The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 30

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 30

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At the foot of Doek street, a few years later, was David Anderson's stone-yard, and from this point there was nothing on the north side of the street, which was washed by the tide, exeept a few tar-sheds belonging to Mr. A. H. Van Bokkelin, until within fifty or sixty feet of Main street, where was a small blacksmith-shop, and next it, on the corner, a large frame building used for storage of salt.

On the east side, between Doek and Main streets,

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BROOKLYN SEVENTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO.

were the rears of Augustus Graham's and Joshua Sands' gardens; the dwelling of William Cornwell, the tailor; and, on the south-west corner of Water and Main streets, a tavern and livery-stable kept by White- head Howard, and in which one of the Bownes was in- terested.

At the foot of Main street was the "New," or Catha- rine street, ferry, and a small publie market, bearing a close resemblance to that at the Fulton ferry, and commonly known as "Titus' market," from the fact that. Abiel Titus kept a butcher's stand there.

On the north-east corner of Main and Water streets was Van Winkle's tavern and grocery, and, a little be- yond, a cooper-shop; and, on the south-east corner, a grocery kept by Peter Snyder, who was also a ferry- man upon the New ferry; and from this point, to near the line of the present Bridge street, was an open sand- beach, upon which the ship and dock-builders of New York were accustomed to moor their timber-rafts, which had been floated down the North river, and were sold and delivered from this spot. Main street was between high and low-water mark, until it reached the corner of present Pearl street; then, the water-lines ran out to the corner of the present Gold street, and thenee, along the line of the present Marshall street, to the navy-yard. From the beach the land rose gradually into hills; and, near the foot of one of these eminenees, about eighty feet eastward of where the present Adams street comes to the river, stood the famous "old Tulip Tree," said to have measured thirty feet at its lower, and twenty-five feet at its upper, circumference.

On a high hill, near the line of the present Bridge street, was a large establishment called "Mount Pros- pect Tavern," a great resort of the New York rowdies, who used to come over in row-boats from the city, accompanied by their girls, and hold high carnival here.

On the north-east corner of Water and Bridge streets was a large frame building known as " the Red Stores," used as a hay-press by the Messrs. Thorne, with a dock in front, upon which the hay-sloops discharged their cargoes. From this point to the present Little street were only high sand-hills, with here and there a shabby house.

Upon the south-west corner of Water and Little streets was an old tavern, kept by one Scott, and torn down, after his death, by his widow, who erected a new house upon the spot, which was kept as an inn for inany years after. In 1817, Capt. Evans, then com- mandant at the United States navy-yard, opened, mainly for his convenience, a gate into the yard, on the line of Water street; and, in connection with John Little, established a ferry from the foot of Little street to Walnut (near Jackson) street, New York (as they said), for the accommodation of the mechanies and others employed in the yard. The establishment of the ferry was speedily followed by the erection of a

number of dwellings, on the castern line of Little street, up to the navy-yard wall. On the opposite side of the street, and against the navy-yard wall, Little set up a tavern; and, adjoining him, Barney Henrietta, an Irish sawyer in the yard, purchased a house and lot, which he occupied until his death, in 1825. Grog- shops arose in all directions in the neighborhood, and real-estate commanded a better priee than it then did at the Fulton ferry. Upon the hill, immediately in the rear of Henrietta's house, was erected a building, the first floor of which was occupied as a "Shooting Gallery," and, in the upper part, which overlooked the interior of the navy-yard, was placed a "shuffle-board." This building, overlooking the navy-yard, was a great place of resort for those who wished to obtain a view thereof; the principal attraction, at that time, being the building of the United States line-of-battle ship Ohio, by Henry Eekford, which was launched in May, 1820.

Front street, west side. Next to the Remsen house (which stood upon the site of the old Rapalje house), during the years immediately succeeding the Revolu- tionary war (1784-1815), there had been an old two-story framed dwelling occupied by Dr. Barbarin, the first settled physician of Brooklyn; while, next beyond, with an intervening space, was a small framed dwelling belonging to the Rapalje estate. This estate, comprising about one hundred and sixty acres, had been purchased from the commissioners of forfeitnre by Messrs. Comfort and Joshua Sands, who paid for it, it is said, in soldiers' pay-certificates, which they had bought up in large quantities at a rate of discount which made the operation a very good speculation for them. Old Mrs. Rapalje, the mother of John Rapalje, by virtue of some right in the property, refused to give possession, which necessitated the official interference of the sheriff, who put the old lady out into the street, in her arm-chair.

The Sands Brothers were from Cow Neck, since ealled Sands' Point, Queens County, L. I., at which place their great-grandfather was an original settler.

COMFORT, the eldest, born in 1748, was, during early life, a clerk in a store of his native village ; went to New York in 1762, and entered a store in Peck Slip. In 1769 he com- menced business on his own account and also married, and had amassed a considerable fortune before the opening of the Revolutionary war. After the Declaration of Peace, in 1783, he settled permanently at New York. He was an ac- tive and useful patriot. He served from Nov., 1775, to July, 1776, as a member of the New York Provincial congress; was then chosen, by the New York convention, as auditor-general of the State, at a salary of £300. This office he resigned Oct., 1781, and, with his brothers Richardson and Joshua, took a contract to supply the northern army with provisions for the year 1782. In 1783 he became a partner with his brother Joshua, and carried on an extensive and lucrative mercantile business, until 1794 ; and represented the city several times in the assembly. He was twice married, and died at Hobo- ken, N. J., September 22d, 1834, aged eighty-six years. As

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a merchant, one of the first directors of the old bank of New York, and president of the Chamber of Commerce, he held a high position in the mercantile circles of his day.

His younger brother, JOSHUA SANDS, who became more inti- mately identified with Brooklyn, by the purchase of the Ra- palje estate, was born in 1757. At the age of fifteen he com- menced his business-life as a clerk ; but, in 1776, was invited by Col. Trumbull, of Connecticut, to accept a position in the commissariat department of the American army, with the rank of captain. He contributed very material aid in facili- tating the retreat of the American army from Long Island, after the battle of August 26th, 1776. In 1777 he, together with his brothers Richardson and Comfort, tendered pro- posals for the supply of clothing and provisions to the north- crn army. These were accepted by Robert Morris, and were faithfully carried out on their part ; but the scarcity of means at the command of the treasury department not al- lowing of a fulfillment of the contract on the part of the government, they became great sufferers, although afterwards partially reimbursed by a special act of congress. At the close of the war he became a partner with his brother Com- fort in mercantile pursuits, and, in 1784, they were the pur- chasers of the Rapalje estate, as already stated. In 1786 he removed his residence to Brooklyn and built for himself, on his new purchase, a handsome frame mansion, about fifty feet square, and furnished with remarkable elegance for that day. This house, situated on the north side of Front street, about a hundred feet east of Dock street (his coach-house and stables being on the opposite side of Front street), was the largest in the village at the time, and was surrounded by a fine garden, which extended to the river. It subsequently came into the possession of John B. Cazeaux, Esq., who, in 1824, converted it into two dwellings, one remaining as No. 25 Front street. About this time, also, Mr. Sands made another addition to the material interests of the town, with which he had become identified by residence. Conceiving the idea of manufacturing the cordage and rigging for his own vessels, he imported both machinery and workmen from England, and established here extensive rope-walks, which became the beginning of a new and most important branch of industry. Mr. Sands represented this district in the State scnate, from 1792 to 1798 ; was a member of the council of appointment for the southern district of New York, in Janu- ary, 1797, and was judge of the county of Kings. In 1797 he was appointed collector of the customs of the port of New York, but was removed by President Jefferson in 1801. He was, also, president of the Merchants' Bank ; and, in 1803- 1805, represented this district in congress, to which he was again sent in 1825-1827. In 1824 he was chosen president of the board of trustees of Brooklyn, with which village he was always prominently connected in political, religious and social affairs, and which he lived to see an incorporated and thriving city. He died in 1835, universally respected, it hav- ing been justly said of him, that "no man enjoyed more fully the esteem and confidence of the inhabitants, without distinction of party, and all his official duties were perf rmed with singular ability and fidelity."

This was the appearance of Front street during the first few years after the Revolution. In 1815, its ap- pearance had somewhat changed. Beyond the Remsen house and two vacant lots was a modern brick house, owned by Mr. John Cox; then, three yellow brick houses (present Nos. 9, 11, 13 Front strect) belonging to John Fisher, who lived in the corner store (on Dock street), his garden extending back to Water

street. On the other side of Dock street was the substantial brick house built by Augustus Graham, in 1814 or 1815. On the rear of this property Mr. Graham subsequently erected his whitc-lead manufac- tory. Beyond the Sands mansion and several vacant lots was an old-fashioned two-story house, said to have belonged to the Rapalje family, and afterward to have been occupied by Mr. Adrian Van Bokkelen, merchant, whose tar-sheds on the rear of this lot have already been spoken of. Then Robert Bach's house, afterward occupied by John Benson; and, with another interval, the two-story framed dwelling of William Cornwell, the tailor. On the north-west corner of Front and Main streets stood a two-story framed grocery, in which the late Edward Copeland (ex-Mayor) was said to have commenced business.

On the southerly side of Front street, on the corner of the Old Ferry road, was the Thomas W. Birdsall house and store (Guy's picture, No. 1); then Abiel Titus' yard and his slaughter-house (Guy's picture, No. 9), on the corner of the present James street, which, however, at that time, was simply a passage-way up from Front street, containing a few small buildings, mostly occupied by negroes. On the opposite corner of the alley was the carpenter's shop and dwelling (Guy's picture, No. 10) of Benjamin Meeker. He was a quiet, unassuming man; a "good Clintonian " in politics; originally an attendant at the Methodist Church, but afterwards a Presbyterian; was a member of the Mechanics Associa- tion, and died in 1849, much respected. His portrait is one of those given in Guy's picture. Next, with an intervening vacant lot, was Mrs. Chester's (Guy's picture, No. 11), memorable as the "Cradle of the Drama" in Brooklyn, a two-story house with a long stoop in front; and then (Guy's picture, No. 12) a large brick house, old Mr. Cunningham's residence, still standing; then an alley which is now called Garrison street. Between this allcy and Main street (Guy's picture, No. 13) were about six lots of ground occupied as a wood and lumber-yard, by Jacob Hicks, who lived on the corner.

"WOOD HICKS," as he was called-the better to distinguish him from several others of the same name -- was a clever, jolly old man, with a "horse-laugh " that might be heard a mile off-always clad in a roundabout, and carrying in his hand the measuring-stick with which he measured his stock- in-trade. He had two children, Charles and John M. Hicks, who inherited the ample fortune which their father's industry had accumulated.

Upon the north-east corner of Front and Main streets was a grocery, and upon the south-east corner a large tenement-house; but, although Front street was opened for travel for some five hundred yards farther from this point, northward to where the sand-hills again pre- sented themselves, yet there were no buildings of any importance on its north side, and only a few miserable ones on its south side.

Main street. Omitting a repetition of the buildings already mentioned, as on the corners of Water and

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BROOKLYN SEVENTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Front streets, simply those of importanee on this street from the river to Prospeet street may be noticed.

On the westerly side of the street, and south of Hieks' wood-yard, were a few small wooden dwellings, and then David Anderson's house, whose stone-yard has already been mentioned as being at the foot of Doek street, There were no other houses of note on this side but those near the junetion of Fulton and Main, all of which extended through from street to street.

Along the easterly side of Main street were but few buildings. On, or near, the present corner of Main and York streets, was John Moon's house; and his next neighbor was the house and garden of Capt. John O. Zuill, master of the good ship Gleaner, in the West India trade. Next him was James Cornell, butcher, his slaughter-house in the rear, and adjoining his house an ice-house-he being, it is said, the first man in Brook- lyn who put up iee for summer use. Next was the house and paint-shop of Capt. John Allen, commander of one of the uniformed military companies of the vil- lage.

Then some small tenements, and, on the north-east corner of Prospect street, a large frame building, where James Burtis kept a grocery and feed-store. Along the north side of Prospeet street, next to Burtis', there were, on either corner of Stewart's alley, small two- story frame houses. The north-east corner of Prospect street and Stewart's alley was most pleasantly associ- ated, in the minds of early Brooklynites, with a famous restaurant kept there for many years, by John Joseph, otherwise better known as " Johnny Joe," and who was " a character " of the olden times. Then Mr. Stewart's comfortable double house, and a frame dwelling adjoin- ing. Then were hills, about as far as the present Jay street, where there was a two-story frame house, with a dairy establishment attached. Beyond this, Prospect street, although open, did not contain more than ten small tenements. At, or near, the present Gold street was a gate, from which a pathway, or lane, led up to King's hill, as it was then ealled, to a large mansion situated on the highest part of the hill, and oeeupied by Robert Morris.

At about the termination of the present York street, were the United States Marine Barracks, which could only be reached (for York street was not then open or used as a street) "aeross lots " from Sands street, or via Jackson street, at that time a mere erooked lane. These barracks, substantially built of briek, were occu- pied in front as the residenee of the commandant of the eorps, and the rear (which extended into the navy- yard) by the inferior offieers and privates. The south- ern entrance to the yard was some fifty feet west of the present one.

Sands street, from the Old road (Fulton street) to the Wallabout toll-bridge.

Beyond Drs. Ball and Wendell's office and drug-

store, on the northerly side of Sands street, after leav- ing the Old road, were vaeant lots to old St. Ann's church, which then fronted on Sands street, with its side doors on Washington street. It was, at that time, the new St. Ann's, the first permanent home which the Episcopalians of Brooklyn had attained, after nearly a quarter of a century's buffeting about among private houses, barns, and old barracks. It was ereeted in 1805, during the rectorship of the Rev. John Ireland. Heavy in form, eonstrueted of rough stone, overlaid with a coat of plaster and painted of a dark blue color, it would probably be considered, now-a-days, as a miraele of ug- liness. Even then, the smallness of its windows and the tout ensemble of its exterior gave point to the joeu- lar remark of an irreverent wag of a rival denomina- tion, that, he " had often heard of the church militant, and its canons, but he'd never before seen its port- holes." The ground upon which it stood had been given, for the purpose, by Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Sands, whose benefactions eeased only with their lives; and it was a deserved as well as graceful compliment to the latter, which eombined her name with that of an ancient saint, in the naming of the edifice.

It was a goodly company which assembled within the hallowed walls of old St. Ann's in those days. There was Joshua Sands, tall and commanding, and with the air of one whom no amount of business eould perplex ; Major Fanning C. Tueker, still taller in figure, and add- ing to the striet performance of every ehureh duty the graees of the highest breeding ; gentlemanly John Moore; the dignified and courteous Gen. J. G. Swift ; the Pierreponts ; the Tread wells ; the Clarkes ; Saeketts ; Ellisons ; Coleses ; Petits ; Smiths ; Van Burens ; Van Nostrands ; Sullivans ; Hudsons ; Worthingtons ; Stew. arts ; Gibbses ; Cornells ; Middaghs ; Hiekses ; Warings ; Marches ; Carters ; Spooners, etc., ete .; indeed, the cata- logue would embraee a history of Brooklyn !

On the opposite or northeast corner of Sands and Washington streets was the residence of Fanning C. Tueker, and next beyond, on the same side of the street, was a neat and handsome two-story frame house, oeeu- pied by old Mr. John Moore and his two maiden sisters.

On the same side of Sands, below Pearl street, was a large two-story brick house, in which, after about 1818, George S. Wise, jr., Purser in the United States Navy- yard, resided. Between Purser Wise's and the nearest line of Jay street was the residence of Josey Herbert.

With the exception of a few small tenements, Wise's and Herbert's were about the last buildings upon the north side of Sands street. From the end of Sands street extended the Wallabout bridge to about the june- tion of present Flushing and Portland avenues, where the toll-gate eontrolled the travel of the Newtown Pike road, by Sands street, and also by the road running past Fort Greene, aeross to the Flatbush turnpike. Near the Wallabout bridge was Sands' rope-walk, extending from the south side of Sands street, all along the Wallabout

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

meadows, to about the foot of the present Tillary street, in some places being built upon piles. Around this walk were several tenements, occupied by the em- ployés in the walk.

Returning, along the south side of Sands street, to what is now Bridge street, was nothing but sand-hills, among which nestled a few negro shanties. On the corner of Bridge street was a substantial frame dwelling with a large garden attached; the next most noteworthy house being that of Fanning C. Tucker, which he occu- pied after he sold his other house to Mr. Carter.

Across by the present Pearl street was Thomas C. Spink's cottage, and which, like all the residences on Sands street, was furnished with a large flower and veg- etable garden. A large two-story dwelling stood on the south-east corner of Sands and Washington streets, fronting on the latter, and with stables in rcar; and, on the opposite corner, was Dr. Chas. Hall's house, with a fine garden attached. Then the Methodist church, com- monly known as the "Old White Church," occupying the site of the present Sands street Methodist Episcopal Church. Next to the church was the residence of one of the " fathers " of the village, "Poppy " Snow.

After the date of this sketch (about 1816), Sands street began to fill up rapidly, and was for many years quite a fashionable avenue of residences. Among these later comers may be mentioned, on the north side, Mr. Cunningham, the distiller, who built next to John Moore, between Washington and Adams; Josiah Bowen, a printer (of the firm of Pray & Bowen), and subse- quently a Methodist preacher, next west of Purser Wise's house; below Jay street, Mr. Jehiel Jagger, a hatter, doing business in the city of New York. Mr. Jagger took the house, about 1820, from its previous owner, Capt. Clarke. On the southern side James B. Clarke, Esq., and Thomas Kirk, between Washington and Adams ; between Adams and Pearl, Aime J. Bar- barin, father of Mr. George Barbarin ; Capt. Angus, of the navy; John C. Bennett, tailor; James Herbert, gro- cer, etc.

High street, although opened nearly to the present Bridge street, had but few buildings. Upon its north side, ncar Fulton, was Isaac Moser's grocery store, a brother of " Uncle Jo" Moser. Then, vacant lots up to an alley, on the easterly corner of which lived Richard V. W. Thorne. Next him was the Methodist parsonage house; and, then, a building used by that congregation for "class-meetings," and, adjoining, the rear entrance to their burial-ground and church. Beyond this point, on the north side of the street, were but few houses, the land being mostly occupied by the grounds and gardens of the residences on the south side of Sands street. Along the south side of High street, between Fulton and Washington streets, were only three or four houses, and, beyond the latter street, not over six or seven. About on the line of the present Bridge street, in front of the African Methodist Church, was a splendid grove of pop-

lars. From 1813 to 1818 there was a great mania in Brooklyn for this kind of tree, and scarcely a place of any pretension that did not have its poplar. On this spot a nursery of these trees was established by an enterpris- ing citizen, to his ultimate loss.

Nassau street. Beyond Justice Nichols' place, on the north corner of Fulton street, were but one or two houses before reaching Washington street, on the north- west corner of which was Mr. John Green's house, and a large garden, and next him Evan Beynon's school- house. Beyond this were but few houses of any note.

On the south side of Nassau street, adjoining Capt. Sullivan's, on the corner of Fulton street, was Mr. Samuel Vail's neat two-story frame house, and between that and Washington street two or three houses. On the south-east corner of Washington street was the large frame house built by an Englishman, and after- ward occupied by J. Fletcher Garrison, Esq., son of old Judge John Garrison. Adjoining his garden was the residence of Mr. William Wallace, a cloth merchant in New York. Beyond, on the south side of Nassau, were only some ten or fifteen houses, occupied, mostly, by mechanics and laboring men. The only noticeable building was the old " Alms House," a large framed edifice, about one hundred feet from the present Jay street, and surrounded by about two acres of ground. A lower room in this building also served the purpose of a "lock-up " or police station, wherein the village constables confined those committed to their charge for safe keeping. The old Alms-house building was sub- scquently purchased in 1825, by Mr. Josiah Dow, who converted it into a dwelling-house for his own use; and, in order to rid it of the odium attaching to the name of a "poor-house," erected upon it a large sign of " Wake- field House." The sign, however (while it gradually effaced from the public mind the stigma of the old name), provoked numberless calls from strangers, who very naturally mistook the place for a hotel; so that, as soon as practicable, Mr. Dow was glad to remove the sign.

Concord street. On its northern side, at its junction with Fulton, was Dr. Joseph J. G. T. Hunt's office and drug-shop, with stable adjoining. Then came an alley, the present Liberty street. Beyond, on north-west corner of present Washington street, was Dr. Osborne's residence and garden. On the north-east corner of the present Washington street was the large framed house of Adam Treadwell, a New York merchant. Between this house and the present Pearl street was a consider- able hill, upon which were no improvements. From thence to the line of the present Gold street were only a few small houses, chiefly occupied by laboring men and mechanics; and the same may be said of the oppo- site or southern side of the street, on which the sehool- house of District No. 1 (where a Public School now stands) was the only noticeable feature. Concord street, " sixty years ago," was the last public street,

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 30

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114