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 54

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 54

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Lloyd was a native of Salem, N. J., an officer in the American army, and died here in 1815. Through his heirs it finally passed into the possession of James Mowatt, husband of the well-known actress, who resided here from 1836 to 1841.

Mrs. Mowatt, in her auto-biography, speaks of her life in Flatbush most enthusiastically. Of the house she says there were dark and spacious vaults beneath the kitchen, where it was said English prisoners had been confined ; and a secret chamber above the great ball-room, where it was affirmed a young girl had been

purposely starved to death, and whose ghost wandered, at night, about the house.

Here she spent happy years, as she herself writes, trundling hoops, skipping the rope, riding horseback, and dressed in half Turkish costume, shooting birds on the wing, much to the annoyance and disgust of her staid Dutch neighbors. In 1844 Dr. John Robinson purchased the property, and came here to reside with his family. Dr. Robinson was a gentleman of the olden school, and a graduate of Dublin University. Though his practice was mostly in the city of New York, he took a just pride in Melrose, and preserved its trees and rare shrubs with scrupulous care. He re- sided longer in Melrose Hall than any other person ; and gave character, by his individuality, to the whole place. He died in 1879, much regreted by those who had the pleasure of an intimate acquaintance with him.

Since his death, Melrose Hall, and a part of the origi- nal domain, have been purchased by his old friend and neighbor, Dr. Homer L. Bartlett, who contemplates re- moving the ancient mansion, and converting the lawn and grounds into a beautiful park, where family resi- dences can be built beneath the shadows of these ven- erable and historic trees. Such is the logic of fate. The cry of the whip-poor-will gives place to the prattle of childhood ; and the shadows of ghosts are supplanted by the spray and mist of the fountain of Melrose Park.

Town Pound .- On the south side of Cow Lane, or East Broadway, about sixty feet east of Locust street, in former days, was located the town pound. Its high board-fence enclosed an area of about forty feet square, extending almost half way across the street. Adjoin- ing it was the colored people's burying-ground, extend- ing west about 100 feet, to a pond, on the land now occupied by the Public School and the building of the Flatbush Engine Company. This pond, in early days, probably extended to the middle of the line of the street; this accounts for the angle in the street at this point. When this property, then owned by the Re- formed Church, was improved, and the street laid out in 1865, these relics of the old town were removed. The graves were opened and the remains removed to a new burying-ground in another section of the Reformed Church land, at the northeast corner of the cemetery of the Holy Cross. Dr. Strong quotes a record of the court, November 12, 1695, ordering a pound and a good pair of stocks to be built immediately. It is prob- able, therefore, that the pound had been located on this site for one hundred and sixty or more years.

Stocks and Whipping Post .- The stocks were erected in front of the old Court House, and were still in existence in the early part of this century. Near by was a whipping-post; and one of the town officers was a public-whipper, with an annual salary of £3. Therc was also a public brew-house, located in the southern part of the town, near Vernon avenue, on the property now owned by the Brooklyn City Railroad Company.

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

THE MODERN HISTORY OF FLATBUSH, 1830-1883.

P OPULATION .- After obtaining the patent from Governor Stuyvesant, in 1651, the settle- ment appears to have increased in population more rapidly than any of the other towns. This may have arisen from its central position, and because it early became the market town. As early as 1658 it was the seat of justice for this section of Long Island, and in 1654 the governor issued an order for building the first church for the "Five Dutch Towns," at Flat- bush.

The first reference to the population is found in Vol. II. of Colonial Documents, N. Y., where it is stated that "all the men in the town to the number of sev- enty-three took the oath of allegiance." Breuckelen and " dependencies " had at this time eighty-one men. None of the other towns had over fifty men.

The next mention of the population is in Vol. III of Doc. Hist., in a census of the Kings county towns for the year 1698. According to this, Flatbush contained sixty-two men, seventy-two women, two hundred and sixty-three children, cight apprentices, and seventy-one slaves, making a total of four hundred and seventy- six; Brooklyn at this time numbering five hundred and nine. In 1840 the population was one thousand five hundred and thirty-seven; in 1880 the population of Flatbush (including the settlements of Parkville and Windsor Terrace) numbered 7,634. The first assess- ment rolls give the valuation of the taxable property of the town for 1675 as £5079 19. 0 .; 1676, as £4872 11. 0 .; 1683, as £7757 10. 0. (while Breuckelen for the same year had a valuation of £5793 10. 0.); Flatbush, 1820, $504,408.00; 1840, $1,100,555.00; 1880, Real- estate, $4,005,550.00; Personal, $281,500.00. In the census of 1755 Flatbush possessed the largest number of slaves, there being 108 as against 67 in Brooklyn, and thirty-five in Flatlands.

Changes in the Village .- The destruction of the court-house by fire, in 1832, was the first of the many and great changes which have taken place in the town during the past fifty years. By this event, and the removal of the courts to Brooklyn, the character of the village was changed. No longer the county-seat, it became the quiet country village; and, instead of being considered the most important town in the county, it was now distinguished from the other villages only by its rural beauty, and the larger number of its inhab- itants. One change has followed another in quick suc- cession, so that the village has changed in a more rapid and marked manner within the last forty years than during the previous two hundred years. Dr. Strong states that the first fences through the village were

made of stone, surmounted by earth and sod, upon which were planted shoots of the primrose. These were kept properly trimmed and gave a very neat and pretty appearance to the village. But these fences were destroyed at about the time of the Revolutionary war, the primrose-bushes all dying during a single season. Gradually the common post-and-rail fence took the place of the stone fences, making a very marked and unpleasant change. After a number of years these were displaced by neat picket fences. About the year 1812, Lombardy poplars were planted in great numbers on both sides of the main street; but, although they gave the village a most picturesque appearance, were illy adapted to this climate, and in a few years were mostly destroyed and taken down. Until the year 1855 a large number of weeping willow trees formed a beautiful feature in the village scenery. There werc six or eight of these trees around the Reformed Church.

Historical Trees .- In addition to these, there have been five remarkable linden trees in the village, whose age goeth beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant, and which were probably relics of the primeval forest. One of these grew upon the site now occupied by the residence of John A. Lott. Dr. Strong states that, on one occasion, the Court of the county held its session under this tree. The second was upon the southeast corner of Flatbush road and East Broadway, or Cow Lane, as it was originally called. Another stood on the corner of Grant street and Flatbush road, adjoining the yard of the chapel of the Reformed Church. The fourth, standing like a village sentinel, on the northwest corner of the Main road and Church Lane, shading and pro- tecting with its ancient arms the old homestead of the Lloyd aud Zabriskie families, was destroyed by a gale of wind in October, 1876. According to village tradi- tion this tree has quite an historical notoriety. It is said that during the war Washington and his officers pitched their tents under its far-reaching branches; and that the English officers placed their tents in the shade of the same tree after the capture of the village. Tra- dition also says that in early times, at stated intervals during the summer, an itinerant Methodist preacher held services under this tree. Dr. Strong states that during the war of the Revolution Major David Lennox, as a prisoner, was billeted upon Mr. Bateman Lloyd, who then owned this house. While thus a prisoner he was visited by his brothers, Robert and William, who en- deavored to influence him to desert the American cause. The interview took place under this tree. They used every inducement, but although completely overcome by the prospect of separation from his brothers, he

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SIDEWALKS-ROADWAYS-STAGES-STREET CARS.

turned from them, and, amid his tears, exclaimed with Roman firmness : "I will never forsake my country in her need." Both house and tree disappeared from sight at about the same time. The old house, more than two hundred years old, was taken down in Novem. ber, 1877, to make room for the new and elegant resi- dence of Dr. John L. Zabriskie. The fifth tree still stands in front of the residence of the late Gen. Philip S. Crooke. The huge trunk, in its extreme age, is no longer capable of sustaining the weight of its immense branches ; and, several years before his death, Gen. Crooke had riggers to fasten chains around the branches in the upper part of the tree, and a strong iron band around the trunk, so that it might still be preserved in its beauty.

Sidewalks Regulated .- About the year 1827, the first attempt was made to regulate the sidewalks of the village, and bring them to a uniform appearance and grade. The first to undertake this improvement was Mr. Matthew Clarkson. The next improvement was the placing a neat wooden, and often quite ornamental, railing in front of each dwelling, separating the side- walk from the road. This railing, in later days, ex- tended, on either side of the street, in an almost un- broken line, from one end of the village to the other, giving to the street a neat and beautiful appearance.

Sidewalks and Crossings Flagged .- In the year 1874, by a special Legislative act, the. Commissioners of Highways were authorized to flag the street side- walks of the village upon application of a majority of the property owners upon the street. A later act au- thorized them to lay cross-walks at the intersection of streets. On the west side of the main road, the walk is paved from one end of the village to the other; and, on the east side, from the city line to Vernon avenue.

Flatbush Main Road .- The road from Brooklyn to the Flatbush Reformed Church was originally a branch road, owned by the Brooklyn, Flatbush & Ja- maica Turnpike Company. In 1855, Teunis J. Bergen, Philip S. Crooke, John Lefferts, Jeromus I. Johnson, and others, organized a company, with Teunis J. Bergen, president, Philip S. Crooke, secretary; and buying out the interest of the Jamaica Company in the Flatbush sec- tion of this road, they formed the Flotbush Plonk- Road. Company, and proceeded to lay down a plank-road from Brooklyn to Flatlands. The road, as at present constituted, was surveyed in 1855, by Tennis G. Ber- gen. Right of way, with the privilege to charge toll and lay planks on the section of the road south of the Reformed Church in Flatbush, was obtained from the Road Commissioners of the towns; as this portion of the route belonged to the towns of Flatbush and Flat- lands. After a number of years this road became thoroughly worn out; and, about the year 1855-6, was taken up, and a macadamized-road was built in its place by the prisoners in the King County Peniten- tiary, hired by the company. Such of the planks as

were available were used, at the suggestion of Teunis J. Bergen, for village plank-walks, and for a time did good service, but finally became warped, unsafe and unpopular.

Old Stage Routes .- For more than one hundred and fifty years the inhabitants had ridden to the city over an "exceedingly stony road" in their common farm-wagons, which were made in early days without springs. About the year 1830 a line of stages was established by Smith Birdsall. A stage left the village in the morning for the city and returned at evening. There was, at that time, no post-office here. Letters intended for those resident here, were addressed to Brooklyn and brought out to the village, for many years, as a favor, by Mr. Cornelius Duryea, whose busi- ness led him to the city daily. The first post-office was located here after Colonel James C. Church, of Fort Hamilton, established his mail-coach route between Fort Hamilton and Brooklyn. Mr. Michael Schoon- maker was the first postmaster at Flatbush, serving until about 1845, when his son, Richard L., was ap- pointed. In 1865 Miss Phebe Case was appointed serving until May, 1870, when Gilbert Hicks was ap- pointed, and held the office until 1882, when Henry Paton became postmaster. Another line of stage- coaches, owned by Conklin Carll, of Brooklyn, and driven by the well-remembered "Billy Cutting," was started between Gravesend and Brooklyn; and these two lines, in 1838-9, caused the withdrawal of Bird- Hall's line. In 1845, after the discontinuance of the Fort Hamilton coaches, George Bennett, of New Utrecht, established a line between Flatbush and the city; and, in 1847, was succeeded by Thomas Jones, whose omnibus left the village every hour during the day. This line was bought, in 1849, by Garrett Stryker, who sold, in 1852, to James Davis; and, in 1854, it was sold again to Cornwell & Weeden, who ran a stage every half hour during morning and evening hours, and hourly at other times of the day. In 1858 Mr. William Smith bought and ran the line until the intro- duction of the street-cars, July, 1860.

Street Cars Introduced .- The next great change which affected the rural character of the village was the introduction of the street cars into the village. Until the year 1857, Flatbush, although so near to Brooklyn, had nevertheless preserved its strictly rural character.

About 1848, Mr. Theodorus Polhemus, owner of most of the land on the hill, together with Mr. Churchill C. Cambrelling and other-, initiated the project of opening Flatbush avenue, from Fulton avenue, Brooklyn, to the village of Flatbush. The line of the avenue had been previously surveyed in 1837, and map filed in Register's office. This project was bitterly opposed, for some reason, by the residents of Flatbush. Soon after, Judge Lefferta, and others, of Belford, projected the opening of Fulton avenue to

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

Bedford. This proposition met with better success, and Fulton avenue was speedily laid out and opened for travel. Court street and Fifth avenue had been opened a few years previous to Gowanus, and thus an easy outlet was made for the city in these directions. Soon the city began to grow rapidly out toward its suburbs, lying to the east, west and north. There was no growth, however, toward the south, in the direction of Flatbush. These localities, Gowanus and East New York, though further from the City Hall than Flatbush, were nevertheless more easy of access. The long, tedious ride, by stage, over the hill, was a serious barrier to the growth of the city toward Flatbush. This had been, no doubt, in some measure, a benefit to the village; keeping back the tide of immigration which flooded the eastern section of the city, and preserving intact the woodlands which were afterwards purchased by the city for Prospect Park. In the spring of 1854, Flatbush avenue (surveyed in 1837) was laid out, graded and paved, from its junction with Fulton avenue, Brook- lyn, to the city line, which at that time was a few hun- dred feet north of the present site of the Reservoir. In 1854, by Legislative enactment, N. B. Morse, John G. Bergen and Nicholas Stillwell were appointed com- missioners to lay out and arrange for opening Flatbush avenne, from the city line to the present terminus of the village, at Malbone street. The line of the street was surveyed by Teunis G. Bergen in November, 1854, and a map filed in the Register's office. This portion of the avenue, however, was not opened to the public, until 1858, owing to the difficulty experienced by the com- missioners in raising the assessment made for the im- provement.

After the avenue was opened to the village, the Brooklyn City Railroad secured, in 1860, from the Plank-Road Company, a right of way through the village, and extended a single track (with a switch at Winthrop street) to the present depot at Vernon avenue. The first cars ran through to Flatbush in the latter part of July, 1860. Thus the serious bar- rier which, for two centuries, had separated Flatbush and Brooklyn, was removed; and the two localities were united, by iron bands, in a union never to be broken.

Streets Laid Out .- The first change in the origi- nal system of roads and streets (which had existed since 1654) was made in 1834, when Hon. Gerrit L. Martense bought a section of land 1,000 feet on East Broadway, and filed a map of thirty-eight lots in the Registar's office, September 1, 1834. He opened two short streets, called Erasmus and Johnson streets. Here, six or eight English mechanics bought lots and built homes for themselves. The section has since been known as the " English neighborhood." For many years, however, the greater part of the land remained as commons, and these houses formed a secluded little hamlet, entirely isolated from the rest of the village. In 1835, Dr. Ad-

rian Vanderveer had his farm on the east side of Flat- bush avenue, to the Clove Road (now Canarsie avenue), surveyed into city lots. He opened, at this time, Ver- non avenue, and improved it by grading it and plant- ing trees upon it from Flatbush Road to the Clove Road. He also laid out Lott, Prospect, Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton streets, and Bedford avenue ; but these streets were not opened until 1867-68, and but little, if any, of the property was sold before that time. In 1837 a map was filed by John A. Scudder, of a sec- tion of the Cornelius Suydam farm, and a street (the continuation of the Clove Road, now Canarsie avenue) was opened through the property. (For a more detailed statement of this speculative movement see our account of the Holy Cross Cemetery). The next, and most decided change, was made in 1865, when a section of four acres of land, owned by the Reformed Church, was laid out in city lots, and Locust street opened through the property. This section was bounded on the north by East Broadway, east by Johnson street, and west by the land of Erasmus Hall Academy. This property found a ready sale, and a number of houses were soon erected upon it. Soon after, in 1867, Teunis J. Bergen, of Flatbush, purchased the Antonides farm, which ad- joined the last named section on the south, and with a front on Flatbush road, and opened Union street through the center of the property, as far as Johnson street. Sev- eral years after, the Board of Improvement opened this street, from Flatbush Road to the Catholic Cemetery, and changed the name to Grant street. In a short time many of the streets laid down by Dr. Adrian Vander- veer, in his survey of 1834, were opened from East Broadway to Duryea's Lane, or to what is now called Avenue B. After the opening of these streets, build- ings of all descriptions were rapidly put up; so that now, this once secluded little hamlet of " English neigh- borhood " has assumed the appearance of the suburbs of a large city.

The Village of Parkville .- In 1849 a company was formed, the " Coney Island Plank-Road Com- pany;" a right of way was secured in 1850, and a road laid out from Brooklyn to Coney Island, passing through the western section of the town. Upon this road two sections of land were bought in 1851-52, and the villages of GREENFIELD and WINDSOR TERRACE were founded. On July 10, 1851, the trustees of the United Freeman's Association (who had formed a com- pany under the act passed April 10, 1851) purchased 67 acres of land from Johnson Tredwell, and proceeded to lay out a village, to which they gave the name of Greenfield. In 1852 they purchased from the farm of Henry S. Ditmas, immediately adjoining on the south, another section; bringing up their whole purchase to about 114 acres, at the rate of $500 per acre. These purchases were made by Charles Foster, Hezekiah Rus- sell, John C. Myers, Charles A. Tilva, Wm. Stevens, Trustees of the association, The officers of the associ-

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THE VILLAGES OF PARKVILLE AND WINDSOR TERRACE.

ation were John A. Lawrence, President; J. C. Valen- tine, Vice-President; Francis Webb, Harry L. Pelouze, John Hall, Directors; J. K. Raymond, Robert Smith, Secretaries.

In 1853 the association contracted to have the streets laid out and graded. Shade trees were planted along the sidewalks, and numerous public wells were dug upon the line of the streets, for the convenience of the resi- dents. The association held control of the property, selling lots as demands were made for them. After a number of years the association closed up its affairs, the first section in 1854, the second about 1856; and each individual secured a deed for such property as he desired as his share. None of these deeds for any of the lots sold by the association were given by the asso- ciation, but by the original owners, Johnson Tredwell and Henry S. Ditmas. The only member of the original association who still holds property and resides at Park- ville, is Mr. Wm. H. Taylor, who, as the first settler, came to the village in 1852.

In 1853 a new road was opened and planked upon the southern boundary of the Greenfield purchase. This road, called the " Shortest Route to Coney Island," be- gan at the Coney Island Plank Road, about 100 feet south of Mr. Teunis Bergen's residence, near what, ac- cording to the present system of streets, is the corner of Avenue H, and ran in a southwesterly direction, crossing the Boulevard at Avenue I. Continuing in same direction as far as the northwesterly corner of Washington Cemetery, at Avenue K, it there turned south and followed what is now Gravesend avenue. This road, according to Mr. John V. N. Bergen (to whom, as well as to Mr. Wm. H. Taylor, we are indebt- ed for many facts in the history of Greenfield), was opened by the adjoining property owners, in order to make a direct route to the city for the residents of Gravesend.

In 1870 the name Greenfield was changed to PARK- VILLE. The Post-Office had for some time been called Cresco, but the authorities at Washington saw fit to change the name to Parkville. Within a few years past the original village has been increased by purchases made at the east of the Coney Island Plank Road, along the line of Newkirk avenue. The first house in this section was put up by Mr. Joseph Stelle, who pur- chased a large tract of land. On the southwest, Mr. A. F. Johnson bought a portion of the farm of Abram Duryea, upon which he built several houses for sale, and laid out the section in city lots.

A portion of the John Ditmas farm, lying to the north of the village, was bought by Kingsland and Keeney, who afterward conveyed it to the "Butterick Pattern Company." This section of the village is as yet unimproved, the Congregational church being the only building thereon, at present.

During 1880-'81 an effort was made by Messrs. Wilder & Montgomery to secure an Act of Incorpora-

tion, a matter which is still agitated by some of the prominent residents of the village. There is now in 'the village a large and flourishing public school and five churches, of which we will speak more in detail when treating of the literary and ecclesiastical history of Flatbush.

The first settler upon the original purchase was Mr. William H. Taylor, who built the first house in 1852. Mr. E. McChesney erected a dwelling for himself in 1853. After this the number of inhabitants increased quite rapidly. Among these early settlers were D. I. Talt, Mr. Benton, J. P. Heath, J. Kershaw, J. Marquies, William Staites and William Matthews. The first house within the present limits of Parkville was erected in 1803 by Adrian Martense, the grandfather of Mr. Adrian Bergen. In 1836 Teunis Bergen, the brother of Adrian, built a house for himself upon land near the old homestead ; and, in the year 1852, Mr. Adrian Bergen built a commodious residence upon his farm within the limits of Parkville, for his son John V. N. Bergen. Though not included in the original purchase, these residences are within the present limits of Park- ville, and are the oldest houses in the locality. Their owners have been largely interested in the increase and welfare of the new village.

In the year 1860 the population was about 200, and the valuation of the property, real and personal, accord- ing to the assessment rolls, was $62,450. In 1880 the population was about 525, and the valuation of prop- erty, real and personal, had reached the sum of $161,- 280.

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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 54

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