USA > New York > Queens County > Newtown > The annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with many interesting facts concerning the adjacent towns; > Part 17
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The above gentlemen fulfilled their commission within the specified time. Having reviewed the proceedings of former years, they approved and adopted the arbitration made in 1672. Their report, with a survey of the line, is still on file in the secretary of state's office. "William Nicoll, the elder,
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agreed to this report, but died before the execution thereof." It was as follows:
PURSUANT to an act of the governor, council, and general assembly, ap- pointing John Watts, William Nicoll, and William Nicoll, Jun. Esqrs. or the major part of them, or the survivors or survivor of them, commissioners to settle, run out, and ascertain a line of division between the countics of King's county and Queen's county, as far as the townships of Bushwick and New- town extend :- we the said commissioners having called the parties before us, and duly heard and considered their several proofs and allegations, do adjudge and determine that the division line aforesaid shall be and begin at the mouth of Maspeth Kills or Creek, over against Dominie's Hook, in the deepest part of the creek, and so run along the same to the west side of Smith's Island, and so along the creek on the west side of that island, to and up a branch leading out of the creek to the pond or hole of water near the head of Mr. Schenk's mill-pond, and from thence easterly to a certain rock, commonly called the Arbitration Rock, and marked N. B., a little westward of the house of Mr. Joseph Woodward, [now of James Schoonmaker, dec.,] and from the said rock running south, twenty-seven degrees east, to a heap of stones with a stake in the middle, known by the name of the Arbitration Heap, and from thence in the same direct line up the hills or mountains until it meets the line of Flatbush, as the same is described by the survey and card hereunto annexed. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this tenth day of January, Anno Domini, 1769.
JNO. WATTS. [SEAL.] W. NICOLL. [SEAL.]
Sealed and delivered in the presence of us,
W. WICKHAM, JOHN S. ROOME. .
The survey was performed on Jan. 7th, by Francis Mars- chalk, and thus describes the boundaries :- " Beginning at a certain rock, commonly called the Arbitration Rock, marked N. B., said rock lies N. 16° 3' W. 4 chains 50 links from the northerly corner of the house formerly the house of Frederick Van Nanda, and now in possession of Moses Beegel,1 running from said rock S. 27° E. 155 chains, to a noted heap of stones, with a stake in the middle, known by the name of Arbitration Heap, and from thence in the same direct line up to the hill or mountain until it meets the line of Flatbush."
? This house is that now occupied by Mrs. Onderdonk. Arbitration Rock has disappeared. It stood in the meadow lying opposite this house, on the other side of the road, and early in the present century was blown to pieces, and removed, by individuals who probably knew not its value as an ancient and important landmark.
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And thus ended a dispute which had continued for more than a century. The bitterness of feeling, and the expensive litigation that it occasioned, was scarce to be compensated for by any benefit that might accrue to either party. The result was not very unwelcome to the people of Newtown, who, years before, had expressed a willingness to accede to the arbitration of 1672. Their untiring efforts to settle the land probably gave them the advantage in the end.1
Several incidents of this period may be added. In 1768, the dwelling of widow Rapelje (now E. J. Woolsey's) was burnt. On Mar. 10th, 1770, Capt. Samuel Hallett's house, near the Cove, was destroyed by fire; loss, £1800. On Mar. 5th, 1772, snow fell two feet and a half deep, and was followed by three or four severe storms. This had scarce been equalled in the history of the town since 1740-1, a winter excessively cold, when snow fell, Dec. 16th, and lay till April. Extreme droughts occurred in 1761 and '62, a very wet season in 1763, and on July 3d, 1766, " the greatest rain that had been known in that age." Earthquakes were felt here Dec. 7th, 1737, Nov. 18th, 1755, and June 18th, 1773. The first was "attended with a very great noise," says Mr. Pumroy, who calls it " a great earthquake," but adds, " through the wonderful goodness of God to us, no great damage was done by it in this town." After the French war several young men, who were carpenters, removed from Newtown to Santa Cruz, in the West Indies, where they found a profitable business. Among these were Richard Gosline, Gilbert Woodward, Vernon Moore, and Wil- liam and Joseph Hallett, all of whom died in that island. A singular fatality attended the two latter, who were cousins, one being crushed by the fall of his house, " on the ever memorable 31st of August, 1772 ;" the other, Joseph, much respected in the island for his modesty and diligence in business, died Jan. 25th, 1775, from an accidental blow of a lever, received the day previous while working at a wind-mill.
1 A re-survey of this partition line was made by Hendrick Beegel, after the Revolution, and only a few years since was repeated, and monuments erected, by the supervisors of the several towns, Mr. Debevoise being at that time the supervisor of Newtown. Guided in this work by the recollections of aged persons, one of whom had assisted at Beegel's survey, and having no knowledge of the survey of 1769, it remains to be seen how well they agree.
CHAPTER X.
Remote and immediate causes of the American Revolution .- The colonies forced into resistance .- First Continental Congress-Newtown adopts its recommenda- tions .- Appoint a committee of correspondence .- They pass a series of resolu- tions .- A portion of the inhabitants disown these measures .- Call to elect delegates to a Provincial Convention .- Whigs carry the election .- Bloodshed at Lexington .- Increasing opposition of Queen's county to liberty .- The chief loyalists summoned to appear before the Convention .- It is disregarded .- The Convention declares them put out of its protection, and lays the state of Queen's county before Congress .- Action of the latter thereupon .- Col. Heard marches through Newtown to disarm the Tories .- Carries several of their leaders to Philadelphia .- They are sent back and confined at New-York .- Lt. Col. Seers pursues the disaffected in Queen's county .- Gives an oath to leading Tories at Newtown .- Organization of the militia .- Officers' names .- Capt. Riker recruit- ing .- Militia provided with ammunition .- A fast day .- John Moore, Jun. " in- sults the United Colonies."-He is taken to New-York .- Soon discharged .- Declaration of Independence .- Militia called out to protect the stock .- New- town militia march to Brooklyn .- British land on the Island .- Gen. Woodhull engaged driving off the stock .- His perilous situation .- He is taken prisoner by the enemy .- Some of the troop captured .- Narrow escape of Garret Remsen .- British Light Horse enter Newtown .- Cruel fate of Jonathan Coe .- The Light Horse pursue Dr. Riker .- He escapes .- Tory animosity .- Most of the British forces encamp in Newtown .- Cannonading at Hellgate .- Farmers plundered and Whigs seized .- Newtown militia return .- The officers in exile .- Anecdote. -Movements of the British troops .- They leave Newtown and pursue the American army. 1774 to 1776.
The American Revolution now opened, during which, for the space of seven years, Newtown was to be ravaged and made desolate by a scourge as dreadful as a visitation of fam- ine or pestilence. Her fertile territory a prey to hostile armies, but not the scene of battles, she nevertheless heard with anxi- ous interest every rumble from the fields afar, where freedom gained its triumphs. To the simple detail of her history du- ing this period let us proceed.
The Revolutionary spirit was not the creature of a day, nor an impulse of mushroom growth. "Those principles and feelings," says an eminent statesman, "ought to be traced back for two hundred years, and sought in the history of the coun- try from the first plantations in America." The observation is
12
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just, and the local causes which in every part of the country con- tributed to awaken the spirit of bold resistance to the oppres- sions of England, are fairly represented in the annals of that community whose history we are reviewing. Their repeated endeavors to cast off the burdens imposed by their royally- constituted rulers, were but the first feeble throbbings of inde- pendence. These strengthened with every defeat, and every fresh indignity that they sustained. Thus was fostered, slowly and insensibly, but by a sure process, a tenacious regard for their rights, a watchful desire for their preservation, a jealousy of and a lessened affection for the mother country, eminently calculated to prepare them to enter with spirit into the contro- versy with Great Britain that led to the war of Independence.
The policy of England toward her American colonies, from the first, humiliating and oppressive, became, in the course of years, more and more crushing. Already the restrictions upon their manufactures and the control of their commerce poured a large revenue into her coffers, but this was too meager for greedy royalty, and it was resolved to enhance it by resorting to a system of taxation. This iniquitous policy, introduced in 1764, resulted in a series of parliamentary acts that sapped the prosperity of the colonies and created a general consternation. Some of these acts so effected navigation as nearly to destroy their lucrative trade with the West Indies. Duties were im- posed upon refined-sugar, tea, coffee, indigo, glass, paints, writing-paper, parchment, and many other articles of foreign produce imported by the colonists. Other laws passed, equally calculated to retrench the privileges and harass the feelings of the Americans. The excitement produced by these measures was immense; every house-keeper deprecated the wanton in- crease in the price of articles of domestic consumption; the merchant was sorely affected by the stagnation of trade, and the fatal blow given to commerce; while the farmer, mechanic, and men of every profession, were involved in the general dis- aster, and beheld with indignation the baleful effect of Britain's assumed right to bind and tax them at her will. From north to south went forth the cry of injured justice, and petitions and remonstrances, almost numberless, were sent to the king and parliament, praying redress. These were unheeded, nay, spurn- ed; and as a necessary resort, a continental congress, composed
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of delegates from the several provinces, was convened at Phila- delphia, Sept. 4th, 1774, to concert suitable measures of resist- ance to the oppressions of the mother country. This patriotic body entered into an association by which they pledged them- selves, in the name of the freemen they represented, not to im- port or consume tea, or any articles from the British possessions until the repeal of the revenue acts, and advised the appoint- ment of committees in the several counties and towns, to aid by mutual correspondence and otherwise, in carrying out the objects of the association.1
This date found the people of Newtown split into two parties. It is difficult to say which of these was loudest in protestations of loyalty to King George III. whom all acknow- ledged as their rightful sovereign. Furthermore, few, if any, were found to deny the existence of the grievances before re- cited. But the widest difference of opinion prevailed as to the proper means of obtaining redress. The weaker party (re- spectable, nevertheless, both in number and character,) urged the most pacific measures, and condemned the formation of congresses and committees, as, not only illegal, but disrespect- ful toward their representatives, composing the general assem- bly of the province, in whom alone they reposed the business of vindicating the popular rights.
But a majority of the inhabitants scouted at such modera- tion at a crisis which threatened their dearest liberties. In their view, forbearance had truly ceased to be a virtue, and hence, no sooner had the resolves of the congress been received at Newtown, than these hastened at the call of their supervisor, Jeromus Remsen, Jun. to testify their approbation of, and to adopt their recommendations. On December 10th, a very large
1 The following incident shows the firmness and spirit with which even the matrons of Newtown espoused the cause of king or country. Mrs. Fish, mother of the Rev. Peter Fish, spending a social afternoon with her neighbor the wife of Capt. Jeromus Rapelje, at the tea table the good hostess had prepared to serve up a dish of her choicest tea, not acknowledging the right of congress to deprive her of her much loved beverage, But her guest, having opposite views, declined to take any tea, and on its being insisted upon, replied :- " Cousin Wyntie, I cannot do it, it's against my principles." Overcome by a sense of their unhappy position, both fell to weeping. Mrs. Fish swerved not from her purpose, though the two friends lived to drink tea together in more auspicious times,
.
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number of respectable freeholders assembled in the town- house at Newtown. A series of "spirited and well-adapted resolves," passed a few days previous by their neighbors of Jamaica, were read by one of the gentlemen and unanimously responded to, after which they appointed the following persons to act as a committee of correspondence, and to observe that the association formed by congress be strictly adhered to with- in the limits of the town. The said persons were Jacob Black- well, Richard Alsop, Esq. Daniel Rapelje, Esq. Philip Edsall, Thomas Lawrence, Daniel Lawrence, Jonathan Lawrence, Samuel Moore, William Furman, William Howard, Jeromus Remsen, Jun. Samuel Riker, John Alburtis, Abraham Brinck- erhoff, James Way, Samuel Morrell, and Jonathan Coe. After some delay, occasioned by the small pox in Col. Blackwell's family, this committee met at Newtown, and adopted the fol- lowing :-
Queen's County, 29th Dec. 1774.
At a meeting of the committee chosen by the freeholders of the town- ship of Newtown, the said committee having seriously considered the conse- quences that must evidently flow from the several acts of the British Parlia- ment to raise revenue in America ; and likewise that of having power to bind the people of these colonies, by statute, in all cases whatsoever ; that of extend- ing the limits of the admiralty court, whereby the judges of said court are empowered to receive their salaries and fees from effects to be condemned by themselves, and his Majesty's American subjects deprived of the right of trial by jury; that of requiring oppressive security from the claimants of ships or goods seized, before they shall be allowed to defend their property ; that of empowering the commissioners of customs to break and enter houses without the authority of any civil magistrate; that of stopping the port of Boston, and changing the form of government in Massachusetts Bay, and the Quebec bill;1 all of which, as appears to us, are intended absolutely to deprive his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the inhabitants of the American colonies, of their most inestimable rights and privileges, by subju- gating them to the British Parliament, and driving them to the dire necessity of submitting to have their property taken from them without their consent;
1 Owing to the destruction of several cargoes of tea by the indignant people of Boston, the Parliament, in retaliation, passed the Boston Port Bill, an act precluding that port from the privilege of discharging or shipping any kinds of merchandize. By another bill they essentially altered the charter of Massachusetts, making the appointment of the council, justices, judges, &c. dependent upon the crown.
The Quebec Bill extended the limits of Canada so as to border on the western frontiers of the United Colonies ; and was especially designed to prevent the Cana- dians from having any sympathy with the political movements in these colonies.
.
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which we conceive is one of the most deplorable situations to which a free people can be reduced, and absolutely repugnant to the constitution of Great Britain ; therefore,
Resolved, 1, That we consider it as our greatest happiness and glory to be governed by the illustrious House of Hanover, and that we acknowledge and bear true and faithful allegiance to King George the Third, as our right- ful sovereign, and under his protection have a right to enjoy the privileges of the constitution of Great Britain, as founded on the Revolution principles, in as full and ample a manner as our fellow subjects residing there; that we consider ourselves, one people, connected by the strongest ties of interest and affection, and that we lament, as our greatest misfortune, any occurrence which shall have a tendency to destroy that mutual confidence which the mother country and her colonies should repose in each other.
Resolved, 2, That we conceive it to be a fundamental part of the British constitution that a man shall have the disposal of his own property, either by himself or representatives; and as we are not, and, from our local cir- eumstances, cannot be represented in Parliament, we consider all acts, by them, imposing taxes on the colonies, as subversive of one of the most valu- able privileges of the English constitution, and having a direct tendency to alienate the affections of the colonists from their parent state.
Resolved, 3, That it is our indispensable duty to transmit, unimpaired, to posterity, all our most valuable rights and privileges, as we receive them from our ancestors; particularly that most inestimable right of disposing of our own property, either by ourselves or representatives.
Resolved, 4, That as some mode of opposition to acts of Parliament, im- posing taxes in America, has been, by the inhabitants of the different colonies on this continent, thought necessary, to secure our invaded rights and pro- perties; which mode has been left to the determination of the delegates, sent by each colony, and met in congress, at Philadelphia, in September last ; they having, among other articles of their association, recommended that a committee be chosen in every county, city, and town, whose business it should be to observe the conduct of all persons, touching said association ; and as we are willing to establish harmony and union, we will, so far as our influence extends, endeavor that the measures, adopted and recommended by said congress, be strictly adhered to in this town.
Resolved, 5, As we highly approve of the wise, prudent, and constitu- tional mode of opposition, adopted by our worthy delegates in general con- gress, to the several late tyrannical and oppressive acts of the British Parlia- ment, we therefore render our sincere and hearty thanks to those gentlemen, for their patriotic spirit, in so cheerfully undertaking the difficult and arduous task; for their faithfulness in council, and great wisdom in drawing conclu- sions, which, through the influence of Divine Providence, we trust will be the means of securing to us our liberties and privileges, as freeborn English- men, and again restore harmony and confidence throughout the British em- pire, which is the hearty wish of all the friends to liberty and foes to oppression. Signed, by order of the committee,
JACOB BLACKWELL, Chairman.
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Some of the gentlemen composing the above committee declined serving; Col. Blackwell was soon after called to fill a more elevated station, and from these and other causes the committee became reduced to seven persons, namely, Jonathan Lawrence, chairman, Mr. Edsall, deputy chairman, and Messrs. Riker, Morrell, Moore, Remsen, and Furman. These gentle- men discharged with vigor the delicate and responsible duties assigned them, till their services ceased to be needed in that capacity.
The publication of their manly resolutions, the energetic tone in which these asserted the public rights, the injuries which those rights had sustained, and the determination to enforce redress, aroused the loyal feelings of the advocates of peace. Though, too impotent to arrest the course of things, they resolved to publish to the world their unqualified disap- proval of the late rash proceedings, from which they appre- hended the most disastrous consequences. Only a few days elapsed when the following appeared in Rivington's Gazette :-
Newtown, on Long Island, Jan. 12th, 1775.
MR. RIVINGTON :--
Reading in Mr. Holt's last Thursday's paper, certain resolves signed by Jacob Blackwell, chairman, entered into by some inhabitants of Newtown, approving of the proceedings of the continental congress; you are hereby requested to inform the public that we the subscribers were no way con- cerned in those resolves, neither do we acknowledge any other representa- tives but the members of the general assembly of the province.
JOHN SHOALS,
JOHN MCDONNAUGH, JUN.
WILLIAM WEYMAN,
JOHN MCCONNELL,
JOIIN MOORE, JUN.
JOHN PARCELL,
HENDRICK JACOBS,
HENDRICK BRINCKERHOFF,*
WILLIAM HALLETT, JUN.
TUNIS BRINCKERIIOFF,
JERONIMUS RAPELJE,
RICHARD HALLETT,
JOHN BRAGAW, JOHN MORRELL, SEN.
DANIEL RAPELJE,
ALBERT BRINCKERHOFF,
CORNELIUS RAPELJE,
JOHN MCDONNAUGH, SEN.
NATHANIEL PROVOST,
MARTIN RAPELJE,
ISAAC VAN ALST,
DANIEL RAPELJE,
OLIVER WATERS,*
BRAGAW VAN ALST,
SAMUEL MOORE, SEN ..
D. RAPELJE,
SILAS PRATT,
BERNARDUS BLOOM,
ABRAHAM RAPELJE,
JOHN VAN ALST, JUN.
DANIEL LUYSTER,
JOHN VAN ALST, SEN.
GARRET LUYSTER,
GEORGE VAN ALST,
JACOBUS LENT,
PETER BRAGAW, SEN. ISAAC MESEROLE,
GEORGE RAPELJE, JUN. ABRAHAM RAPELJE, JUN.
NATHANIEL MOORE,
*ABRAHAM POLHEMUS, SEN.
JOSEPH BURROUGHS,
JOHN MOORE,
DANIEL RAPELJE, 4th.
W. CORNELL,
SAMUEL MOORE, 3d.
JAMES HALLETT,
ABRAHAM POLHEMUS, JUN. CHARLES DE BEVOISE, JOHN DE BEVOISE, 1
RICHARD ALSOP,* RICHARD BRAGAW,
Dow VAN DUYN, JER. REMSEN, JOHN SUYDAM,
JACOBUS RIKER,
1 Those with a star affixed, were justices of the peace.
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ANNALS OF NEWTOWN.
Undaunted by the clamor of opposition, the friends of li- berty in Newtown responded to a call of the New-York com- mittee, inviting them to send a representative to a convention to be held in that city, for the purpose of choosing delegates to a second general congress. The loyalists exerted themselves to defeat the election of deputies, and industriously circulated a paper entitled the "Queen's County Freeholder," which "le- velled its whole force at the very essence of a continental con- gress." The whigs, on the other hand, were not idle. In order to counteract the pernicious influence of the above publication, and incite the people to action at this momentous time, the following eloquent appeal "To the Freeholders of Newtown," was prepared and issued on April 3d, 1775, the day of election.
My Friends and Fellow- Townsmen,
We are now called upon to oppose the encroachments which, for some time past, have been made upon our rights and liberty. The question before us is, whether, or not, we shall elect a deputy to represent us in our provincial convention, to be held at New-York, on the 20thi inst. with the deputies from the different towns and counties in this colony, for the purpose of appointing delegates to meet on the 10th of May next, at Philadelphia, in another conti- nental congress, as recommended by the last, and adopt such constitutional measures as they shall judge most efficacious to frustrate the tyrannical and wicked designs of a corrupt and arbitrary ministry. But if we join those hirelings and tools of state, who aim at preventing the choice of delegates to the congress, our conduct may rivet the chains, not only upon ourselves, but on our posterity, to whom we should strive, if possible, to leave a better in- heritance than that we received from our ancestors. Let us give generations yet unborn no cause to curse the transactions of this day.
My dear Feliow-Townsmen, think and act for yourselves. Be not led away by designing men. Beware of the delusive arguments of that base, mercenary writer who styles himself a "Queen's County Freeholder," and with the treachery of the old serpent, endeavors by false hopes of imaginary advantages to tempt you into a breach or neglect of duty, which will, in its consequences, entail destruction upon yourselves and your offspring. Let not the fair speeches and specious pretences of an insidious enemy in the disguise of a friend, amuse you to neglect the present opportunity of preserving your- selves and your country, or, as it was fabled of the Syrens of old, lull you by their singing, to rest upon your oars in a tempestuous ocean, and listen to their voices, at the only time when you might escape shipwreck and death.
" The Syrens' music charms the sailor's ear,
" Yet he is ruined if he stops to hear."
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