USA > New York > New York City > Old New York : a journal relating to the history and antiquities of New York City, Vol. I > Part 6
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NICH: JONES.
THE WINE CELLAR RIFLED.
Account of Sundries taken by the British & Hessian Troops from the Estate of Nicholas Jones at Bloomingdale (Newyork Island), from Sept. 18. 1776. Registered Sept. 83 & yet Unpaid. viz.
15 Tons of Fresh Hay @ SS. 5 Do. of Salt do. @ 60/ & 9 Cows & #15 Each £270
3 Steers & a Heifer / $15. 4 Yearling> w 60/. 11 Hogs (. 2 Guineas Each 113 1 4
90 Bushels Wheat . 6. 20 do. of Rye w 4/6, & 40 Do. of Oats @ 3.' 37 10
a Bay Carriage Horse & a Young (3 years) blooded Mare
50
2 Waggons, a Cart & # Sleighs. with farming Utensils
57
10 bbs. Vinegar @ 80 . 2 Clocks ( 225, & a Ilarpsichord $50
115
a Mahogany Desk £14-with papers, Receipts. de. damages Very Considerable
14
5 Pier Glassesof 012. 2 Beds. Bedsteads & bed- ding ( $15 90
a Hamper & 2 Boxes of China £30, Carpets £10. Saddles 98. An Air pump with Apparat $30
61
The Claims of Nicholas Jones.
a Chest of Plate, Chased & Plain, between 4 & 5 hundd. oz.
Sundry Stores of flour, Butter, &e. The Troop were Very hungry
373 6 8 50 1100 Pannel of Fence $300, Pale Fence, Yard, Garden, Gates, &c. $150
450
3 Orchards of best Ingrafted, upwards of $100, 00. £4, Cut for Abattis to an Extensive range of fortifications from Indsons River upwards of 1800 Yards 1600
The Barn, Farm House, Granary, Coach House, Cyder Mill, &c .. destroyed
A Field of Indian Corn & Buckwheat Used or destroyed by pastureing 230
The Whole Stock of Timber by Est. Consistg. of 700 Trees from 3 feet to 3 ft. 4 Inches diam- eter, Very Considerable of which was Used in Platforms, &e. of the Works
Vouchers for fuel of British & Hessian Occupancy of the Estate from Sept. 76 to Nov. 83 20000
Damages from the Loss of papers which by the Treaty of Peace were to be Restored was Very Considerable. in Receipts for Pay- ments made in 76 & previous to the 1st of May in the Same Year, but the Loss of Deeds. Especially the Deeds for the Con- veyance of the Estate at Bloomingdale. was by far the most Con- siderable.
Mem .- John Staples had a Quantity of Wine in the Same Cellar where the Plate was, together with a Hogshead of Pewter. 3 Sets of Culinary Utensils. Consist: of Copper. brass, Iron. Tin. Pewter, &e. which were all taken together the first Night Capt. Laurie came to Bloomingdale, 15th Sept. 76 & who demanded the Key of the Cellar with a Cutteau the Chase, which was refused him from 11 O'Clock A. M. to 4 in the Afternoon & who After- wards Confessed to the Subscriber that not him but Capt. Freda had the Plate Mem. June 7. 52 of Sundry Vouchers Left at Major Bruens Office by Major Murray for Pay viz. Col. Von Hackenbergs. Major General Korpoth for 2 Batt. of Hessn.
62
The Claims of Nicholus Jones ..
Grenads in. 78 & 3 Do. in 79 1 Batt: of the 71 & Major Gordons all yet Unpaid.
NICHOLAS JONES.
FORTY-TWO THOUSAND POUNDS FOR TIMBER.
Account of Damages Presented Agreable to a Law Passed by Congress. Feb'y 12, 1793, & a Resolve of Congress of Octr. 18, 1775.
By a Resolve of Congress of the 18th October, 1775, It was Ordered that a well Authenticated Account of the Hostilities Committed by the Ministerial Troops & Navy in America, Since March Last, Should be Collected with proper Evidence of the Truth of the Facts related. as Also the Number of the Buildings destroyed by them, with the Number & Value of the Vessels Inward & Outward Bound. Which have been Seized by them, Since that period, as Near as the Value Can be Ascertained. Also the Stock taken from Different parts of the Continent.
Agreable to the Resolve Aforesaid the Following Memora'd of Damages Sustained by Nicholas Jones of New York, Exhibits from Sept. 18, 1776, to Novr. 20, 1783, at Newyork & Bloom- ingdale. York Island. viz.
15 Tons of Fresh Hay & 05-5 Tons Salt Do. ( 98. & 11 Cows ( 015 4300
5 Steers & a Heifer of 015. + Yearlings ( 58 & 11 Hog- @ 2 Gus 113 1 4
90 Bushels Wheat @@ 67. & 20 Do. Rye @ 4/6 & 16 Do. Oats xi B 37 10
a Bay Horse $25. a Bay Mare 225 50
2 Waggons & a Cart : 3 Sleigh & Sundry farm- ing Utensils 57
10 barril Vinegar # 80%. 2 Clocks (+ 425, a Harpsichord £50 115
5 Pier Glasses 0 912. 2 Feather Beds. Bedstead- and bedding $30
An Air Pump. Apparatus. Books. Perspective & Prints 30
Carpet- 910. Saddles Es. a Hamper & 2 Boxes China 230
63
The Claims of Nicholas Jones.
a Chest of Plate Chased & Plain, 200 Gus. 373 50 6 8 Sundry Stores of flour, Butter, Cloathes, &c. - 1100 Pannel of Fence £300, Garden, Yard, Gates. pail Fence .£150 450
3 Orchards of best Ingrafted fruit Trees, Chiefly Wint fruit 1600
The Barn. Farm House. Granary, Coach House, Barrack & Cyder Mill, Dest:
a Desk & Trunk. Containing papers, Deeds, re- ceipts & Among Which was a Deed for the Estate at Bloomingdale, Belonging to the Subscriber, in default of Which as Evidence the Estate with Other Considerable property was Soll by Execution, as property by De- >cent & no Attention paid to it by the Legisla- ture. tho' refered thereto by his Excellency, the Governor, & Lately in Chancery ( where it ought first to have Entered : merely on a defect of the Medium of 76 was precluded a Hearing by Law, property that might have purchased $120,000
The Whole Stock of Timber by Survey. Consist- ing of Too Trees from 8 to 5 feet 4 Inches Diameter. Worth then 42000
Vouchers for fuel of Sub-Thaber @ $4 p. Cord & proc 4000
Damage> by Fire in 76 et T- 4000
Denpanes of the Estate from Sept. 76 to Novr. 3. Comparatively with Billets 20000
Abbati- of fruit Trees for an Extensive range of Work from the North River to MeGowens Pa -- at Haerlem, and Many Other things of Culinary Utensils of Pewter, Brass. Iron. Copper. &c.
770
10000
EDITOR'S NOTE.
The object of the work of which the first mimber is now be- fore the reader is to bring together in one collection the materials for forming an adequate idea of the history and antiquities of this city. The editor does not undervalue the labors of those who have written histories of New York or monographs upon particular subjects. but he feels that many parts have not been treated with sufficient fullness, and that some have been entirely neg- lected. owing to the necessity of compressing in one or two volumes all that could be said. Each year there are more in- quiries ; doubtful matters are elucidated. and new information is added. It will be his endeavor to obtain from competent pens accounts of the memorable events which have happened here, biographies of prominent persons, notes on matters little known, and summaries of our knowledge on particular topics, while at the same time adding as rapidly as possible from mamscript and print the original doenments upon which any anthentic chronicle must be based. A series of this journal will, in a few years, be an encyclopedia of everything relating to past occurrences upon the island, and will grow fuller and more complete as time wears on.
Hle invites for this purpose the co-operation of all those who have devoted attention to the subject, and will be glad to be furnished with original papers by them, or to have any source of knowledge pointed out of which he is at present unaware. Nothing will be inserted for the sake of making a sensation : truth, and truth alone, will be his purpose.
OLD NEW YORK.
SEPTEMBER, 1889.
NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF PRINTING IN NEW YORK. II.
Bradford remained in Philadelphia for seven years. Each year he issued an almanac. several pamphlets and a few handbills, and several times he brought forth a book. The copy for the al- manac was largely taken from British sources, and in many re- spects conformed more closely to the originals than could have been pleasing to the Quakers around him, for in some of them. if not all, the fate and facts of the Church are set down as " Re- markable Day . " " All these." as Mr. Wallace observes. " begin- ning with the Circumcision, and ending with the Slaughter of the Innocents, and including the Conversion of St. Paul ; the Annun- . ciation and I'mification of the Virgin; the Ascension and Pente- cost; the Decollation of the Baptist; the Feast of Michael the Archangel, and of every apostle in his turn, are set forth with prominenter; and except a mention of the vernal equinox, and of certain day, which mark the progress of the seasons. no other day in the ammal round is noted in this almanac as remarkable at all." Many moral observations are scattered through these pages. and there are be ides announcements of the time- of the fairs and the courts at l'hiladelphia and Burlington. The first year the press was in operation he issued the " Epistle from John Burnyeat," of which I have previously spoken. It was a quarto. of four pages, giving good advice and counsel to the Friends scattered throughout
-
66
Notes on Printing in New York.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and was partly paid for by the local Society of Friends in Philadelphia, who gave him fifteen shillings for one hundred copies. Another work brought out by him which reached to the dignity of a bound volume was the "Temple of Wisdom," chiefly a collection of the aphorisms and wise sayings of Lord Bacon.
In 1688, having inch leisure on his hands, he conceived the idea of reprinting the Scriptures, and sent forth a circular giving his ideas of the way it should be done. It was to be a large fam- ily Bible, with the Apocrypha and useful marginal notes, to be sold either with or without the Book of Common Prayer. It will be seen later that a portion of this design was accomplished, but in New York, not in Pennsylvania. Twenty-two years after- wards he issued the Common Prayer Book, partly at the expense of Trinity Church: Unt in 16SS there was no ecclesiastical organ- ization to stand behind him and furnish him with means, and it was well, perhaps, that he did not attempt his proposed publica- tion, as it probably never would have been completed. But the prospectus shows the large views he took of his calling. Ile was miwilling that there should be a scarcity of Bibles here, and he was anxious to be the means of affording a supply. The pro- posals were as follows :
PROPOSALS FOR THE PRINTING OF A LARGE BIBLE, BY WILLIAM BRADFORD.
These are to give Notice. that it is proposed for a large house- Bible to be Printed by way of Subscriptions [a method usual in Haglund for the Printing of large Volunms, because Printing is very chargeable] therefore to all that are willing to forward so good (and great) a Work. as the Printing of the holy Bible, are offered these Proposals. vis.
1. That it shall be printed in a fair Character, on good Paper. and well bound.
2. That it -hall contain the Old and New Testament, with the Apocraphy, and all to have useful Marginal Note -.
3. That it shall be allowed (to them that subscribe) for Twenty Shillings per BiWe: [A Price which one of the same volum in England would cost.]
67
Notes on Printing in New York.
4. That the pay shall be half Silver Money, and half Country. Produce at Money price. One half down now, and the other half on the delivery of the Bibles.
5. That those who do subscribe for six, shall have the Seventh gratis, and have them delivered one month before any above that number shall be sold to others.
6. To those which do not subscribe, the said Bibles will not be allowed under 26 s. a piece.
7. Those who are minded to have the Common-Prayer. shall have the whole bound up for 22 s. and those that do not subseribe 28 s. and 6 d. per Book.
S. That as encouragement is given by Peoples subscribing and paying down one half, the said Work will be put forward with what Expedition may be.
9. That the Subscribers may enter their Subscriptions and time of Payment. at Phonens Pemberton's and Robert Halls in the County of Bucks. At MMalen Stacy's Mill at the Falls. At Thomas Budds House in Burlington. At John Hasting's in the County of Chester. At Edward Blake's in New-Castle. At Thomas V Foodroots in Salem. And at William Bradford's in Philadelphia. Printer & Undertaker of the said Work. At which places the Subscriber- shall have a Receipt for so much of their Subscriptions paid. and an obligation for the delivery of the num- ber of Bible- to Printed and Bound as aforesaid ) as the respect. ive Subscribers shall deposit one half for.
Also this may further give notice, that Samuell Richardson and Samuell Carpenter of Philadelphia, are appointed to take care and be assistant in the laying out of the Subscription Money, and to see that it be imploy'd to the use intended. and consequently that the whole Work be expedited. Which is promised by
Philadelphia. the 14th of the 1st Month, 16Ss. William Bra
The knowledge of these proposals was entirely lost. from a per- iod shortly after they were issued, down to the late civil war. At that time they were brought to light by Nathan Kite, a respected
68
Notes on Printing in New York.
member of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia. He was him- self a bookseller, and had been accustomed to consider the method of manufacture of a book, as well as the matter. Looking at an old work in the Friends' Library in Philadelphia, he saw that the inner lining paper was white only on one side. He took out this lining, and found that it contained these proposals, so interesting to the antiquary and the printer. It is one of the glories of Bradford that he thus early attempted to publish the Scriptures in the common tongne. This was fifty-six years before Christopher Sauer issued the Bible in Germantown; it was about sixty years before Kneeland and Green privately printed an edition in Boston, to which they affixed the name of Mark Baskett," the King's printer; and it was nearly a century before Robert Aitken issued his edition. under the patronage of Congress. The Monthly Meeting of Friends approved his plan. and ordered that it should be recommended to the Quarterly Meeting, but nothing ever came of the design. There was not enough wealth in the country at that time. Those who had Bibles brought them from the Old World, and those who were unprovided either were compelled to do without them, or depend upon some lucky chance for one to fall into their hands.
Other books were essaved by Bradfordt in his eight years' so-
* There exists no reason for doubting the plain statements of Isaiah Thomas. in his History of Printing. i. pp. 107, 105, 123, that Kneeland and Green of Boston printed an edition of the Bible in small quarto about 1750. He received the statements at first hanl. and there were excellent reasons for concealing the fact that a counterfeit e ation was this brought out. Whoever is familiar with the inethods by which a printing office is carried on cannot help but believe Thomas.
+ I have been able in these notes upon Bradford to add nothing to the stock of common knowledge, so many have been the cleaners before n.e. The con- temporary account of his trial by himself of course furnishes a large portion of what we know. and there are some other pamphlets of the day which give some few particulars. Thomas in his History of Printing add a great deal ; the Dis- course by Wallace on Bradford's Di-Centenary has many little facts, otherwise unknown ; George Henry Moore of New York has written Historical Notes on the Introduction of Printing into New York, which evince the care and pains this author always takes in the examination of a historical question, and llilde- burn. in his Issues of the Press in Pennsylvania, has enumerated all the books known to have been printel in Pennsylvania before the close of the Revolution.
69
Notes on Printing in New York.
journ on the banks of the Delaware. Hildeburn has collected many titles, most of which have passed under his own inspection. Take them for all in all, they were creditable to the people of Pennsylvania and to the Society of Friends. His career in Philadelphia ended within eleven years from the time when, at the beginning of its settlement. he first saw that city. Massaelm- setts had no press until eighteen years after the Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth. and none of the other colonies had one in less than half a century after the first towns were founded. The total number of pieces issued by him before the middle of 1698 which are now extant. or of which we have trustworthy accounts,' is, according to Ilildeburn, sixty-eight. Several of these were however printed in New York, and it is possible one or two might have come from London or Boston.
One important thing done by Bradford, in which be was the first in British North America, was to found a paper mill. In 1690 or thereabouts he began, with some immigrants from Holland named Rittenhouse." the erection of a mill of this kind upon a branch of the Wissahiekon. a beautiful and romantic stream which flows into the Schuylkill just above the city of Philadelphia. A paper mill in those days was a small thing. It could be managed by two or three men. and even in case of emergency by one. The capital required was small. and the out- turn correspondingly little. The stream on which the mill was erected has always since been known as Papermill Run. After standing some ten or eleven years. it was carried away by a fre-het. The accident was regarded as a publie calamity. and the mill was afterwards rebuilt. A learned and interesting monograph ba- been written upon this subject by Horatio Gates Jones, in which he traces the beginning of this mill and its subsequent history, the business lasting for some time in this century. New Jersey
This is enriched by many notes, and is highly valuable. The other recent writ- ings on this subject, except those of Horatio Gates Jones and the genealogy by Dr. Purple, have been founded upon those mentioned above.
# William Rittenhouse, as the name was anglieized, and Claus Rittenhouse. They came from Broich, in Holland. The mill was of logs, as was the house. Conjoined with Bradford and the Rittenhouse- in the creation of this mill were Robert Turner, Thomas Trese, and Samuel Carpenter.
70
. Notes on Printing in New York.
had no paper mill until one was erected by Bradford at Elizabeth- town, in 1725 or 1726, nor was there one in Massachusetts until about 1730.
In a book written, it is supposed, by John Holme, and pub- lished about the time that Bradford left Philadelphia for New York, is a description of the paper mill and its leading owner :
" Here dwelt a Printer, and, I find, That he can both print books and bind ; He wants not paper, ink, nor skill ; He's owner of a paper-mill : The paper-mill is here, hard by, And makes good paper frequently."
This is from " The Flourishing State of Pennsylvania." It al- ludes to his binding. as well as his printing, Both were neces- sary to each other. and it is probable there were few workmen in the last century who did not know how to put together a book. after it was printed. At the present day many English apprentices are taught both branches.
While Bradford was living in New York he does not appear to have ever had much money. He was obliged to give security to Trinity Church when he printed the Book of Common Prayer. and Parker in his obituary indicates that he had not been success- ful in money matters. Yet he must have done tolerably well in Philadelphia. In addition to his share in the paper mill. Brad- ford received a grant of land upon the Delaware in October. 1659. " in order to erect a wharf or key and to build houses there- on for the better improvement of the place as well as for his own particular profit." He had power " to contract and agree with and to recover reasonable satisfaction from all persons making use of the same by shipping or landing goods or merchandise and by ships, boats. or merchandise coming to the same."
The position of Bradford in Pennsylvania was not an enviable one. He had been trained. as has been seen. in a view of the freedom of the press that could not be openly maintained in Eng- land, and that was not assented to by the authorities on this side of the water. He therefore printed much matter privately or without an imprint. while some pieces he issued in apparent ignorance of the fact that he was contravening the laws or the
71
Notes on Printing in New York.
instructions of the magistrates. In the letter of George Fox intro- ducing him to the Friends of Pennsylvania and the Jerseys he says that they may make an order that he shall not permit any Friends' books among them but what Friends in the ministry shall approve of. That sect in England had the strong personality of Fox to assist them in keeping out doubtful persons and writings, and to maintain discipline. Accustomed to persecution and to affliction, they gave an obedience to him and the Yearly and Monthly Meet- ings that tolerated no trifling. Those who taught could not endure gainsaying. The Quaker pamphlets and expositions must conform to the doctrines of the majority of the denomination, and those who believed in erroneous ideas must be expelled. Fox had in fact cast out such persons as devils. Bradford had no sooner arrived here than he was made to know that no transgression would be allowed.
Titles of honor were things that the Quakers were much preju- diced against, yet in his first Almanac, " the " Kalendarium Penn- silvaniense " for 1886. the printer set down opposite the day in which Penn assumed control the following words: "The be- ginning of Goverment here by the Lord Penn." Here was a title conferred upon a mere man ; a Friend. it is true, and the proprietor and grantee of the province of Pennsylvania. yet still nothing but a man. This appellation was offensive to the magis- trates. and Atkins was summoned before them for reproof. He # I omitted in my last giving the complete title of this work. It runs thus :
Kalendarium Peno-ils nivose, For | America's Messinger. [ Being an | Alma- neck forthe Year of Game. 1KG. | Wiren is contained both the English and Forreign | Account, the Motions of the Planets through the Signs, with | the Lumberins Conjunctions. Jequete. Beligne : the rising. | southing and setting of the Moon, with the time when she | passeth by, or is with the most eminent fixed Stars ; Sun rising ; and setting and the time of High Water at the City of Phi- |ladephia, &c. | With Chronologies, and many other Notes, Rules, | and Tables, very fitting for any man to know & have : all | which is accomodated to the Longitude of the Province of \ Pensilemin, and Latitude of 10 Degr. north, with a Table [ of Houses for the same, which may indifferently serve Var | England. Ve York, Est & W em Mental and most | parts of Virginie. | By Samuel Atkins, | Student in the Mathamaticks and Astrology. | And the Stars in their Courses fought against Sesera, Judg. 5, 29. | Printed and sold by William Bedford, sold also by the Author and II. Murray in Ph'lu- delphin, and | Philip Recuerde in Var-York. 1685. Pp. 20. 12mo.
79
Notes on Printing in New York.
was ordered to blot out# the words " Lord Penn," and Bradford was warned "not to print anything but what shall have licence from ye council."
In his third year he produced an Almanack for 16SS, in which there was some matter he was obliged to explain and apol- ogize for. We cannot now tell what it was, for the almanac is entirely gone, no copy remaining. A sentence in it referred slight- ingly to some observance of the Friends. They were offended, and the edition was called in. Bradford was compensated for its loss, but was no doubt admonished to avoid such " unsavory mat- ters." The next year he was again in difficulty. There was a dis- pute as to the place where the annual fair should be held. The Governor and Council believed the best place would be what was then known as the Centre. but others thought that this would be too remote, and a number of persons, joining together. drew up a re- monstrance against the proposed location, which was printed by Bradford. It was " A paper touching ye keeping of the Fair at the Centre." Such action could not be tolerated, and the Coun- cil took the matter into its own hands and called the subscribers before them. The minutes read thus:
COUNCILL ROOME IN PHILADELPHIA ve 15th of ve 3d month 1688.
A summons was sent Directed to Thomas Clyford Messenger for the Summonsing ve Subscribers of a Contemptuous Printing paper touching ye Keeping of ye fair at ve Center ; where it was Ordered by ye Goer and Council to be kept.
COUNCILL ROOME IN PHILADELPHIA ve loth of ve 3d month 1888.
The Returne of ye Warrt granted yesterday for ve Summonsing ye Subscribers of ge Contemptuous printed advertisemt against keeping ye favre at ye Center was made by the Messenger ; and he attested that they were all and Each of them Summonsed, Several of ye Subscribers Excusing themselves.
* I have heard, but cannot now produce the authority, that this was done by inking a three-em quadrat. and then pressing it on the paper. The quadrat was held in the fingers, touched against the inking ball, and then applied to the sheet.
73
Notes on Printing in New York.
The Depty Govr and Councill after Reproveing them, did par- don all those who subscribed to what was indorsed on the back of one of the printer papers.
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