USA > New York > The old streets of New York under the Dutch. A paper read before the New York historical society, June 2. 1874 > Part 3
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" My lords,
" Your thrice humble and affectionate servant and friend, " P. STUYVESANT."
A dramatic picture suggests itself, representing a part of the English fleet in the bay between the Fort and Nutten (now Gover- nor's) Island, with its guns trained against the old fortification, whose flag was still flying in the Summer breeze ; the other ships landing their troops just below Breuckelen, there combining their forces with the English militia from New England, and crossing the river in boat and barge.
The stout old Governor, standing on one of the outer bastions of the Fort, an artilleryman, with lighted match, at his side, wait- ing the approach of the invaders. A throng of the notables of the city, Burgomasters, and Schepens, and Burghers, all begging him to surrender, and exploiting the hopeless condition of New Amsterdam. "encompassed and hemmed in by enemies, " where defense was imposible, and the two Domines Megapolensis,
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father and son, imploring him not to commence hostilities which must end in destruction, and finally leading him between them !. protesting and sorrowful, from the ramparts.
The Dutch soldiers marched out of the old Fort, according :.. the terms of capitulation, with their arms fixed, drums beating. and colors flying, and matches lighted, down Beaver lane to the Waterside, and embarked for Holland. The English flag was hoisted over the Fort, which then became Fort James and "Nieme Amsterdam " " New York."
After its surrender to the English, the little town settled down. with Dutch stolidity, under its English rulers, whose Government was kindly. For eight years it pursued an even course under a Mayor and Aldermen, instead of a Schout, Burgemeesteren, and Schepenen, until, on the war breaking out between the English and the Dutch in 1672, it was retaken by the latter.
New York thereupon was rechristened by the Dutch Governor Colve "New Orange.". The name of New Netherland was restored, and the old fort was re-christened Fort "Wilhelm Hen- drick," in honor of the Prince of Orange.
On the subsequent peace, however, between England and Hol- land, in 1674, the region of New Netherland was finally ceded to the Englist.
Gov. Andros took possession for the Duke and re-christened "New Amsterdam " as " New York," and the fort again became " Fort James."
The fort was also the scene of stirring events during the times of anarchy when Leisler was dictator.
Here, with his own hand, the self-constituted Governor had fired one of the fort guns at the King's troops, as they stood on parade, and in a sort of desperate infatuation began to batter the town.
The old fort, during English colonial times, was the scene of gubernatorial state and show, and here too were fired salutes for His Majesty's birth-day, and for victory over Frenchman and Spaniard.
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The fort was also the scene of stirring events during our revo- lationary period, and changed its flag under the fortunes of the war.
At length, when peace had been established in the land, the services of this venerable servant of Bellona were considered no longer necessary by the " Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty," whose utilitarian spirit, in 1788, caused its final destruction and re- moval. And now no remnant remains of this ancient structure, that rose with the settlement of our island, and saw and shared its changing fortunes.
THE CHURCH.
Situated in the fort was the Church, where the purest Calvan- isin, as determined by the Synod of Dort, was disseminated suc. cessively by Domine Michaelius, Domine Bogardus, Domine Backerus, and Domines Megapolensis and Drisius.
The earliest church services of the colony had been held in a spacious room or loft over a horse mill; and religious services were at first conducted by a " Krank besoeker " or consoler of the siek. This room was replaced by a plain barn-like wooden structure in 1633, situated on the north side of the present Pearl street, near Whitehall.
Under Governor Kieft the increasing population of the settle- ment required better accommodations, and the colonists came to the determination that their New England brethren, who had erected fine meeting-houses in their various settlements, ought not to excel them in this matter.
In 1642, a church edifice was accordingly begum, and placed within the fort for greater security against the attacks of Indians.
The subscriptions for the new church were accomplished dur- ing a merry-making at the marriage of a daughter of Domine Bogardus, and the Governor thought wisely that the hilarity in- cidental to such an occasion would stimulate the generosity of the wedding guests. A chronicle of the time tells us that, after the
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fonrth or fifth round of drinking, his Excellency, Governor Ki ... started the subscription with a large sum of guilders, and the ?. .. followed his example and " subscribed richly." "Some of theil. says De Vries, a then sojurner at the settlement, " well repentel :. but nothing availed to excuse."
This church had twin roofs side by side, and upon the gab's end, toward the water, there was a small wooden tower with :. bell, which called the good people to their devotions, and was als , rung on occasions of warning or rejoicing. There was no clock. but a sun-dial on three sides, or the tower was surmounted by the usual weather-cock.
Domine Everardus Bogardus came over in 1633, with the new Governor Van Twiller. The Domine was a prominent man in those days, next only in importance to the Governor, with whom he was often at loggerheads. Soon after his arrival he was smitten with the attractions of the widow of Roeloff Jansen, then the pos. sessor of the fine farm on the Hudson, and now favorably known to us as Anneke Jans. The Domine led to the hymencal altar that historical personage, of whom we shall have something more to say by-and-by. The Domine was often in contention with the governors of the period, and is recorded, when excited under a difference of opinion with Governor Van Twiller, to have ad- dressed that functionary as a "Child of the Devil."
Bogardus was continually at sword's-point, also, with Director Kieft. Kieft charged the Domine with continual intoxication, and a love of strife and slander, and with whatmust have cut him to the quick, of preaching stupid sermons ; and sent missives to him of threat and denunciation, and divers orders to show cause why he should not be removed, which orders the Domine treated with open contempt.
The Domine, on the other hand, fulminated against the Gover- nor from the pulpit and elsewhere, and denounced him as a con- summate villian : and declared that his (the Domine's) goats were a superior animal to the Director ; and boasted, on one occasion. that he would give the Director from the pulpit, on the next
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Sunday, such a shake as would make them both shudder"! Kieft a retaliation, and to drown the Domine's anathemas, would also, at times, have a drum beaten and the cannon discharged from the tire fort outside the church during service. Those were, indeed, trying times !
The Domine, also, was quite a litigant, and the gossips of the day must have been rarely exercised over their tea cups with the details and progress of an action brought by him against An- thony Jansen Van Salee, as husband and guardian of his wife, Grietie, for slandering the Domine's wife. It seems Mrs. Anneke Bogardus had, on one occasion, unpleasantly talked about Madame Van Salce ; whereupon Madame Van Salee had said that Madame Bogardus, in passing through a muddy part of the town, had displayed her ankles more than was necessary. Under the judgment of the Court, Madame Van Salee had to make declara- tion in public, at the sounding of the bell, that she knew the minister to be an honest and a pious man, and that she had lied falsely. She was further condemned to pay costs, and three guil- den for the poor. This treatment might not be amiss for petty gossips even at the present day.
The Domine, alsose was defendant in a slander suit brought against him by Deacon Oloff Stevenson Van Cortlandt, which was of long duration ; and the attention of the little town was divided between these stirring events and divers troubles with the New Haven and Hartford colonies in the cast, occurring about the same time. Domine Bogardus was finally drowned, together with his old opponent, ex-Director Kieft, they having together sailed in the ship "Princess " for Holland, which was wrecked off the English coast in 1647.
Domine Backerus succeeded Domine Bogardus when Stuyve- sant became Governor, in 1647, but left in a year or two, being succeeded by the learned Johannes Megapolensis, with whom was subsequently associated his son Samnel, and Domine Drisius.
We may present to ourselves, for a moment, a picture of a congregation of our New Amsterdam predecessors, gathered
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together for a morning service in the church in the old fort; Jan Gillesen, the klink, or bell-ringer, is lustily pulling at the sono. rous little Spanish bell, captured by the Dutch fleet from Porto Rico, whose sounds roll gently o'er hill and meadow, and reach the settlements on the Long Island shore. The morning sun is shining brightly over the bay, which glistens through the trees that are scattered over the verdant field that rolls between the bay and the fort, while the cottages, with their high-peaked roofs, and the windmill by the fort, and a few sheep grazing in the distance, give a varied aspect to the peaceful scene. All labor has ceased, the song even of birds seems hushed ; and the calm repose of the Sabbath seems to pervade the very air, and gives to Nature an additional serenity and repose. The neatly- clad people, in family groups, slowly and sedately wend their way through road and rural lane to the house of worship -- some on foot, othiers on horse-back, or in vehicles, some landing in boats from distant settlements or neighboring farms on either river.
Nicassius de Sille, the city "Schout," accompanied by Hendrick Van Bommel, the town crier, is going his rounds to see that all is quiet and conformed to the sacredness of the day ; to keep the lazy Indians and negroes from fighting and gaming, and the tap- sters from selling liquor. In front, and on the side of the fort, is a concourse of waggons and horses; some animals let loose to graze on the hill-side that ran towards the water ; others drink- ing from the trough supplied by the well before the fort; others cared for by the negro slave boys, who, proud of their charge. walk them to and fro, and occasionally take a sly ride from a complaisant animal.
Now, preceded by ol 1 Claes Van Elsland, the Marshal of the Council (who also fulfilled the functions of sexton and dog- whipper), and marching between the bowing people up the aisle, we behold him whose presence represents the "High and Mighty Lords, the States-General of the United Netherlands, His Highness of Orange, and the Noble Lords the Managers of
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the privileged West India Company "-no less a personage, in Met, walking with a cane, sturdy and erect, in spite of his wooden leg, than his Excellency De Heer Directeur Generaal Petrus Stuyvesant, Governor of Nieuw Nederland, accompanied by his wife, the lady Judith, walking stately and prim, as becomes her position as wife of the great Director; and by her side old Dr. Johannes de la Montagnie, ex-Councillor, and now Vice-Director at Fort Orange (Albany), who has come down on a visit to talk about state affairs.
Following the Governor is the provincial secretary, Cornelius Van Ruyven, and his wife, Hildegonde, a daughter of Domine Megapolensis; and here are the " most worshipful, most prudent, and very discreet," their mightinesses the Burgomasters and Schepens of New Amsterdam, answering to what are now the aldermen and common councilmen. Preceding them to their official pew, with their velvet cushions brought from the Stadt Huys, or City Hall, is old Matthew de Vos, the town Marshal.
Walking in portly dignity are the Burgomasters, Oloff Steven- sen Van Cortlandt and Paulus Leedersen Vandiegrist; and the most worshipful Schepens, Cornelius Steenwyck, Johannes de Peyster, Peter Wolfersen Van Couwenhoven, Isaac de Foreest and Jacob Strycker.
Following them we observe Allard Anthony and Isaac Bed- low, the prosperous traders; and Johannes de Witt, the miller and flour merchant ; and Dr. Hans Kierstede, with his wife Sara, who was a daughter of Mrs. Anneke Jans Bogardus. And here is Madame Cornelia de Peyster, wife of the Schepen, with her golden-elasped psalm-book hanging from her arm by its golden chain ; and the wealthy Far trader, Peter Rudolphus de Vries, and Margaretta Hardenbrook, his bride, who, four years later, married the lively young carpenter, Frederick Phillipse, he, who a few years later became also Lord of Phillipse Manor, on the Hudson, by the Pocantico creek or Mill river, just above Tarry- town. And there was the great English merchant, John Dervall. and his handsome wife, Katherina, the daughter of Burgomaster
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Oloff' Stevenson Van Cortlandt-which lady, in after time, also be- came a wife of and brought a large fortune to the same lucky Mr. Frederick Phillipse, who then sat humbly in the back benches. little dreaming of the good fortune that was awaiting him by his marriage with the neighboring two rich widows. And here is the substantial merchant, Jerominus Ebbing, and the widow de Hul- ler, to whom he was betrothed, daughter of old Johannes de Laet. one of the original proprietors of Rensselaerswyck ; and Mad- ame Margaretta de Riemer, formerly Gravenraedt, just married to Schepen Cornelius Steenwyck; and Mrs. Catherine de Boogh Beekman, daughter of Captain de Boogh, then running the smartest craft on the river, which Mrs. Catherine was married to Wilhelmus Beekman, Director on South river. And here is the widow of the late Secretary, Cornelius Van Tienhoven, whose hat and cane had been found in the North river, which was the last seen of the most unpopular man in Nieuw Amsterdam.
Now enters Mrs. Elizabeth Backer, formerly Van Es, the great far trader on the Heere-graeft, followed by her little slave boy. Toby, carrying her New Testament with silver clasps.
And here, also, is the young baronet, Sir Henry Moody, son of Lady Deborah Moody, from " Gravenzande," she who left the Massachusetts colony because of her views on infant baptism, and who had twice defended her house against savages in the troub- lous times.
And come also to hear the Domine are some of the Van Cur- lers and Gerritsens and Wolfertsens and Stryekers, from New Amersfoort (Flatlands) ; and the Snedekors and Elbertsens and Van Hattems, from " Vluckebos," or Malout (Flatbush) ; and old Lubbertsen Vanderbeck from Breukelen; and Rapeljes and Duryees and Cershous, from the Walloght.
And then follow the rest of the good citizens of the place. both those of the great and the small citizenship, the - Groote Burgerrecht" and the " Kleine Burgerrecht" --- Direk Van Schell- uyne the notary, Vanderspiegle the baker, whose two little girls subsequently married, one a DeForeest, and the other Rip Vall
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Dam, the Colonial Lieutenant Governor; and burly Burger Jori- sen, the patriotic blacksmith from Hanover Square, the last man, five years later, to advocate resistance to the English, and who abandoned the city in disgust after the surrender.
And then Pieter Cornelius Vanderveer and Mrs. Elsje, his wife, the daughter of the great merchant, Govert Lockermans, which Mrs. Elsje subsequently married the unfortunate Jacob Leisler. Behind Mrs. Vanderveer were her lively sisters, Mar- ritje and Jannetje, and near by, casting sheep's-eyes at the former, was Master Balthazar Bayard, whom she subsequently married.
After the Domine's exhortation was finished, and a prayer from Domine Drisius, and a psalm had been sung, led by Harmanus Van Hoboken, the schoolmaster and "zieken-trooster," or choir- leader, whose voice the widow Marritje Pieters particularly admired, the members of the congregation wended their way over street and path and meadow to their respective homes.
The ladies doffed their Sunday finery and set to work in hearty preparation of the noontide meal.
The last we hear of the old Church is the finding of the stone which had been placed, when it was building, over the door in front. The New York Magazine, in 1790, records the finding of this venerable relic in these words :
"June 23. On Monday last, in digging away the foundation of the fort, in this city, a square stone was found among the ruins of a chapel (which formerly stood in the fort), with the fol- lowing Dutch inscription on it : 'Ao. Do. M.D.CXLII. W. Kieft, Dr. Gr. Heeft de Gemeenten dese Tempel doen Bouwen.' In Eng- lish : 'A. D. 1642. Wm. Kieft, Director General, hath caused this temple to be built for the community.'"
This stone was removed, it is reported, to the Reformed Dutch Church in Garden street, now Exchange Place, where it was de- stroved in the great fire of 1835.
Quitting the Fort and the Murderelt, we proceed down the
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rest of the modern Whitehall street, a part of which was in. cluded in the Marckvelt.
A part of Whitehall, north of Stone, was also subsequently called " Beurs straat," or Exchange street.
On this street stood the Governor's house, built of stone by Stuyvesant, and called, under the English, the Whitehall, which gave the modern name to the street. The grounds extended to the river, where was a dock, to which was moored the Guberna- torial State barge.
Crossing Whitehall is Stone street. This street, between Broad and Whitehall, was originally " Brouwer straat;" between Broad and Hanover square, and up Pearl to Wall, it was called "Hoogh straat," High street, also " the road to the ferry," it being the nearest direct route from the Fort to the Long Island ferry. The roadway thus made to the ferry was the origin of this street.
The ferry road was continued through Hanover square and Pearl street to about the present Peck Slip, where were the prim- : itive boats of the ferry of those days.
On Brouwer straat lived many of the most prosperous citizens. Several breweries there gave its name to the street.
We now come to Bridge street, which was the second street laid out or occupied as such. This street was called " De Brughe straat," or Bridge street, from its leading from the Fort to the bridge across the canal, which ran through Broad street.
Winckel street lay parallel to Whitehall, between the present Pearl and Bridge streets. On this Winekel street, or Shop street, were five substantial stone store-houses, belonging to the Dutch West India Co. This street has now disappeared, there being no thoroughfare to represent it.
We come next to what is the present Pearl street. Pearl street formed the original bank of the East river-Water, Front and South streets having been all subsequently reclaimed and built. Here was the first settlement; and some thirty or forty little bark or wool honses, clustered along the bank of the river south-east of the Fort, were the nucleus of this great city.
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Between Whitehall and Broad streets, Pearl street was called the Strand, " T" Water," or at "the waterside." A portion of this street, between State and Whitehall, was also called " Paerel «fraat."
Between Broad street and Hanover square it was known as at the East river ; also " De Waal," being so called from a wall or siding of boards to protect the street from the washing of the tide. .
On Pearl street, between Broad and Whitehall, in the vicinity of the landing-place, were the residences of the principal traders and merchants.
The old " Stadt. huys," or City Hall, formerly the City Tavern, stood on the present northwest corner of Pearl and Coenties Al- ley. It had a cupola and a bell, which was rung on great occa- sions, and for the sessions of the Burgomasters and Schepens, and on publication of new laws.
This " Stadt-huys " was sold at auction in 1699, and the new City Hall erected about 1698, under the English rule, on Wall street at the hemi of Broad.
The report of a trial held in the old " Stadt-huys," before the Court of Burgomasters and Schepens, has come down to us. It exhibits the original and primitive manner in which legal points were raised and justice dispensed, in that early time.
Jan Haeckins was plaintiff and Jacob Van Couwenhoven de- fendant. An abstract of the report reads thus : The plaintiff demands pay from defendant for certain beer sold according to contract. The defendant says the beer is bad. Plaintiff denies that the beer is bad, and asks whether people would buy it if it were not good? He further insists that the beer is of good qual- ity, and such as is made for exportation. Couwenhoven denies this, and requests that after the rising of the bench the Court may come over an I try the beer, and then decide. The parties having been heard, it is ordered that after the meeting breaks up the beer shall be tried ; and if good, then Couwenhoven shall make
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payment according to the obligation; if otherwise, the plainti shall make deduction.
Near the junction of the modern Pearl street and Stone street, was what was then known as Burger Jorisen's path, or Burgher's path, in the vicinity of the present Old Slip, so called after the: sturdy blacksmith who lived there.
We next in our peregrinations come to Broad street.
Broad street was called " de Heere graft" and " Breede graft." also the Common Ditch.
Above Beaver street Broad street was " de Prince graft," and ran into the "Schaaep waytie," or sheep pasture, before spoken of.
Our Dutch ancestors, of course, were not happy without a ca- nal. and accordingly a miniature one was easily arranged out of the Broad street ditch ; a little estuary also ran in there from the Bay. The ditch or canal ran up beyond Beaver street, and also branched to the west, into Beaver street. Its sides were planked in about the year 1657.
Up this canal were rowed and fastened the boats from the farmamord market gardens on the opposite shores of Long Island, and the Bouweries, on the East and North Rivers.
The ditch in Broad street was not filled until after the English occupation in 1676.
We now come to the modern William street.
William street below Wall to Pearl was " Smee straat," after- wards Smith street.
South William street was formerly " Slyck Steegie" or "Dirty Lane," subsequently " Mill Street Lane;" there being a mill erected in the lane, which was originally a cul de sac, leading from Broad street to the mill.
We have now again reached Wall street, at the foot of which is the Water poort or Water gate, closed at bell-ringing at nine in the evening and opened at sunrise.
We may for a moment picture to ourselves an assemblage of the good people of New Amsterdam, gathered together at the widow Micge Wessels' tavern on Pearl street, near Broad, on the
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r.lebration of some festival day, say that of their patron, Saint Nicholas, on the 6th of December, or a celebration of the "Nieuw Jar," or New Year.
The assemblage embraces all classes of the citizens. The dis- tinetions of wealth and rank are not drawn so sharply as in larger communities, but a sympathy of interests and of dangers binds together the little settlement, gives stronger ties to fellow- ship, and produces a comparative social equality.
The oil lamps and the dipped candles are flickering gaily from the snowy whitewashed walls of Madame Wessels' large assem- bly-room, and the fresh sand is arranged in gay festoons around the well-scraped floor, carefully prepared by the widow's daugh- ters Jannetje and Hendrickje. Old Mingo, the Governor's black slave, who has been lent for the occasion, is tuning his fiddle for the dance; while on benches around the room sit many of the dignitaries and high officials of the settlement.
. We take a glance at the gentle sex as it assembles.
We see complexions fair, features regular, and countenance placid-the in validus might call it somewhat inanimate.
The figure is not tall, but healthy and generous. Nature is allowed to have her sway, without unseemly pressure or restric- tion.
The hair is bound close to the head with a small cap on the back, leaving the dainty ear exposed with its ponderous gold or silver earrings. Large plates of thin gold project from each side of the forehead, and in some cases there is a plate in the middle.
Necklaces, too, hang around many a snowy neck, and at the sides of some hang embroidered purses, with silver ornaments and chain.
Gowns of thick silk, heavily embroidered, with waists of a ro- tundity that would startle a modern Venus, encase forms that though substantial are agile in the dance, as the glowing and shiny faces, after the active capering then in vogne, amply attest.
Some wear short petticoats, of fine blue or scarlet eloth, or of some gay striped tosign. Cont-tails, of a darker hue, project in
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the rear, and colored hose, with lively clocks on the side, encas. limbs which attest the solid charms that result from health and exercise.
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