History of the city of New York, 1609-1909, from the earliest discoveries to the Hudson-Fulton celebration

Front matter

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HISTORY

Preface

^^ HE CITY OF NEW YORK has recently celebrated with much 5^ enthusiasm the tercentenary of the discovery of its site by civilized man. Its citizens have been brought into retrospective mood, and not only residents, but many outsiders, have been aroused to a new interest in the story of the birth, growth and present preeminence of New York among- American cities. Therefore, it has been deemed an appropriate time for the production of a history which is neither too voluminous to be available to the average reader, nor so abbreviated as to be inadequate.

It has been the aim, in planning' and writing the present volume, not only to tell a true and interesting story, but also to make the narrative explain and illustrate the factors that have led up to the present greatness of our metropolis; giving its record of crude and misdirected beginnings, of the men and events which have helped or retarded its earlier and later growth, and of the integers and personalities of its present greatly expanded importance and its metropolitan interests.

In the earlier portion of this history there will be found much recorded which relates to the Province of New Netherland at large, rather than to the local happenings of New Amsterdam. At that time the two were, at many points, inseparably connected, and the provincial problems, worked out in the city, controlled its destinies and affected its interests in so many ways, that the story of the province becomes equally that of the city. After the Revolution this closeness of relation greatly diminishes, and State and national questions only impinge upon the civic story to the extent of the participation of the city in them.

Wherever clarity in the narration of historical events involves interpretation of character or motives, the endeavor has been made, in this volume, to be just. Judicial fairness in historical criticism is greatly benefited by perspective, and it is more possible to fairly interpret those events which occurred before our own time than those which, because of nearness, each observer must see from his individual angle. For this reason the events of the city's earlier history are dealt with in a more critical spirit than those of later days, and there has been no endeavor to attempt, in this history, the interpretation of any events so recent as to be in the realm of present controversy. Even as to the events of the city's earlier days, the estimate of motive and character is difficult, because many things which, in the evolution of ethics, we have come to regard as outrageous, were then looked upon with complacency, if not with approval.

HISTORY OF XEU' YORK

A] any books have Ijcen written about the history of New York, but it has Ijeen twenty years since one was published coyering the general history of the city front its beginning" to that date. That pu])lication, The ]\Ieniorial History of the City of New York, in f<:iur large ^'olunles, was ably edited by General James Grant \\'ilson. It is a collection of monographs, by several authors, on the various periods and subjects, and is very valuable to the special student of New York history, but too voluminous for the purposes of the more casual reader. Other older and shorter histories by AI. J. Laml), Alary L. Booth, William L. Stone and others, seem, in our day, when there is so much historical material available w^hich w'as not then accessiljle to these authors, scarcely adequate for those who desire a history which shall combine a fair degree of completeness of historical detail with conciseness of statement. Besides these, there are many volumes relating to phases and periods of the history of the City of New York, of which by far the most valuable, and in fact, the ablest, most exhaustive and most scholarly contribution to the history of the city \vhich has vet been made is the recently published two-volitme History of the City of New York in the Seventeenth Century, l)y Airs. Schuyler van Rensselaer, LL.D.

Every writer dealing with the early history of the City of New York must be indebted to the careful and painstaking work of J. R. Brodhead, E. B. O'Callaghan and B. Fernow in the collection and compilation of the documents relating to the Dutch, Colonial and early State periods, including the ten volumes (and additional index volume) of New York Colonial Documents Procuretl in Holland, England and France by J. R. Brodhead (edited by O'Callaghan), and the other three volumes, edited by B. Fernow; the Documentary History of the State of New York, l)y O'Callaghan. four volumes; and the History of the State of New York, by Brodhead (two volumes). The History of New Nelherland, or New York Under the Dutch, by O'Callaghan, also contains much valuable material.

The story of New York as given in the ]iresent voktme has been prepared after an extensive reading and study of many documents and numerous volumes, including" 1)esides all those mentioned above, scores of others bearing on the city's history. The History of the City of New York, by D. T. X'alentine, has furnished valual)le material, as have the Alanuals, of various dates, by the same author; the Alanual of the Reformed Church in America, by Rev. Dr. Edward T. Corwin, has also proven very useful, as has Historic New- York, edited l)y Goodwin, Royce and Putnam ; New York Old and New, Ijy R. R. Wilson (two volumes) ; Nooks and C(M-ners of Old New York, by Charles Hemstreet; Janvier's In Old New York; Inness' New Amsterdam and Its People; Satterlee's Political History of the Province of New York; also, for the Revolutionary period, John Fiske's History, various lives of Washington, and The Declaration of Independence — Its History, by John EI. Hazelton.

PREFACE

General histories of the United States, by Bancroft, Schouler, McMaster and others ; Rise of the Dutch Repubhc, and innumerable standard reference books have been consulted, as well as a large number of pamphlet monographs, family histories, articles in historical journals, and, for the latest period, the files of New York newspapers. To all of the publications mentioned and to many others less extensively consulted, the respectful acknowledgments of the author of this present volume are due.

Accuracy has been regarded as the first and highest essential of the volume, and wherever the authorities or documents have seemed to l^e in conflict, there has been an earnest endeavor to get at the truth. It is believed that the story of the city, as here narrated, is as dependable as it can be made by careful search and just appraisal of the documents available for the purpose. While condensation has been imperative and much of minute detail which might make interesting reading has been passed by, there has been constant efifort to record, in due proportion, all facts of real historical importance.

It is unfortunately true that there is a great lack of knowledge of the history of the city among its inhabitants. Many of the best educated, who could pass a good examination in the histories of the cities of Rome or Athens, know practically nothing of that of their own city. Some very cultured New Yorkers have been heard to atlmit that the only history of New York they have ever read is that of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker, Esq., of happy memory. Pleasant as that satire is, as a literary recreation, it is to be feared that Irving's narrative is responsible for the more than ignorance w4iich manv New Yorkers have of their city's history, due to misconceptions of the character of the early burghers inspired by his quaint and fanciful story.

"We are citizens of no mean city ;" of one, indeed, the development of which is the greatest marvel of urban growth in recorded history. To contribute in a worthy and illuminating way to the elucidation of the how and why of its evolution is the aim and purpose of the present book.

The portion of the book devoted to the biographies of men identified in the most definite and constructive way with the interests and activities which contribute in the most important degree to the city's material greatness will, it is believed, prove no less interesting than the historical narrative. The names of those whose careers are detailed in that part of the volume have been selected with discriminating care, and are thoroughly representative.

New York is still a growing city, and as the years go by and the news of to-day becomes the historical reminiscence of to-morrow, the printed records grow in value. This volume has aimed to bring the record, in a concise but worthy and dependable form, down to this present date.

John W. Leonard

New York, September 30, igio

Table Of Contents

PAGE

Preface vii

Table of Chxtexts 2

List of Illustrations i J

Errata 15

Chapter I

Early discoveries of Columbus, the Cabots and Americus \'espucius — Letjends of Norse. Irish and Welsh discoveries in pre-Columbian times — A'errazano in Xew York Bay — His letter to Francis I — Estevan Gomez's visit to Sandy Hook — Hudson's discovery, its ]uirpose, its story and its end — His subsequent career and death 17-26

Chapter II

Results of Hudson's discovery — Early Dutch visitors to [Manhattan — Voyages of Christiaensen, Block and others — The Captain Argall m\tli — Fort Nassau founded -up the Hudson — The United New Xetherlantl Company and its charter — -The Indian aborigines, their tribal divisions, homes, habits, government and religion -"-34