USA > New York > Kings County > Flatbush > The social history of Flatbush : and manners and customs of the Dutch settlers in Kings county > Part 17
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In 1788 a law was enacted to the effect that when the owner of a slave under fifty years of age, and of sufficient ability to provide for himself or herself, should be disposed to manumit such slave, that previous thereto he, she, or they should procure a certificate signed by the overseers of the poor of the city or town, and of two justices of the peace of the county, certify- ing that such slave appeared to be under fifty years of age and of sufficient ability to provide for himself or herself; and when such a certificate of manumission was registered, that the slave should be adjudged to be free.
A number of slaves were freed in Flatbush under this law.
To show the form of manumission, we copy some of these from the old records :
· I Stephen B. Schoonmaker of the Town of Flatbush, Kings County, State of New York, Do hereby certify that I have
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manumitted and set free my negro man named Harry aged twenty-eight years. Given under my hand this 16th day of April 1814.
STEPHEN B. SCHOONMAKER NICH® SCHOONMAKER WILLIAM W. STOOTHOFF Overseers of the poor.
Signed in presence of CORNELIUS DURYEE JR
JACOB DURYEE.
We the subscribers being Overseers of the Poor for the said Town of Flatbush Do hereby Certify that an application to us made by Stephen B. Schoonmaker of Flatbush to approve the manumission of a negro man named Harry and it appears to us that the said Harry is under the age of fifty years and of suffi- cient ability to provide for himself we do hereby approve of said manumission.
In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 19th day of April 1814.
I, John Vanderbilt have manumitted and set free a certain female slave named Isabella, April 10th 1822. (Signed) JOHN VANDERBILT. Sealed and delivered in presence of
GERRET MARTENSE.
She appears to be under the age of forty-five years and of sufficient ability to provide for herself and her children Cor- nelius and Thomas.
Witnesses ADRIAN VANDERVEER JOHANNES ELDERT.
On the same day, April 10, 1822, John Vanderbilt manumitted his slave Frances Young.
John Lefferts, August 17, 1822, manumitted his slave Susan.
A law was passed to the effect that every child born 17
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
of a slave within this State after July 4, 1799, should be free, but remain the servant of the former master until the age, if a male, of twenty-eight years; if a female, until twenty-five years of age.
It will thus be seen that great care was taken lest the slaves should become a public charge. The town authorities were not willing to accept any liabilities by which they might be obliged to support those who ought to be supported upon the private means of their former owners.
In order to secure the rights given them by this law, it was necessary to have the date of birth of every one applying for freedom thoroughly established ; this was attended to by the town authorities. Among the town records we find a large number of these notifications of birth. We give a few as samples of the rest :
I Lawrence Voorhees of the town of Flatbush do hereby certify that a female child named Sawr aged three months was born of a slave belonging to me
Witness my hand this 21st day of Feb 1801.
I Abraham Ditmas of the Town of Flatbush, yeoman, do certify that a female child named Sook aged eight months was born the fifth day of July last of a slave belonging to me. Wit- ness my hand March 5, 1803.
ABRAHAM DITMAS.
I, John Van der Bilt of the Town of Flatbush in Kings Co. do hereby declare that on the 15th day of Dec. last a male negro child was born named Will.
In witness my hand this 29th day of May 1802
JOHN VAN DER BILT.
The dawn of greater freedom was, however, rapidly approaching, and even the right to the services of the children was being abandoned :
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DOMESTIC SERVICE.
Sir, I do hereby notify you that I abandon my right of ser- vice to a female child named Nancy, born Jan 20th 1803, which said child you have got on record in your office
ELSIE GERRETSEN.
May 6, 1S03
To the TOWN CLERK OF FLATBUSH.
Sir I do hereby notify that I abandon my right of servitude to a female child named Bett, which said child you have on record in your office
HENDRICK VANDERVEER.
TO JOHN C. VANDERVEER, Town Clerk.
FLATBUSH Aug 4 1800
Sir This is to certify that I abandon all my right of servi- tude to a negro child named Will, born Aug 5th 1799.
LEFFERTS MARTENSE.
To Mr JOHN C. VANDERVEER Town Clerk.
The early settlers on Long Island were not, however, bound to slave labor exclusively ; there were also inden- tured apprentices and laborers. Advertisements for run- away apprentices appeared in the New York papers as well as for runaway slaves.
An indenture paper, bearing date June 8, 1758, by which a young girl from Queens County was bound out to a family in Flatbush, is still extant. The terms are very much like those of an indenture made for a child bound out from an institution or by the county super- intendent of the poor at this present time, except as to the remuneration due her for her services at the expira- tion of her term of indenture. In that respect they dif- fer as widely as do the customs and manners of the cen- turies in which they were written. "The master shall give unto the said apprentice;" says this old document, "a cow, a new wrapper, calico, at five shillings per
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
yard, a new bonnet, a new pair of shoes and stockings, two new shifts, two new petticoats, two caps, and two handkerchiefs and her wearing apparel" - this last probably referring to the clothing she had been wearing previous to the limited outfit with which she was sup- posed to start out in life.
We have also a copy of an indenture made in the early part of the following century, in which no mention is made of a cow, but a more generous provision of cloth- ing is imperative in the terms of the indenture.
The girl at the age of twelve is indentured, volun- tarily and with consent of her parents, until she reach the age of eighteen.
During all of which time [thus quaintly reads this old, time-stained paper] the said Lydia her said master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commands everywhere readily obey : she shall do no damage to her said master nor see it done by others, without letting or giving notice thereof to her said master. She shall not waste her said master's goods, nor lend them unlawfully to any: she must not contract matrimony within the said term : at cards, dice, or any unlawful game she shall not play whereby her said master may have damage : she shall neither traffic with her own goods or the goods of others, nor shall she buy or sell without license from her said master. She shall not absent herself day nor night from her said mas- ter's service without his leave, nor haunt ale houses, taverns, or playhouses, but in all things behave herself as a faithful servant ought to do during the term of service aforesaid.
The date of this indenture is "the nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, and in the thirty-eighth year of American Independence."
We copy the following as a sample of an indenture of an apprentice to learn a trade :
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DOMESTIC SERVICE.
This Indenture, made the 22d of July, A. D. 1695, is to cer- tify to all and every one whom it may concern that Jonathan Mills, senior, of Jamaica, in Queens Co., and Jacob Hendricksen of Flatbush, in Kings Co., smith, are agreed and have made covenant in manner and form following :
Imprimis, Jonathan Mills, Jr., son of the above-named Jon- athan Mills, senior, is bound to serve his master, Jacob Hendrick- sen, of Zuyt dam, above said, the time and space of three years begun the 5th day of June last, to expire the 5th day of June, 1698, in which time the said Jonathan Mills, Jr., is to serve his said master duly and faithfully, principally in and about the trade and art of a smith, and also sometimes for other occa- sions.
Secondly, Jacob Hendricksen, of Zuyt dam, abovesaid, is bound to said Jonathan Mills, Jr., to find washing, sleeping, victuals, and drink during said time of three years, and also to endeavor to instruct said Jonathan in said art and trade of a smith during said term of three years, and also that said Jona- than may have the liberty to go in night school in the winter, and at the expiration of said time his master is to give him a good suit of clothes for Sabbath-day, and also two pair of tongs and two hammers, one big and one small one.
In Testimony and performance whereof we have set here- unto our hands and seals the day and year above written.
his JONATHAN + MILLS mark.
JACOB HENDRECKSE, von Zuyt dam.
Witness
JOHANNES VAN EKELEN.
In an indenture made by the overseers of the poor in Kings County at a later period, there seems to be nothing given to the girl when her time of indenture expires except a Bible, which was rather a mockery if
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
she did not receive with it the just wages which the Bi- ble enjoins should be given. This girl, Suzanne, born 1801, is indentured to Jacob Ryerson of the town of Brooklyn as a servant.
He shall [says the indenture] cause her to be instructed in the art of housekeeping and also of spinning and knitting. She shall also be instructed to read and write, and at the expiration of her time of service shall give unto the said Suzanne a new Bible.
In 1812 there appears on record an indenture more liberal as to its terms for the young girl :
Jane White [indentured as before] is to receive one new suit of holiday clothes of the value at least of $5, and two other good suits for everyday wear and one new Bible.
Intelligence offices for procuring domestics were es- tablished in New York some time before slavery was abolished.
That they were a more reliable dependence than the establishments of the present day, we should judge from the fact that premiums were offered-not to those servants who were constantly returning to the offices- but to those who remained a long time with the same employer. Perhaps this method would be a relief to the housekeepers of this age. We find the following in a newspaper of May 13, 1809 :
WARNE'S ESTABLISHED AND EQUITABLE OFFICE FOR SERVANTS, No. 2 Robinson Street, first door from Broadway, where fam- ilies are supplied with servants of every description, and it being the sincere wish of the proprietor that they would con- tinue a long time in their places, both for the comfort of fami- lies and themselves, he offers as an inducement to this laudable
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end the following Premiums, which extend to such servants only as are registered for that purpose at this office :
$5. Every servant that lives three years with one family ob- tained at this office, shall, on having a good character from the said family, receive the above Premium.
$7. Every servant living five years with one family, obtained at the said office, shall on producing a good character receive the above Premium.
$10. Servants that live seven years in one place obtained as aforesaid shall, on having a good character from the said family, receive ten dollars.
Also a gift according to merit to sober, industrious, civil, and cleanly boys and girls, who live twelve months in one place.
The children of deserving poor parents shall be provided. with places free of expense, and also entitled to a gratuity on the aforesaid conditions.
It being a common practice at many offices to take sums of money from servants, exclusive of their first charge for provid- ing them with places, Mr. Warne assures servants that no more than one shilling first paid (unless for a lucrative situation) will be permitted to be taken at this office.
The proprietor is happy in having it in his power to relieve servants who have a long time labored under great hardships by falling into the hands of unprincipled persons who keep offices in different parts of the metropolis and strip them of their all under false pretenses.
Travelers, Taverns, Coffee-Houses, and Publicans supplied with servants agreeably to their orders.
It is probable that there were few, if any, foreigners employed as domesties in the family or as laborers on the farms in Flatbush previous to 1822, the year in which all traces of slavery ceased to exist.
At that time those who were formerly slaves, and their descendants, still found employment in the fami- lies of which they had once formed a part. They felt
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
a certain claim upon the master and mistress under whose roof they were born ; this claim, if not legally recognized after this period, was at least so far acknowl- edged in the higher realm of duty that a kindly over- sight was extended to the families of their former slaves, and they were provided for in cases of sickness and des- titution.
As there was no almshouse in Kings County until 1830, when the county supervisors purchased the poor- house farm at Flatbush, those who needed help, or were upon the town, were boarded and lodged in the private houses of individuals at the public expense.
To show how the poor were provided for, we here insert some bills which were found among some old papers :
The Overseers of the Town of Flatbush
To NICH" SCHOONMAKER D'
For medicine & attendance on blk man named Wall from Jan 6th until 13, 1813. .. £2 5 0 Jan. 19, 1813. Reed Pay'
NICH® SCHOONMAKER M. D.
of Mr Lefferts one of the overseers of the poor of aforesaid Town.
FLATBUSH Feb 10th 1813
Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Flatbush
To STEPHEN B. SCHOONMAKER Dr.
For boarding and lodging a Negro man named Wall, a pauper to the State, 9 days $4.50 Recª Feb 12th 1813 the above in full for STEPHEN B. SCHOONMAKER CORN' DURYEE JR.
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Overseers of the poor of the Town of Flatbush.
To WILLIAM ALGEO D'
Jan 12th 1813.
For making a coffin for Wall a state pauper .. .. . $3.25 Received the above in full of John Lefferts one of the overseers of the poor of the town of Flatbush.
WILLIAM ALGEO.
In some of the colored families on Long Island there was a mixture of Indian blood with the African. It was very plainly traceable in their straight hair and in their lighter complexion ; but this mixture of the two races was not an improvement upon the character of the negro. The pure-blooded African was more kindly in his nature, more cheerful in disposition, more gentle and teachable. Those marked traits of the In- dian character, the brooding over an injury with a view to retaliation, vindictiveness, and vengeful temper, cloud- ed the good-natured hilarity of the African and made him unwilling to work, lazy, shiftless, and morose.
There is a strong tendency to superstitious belief in the African race. Strangely enough, it may be found to coexist with the acceptance of the purest Christian doctrine, and in those who lead an exemplary Christian life. It appears like some weed which is so natural to the soil of a garden that no amount of cultivation will wholly uproot it. They accept most readily not only the little superstitions which are always afloat as to dreams and signs and premonitions of coming events, but they are very credulous as to the power of charms and their antidotes. They believe in spells and poisons, and in the power and control which some persons may obtain over others, even when widely separated from
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
them. They believe in the noxious power of certain charms hidden in the ground which may affect the passer-by, and in the potency of spells exercised upon each other, to help or to harm, as either may be in- tended.
In times gone by, they were a kind-hearted, quiet people, fond of amusement, always looking upon the bright side of things, never worrying over coming mis- fortunes, but content to live in abiding faith upon a lit- eral rendering of that Scripture which says : "Take no thought for the morrow. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat ? or, What shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed ?"
Thus it happened too often that want came, and im- providence brought with it many misfortunes ; and they have begun to dwindle away and disappear before the rugged industries in which neither their taste nor their physical strength enables them to take a share.
In some instances colored families continued after their manumission in the employ of those to whom they had once belonged, and always found employment when well and assistance when sick from their old master and mistress.
Scarcely twenty-five years ago traces of this, the only pleasant phase of that institution, still existed in Flatbush. There were elderly persons who were always called "old Mis'es" or "old Master " in certain colored families, and the allegiance was not that compelled by law, but tendered by affection.
If relief was needed in any one of the old colored families who had been brought up in the town, they knew at once where to find it ; if they applied elsewhere,
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they were sure to be referred back to those with whom either themselves or their parents had been reared.
Thus it happened that the miscellaneous appeals for assistance which now come from every quarter for the poor were in earlier days unknown. The foreign ele- ment in our population which now preys so largely upon our pity and our purse had not then come to our gates. The housekeeper knew just who would apply at her kitchen-door for help, and just how much would be re- quired. She might be willingly blinded, and give more or less than was necessary ; but she could not be igno- rant of the amount that was needed, for their circum- stances and the number in their families were as familiar to her as those of her own household, of which they had once formed a part.
It was considered in times gone by rather a sign of a well-to-do farmer to have a large family of colored people in his kitchen. The elder members of these fam- ilies had been so thoroughly drilled in the work required of them, that they were almost invaluable to the mas- ter and mistress as cooks, coachmen, and farm-hands. There were always small boys of every age to do the running of errands to " the store," bringing home the cows from the field, and calling the reapers to their meals, and such other work as required swift running and young feet. There were little colored girls of every age to help or hinder, as the case might be, in the vari- ous household duties. In most of the old Dutch houses there were small kitchens in which these families of col- ored people lived. They were not so far from the house as the slave-quarters on a Southern plantation, but the building was a separate one, annexed to the main kitchen of the house.
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
As a race, the colored people have strong religious feelings. They are excitable and demonstrative under the enthusiasm of a thoroughly aroused interest in re- ligious duties ; but these feelings are variable, and apt to fade out when the exciting cause is removed. There have been, however, such noble examples among them of strong and abiding faith, characterizing a long and unspotted life, such steadfast adherence to duty amid temptations and discouragements, that they have proved themselves capable of reaching high Christian attain- ment and of illustrating the strength and beauty of Christian character.
This race for more than a century and a half formed part of the family of every Dutch inhabitant of Kings County. Speaking the same language, brought up to the same habits and customs, with many cares and in- terests in common, there existed a sympathy with and an affection between them and the white members of the household such as could scarcely be felt toward the strangers who now perform the same labor under such different circumstances.
We have given so much space to this subject, because a history of the social life of our ancestors would be in- complete if it did not include these people, who were so closely associated with the family, and who formed as to numbers so large a part of the household.
CHAPTER XXII.
AGRICULTURE.
THE head of every family in Flatbush, with few exceptions, was a farmer, until within the last thirty years. They cultivated their land in the most careful manner, and were among the best farmers in the State. It was rarely that one saw old and dilapidated outhouses or broken fences. The barns, wagon-houses, and hay- ricks were kept in good repair, and all the outhouses were covered with a heavy coat of dark-red paint. In the southern section of the town stones were scarce, so that the fences were post and rail. Only along the central ridge, which has been called the "backbone of the island," could stone be procured for walls to divide the farms. It has been asserted that there are no rocks south of that ridge.
There was formerly a stone wall running on the easterly side of the road that led from Bedford south- ward toward Canarsie, north of where the county build- ings now stand. Little red chipmunks might be seen skipping over and through the interstices of this wall, for it was then a quiet nook, and the cultivated fields, shut in from the cold winds by the woods at the north- east, were always rich with the beauty of waving grain in the various stages of growth as the season advanced.
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
Here the running blackberry vines twined and inter- laced themselves in arabesque figures across the stone wall, their prickly stems and the toppling stones serving to protect the enticing fruit. High stalks of the golden- rod in the autumn, and celandine and wild roses hid their roots in the soil, kept damp by the fallen stones, under which numerous bugs might be at housekeeping, or from beneath which a family of ants would scatter if their homes were unroofed.
Here the children clambered among the nettles for blackberries in the summer, and under the great nut-tree which stood midway the field they went nutting in the autumn. It was a pleasant, peaceful scene ; the robin and the thrush, or meadow-lark, as it was called, here made their nest, and sang their morning song in the apple or- chards near ; crows flapped their heavy wings and cawed from the tree-tops as they watched in the distance the farmer dropping the corn. Fresh and green the fields, with an almost imperceptible slope, rolled southward, and from this, the dividing line between Flatbush and Brook- lyn, the Flatbush farmers had an unbroken and beau- tifully cultivated expanse of farming land to the limits southward of the village. Upon this northern border of the town, which was once so fair a picture of agri- cultural prosperity, the change into a city suburb has begun. To the northeast fences are thrown down, the old stone wall is leveled, the sickly-looking cows of the city milkmen endeavor to graze upon the short and dried grass ; pigs and dogs and goats, rough men and dirty women, scold and scream and bark in mingled confu- sion from the shanties of the squatters that have taken possession of the open commons. It is sad for us who have been so fond of this country life to think that
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this may be a precursor of the change which shall slowly creep onward in advance of the city growth.
The cultivation of grain was found by the Long Isl- and farmers to be less remunerative when the canals and railroads opened up the competition of the Western agriculturist ; then the increased demand for the prod- uce of the market gardener by degrees changed the whole character of the farm work on this island. Flat- bush farmers, being so near to the city, began to raise those vegetables which were to supply the markets of New York and Brooklyn.
Where formerly wheat, rye, buckwheat, oats, corn, flax, and barley were the products of the farm, with only so much of cabbage, peas, potatoes, and turnips as were necessary for the family use, all this is now reversed ; only so much hay and grain as the farmer needs are raised, while he depends upon his market produce for remunerative sales.
Under this system of cultivation the farms are not so picturesque as they were when the fields were wav- ing with the graceful growth of grain. The market gardens and the great fields of potatoes and cabbage show signs of industry and thrift, but the farms are not so beautiful as they were before this change took place.
BARNS AND OUTHOUSES.
The barns of the Dutch farmers were broad and capacious. The roof, like that on their houses, was very heavy, and sloped to within eight or ten feet of the ground. There were holes near the roof for the barn swallows that flitted in and out above the rafters, surging to and fro in long, swift circles around the barnyard. Through the chinks of broken shingles the
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THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF FLATBUSH.
rays of the sun fell across the darkness as if to winnow the dust through the long shafts of light, or, where the crevice was on the shady side, the daylight glittered through like stars, for there were no windows in these barns ; there was light sufficient when the great double doors, large enough to admit a load of hay, were open.
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