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 55
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Hon. A. G. Hammond, a man of considerable promi- nence among the early settlers, was the first post- master of the village. Several of the residents of Parkville have been elected to hold offices in the gen- eral town government. Among these we find, of Justices of the Peace, the names of A. G. Hammond, 1852-1857 ; G. W. Close, 1863-1867 ; Wm. McMahon, 1877-1881; Andrew McKibbon, 1873-1877; and Daniel M. Cumiskey, Justice of Sessions for two years. Mr. William Staite held the office of Excise Commissioner from 1880-1883. J. PAULDING, for a long time resi- dent of the village, was elected a member of the State Assembly, and was instrumental in securing the Act creating the Occan Parkway. When this boulevard was laid out and graded it was necessary to remove the M. E. Church, the district school-house, the resi- dence of Mr. J. V. N. Bergen, and several other private houses. By the opening of the boulevard or parkway the village was divided into two sections.
Windsor Terrace .- The same year in which the " United Frcemen" founded Parkville, a tract of land on the Coney Island road, near the present city line, was purchased by Robert Bell, who immediately proceeded to lay out the village, afterward called WINDSOR TERRACE. This section was bounded on the east by the Coney Island road, 1,025 feet to land of
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Thomas Murphy ; south and west by the land of Thomas Murphy ; north by the patent line of the City of Brooklyn. The land was originally the farm of John Vanderbilt, divided at his death between his two sons, John and Jeremiah. The dividing line of these two farms, which were purchased by Robert Bell, is Vanderbilt street. Mr. Bell subsequently re- conveyed it to Edward Belknap, who laid out forty- seven building plots (each 100x150 feet) on each side of Seely street and north of Vanderbilt. On Adams street, south of Vanderbilt, the lots were only one hun- dred and eight feet deep. He laid down the following streets, since recognized by the town survey, viz .: Seely, Vanderbilt and Adams, as well as a short street not recognized by the town survey, but which now forms part of the present Prospect avenue. These streets were laid out at his expense.
In 1853 G. W. Brown, an extensive real estate operator and prominent builder of Brooklyn, purchased a number of the 100 feet lots on Vanderbilt and Adams streets. These, in 1855, he subdivided into 50 feet lots ; and again, in 1860, into 25 feet lots. In 1854 Brown made an agreement with the " Windsor Ter- race Land Association " to convey to them these sec- tions. This was the origin of the " Windsor Terrace Land Association," the name being first assumed wheu Brown agreed to sell these lots. The association had no charter, but existed only in name, and for the pur. pose of carrying out the agreement between Brown and the members, to convey land to them from the original owners of the fee. No land was conveyed to the association as such, but to individual members, as they wished it ; and thus the agreement made with Brown, according to a record made by him in the Register's office, was carried out, for no such legally chartered body existed as the " Windsor Terrace Land Association."
After the village was laid out, Belknap erected six houses, and filed a map of the place in the Register's office, which he called "Map of Pleasant Cottage Sites." Those on Seely street were purchased by W. Ward Watkins, J. McNaught and George Hudson. Those on Vanderbilt strect were taken by Theodore Magnus, James Hardie and Dundas Dick. Three public wells were dug upon Adams, Vanderbilt and Seely streets. After these improvements were completed, Belknap caused the whole property to be sold by separate plots in open market. As the village lies upon the southern slope of the hills, the streets on its northern boundary required a great amount of grading in order to secure a uniform gradc. While the streets running from north to south have quite a steep descent, those lying east and west, having a nearly level grade, rise one above another, in the manner of terraccs. This gives to the settlement a most picturesque appearance, appro- priately suggestive of the name, "Windsor Terrace." In 1860 the population of this locality was about 30
persons. In 1880 it was about 185, while, at present, the old and new sections of the village comprise about 300 inhabitants.
The valuation of property in the original purchase was, in 1860, $27,100 ; and, in 1880, it was $105,055. A commodious chapel was erected in 1874, and a fine school-house in 1875.
The residents of Windsor Terrace who have held prominent positions in local and general government, are : C. C. Martin, Assistant Engineer of the Brook- lyn Bridge ; Michael E. Finnegan, Searcher in Regis- ter's office, Brooklyn, and for many years Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Democratic General Committee of the County, and at one time delegate to State Democratic Convention ; James Hardie, Justice of the Peace ; Wm. E. Murphy, Assessor and Police Commissioner, and Theodore Magnus, Excise Commis- sioner. To Mr. Finnegan we are largely indebted for facts relative to this village.
Flatbush Fire Engine Company .- One of the oldest village organizations is the Flatbush Engine Company, authorized under a special law in 1821. But little is known of the company until 1825. Then Mr. Kellogg, principal of the academy, was instrumen- tal in securing its thorough organization. The first foreman was Mr. Isaac Cortelyou. Through Mr. Kel- logg's assistance, an engine was procured from Con- necticut. This first engine was constructed somewhat after the form of the present garden engine. It con- sisted of a square box, as a reservoir, in which was placed a large force pump with two long arms, and the whole arrangement mounted on two wheels, giving it the appearance of a cart. It was called the "Cart Engine," and, in case of fire, was drawn by a horse to the locality needed. - It could be worked by six or eight men, but was not a suction engine, merely a force pump ; consequently the majority of the company, and all the men that could be induced to assist, formed two lines and passed water in leather buckets, with which the company were well supplied, in order to keep the box, or reservoir, of the engine full of water. At the time of the burning of the Court House, in 1832, in the absence of the foreman, Mr. John J. Vanderbilt, inex- perienced parties had passed water in these buckets from a neighboring duck pond. Soon the valves be- came choked with mud and the engine rendered tem- porarily useless. The engine was sold to A. R. & S. H. Fox, and was instrumental, on several occasions, in saving their glass works at Sand Lake, New York, from destruction. The second engine was purchased at New Haven, Conn., where it had been in use for some years, until, on the occasion of a serious disturb- ance between the students of the college and the fire- men, the engine was somewhat injured. It was bought hy the town for $800, and repaired at a moderate ex- pense. This engine was of much more modern con- struction than the "Cart Engine." having four wheels
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MASONIC LODGE-GAS COMPANY.
and parallel arms on the side. It was both a suction and forcing engine." It was called " Washington No. 1;"' and the number of members of the company limited by law. In 1861, through the influence of Hon. John Vanderbilt, the law was amended so as to allow the number to be increased to 25 firemen, who after a ser- vice of eight years were to be exempt from jury and military duty. In October, 1863, the company under- took the canvass of the town to raise, by subscription, means to purchase a new engine. Messrs. Abraham Lott, John Lefferts and Nelson Hamlin were appointed the committee for the purpose ; and the amount was raised upon the understanding that it would be re- funded to the subscribers, if the Legislature would pass a bill making it a town charge. $2,100 was thus raised. In 1864 the Legislature passed an act authori- zing town bonds, to the amount of $6,000, for the purpose of purchasing a new engine and erecting a new engine-house. A new engine and hose were bought at a cost of $2,382. The total expense for engine and house was $6,011,75. In 1872 a bell-tower was erected at the rear of the engine-house, and a fine large bell hung in it by the town. False alarms, however, were so frequently sounded, that in 1881 the town authori- ties ordered the bell to be taken down and properly hung in the tower of the new Town Hall. The first building used as an engine-house was situated in the grave-yard at the rear of the Reformed Church and faced on Church Lane. It was built originally as a town guard-house, and also for a house in which to keep the bier, used in carrying the dead to the grave, before hearses were brought into use in the village. On April 21, 1865, the company purchased a large flag, and on May 1, 1865, Mr. Henry Wall presented the company with a flag-staff about 100 feet high. The pole and flag were raised June 3, 1865, in front of their new engine-house. Formerly such a flag-staff, called "The Liberty Pole," stood for many years in the center of East Broadway, at its junction with Flat- bush road. The first trustees were David Johnson, Michael Schoonmaker and Jonathan Kellogg. The members of the present Board of Trustees are John Lefferts, Abraham Lott, Wm. S. Schoonmaker, J. P. Vanderveer and Henry Ditmas. The following is as accurate a list of the company's foremen as can be gleaned from the company's very imperfect records, and with the aid of Justice Peter Pigott, the secretary of the company, and Mr. Abram Lott, President of the trustees : Isaac Cortelyou, 1821-'30; John J. Vander- bilt, 1830-'33; Isaac Cortelyou, 1833-'42; John D. Prince, 1842-'60; Abraham Lott, 1860-'62; John L. Bergen, 1862-'69; Theodore B. Alston, 1869-'73; Joseph S. Story, 1874-'75; Adrian Bergen, 1875-'76; John McElvery, 1876-'79; Chas. Mckinney, 1879-'82.
Masonic Lodge .- During the Winter of 1860-1, a number of Masons, resident in Flatbush and Park- ville, secured from the Grand Lodge of the State, a '
dispensation (March, 1861) and warrant (dated June 16, 1861) for a lodge, called Kings County Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M. The charter members were : Wm. Mathews, F. L. Dallon, John V. N. Bergen, Jonath. Longmire, H. Brown, Jr., Henry Wall, J. Sutherland, J. G. Smith, W. H. Hubbard, Jas. J. Foden. The lodge was duly organized by the election of the following officers : Wm. Mathews, W. Master ; Francis L. Dallon, Sen. Warden ; John V. N. Bergen, Jr. Warden. From its organization until the present, the following persons have been its W. Masters (some serving two or more terms) : Wm. Matthews, F. L. Dallon, Henry Wall, Abraham Lott, Homer L. Bart- lett, M. D., Adrian Vanderveer, Rev. Corn. L. Wells, D. D., Henry G. Marshall, Wm. P. De Forest, Wm. L. Keese. Its present officers are Wm. Matthews, W. M., Henry J. Johnson, Sen. W., and John Kerswell, Jr., W., and H. L. Bartlett, Treas. The lodge rooms are in Schoonmaker Hall, Flatbush. Until about 1875 the lodge held communications weekly, but since then twice a month. It now numbers sixty-five members, and its work and influence in the village has been cred- itable to itself and beneficial to the community.
Flatbush Gas Company .- The introduction of gas for illuminating purposes was a new era in the his- tory of the village. The dense foliage of the village rendered locomotion, upon moonless nights, not only difficult, but to a greater or less degree dangerous. In order to obviate this evil, a number of the residents, about the year 1860, procured frames of street lamps and placed them upon suitable posts, along the street line, in front of their dwellings. In them were placed large kerosene lamps. These lamps were attended to daily, and lighted each dark night, by the family in front of whose residence they were placed. This at- tempt at street-lighting, imperfect as it was, gradually emphasized in the mind of prominent citizens, the necessity for a more perfect system ; especially as, after the novelty of the thing had somewhat worn away, many neglected to light them. In the Winter of 1863-64 the matter was much discussed, and on April 14, 1864, the Flatbush Gas Company was formed, with a capital of $40,000.00. Eight hundred shares were issued at $50 per share; subsequently the capital was increased $15,000.00 by the issue of three hundred more shares at $50 per share. The charter members of the company were : Hon. John A. Lott, John J. Vander- bilt, Wm. Brown, Jr., Henry Wall, John Lofferts, J. V. B. Martense, and J. Furman Neefus. The first officers of the company were, Hon. John A. Lott, President; J. Furman Neefus, Secretary ; John Lefferts, Treasurer. In 1872 there were twenty-two street lamps which were lighted at a cost of $47.00 a year for each light. The company then had seven miles of mains, and a capacity for supplying thirty thousand cubic fect of gas cvery day. At first, consumers were charged $4 per thou- sand feet, which rate was subsequently reduced to three
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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.
dollars. The company now have 200 street lamps and nine miles of mains, and supply a large majority of the residences in the village. The present officers of the company are John J. Vanderbilt, President ; Abram I. Ditmas, Secretary, to whom we are indebted for these facts ; John Lefferts, Treasurer. W. S. Burnett has acted as Superintendent of the Gas Works since their first construction.
Board of Improvement .- Until 1871 there was no competent and legally appointed body, other than the Commissioners of Highways, to whom the care of the streets and avenues of the town could be intrusted. If new streets were opened the work was undertaken by the property owners on either side of the proposed street, who were thus not only compelled to give the land for public convenience, but also to incur the ex- penses of opening. This, in itself, might not be con- sidered an unjust burden upon the property, where the street was opened at the free will of the owners for its improvement. When, however, by act of the legislature, the whole county was surveyed and mapped into streets, Flatbush, being situated near to the city, a demand soon arose for the opening of many of these projected streets, whether the owners of the property desired it or not. To avoid endless contentions and secure jus- tice to all, as well as to prevent this important matter from falling into the hands of mere scheming politicians, at whose hands the property-holders would be fleeced, it was necessary that some competent Board should be appointed, whose special business it should be to attend to this whole interest of opening streets in the town and laying assessments. Foreseeing this, the Hon. John A. Lott had already prepared a law providing for this important interest of the town. Through his in- strumentality an act passed the legislature April 19, 1871, providing for the creation of a Board of Improve- ment for the Town of Flatbush. The act was entitled " An act providing for the opening and improvement . of new roads and avenues, and closing old highways in the town of Flatbush, Kings County." It provided for "a board composed of seven residents of the town of Flatbush, to be called The Board of Improvement of the Town of Flatbush, the members indicated being John A. Lott, Philip S. Crooke, Jacob V. B. Martense, John Lefferts, John J. Vanderbilt, John L. Zabriskie, M. D., and Abraham I. Ditmas. The members of the board were to hold office for five years ; vacancies through resignation or death to be filled by the Presi- dent of the Board, the Supervisor and the Town Clerk. The successors of those who have held office for five years to be appointed by the Supervisor, Town Clerk, and the Assessor of the town having the shortest term to serve (Chap. 567 of the Laws of 1871). In accordance with this act, the Board of Improve- ment was organized April 20, 1872 ; Hon. John A. Lott, President ; Abram I. Ditmas, Treasurer, and Lefferts Vanderbilt, Clerk. Upon the death of Hon.
John A. Lott, July, 1878, Gen. Philip S. Crooke was elected president, August 12, 1878, and Mr. Abra- ham Lott was appointed a member of the board to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of his father. After the death of General Crooke, in the Spring of 1881, Mr. Abraham Lott succeeded to the Presidency of the Board. Mr. Wm. E. Murphy was appointed April 18, 1881 in the place of General Philip S. Crooke. Dur- ing the ten years of its existence, the Board of Improve- ment has accomplished much toward the permanent improvement and development of the town, and has saved thousands of dollars to the inhabitants of the village.
Through the assistance of the Clerk of the Board we are able to give a summary of the result of the work for ten years, since the organization of the Board. They have opened and improved Franklin avenue, from the city line to Washington avenue. They were next called upon to open and improve Malbone street, from Flatbush avenue to New York avenue. These were important and expensive improvements and by the careful management of the Board many thousands of dollars were saved to the town. They have also opened and improved the following streets and sections of streets, viz .: Caton avenue to the Coney Island road; a section of Nostrand avenue; Grant street to Canarsie avenue; Lefferts avenue to New York avenue; a section of East New York avenue; Avenue B, from Flatbush avenue to the western town boundary line ; Vanderbilt street; Albany avenue, and closing the Clove road from East New York avenue. The erection of a suitable building for a Town Hall was committed to their charge. In the successful completion of this work we have a lasting monument of the faithfulness with which these gentlemen discharged their duties as members of the Board of Improvement. There is no provision in the law for a salary to the members of the Board. The members have cheerfully given their services and time for the welfare of the village.
First Village Newspaper .- In the year 1872, a proposition was made to Mr. H. J. Egleston that he should undertake the editorship of a village paper. He consented; and, on April 20, 1872, the first copy of the Kings County Rural Gazette was issued. The first edition (of 2000 copies), was given away among the in- habitants of Flatbush and the neighboring towns. A demand immediately arose for its continuance ; yearly subscriptions came in rapidly, and in four weeks the size was increased. After several enlargements, it is now a respectable sized sheet of twenty-eight by forty- two inches. Mr. Egleston's interest was bought out in 1873, and a joint stock company formed with a capital stock of $4,000, since increased to $10,000. Mr. H. J. Egleston was elected president of the company, and has since continued to be its editor and manager, with Mr. Wm. B. Green as associate editor. For a long time the issue averaged 1000 copies per week, but for
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TELEGRAPH COMPANY-ANNEXATION QUESTION.
several years past has been about 2000 per week. For several months the office was at the drug-store of Wm. H. Douglas, corner of Clarkson street and Flatbush avenue, and the paper was printed in Brooklyn. In course of time building-lots were seeured on the corner of Diamond street, and a small gothie building, pur- ehased from the Willink estate, was moved to and lo- eated upon the corner of Diamond street. The com- pany now own a large steam power press, 31x48, a large Gordon job press, and a nine-horse power engine. Six compositors are constantly employed. Two weekly papers,-the "Rural and Brighton Gazette," and the "American Business Journal,"-are issued by the eom- pany. The paper has exereised considerable influenee in local matters, and many village improvements were first suggested, diseussed and brought to completion, largely through its influence. During the first year of its existenee, the subject of a local telegraph company was frequently diseussed in its columns.
Flatbush Telegraph Company .- In the Autumn of this year, 1872, H. J. Egleston published a eard ealling a publie meeting to consider the subject of the establishment of a village telegraph. This meeting and two subsequent ones were largely attended, at which stoek was subscribed to the amount of $3,000, and a eom- pany was forthwith organized. Hon. John A. Lott, John Lefferts, Wmn. Matthews, R. L. Sehoonmaker and H. J. Egleston were elected Directors ; Hon. John A. Lott was chosen President ; H. J. Egleston, Secretary, and John Lefferts, Treasurer. A contraet was made with the Western Union Telegraph Company to eon- struet and work the line. Miss F. K. Pike, was the first operator. The first message was sent June 21, 1873, by Mr. John Lefferts to Hon. John A. Lott, who then, as a member of the Court of Appeals, was staying temporarily at Congress Hall, Albany, N. Y. The mes- sage read as follows : "See 3rd Epistle of St. John, 13th and 14th verses." The second message was from the editor of the Rural Gazette to the editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, viz : "Flatbush, the banner-town of the county, is annexed by telegraph." There were ori- ginally sixty shares at $50 a share. The interest upon the invested eapital pays the deficieney of $200 in the annual ineome of the office. Thus another bond was formed which unites the town to the eity, and to the great world beyond. An attempt was made during this year to strengthen this bond of union.
Annexation Question .- The subject of the an- nexation of the county towns to the City of Brooklyn was earnestly diseussed in the papers of Brooklyn and by the various local newspapers of the county towns. During the Winter of 1872-73, the subjeet was brought before the legislature of the State ; and, in June 28, 1873, an annexation aet was passed. Aeeording to this law (Chap. 861 of the Laws of the State, for 1873), a call was issued for the supervisors to meet and ap- point commissioners who were to draft a plan for eon-
solidation. They were required to assemble on (or be- fore) the first Monday of August, 1873, and appoint five commissioners, one for each county-town ; who, with six commissioners to be appointed by the Mayor of Brooklyn, were to form a Board of Commissioners of Annexation. The law provided that they should meet on the second Monday of August, 1873, and begin their work of drafting a plan for the consolidation of the county-towns, and their annexation to the City of Brooklyn. The Mayor and Board of Supervisors met on the last Monday in July, 1873, and named the Com- missioners, as directed in the aet of legislature. The Mayor appointed, to aet on the part of the city, J. N. Wyekoff, Jr., E. J. Lowber, A. G. Bayliss, Edmund Briggs, George C. Bennett and George L. Fox. The appointments of the Supervisors were : Hon. John A. Lott for Flatbush ; C. Warren Hamilton, for New Lots ; Peter Lott, for Flatlands ; William Bennett, for Gravesend, and Teunis G. Bergen, for New Utrecht. On Monday, August 11, the commissioners held their first meeting for organization. The Hon. John A. Lott was chosen President ; W. G. Bishop, Clerk; and Stephen Ryder, Sergeant-at-Arms. The duty assigned to the commissioners was a most difficult one, viz., the amicable arrangement and harmonizing of many im- portant and eonflieting publie interests. The first de- mand eame from the county-towns, requiring a eharter which would give to them equal rights. At the meet- ing of August 30, a new difficulty presented itself. While the towns and city might be consolidated under one corporation, still the county, although wholly em- braeed within the proposed eity limits, must also have its representative officers. Thus two boards of offieers would be employed in governing the same territory, a presumable eause of future conflict of jurisdie- tion. A third difficulty presented itself in relation to Flatbush and the Prospect Park lands. By an aet of legislature, this land, lying within the limits of Flat- bush village, and a part of Flatbush territory, had been made a portion of the City of Brooklyn against the will of the inhabitants, and in the face of their remon- stranee to the legislature ; and now the town would be ealled upon to bear an assessment and pay taxes upon the land of which it had been foreibly deprived. The same difficulty existed in the ease of Flatbush and Gravesend in reference to the New Boulevard or Oeean Parkway, which had been taken in like manner by the county. The Flatbush representative was at first opposed to the movement; but becoming, at length, eonvineed that the matter could be satisfactorily ar- ranged for all parties, he prepared an elaborate and com- prehensive digest of the ease, in all its bearings, and which was marked by ineredible study, research and legal ability. To him alone belongs the eredit of so presenting the matter as to seeure a satisfactory settle- ment of the various and conflieting interests involved. The committee completed their labors in October; and
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