Biography of Hon. Fernando Wood

Front matter

mMmmM

BIOGH^I^HY

OF

Chapter I

NATIONAL AND MTNICIPAL GOVERNMENT — PECULIARITIES OP GOVERN- MENT IN THE UNITED STATES — PECULIAR CONDITION AND WANTS OF NEW- YORK CITY.

Ever since men stood in need of a government, they have disputed as to what was the best form and principle for it. Monarchy, absolute and limited, hereditary and elective ; Empire ; Aristocracy ; Kepresentative Eepublicanism; and Absolute Democracy, have all been tried — ^all had their merits and their difficulties ; all produced loyalists and malcontents ; all have been overthrown and reestabhshed ; all have their opponents and their votaries ; and each will have its respective enemies and defenders while this earth of ours shall exist.

"We, the people of the United States, have decided that the best government for us is Kepresentative Eepublicanism.

Every country has national or general and municipal or city government ; and in no country in the world are these two so distinct. ISTay, we add even a third kind, State government, which is independent, and bears no resemblance to European provincial government. With this last, however, we have at present nothing to do. Our

12 BIOGRAPHY OF FERNANDO ^YOOD.

national government is limited in its powers to tlie great general rule of the nineteen or twenty millions, wlio form the population of the States — ^to that and only that which concerns Maine and Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Oregon alike. But municipal governments apply particularly and individually, deal with you and with me personally, as private citizens, as householders, as professional men. There is no centralization — ^no capital of the land, in the European sense. Paris is France; Berlin is Prussia; Yienna is Austria; the judiciary, the bar, the pohce, the military, the license-laws, all issue from the capital, and pass through the entire realm ; but Washington has none of these powers out of the boundaries of the small District of Columbia. That city is not the United States in this sense ; for, with few exceptions, each State is an independent sovereignty ; and even cities are sometimes independent of the States in matters of pohce and finance, although that may be changed by alteration of charter.

See, then, how widely distinct are our national and municijoal governments, and it is well so. This republicanism, with the powers of its representatives so limited, is found the most admirable general system for the nation ; but when you take into consideration the fabulous extent of territory, the extraordinary diversity of interests, the singular composition of the populace, Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Norse, Teutonic, Gallic, etc., you will see how utterly impossible a thing it is for a central, unique capital to rule it intimately and well.

Municipal government requires a certain local, independent power, so that its action may be instant, and its

NATIONAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVEENMENT. 13

aathoritj in particular points almost irresponsible, inasmucli as none can see its necessities and its difficulties except those who live daily and hourly exposed to them.

No man but a New-Yorker can imagine the difficulty of governing this city. He can not guess at it. Its population of nearly three quarters of a million occupies an area of twenty-two square miles, and is infinitely various in character, language, and ideas. Properlycalled New-Yorkers — that is, natives of two or three descents — are almost extinct; their -number would scarcely reach a dozen of thousands. Of the old Dutch and English families very few remain ; the immigration from the Eastern States alone would out-number them ; and the overwhelming influx of Europeans of late years, while it has caused the unprecedented growth of the city, has helped still more to divide and subdivide the classes of inhabitants. There are thousands of Spaniards, and Frenchmen, and Italians ; there are hundreds of thousands of Irish and Germans ; there are quarters in the city populated by eighteen or twenty thousand souls, who speak no English ; the Saxon, Celt, Teuton, and Gaul are heaped together in the mighty town. And all these have different ideas of government, of the meaning of the word " liberty;" have different rules of action, different manners of thinking, different habits of life.

They have national and natm*al antipathies for each other ; each race is jealous of the advance to power of the others ; each believes the other ambitious of influence and capable of abusing that influence to the detri-

14 BIOGKAPHY OF FEHXANDU WOOD.

nient of all not belonging to itself. Again, New- York is the basket at tlie liospital-gate for European foundlings. WiM, rough, ignorant of the language, customs, and requirements of the citj, they are set upon our wharves by thousands to linger listlessly about the boarding-houses and emigration-offices ; or to walk the streets with gaunt eyes wondering at the din and bustle, or with pale faces and outstretched hands sohciting charity from the stranger, upon whose pity they have wandered here to throw themselves.

Kow, how to govern so huge, so densely packed a mass; how to unite or at least keep harmonio^is, so many, so powerful discordant elements ; how to reconcile their antipathies, subdue their jealousies ; how to manage the newly-landed hordes of poor; how to please all, or at least to keep all quiet— these present a complicated problem, the solution of which requires a wise man. Where such a diversity of thought, language, rule of action, habit of judgment, predisposition, and effect of education exist, there is no such thing as one pubhc mind; v/here there is not one^ a single pubhc mind, it is almost impossible that the decrees or wishes of the government can be generally understood or made acceptable. Therefore, in order well to rule such a city, the government must have power commensurate with its necessities. If one State go wrong there are the other thirty to bring it back, because the nation has a common pubhc mind. But there being no such thing in New- York, city government becomes more difficult and requires more precise, more unquestionable power.

Men in huo-e cities are careless about the ordinary

NATIONAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 15

events that occur daily in tlieir midst ; commercial New- York, so busy, so headlong, has no time to give to the study of its own indi\TLdual peculiarities. Our citizens are satisfied with a general knowledge of what the nation is doing and wanting, without troubling their heads about what is going on next door, or at the end of the block, or in the quarter where they do not reside. If they happen to see a man knocked down and robbed, they say: ''Ah! what are our governors about? there is a screw loose somewhere." They explain the matter philosophically to their wives, and at 12 M. next day, they have forgotten it.

They have also the national defiance of intrusting their rulers at "Washington, the President and the Congress, with power ; they have the same fear of intrusting their municipal rulers with power. Because they do not see the precise condition of the populace here, the absolute need of additional, positive authority ; because they do not reflect that no other such city, no city with such peculiarities, difficulties, and necessities exists here, or, indeed, upon the face of the whole earth.

Because of this lack of observation and reflection,. a demand for more power would probably be unpopular. Therefore it is a brave thing to demand it, and patiently to set to work to prove that it is needed. The man who demands it is brave ; the man who obtains it is capable^ and if capable, a fit ruler for you and for me.

To write the life and career of such an one is an honorable task for the man of letters ; is a good deed done for the people.

Chapter II

HENRY -WOOD, THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY — HELIGIOUS PERSECUTION' IN NEW-ENGLAND — FLIGHT FROM NEWPORT AND SETTLEMENT ON THE DELAWARE.

The history of this country's original settlement is the history of religious persecution. The Puritans, selfexiled for conscience' sake to New-England, were more fiercely and implacably intolerant than their Episcopalian foes in England had been. Eoger Williams, the Baptist, was driven to and colonized Providence, Ehode- Island; and Henry Wood, a Quaker, who had emigrated from Wales about 1650, was further compelled to leave Massachusetts, to save life and property.

He, the first of the family in America, was born in 1616 ; but the stern period of the Protectorate rendered a stay in his native country impossible. He fled to New- England, but only to discover that the Puritans in their new home were more bitterly severe than in the old land of their nativity. Their only idea of religious liberty was that others were free to believe their sour dogmas, and no other thing. They were particularly violent against the Quaker. The Blue-Laws forbade him food or lodging, and the laws of the Plymouth Colony were still more severe. In one case the court decided, "that

THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY. 17

in case any shall bring in any Quaker, Eantor, or other notorious lieretique, either by lande or water, into any parte of this government," he shall be condemned to pay twenty-five shillings a week penalty, or take the said "heretique" away.

October 6, 1657, however, witnessed the passing of the crowning glory of Pilgrim-paternal legislation : "As an addition to the late order in reference to the coming or bringing in of the cursed sect of Quakers into this jurisdiction, it is ordered, that whosoever shall henceforth bring or cause to be brought, directly or indirectly, any known Quaker or Quakers, or other blasphemous heretiques, into this jurisdiction, every such person shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds to the country, and shall by warrant from any magistrate, be committed to prison, there to remain until the penalty be satisfied and paid. And if any person or persons within this jurisdiction shall henceforth entertain or concealany such Quaker or Quakers, or other blasphemous heretiques, knowing them to be so, every such person shall forfeit to the country forty shillings for such entertainment of any Quaker or Quakers, as aforesaid, and shall be committed to prison, as aforesaid, until the forfeiture be fully satisfied and paid : and it is further ordered, that if any Quaker or Quakers shall presume, after they have once suffered what the law requireth, to come into this jurisdiction, every such male Quaker shall for his first offense have one of his ears cut off, and be kept at work att the house of correction until he can be sent away att his own charge: and for the second offense, he shall have the other ear cut off, and be kept at the house of correction as aforesaid. And every woman Quaker that hath suffered the law here, and hath presumed to come into this jurisdiction, shall be severely whipt and kept at the house of correction until, etc. And for every Quaker, he or she, that shall a third time herein again offend, they shall have their tongues bored through with a hot iron and be kept, etc."

Where such laws were in fashion, it is not at all astonishing that ship-builder Henry Wood, an energetic man, should soon find himself in collision mth the anthorities, and find that his only safety lay in flight. He took a sloop which he o-\vned, perhaps which he had builded, put his wife, his sons — clever, well-grown boys — and his other valuables, aboard, or at least such as he could lay hands on at short notice, and so put forth fi:'om intolerant New-England. By way of help on the voyage, he took with him a very limited general knowledge of navigation, a fine, persistent will, some trust in God, and a wife who helped him navigate and stood her watch at the wheel or tiller like a staunch sailor.

This brave Quaker, Henry Wood, steered south-west, probably because pleasant winds came from that direction, and he fancied that sweet winds come from pleasant places. Anyhow, he steered south-westwardly, and by the blessing of Heaven, he made Cape May one morning. He did not know where he was precisely ; but as there was rather a nice inlet and a fine bay, he put his helm up, and ran with such breeze as he could get, up the Delaware Eiver, Forests and plains, sunny slopes of upland, pleasant valleys, and a hill or so, he doubtless saw : but for the first thirty miles, nothing that looked

THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY. 19

like hmnanity, far less like civilized liumaiiity. But, so mucli of tlie voyage accomplished, lie came upon certain huts, built there in 1643 by adventurous Swedes, and now in 1855 called hj us moderns Newcastle.

The Swedes had been in the neighborhood since 1637, purchasing at that time from the Indians the whole district of country up the Delaware from the Capes to Trenton, some thirty miles or so above the present site of Philadelphia. They called these lands New-Sweden. It was from these settlers that Penn bought the site of Philadelphia and of other portions of the country. The seller's name was Sven, which was corrupted into Swan ; and Sven's seener, or the sons of Sven, have their name still commemorated by Swanson street in Southwark.

This Swedish settlement was, in 1655, conquered by our own doughty Petrus Stuyvesant, hard koepig Piet, who, with many voluminously-breeched Dutchmen, and with his brave trumpeter Anthony doubtless, came valiantly up the Delaware, and did then and there manfully set upon and conquer those pestilent Swedes. After which important event, the colony became Dutch in ownership and government, but remained purely Swedish in populace. They were good people, these Swedes, kmd and just to the Indians, and therefore trusted and beloved by those red people, mth whom they lived in friendship and mutual kind feeling, when our adventurer sailed up the Delaware.

But Swedes are not Quakers, and his late experiences had induced him to prefer communication with the members of that sect rather than with any other people. So he would not stop, nor hold communication with those blonde-liaired men, nor let them come aboard, but drove right on nntil his eje fell upon a spot where he fancied he might live in peace, although such peace might include considerable isolation.

I don't know that he beached the sloop, but I rather fancy he did; and then, like ISToah, he and his wife and his sons came out of their ark, and went bravely up into the forest, to make for themselves what manner of home their own stout hearts and arms could a,ccomplish. Sharp axes and some physical strength were needed in those rough days of America, when thirty miles up the Delaware was backwoods, and we presume that Henry Wood was provided with both; for the kingly trees were felled, a clearing made, a cabin built, as nicely as could be managed at the time, and Henry and his wife and boys entered therein and dwelt there.

Doubtless there were seeds of maize, and wheat, and oats among the sloop's stores, which he and the boys planted as best they might. At least he and they might live there and preach, if it pleased them, without having their "tongues bored through with a hot iron." Eelatively speaking, even this cabin in the forest was a change for the better. When the smoke came out of the chimneys or the crannies in the logs, as the case may have been, it rose up and floated over lands which he just now some five nules above Camden ; that is, opposite to the pleasant though rectangular city of Philadelphia.

His Majesty James Stuart., Seventh of Scotland, and Second of England, was the kind friend and generous protector of the peaceful though much-persecuted

THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY. 21

Quakers. Shortly after Ms accession to tlie tlirone, more than four hundred of those religionists were released from prison at one time. William Penn was the personal and famihar friend of the king, passed much of his time at court, and was supposed to have more influence than any other person there. It was in payment of an old debt due from the crown, that the grant of the American province was made to him ; and when, in the year of our Lord sixteen hundred and eighty -three, he came with his colonists to found Philadelphia, he was met by Henry "Wood, who had lived alone in the forest there on the banks of the Delaware, with his stouthearted wife and sons, his broad-brimmed principles, and his absolute determination to keep his conscience free.

"Wood was the first white man to mount the quarterdeck of the owner and lord of Pennsylvania ; and it is said, that when he saw his brethren in the faith, he, like the patriarch of old, lifted up his voice and wept for joy that his twenty-seven years of isolation were at an end.

He had settled, as we have seen, in the vicinity of Camden ; indeed his tract comprehended the site of that city ; settling first, as men did in those days, without troubling himself about the ownership of the place, but afterwards, like a just man, purchasing fairly from the Indians the huge property. The savage caUed the eastern lands of the Delaware, where now are the counties of Burlington^ Gloucester, and Camden, Arwowmosse, and hereabout Wood added to his vast, estate, by purchase from one Samuel Cole, several hundred acres more of lands. Tlie deed is old and quaint, and it may gratify some readers' curiosity to see liow conveyancing was accomplislied in those primitive times of America.

THE DEED.

This Indenture made the fifth day of September in the yeare of our Lord according to English Accompt, one Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Two Betweeue Samuell Cole of Arwawmosse in the Province of "West Jersey, Yeoman and Elizabeth his Wife of the One part, and Henry Wood now or late of Newport upon Road Island in new England Carpenter of the other part Witnesseth, that the said Samuell Cole for & in consideration of the Sura of fifty three pounds of Current money (that is to say) flfteene pounds (part thereof) of lawful English money and Thirty and eight pounds (the remainder thereof) of Currant Boston money of new England to him the said Samuell Cole in hand paid & secured to bee paid by the said Henry Wood at or before the sealeing and delivery of these p'sents the receipt whereof Hee the said Samuell Cole doth hereby acknowledge and thereof and of every part and parcell thereoff doth acquit Exonorate Deliver and Discharge the said Henry Wood his heires Executors & Administrator's and every of them for ever by these p^sents. And the rather for that it stands with the good will & knowing of the said Elizabeth the wife of the said Samuell and by her consent and appointm't certifyed by her being a party to these p^sents and putting her hand and seale hereunto. Hath Granted Bargained and Sold Assigned Enfeoffed Released and Confirmed. And by the these p'-sents doth fully, clearly and absolutely Grant Bargain & sell Assign Enfeoffe Release and Confirm unto the said Henry Wood his Heires and Assignes for ever (in his Actual possession now being by virtue of a Bargaine & Sale for one whole yeare to him thereof made by Indenture hereupon endorsed bearing date the day before the date of these p'-sents and of the Statute for transferring uses in possession) one twentieth p'-te (in Twenty prts divided or to be divided) of that Propriety or tract of Land in West new Jersey aforesaid purchased by him the said Samuell Cole, and Benjamin Bartlett of Wil-

THE FOUNDEK OF THE FAMILY. 23

Ham Pcnu, Gawen Lawey Nicholas Lucas and Edward Billings by Indenture of Lease and Release beareiug date the first & second days of March in the yeare of our Lord 1G76. And alsoe all that the Dwelling House or Tenement of him the said Samuell Cole situate standing or being at Arwawmosse aforesaid wherein hee the said Samuell Cole now inhabitteth, with all and singular the outhousing and appurtenances thereunto belonging. And also one hundred Acres of Land now being the plantation of him the said Samuell Cole whereon the said dwelling house stands with all and every the foulds yards backsides orchards gardens floures walls wayes waters & pitts commodities & improvements to the said one hundred Acres or Plantation belonging or appertaining with all and every the mines minerals woods fishings hawkiugs huntings & fowlings and all other pitts and commodities Hereditam** and Appurtances to the said Granted premises or any prte or drcll thereoff belonging or appertaining (except & reserved foth of this Grant unto the said Samuell Cole his Heires & Assigns for ever one ' Cow House belonging to the said Dwelling House) And all the Estate Right Tytle Interest and possession property clayme and demand whatsoever of him the said Samuell Cole or Elizabeth his Wife or either of them of, in or unto the same or any prte or prcU thereof. And the Reversion & Reversions Remainder or Remainders of the same. ,And all deeds evidences and. writings concerning the said Granted pi-misses onely or onely any pte or prcll thereof and true coppies of such other deeds evidences and writings as are in the Custody or possession of the said Samuell Cole which concerne the said Granted premises joyntly with other lands, such said copies to bee made out and written at the pper costs and charges of the said Henry Wood his heires or assigns To have and to hold the said granted premises or herein and hereby mentioned or intended to bee granted bacgained or sold with their or every of their Appurtenances (except before excepted) unto the said Henry Wood his heires and assigns for ever to the only proper use and behoof of him the said Henry Wood his heires and assigns for evermore.

And the saide Samuell Cole, for himselfe his heires, executors and Admtrs. do covenant devise and grant to and with the said Henry Wood, his heires and assignes by the s* presents and it shall and may bee lawful to and for the said Henry Wood hisheires and assignes for ever hereafter peaceably and quietly to have, hold, use occupie possesse and enjoy the said granted premises and every pts and prcis, thereof with theire appurtn", without any law let suits trouble dangers, eviction, ejection or disturbance of him the said Samuel Cole and Elizabeth his wife or either of them their or either of their heires or assignes or of any other psous, their assignes or any other prsons lawfully clayming or to to be claymed in, by, from, or under them or either or any of them, freed, discharged of and from all other estates tytles, dower, tytle of dower troubles charges, burthens, and incumbrances whatsoever had made, done, committed or suffered or hereafter to be had made, done, committed suffered or * * ^ * * by the said Samuel Cole and Elizabeth his wife or either of thera their or either of their heirs or assignes, or by any other pson or psons clayming or to be claymed by — * * * [Here follows a line illegible because of the dilapidations of this quaint old deed] forth of the said granted premises unto James Duke of Yorke his heires and assignes excepted and foreprized^ and further that the said Samuel Cole and Elizabeth his wife and their heires shall and will, at the request, cost and charges of the said Henry Wood, his heires executors and assignes at all or any tyme or tymes, dureing the terme and space of seven yeares next ensueing the date hereof, make, doe, execute and suffer or cause to be made done executed and sufftyed, all or any such other acte or acts, thing or things conveyance or assurance or by the same Henry AVood, his heirs or assignes shall be reasonably and lawfully required for the further better and more perfecte conveying and assuring the said granted premises and every prt and prcl of the said premises unto the said Henry Wood his heires and assignes forever according to the purport, true intent and meaning of these prsts, soe as that for the doeing and executing thereof, the said prties, who shall bee required to make such further assurance bee not bee compelled or compellable to travel further than the space of twelve miles from his or their place of aboad at the tyme of such request to be made and soe as such further conveyance or assurance containe noe further or larger warrantee than as aforesaide.

In Witness whereof the said prties to these prsnts ; interchangeably have sette theire hands and seales, the day and yeares above written 1682.

THE FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY. 25

Here follows the confiiTaation of the above deed by Wm. Penn or others associated with him in the commission which contained his grant of Pennsylvania.

Tins IxDEXTuuE made the fowreth, 4tb, day of September iu the yeare off our Lord according to English accompts one thousand six hundred and eighty and two, betweeue Samuel Cole of Arwawmosse in the province of West Jersey Yeoman of the one pte and Ileury Wood now or late of Newport, Road Island in New England, Carpenter of the other part Witnesseth, that the said Samuel Cole for and in consideration of Five shillings of Currant English money to him in hand by the said Henry Wood at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents whereof and wherewith hee the said Samuel Cole doth hereby acknowledge himselfe fully satisfyed contented and paid hath devised granted bargained and sold And by these psnts doth demise grant bargain and sell unto the said Henry Wood his Exrs Admtrs and assignes one twentieth pt (in twenty pts divided or to be divided) of that portion or tract of land in West New Jersey aforesaid purchased by the said Samuel Cole & Benjamin Bartlett of William Penn Gawen Lowrey and Nicholas Lucas and Edwarrd Billings by indenture of lease and release bearing date the first and second dayes of March in the year of o' Lord 1676 and alsoe all that the dwelling house or tenem* of him the said Samnel Cole situate standing or being at Arwawmosse aforesaid wherein hee the said Samuell inhabitteth with all and singular the outhouses and appurtenances thereunto belonging and also one hundred acres of land more being the plantation of him the said Samuell Cole whereon the said dwelling house stands with all and every the ffoulds yards backsides orchards gardens flowers walls ways waters prfitts commodities improvements to the said one hundred acres or plantation belonging or appertayning with all and erery the mines mineralls woods ffishing hawkings huntings and ffowlings and all other prfitts commodities hereditam** and appurtenances to the said granted p'misses or any pt or prcell thereof belonging or appertayning except reserved forth of this devise grant unto the said Samuell Cole his heires and assignes forever one cowhouse belonging to the said dwelling house to have and to hold 2 the said devised and granted p''misses and every p' and p'cell thereof with their and every of their appurtenances (except before excepted) unto the said Henry Wood his Exrs Admrs and assignes from the day before the date hereof for and during one whole yeare from thence next ensuing fully to be compleat and ended to the intent that by vertue of these p'"sents and for the statute for transferring uses into possession he the said Henry "Wood may be actuall possessor of the eaid p^^misses and may be enabled to accept and take a grant of the revision of the p''misses to the uses thereof to be declared.

In Witnesse whereof the said prties to these p'sent Indentures Interchangeably hav sett their hands and scales the day and yeare first above written 1682.

Tlie above deed and confirmation appear to have been duly acknowledged before Elias Farr and James Dev enport in tlie presence of Samuel Lorings, Eobert "Wade, Thos. KeveU.

Endorsed on tlie Parcliment appears as follows :

"Entered into the Records of the Province above sd in the 6Q & 67 pages of book B. by me Tho Revell, Record'.

Also:

" Granted that a warrant to Henry Wood for ye survey of sd second of the within Granted premises be issued promptly

per me. John Redding.