USA > New York > New York City > History of the city of New York, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 12
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Stoves were never dreamed of by the worthy Knick-
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erbockers, but in their stead they had the cheerful fire- place-sometimes in the corner, sometimes extending almost across the length of the room-with its huge back-log. and glowing fire of hickory wood. The shovel and tongs stood, one in each corner, keeping guard over the brass-mounted andirons which supported the blazing pile. In front was the brass fender, with its elaborate ornaments ; and a curiously wrought fire-screen stood in the corner. Marble mantels had never yet been thought of ; but the chimney-pieces were inlaid with parti-colored Dutch tiles, representing all sorts of scriptural and apoc- ryphal stories. The kitchen fire-places were less preten- tious, and of an immense size, so large that they would almost have sufficed to roast an ox whole. Over the fire swung the hooks and trammels, designed for the reception of the immense iron cooking pots, long since superseded by the modern stoves and ranges. The chil- dren and negroes grouped in the spacious chimney cor- ners, cracking nuts and telling stories by the light of the blazing pine knots, while the "vrouws " turned the spin- ning-wheel, and the burghers smoked their long pipes and silently watched the wreaths of smoke as they curled above their heads. At nine they regularly said their prayers, commended themselves to the protection of the good St. Nicholas, and went to bed to rise with the dawn.
So regular was their lives that the lack of time-pieces made but little difference. The model citizens rose at cock crowing, breakfasted with the dawn, and went about. their usual avocations. When the sun reached the " noon- "mark," dinner was on the table. This was strictly a family meal ; dinner parties were unheard of, and the
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neighbor who should have dropped in without ceremony would have been likely to have met an indifferent wel- come. But this apparent want of sociality was amply atoned for by the numerous tea-parties. After dinner, the worthy Dutch matrons would array themselves in their best linsey-jackets and petticoats of their own spinning, and, putting a half-finished worsted stocking into the capacious pocket which hung down from their girdle, with their scissors, pin-cushion and keys, outside their dress, sally forth to a neighbor's house to "take tea." Here they plied their knitting-needles and their tongues at the same time, discussed the village gossip, settled their neighbors' affairs to their own satisfaction, and finished their stockings in time for tea, which was on the table at six o'clock precisely. This was the occasion for the display of the family plate and the Lilliputian cups of rare old china, out of which the guests sipped the fragrant bohea, sweetening it by an occasional bite from the huge lump of loaf sugar which was laid invari- ably by the side of each plate, while they discussed the hostess' apple-pies, doughnuts and waffles. Tea over, the party donned their cloaks and hoods, for bonnets were not, and set out straightway for home in order to be in time to superintend the milking and look after their household affairs before bed-time.
As we have already said, the Dutch ladies wore no bonnets, but brushed their hair back from their fore- heads and covered it with a close-fitting cap of muslin or calico ; over this they wore, in the open air, hoods of silk or taffeta, elaborately quilted. Their dress consisted of a jacket of cloth or silk, and a number of short petti-
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coats of every conceivable hue and material, quilted in fanciful figures. If the pride of the Dutch matrons lay in their beds and linen, the pride of the Dutch maidens lay equally in their elaborately wrought petticoats, which were their own handiwork, and usually constituted their only dowry. The wardrobe of a fashionable lady usually contained from ten to twenty of these, of silk, camlet, cloth, drugget, India stuff and a variety of other materials, all closely quilted, and costing from five to thirty dollars each. They wore blue, red, and green worsted stockings of their own knitting, with parti-col- ored clocks, together with high-heeled leather shoes. No finer material was known until after the Revolution. Considerable jewelry was in use among them in the shape of rings and brooches. Gold neck and fob chains were unknown : the few who owned watches attached them to chains of silver or steel; though girdle-chains of gold and silver were much in vogue among the most fashionable belles. These were attached to the richly bound Bibles and hymn-books and suspended from the belt outside the dress, thus forming an ostentatious Sunday decoration. For necklaces, they wore numerous strings of gold beads ; the poorer classes, in humble imitation, encircled their throats with steel and glass beads, and strings of Job's tears, the fruit of a plant which was famed to possess some medicinal virtues.
The burghers wore long-waisted coats, with skirts reaching almost to the ankles, vests with large flaps, and numerous pairs of breeches. The coats and vests were trimmed with large silver buttons, and decorated with lace. The low-crowned hats were made of beaver
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-caps of fur and taffeta were also much in vogue. Though this costume was somewhat ponderous, the gen- tlemen do not appear to have fallen behind the ladies in extravagance in dress. Taffeta, plush and velvet were the favorite materials for their habiliments ; their shoe- buckles and buttons were of solid silver, and they sported silver-hilted small swords and ivory-mounted canes. A few wore wigs ; though the most wore their hair plaited tightly in cues.
But these garments were susceptible of indefinite pre- servation ; for the every-day apparel was of good sub- stantial homespun. Every household had from two to six spinning-wheels for wool and flax, whereon the women of the family expended every leisure moment. Looms, too, were in common use, and piles of home-spun cloth and snow-white linen attested to the industry of the active Dutch maidens. Hoards of home-made stuffs were thus accumulated in the settlement, sufficient to last till a distant generation. Cotton cloth was a fabric unknown. The women spun and wove, milked and churned, and attended to their household matters ; the men traded with the natives or the other colonies, or kept their shops in their own city-no one was idle. They made no haste to be rich, were not given to specu- lation in bank stock or real estate, or any other of those schemes for making a fortune in the twinkling of an eye that only originate in the brain of the active and adven- turous Yankees-that, their phlegmatic temperament forbade-but they realized the fable of the hare and the tortoise, and made their way up the ladder of fortune slowly but surely.
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Books were rare luxuries in these times ; with the exception of the libraries of the domine and the doctor, Bibles and prayer-books constituted the sole literature of the settlement. These were objects of considerable dis- play, being gorgeously bound, and worn suspended from the girdle by gold and silver chains of considerable value. The intellectual wants of the community were satisfied by the weekly discourses of the domine in the church of St. Nicholas, as yet the only one in the city. Thither the farmers drove from their bouweries on Sundays, with their wives and children arrayed in their best, and, leaving their farm-wagons upon the Bowling Green, turned their horses loose to graze on the grassy hill-slope outside the fort during the hours of service. In these hours, profound silence was enjoined upon the colony ; the remainder of the day was given to the Indians and negroes for recreation. But, though the Reformed Dutch Church within the walls of the fort was the only one as yet erected in New Amsterdam, it must not be inferred that there was a corresponding unanimity of religious opinion.
Numerous religious organizations were already in existence, which, restrained by the repressive policy of Stuyvesant, were only waiting the advent of a more tolerant government to erect churches and chapels of their own. The service of the Church of England had already been performed by an English chap- lain in the chapel in the fort during the administrations of Nicolls and Lovelace ; the Lutherans and French Cal- vinists also had preachers of their own. The prevailing religious denomination was the Dutch Calvinist ; but there were a few Episcopalians, a few Roman Catholics,
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some Anabaptists, some Independents, several Jews, a number of Quakers, and a great many of no faith at all. At the time of the cession of the province to the English, no less than eighteen different languages were spoken in the city. Its religious tolerance had made it the refuge of the persecuted of every sect and clime, while its com- mercial advantages had attracted enterprising adven- turers from all parts of the world, and had thus laid the foundation of a cosmopolitan city. All this tended to pro- duce greater breadth of view and liberality of sentiment than was to be found in the New England colonies, where but one sect was tolerated, and which were made up almost exclusively of a single nation.
An outline of the streets of New Amsterdam at the time of the surrender to the English in 1664, will indi- cate the genealogy of the present streets of the city. A minute account of the residents, with the location of their property, which would extend beyond the scope of the present work, has already been given by Mr. Valentine in his valuable history.
Beginning at the ferry, along the road which led to the water-gate at the eastern extremity of the city-wall, was the Smit's Vly or Valley, so called from a black- smith by the name of Cornelius Clopper, who set up his forge on the corner of Maiden Lane and Pearl street, where he intercepted the custom of the Long Island farmers, on their way to the city from the ferry. This road ran along the high water mark, and, consequently, was only built upon one side.
Next came Hoogh straat, which extended along the river shore, the line of which is marked now by the
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north side of Pearl between Wall and William streets, and both sides of Stone between William and Broad streets. On the north side of Pearl between Broad and William streets, extending thence along the shore to Wall street was the Waal or " Sheet Pile street " built to protect the City Hall which fronted it on the northwest corner of Pearl street and Coenties Slip, from the wash- ing of the tides.
Still continuing on the road along the shores of the river was the Water Side, extending along the northern side of Pearl from Broad street to Whitehall, in front of the old church, erected outside the walls of the fort for Domine Bogardus in the days of Wouter Van Twiller. This terminated in Perel street, which ran from White- hall to State street. About the Battery were a few scat- tered buildings, among others, the house and store of Jacob Leisler on the west side of Whitehall street, between Pearl and State streets, and the old " White Hall " of Governor Stuyvesant which gave its name to the first named street.
Beginning at the east side of Whitehall above Stone street and extending to Heere straat or Broadway was " T' Marckvelt," afterwards Marketfield street, so called from the Bowling Green which fronted it, and which was then used at stated times for a cattle fair or market. At the western extremity of this street began Heere straat, the ancestor of the present Broadway, which extended to the west or land gate of the city wall, along the southerly side of which ran Wall street to the East River.
In the interior of the city, were the Heere graft, the inlet from which sprung the present Broad street,
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extending from the river to Beaver street, and the Prince graft, the continuation of the same from Beaver to Garden street or Exchange Place, above which was an open common, used as a sheep pasture. From its inter- section with these, an open ditch marked the course of the Beaver graft to Broadway, on each side of which, buildings were erected.
Beginning at Broad, and extending through Stone to Whitehall streets was Brouwer or Brewer straat, so called from having been the site of a number of breweries. In this street, stone pavements were first laid in the city, whence its future name. From the East River to Broad- way ran T' Maagde Paatje, or the Maiden's Path.
, From the bridge that crossed the inlet at Broad street ran Brugh or Bridge straat to Whitehall, on the corner of which was the house and store of Cornelius Steen- wyck, the principal merchant of New Amsterdam. Beginning in the middle of Bridge street and extending to Stone street, parallel with Whitehall, was Winckel street, or the street of the stores, so called from the Company's storehouses, which fronted it on the east. This is now consolidated into a single block, and Winckel street is known only on the maps of olden time. Last of all came Smee street, on the line of Wil- liam between Wall and Pearl streets, so called from the glass-maker, Jan Smeedes, who is supposed to have been its earliest resident. Other streets and lanes soon . sprung into existence with the new colonization, but these long continued to be known as the ancient land- marks, and to this day, the line of but one has been blotted from the map of the city.
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At this time, and long after, the inhabitants of the city continued to be distinguished for their frank good-nature, their love of home, and their cordial hospitality. A late writer says, speaking on this subject : "The hospitality " and simple plainness of New York city down to the "period of 1790 and 1800 was very peculiar. All felt " and praised it. Nothing was too good and no attention " too engrossing for a stranger. The name was a pass- " port to everything kind and generous. All who were "introduced invited them to their house and board." May we not hope that some of the spirit of the ancient Knickerbockers still remains to us, and that we are not churlish in our welcome of the strangers who visit our shores ?
Yet, despite the staid decorum of the city, it was over- flowing with sociality and genial humor. Fast young men, fashionable amusements, late hours, and dissipation were wholly unknown, but there was no lack of hearty and homely sports. Of holidays, there were abundance ; each family had some of its own ; birth-days and marriage anniversaries were religiously observed in the family cir- cle, and home-ties were thus drawn more closely together. Each season, too, brought its own peculiar festivals, and many new ones were invented to meet the social exi- gencies. The people held firmly to the old maxim that " many hands make light work," and never failed, when any extra task presented itself, to make it the occa- sion for a social gathering. Thus they had " quilting- " bees," " apple-bees," "husking-bees,"" and "raising- " bees," in which the allotted task was soon completed by the nimble fingers of the busy workers, who then sat
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down to a supper of chocolate and soft waffles, and ter- minated the evening by a merry dance. Dancing was a favorite amusement ; the negroes danced to the music of their rude instruments in the market-place ; and the youths and maidens danced at their social gatherings, as well as around the May-pole on the Bowling Green on the first of May. This latter day was also memorable for another festival, which is indigenous to New York, and has grown into an institution-it was the general moving-day, and all who changed their residences were expected to vacate the premises which they occupied before the hour of noon. Rents ranged from twenty-five to one hundred dollars per annum ; the houses being worth from two hundred to a thousand dollars each.
Besides the holidays which we have noted, the Dutch had five national festivals which were observed through- out the city ; namely, Kerstrydt (Christmas) ; Nieuw jar (New Year) ; Paas (the Passover) ; Pinxter (Whitsun- tide) ; and Santa Claus (St. Nicholas or Christ-kinkle day). Most of these have come down to our own time in a form but slightly varied from the ancient obser- vance. Christmas day opened with a general exchange of "merry Christmas" greetings throughout the city, and he bore off the palm who was the first to offer the wish to his neighbor; and this over, " turkey shooting" came next in order, and the young men repaired to "the " Commons " or to "Beekman's Swamp " to shoot at tur- keys which were set up for a target. Each man paid a few stuyvers for a shot, and he who succeeded in hitting the bird bore it off as a prize. The older citizens, mean-
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while, gathered about the young sportsmen, criticising their skill, and telling tales of their own youthful dex- terity. At home, the day was commemorated by a family dinner, after which the children and patriarchs joined together in a merry dance, and closed the day with gaiety and good humor.
New Year's day was devoted to the interchange of visits. Every house in the city was open, no stranger was unwelcome, cake, wine and punch were provided in profusion, and the opening year was greeted with gene- ral conviviality. It was considered a breach of etiquette for any one to omit a single acquaintance in his round of calls, and acquaintanceships were renewed and half-dis- severed intimacies knotted again in the cordial warmth of the New Year's greeting. This custom, which has come down to our own times, has now extended to other cities, but its origin belongs exclusively in New York.
Paas, or Easter and Easter Monday, was once a notable festival in the city ; though now it is nearly forgotten, except among the children, who still crack colored eggs in honor of the occasion. Not many years have passed, however, since this holiday enjoyed as wholesale an observance as the others we have men- tioned, and colored eggs were found upon every table. But the festival is passing away, and will soon, like Pinxter, be utterly forgotten.
But Santa Claus day was the best day of all in the estimation of the little folks, who, of all others, enjoy holidays the most intensely. It is notable, too, for hav- ing been the day sacred to St. Nicholas, the patron saint
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of New York, who presided at the figure-head of the first emigrant ship that touched her shores, who gave his name to the first church erected within her walls, and who has ever since been regarded as having especial charge of the destinies of his favorite city. To the children, he was a jolly, rosy-cheeked little old man, with a low-crowned hat, a pair of Flemish trunk-hose, and a pipe of immense length, who drove his rein- deer sleigh loaded with gifts from the frozen regions of the North over the roofs of New Amsterdam for the benefit of good children. Models of propriety were they for a week preceding the eventful Christmas eve. When it came, they hung their stockings, carefully labelled, that the Saint might make no mistakes, in the chimney corner, and went early to bed, chanting the Santa Claus hymn, in addition to their usual devotions. For the hymn and the translation, which we give entire as a curiosity, we are indebted to D. T. Valentine, Esq.
" Sint Nicholaas, goed heilig man, Trekt uw' besten Tabbard an, En reist daarmee naar Amsterdam, Van Amsterdam naar Spanje, Waar appellen von Oranje, En appelen van Granaten, Rollen door de Straten. Sint Nicholaas, myn goden Vriend, Ik heb u altyd wel gediend, Als gy my nu wat wilt geben, Fal ik u dienen als myn leven."
TRANSLATION.
" Saint Nicholas, good holy man, Put your best Tabbard on you can, And in it go to Amsterdam, From Amsterdam to Hispanje,
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Where apples bright of Orange, And likewise those, pomegranites named, Roll through the streets all unreclaimed. Saint Nicholas, my dear, good friend, To serve you ever was my end; If you me now something will give, Serve you I will as long as I live."
These rhymes, Mr. Valentine tells us, continued to be sung among the children of the ancient Dutch families as late as the year 1851. But the custom is passing away, and the Christmas gifts are now given prosaically without legend or tradition. It is to be regretted, for childhood is the golden age of illusions, and short as this illusion may be, all who have tasted it know how sweet were the fruits that grew in the mysterious gardens of the good old Santa Claus. Peace to his ashes !
Santa Claus, the Patron Saint of New Amsterdam.
CHAPTER VI.
1674-1689.
New York under the new Regime-Progress of the City.
.
EDMUND ANDROS, afterwards known as the "tyrant of "New England," was a man of marked ability, but impe- rious, and despotic in the highest degree. This was doubtless owing, in part, to the commands of the Duke of York, of whom he was a devoted follower, and who had given him instructions to continue the arbitrary course of policy pursued by the former government. No sooner was he installed in his office, than the people, hoping some advantage from the change of rulers, renewed their petition for an assembly of representatives. Andros laid the petition before the Duke of York, and strongly advised him to grant it. James, who regarded popular assemblies as dangerous and useless, utterly refused to listen to their prayer. " What do they want " with assemblies ?" said he. "They have the Court of " Sessions, presided over by the governor ; or, if this is " not enough, they can appeal to me." Such was the estimation in which the rights of the people were held by their royal masters. As another sample of the spirit
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of the times, we may quote the remark made a short time before by Sir William Berkeley, the governor of Virginia, who " thanked God that there were neither free " schools nor printing-presses in the colony." " God " keep us from both," added he, fervently. And Lord Effingham, his successor, was directed on no account to suffer the latter to be established. The New England colonies, however, enjoyed a representative government. and this excited the envy of the New Yorkers, particu- larly of the inhabitants of the eastern towns of Long Island, who petitioned to be annexed to Connecticut, alleging, as a pretext, their New England origin. The request was refused, and Andros, intent on enlarging his province, attempted to extend its boundaries to the Connecticut River-the ancient limit-and repaired to Saybrook with several armed sloops to enforce his claim. The people immediately prepared for resistance ; and Andros, seeing that he must fight or retreat, chose the latter, and returned to New York. He afterwards took forcible possession of Sagadahoc, a district in Maine between the Kennebec and the Penobscot, inhabited by a few Dutch settlers. Here, he erected a fort and con- stituted the county of Cornwall. Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and a tract west of the Delaware, extending to the Schuylkill, were also included within the limits of the province, which contained, at this time, thirty-two towns and villages.
Though forced by the commands of his patron to deny to the citizens the political privileges which they so much desired, the new governor strove to make amends for it by promoting public improvements. In 1676, he
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appointed as mayor, Nicholas De Meyer, a native-born Hollander, and one of the most enterprising traders of the province. Mayor De Meyer had emigrated from Holland at an early age, married the daughter of Hen- drick Van Dyck, one of the most influential burghers, and grown up with the city, where many of his descen- dants are yet to be found.
Ordinances were established by the governor for regu- lating the public morals, and promoting the welfare of the city. The city gates were ordered to be closed at night at nine o'clock, and to be opened at daylight. The citizens were required to keep watch by turns, and were fined for absence or neglect of duty, and all profanity and drunkenness were strictly forbidden. Every citizen was ordered to provide himself with a good musket, or fire- lock, with at least six charges of powder and ball ; and to appear, with good arms, before the captain's colors at the first beating of the drum.
All masters of vessels, on arriving in port, were required to give a full list of their passengers to the mayor, under penalty of a fine of a beaver-skin for each offence. Peddling was forbidden and none were per- mitted to sell goods at retail but freemen or burghers of the city. For this freedom, the merchants paid six bea- vers, and the mechanics two ; unless they kept up an establishment therein, all lost it after twelve months' absence from the city. Six wine and four beer taverns were licensed by the governor, with permission to both to sell strong liquors ; the rates of fare being regulated as follows : Lodging, three pence and four pence per night ; meals, eight pence and a shilling ; brandy, six-
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