USA > New York > New York City > The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892, Volume II > Part 12
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haps by past favors, had dealt leniently with him in his confinement and had connived at his escape from prison, came very nearly losing his position. He languished behind prison bars until, by the death of his father, he succeeded to the earldom of Clarendon, and with it to the privileges of the peerage. Simultaneously with the news of his father's death came a sufficient sum of money to liquidate his private indebt- edness; and, being set at liberty, he returned to England unregretted even by those " fair-weather " friends who, while he was the sun, had, like so many satellites, revolved about him, to take his seat in the House of Lords as the third Earl of Clarendon. He died in London, April 1, 1723. By his death the earldom became extinct. One of his daughters married the Earl of Darnley. At a later date the title was recreated in the person of a distant relative, from whom the present Earl of Clarendon is descended.
In forming a just estimate of the character of Governor Cornbury, one cannot but be struck with a singular fact,- viz., that, with the exception of Governor Dongan, the colonial governors of New-York under the frivolous Charles and the bigoted James were personally and politically far superior to those appointed by the industrious and liberal-minded William of Orange. Indeed, it is difficult for the conscientious historian to speak of Cornbury and his administration as the facts warrant, without laying himself open to the charge of painting his portrait in too somber colors. The only redeeming trait in his private life seems to have been his devoted love for his wife, and in his public life the statesmanlike paper he drew up for the conquest of Canada.1 But with these two exceptions his entire career, both in England and in New-York, was marked not only by an inherent lack of personal honesty, but by conduct which could have been caused only by a thoroughly depraved nature. Even as a military man his reputation was so low that when he betrayed his uncle James it was a matter of remark (until the hand of Churchill was seen in it) that he should have been intrusted with those three regiments which he carried over to William. Coming to America already overwhelmed with debts, incurred to afford the means of indulging his evil propensities, he used his governorship solely as a means to recoup his fortunes ; and had it not been for his royal kin- ship, he would have been styled by his contemporaries a mere "polit- ical adventurer," which, in truth, he actually was. The picture of him which illustrates this chapter must be an excellent likeness, since it portrays those same personal characteristics for which he was so distinguished in life,-namely, weakness, superciliousness, bigotry,
1 It is only reasonable to suppose that, had this thoroughly distrusted, it would have received paper emanated from any other than one whose character was so well known and who was so
from the home government more careful consid- eration.
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effeminacy, and sensuality. There have been natures like his, thor- oughly depraved, which have, nevertheless, shown wisdom, bravery, decision, and statesmanship. All of these qualities, however, were in Lord Cornbury utterly lacking. He even was so destitute of personal dignity as to be in the habit of amusing himself by dressing in female apparel and parading around the fort before the soldiers of the garri- son, his seeming object, if, indeed, he had any, being to show the spec- tators how much his features resembled those of his cousin the queen. He accepted bribes, plundered the public treasury, diverted govern- ment appropriations to his individual sensual pleasures, involved him- self in private debts, and, in fine, used his official prerogative solely for the gratification of his selfish and personal ends. Even on those occasions when he roused himself to take an active part in legislation, it was either for the purpose of obtaining additional revenue for him- self, or of making the breach between the people of the colony and the crown as wide as possible.
The only things worthy of note in his administration are: first, the establishment by the corporation of the city of New-York of a free grammar school; and secondly, with no design of his part, the pro- motion of harmony among the colonists of various races, and the advancement of civil and religious liberty. His administration had taught "men to be watchful, to withdraw confidence from foreign rulers, to canvass the rights of British subjects, and to study the ne- cessities, as well as the methods, of resistance." His character is well summed up by William Smith, who was personally acquainted with men who had known Cornbury, when he says: "We never had a gov- ernor so universally detested, nor one who so richly deserves the pub- lic abhorrence. In spite of his noble descent, his behavior was trifling, mean, and extravagant. The indignation of the people was kindled by his despotic rule, savage bigotry, insatiable avarice, and injustice not only to the public but even his private creditors." Finally, as Sir Ed- mund Andros may be considered the ablest and purest of the colonial governors of New-York,1 so may Lord Cornbury be justly ranked as the weakest and most dissolute. Yet, when compared, in point of ability and manly qualities, with those rapacious English colonial governors of later times, Lord Clive and Warren Hastings, Cornbury appears an exceedingly commonplace villain, a mere bottle-imp by the side of Satan, as portrayed in stupendous grandeur by Milton.
1 Governors Dongan and Burnet, it is true, were men of much executive ability, particularly in their conduct of Indian relations, and of excel- lent personal character : but in every trait which showed an appreciative understanding of exactly
what was wanted and an adaptation of means to ends. Andros, it seems to the writer, after a very careful study of his times, was, as stated in the tert, the ablest of the colonial governors of New- York.
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DESCRIPTION OF NEW-YORK IN THE YEAR 1704-1705
"The Cittie of New-York is a pleasant, well compacted place, situated on a Com- modius River wch is a fine harbour for shipping. The Buildings Brick Generaly, very stately and high, though not altogether like ours in Boston. The Bricks in some of the Houses are of divers Coullers and laid in Checkers, being glazed look very agree- able. The inside of them are neat to admiration, the wooden work, for only the walls are plastered, and the Sumers and Gist are plained and kept very white scour'd as so is all the partitions if made of Bords. The fire places have no Jambs (as ours have) But the Backs run flush with the walls, and the Hearth is of Tyles and is as farr out into the Room at the Ends as before the fire, wch is Generally Five foot in the Low'r rooms, and the peice over where the mantle tree should be is made as ours with Joyner's work, and as I suppose is fasten'd to iron rodds inside. The House where Vendue was, had Chimney Corners like ours, and they and the hearths were laid wth the finest tile that I ever see, and the stair cases laid all with white tile which is ever clean, and so are the walls of the Kitchen wch had a Brick floor. They were making Great preparations to Receive their Governor, Lord Cornbury from the Jerseys, and for that End raised the Militia to Gard him on shore to the fort.
"They are Generaly of the Church of England and have a New England gentleman for their minister, and a very fine church set out with all Customary requsites. There are also a Dutch and Divers Conventicles as they call them, viz. Baptist, Quakers, &c. They are not strict in keeping the Sabbath as in Boston and other places where I had bin, But seem to deal with great exactness as farr as I see or Deall with. They are sociable to one another and Curteos and Civill to Strangers and fare well in their houses. The English go very fashionable in their dress. But the Dutch, especially the Mid- dling Sort, differ from our women, in their habitt go loose, wear French muches wch are like a Capp and a head band in one, leaving their ears bare, which are sett out wth Jewells of a large size and many in number. And their fingers hoop't with Rings, some with large stones in them of many Coullers, as were their pendants in their ears, which you should see very old women wear as well as Young.
"They have Vendues very frequently and make their earnings very well by them, for they treat with good Liquor Liberally, and the Customers Drink as Liberally and Gen- erally pay for't as well, by paying for that which they Bidd up Briskly for, after the Sack has gone plentifully about, tho' sometimes good penny worths are got there. Their Diversions in the Winter is Riding Sleys about three or four Miles out of Town, where they have Houses of entertainment at a place called the Bowery, and some go to friends Houses who handsomely treat them, Mr. Burroughs cary'd his spouse and Daughter and myself out to one Madame Dowes, a Gentlewoman that lived at a farm House, who gave us a handsome Entertainment of five or six Dishes and choice Beer and metheglin, Cyder, &c. all which she said was the produce of her farm. I believe we mett 50 or 60 slays that day-they fly with great swiftness and some are so furious that they 'le turn out of the path for none except a Loaden Cart. Nor do they spare for any diversion the place affords, and sociable to a degree, they'r Tables being as free to their Naybours as to themselves." ("The Journal of Madam Knight," New- York, 1825, pp. 52-56.)
PROMINENT CITIZENS AND MERCHANTS
Among the prominent citizens at the beginning of the eighteenth century not already mentioned in connection with events of a historic character, or in any official capacity, were the following: Balthazar Bayard, elder brother of Colonel Nicholas Bayard; he
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HISTORY OF NEW-YORK
resided on Broadway, west side, opposite Bowling Green ; - Peter Bayard, the eldest of the three brothers, lived on the corner of Broadway and Exchange Place; he married Blandina Kierstede, daughter of Dr. Hans Kierstede, and a granddaughter of Anneke Jans; - Jacob Boelen, merchant, residing on the west side of Broadway, above Liberty street ; - Martin Clock, residing, while in business as a cooper, on the northwest corner of Pearl street and Hanover Square; accumulating a competence, he purchased a farm further up the island, retired from business, and represented the Out ward ; - Abraham Corbett kept a tavern, the " Royal Oak," on Broadway, east side, two doors below Ex- change Place; he represented the ward in the common council; - Jacobus De Kay, merchant, son of Tunis De Kay and grandson of Burgomaster Van Brugh ; he lived on Broad street, above Beaver, west side ; - James Emott, a lawyer of eminence, residing on Broadway, east side, above Wall street ; he was engaged in several state trials ; - John Harpending, dealer in leather, residing on Stone street, east of Broad street ; he owned, with five others, the Shoemakers' Pasture, deeding his part to the Dutch Church ; the "Evening Post " building stands on a part of this property ; - Augustus Jay, merchant, born in France, married the daughter of Balthazar Bayard, and was the grandfather of John Jay; attained great wealth, and was succeeded in the business by his son Peter ; - Suert Olpherts, mason and builder, acquiring wealth, built a fine residence on Broad- way, south of Exchange Place, east side; - William Robinson, dealer in flour, his father having become rich through the possession of a mill during the bolting privilege; the place of business was in Pearl street, north of Wall.
The following were also prominent in various ways: Thomas Burroughs, Thomas Davenport, Lawrence Reade, Adrian Hooghland, John Cholwell, David De Robles, Matthew Ling, John Theobalds, Nicholas Jamaine, Paul Droilhet, Daniel Cromeline, Caleb Cooper, Edward Antill, Thomas Roberts, Claes Evertsen, Robert Hooper, John Tudor, Gerrit Onclebagh, and William Bickley. EDITOR.
KEY TO MAP OF NEW-YORK SHOWING FARMS AND ESTATES
NOTE .- The explanation of the numbers is given of only the most important features or estates.
1. Extent of the city under the Dutch governors; wall along Wall street.
2, 4, 5, 6, 12. Comprising what was known at different periods as West India Com- pany's, Duke's, King's, Queen's farm; finally ceded to Trinity Church.
7. The Shoemakers' Pasture (the Dutch Church property included in thistract).
10. Beekman's Pasture.
11. The "Fields," or Common.
124. Negro burying-ground.
13. Estate of Jacob Leisler.
14. " The Swamp," a section still known by that name.
17. The Roosevelt farm.
18. Janeway estate.
19. Kolk Hook.
20 and 21. The Kolk, or Collect, or Fresh- water Pond.
25. The Domine's Hook, or Anneke Jans' farm.
26. Lispenard meadows.
27. The Rutgers farm.
35, A and B. De Lancey's east and west farms.
36. The Bayard farm.
37. Another portion of the Anneke Jans farm, Trinity Church property.
39. Bleecker's estate.
48, 50, 51, 52. Property of the Stuyve- sants.
55. Belonging to Sailor's Snug Harbor.
56. The Brevoort estate.
64. Krom Messie (crooked little knife), cor- rupted into "Gramercy": so called from the resemblance of the shape of this property to that of a shoemaker's knife.
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THE ADMINISTRATION OF LORD CORNBURY
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124
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK shewing the original high water line and the location of the different Forms and Estates.
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HISTORY OF NEW-YORK
65. Rose Hill farm.
66. Estate of John Watts.
67. Estate of Admiral Sir Peter Warren, called Greenwich ; the Indian name of the point of land here was Sapoka- nigan.
67, D. Estate of George Clinton and John Jacob Astor.
73. Estate of Bishop Moore.
74. Clarke estate.
76. Known as the Horn estate, originally patented by Sir Edmund Andros to Solomon Peters, a free negro, whose widow and heirs conveyed it to John Horn ; held by Horn's descendants till recently.
86. Kip's Bay farm. 87. Murray Hill estate.
89, 93. John Slidell, formerly President of the Mechanics' Bank.
92. Estate of James A. Stewart.
98}. Estate of "Citizen Genet," the French Ambassador in 1794, who mar- ried Governor Clinton's daughter.
100. Estate of Richard Harrison, the dis- tinguished lawyer.
107. Glass House farm, formerly belong- ing to Sir Peter Warren.
110, 116. Incleberg, where, 1776, General Howe and staff were entertained during the retreat of the American troops from New-York.
111. " Grange," country-seat of John Murray, Jr.
122. "Turtle Bay " or "Deutel Bay" farm.
CHAPTER III
LORD LOVELACE AND THE SECOND CANADIAN CAMPAIGN 1708-1710
URING the past four centuries, six men bearing the knightly name of Lovelace have been known in English history. The earliest of these was that Sir Richard Love- lace who, in the "spacious days of great Elizabeth," amassed a fortune by sharing in the marauding expeditions of his friend Sir Francis Drake, and who aided in baffling and beating the so-called invincible Spanish Armada. Another was that audacious Lord Lovelace, celebrated by Mac- aulay, whoabandoned King James, and took up arms for the Prince of Orange. Two were colonial gov- ernors of New-York, and two were connected with English letters. With one of these Lovelaces, who is nearly as old as the century, I became acquainted under circum- stances that I may perhaps be per- mitted to mention briefly. It was during the summer of 1875 that the late historian Lord Stanhope invited me to accompany him to a meeting at Willis's Rooms, the great object of which was to take into consideration the propriety of erecting in London an appropriate memorial to the poet Byron. As we drove to the place of meeting, I RICHARD LOVELACE. happened to mention that my countrymen would be interested in such a memorial, and, I felt sure, would be willing to contribute to it. Disraeli presided, and was followed in the opening address by Lords Rosslyn and Stanhope, and by many others, who all delivered care- fully prepared speeches. The chairman then announced, to my
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amazement, with the addition of some complimentary words, that there was an American gentleman on the platform who, he trusted, would now favor the audience with a few remarks. I had no idea of speaking unprepared in such a place and in such a presence, but, however, acting on Stanhope's hint, " Tell them what you told me," I made a short speech which was most kindly received. When the chairman and others retired from the platform to the committee-room, Mr. Disraeli presented me to Captain Trelawny, the friend of Byron and Shelley, and then said: " Here is another gentleman that wishes to make your acquaintance," whereupon I was introduced to the Earl of Loulas Lovelace, who married Byron's only daughter. After exchanging a few remarks, Lovelace as- tonished Disraeli, Stanhope, and the other speak- ers, who were grouped around in a circle, by saying : "General Wilson, I think yours was the best speech made to-day "; and then to the relief of the distinguished orators added, "for it was the only one that I could hear."
To have immediately followed Lord Cornbury in the administration of New-York province was to the advantage of the character of any one succeeding him. By the side of the most incapable and discreditable governor of the colony, even a person of quite indifferent reputation would have shone brightly. But the character of John, Lord Love- lace, Baron of Hurley, needed no such comparison to commend it. He appears to have been an amiable and worthy gentleman, bearing an honorable name with dignity, and magnifying it by personal virtue. He had served his sovereign at home in positions of trust, and she now conferred on him the delicate task of assuming the government of New-York. It was hoped that he might restore a better order to affairs brought into such disgraceful confusion by the queen's cousin.
The coincidence of two governors of New-York within twoscore years of each other having borne the same name has naturally led to the conjecture that they belonged to the same family. And the nearness and nature of the family-tie has been variously stated by historians. While some assert that Lord Lovelace was the nephew, a greater number have made the statement that he was the grandson of Governor Francis Lovelace. The subject, therefore, has assumed sufficient importance to justify a minute examination of the facts. As far back as the days of Henry VI. there appears in the records of English genealogy the name of Richard Lovelace of Queenthite, near London, who purchased Bayford, in Kent. To this individual and his son Lancelot, both Francis Lovelace and Lord Lovelace traced their pedigree. Lancelot Lovelace had three sons, of whom the oldest died without inele; William, the second son, inherited the estate; and the name of the third was John. From these two brothers descended
LORD LOVELACE AND THE SECOND CANADIAN CAMPAIGN 95
two distinct lines of issue. From William Lovelace the descent is clearly traceable to Governor Francis Lovelace. His grandfather and father were both knighted. His father was Sir William Lovelace of Woolwich, Kent. His elder brother was Richard Lovelace, the poet and dramatist, who died in 1658, before Francis came to New-York. Francis himself, the third son, was also a poet and an artist; there is no record that he was married. Two brothers, Thomas and Dudley, accompanied him to the New World. Richard, perhaps the handsomest Englishman of his time, was among the favorites of Charles the First. LOVELACE ARMS. His name survives, secure of its immortality, from two of the most faultless lyrics in our language.
Going back now to John Lovelace, the other grandson of the origi- nal Richard Lovelace, we find that he himself was the grandfather of that Sir Richard Lovelace who, as mentioned above, was the friend of Sir Francis Drake, and who made a fortune by sharing the latter's marauding expeditions. In the third year of the reign of King Charles I., Sir Richard was elevated to the Barony of Hurley, a seat which had been bought by his grandfather John, and from which purchase dates the removal of this branch of the family from Kent to Berkshire. The ancient manor-house of Hurley, where many generations of Lovelaces were born, was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1835, but the his- toric name remains, and it is also perpetuated on American soil near the banks of the Hudson. To that little Ulster County town founded by Francis Lovelace, Washington went in the winter of 1782, and was greeted by an enthusiastic assemblage. An address was de- livered by President Ten Eyck which, as the ancient chronicler informs us, was happily answered by his Excellency the commander- in-chief. The first baron had two sons, John and Francis. When the third lord died, in 1697, without male issue to survive him, the barony passed to the grandson of Francis, who thus became the fourth baron, and was the Lord John Lovelace who became governor of New-York. It is thus seen that the family connection between the two governors, while there subsisted one, was too remote to be designated by any term of near relationship. Yet it is quite natural that confusion has arisen, the grandfather of Lord John being named Francis, and being also a younger son. In the genealogies, however, there is no record that this Francis Lovelace had any other brothers;1
1 Berry's "County Genealogies," Kent, pp. 474, 475: Banks's "Dormant and Extinct Baronages," 3: 497-499. Banks states that the first baron had two sons and two daughters. Brodhead refers to
Banks ("New-York," 2: 143, note), but not to Berry, calling the second governor the grandson of the first. Only by comparison with Berry could his mistake have been avoided.
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while those of Governor Francis Lovelace are distinctly mentioned. Indeed the whole question turns upon these brothers, and therefore special effort has been made to obtain all the facts. In reply to an inquiry, Mr. Sidney Lee of London, editor of the "Dictionary of National Biography," writes as follows: "The poet Richard Lovelace had four brothers, Thomas, Francis, William, and Dudley. In their mother's will, the brothers [after Richard] are mentioned in this order." But, as is well known, in the edition of Richard Lovelace's poems, there is one addressed " To His Dear Brother Colonel F. L., immoderately mourning my brother's untimely death at Carmarthen." As Richard died in 1658, and as this had every appearance of express- ing his grief at the death of Francis before him, this Francis Lovelace could not have been governor of New-York in 1668-1673. Mr. Lee clears up the difficulty completely, however, by saying that this poem "describes Francis's grief for William's death. I thus regard it as practically certain that this Francis is identical with the governor of New York. ... The English authorities altogether ignore him in that post."
It need cause no surprise that Queen Anne should have conferred the responsible post of governor of her provinces of New-York and New Jersey upon a scion of the house of Lovelace. By the very traditions of his house Lord John was strongly attached to the Protestant suc- cession. His immediate predecessor in the barony, John, the third Lord Lovelace, is characterized by Macaulay as "distinguished by his taste, by his magnificence, and by the audacious and intemperate ve- hemence of his whiggism." At one time he contemptuously refused to heed a warrant for his arrest for a political offense, because it was signed by a Roman Catholic justice of the peace. He was summoned before the Privy Council, and examined in the presence of royalty itself; but he succeeded in clearing himself completely. As he was leaving the room King James called out in angry tones: "My Lord, this is not the first trick you have played me." "Sir," was Lovelace's spirited rejoinder, "I never played any trick to your Majesty, or to any other person. Whoever has accused me of playing tricks is a liar." Macau- lay, who relates this incident, speaks thus in regard to his connection with the Revolution: "His mansion, built by his ancestors out of the spoils of Spanish galleons from the Indies, rose on the ruins of a house of Our Lady, in that beautiful valley through which the Thames, not yet defiled by the precinets of a great capital, nor rising and falling with the flow and ebb of the sea, rolls under woods of beech round the gentle hills of Berkshire. Beneath the stately saloon, adorned by Ital- ian pencils, was a subterraneous vault, in which the bones of ancient monks had sometimes been found. In this dark chamber some zealous and daring opponents of the government had held many midnight con-
LORD LOVELACE AND THE SECOND CANADIAN CAMPAIGN 97
ferences during that anxious time when England was impatiently ex- pecting the Protestant wind."1 Lovelace was the first nobleman of consequence who proceeded to join William of Orange after his land- ing. But unfortunately he and his troop of armed retainers were attacked and defeated by superior numbers, and Lovelace was impris- oned. But the success of the prince released him, and later he took an active part in placing the crown of England upon the heads of William and Mary, and securing the succession to Mary's sister Anne. .The house of Lovelace must, therefore, have stood high in Anne's regard, and it was eminently deserving of distinguished rewards.
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