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 67

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 67

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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 10th day of January, Anno Domini, 1769.

JOHN WATTS. W. NICOLL.

Sealed in presence of us, W. Wickham, John S. Roome."

The Annals of Newtown tells us that the survey was performed, January 7th, by Francis Marschalk, and thus describes the boundaries :

" BEGINNING AT A CERTAIN ROCK, COMMONLY CALLED THE ARBITRATION ROCK, MARKED N. B .; said rock lies N. 16 de- grees 3 minutes 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 Beigle; running from said rock S. 27 degrees 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 the hill or mountain until it meets the line of Flat- bush."

The Woodward House still stands in the same good preservation that Lord Cornwallis left it in the Revo- lution ; and the Beegel House is occupied by the Onder- donk family.

After the Revolution Mr. Hendrick Beegel made another survey of the line, and in 1837, during the Su- pervisorship of Mr. DeBevoise, the line was again run over and monuments erected over its entire length.

The late Mr. Nicholas Wyckoff, President of the First National Bank of Brooklyn, in 1880, made a proposi- tion to the Commissioners appointed to re-survey the boundary line between Kings and Queens Counties ; to " replace, at his own expense, by a monument to be ap- proved of by the Commissioners, the old 'Arbitration Rock,' once of such importance, but blown to pieces by some parties ignorant of its historic and trigonometrical value as a 'Bench Mark' in the survey of the base line between Kings and Queens Counties."

A note in Riker's Annals, page 171, has led its read- ers into a labyrinth of confusion, and they have propa- gated the error far and wide-as the Annals of New- town is a standard work every way worthy of its repu- tation for research and accurate details. The note reads :

" 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 re- moved by individuals who probably knew not its value as an important land-mark."

In fact, however, the Arbitration Rock is as intact and sound as when the commissioners and surveyors were vociferating around it in January, 1769.

"On November 19th, 1880, another group of excited men, the late Nicholas Wyckoff, Peter Wyckoff and Wm. O'Gorman, stood around the same old rock watch- ing its discovery by Martin G. Johnson, Surveyor. Mr. Johnson had found the old rock, from which he had started his own survey in 1850, when he had com-

290

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

menced to lay out the streets and blocks of Bushwick, and mark their position with the stone monuments, still existing in the ground, all over from Greenpoint, through all the limits of ancient Bushwick as contained in the several wards now incorporated into Brooklyn. Far off through all the fields Mr. Johnson determined his angles with the theodolite and measuring-chain; from many distant points he defined the position of monu- ments long since ploughed over ; and, when he would call out that 'here is one,' or 'one ought to be here,' there was consequent excitement to dig down and see that his calculation was correct. And, indeed, a monu- ment was invariably found wherever the word was passed that one ought to be found. The same process through the fields revealed them in plenty ; but large trees had grown up since the monuments werc set in 1850, and the face of nature had changed considerably since that time. But the trigonometrical work of the young surveyor still holds good and will be the perma- nent base-lines for all ages to old Bushwick, no matter what name will be granted her in the vicissitudes of time. "

"Finally, the converging sights of the theodolite from all the monuments intersected each other on the timc- honored head of the old Rock, and thus established its identity beyond question. The 'Arbitration Rock' is therefore still in existence. "

"The history of the fight between Newtown and Bushwick-a legacy bequcathed by old Governor Stuy- vesant-embraces the period included between 1656 and 1769. The territory included that gore-lot of country between the old Brook School at Maspeth and the Arbitration Rock beyond Metropolitan avenue, narrow- ing to a point toward the hills beyond Ridgwood. In that direction there is still some undefined trouble, and the Legislature of last year issued a commission to certain persons to settle it."

HENRY BOERUM .- Among the old Long Island names is that of BOERUM-a name which the citizens of Brooklyn have perpetuated in Boerum street, and Boerum place. The emigrant of the family was a Hollander, and his descen- dants, for many generations, have been landed proprietors on the Island. His father, Jacob Boerum, married Adrianna Remsen, a daughter of William Remsen, at the Wallabout. They had eight children-Henry being next to the youngest, born April 8, 1793. He passed the days of his boyhood on his father's farm, and during the idle winter months, availed himself of the limited educational advantages afforded by the public schools of his time and locality. After he grew to man's estate, he managed the farm, which, at that time, meant hard work, as all the market truck had to be carried to the Wallabout in a wagon, then put in a row-boat, pulled across to the New York market, and sold out by measure as the hucksters now do. On November 21, 1827, he married Susan Rapelje, a daughter of Folkert Rapelje, at Cripple- bush, of the well-known family of that name, which has been prominently identified with Long Island almost from the date of its first settlement. May 1, 1828, he purchased from the executors of the estate of Folkert Rapelje sixty-

two acres of land, being a part of the old Rapelje farm, at Cripplebush, for the sum of $7,000, on account of which he paid $2,700-money which he received as a part of his wife's dowry-and gave a mortgage for the balance, $4,300. He was a hard worker and good manager; and, in October, 1834, he had paid off his indebtedness, the executors having given him the privilege of paying on account of the principal when he paid his yearly interest. In 1835, during the great land speculation, the homestead farm was sold, by which he secured, as his part, several thousand dollars, which, together with his earnings, amounted, in 1842, to some $20,000. About this time, the bubble burst, taking away from him the greater part of his income. He also sold, in 1835, three and one-half acres of the Cripplebush farm for $3,500, with which he built the house now occupied by his son, F. Rapelje Boerum. In 1853, De Kalb avenue was opened, graded and paved through the farm, and Mr. Boerum began selling lots and making loans on the property to purchasers, enabling them to erect dwellings thereon. His policy toward pur- chasers was a liberal one, and resulted in the rapid develop- ment of that part of the city embraced within the limits of the Cripplebush farm, and indirectly to considerable con- tiguous property. Within the borders of the farm now stand some 500 or 600 houses. Mr. Boerum pursued a similar policy with respect to his part of the old Boerum homestead, at Bushwick; and, it was mainly through his instrumentality that the section commonly called Dutch- town was built up and populated. In all matters of public interest he always took an intelligent and helpful part; and, although he was not, in the active sense, a politician, his judgment was often sought by those in authority, and he was many times asked to become a candidate for public honors ; but he almost invariably declined, though he served two terms as Assessor, and two as Alderman of the old 9th ward. He was, from time to time, connected with numerous well-known institutions, having been an organizer and director in the old Brooklyn Gas Company, the Mechanics' and City Banks, the Mechanics', Montauk and Atlantic Insurance Companies, and as stockholder in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Brooklyn Atheneum. Mr. Boerum had seven children ; a son and daughter died in infancy. F. Rapelje Boerum was born October 26, 1829, and now occupies the old homestead. He married Diana Remsen, May 26, 1868, and has three children living. Charles died in boyhood. Susan was born February 22, 1835, and married Charles Vanderveer, deceased, and has three children. Adrianna. born November 27, 1886, married Charles Bush, and Agnes, born September 27, 1839, died October 24, 1875. Mr. Boerum was a man of plain, unostentatious manners and unquestioned integrity. His life was a busy one from boyhood, and terminated May 8, 1868. In a quiet way he did much good, was instrumental in developing a now important part of the city, and left the impress of his busi- ness capacity and high commercial honor on the times in which he lived. He was a friend and companion of the leading Brooklynites of the period during his manhood; and his name is inseparably linked with that part of the city within the borders of which he lived and died. When he passed away his death was sincerely regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, and such honor was paid to his memory as was due to one who had long been an influential resident of the city. His wife died May 18, 1859, aged fifty-seven years.

HON. WILLIAM CONSELYEA .- The subject of this article is a son of the late Judge Joseph and Ann (Hopper) Conselyea,

Honey Boorum

I'm Connelyea

Adrian Me. Suydam

291

BIOGRAPHIES.

and was born in Bushwick, Kings county, N. Y., October 12, 1804.

Mr. Conselyea's early life was spent on his father's farm and in assisting his father in the milk trade, in which the latter was extensively engaged, and his educational advan- tages were limited to those afforded by the common schools of Bushwick. In 1835 he embarked in hotel-keeping at the corner of North Second street and Bushwick avenue, and, in 1840, removed to the corner of Grand and First streets, Williamsburgh, where he opened a wholesale and retail liquor store. In 1845, he assumed the proprietorship and management of a hotel at the corner of Bushwick and Flushing avenues. During a portion of this period, and later, he was a well-known auctioneer until his removal to his present residence, 457 Bedford avenue, in 1870, since which time he has lived retired from active business.

In 1840, Mr. Conselyea, who had, since his majority, been a consistent democrat of the old school, but never an aspirant for office, was nominated for Member of Assembly from Kings county, but was defeated by the election of his uncle, William Conselyea 1st. In 1842, he was again nomi- nated for the same office, and was elected, and served until the expiration of his term.

April 6, 1825, Mr. Conselyea was married to Anna Maria Griffin, daughter of A. Tabor Griffin, of Bushwick, who has borne him nine children, two of whom are living. After a happy union of fifty-eight years' duration, both Mr. and Mrs. Conselyea are in excellent health, considering their ages, and are looking forward to several years more of peaceful companionship.

HON. ADRIAN M. SUYDAM .- Jacob Suydam, grandfather of Adrian Martense Suydam, was born February 3, 1740, set- tled at Bushwick and married Elizabeth Leaycraft, April 14th, 1764. He was a worthy and respected citizen, and died in Bushwick, July 27, 1811. His children, who attained mature age, were George, born June 20, 1767, who married Jane Voorhees, and died at Gravesend ; Gertrude, born June 25, 1770, who married Adrian Martense; Jacob, who was born March 3, 1773, and married Cornelia Farmer, of New Brunswick, N. J., and Hendrick, who was born May 16, 1778, and married Helen, daughter of John Schenck.

Jacob Suydam, son of Jacob Suydam, was the father of Adrian Martense Suydam, and died August 31, 1847. Ad- rian Martense Suydam was born on the old Suydam home- stead, in Bushwick, where he has been a life-long resident,

November 25, 1826, and is now tilling a portion of the farm of his forefathers.

Mr. Suydam's educational advantages were limited to those afforded by the district schools of his native town; and he early began to assist on the farm, a portion of which passed into his possession, in 1844, when he was only eighteen years of age, and which he has occupied continu- ously to the present time.

January 5, 1852, Mr. Suydam was married to Sarah G., daughter of Nicholas Wyckoff, who died in 1862, having borne him four children, only one of whom is now living.

Mr. Suydam, having passed his lifetime thus far on the homestead of his family for generations before him, has seen many changes in his section of the city-of Brooklyn- and is, at this date, the only farmer, except one, living along the old Bushwick road, who has spent his days on the place on which he was born.

In 1869, there was nc house on the Suydam farm, except the ancient residence of Mr. Suydam, out of which his grandfather was driven by the British during the Revolu- tionary war. During the year mentioned, Mr. Suydam, wishing to induce settlement in his neighborhood with a view to developing that section of the city, gave a man a lot on condition that he would at once erect and occupy a dwelling thereon ; and, since then, his policy has been so liberal that, at the present time, there are no less than one hundred and twenty-five residences within the borders of the old homestead, bounded by Knickerbocker avenue, Vigelius street, Broadway and Palmetto street. Palmetto street, Woodbine street, Evergreen avenue, Ivy street and Central avenue have since been opened through the home- stead, and some of them are being rapidly improved. It was years after Mr. Suydam assumed control of his farm before there was any means of reaching the ferries, except by private conveyance, and he relates that he has seen men hunting on the site of the present City Park.

In 1855, Mr. Suydam was elected alderman from the eighteenth ward, and served one term. A few years later, he served a term as a member of the Board of Education. In the fall of 1872, he was elected a Member of the Assembly of the State of New York, and twice re-elected, serving the terms of 1873, 1875 and 1877, during the administrations of Governors Dix, Tilden and Robinson, with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. He is, at present, one of the trustees of Bushwick Savings Bank, and a director of the Williamsburgh City Fire Insurance Company and the Kings County Fire Insurance Company.

HISTORY

OF THE

TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURGH.

John Masters OF BROOKLYN, E. D.

EsQ.

THE WOODHULL SPECULATION .- After the close of the Revolutionary War, the farmers of Bushwick pursued in peace their oc- cupations of raising grain and cultivating gar- den vegetables for the New York market. But, ere long, upon the shores of the river which formed their western border, appeared the nucleus of a village; and, even while they rubbed their astonished eyes, it ex- panded to the fair proportions of a city. Instead of slowly amassing money by plodding labor and close- fisted huckstering, they found fortunes fairly thrust upon them by the enhanced value of their farms; due to the enterprise of others, whom they considered as Yankee intruders. They hesitated at first, dazzled by the prospect, and suspicions of the motives of those who offered it. But finesse prevailed and the first pur- chase made-the rest was simply a matter of time.

Richard M. Woodhull, a New York merchant, of in- telligent and comprehensive views, albeit somewhat speculative in his conclusions, was the pioneer in this movement. He had already established a horse-ferry, from Corlacr's Hook (near the foot of present Grand street, New York) to the foot of the present North Sec- ond street, in Brooklyn; and the concentration of trade from Long Island, at this apology for a ferry, natu- rally suggested to him its probable occupation, to a limited extent, near the eastern terminus of the ferry, for a village. Had he reasoned from experience as to the growth of cities, he might have been deterred from this venture. New York City, which at the period of the Revolution had but 24,000 inhabitants, possessed at this time (1800) less than 61,000. There was, indeed, a highway from the settled parts of the city to Corlaer's Hook; but Chatham street was then the margin of the built up city, and the scattered farmsteads, shops and hotels along the Bowery were mere suburbs of the town. Had he stopped to consider that from thirty to forty years would be required to crowd three square miles of vacant lands with houses, and to occupy the De Lancey and Willet farms with population, before

his projected city on the opposite Long Island shore could become a practical success, he might have saved himself from infinite trouble and ultimate bankruptcy. True, he had a ferry established. But this could not accommodate the people whose employment was in New York. A horse-ferry, with two miles of travel on the New York side, before the business portion of the city could be reached, was to most persons a formida- ble objection to locating so far from their employment. But Woodhull was infatuated with his scheme; and, as he could not easily, in the then temper of the old Dutch residents, purchase the much-coveted land in his own name, he employed one Samuel Titus, of New- town, to secure the title from Charles (old " Charlum ") Titus of some 13 acres of his farm, which he after- wards re-purchased from the said Samuel Titus, at cost. This land, situated in the vicinity of North Sec- ond street (then called Bushwick street) was soon laid out by Mr. Woodhull in city lots, and named Wil- liamsburgh, in compliment to his friend, Col. Williams, U. S. engineer, by whom it was surveyed. A shanty ferry-house and a tavern near by, were erected; one Lewis bought some lots and put up a hay-press and scales near the present North Third and First streets, where it was intended to bale the hay-crop of Long Island for shipment and the New York market; and an auction was held, at which a few building-lots were disposed of. But the amount realized came far short of restoring to Woodhull the money he had thus prema- turely invested. His project was, fully, a quarter of a century too soon. It required half a million of peo- ple in the city of New York, before settlers could be induced to remove across the East river, away from the attractions of a commercial city. Woodhull found that notes matured long before he could realize from his property; and barely six years had passed before he was a bankrupt, and the site of his new city became subject to sale by the sheriff. By divers shifts, the ca- lamity was deferred until September 11th, 1811, when the right, title and interest of Richard M. Woodhull in

293

THE MORRELL SPECULATION.

the original purchase, and in five aeres of the Francis J. Titus estate, purchased by him, in 1805, near Fifth street, was sold by the sheriff, on a judgment in favor of one Roosevelt. James H. Maxwell, the son-in-law of Woodhull, beeame the purelaser of Williamsburgh; but not having means to continue his title thereto, it again passed under the sheriff's hammer-although a sufficient number of lots had, by this time, been sold to prevent its re-appropriation to farm or garden pur- poses. Woodhull and Maxwell's experience was that which is common to men who think in advance of their times; but they will ever be mentioned with respect as the "fathers of the town."

The Morrell Speculation-Yorkton .- Mean- while, another rival was in the field, Thomas Morrell, of Newtown, who had purchased from Folkert Titus the ancient Titus homestead farm of 28 aeres; and who, with James Hazard, to whom he sold a moiety, had laid it out in eity lots, and had a map made of the same, whereon Grand street was laid down as a divid- ing line. Morrell then, in 1812, obtained from the eity of New York a grant for a ferry from Grand street, Bushwick, to Grand street, New York; the same point to which Woodhull's ferry also ran. Yorkton was the somewhat pompous name given to the territory along the river, between South First and North Seeond streets; and Loss' map of Yorkton was dignified to the position of a publie record. The Morrell ferry gradually superseded Woodhull's in the publie estima- tion, so that both owners became rivals; and disputes ran so high between them that they would not permit each other's teams to pass over their respective lands, -all this tended to retard the progress of the village. Grand street became the permanent site of the ferry ; and the old Titus homestead (on the north-east side of South First street), long known as " Old Charlum's" Fountain Inn, became the head-quarters of village poli- tics, where the destinies of town and eounty were often discussed, on winter nights, over hot flip and brandy slings.

But, while Morrell succeeded as to the ferry, Wood- hull managed to preserve the name Williamsburgh ; which applied at first to the 13 acres originally purehased, and had extended itself to adjoining lands, so as to embrace about 30 acres, as seen in Poppleton's map, in 1814, and another in 1815, of property of J. Homer Maxwell. But the first ferry had landed at Williams- burgh, and the turnpike went through Williamsburgh out into the island. Hence, both the country people, and the people coming from the eity, when coming to the ferry, spoke of coming to Williamsburgh. Thus Yorkton was soon unknown save on Loss' map, and in the transactions of certain land jobbers. Similarly, the designations of old farm locations, being obsolete to the idea of a city or a village, grew into disuse; and the whole territory between the Wallabout Bay and Bushwick Creek became known as Williamsburgh.

Williamsburgh .- At the time the ferries were es- tablished, there was no open road to the water side, ex- cept that of the Newtown and Bushwick Bridge Co., which came to the shore at Woodhull's ferry. There was no open shore-road connecting the two ferries, nor any from the Wallabout to Williamsburgh; for, blind to their own interests, the owners of the shore-land re- fused to have any road opened over their property along the shore. Consequently the ferries could not prosper, their eost exceeded their ineome, and both owners died in embarrassed eireumstances, and with blighted hopes. Subsequently, the ferries were con- solidated.

The Wallabout and Newtown Turnpike .- While Woodhull (and his successor) and Morrell were at variance about towns and ferries, Gen. Jeremialı Johnson had purchased the farm of Charles Titus, 2d; and in his goings to and fro between his farm and Wil- liamsburgh, beeame mueh annoyed at having to open and shut no less than 17 barred-gates, within a distanee of half a mile along the shore .* His proposition to the owners of these lands to unite with him in seeuring a legislative aet for the opening of a two-rod road, along the front of their property from the Wallabout Bridge to the Newtown and Bushwiek Bridge road at Woodhull's ferry, was not only deelined, but strenu- ously opposed. Whereupon, taking the matter in his own hands, he himself surveyed the proposed road, gave due notice of application, got up a petition, and by personal interest at Albany seeured the required authority-and, within a month the road was opened by commissioners of the two towns. The effect was magieal; for, before this there had been no means of vehicular travel with Brooklyn, except by the New- town road from the Bushwiek Cross - Roads. Now the business largely increased at the ferry, and public attention began to be drawn more than ever to the many advantages of residence afforded by Williams- burgh. For, situated as it was, opposite the very heart of New York city; with a bold water-front upon the East river of a mile and a half extent (entirely under the control of its own local authorities); with a suffi-

* In this connection we quote, from a MSS. lecture by Mr. Barnes, on the Wallabout, the following description of the " old-time " route from Gen. Johnson's place, corner Kent avenue and Hewes street, to East New York: "travel up the farm-lane (Hewes street) some distance be- yond the present Lee avenue church, thence south-easterly along the farm to the then woods, across the creek to Nostrand's lane, and up this lane (near the site of Husted & Co.'s brick stables) on Flushing avenue, then south-east to land of Henry Boerum, thence southerly to Bedford, then along old Bedford road, facing to the south of Fort Greene to Baker's Tavern on Long Island railroad to Fulton street ; then a road or lane, to the ferry, six miles away-a journey of two or three hours, This, however, was short, compared with the distance from the late Abm. Remsen's house (adjoining Scholes farm, and but one beyond Gen. Johnson's). This family had to travel up their farm line to the church at Bushwick, thence along the Bushwick road to the Cross- Roads, and along Cripplebush road to residence of Jacobus Lott, where Nostrand's lane intersects the road, and then along the Cripplebush road and Bedford road, past Fort Greene to Baker's Tavern on Long Island railroad, and to Fulton street, and so to the ferry-ten miles and taking four or five hours."

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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 67

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