of its seal, which was adopted July 7, 1806, and signifies that those who are disabled by the toils and dangers of the sea here take refuge in a place of rest and safety. Over the main entrance stands a memorial window of nautical de- sign, rich in varied and brilliant color, containing the following synopsis of its history.
" Sailors' Snug Harbor, for aged, decrepit and worn out Sailors, founded by Robert Richard Randall.
" How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower."
" Founded 1801. Incorporated 1806. Erected 1831. Dedi- cated 1833."
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Though comparatively little is known of the early history of its founder, no stroke of doubtful tradition, or touch of fiction is needed to lead us to a view of his character. Stripped of the fog of unreliable legend and tales founded on surmise or mixed with the specious pleadings of contestants of his will, we have presented the fact that a sea captain, actuated by sympathy for the unfortunate of his own profession, carefully and wisely matured a plan for their benefit and generously devised for its establishment and permanence.
By deed bearing date June 5, 1790. Frederick Charles Hans Bruno Paelintz-commonly called Baron Paelintz-conveyed for five thousand pounds to Robert Richard Randall the prop- erty known as the " Minto farm," consisting of twenty-one acres and more of land lying in the (now) Fifteenth ward of New York city, the southern boundary of which was then the upper end of Broadway. Fourteen acres of this land was under the Stoutenburgh patent, from Gov. Petrus Stuyvesant to Petrns Stoutenburgh April 7, 1661, and about seven acres from the Perro family; both tracts having been in the years 1766 and 1768 conveyed to Andrew Elliot, and in 1785 conveyed to Jolin Jay, Isaac Rosevelt and Alexander Hamilton, and by them July 8, 1787, to Baron Paelintz.
The mansion on this estate was built of brick and was one of the most notable residences of the city. It was erected by Lieut .- Gov. Andrew Elliot, who was a son of Sir Gilbert Elliot, lord chief justice, clerk of Scotland. In 1764 he received the appointment of collector and receiver-general of the province of New York, where he established his residence.
In 1780 he was appointed lieutenant-governor of the province, performing the duties of governor until the city was evacuated by the British. His daughter was married here to Lord, after- ward Earl Cathcart, then a major in the British army, on duty in this city. In this house Captain Randall resided from 1790 till the time of his death, which occurred June 5, 1801, and near it he was buried.
In the early corporation manuals of the city Captain Randall is spoken of as a merchant and a ship master, and was uniformly by his contemporaries styled "Captain," both historically and in the recorded proceedings of the trustees by him appointed.
In 1771 Captain Randall, then a young man, became a mem- ber of the marine society of New York, an organization for the
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
relief of indigent and distressed masters of vessels, their widows and orphan children. The leaven of his inspiration to provide an asylum for the needy sailor may be traceable to his long connection and intimate acquaintance with the work of this society, and to his knowledge of the fact that provision such as he devised would so far relieve the society as to enable it the better to provide for the wants of widows and orphans; which result his action did in fact accomplish. Further evi- dence of this design as well as of his confidence in the society, is shown by his naming as trustees under the will, its president and vice-president. In 1778 he became a member of the Cham- ber of Commerce of New York. The president of this body he also named as a trustee.
The property left by Captain Randall for the Sailors' Snug Harbor consisted of the "Minto farm" and four lots in the First ward of the city, together with stocks valued at about ten thousand dollars. The four lots in the First ward he inherited from his father, Thomas Randall, a merchant of New York, who died in 1797, leaving two other children: Paul R. and Catharine, wife of George Brewerton, and appointing Catharine his execu- trix. Both the other children survived Robert Richard.
In his will Captain Randall, after bequeathing certain specific legacies, gave the residue of his estate, real and personal, unto the chancellor of the state of New York, the mayor and the recorder of the city of New York, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of New York, the president and vice-president of the Marine Society of New York, the senior minister of the Episcopal church in said city, and the senior minister of the Presbyterian church in said city, for the time being, and their respective successors in the said offices, forever in trust, for the purpose of maintaining aged, decrepit and worn out sailors. He also expressed therein his desire that the said trustees should apply to the legislature for an act of incorporation, if his intent could thereby be better executed. Such an act of in- corporation was passed February 6, 1806.
It was Captain Randall's intention, as expressed in the will, that the Sailors' Snng Harbor should be located on the estate conveyed; but with the delay incident to a sufficient increase of income properly to conform with his stipulation-that the pro- ceeds of the said estate should be sufficient to "support fifty of the said sailors and upwards "-the changes attending the
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growth of the city and other " impervious circumstances," ren- dered it advisable in the judgment of the trustees to address a memorial to the legislature in February, 1817, for authority to locate the institution elsewhere; suggesting a site at the entrance of the harbor or on the margin of the bay, and representing that they were tendered gratuitously for sucli purpose a lot of land-not less than ten acres-situate on the bay between Fort Diamond and the quarantine ground. This generons offer was made by his excellency Governor Daniel D. Tompkins, who aided General Hamilton in the drawing of the will of Cap- tain Randall. Notwithstanding repeated applications to the same effect, amendment to the act of incorporation enabling the accomplishment of this design was not obtained until April 19, 1828. The death of Governor Tompkins in the meantime rendered his proffer nnavailable.
In March, 1830, the last of the many suits which had been pressed by alleged heirs of Captain Randall was finally settled by the supreme court of the United States. The harass and anxiety to which the trustees had for a quarter of a century been subjected was forever ended, and the legal acnmen of the great lawyers who drew the will was demonstrated.
After visiting many proposed sites on Long Island and on Staten Island, Captains Jolin Whetten and William Whitlock, president and vice-president of the Marine Society, having been duly authorized, selected the present location, and in May, 1831, concluded its purchase. Proposals for the erection of buildings thereon were at once advertised for, and the work of construc- tion began. October 21, 1831, the corner stone of the Sailors' Snug Harbor was laid with appropriate ceremonies, Chancellor Walworth delivering the address.
Angust 1, 1833, the dedicatory services took place and the institution was formally opened, Thirty seamen were then installed as inmates, and addressed by Reverend Doctor Phillips, Captain John Whetten, of the board of trustees, then being the governor in charge.
The opening by the city authorities of Eighth street through the Randall property, rendered it necessary to remove Captain Randall's remains from his chosen resting place, and on June 21, 1825, they were conveyed by the trustees to St. Mark's church and there deposited in a vanlt, to await the selection of a final place of burial. August 21, 1834, they were removed
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HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
thence to Staten Island, where they were awaited by the inmates of the "Harbor," who, uniformly clad in blue jackets and white trousers, followed them in silent procession to the marble mon- ument erected to his memory in front of the center building of the institution, beneath which they were deposited and now re- pose. The following is a copy of the inscription on this memorial stone, which was added in the following year :
North side.
" The Trustees of the Sailors' Snug Harbor erected this monu- ment to the memory of Robert Richard Randall, by whose munificence this institution was founded."
East side.
" The humane institution of the Sailors' Snug Harbor con- ceived in a spirit of enlarged benevolence with an endowment which time has proved fully adequate to the objects of the donor, and organized in a manner which shows wisdom and foresight. The founder of this noble charity will ever be held in grateful remembrance by the partakers of his bounty."
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