Cradle days of New York

Front matter

Copyright N^_

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

By HUGH MACATAMNEV

Preface

"Cradle Days of New York" is, in its amended form, the series of articles which appeared in The New York Tribune under the title "Little Old New York." After its publication in The Tribune many requests came for it in book form, and the author has barkened to the appeals of those who wanted it in such form.

It is a compilation of data regarding the little village of 1609, the town of 1725 and the city of 1825. The facts have been gathered from many sources — historical societies, city and state libraries, Trinitv Church records, descendants of some of New York's old families, and from manuscripts loaned to the author by officials of Holland and England.

The origin of present day conditions, of present day laws, of present day events has been traced and is explained to the reader. Every effort has been made by the author to keep away from the beaten paths of the historians, which necessarily must be heavy at times, and to present in as light a way as possible the, to us, peculiar ways in which our forefathers laid the foundation of this glorious City of New York.

The book is compiled with the years in sequence, so that it is a handy reference book as well as a continued story of the growth of the city.

In 1825 the city had stretched east and west to its limits, and north to the present Eighth street, and had become a strong, lusty youngster. It had left its cradle, had forsaken the apron strings and its sturdy legs were carrying it farther north, when the author bade it good-by and good luck. Little New York had almost become a memory.

Contents

Page PREFACE 5

CHAPTER I— (1G09-1G84)— Court of Assizes; The First Mayor; Tlie First Tax; The First Night Watch; Beginning of Property Condemnation and Street Paving; Religious Fervor of the Huguenots 11

CHAPTER II— (1GS4-1G94)— Introduction of the Negro; Negro Plots; Tobacco Cultivation; Religious Dissensions; Worship by Jews Not Allowed; "Inviters to Funerals"; Ducking Stool Set Up 15

Chapter I. (1609-1684.)

Court of Assizes, the First Mayor, the First Tax and the First Night

Watch — Beginning of Property Condemnation and Street Paving

— Religious Fervor of the Huguenots.

Students of the history of New York City know that it derived its origin and commercial importance from tlie colonizing and trading spirit of the Hollanders, and the thirst for adventure which characterized other maritime nations of Europe soon after the discovery of this Western Continent.

The early troubles and civil commotions of the colonies were occasioned by the conflicting claims of England, France and Holland, arising from real or pretended rights from prior discovery of territory. Many facts might be outlined regarding these interior collisions from 1609, the advent of Hudson, and the year which set whirling the competitive and ingenious brains of the adventurous settlers, but they are in the minds of most schoolboys, and have no place in this compilation of events leading up to the present day. As one historian puts it, when, speaking of the first ground given to the Dutch by the Indians, a classical knowledge of Queen Dido was turned to profitable account by the Dutch, and the first American got drunk on Hudson's whiskey, slept, awoke and called for more.

According to manuscript documents antedating 1800, which yield the most curious particulars of local history and statistical information, some apparently trivial and unimportant at first sight, but all valuable in tracing the history and progress of the city and its unexampled growth and prosperity, the earliest authentic record of population is in 1656. Then several new streets were laid out, and the first map of the city was sent to Holland by Governor Stuyvesant, who arrived in 1G47, and was the last Governor under the Dutch dynasty. He held office for seventeen years, until the colony was taken in 1664 by Colonel Nichols, who arrived from England with four frigates and 300 soldiers, and afterward reported to the Duke of York, who had granted the patent for the expedition, that the town was composed of a few miserable houses, occupied by men who were extremely poor; but he foretold its greatness if certain immunities were granted.

Colonel Nichols organized the first Court of Assizes, invested It with every power, collected into one code the ancient customs of the colony, added improvements, and made the laws of England supreme. Henceforth

II no purchase of land from the Indians was valid without his license. He confiscated all the property of the West India Trading Company, which was established by Holland in 1620 to trade to the western coast of Africa and the eastern shores of America, with power to make treaties with the princes of the land, to build fortresses for the protection of its commerce and do everything for the preservation of good government. It was this company that settled a colony and called it New-Netherlands. Under its control frequent quarrels occurred as to boundary and trade, but the colonists managed to build the first street in the city — Pearl street — and to erect a fort at the junction of the North and East rivers, which contained houses and a church. The company failed in 1634.

Governor Nichols, in 1664, altered the style and form of government in New York from Scout, Burgomaster and Schepen to Mayor, Alderman and Sheriff. The first Mayor of the incorporation, so called, was Thomas Willett, an Englishman. He had factories or Indian trading houses from Kennebeck, Me., to Delaware. The Sheriff was Allerd Anthony.

Twelve hundred guilders ($1,000) was raised for the support of the ministry in New York, and permission was given to the Lutherans to send for and settle a minister of their persuasion in the city. He was Jacobus Fabriceius, who arrived in 1669. John Shute was licensed as the only English schoolmaster in Albany, to teach the Dutch the English language. Colonel Francis Lovelace, in May, 1667, succeeded Colonel Nichols, who returned to England. During this year a wagon road was constructed from New York to Harlem, and the next year, for the sake of promoting a good breed of horses, the Governor instituted races at Hempstead, Long Islani, and subscriptions were taken from all willing to run for a crown in silver or a bushel of good wheat.

The government of 1671 had its troubles about salaries withheld, for we read that Samuel Driscus, the Dutch minister, applied to the Governor and council to have two years' arrears of salary paid; but as he had been sick one year they refused, and paid him only £100, though they recommended that the elders and deacons help him further. Such is the relation of Church to State. In 1672 the fi"rst Friend preached in New York, and the following year the post rider began his trips to and from Boston,' once in three weeks. In July of the same year the Dutch retook the cityi but the next year it was restored to the English. The commander of the fort at the time of the surrender to the Dutch was tried for treachery and had his sword broken over his head, just for a little thing like surrendering to the enemy without firing a shot.

In 1674 Nicholas de Meyer, Mayor, established the first valuation of citizens' holdings and laid the first tax, and from then to this day "kickers" and evaders have flourished. The name of Thomas Lewis, an Irishman, is found in the records for this year. He was one of four who mingled with the Dutch in New-Amsterdam, and was seventeenth in a list of inhabitants recorded in the order of their wealth. He was worth 6,000 florins, and had real estate.

In 1675, with Edmund Andros Governor and William Duvall Mayor, a Court of Sessions was established; no liquors were to be sold to the Indians (for divers reasons), English weights and measures were established, rates were levied for the support of the ministry, and "all persons on Long Island of an estate worth from £20 to ilOO may keep one breeding mare and no more; and so for every £100 one, but as many working geldings as wanted." Magistrates were told to do justice to Indians as well as Christians!

The colonists builded better than they knew in the following: "January 11. — The watch set at 8 o'clock every evening, after ringing of the bell, and the city gates locked at 9, and opened again at daylight. No cursing or swearing permitted. Every citizen to have a musket and powder and ball constantly in readiness. No person allowed to sell or trade unless free burgesses of the city for one year, and they not to depart without giving six months' notice thereof; or, unless such person or persons so departing shall during that time keep fire and candle, pay scot and lot. And every merchant made free shall pay six beavers, and all handicrafts traders two beavers for being made freemen. All persons that keep public houses shall sell beers as well as wyne and other liquors and keep lodging for strangers."

What a chance for the Governor and Mayor in 1675 in the following proposal: "That there be six houses appointed to sell all sorts of wyne and brandy and rum, with lodging, and eight houses to sell beers and syder, mum and rum, and to provide for strangers, to sell brandy, rum, strong waters and tobacco," and the following prices of wines, etc., were established:

French wines Is. 3d. per English quart.

Fayal wines and St. Georges Is. 6d. per English quart.

Madeira wines Is. lOd. per English quart.

Canary and Malaga 2s Od. per English quart.

Brandy 6d. per English gill.

Rum 3d. per English gill.

Cider 4d. per English quart.

Mum 6d. per English quart.

Lodging at the wine houses was fourpence a night, and at the beer houses threepence a night.

From the following regulation passed by the Council in 1675 we trace the present law of property condemnation for the purpose of improving the city: "Ordered, that the land in this city convenient to build on, if the parties who own the same do not speedily build thereon, their land may be valued and sold to those who are willing to build." Streets were to be cleaned every Saturday, or oftener, and cartmen forfeited their licenses if the dirt was not carried away. A public slaughter-house was ordered built outside the gate of the city.

The first auctioneer in the city was Adolphe Peterson, who was ordered to sell four lots, containing 25 feet each in front, English measure, at a vendue or outcry.

In 1676 the first street paving was done. The Heeren Gracht, or Broad street, was filled up and levelled. There were no asphalt companies then. With an eye to protection of home industries, the Governor, in consequence of a representation that wheat was lower in New York than in the neighboring colonies, fixed its price at 5 shillings a bushel for winter yield and 4s. 6d. for summer.

The Council ordered "that it is not lawful to sell liquor to Indians, and if they are found drunk in the street, without knowing at what house they obtained the drink, the whole street is liable to a fine." "Tanners and curriers to be selected by the Aldermen and approved, and no others allowed. No butchers allowed to be curriers or tanners or shoemakers, and vice versa."

In 1677 Stephauus Van Courtlandt became Mayor, and the first tax rate for defraying and discharging city debts, incurred for building docks, bridges, etc., was levied on 384 houses and 40 vacant lots, and at the same meeting the Council queried: "Whether attorneys are thought useful to plead in courts or not?" Answer: "It is thought not." Whereupon, resolved and ordered, "that pleading attorneys be no longer allowed to practice in the government, excepting in the depending cases." This was dated May 19.

Here is something interesting to the people of New Rochelle: When the Huguenots first settled there the only place of worship they had was in New York City. They had taken land on terms which required the utmost exertions of men, women and children to clear. They worked hard till Saturday night, spent the night in trudging down on foot to the city, attended worship twice the next day and walked home the same night, to be ready for work on Monday morning. They wrote to France of the great privileges they enjoyed. There was no Easter parade then, no fine musical attraction — just the worship of God.

Thomas Delaval was Mayor in 1678 and Francis Rombolt in 1679. Forty-eight shillings was received from sixteen persons who were licensed to sell wines. A negro was valued this year at £42 10s.

William Beekman was deputy Mayor until 1681, when the Duke of York's charter was granted, and Governor Dongan arrived in 1682. Through him a charter was granted which has continued to be the basis of New York's rights and privileges. His town residence was on Broadway, the ground extending from Maiden Lane to Ann street. He also had an estate at Castleton, Staten Island. Mr. Stenwick was made Mayor, and the following year the first House of Representatives convened. The first Recorder, James Graham, v/as appointed at the request of the corporation, and took his place on the bench on the right hand of the Mayor. The style was altered to Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen.

On what slender threads hung the hopes and fears of our ancestors in 1683! On March 7 they noted a serious rival in trade on the opposite shores of the Hudson, and the Mayor of the city petitioned the Government and Crown to have East Jersey (which heretofore had been claimed as attached to the colony of New York, but had been separated) "reannexed to this province, as trade and revenue had suffered by the dismemberment, and fears were entertained in consequence that New York would be supplanted by the diversion of trade." At this time New York had the exclusive privilege, by law, of bolting and packing flour and meal, and this was the sole support of at least two-thirds of its citizens, and was complained of by the country people as a grievance. In 1684 New street and Beaver street were ordered to be paved, and the first watch was appointed, consisting of eight persons, at 12 pence a night.

Chapter II. (1684-1694.)

Introduction of the NegTO-Negro Plots-Tobacco Cultivation-Religious

Dissensions— Worship by Jews Not Allowed— Inviters to

Funerals" — Ducking Stool Set Up.

In the chronological history of New York mention is made of the valuation put on a negro in 1679. The old manuscripts in the P^^^^^);;.^;^^^^^^^^^ New York Historical Society show that the negro was introdu ed foity years prior to 1679 by the Privileged Trading Company of Amsterdam. In a re od of a lease in 1638. in the office of the secretary of the colony, of a certain tract of land near Fort Amsterdam, negroes are mentioned. The agreement is made in the names of "The Privileged Trading Company and the 'Honourable, wise and prudent Sir William Kieft, Director General of New Netherlands.- This tract of land was -^^ f^ ^^^^-^^^^f^'bv tobacco as was a part of Pawles Hook, the whole of which was sold by Wliam Kieltto Abram Isaac Planck for £75. and a plantation to Thomas Mall "with the negroes thereon."

ThT blacks lived a peaceable life with the Dutch and English unil 1712 when an insurrection occurred among them, and they set fire to the city: kniing several of the inhabitants. Nineteen of the negroes were exe-

'""''"^The celebrated negro plot of 1741, a full history of which is given un e'thirdat; occuri'ed when there were about -elve the an -habitants in the city, one-sixth of whom were negro slaves. Of this plot a book,

'"'"•tftei^h! lap::'of nearly a century, we look back with astonishment on the panic ocas^oned by the negro plot. To Judge from tradition and the Journal of the proceedings against the conspirators, no doubt can be had o h actual existence of a plot. The very mode adopted to ^^^oj -bettors by mutual criminations and confessions tended m the Progress of tt to inculpate every negro slave in the city. As it was ^^P^ ^^^^^^^;^^;;^,;J^ equally guilty, the ringleaders only were executed, and those who plead guilty and thr;w themselves on the mercy of the court were transported.

Suspic on of a plot among the negroes was first occasioned by frequent alarms of files and robberies. The most famous robbery occurred at the housTof a Mr. Hogg, in Broad street, where linen and -^^^ --' ^^^^"^^ Spanish to the value of £60. were taken. On Wednesday, March 18, 1740. a fi?e broke olt in "his majesty's house, at Fort George. The "tizens asse^ bed promptly and assisted in saving the records and papers - the office of the Secretary of State." The Governor's house and the veneiable Dutch churfh erecTed n 1640. were destroyed. Other fires occurring afterward, a pan cfo lowed an.ong the colonists. Many negroes were arrested and roni the ev dence obtained it appeared that the city was destined to be buined completely and the inhabitants massacred. Fifty-five of those arrested were convicted, and seventy-eight confessed. Thirteen vv^ere burned at the stake at a place then out of town, near the present intersection of Pearl street and Park Row; twenty were hanged, seventy were transported and fifty were discharged.

In 1684 religious dissensions began to agitate the people of the Colony. Governor Dongan and some of the principal officers were Catholics, and had been appointed by the reigning Stuart family in England. It was feared, therefore, that the Protestant religion was in danger. To further increase the fear, a Latin school was opened under the management of a learned Jesuit.

The colonists were not tolerant of the religion of others, however, for the Jews, having petitioned the Governor for liberty to exercise their religion, and their petition being recommended by him to the Mayor and all Aldermen, and read in the Common Council, were told "that noe publique worship is tolerated, by act' of Assembly, but to those that professe faith in Christ, and therefore the Jews worship not to be allowed." While bigotry is less rampant outwardly to-day, there are many visible signs of the objections made by some as to the manner in which others worship. About this time the honest Quakers were not tolerated in Boston.

The first House of Representatives was abolished by James II in 1686, during which year he forbade the use of printing presses. In 1687 the news of the revolution in England and the accession of William and Mary to the throne reached the colonies. On the arrival of the news a militia captain, Leisler, seized the fort, where he acted as Governor, and convened the Assembly. Two years after, on the arrival of Governor Slaughter, Leisler and his secretary, Malborne, were tried and convicted of high treason in not promptly giving up the fort. They were executed, and the proceedings in Leisler's trial were printed in Boston, as there was no printing press in New York.

May 1, 1690, witnesses the first meeting of Commissioners (called a Congress) from the several colonies, preparatory to the establishing of provincial laws, which was done in 1691, when the Duke of York's laws ceased and the first General Assembly convened in New York, composed of seventeen members, selected as follows: City and County of New York, 4; Ulster and Dutchess, 2; Westchester, 1; Richmond, 2; Albany, 2; Suffolk, 2; Kings, 2, and Queens, 2.

In this year an important office was established by the council, that of "inviters to funerals." Richard Chapman and Cornadus Vandor Beeck were the successful candidates for the position, and their profits were to be equal. Amsterdam was the sponsor for this office and its duties. At a funeral the inviter was dressed in black, with a mourning crape on his hat reaching to the ground, and carried a scroll in his hand containing a list of the persons invited. A similar office is performed to-day by the undertaker's assistant, which doubtless is a survival of the old custom. Hogs were not "suffered to goe or range in any of the streets or lands, within the fire wards, under the penalty of the forfeiture of all such swine," etc., and "poysonous and stinking weeds within this city, before every one's door, to be forthwith pluckt up, upon the forfeiture of three shillings for the neglect thereof."

"The poor ye have always with ye." "Ordered that Top-Knot Betty and another person and her children be provided for as objects of charity, and four shillings a week allowed." This was in 1691, and is so in 1909. We find that frequent grants of land were made by the corporation this year for trifling considerations. How true to history 218 years later! One wonders at the following, revealed by the old manuscript records of the council: "That the treasurer let Scarrbouch have a new suit, and assist him in what's wanting."

In 1691 the public authorities sold all the land fronting the water, from Wall street to Maiden Lane, for 25 shillings a foot, and from there to Cliff street for 18 shillings a foot. From Cliff street to Beekman street it was sold for 15 shillings a foot. Water lots were sold at one shilling a foot. On December 8 of this year a piece of ground was granted for the Dutch church in Exchange Place, between Broad and William streets, "175 feet on the north and 180 feet on the south, for 180 current pieces of eight, at six shillings a piece, to be paid upon sealing the patents." The church first built on this spot was erected in 1693. The lot was not to be appropriated to any other use or assigned to any other person.

About this time money was noticeably scarce, as the Recorder, Mr. Graham, was ordered to be paid half of £3 2 10s., which was the amount of the city's indebtedness to him, and the other half as soon as the fire money was received, "reserving in hand what may be sufiicient to supply the poor."

Benjamin Fletcher, the new Governor, arrived from England this year, to succeed Governor Slaughter, and at a meeting of the Common Council it was agreed "that there be a treat made to welcome him to this city, to the value of i20, Alderman William Merritt to provide the same accordingly."

Surveyors were appointed in 1691 to lay out streets and lots, for each of which they were to receive six shillings. Of their work a chronicler of the history of New York says:

"The moderate expectations of the founders of the city as to its future extent and influence, together with the European notions imbibed by them as to the compactness and narrowness of streets, as in the Continental cities, caused that closeness and irregularity in the ancient form and aspect of the city which has devolved on their posterity a full measure of vexation and expense in remedying the mistakes of their ancestors."

As early as 1614 the first street mentioned is Pearl street, which was near the south walls of Fort Amsterdam and under command of its guns. It was so located to protect its inhabitants from the savages. Other streets were soon after formed in the vicinity, with a similar precaution in view. In 1653 the great wall was erocted across the island, and stood until 1699, when the increase of population and the scarcity of building room within it forced its demolition.

This wall was of earth and palisadoes, with two gates (or poorts), the so-called land gate in Broadway, corner of Wall street, and the water gate in Wall street, corner of Pearl street, then close to the water. Outside of the wall were six bouses and one windmill on the highest land, and inside of it were 114 houses.

Some of the streets assumed the winding shape of the eastern shore of the island. Pearl street began at the Battery and fronted on the water, and other streets paralleled it. The cross streets were laid out where the least obstruction of hill or valley presented itself. There were no steam shovels then, and the natives could not cut down and level the entire face of the island, as the builders of a later generation have done. Objection was made, indeed, by the directors of the West India Trading Company, when in 1656 the first plan of the city was sent to Holland, that the width of the streets was unnecessary and that too much space was allotted to gardens and open grounds.

The colonists were preparing for family quarrels in 1691, as it was ordered "that there be a ducking stool built forthwith upon the wharfe before the towne-house" (Coenties Slip, between Pearl and Water streets).

Abram de Peyster became Mayor in 1692, and he recommended that the city make one wharf fronting King street (now Pine street), thirty feet wide, and two other wharfs, twelve feet wide, one on each side of Maiden Slip (?), running to high-water mark. It appears that the tide entered up the street as far as William street. "Spuyten Devil" Creek bridge was built in this year.

July 8, 1693 — "Ordered that the Mayor doe provide a coat of the city livery, with a badge of the city arms, shoes and stockings for the bellman, and charge it to the account of the city." Also, "ordered that the Recorder doe draw up an address to congratulate his excellency on his safe return from Albany." An historian of old New York in 1829, commenting upon this incident, calls attention with evident pride to the fact that methods of transportation had greatly improved in the interval, the trip from Albany requiring but twelve (12) hours, instead of four days as formerly. Further, it was ordered "that the Mayor doe provide a cup of gold to the value of one hundred pounds, to be presented unto his excellency on behalf of this city, as a token of their gratitude." The Mayor bought of Peter Jacob Marius twenty ounces of gold for the cup. at a cost of il06, for which he and others gave their bonds, and desired a fund might be raised to pay the same, and it was ordered that the revenue of the ferry between the city and Brooklyn, "which doth annually arise, be not converted unto any other use whatsoever until the said one hundred and six pounds be paid as above."

John Arsoon, a farmer and the lessee of the ferry mentioned, had complained of his inability to pay the rent (il47) of the ferry, and had it reduced to £140 this year, and in the same old document which notes this startling information is this remark: "Thus nearly a whole year's income from this source was absorbed in this expensive golden cup — the first of the kind ever presented by the corporation."

In 1694 the colonists had "a chiel amang them takin' notes" in the person of William Bradford, printer. Further on a full history will be given of Bradford and his work. "Kid the pirate committed great depredations on the coast about this time."

Lots of ground in Wall street in this year were ordered sold at 30 shillings a foot, and lots nearer the water at 24 shillings a foot. The market house in Broadway was let to Henry Crosby for a farm for £1 a year.

James Graham, the Recorder, was granted in perpetuity a lot in Queen street (Pearl street), "thirty feet in breadth in front and forty-four feet in the rear."

Chapter III. (1694-1700.)

Old New York the Flour City — First Episcopal Place of Worship — First

City Kail — First Hospital — Start of Siiipbuilding Industry —

First Lighting System — Law to "Hang Popish Priests."

The name Flour City was given to old New York primarily, as she produced after 1683 a grade that had preference in all foreign markets. It engaged the services of two-thirds of her population in bolting and packing, and from it she derived a large revenue. Indeed, so steady was the increase in revenue and population from the furtherance of this industry that in 1697, about eighty years after the beginning of the settlement, there were 4,302 inhabitants, and in 1699 there were 6,000. The framers of the law of 1683, by which this monopoly was given to the colony, compelled a rigid system of inspection of all flour made for export, and because of this it maintained its supremacy over the flour of the Old World and enriched its producers. v

** m a petition to the Legislature in 1695, when an attempt was made to repeal the law, the Corporation of New York stated that when the bolting of flour began, in 1678, there were only 384 houses, as against 983 in 1695; that the revenue for the three years after 1678 was £2,000, and in 1687 it had increased to £5,000; that in 1678 there were 3 ships, 7 boats and 8 sloops engaged in the trafl^ic, as against 60 ships, 4 boats and 25 sloops in 1694.

The law, however, had become odious and oppressive to the country people, and their growing influence with the Governor and the Legislature caused its repeal in 1699, but not without a long and strenuous resistance from the city authorities, who were loath to have such a lucrative monopoly taken from them.

In 1696 Trinity Church was built, the Rev. Mr. Vesey holding the first service in it on February 6, 1697. It was originally a small edifice, but was enlarged in 1735 and 1737.