USA > New York > Queens County > Flushing > History of the town of Flushing, Long Island, New York > Part 7
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4 Onderdonk's Queens County in Olden Times, p. 54.
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until his death, in 1776. During this time, he was repeatedly placed at the head of the Government, by the death or absence of the various governors. In 1762, he purchased in Flushing, from John and Thomas Willet, for £200, an estate of 120 acres, known as Spring Hill. Reservation was made in the deed for this property, of "a certain antient burying Place, fenced in with a stone fence, or stone Ditch, (where the family of the Willets have hitherto been in- terred) to and for the use of the family of said Willets, to bury and deposit their dead henceforth forever."5 This estate has recently become the Cedar Grove Cemetery. The "antient burying Place" may still be seen, though sadly neglected. 6 Mr. Colden used Spring Hill as a summer home until 1775, when he retired hither to end his days. Here he died on Sept. 20, 1776, at the age of eighty-eight. He was one of the most learned men of his time, in America, and carried on a correspondence with most of the scientific men of Europe. He was especially interested in botany, and was the first to introduce the Linnaean system into this country. He furnished Linnaeus with descriptions of between 300 and 400 American plants. Besides the History of the Five
5 The Colden Family, E. P. Purple, p. 7.
6 Mandeville says he carefully examined this burial- plot, in 1859, but could find nothing to mark the grave of Cadwallader Colden who was buried there, in 1776.
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Indian Nations, Colden was the author of a number of medical and scientific treatises.
David Colden, son of Cadwallader Colden, inherited Spring Hill from his father. He married, in 1767, Ann Willet, daughter of John Willet. Judge Jones says that David Colden was "a gentleman of the first character and reputation, as to honesty and veracity."7 David Colden studied medicine, though he never practised it, except among his friends. He devoted most of his time to scien- tific pursuits. Like his father, he was an ardent Loyalist. 8 At the close of the war his property was confiscated, he was proscribed and sentenced, if found in any part of this state, to suffer death as a felon, "without benefit of clergy."9 In vain Colden begged Gov. Clinton for protection. He was compelled to flee to England, where he died, July 10, 1784, and was buried at St. Ann's Church, Soho. His farm was sold ten days later, by the Commissioners of Forfeiture, to William Cornwell, for £1800. Colden was, for a number of years, a vestryman of St. George's Church.
7 History of New York During the Revolutionary War, I, 363. 8 David Colden was appointed, July 15, 1780, Assistant Master of the Rolls and Superintendent of the Police on Long Island. George Duncan Ludlow was the Chief. They acted as judges in all controversies, during the suspension of the civil government. Onderdonk's Documents and Letters, p. 239.
9 New York During the Revolutionary War, II, 269.
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Cadwallader David Colden was a son of David Colden. He was born at Spring Hill, April 4, 1769. He began his studies at Jamaica, Long Island, and afterwards continued them in London. He returned to the United States in 1785, after the death of his father, and began the practice of law in 1791. In the war of 1812, he was Colonel of a regiment of volunteers. In 1818, he was elected Mayor of New York, was sent to Congress in 1821, and served in the State Senate from 1824 to 1827. He married a daughter of Bishop Provoost, and died in Jersey City, Feb. 7, 1834. He was the author of the Life of Fulton; and of several other works.
Another distinguished Flushing family, at this period, was the Lewis family. 10 They espoused the cause of the Colonies. The head of the family, Francis Lewis, was born in Wales, in 1713. His father was the Rector of Landaff parish. His mother was the daughter of Dr. Pettingal, a Church of England clergyman. Francis was their only child. He lost both parents while young, and was educated under the care of his maternal uncle, the Dean of St. Paul's. When he reached the age of twenty-one, his first act was to convert his patrimony into merchandise and embark for New
10 Biographies of Francis Lewis and Morgan Lewis, by Julia Delafield.
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York. Here he formed a partnership with Richard An- · nely, whose sister he afterwards married. When the French war broke out, in 1752, Lewis obtained a contract to clothe the British army. While at Oswego, superintend- ing this business, he was taken prisoner by the French and committed to the care of the Indians. 11 It is said that his
11 Lewis's contemporaries do not give so flattering an account of him as does his descendant, Miss Delafield, whose biography has been followed in the text of this history. Among the manuscripts in the Library of the N. Y. Historical Society, is one endorsed "Annely v. Lewis, Instructions to draw a Bill." From this we learn that Richard Annely, of Bristol, England, came to New York, in 1734, with goods advanced by certain Bristol merchants. In 1739, Annely's consignors urged him to take Lewis as a partner. Lewis was at that time a shopman in the employ of Sydenham Shipway, at a salary of £15 a year. In 1743 Richard Annely died, at Whitestone. After four years, Edward Annely came out to settle his brother's estate. In the document cited above, he accuses Lewis of defrauding the estate. The New York Gazette and Post-Boy, for 1849, also contains charges by Edward Annely against Francis Lewis. Lewis replies, by charging his late partner with taking large sums of money without accounting for the same. He adds : "I am ready upon Oath to lay all Books and Papers before any judicious Persons ; and nothing would be more agreeable to me than having the Accounts fairly adjusted, which have been so unaccountably perplexed by the Deceased. I only desire to be secured myself, which every judicious Man would think but reasonable." New York Gazette and Post Boy, Sep. 6, 1749.
Judge Jones, another contemporary, says that Lewis failed in business three times before 1752. He then made two voyages to the Baltic as supercargo. Returning to New York, he opened a lodging house. In 1755, he left the lodg- ing house to be conducted by his wife, and went as sutler
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knowledge of Gaelic and Cymraeg enabled him to converse with the Indians and thus he saved his life. He was sent to France and afterwards exchanged. The Colonial govern- ment presented to him a tract of land, of 5000 acres, in ac- knowledgment of his military services. About the year 1765 Lewis bought a farm of 200 acres, in Flushing. It was located where Whitestone now stands. In 1775, Lewis was chosen, with others, to represent New York in the Continental Congress. In July, of the following year, he was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He served in the vestry of St. George's Church, Flushing, when at home, between 1770 and 1790. In 1790, he removed to New York, where he died, in 1802. He was buried in Trinity church- yard. 12 During the Revolutionary War, his business capac- ity made him a valuable member of Congress. Lewis was
with the army, on the expedition against Niagara. During the winter he remained at Oswego, where a large garrison was left. "By selling his tobacco, his pipes, his sugar, and his salt, at a most exorbitant price, he extorted a great deal of money from the poor soldiery." Returning to New York he entered into partnership for fraud with a corrupt Judge of the Admiralty, and made much money from privateering. During the Revolution, continues Jones, Lewis and his sons speculated in soldiers' certificates which they bought at the rate of 6 pence for 40s. With these certificates they bought confiscated lands. Jones's New York During the Revolution II, 357 et sq.
12 When Lewis died, not a single obituary notice appeared in any New York City paper, so far as can be ascertained.
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a zealous supporter of Washington, when the attempt was made to supplant Washington and give the command of the Continental forces to General Gates.
Francis Lewis, Jr., succeeded his father as owner of the Whitestone estate, when the latter removed to New York. He appears to have been a prominent man in local affairs, and was a warden of St. George's Church, from 1791 to 1794.
A more distinguished son of Francis Lewis was Morgan Lewis. He was born in 1754. It does not appear that he was in any way identified with Flushing, though it is prob- able that this was his home, until 1779, when he married Gertrude Livingston, a daughter of Judge Robert Living- ston. Morgan Lewis served in the Revolutionary War, as Captain, Major, and finally as Chief of General Gates's staff. He commanded the troops that met and escorted Washington, when Washington came to New York, in 1790, to be in- augurated as the first President of the United States. Morgan Lewis was elected Governor of New York, in 1804. He again served his country in the War of 1812. He died in 1844.
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CHAPTER XIII
BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION
1765
The Stamp Act was passed in 1765. The Lieutenant Governor, Cadwallader Colden, whose country home was in Flushing, was at the time acting Governor of the Province. He declared his intention of enforcing the act. On the evening of November 1st., a torchlight procession came down Broadway, New York, from the fields, carrying images of Colden and the devil. The Lieutenant Governor's coach- house was broken open, and his best chariot was seized. The two images were placed in the chariot, and the proces- sion proceeded to Bowling Green. There chariot and images were burned. Not long after this, Zacharias Hood, a stamp officer, was pursued to Flushing, where the alarmed officer had taken refuge in Colden's residence. Hood was seized, taken to Jamaica, and compelled to swear loyalty to the colonies.1 This is the extent of Flushing's connection with the detested Stamp Act.
1 "Volunteer parties of the Sons of Liberty soon after went to Flushing by land and water, when fifty of them
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The idea of appointing committees of correspondence in the various colonies originated at a Boston town meeting, 1772 in 1772. It was soon adopted by other colonies. This was the beginning of the Union. It was a thing unknown to law, but it was not a violation of any law. 2 The object of these committees was to arrange for some concerted action to protect the colonists in their rights. The result of their conference was the call of the first Continental Congress, 1774 which assembled in Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1774. Local committees were appointed everywhere, to carry out the recommendations of Congress. With the exception of Suffolk County, Long Island opposed the assembling of a Congress, and declined to send delegates to co-operate with the New York Committee. Colden wrote, in October, to the Earl
surrounded Hood's lodgings and forced him to resign. Then one hundred persons on horseback and in carriages, in regu- lar order, escorted him to Jamaica (Mr. Hood and another gentleman riding in a chair, in the centre) where he took the oath before Justice Samuel Smith. Mr. H. then thanked the company for their politeness, when he was complimented and huzzaed and invited to an entertainment, but he excused himself inasmuch as he was in such a frame of body and mind that he should be unhappy in company. Many constitutional toasts were drank, and next morning the company (except those who lived on Long Island, set out for New York, in several divisions, carrying the flag of liberty with the words Liberty, Property and No Stamps, in- scribed thereon." N. Y. Journal, Dec. 5, 1765. Queens County in Olden Times, p. 37.
2 Fiske's American Revolution, I, 89.
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of Dartmouth : "In Queens County, where I have a house and reside the summer season, 3 six persons have not been got together for the purpose, and the inhabitants remain firm in their resolution not to join the Congress."+ But the Sons of Liberty, though few, were not idle. Early in Jan- uary, 1775, a funeral in Flushing brought together a large 1775 number of people, and gave the Patriots an opportunity of creating a local committee of twelve. 5
The New York Provincial Assembly met, January 10th, 1775. It refused to endorse the action of the Continental Congress, or to send delegates from New York to the next Congress, which was to meet on the tenth of May. The New York Committee, despairing of assistance from the Provincial Government, sent out, on March 16th, circulars to the different counties, requesting them to send delegates to a convention to be held in New York, on April 20th, for the purpose of electing delegates to the next Continental Congress. On April 3rd, the Provincial Assembly of New York, adjourned, never to meet again. Queens County
3 "Saturday last, the Hon. Cadwallader Colden, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor of this Province, arrived here from his seat at Flushing, in good health." New York Journal, March 24, 1774. Queens County in Olden Times, p. 47.
4 Flint, p. 350.
5 Onderdonk's Documents and Letters, p. 21.
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voted against sending delegates to the New York Conven- tion, but four delegates, chosen by minorities or otherwise irregularly, were sent from the county. Among these was John Talman, chosen, April 4th, by the town meeting of Flushing. The delegates met at the Exchange, in New York, April 20th, and formed themselves into a Provin- cial Congress, thus usurping the powers of the Royal Govern- ment. The delegates from Queens County were allowed to attend the sessions of the convention and to offer advice ; but, because of the irregularity of their election, were not permitted to vote. Among the delegates chosen by this Provincial Congress, to represent New York in the next Continental Congress, was Flushing's patriotic citizen- Francis Lewis. The Provincial Congress adjourned, April 23rd.
On the following day came the news of the battle of Lexington and Concord. Another Provincial Congress was at once called, to "deliberate on and to direct such measures as may be expedient for our common safety." Queens County still refused to choose delegates. However, on May 22nd, delegates were chosen by Flushing; viz., Nathaniel Tom and Thomas Hicks. This second Provincial Congress, of New York, which met on May 24th, entirely ignored the Royal Governor and his Council, and assumed the functions
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of the Provincial Government. It recommended the various counties to appoint committees, with sub-committees for the towns, to carry out the resolutions of the Continental and Provincial Congresses. The sub-committee for Flushing, chosen in accordance with this recommendation, was: John Talman (Chairman), John Eagles, Thomas Rodman, Thomas Thorne, Edmund Pinfold. Joseph Bowne (Clerk).
In November, Queens County was again called upon to send delegates to the Provincial Congress. Every freeman in the County voted. An overwhelming majority (788 to 221) voted against sending delegates. Soon after this, Con- gress published "A List of Queen's Co. Tories," known as "The Black List," who were suspected of having received arms and amunition from the British war-ship Asia, and of having formed a militia to oppose the Colonies. Among these Tories was John Willet, a prominent and respected citizen of Flushing. The persons whose names were on "The Black List" were cited to appear before Congress, on Dec. 19th, "to give satisfaction in the premises. "6
Queens County Tories became notorious. Their case was taken up by the Continental Congress. The pole list was forwarded to Philadelphia. Congress ordered that all who had voted against sending delegates to the New York
6 Flint, p. 356 et 8q
1776
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Congress should "be put out of the protection of the United Colonies and that all trade and intercourse with them cease. "7 Col. Nathanael Heard, of Woodbridge, N. J., was ordered to take with him "five or six hundred minute- men, under discreet officers," march into Queens County, disarm every man who had voted against sending deputies, and arrest all who resisted. Nineteen "disaffected" persons were carried away to Philadelphia. Among them was John Willet of Flushing. They were afterwards handed over to the mercies of the New York Congress and later released, under bond to appear "within six days after sum- moning before any Provincial Congress or committee of Safety."8
Boston was evacuated by the British troops, March 17, 1776. General Howe sailed with his forces to Halifax. Later he sailed west again, and, toward the end of June, appeared before New York. He had with him about 30,000 soldiers, including 12,000 Germans, under General De Heis- ter. 9 Washington hurried toward New York. Flushing now became the refuge of two classes of persons; viz., the
7 American Archives, 4th Series, IV, 1630.
8 Flint, p. 368.
9 Losing's Empire State, p. 242.
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Loyalists, 10 who sought protection among their many sym- pathizers, and certain poor families who were sent hither by the Provincial Congress. 11 Among those of the former class, was the Rev. Chas. Inglis, Rector of Trinity Church, N. Y. 12 The local committee considered the advisability of seizing him, but his friends removed him to more retired quarters, and he escaped further notice. How many of the second class came to Flushing, it is impossible to say. The Provincial Congress paid John Talman £200, to defray the expense of their support. 13
1
Governor Tryon, the Royal Governor of the Province had established his headquarters on one of the British ships. Thence he sent out a declaration from Lord Howe and General Howe, offering pardon to all who would submit to the authority of England. This declaration was published by Thomas Willet, in his capacity as Sheriff. Willet was
10 ."Long Island became an asylum for the Loyalists, to which they fled from all parts of the continent for safety and protection, to avoid oppression at least, if not murder." Hist. N. Y. During the Revolution, II, 116.
11 Washington recommended that women, children and infirm people be removed from the city, because their shrieks and cries tended to dishearten the young and inex- perienced soldiers. Documents and Letters, p. 85.
12 At the close of the war, 1783, Inglis went to Halifax. In 1787 he was consecrated Bishop of Nova Scotia.
13 Documents and Letters, p. 85.
2
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arrested and, on admitting that he had caused the decla- ration to be published, was committed to jail in New York, by authority of the Provincial Congress. 14 The nearness of the English caused the committee-men of Flushing to organize a militia. Nathanael Tom was elected Captain and Jeffery Hicks, Lieutenant. 15 Nathanael Tom afterwards
14 Journals of the Provincial Congress, I. 558.
Willet's brother, Edward Willet, and Edward Willet, Jr., together with Lawson the schoolmaster of Flushing, who acted as the scribe, and Thomas Hicks, attorney at law, were also arrested. Queens Co. in Olden Times, p. 51.
15 Calendar of Historical Manuscripts, I, 335.
Another company was organized at Flushing, July 27, 1776, to become part of Col. Josiah Smith's regiment, which was used to protect the live stock on Long Island. Below is the muster roll. The lieutenants and sergeants received $8, pr. month : the corporal and drummer, 871g pr. month ; the fifer, $716 pr. month ; and the privates, 8623 pr. month. John Robert, 1st Lt. William Lowree, Corp.
Isaac Hicks, 2d Lt. John Smith, Corp.
Joseph Beesley, Sergt.
James Doughty, Drummer.
Lewis Cornwell, Sergt. Privates.
Moses Fowler. Fifer.
Benjamin Farrington John Moore
John Mills
Jarvis Dobbs
John Smith
Jacob Manney
Matthew Farrington
Thomas Talman
Stephen Wright
Jacob Huber
Thomas Fowler
John Parker
Oliver Thorne
Jacob Griffing
William McDeane
Robert Wilson
Daniel Hitchcock
John Hulsifer James White
Robert Betts
Malcomb McAuley
George Miller
Documents and Letters, p. 98, et sq.
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became Captain of a company of Continentals, raised at Kingston. He served through the war, and died at Kingston, aged 73 years. The Rector of St. George's Church was ordered to omit the prayers for the King and Royal family ; but, rather than do this, he closed his church for five Sundays-until the British troops entered the town. 16
16 "The courts were closed in Queens County, from September, 1773, until May, 1784. The Whig Committee of Safety served, in lieu thereof, until Aug. 27, 1776. Martial law then prevailed until the establishment of peace." Flint's Early Long Island, p. 449.
CHAPTER XIV
THE BRITISH OCCUPATION OF FLUSHING
1776 On the 27th of August, occurred the battle of Long
Island. On the 28th, the American army, under the direc- to tion of Washington, retreated to New York and later to 1783 Harlem Heights. New York fell into the hands of the Eng- lish. So did Flushing. 1 A company of light-horse galloped into "the town spot" of Flushing and inquired at the Widow Bloodgood's for her sons. On being told that they had fled, the soldiers threatened to burn her house, but were persuaded to desist. Thomas Thorne, the blacksmith and inn-keeper, was seized, and ended his days on one of
1 The Rev. Joshua Bloomer, Rector of St. George's, wrote to the secretary of the S. P. G., in London: "I feel myself happy to have it in my power to write to you from a land restored from anarchy and confusion to the blessings of order and good government . . . The principal members of my congregation who conscientiously refused to join in their [i. e. the Patriots'] measures excited their highest resent- ment. Their homes were plundered, their persons seized, some were committed to prison, others sent under a strong guard to the distant parts of Connecticut, where they were detained as prisoners for several months." Documentary History of New York, III, 205.
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the prison-ships. James Burling and John Vanderbilt were also carried away, but later came out of prison alive. Cornelius Van Wyck, the member of Congress from Flush- ing, was imprisoned until October. 2
A report of this raid being brought to the headquarters of the Continental army, at Kings Bridge, Gen. Heath commanded Col. Graham to confer with Messrs. Eagle and Pinfold, committee-men for Flushing, and, if the enemy were not more than a hundred, to go and scatter them. 3 This expedition of relief was probably never undertaken, for, soon after the battle of Long Island, the 71st High- landers marched into Flushing.+ On October 12th, the 1st, 2nd, and 6th brigades of Howe's army passed through Flushing to Whitestone, where they crossed to the mainland, preparatory to the battle of White Plains. It required half a day for the troops to pass a given point. 5
Flushing was occupied by the English until the close of the war. 6 During the summer, there were not so many
2 Documents and Letters, p. 109.
3 American Archives, Fifth Series, I, 1216.
4 They brought with them fifty or sixty head of cattle from Kings county. These were butchered about a mile east of the village, and cooked. Documents and Letters, p. 103. 5 Id.
6 The inhabitants of Flushing, as a class, were Loyalists. The only persons of property reported, in 1778, as being "now in actual rebellion," were: Francis Lewis, White-
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soldiers on Long Island; but as winter approached, each year, the officers began to seek for protection for themselves and their men, among the farms and in the villages of Long Island. An officer, accompanied by a Justice of the Peace or some other prominent Loyalist, would go about to inspect the houses, and decide how many soldiers each house was capable of accommodating. The only notification was : "Madam, we have come to take a billet on your house." The rooms occupied by the soldiers was separated from the rest of the house by nailing up the connecting doors ; though the soldiers often mingled with the members of the family, and sometimes intermarried with them. 7
The Quaker Meeting-house, in Flushing, was used as a prison, a hospital, and a hay magazine. Meeting was in session when the British officers came to take possession. They respectfully waited until the Friends rose to leave, before they carried their orders into effect. The Friends suffered in the confiscation of their property, from both sides, because of their refusal to contribute to the support of the armies. 8 Some of them were suspected of giving aid to
stone, whose estate was valued at £4000: Joseph Robinson, Whitestone, £2000; - Cornell, Success Pond, £200. Steven's Manuscripts in European Archives. Document 1234.
7 History of Queens County, p. 38.
8 Appendix.
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BRITISH OCCUPATION
the Patriots, while professing strict neutrality. Colonel Hamilton issued the following order : "Any of those people, commonly called Quakers, who were aiders or abettors of this unnatural rebellion, are to be constantly warned to appear, and to be fined for a non-compliance. At the same time every lenity will be shown to those few who held fast their integrity.''9
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