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 THE EVOLUTION OP 
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 BLEECKER TO TENTH STREET 
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THE EVOLUTION 
 
 -OF- 
 
 Stuyvesant Village. 
 
 (NEW YORK CITY) 
 
 Tenth to Bleecker Streets, Broadway to Second Avenue 
 and around there, 
 
 ■BY- 
 
 A. A. RIKEMAN 
 
 MAMARONECK 
 I8 99 
 
0;- 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 CURTIS G. PECK 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 On April 6, 1609 Hendrick Hudson, in command of the 
 Halve Maen or Half Moon, was sent from Holland by the 
 Dutch East India Company to attempt the discovery of the 
 North west passage. He coasted along this country until he 
 came in sight of the Highlands of Naversink and then entering 
 what is now called New York bay, sailed up the North river; 
 returning he stopped at Manhattan island. 
 
 Hudson deemed the island and its environments to be "a 
 good land to fall in with and pleasant to see - " He thought it 
 would be more advantageous to the Company to trade with the 
 Indians than to search for the Northwest passage; the rich pelt- 
 ries in possession of the natives were positives certainties, while 
 the Northwest passage if ever discovered was of doubtful utility ; 
 so he decided to secure the valuable furs in exchange for 
 knives, trinkets &c, and thus escape Custom houses and duties. 
 The Holland merchants were not slow to see and avail them- 
 selves of the unrivaled advantages of the situation, but the 
 charter of the Dutch East India Co., founded in 1602, did not 
 allow them to trade outside of certain limits. 
 
 Accordingly a number of merchants organized the Dutch 
 West India Co., for the express purpose of trading in the New 
 World. Thus was laid the foundation of the commercial in- 
 terests of the United States; from the first arrival of the Dutch, 
 Manhattan island has been because of its advantageous position 
 a commercial center. Hearing of the beautiful land and its 
 prospects, other Hollanders formed a colony and joined Hud- 
 
 -3 
 
son's party, and in 162 1 received a charter from the Dutch 
 West India Co. 
 
 These were desirable people, quite different in character 
 from the rough and lawless adventurers that largely composed 
 the earlier settlers in many of the Colonies. 
 
 The locality thus settled by the Dutch remained in their 
 possession just fifty years, and included the present states 
 of New York, New Jersey and Delaware, extending up 
 Long Island Sound as far as the present town of Greenwich. 
 
 At this time Holland was the richest commercial nation in 
 the world, she was a power in the European States System, 
 and her alliance was eagerly courted; a thousand vessels were 
 annually built in her docks. All this prosperity excited the 
 jealousy of the English and the relations between England and 
 Holland were far from amiciable, both nations were striving 
 for the commercial leadership of the globe. 
 
 Holland maintained the national policy of unlimited tolera- 
 tion and therefore in that period of religious disturbance settlers 
 came from all parts of Europe; this was especially the case 
 with the Separatists who came from England and located in 
 Leyden where they remained 12 years, during their stay in 
 Holland they learned a great deal that was of practical use to 
 them, among other things they saw the Hollandese make 
 oliekocks, and from these come the doughnut commonly sup- 
 posed to have originated with the Pilgrims, but really a copy 
 in a remote degree of a good old Holland recepie; hearing of 
 the delightful Nieu Netherlands the 1'uritaiis decided to make 
 Nietl Amsterdam their permanent home, they accordingly 
 embarked for that port, but a merciful Providence had planned 
 
otherwise, and they landed on the Massachusetts coast. Thus 
 the Dutch not only settled the Middle states; but made it possi- 
 ble for the Pilgrims to settle the Eastern states. 
 
 In 1660 England enacted a series of navigation laws intended 
 to cripple the foreign trade of the Dutch; naturally the discord 
 between the two countries extended to their colonies, the Nieu 
 Netherlands were especially disturbed, and a distrust for Eng- 
 land was thus formed by the Knickerbockers that continued at 
 least until the middle of the present century. 
 
 The Hollanders brought to this country the thrift, decision 
 of character, love of religious and political liberty, hospitality, 
 and genial generosity that distinguished their nationality; and 
 the development of these noble traits has made New York un- 
 like any other city on this continent, in no city, the South not 
 excepted, is there found the same broad, cosmopolitan character, 
 unbounded hospitality, and respect for the rights of others. In 
 short no nation has influenced the United States like the Dutch, 
 and although the lapse of time has brought about many changes 
 that influence is still felt, and to have in ones possession an 
 article of furniture, pottery, or jewelry that has come down 
 by inheritance from Hollandese ancestors is a source of great 
 pride to the owner. 
 
 The tune familiarly known to us as "Yankee Doodle" was 
 sung in Stuyvesant Village from its incipiency, having been 
 brought from Holland; the words being decidedly national the 
 last line of which was — 
 
 "Buttermilk and tanther." 
 
 The word tanther is supposed to have reference to their 
 custom of giving one-tenth of their income for religious purposes. 
 
STUYVESANT VILLAGE BEFORE THE 
 AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 
 
 During the persecution of Protestants in Holland, (1568-1609) 
 and sometime after, many refugees came to the New World, 
 and some, traversing Manhattan Island for the purpose of find- 
 ing a suitable place to locate, were attracted to the spot after- 
 wards known as Stuyvesant village;* this was one of the most 
 beautiful portions of the Island, the ground was somewhat 
 undulating and well wooded, while a lovely little pond added 
 to the attractions, and reminded them of the dear home land; 
 north of the pond were a succession of rocky hills made 
 picturesque by a marvelous growth of trees and vines interspers- 
 ed with rivulets and waterfalls; the drinking water was 
 excellent, being an exception to other parts of the Island. 
 Altogether this was almost an idealic location. 
 
 Thus was founded a portion of Manhattan Island that was 
 destined to exert a powerful influence over the Country at large. 
 
 Many of the refugees brought choice trees with them from 
 Holland, and immediately on locating their homes planted the 
 trees, and thus the natural beauties of the spot were enhanced; 
 these little trees were attended with great care, and flourished 
 accordingly. Houses were built of rough stone of which there 
 was an abundance in the neighborhood; and here the refugees 
 hoped to enjoy the civil and religious freedom that was dearer 
 
 * The writer's people were represented here from the persecution of 
 Protestants in Holland, until 1872, a period of over 250 years. 
 
to their hearts than all else; the watchword was "Education 
 and Religion." Unlike many of the early settlers they 
 thought of trade only as a means to obtain a livelihood; many 
 of them had escaped from Holland with but little of this world's 
 gear, but with all the enterprise, industry, patriotism and ad- 
 herence to principle, that characterized their nationality, and 
 their energies were consecrated to a higher and nobler life. 
 
 Soon a Dutch village, with windmills and other characteris- 
 tics of the home-land, was in full operation, and the people 
 looked forward to a quiet happy life. They were still wards of 
 the Dutch West India Company, who had done a thriving 
 business in the New World; the Company had sent out several 
 Governors, with different degrees of excellance; their last and 
 best Governor was Petrus Stuyvesant who arrived at Manhat- 
 tan Island on the nth of May 1647. The whole city received 
 him with great joy, the people thought they saw in him a de- 
 liverer from the petty tyrany of former rulers; in response 
 Stuyvesant assured them that he would govern them, as a 
 father governs his children. Stuyvesant had lost a leg in a 
 skirmish on the Portuguese settlement at St. Martins, but had 
 replaced the member with a wooden one, with a silver 
 band, which caused some people to think he had a silver limb: 
 tor a time the Director lived in the Stad Huis, located on what 
 is known as Nos. 4 and (> Pearl St., — northwest coroner of 
 Pearl and State -Streets. 
 
 Meanwhile Stuyvesant bad bought a large tract of land, for 
 6400 guilders extending in some places from Broadway to the 
 East river, and from 5th to 17th Streets, the boundary on the 
 
west side being irregular, and built a commodious stone house 
 near the present corner of jth St., and Second Avenue. This 
 house was destroyed by fire in 1777. An old lady who passed 
 away in 1S95 recollected seeing in her childhood the founda- 
 tion. There were a great many small stone houses surround- 
 ing the mansion for the accomodation of the servants of whom 
 there were great numbers both black and white; these people 
 under Stuyvesant's directions laid out the grounds with great 
 care, as far as possible enhancing the natural beauties of 
 the locality. Here when the cares of government permitted. 
 the Director and his family resided, the place was known as 
 Stuyvesant bouwerij or farm and the road leading from the 
 City to the farms in this vicinity was called bouwerij or farm 
 lane. There was quite a community here, and Stuyvesant was 
 pleased to have as neighbors an intelligent, religious people, and 
 gave them all possible encouragement. The Director built a 
 stone church on his own ground and at his own expense; the 
 lawn surrounding the Church sloped to a pretty little pond, 
 which expanded its shining waters where Third Avenue now 
 is, extending to the Bible House. 
 
 Dominie Selwyns had the pastoral care of the first church 
 in Breuckelean (Brooklyn) but the people had no church edi- 
 fice and the membership was small and unable to pay the 
 Dominie's salary; the Governor knowing of their embarrass- 
 ment offered to advance what would now be equal to $100 per 
 annum toward their expenses provided Dominie Selwyns 
 would preach in the bouwerij church on Sunday afternoons; 
 these services were continued regularly during the remainder 
 of the Director's life. Previous to this arrangement with the 
 
Breuckelean pastor there was no regular preaching in the vil- 
 lage, the people worshiped in the Fort which stood where the 
 Bowling Green now is. Dominie Selwyns married the widow 
 of Cornelius Steenwyck a thoroughbred Netherlander and 
 mayor of Nieu Amsterdam in 1668-69-70-82 and 83. 
 
 The Director was a man who respected his own opinions. 
 Bancroft calls him "the brave and honest Stuyvesant." Yet 
 still he can hardly be called a typical Dutchman. A decided 
 Calvanist, and inclined to look with severity upon dissenters, 
 he was as a rule very liberal, although sometimes seized with a 
 fit of religious dyspepsia, when the West India Company found 
 it necessary to nip the intolerance of this same Pieter in the 
 bud, they wished him to carry out the generous, liberal spirit 
 of the true Hollandese, as may be seen in their directions to 
 the Governor. "Let every man remain free, as long as he is 
 modest, moderate, his political conduct irreproachable, and so 
 long as he does not offend others, or oppose the government." 
 And thus Nieu Netherland was a refuge for all religious per- 
 suasions. This was a persecuting age and Stuyvesant was 
 only trying to keep up with trie times, but the Dutch West 
 India Company was far in advance of the period. 
 
 However, in the Directors own neighborhood there was 
 none of this objectionable spirit manifested, possibly because 
 there was nothing to call out such peculiar manifestations, as 
 the people were of similar belief. 
 
 The Governor visited Holland in 1650 and on his return 
 brought a remarkably fine pear tree, and planted it in a large 
 orchard of this fruit, when the streets were opened this tree 
 fortunately came just on the corner of 13th St., and Third 
 
Avenue and therefore was not cut clown. 
 
 Many of the people had an exalted opinion of Stuyvesant's in- 
 dependent-mind and vigorous intellect, but the majority of them, 
 even his immediate neighbors were not altogether pleased with 
 his methods; they wanted a representative government, and 
 the Director was opposed to this, thinking himself quite suffi- 
 cient to lead in political matters; this gained for him the sob- 
 riquet of "Hard Headed Piete." this appellation pleased Stuyve- 
 sant, indeed, he fairly gloried in the title, for in his estimation 
 it proved him to be a man of nerve and decision, and no 
 weakling. 
 
 The Swedes had planted a colony on the Delaware which 
 Stuyvesant considered an invasion of Dutch territory; in 1655 
 the Director sent his trumpeter Anthony Van Corlier to sum- 
 mon the stalwart Nieu Netherlander to join in the suppression 
 of the invaders; nothing could have pleased Van Corlier more 
 than this commission; so taking his trumpet and sounding sev- 
 eral blasts to announce his departure, he started off one line 
 morning and in a few days raised an army of 600, all mighty 
 men of valor, and marched, or perhaps waddled, down to the 
 lower end of Nieu Amsterdam, amid a great show of valor and 
 waving of flags* — they embarked on the vessels awaiting 
 them t and sailing up the Delaware subjected the Swedes; 
 
 * The colonial flair of Nieu Amsterdam (substantially the present arms of New- 
 York City) was carried by armed vessels sailing out of port — a beaver being the 
 principal figure, indicative both of the industry of the Dutch people and the 
 wealth of the fur trade. 
 
 t Washington Irving says that in the expedition were the "Van Bunschotens, 
 Ryckmans, Dyckmans, Brinkerhoffs, Schemerhorns, Van Cortlandts, Van 
 Corlears" and doubtless there were the Van Wycks, Van Arsdales, Van Dyrks^ 
 Van Taenhovens and the Boscouwens. 
 
New- Sweden was heard of no more, but the people were se- 
 cured in their individual rights. 
 
 While the Director was absent from Nieu Amsterdam a 
 messenger came to him in great haste with the information that 
 the people even the Stuyvesant villagers were becoming insub- 
 ordinate, questioning his authority, and speculating the advis- 
 ability of ousting him from office and taking political matters 
 in their own hands, and then and there, establish the complete 
 religious and political freedom for which their fathers had 
 fought and suffered, and that in Holland was their dearest right. 
 The Governor thereupon sent nis staff by the hand of a 
 trusty follower with the command to lay the staff across the 
 open book of laws, at the next meeting of the nine men — the 
 Gov's Council. 
 
 The order was obeyed to the letter, and the result was satis- 
 factory to Stuyvesant. This scene has been immortalized by 
 Mr. George Bouton. 
 
 For many years there had been more or less difficulty re- 
 lative to the boundery between the Nieu Netherland and Con- 
 necticut colonies; the Dutch West India Company claimed that 
 their territory extended up the Sound as far as the present 
 town of Greenwich; while the English claimed to Mamaroneck 
 river. The English offered the Nieu Netherland ers a repres- 
 entative government and in August 1664 during the reign of 
 Charles II. sent a fleet to Manhattan Island. The people 
 thought that any change would be desirable, even the villagers 
 advised Stuyvesant to surrender. The Governor saw how 
 hopeless his situation was and finally submitted retiring per- 
 manently to his bouwerij there to enjoy the peaee and trail- 
 
quility that had not been his during his Directorship. 
 
 But the villagers soon found that the fair promises of the 
 English were not to be fulfilled. The remorse of the Stuyves- 
 ant Villagers was boundless they were indignant with the faith- 
 less English, but more indignant with themselves for having 
 been influenced by the fair promises, and for having rebelled 
 against their kind friend and neighbor^, for said they "Better 
 was it under the domination of Hard Headed Piete, than 
 now." Then the villagers recalled the, assurance that the 
 Director had given them on his first arrival in Nieu Amster- 
 dam. "That he would govern them as a father governs his 
 children" and they remembered with sorrow that they had 
 been rebelious, as well as ungrateful unappreciative children, 
 and longed in vain for his return to the Directorship. Then 
 Stuyvesant's reign commenced with enthusiasm in his own 
 neighborhood. If the good vrouws prepared anything espec- 
 ially appetizing a portion must be sent to the governor; if 
 flowers, or fruits were unusually fine, the very best of them 
 arranged in the most attractive manner were for Stuyvesant — 
 their dear friend and affectionate adviser. And so it continued 
 until his death, when his remains were followed with the deep- 
 est mourning and reverence by the whole village to the place 
 of interment, in a vault in his own ground, and under the 
 •church which he had erected. The tablet to his memory is in 
 the wall. 
 
 In spite of a change of rulers the villages grew and flourish- 
 ed finely, constant additions being made to its population 
 by people of similar principles. At the revocation of the Edict 
 of Nantes in 1685 great numbers of French refugees the most 
 
 1 3 
 
intelligent and progressive of the the population of France, 
 sought a home in the New World and many of them naturally 
 came to Stuyvestant village among a people of like experi- 
 ence. The Governor's wife Judeth Bayard was a French 
 refugee among others were the De Vows, the Badeaus, the 
 Coutants and the De Lanceys. 
 
 Again at the revolution in the West Indies many flocked to 
 Nieu Amsterdam and great numbers of them settled in the vil- 
 lage considering themselves happy to find a community of 
 kindred spirits. 
 
 These all contributed much to the prosperity of the village. 
 About this time there lived in the village an idle, lazy, good — 
 natured youth by the name of Rip or Rap Schallyon; Rap was 
 especially fond of the pleasures of the table and whenever the 
 good vrouw had prepared a dish exceedingly appetizing Rap 
 seemed to know by intuition just when and where to go, 
 and invariably presented himself: although in their hearts the 
 housewives despised him yet the hospitality of the village would 
 not allow them to withhold from any one; so the youth was 
 invariably treated with courtesy; but when any of their sub- 
 ordinates were derelict in their duties they were invariably 
 compared to Rap, and to this day the descendants of the 
 Knickerbockers speak of an idle, lazy person as a RapSchail- 
 yon. Although called a Dutch village because of the original 
 founders it might almost have borne the appellation of French 
 village because of its representatives of that nation; the 
 two nationalities found it somewhat difficult at all times to 
 understand each other, so much was this the case that it be- 
 came necessary to use a French and Holland dictionary; 
 
 14 
 
the book most popular was the "Dictionnaire Portatif en 
 Hollandois and Francois; Hollandish en Fransch Worden- 
 Bock." 
 
 As time passed on there were inter-marriages, and the 
 next generation was a glorious race uniting the splendid qual- 
 ities of both nationalities; their versatality of talent was aston- 
 ishing almost any of the men could build a domicle. repair and 
 sometimes make furniture, drive a sharp bargain, dis- 
 cuss politics and religion with the Dominie, and at short no- 
 tice deliver an oration that always brought down the house. 
 The women were proud of their femininity and aspired to be 
 very womanly women, they could spin, weave, and make their 
 childrens clothes, were experts in the culinary arts, embroid- 
 ered exquisitely, and sang in a way that made the birds stop to 
 listen; and all was done with such ease and grace that outsid- 
 ers received the impression that the Stuyvesant villagers could 
 do far more if they only made an effort Both men and 
 woman excelled in social qualities; the woman always expect- 
 ed their fathers, brothers and husbands, to bring home their 
 friends to partake of the usual meals, and if these invitations 
 were not accepted felt aggrieved, as though their housewifely 
 capacities were at a discount; but while they used the good 
 things of this life they did not abuse them it was apparent to 
 •critics that their rotund figures and slightly flushed faces did 
 not conflict with the teachings of the Synod of Dort or Dord- 
 recht (16:9) 
 
 Great attention was given to the training of their children, 
 the Fathers told them of the wondrous homeland, the art gal- 
 Aeries, the magnificent cathedrals adorned with valuable paint- 
 
 15 
 
ings, statues, and the costly gifts of many worshiping gener- 
 ations sacked by the Spanish soldiers, and told all so vividly 
 that their young hearts were fired with religious enthusiasm and 
 patriotism; to them the Duke of Alva with his army of Span- 
 ish veterans the beloved William of Nassau, Prince of 
 Orange; Maurice of Nassau; the devoted patriot and advocate 
 John of Barneveld were as living realities. 
 
 The spiritual training of the children devolved principally 
 upon the mothers, and well did they do their work, much of 
 the teaching was oral, the stories from the Bible were illus- 
 trated by the Delft tiles around the fire-place, and the Heidel- 
 burgh Catechism was thoroughly explained, but above all the 
 lives of the seniors furnished the living examples most calcu- 
 lated to the furtherance of the teachings of book or tongue; the 
 children grew up into thoughtful, quick-witted liberty-loving 
 bible-reading, God-reverencing men and woman. 
 
 We have reason to be proud of our great, great, great grand- 
 mothers from Holland they were woman of nerve and high- 
 souled principles and swerved not from the path of duty how- 
 ever hard it might be, the Stuy vesant villagers regarded them 
 with respect and love; their houses were models oL neatness 
 "as neat as a Dutch kitchen" has passed into a proverb. 
 There were no "Mother Goose melodies" in those days, but the 
 good mothers sang — 
 
 "Trip atroop atronge 
 Vater in der bonge 
 Goede klein sooch." 
 (Good little such) 
 
 The last line making the child supremely happy. 
 
 A colony of French Huguenots had established themselves 
 
 16 
 
at New Rocbelle, having named their new home after the old 
 H uguenot town of La Rcchellein France, they had neither 
 church nor minister, this was a great hardship to people who 
 had been exiled trom their native country and despoiled of 
 their goods for conscience sake; among the families were the 
 Guions, Angevines, Schuremans, Badeaus, Flandreaus, Sy- 
 cards, Le Counts, Bcutcilliers, Rhinelanders, Bennetts, Cou- 
 tants and many others. These did not let the fact of their 
 having no spiritual home of their own prevent them from at- 
 tending divine service. 
 
 Every Saturday at midnight they started with others from 
 the surrounding country — Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, and walk- 
 ed down to the French Church * on Pine Street — Church of Du 
 Saint Esprit; they generally reached Harlem by daylight 
 where they stopped at a large rock to eat a lunch and rest. 
 
 After recuperating they started again on their journey, 
 reaching Stuyvesant village in time for breakfast which they 
 found waiting for them, the doors of Dutch and French were 
 open to receive the visiting Huguenots and preparations made 
 for them, a warm welcome as well as a warm breakfast being 
 theirs. Then as church time drew on they prepared to enter 
 the holy temple of the Lord and both nationalities walked 
 down the bouwerij or farm lane exchanging pleasant greetings 
 and items of personal interest; on reaching the City, the Dutch 
 entered the Church in the fort, (1642-93) the present Bowling 
 green, and the French went to the French Protestant 
 Church in Marketfield street afterwards Pine street. 
 
 •The French church was built by Delancey, who lived and died in his 
 own house on Bouwerij Lane. 
 
 17- 
 
Then after a day of mutual devotion and sympathy they re- 
 turned to the village for a warm supper and rest; the French 
 of New Rochelle resumed their journey homeward singing 
 beautiful hymns as they went and rejoicing that they could 
 worship God as their consciences dictated. 
 
 Naturally this hospitality resulted in warmer friendships, 
 and also in closer ties; the Coutants, Flandraus, Devoes, Har- 
 sens, Badeaus, Sycards, (now Secors) and many others inter- 
 married, indeed, the part of Westchester County previously 
 mentioned was almost an output of Stuy vesant village, the 
 two localities being as familiar with their personal interests 
 as though they were one. 
 
 Ship-yards were constructed along the East river and the 
 shipwrights built little cottages contiguous to their work; 
 their children were growing up in ignorance and allowed to 
 run around at will; the Stuyvesant villagers remonstrated with 
 the shipwrights as to the condition of matters and invariably 
 received from them the reply that they had no school-house, 
 and if they had, could not support a school and teacher. 
 Whereupon a meeting was called in the Village and a suffi- 
 cient sum of money raised to build a schoolhouse, and a certain 
 sum guaranteed to pay a teacher &c, &c; the building was 
 soon put up, a teacher employed, and the school in running 
 order. Every individual who contributed to this enterprise 
 was a selfconstituted truant officer and director, and gave the 
 teacher full authority if the children did not study, to flog the 
 lessons into them. 
 
 Not a shipwright child dared to appear on the streets during 
 school hours. This was the first free-school on Manhattan Is- 
 
land. 
 
 Stoves were unknown at this period, but the immense fire- 
 places filled with burning logs afforded ample facilities for 
 cooking; the crane held the pots and kettles as well as the grid- 
 dle suspended over the fire, and the tin or sheet-iron oven, com- 
 monly called the Dutch-oven stood before the blazing coals, in 
 this oven meat was roasted. Bread and cake baked in it were 
 especially sweet and delicious. Both griddles and gridirons 
 stood on feet about two inches in hight. Many dishes now in 
 common use may be traced to the Knickerbockers. 
 
 New Year's was the greatest festival and the custom of ex- 
 changing calls on that day was established at an early date; 
 the gentleman called the first day in the year and the 
 ladies exchanged calls the following days; the festivities were 
 kept up the whole week; this very genial custom continued un- 
 til a very recent period. On this day everyone in Stuyvesant 
 village kept open house, and every housewife besides the gen- 
 eral bill of fare prepared something in which she excelled this 
 was understood by all, so that there was no duplicating; the 
 callers anticipated and realized a treat in every house; some 
 of the women were connoisseurs in oysters, some in conserves, 
 others in punch &c, &c, but all made Nieu Year Cake and 
 were the first to introduce this seed-cake in the New World 
 the component parts of which are too well known to require 
 description, in form they were about the shape and proportion 
 of an Egyptian cartouch. On this day, the children, especial- 
 ly the good ones were up bright and early wild with anticip- 
 ation as to what Santa Klaus had placed in their stockings; 
 these stockings had been hung up over night after the good 
 
old Dutch Custom and labeled with each childs name so that 
 "Santa Klaus" would make no mistake and get the presents 
 in the wrong stocking, indeed the fathers' stockings were often 
 borrowed for the occasion the children thinking their own 
 quite too small for all the anticipated good things. By the by 
 these parental hose were long, beautifully ribbed and knit of 
 strong yarn and were very becoming to the stalwart calves of 
 the wearer. Many tricks were played at the New Year fes- 
 tivals by the seniors, as well as the juniors; one young man 
 asked a young woman if she would assist him in tacking her 
 largest bolster case to her mantle, and on New Year morning 
 would accept of its contents, she acquiesced supposing some 
 joke. What was her surprise to find the young man himself 
 standing in the case; proving that there are many ways of pop- 
 ing the question. These Nieu Year festivities always lasted a 
 week, and preparations were in progress long before the great 
 day. 
 
 Weddings were times of great excitement not unusually the 
 festivities continued many days; even funerals were not con- 
 ducted without some eating and drinking. 
 
 The hills north of the village called out the coasters, and the 
 pond on the village square was in winter animated with crowds 
 of merry skaters, indeed, every little incident was made the 
 occasion for feasting and having a good time. 
 
 Sunday was observed decorously but not rigidly, at an early 
 hour all were seated with Bible or catechism in hand prepar- 
 ing their minds for the church service to take place later in 
 the day. 
 
 There was not much letter writing in those days, yet still it 
 
 20 
 
was nice to have a Post road and rider. The road from Nieu 
 Amsterdam to the Massachusetts Colony had been from the 
 first a path through the forest following as near as possible the 
 Sound and other water courses. But in 1671 the road was 
 regularly opened from Boston to East Chester, and from Stuy- 
 vesant village Third Avenue up, meeting at East Chester. Sir. 
 or Col. Francis Lovelace in 1673 established the first regular 
 mail between Nieu Amsterdam and Boston consisting of a 
 single messenger or post-rider who was ordered "to go and re- 
 turn with letters and packages once within a month for a more 
 speedy intelligence and dispatch of affairs." Thus was open- 
 ed on the first day of January 1673 the first post-road on the 
 American continent. 
 
 Through 17 — and a part of 1800 there was a two story framed 
 building on the junction of Third and Fourth avenues, that is on 
 the extreme southern point of Cooper Park the first floor was 
 devoted to the preparation and sale of oysters and the proprie- 
 tor kept the second story well warmed and lighted, as things 
 went in those days, and the intelligent men of the neighbor- 
 hood made this a rendezvous, where they sat and sipped coffee, 
 ate oysters, read the newspapers, of which there was always a 
 full supply * and discussed matters of general as well as local 
 
 * The City papers were: The New York Gazette by William Bradford, first 
 printed Oct. 16, 1725. Zenker's Weekly Journal founded in 1733, and James 
 Rivington's N. Y. Gazette, or the Connecticut, New Jersey, Hudson River and 
 Quebec Weekly Advertiser. Rivington was a positive Tory and his paper repre- 
 sented English interest. Major Andre was a leading contributor. After the 
 Revolution, Rivington professed conversion to Republican views, but the villag- 
 ers doubted his sincerity and the paper ceased to exist. Rivington was the print- 
 er of the day, and did a great deal of excellent work. Captain James Cook's 
 voyage around the world in the ship Endeavour 1768 to 1771 in two Vols., was is- 
 sued from the press of Rivington in 1774 many other works attest his abilities; 
 he lived just down the lane from the village; a street opened through his property 
 has ever since been called for him . 
 
interest; many exciting discussions, and fierce debates were 
 held in this room; these were stirring times, and there was 
 much to call out intense feeling; the talk was especially hot 
 when the Dominies came, for then each party appealed to the 
 Pastor to know if his vi^ws were not coriect. But the Domin- 
 ies were always prepared for the encounter well knowing what 
 would be required of them. 
 
 The distrust of English rule was increasing, many meetings 
 of the people had been held in the village, and the proposed 
 Stamp Act denounced in positive terms; not that the villagers 
 were opposed to the payment of the slight sum of money demand- 
 ed by the English, but it was taxation without representation 
 to which they objected; the slightest demonstration in favor of 
 the Act was met by the toiling of bells, and every sign of 
 mourning and sorrow; the people were determined to resist the 
 oppressive Act. War was inevitable. Then all the able-bodied 
 men in Stuyvesant Village prepared for the conflict, and offer- 
 ed themselves to their country; their families bade them go to 
 the war without a thought of care for their homes, being as- 
 sured that the God of battles would not forget those who re- 
 mained. 
 
 In these troublous times the churches were closed, many of 
 them being used as barracks, and the congregations scattered. 
 The woman in Stuyvesant village took up the management of 
 affairs; every Sunday whenever a book of sermons could be 
 procured all the people assembled in one of the houses and the 
 most fluent reader selected a sermon, and read to the edification 
 of the assembly, the old men prayed and all joined in singing 
 the sweet son^s of Zion. When no book of sermons was avail. 
 
able then each mother gathered her family about her and read 
 to them from the Bible, catechising them and keeping them 
 well up to the mark. 
 
 And so the alter-fires in Stuyvesant village never burned 
 low, for the temple of God was in their individual hearts. Af- 
 ter the occupancy of the City of New York by the British for 
 seven years, news came to the village that on a certain day the 
 English would evacuate the City; great was the rejoicing, and 
 preparations were immediately in progress for the great event 
 about to take place in their precincts; their personals and sur- 
 roundings were furbished and made to look as fine and festive 
 as possible. On the preceeding night everybody retired early, 
 to be thoroughly rested for the coming day, but there was lit- 
 tle sleep after mid-night, for then vehicles of all descriptions 
 filled with enthusiastic, patriotic people came rumbling into the 
 village, and all was noise and rejoicing. 
 
 The morning of November 25th, 1783 dawned clear and 
 frosty, the villagers were all astir by-times. It did not take 
 the little boys long to eat their breakfasts that morning, and by 
 sunrise Coosen Kip, * Jan Van Tienhoven and all their chums 
 were on the coroner of Sixth Street t and the Boston highway 
 determined to show their patriotism by being first on the 
 ground, they amused themselves as only small boys know how 
 until 12 o'clock the usual dinner hour, when some of the boys 
 declared that there was not going to be a surrender or evacua- 
 tion, that the report to that effect was only a trick, and pro- 
 posed going home; but the majority, with true Knickerbocker 
 
 •The Kip's were suspected of having Tory proclivities, t Sixth St-, at this 
 period and for many years after was the City's northern limit. 
 
 -23- 
 
grit determined to stay and see the affair out. They had not 
 long to wait for about one o'clock the vanguard of the Amer- 
 ican Army appeared coming down the Boston Highway, (the 
 present Third Avenue) their faces lined with marks of suffer- 
 ing, their battle-scarred forms clothed with garments, old and 
 faded, but with a dignity of bearing that marked them at 
 once as victors, and the protectors of the people, they appear- 
 ed to the spectators like very Gods; and O! what a mighty 
 shout went up at their approach, and that shout is echoing yet, 
 and will continue to echo, as long as "Old Glory" waves over 
 a united people. The vanguard halted at the City's limit, 
 Sixth Street, and in a few moments were joined by General 
 George Washington, and Governor George Clinton, followed 
 by the American Army of occupancy. Then and there oc- 
 curred one of the greatest events in the American Revolution 
 — the surrender of the British to Washington and their im- 
 mediate evacuation of New York City. Following the sur- 
 render the British troops marched down the King's Bowery * 
 with a large contingent of Stuyvesant villagers and people 
 from neighboring towns, a moving mass of humanity follow- 
 ing after. The question is sometimes asked "Where are the 
 graves of the heroes of 1776 to '83." No answer can be given. 
 Our forefathers made a bold strike for freedom not realizing 
 the result, little knowing that by doing the work in hand they 
 were founding a mighty nation, and making history. And 
 they laid them down to their long rest with the consciousness 
 
 •At the first this street was simply a lane leading to the bouwerij or farms, and 
 on either side were the out of town residences of people who have left their names 
 on the streets leading to their property these houses were surrounded by beauti- 
 ful gardens and people from the City often walked out to enjoy their lovliness; 
 
 24 
 
of having done their duty, their graves having no special 
 
 recognizance. 
 
 "On Fames eternal camping-ground 
 
 There silent tents are spread, 
 
 And Glory guards with solemn round 
 
 The bivouac of the dead." 
 
 The United States Is Their Monument. 
 
 The surrender and evacuation of the British, at Stuyvesant 
 village, November 25, 1783 practically closed the War of the 
 American Revolution. 
 
AFTER THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 After the evaucation the villagers tried to resume their want- 
 ed occupations, but the great event and its attendant conse- 
 quences, had overwhelmed them to such an extent that they 
 went about the ordinary avocations of life in a dreamy-half- 
 dazed way; the story of the past was told and retold, no one 
 tired of telling, none wearied of listening, but all in subdued 
 tones and without emotion. 
 
 On the 28th, of November, three days after the evacuation 
 a great noise was heard in the village, the people rushed from 
 their houses not knowing what all the commotion meant, but 
 prepared for almost anything. What was their joy to see the 
 post-rider; there had been no regular postal communication be- 
 tween New York and Boston since 1776, and now that the 
 rider had again appeared there enthusiasm was boundless. 
 After long and patient search and inquiry the rider's name 
 cannot be ascertained. Tradition says that the post-rider from 
 Boston was exhausted on reaching Stamford, and another 
 rider, as well as a fresh horse was put on the rout. If 
 the Fathers had only known the grand and noble deeds of 
 which they were the actors the names of both post-riders 
 would have been handed down to us. 
 
 We can imagine with what speed the fresh rider started from 
 Stamford, for at the widow Havilands tavern at Rye, on the 
 Post road, the usual place for exchanging horses, he again 
 took a fresh horse, and with all haste was again on the road, 
 
 27- 
 
not stopping until reaching the City's limit, although hailed at 
 Guiou's store at Rye Neck, on he went past the dreaded woods 
 between Mamaroneck and New Rochelle, that were known to 
 be the lurking place of highway men who might attack and 
 rob the traveler, driving slowly to get his breath as he passed 
 Pointz tavern at East Chester, and as he approached the City 
 having bits of news of the wonderful events shouted to him, 
 rushing over the Harlem, and down the Boston Highway, he 
 entered Stuyvesant village and attained the City's limit; then 
 the rider had time to stop and listen to the oft reiterated story, 
 and rider and horse were feasted and made mucli of, but the 
 pause was only momentary the rider was again in the saddle 
 clattering down the Bouwenj Lane finally arriving at 38 Smith 
 (now William) Street where in anticipation of the rider's ad- 
 vent a post-office had been opened with William Bedlow as 
 Post Master. Bedlow's wife was a daughter of Colonel Henry 
 Rutger. Then the inhabitants of Stuyvesant Village realized 
 that they were free and postal communication established 
 with the outer world; their joy was boundless and unrestrain- 
 ed, then from every dwelling was heard the old Netherland 
 song 
 
 "In humble devotion 'fore God our Creator, 
 
 And 'neath His dominion we bend our knee, 
 The good 'gainst the bad find Him a vindicator 
 
 His name, who ne'er forgets us, exalted then be, 
 In battle, Thou e'er hast been standing beside us, 
 
 Thou fain wouldst that right should prevail over might 
 In no fight began was swift victory denied us. 
 
 For Thou Lord went with us, we fought in thy sight. 
 We praise, Thee, Almighty, that battles directest. 
 
 We pray Thou may'st aid us in conflicts to come 
 
 -28— 
 
That Thy congregation from foes Thcu protectest 
 And that to evil we may never succomb." 
 
 Eight years of desolating war had brought in their train 
 much suffering, many households in the village mourned for 
 fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, many of the houses had 
 been sacked, business prostrated, and all felt keenly what 
 seems now to be so commonly forgotten the fearful price 
 which had been paid for liberty, but freedom was theirs, and 
 with a measure of content and happiness the burden of life was 
 taken up witn renewed^energy; and their was need of it, for 
 the Revolution left the Country in great financial straits, in- 
 deed we were not recognized by foreign powers as a nation, 
 but as colonies united in a strike for liberty. It required time 
 and energy to bring back to the village the prosperity it enjoy- 
 ed before the war. In 1797 the English banks suspended 
 specie payment, this suspension lasted twenty-two years and 
 materially influenced trade in this country. The embargo 
 act (1807-9) when the ships in New York lay rotting in the 
 docks, and grass grew on the wharves, was another draw- 
 back to prosperity. A general financial depression spread 
 throughout the land. But the Stuyvesant villagers persevered, 
 fully realizing that political or financial conditions cannot in 
 themselves create prosperity, that it is the individual looking 
 to God for help who controls circumstances and. who thrives 
 in spite of adverse surroundings. 
 
 Although the country was impoverished, and the war debt 
 oppressive, yet still the villagers were not disinclined to en- 
 joyment. A Frenchman named De la Croix leased from the 
 Stuy vesants a tract of land on the west side of the village ex- 
 
 —29- 
 
tending from a certain point a little north of the present 
 Fourth street to near the present Astor Place and West to 
 Broadway: De la Croix laid out the ground most artistically 
 in set forms surrounded with box-wood, and in these forms 
 planted all the beautiful flowers of the time; he also planted 
 fruit and forest trees arranged picturesquely near the summer 
 houses, which, in great numbers were scattered all over the 
 grounds: facing the street the present Fourth Avenue; a large 
 building was erected, the second floor of which was a fine 
 ball-room, the first floor being used for the preparation and 
 sale of refreshments. 
 
 Parties of pleasure-seekers came up from the City to enjoy 
 in winter* a dance and fine supper; and in summer, a prom- 
 inade and refreshments in the summer-houses; here were serv- 
 ed Mead (a temperance drink long since gone out of fashion) 
 and sponge cake for delicate appetites, and fruit cake and 
 home-made wines for those who wanted something heavier, 
 all dispensed by colored waiters, for at this period slavery ex- 
 isted in New York, and even after the slaves were freed (1806) 
 many of the colored people remained with their former own- 
 ers. The mutations of time left their mark upon the village, 
 the inroads of trade and the opening of Lafayette Palace in 1827 
 detracted much of the beauty and space from Vauxhill Garden. 
 Mr. and Mrs. De la Croix were advancing in years, and too 
 infirm to attend to affairs; finally they gave up the place, first 
 going around to the trees which they had planted, and loved 
 as though they were their children and teariully bidding 
 them good-by; Vauxhall Garden passed through many 
 hands, gradually loosing ground and prestige until 1854 
 
 30 
 
when all that remained of this once attractive and fashionable 
 Garden, was a little spot just where the Ninth Division of 
 the Salvation Army now is, and in possession of a Mr. Wat- 
 son; at this period every vestage of Vauxhall Garden dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 On April 3rd, 1807 by order of the municipal author- 
 ities John Randall Jr., and George Randall city survey- 
 ors were ordered to lay out all the streets above North (now 
 Houston) Street. At this period Vauxhall was at the zeneth 
 of its glory and it would have been a great detriment to the 
 whole City if the Garden had been in any way molested, 
 therefore the streets from Fourth to Ait (now Eight) Street 
 were not opened through Vauxhall, but were allowed to start 
 from the east side of the Bouwerij Lane; indeed there was no 
 need of the streets being opened through the Garden, for at this 
 period Broadway was only a foot-path, and west of the path 
 were the farms of Richard Randall and others. 
 
 Just above and adjacent to the Garden were two building 
 lots belonging to the Stuyvesant estate, and occupied by the 
 City reservoir; the pump water in the City was brackish, and 
 far from palatable, this reservoir was the first public 
 attempt to improve matters in this line, the water was 
 obtained from the pretty little pond at the base of Stuy- 
 vesant Church grounds, this pond extended from the village 
 square up the Boston Highway and back of the present 
 Bible House the water was conveyed to the reservoir 
 through wooden pipes. 
 
 The brothers Knapp had for years obtained water from 
 this neighborhood, and having placed it in large casks 
 
 31- 
 
and hogsheads had them conveyed to the City where they 
 sold the water for a few cents a pail, this enterprise was 
 known as Knapp's tea water; but the increased demands of 
 the City called for a larger reservoir, and a new one was built 
 in Ninteenth St., and the smaller one removed. Then Mr. 
 Gilbert Coutant leased the ground and erected two brick 
 houses, the lots at this period extended to Broadway. 
 
 Ini8oi Captain Robert Richard Randall, a batchelor, owned 
 a farm of twenty-one acres extending from what is now Fourth 
 to Fifth Avenues and from Waverly Place to Tenth street on 
 the Fifth Avenue side, and from Tenth street to a little be- 
 low Ninth street on the Fourth Avenue side, the house was on 
 Fourth Avenue. The whole farm was bequeathed to found 
 the Sailors Snug Harbor on Staten Island; here any sailor, 
 who has sailed five years or more under the American flag 
 can find ease, plenty and variety. All the metropolitan prop- 
 erty is leased for twenty-one years' renewals at five per cent 
 per annum being based on valuation of the land at the time 
 when each renewal is made. All taxes and assessments are 
 paid by lessees. Prior to Capt. Randall the property was 
 owned by Baron Poelnitz. 
 
 West from the village was a pretty highway known 
 as Love Lane this was the road connecting Stuyvesant 
 village with Bloomingdale, and later on with the Eng- 
 lish villages of Greenwich and Chelsea, and still later 
 with newer villages that sprang up on the west side of the 
 island. Love Lane was widened and paved and renamed 
 Amity street; in 1863 the name was again changed to West 
 Third street. It was in Amity street that Edgar Allen Poe 
 
 33- 
 
lived after his removal from Philadelphia, and just previous to 
 his living in Fordham, and while here ''The Raven" was given 
 to the world. 
 
 On this street was located the Baptist Church in which three 
 generations of Williams ministered; first the Rev. Mr. Wil- 
 liams, and after his death his son the Rev. Dr. William R. 
 Williams, and then the grandson of the first, the Rev. M. 
 Williams; the church edifice was bought by A. T. Stewart. 
 
 It was through this street that during the yellow fever and 
 cholera epedemics the dead carts from the City carrying their 
 dreadful burdens collected in their daily rounds by the driver 
 and his assistant were carried to the Potters Field, where great 
 p'ts were dug, the bodies dumped from the carts into them, 
 and the pits covered over with dirt and sods; when the ground 
 was filled, trees were planted and the old field became the 
 beautiful Washington Park. 
 
 Just where East Tenth street now is, was the eastern 
 outlet of the village, this led to a pretty little beach, 
 afterwards known as the "Dry Dock," this was called 
 Dandy Point, and was a popular resort in summer, when 
 no night passed without witnessing the arrival of bathing 
 parties of twenty or thirty persons of both sexes. Down 
 from the big wagons they jumped, the men going to 
 one spot, the women to another, where they exchanged their 
 clothes for older or less valuable ones (for in those days there 
 were no regular bathing suits), and then ran down into the 
 water with many a shout and splash. There also were bap- 
 tisms, the candidates were brought thither in carriages, and 
 immersed by their respective pastors before a crowd of inter- 
 
 33 
 
ested and well behaved spectators. On the corner of this 
 street and Third avenue before the war of 1812 was the mill of 
 Dr. Sandford of Greenwich, Conn. This wind mill was used 
 for the purpose of grinding Peruvian bark, of which Cjunine is 
 the active principle, a tea made of this powder was supposed 
 to impart strength to the ailing; i. e. if used freely. 
 
 The shipyards in this vicinity built many of the famous 
 ships of the day. The Browns were among the leading build- 
 ers and were well represented in Stuyvesant village, as late 
 as the 'sots; two daughters of Noah Brown married, the one 
 a Mr. Jackson, locally known as "the general," the other a 
 Mr. Ross and lived on Second Avenue. 
 
 In 1824 two ship-builders came to New York, and built at 
 the foot of Tenth Street on the East river, the first ship-railway 
 ever seen in the United States; it consisted of rails laid on an 
 inclined plane upon which a cradle was run for the purpose of 
 drawing vessels up out of the water, in order to repair them, 
 and in consideration of their enterprise the Legislature grant- 
 ed to the railway company a charter for a bank, to last "as 
 long as grass grows and water runs." Thus was founded the 
 Dry Dock Bank now the Eleventh Ward Bank. 
 
 Early in the present century Brevoort fitted up a room in 
 his house for the sale of foreign birds; this was one of the first 
 if not the first business of its kind on Manhattan Island, and 
 was quite a pleasure resort; aged people long since passed 
 away have frequently told the writer of the pleasant hours 
 spent in this room listening to the sweet songs, and admiring 
 the beautiful plumage of the lovely strangers. The business 
 thus established has since been continued by different parties 
 
 34 
 
at present there are two bird fanciers on this property. 
 
 Governor Tompkins, a leading man of the period was a 
 resident of the village and very popular, and when the market 
 was built it was called Tompkins' market in honor of the 
 Governor, but long before this the farmers from Westchester 
 County were allowed to remain on the east side of the Boston 
 highway, and dispose of their produce; as this was the City's 
 limit no tax was levied on the venders. 
 
 Accordingly on Saturday nights a variety of wagons and 
 stands extending from Sixth, to Seventh streets, might be seen. 
 The people from the City gladly availed themselves of the op- 
 portunity to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Two markets 
 were erected on the Seventh street side of the block; the small- 
 er one on the corner of Hall Place, was used for the sale of 
 fish and vegetables; the larger market adjoining was exclusive- 
 ly for meat. Markets were among the most flourishing institu- 
 tions of the Island and were under the strict supervision of the 
 municipal authorities, the Mayor officiating as clerk. The 
 block of ground belonged to Mr. Kearsing, the authorities 
 gave him three lots in Sixth street, Nos. 8, 10 and 14 and a 
 large sum of money in exchange for the property. On the 
 large space on the Sixth street side of the block the hay-scales 
 were placed, and the farmers from the Westchester County 
 towns all brought their hay here, sometimes there were ap- 
 parently thirty or forty loads waiting for their turn to use the 
 scales. One fourth of the proceeds of the weigh scales was 
 paid to the City. Just west of the scales was a small office for 
 the convenience of the weigh-master, who was appointed by 
 the authorities, bonds being required and given; for many 
 
 35 
 
years, Mr. Gilbert Coutant held the position, Mr. Earl was the 
 last occupant of the office. The scales are still there, but they 
 have net been used for nearly half a century. Mr. Gilbert 
 Coutant had several daughters the eldest Miss Jane, a woman 
 of large and noble sympathies, mamed Mr. Win. H. Peck, 
 noted for unusual intelligence and marked elevation of char- 
 acter. The youngest Miss Lettie, married Scaureman Halsted, 
 a leading Methodist and one of the Governors of ihe Alms 
 House and attending charities under the law passed April 6, 
 1849 and president of the East River Bank in 1850. 
 
 Just east of the scales was the village pump. Opposite the 
 scales was the hostelery where the farmers all stopped; the 
 building now standing and under the management of Mr. 
 Wallace, is the third of its kind on this site; the first was the 
 typical county tavern with its broad piazza, and low slooping 
 roof which formed the covering of the piazza, for years Mr. 
 Sloat was the proprietor; when this house was removed a 
 three story brick building was erected in care of Mr. Jarvis. 
 The present market was built in 1862; on the second floor is 
 the armory of the well-known and brave 69th, Regiment, Col. 
 Duffy commander. 
 
 In their attendance at church the woman carried the Psalm 
 book or Bible suspended from a silver chain attached to the 
 girdle, sometimes they made a chain by stringing "Job's tears" 
 on strong sewing silk and the result was a beautiful and orna- 
 mental affair of a natural product. In those times there was 
 little traveling between the Country and City; once a year the 
 woman went to the City to see the fashions and purchase 
 new bonnets, :md garments; there were no Express Companies 
 
 36 
 
or local expressman to carry the purchases to the houses of 
 their respective buyers, so each lady when she went to the 
 City took a pasteboard bandbox covered with a muslin cover, 
 this was made of a straight piece of goods with a drawing 
 string at top and bottom. The men and sometimes the woman 
 carried small hair trunks ornamented with brass-head nails, on 
 the top of the trunk were the initials of the owner, and a 
 brass handle; this was thought to be quite stylish. 
 
 There were two excellent spring-water pumps in the village, 
 one in the Square and the other at the City's limit; early in 
 the present century the progressive inhabitance of the village 
 decided that the pump on Sixth street was not up to date with 
 its wooden handle, the times required an iron handle; great op- 
 position was encountered at what was thought by many to be 
 unnecessary extravagance; the iron handle was put in place 
 with varied results. One man forbade his family getting 
 water from this pump, and they were compelled to go up to 
 the Square for water needed for culinary purposes. 
 
 Another man said that he had unwillingly paid his part 
 towards procuring the handle and intended to have the bene- 
 fit; accordingly each afternoon on coming up from his busi- 
 ness in the City, he stopped at the pump and used the handle 
 vigorously; the small boys were not loug in finding this out, 
 and a crowd of them met him on his way and with great en- 
 thusiasm escorted him to the pump, where they continued 
 shouting ana cheering until the longest winded were entirely 
 out of breath. 
 
 The example of their forefathers was closeiy followed in 
 the training of children, the amenities of life were not neg- 
 
 37 
 
lected the children were taught the difference between man- 
 ners and mannerisms; that fine manners sprang from a real 
 desire to make others happy and were always unselfish, they 
 were not like fine garments to be worn occasionally and then 
 laid aside, but they were to be worn constantly and improved 
 in the wearing; while mannerisms were largely the product of 
 selfishness, and not unusually were put on to win admiration, 
 and when there was no further call for them laid aside, and 
 always made the wearer appear strained and watchful least 
 there should be a lapse. 
 
 The boys were taught to remove their hats and bow to all 
 they met, and the girls to be careful not to flirt their skirts 
 when they made a courtsey, but to fall and rise with grace 
 and dignity: and always to remember that repose of manner 
 was the first requisite of true propriety, and under all circum- 
 stances to be calm; the little girls were even taught to con- 
 trol their features, and were positively forbidden to sit with 
 their feet crossed; the hands were to be folded in the lap, and 
 kept there, and thus an enormous amount of nerve force 
 was spared, and a corresponding amount of power gained. 
 All snobbish proclivities were looked upon with pity; the child- 
 ren of Stuyvesant village were taught that well-balanced 
 people were never snobs, and therefore they were not to be 
 disconcerted or wr.unded by anything that a snob might do 
 or say, but to deal gently with them, as snobbery and insanity 
 were closely allied. 
 
 A self assertive child was not tolerated, such a child was 
 told with great emphasis "To be seen and not heard." In 
 the presence ot their elders they were to listen and learn. But 
 
 38 
 
the children had their times of relaxation and then a merrier, 
 happier set of juvinals could not be found. 
 
 As time passed on the people of the village were anxious 
 that their children should be taught still more than hitherto; 
 besides religious and historical teaching, English translations 
 of the classics were obtained, and added to the intellectual in- 
 terest of all parties. On winter nights they sat before glow- 
 ing wood fires with a table in the center of the room upon 
 which were placed the books and some light refreshments of 
 apples, nuts &c. 
 
 Old and young read and talked until they all had a run- 
 ning idea of the subject in hand, and when Dr. Anthon and 
 later on Mr. Sweeny opened classical schools in the neighbor- 
 hood there was no lack of appreciative pupils for it was a 
 pleasant task to learn in the original a subject with which 
 they were already familiar in English. 
 
 As far as can be ascertained these classical pupils have all 
 been graduated into the higher scnool in their Father's man- 
 sion. There was always an abundance of private schools. 
 
 The relations between England and the United States were 
 somewhat strained and finally culminated in the war of 1812. 
 A number of Stuyvesant village soldiers were stationed on an 
 island in New York harbor; the meat furnished them by the 
 Government and brought to them every day was inferior in 
 quality and somewhat tainted, this was more than men who 
 were accustomed to the best in the market could endure; they 
 protested, but without avail, so they devised an amusing way 
 of proclaiming their wrongs to the public; when the next con- 
 signment of meat came to them in usual condition, the soldiers 
 
 -39- 
 
securely fastened the meat on the top of a long flag-staff, and 
 danced around the staff simulating the action of crows, loudly 
 vociferating "Caw! caw! Soon a boat was observed to put off 
 from the city and row towards the island, the occupants of 
 the boat landed and anxiously inquired the cause of this pecu- 
 liar demonstration. After that the meat furnished the sol- 
 diers was the best the market afforded. 
 
 Daniel D. Tompkins was Governor of the State during the 
 war and evinced great solicitude for the well-being of the 
 troops; in one order to a commanding officer the Governor 
 wrote 
 
 "Look well after the soldiers. See that they are properly 
 fed, comfortably tented and well clothed. Also keep vigil- 
 ant eye on the surgeons' department." 
 
 The military papers of Governor Tompkins relative to the 
 war of 1812 numbering 1,800 letters were purchased by the 
 State in 1S84. To the great joy of the people the war ended 
 in 1 8 14; the good news came to the village in the afternoon 
 following a snowy morning. The people manifested their 
 happiness in many ways principally by writing "Peace" in the 
 snow and elsewhere whenever a possible space or spot per- 
 mitted them so to do; in the evening the whole village was 
 illuminated, candles were arranged in forms in all the windows 
 and the villagers promenaded the streets to see the illumination 
 and to congratulate each other on the termination of the war; 
 one person remained at each house to "snuff the candles" and 
 this individual was kept busy, the snuffers becoming so hot 
 that they were laid aside to cool, and a second pair used. 
 
 In 1855 an organization was formed for the purpose of 
 
 40 
 
securing land for all United States citizens wtao had served 
 their country in any war from 1790 to date — the circular read — 
 
 LAND WARRANTS. 
 
 ; Office 128 Nassau Street, 
 
 first door on the second floor. 
 
 Sir: 
 
 The undersigned being a committee appointed by the Veter- 
 an Corps of the city of New York to obtain Land Warrants 
 under the Bounty Land Law, approved March 3rd, 1855, are 
 now prepared to obtain Land Warrants for all persons who 
 have served in any of the wars in which the United States 
 have been engaged, since the year 1790; also for their widows 
 and minor children. Those who have had 40 acres are en- 
 titled to 120 acres. Those who had 80 acres, to 80 acres. And 
 those who have not received any land to 160 acres. We have 
 all the existing documents. We have been mainly instru- 
 mental in getting the law passed, and the profits of our labors 
 will be paid semi monthly into the treasury of the Veteran 
 Corps, for the relief of the sick, and the burial of the dead. 
 
 Col. Henry Raymond, 
 
 Major A. Dally, Jr. 
 
 Adj. Gen. L. W. Ryckman. 
 
 The two last mentioned officers were residents of the village, 
 and as this neighborhood had been well represented in the 
 war of 18 12 there were many who availed themselves of the 
 offer of the Veteran Corps. 
 
 This Corps had a parade every Evacuation day — Nov. 25th, 
 and appeared in the old costume — Cocked hats, blue coats, and 
 buff breeches; their last parade was a sad affair, there were 
 only five or six of the Veterans remaining, they met as usual 
 on the Old Evacuation ground, Boston highway and Sixth 
 street, and with drum and fife, struggled — we cannot say 
 marched down the old road which they had taken in 1783; be- 
 fore the year came around again the most of them were at 
 
 41 
 
rest; up to that time the anniversary had been enthusiastically 
 celebrated. 
 
 After long inquiry the last surviving soldier of the war of 
 1812, and one who participated in the meat episode on the 
 island in New York harbor, was Mr. Henry Palmer, or Uncle 
 Henry, as he was familiarly and affectionately called; he pass- 
 ed away in the '70's totally blind and deaf from extreme old 
 age. 
 
 This was the era of tallow dips or mould candles, and they 
 were not so bad for if you had two or three of them burning 
 in a room, and kept them well "snuffed" you could generally 
 decipher the outline of the different articles of furniture; and 
 when t«n or twelve of them were lighted they gave that soft, 
 mellow light, and those lovely shadows so dear to the artistic 
 eye, and in marked contrast to the garish, shadowless light of 
 the present. Whale-oil lamps were also used, though not gen- 
 erally before the war of 18 12-14; people disliked the odor of 
 the oil, and thought it less neat and clean than candles, es- 
 pecially candles of their own make. 
 
 The little vessels plyinp, between the villages and towns 
 carried an open mail box for the convenience of passengers 
 and their friends; these letters and packages were critically 
 examined by all, either from curiosity or otherwise with no 
 certainty of delivery, since so much depended on the good 
 nature or mindfulness of neighbors and acquaintances; this 
 practice continued until about 1842. For many years the local 
 mail box was in the upper room of the oystt-.r house on the 
 Point at the junction of Third and Fourth Avenues. 
 
 Isaac L. Varian who was aldermen from 1833 to '36 and 
 
 42- 
 
Mayor of the City in '39 and 40 was a resident of this neighbor- 
 hood. 
 
 After Stuyvesant's old church was demolished the Dutch 
 Reformed had no building in which to preach the t good, 
 staunch doctrine of the founders of Manhattan, and they were 
 compelled to go down to the City to worship, although there 
 were social religious meetings in plenty. Many went to the 
 church on Fulton and William streets, the site long after- 
 wards occupied and made memorable by the Fulton street 
 noonday prayer meeting, and now by F. W. Devoe's Artists 
 supplies; among those who went to this old church was a Mrs. 
 R., as the years went on she became too feebie to make the 
 trip to the City and decided to unite with the Seventh street 
 Methodist Church; at this period the Methodists eschewed all 
 frivolities and dressed like the Quakers. The old lady was a 
 lover of beauty in form and color, and had an especially gay 
 bow of ribbon on her bonnet, this trimming pleased her so 
 much that she determined to have her bonnets decorated in 
 that style as long as she lived. 
 
 When the old lady applied for admission in the Methodist 
 Church the people were glad to receive her but objected to the 
 gay bow on her bonnet, they told her of their admiration for 
 her as an individual, but added that they were a plain people, 
 and did not permit such gayeties in the Church. 
 
 Well replied the old lady I have decided to wear that style 
 of bonnet adornment as long as I am able to place a bonnet on 
 my head, and therefore give the subject no thought or atten- 
 tion, as I should do if I changed with the fashions; I am not a 
 Methodist. I still adhere to the Reformed faith, but would 
 
 43" 
 
like to unite with you for convenience, and if you do not choose 
 to receive me with the bow on my bonnet you shall not with- 
 out. The Methodists thought this pretty plain talk, but as Mrs. 
 R., was an old lady, and a highly esteemed neighbor they over- 
 looked the gay bow and received her in the Church. Now-a- 
 days if you want to see the fashions, go to the Methodist 
 Church. 
 
 The services were conducted in the Holland tongue until 
 Stuyvesant church was demolished in 1791. There is remark- 
 able similarity in the Dutch and English languages; you must 
 remember that thejirequent and puzzling "ij" is a "y" without 
 the dots and has the value of "ee" and then you will have no 
 trouble in getting an idea of the language. 
 
 As the Dutch Reformed had no church in the neighborhood 
 many of the people, especially the young, were drifting off to 
 other denominations, they accordingly built a brick church on 
 Ninth street near Broadway, and located one of their best and 
 most eloquent ministers, — the Rev. Dr. Snodgrass, who 
 did valiant work. The building was removed half a century 
 ago. Near this, is at present the residence of Mrs. M. G. Van 
 Rensselaer the art critic, and writer, also President of Public 
 Education Association. A short distance further may be 
 found the Chinese Counsel. 
 
 When the streets were laid out by order of the authorities 
 (1807) the surveyors met with great opposition. Brevoort 
 decidely objected to the innovation of his market farm, and 
 ordered the men of link and line off of his premises, this is why 
 Eleventh street, from Broadway to Fourth Avenue, was never 
 opened, All this was in marked contrast to that of his next 
 
 —44- 
 
but one neighbor, who when asked permission to allow people 
 to walk through his property freely granted the request, and 
 years after never made the least objection when the author- 
 ities without further talk, widened and paved the road and 
 called it Art (now Eighth) street. Possibly because it was 
 obtained by art 
 
 Here lived Ary and Maria Harsen Ryckman and their 
 children James, Maria, John, Ann and Cornelius. A great 
 deal of fruit grew on the premises, and in front of the door 
 stood a large Maderia nut tree, from which in the Fall, bush- 
 els of nuts were obtained. Where the Germania now is, was 
 Mrs. R's garden and oh how beautiful that garden appeared 
 in the growing season; June especially was the favored month, 
 then the roses and Job's tears, and Joseph's coat of many col- 
 ors and the Tulips (the Dutchman's pride) made the garden 
 resplendent, there were gentle hands who trained those flow- 
 ers, and a loving heart drank in their beauty of form and 
 color, but by and by the feet became too feeble to carry their 
 owner to the garden, and the hands too trembling to arrange 
 the flowers; soon the kind Father called that beauty loving 
 soul to a garden where the Junes are unending and the flow- 
 ers amaranthine to go no more out forever. The earliest 
 owner of this property of which we have cognizance is An- 
 nete Prouw. 
 
 The building referred to as the Germania was once a Pres- 
 byterian Church in the lower part of the City, and the great 
 Rev. Dr. John Mason preached within its walls; the building 
 was carefully taken down, each stone marked and replaced 
 on the new site, the Presbyterians were not successful and 
 
 -45 
 
sold the property to the Roman Catholics, who retained the 
 Church for some time, but finally vacated, and the house was 
 unoccupied for a few years. It was then used by a Variety 
 Play Company, and now by the "Germania." It is a singular 
 fact that no organization whether secular or religious, with 
 the exception of the Germania, has ever prospered in this 
 building. 
 
 Although somewhat effected by the severe financial panics 
 of 1819 and '37, new streets were opened, houses erected, and a 
 general air of go-a-headitiveness marked everything in the vil- 
 lage. The houses of this period were built with a covered 
 porch or stoop (properly stoob), a seat on either side extended 
 from the door to the street, and here on pleasant evenings tne 
 family assembled to enjoy the balmy air and the pleasant 
 chat of passing friends; while sitting here they often partook of 
 refreshments which could be obtained in great variety at Vaux- 
 hall and other places in the neighborhood. In summer a 
 man came around trundling a wheelbarrow on which was 
 placed a furnace of charcoal for the purpose of keeping the 
 boiler of green corn hot which he had for sale. The man 
 sang- 
 
 j'l H P-HMS 
 
 ^E 
 
 Hot corn! Hot corn! Here's your nice sweet corn all piping hot. 
 
 Later in the season the same man brought hot ginger-bread, 
 and when new corn meal came, then he bi ought new corn 
 meal pudding and cream. 
 
 After eating these substantial the people retired to an early 
 
 4 o 
 
rest, and rose the next morning strong and vigorous for the du- 
 ties of the day. 
 
 About this time street cries were numerous and were often 
 accompanied by a song. A man brought clams around every 
 week and he sang — 
 
 1 
 
 i m J | .N' l r'- B 
 
 J I J J - 
 
 My clams I want to sell to-day the best of clams from Roekaway 
 
 tt 
 
 XllLfEI 
 
 f 
 
 ^^-rs-J-^S 
 
 And if you do'nt believe it's true come buy my clams and then vou'l know 
 
 k±=t 
 
 33 
 
 fJTJ, 
 
 ■fJLfJJ 
 
 Come you that have money and 1 that have none 
 
 jjj i a I ■■''•'' j 
 
 as 
 
 Come buy my fine clams and l<-t me go home. 
 
 Then when apples were ripe and ready to fall, a man came 
 around trundling a wheel-barrow, on which was a keg. — He 
 sang with a peculiar nasal twang — Sweet Cider, Sweet Cider, 
 — 'tis equalized to wine yet people call it Cider. 
 
 Indeed things generally found expression in song, not that 
 there were many regular tunes, for they were so full of the 
 rythm and beauty of nature, that the songs sang themselves. 
 
 As far down as 1812 the leading physican was "Hollandois" 
 as may be seen by a certificate dated 18 12 stating that "J — 
 R — cannot go to der var his arm kerbrokel." 
 
 47 
 
Then came Dr. Badeau who had a drug store on the north- 
 east corner of Seventh street and Fourth avenue. Following 
 him, and in the same locality was Dr. Sargent who married 
 Dr. Badeau's widow; the widow conducted the business for 
 some time after Dr. Sargents death. Meanwhile a youug 
 man, — Dr. Field commenced practice and married Miss 
 Ingersoll a granddaughter of Mrs. Gertrude Varck the owner 
 of the house on the south-west corner of Eighth street and 
 Fourth avenue; the lots all extended to Broadway until La 
 Fayette Place was opened in 1827. Dr. Field continued his 
 practice in this house until the Square was widened in 1838 
 and Astor Place opened, then two-thirds of the house was remov- 
 ed to make way for the street, and the remaining third was occu- 
 pied by a person named Franklin. The entire building was 
 demolished in 1893. We write thus specially of the people be- 
 cause it is the people who have made the place. As a rule the 
 inhabitants of this portion of Manhattan Island were in ex- 
 cellent health, but thought it prudent to keep on hand some 
 reliable remedies, such as Badeau's or Phoebus' strengtnening 
 plasters which were made of some evil-odered gum put up in 
 little round tin boxes, and each individual spread the gum 
 with a hot knife on heavy brown paper; these plasters were 
 supposed to impart remarkable strength to the wearer, 
 Badeau's placard represented Atlas carrying the world on his 
 back, but did not state whether Atlas wore one or more of 
 Badeau's plasters, that was left to the imagination of the buy- 
 er. Dr. Pheobus did not live in the village, but some little 
 distance down the Lane near, or on, the Bayard property; 
 the Doctor imported Harlem oil directly from Holland, this 
 
 4 8 
 
was a "wonderful medicatum, " a few drops on sugar taken 
 occasionally were known to lengthen life, cr if the eyes were 
 at all weak, the least particle of the oil placed in the corner of 
 the eyes would strengthen the sight until advanced age. Dr. 
 Phoebus left a girl-wife who continued the importation and 
 sale of the oil until 1856 when advanced age caused her retire- 
 ment to a quiet life. 
 
 Here on December 29, 1831, a little grandson was born to 
 Dr. Badeau, who was destined to leave the impress of his life 
 on two continents. Adam Badeau grew up a tall, dignified 
 youth, inclined to literary pursuits; when the war of Secession 
 broke out he served on General Sherman's staff, afterwards 
 becoming military secretary to General Grant, remaining on 
 Grant's stall until 1869. Adam Badeau was brevetted as 
 brigadier general of the United States Army. After the war 
 he entered the diplomatic service of the United States, hold- 
 ing several important posts. As Secretary of the American 
 Legation in England, and as a man armed with unusual 
 credentials for entrance into very exclusive houses, he had 
 many opportunities for observing the manners and customs of 
 the aristocratic circles of Great Britain. His writings are 
 always well received, in 1868 General Badeau began his 
 "Military History of General U. S. Grant," "which occupied 
 him sixteen years. His other literary works are the "Con- 
 spiracy, a Cuban Romance," "Aristocracy in England" 
 "Grant in Peace," and in 1884 completed General Grant's 
 "Memoirs." General Badeau died suddenly at the Herbert 
 House, Ridgewood, N. J., March 1895. 
 
 Next to the drug store, as was fitting, was the undertaker's 
 
 49 
 
establishment. In those days undertaker's had ready-made 
 coffins in all sizes arranged erectly in alcoves around the store, 
 and also piles of the inferior grades standing on the floor; this 
 undertaker had two or three little granddaughters who were 
 in the habit when their little friends visited them of going in- 
 to the ware room to play "hide and seek" in the coffins; thus 
 proving that children have no idea of suffering and death, the 
 coffins to them were nothing more than boxes. 
 
 For many years Miss Phoebe McDougall was the leading 
 dressmaker, and a great favorite with children, she had a 
 wonderful pocket that invariably contained toys and candy 
 which she divided impartially among the little people. 
 
 About the period of the opening of the Erie Canal a few 
 English families built houses in Bond street, and named this 
 road from their old home in Londen; to live in tnis locality was 
 a passport to the most intellectual and refined society. Here 
 were the Schermerhorns, the Seixas, the Lonliards, the Wards, 
 the Kings, the Collins, whose son John Childs Collins attained 
 great distinction as an artist, and other people of eminence. 
 The street continued to be the abode of New York aristocrats 
 until the murder of Dr. Harvey Burdell at No. 31 in January 
 1857, when Bond street lost and never regained its social 
 prestige. The street has gradually been taken up by influen- 
 tial business houses. 
 
 When Lafayette Place was opened April 14, 1827,* it took off 
 a large part of the gardens attached to houses on Fourth Ave- 
 nue and also Vauxhall; previous to this the properties extend- 
 
 •Uutil 1898 the southern limit of Lafayette Place was Great Jonrs street; at 
 this period the place was extended much farther South, making a fine business 
 thoroughfare. 
 
 50 
 
ed to Broadway; the Place was immediately built up and 
 occupied by the most exclusive people, the row of houses now 
 occupied in part by the Colonnade Hotel was built in 1826 and 
 christened La Grange Terrace after the name of Lafayette's 
 home in France. 
 
 The stone for the building of these houses had been cut at 
 very low rates by prisoners, which roused the fury of the 
 stonecutters of the City and was the occasion of a riot. 
 
 Here lived Gov. E. D. Morgan, Irving Van Wart, the 
 beautiful Juliana Gardiner who became the wife of President 
 John Tyler, he wrote in a letter to his daughter the lovely 
 Mrs. Letitia Tyler Semple, under date of Washington 1844, 
 in regard to Miss. Gardiner: — "You never knew anyone who 
 possessed a softer temper or kinder disposition. Her intellect 
 is of the highest order, and he who shall call her his own will 
 have a treasure of priceless value. I will not deny that I 
 greatly admire her." They were married two months later. 
 
 Adjoining the Terrace is the Episcopal residence occupied 
 by the Right Rev. Bishop Potter, on the corner of Fourth 
 street was until a few years the white marble Collegiate Dutch 
 Reformed Church; crossing to the east side of the street we 
 find the Astor Library; the De Vinne press, and on the corner 
 of Great Jones street the Drumgold Mission building; on this 
 site stood for many years St. Bartholomew^ Episcopal Church 
 now on Madison Avenue and Twenty-fourth street, Rev. Dr. 
 Greer, rector. At No. 17 Lafayette Place was for many years 
 the fashionable and aristocratic school for young ladies of 
 Mme. Conde. It was a most exclusive establishment, and re- 
 ceived only pupils of social position and blue blood. Mme. 
 
 5 1 
 
Conde was a French lady of superior education, a most devout 
 Roman Catholic, and guarded her proteges as carefully as if 
 they were in convent walls. Ladies were sent here to be 
 polished for their entrance into society. Many of the Southern 
 belles who have adorned and dazzled their cotemporaries were 
 here finished for their presentation to the fashionable world. 
 
 The Astor Library on Lafayette Place, is destined with the 
 Lenox and Tilden Libraries to form the largest and most 
 complete collection of choice volumes in the United States, 
 and when located in the building that it is proposed to erect 
 on Bryant or Reservoir Park will take rank as one of the 
 great Libraries of the World. 
 
 It is surprising how much a name may effect the people, the 
 common cognomen of Jones may mark a person of great im- 
 portance, this may be seen in the case of a certain street; a 
 gentlemen of distinction and his two daughters lived in this 
 neighborhood named Jones, but he was not an ordinary indi- 
 vidual and was called the Great Jones, and the street on which 
 he lived was known as the Great Jones street. Madame 
 Blanc in her "Memoirs says 'Never until I come to America 
 did I realize what an unfortunate thing it might be to bear 
 the name of Jones." But here was a man who rose above his 
 name, and left a lasting record on the place of his abode. 
 Moses Jones owned large landed property on the east side of 
 the island, adjoining Colonels Rutger and Willets. 
 
 In the late Thirties and through the Forties Albums and 
 Diaries were the fad, the albums contained loving and effusive 
 descriptions of the fair owners, written by admiring friends; 
 and the diaries noted every incident however small, occasion- 
 
 52- 
 
ally an individual poetically inspired wrote something worth 
 remembering; in one of the diarie's we find a day described as 
 "one cf balmy softness; the air clear, pure and sweet with the 
 perfume of nature." 
 
 This was the epoch of behaviour or etiquette books "'Miss 
 Leslie's Behaviour Book" taking the lead. The art of conver- 
 sation was thoroughly explained, and the reader was express- 
 ly told never under any circumstances to talk loud or rapidly, 
 that it was not correct to boast of personal or social advant- 
 ages; that acquaintances should not be bored by personal con- 
 versation; that it is ill-bred to interrupt a speaker, or monopo- 
 lize the conversation; that it is bad taste to talk of unsavory 
 subjects or harrow the feelings by dissertations upon danger- 
 ous illness. But in the present year of grace the one who can 
 talk the loudest and fastest, is the person of most importance. 
 Yet still there are some highly bred people who hold fast to 
 the best traditions of well mannered conversation and do not 
 think it necessary to interlard their remarks with gutter slang, 
 and smatterings of foreign languages, and who always eschew 
 "smart" sayings or anything that will wound the feelings of 
 others, and who do not insist that their opinion upon any sub- 
 ject is the only one that is infallible. About this time little 
 girls in the village wore pantaletts — they were allowed two 
 pairs of pantaletts and one white ruffled apron each week, and 
 they were expected to return the aforesaid garments on Satur- 
 day night with the necessary grime, but comparitively smooth 
 and spotless, for the mother's sharp eye detected the smallest 
 spot, and invariably diciplined the careless child; but the 
 little girls always carried a bit of chalk and on removing the 
 
 -53" 
 
garments in question chalked off all the dirt possible, and thus 
 made them quite presentable. 
 
 In the forties the substantial family of Wandell's— promi- 
 nent Knickerbockers lived on Hall Place, there were three beau- 
 tiful daughters and one son; the neighbors unanimously de- 
 cided that the Misses Wandell looked better in a cambric 
 dress than the majority of young ladies did in expensive silks; 
 the son gave a party every winter and all the children of his 
 own age were invited. As soon as the weather became cool 
 the little people were on the alert, and when the invitations 
 were issued the girls were all in a flutter as to what they should 
 wear, finally deciding to appear in their best white frocks with 
 new slippers and ribbons; the boys, good natured, easy-going 
 little fellows were not at all worried about their clothes, some 
 of them would like to have gone in their play suits, as then 
 they would have felt free, and had more fun. 
 
 Astor Place was opened May 7, 1838 and has always been oc- 
 cupied by business houses; at its junction with Eighth St., was 
 at the first a building used as a menagerie, afterwards a house 
 of considerable size was erected known as the Astor Place 
 Italian Opera House and the first floor occupied by the Six- 
 penny Savings Bank, this bank received all sums from five 
 cents to five thousand dollars; their imprint was a bee hive 
 with the busy bees flying around in great numbers, this em- 
 blem was in gilt on the large plate glass windows, and also in 
 minature on the bank books. The upper part of this building 
 was occupied by the Mercantile Library Association, founded 
 in 1820, from 1854 to 1890, when the present building was 
 erected and occupied by the association, and also the bank of 
 
 54 
 
deposit. 
 
 Just at this point the letter carriers of ^Manhattan have erect- 
 ed an imposing monument to S. S. Cox, or as he is usually 
 called Sun Set Cox. What is called the Astor Place Opera 
 House riot occurred in 1849 an d was supposed to have been 
 instigated by E. Judson, better known as Ned Buntline, the 
 party watch- word was "America for Americans" and as one 
 of the actors (Macready) was an Englishman, they determined 
 to drive him from the stage, and if possible from the country. 
 The American (afterward the Know Nothing Party) had 
 threatened this attack for some time, as they thought with 
 disgust on Macready's growing popularity. 
 
 Mayor Woodhull was prepared for them, and on the event- 
 ful night ordered out the militia with directions to fire on the 
 mob. Macready escaped from the stage in disguise and was 
 smuggled into a carriage by his friends, and finally returned 
 to England. Edwin Forrest who was acting with Macready 
 was in favor with trie rioters. The streets were strewn with 
 dead and wounded, some of whom were merely onlookers. 
 The residents felt and expressed great indignation at this 
 ghastly business. Judson was indicted for causing the riot; the 
 late ex-Recorder James M. Smith took a prominent part in 
 Judson's trial. 
 
 In 1838 Henry Kirk White's beautiful song became very 
 popular, and a religious rendering of the words, with the 
 indentical tune was sung in social prayer meetings — 
 
 'Mid scenes of cofusion and creature complaints. 
 
 How dear td my heart is communion with saints; 
 To find at the banquet of mercy there's room. 
 
 And feel in the presence of Jesus at home. 
 
 — 55- 
 
Home, home, sweet, sweet home. 
 
 Receive me dear Saviour, in glory my home. 
 
 Below and adjoining Vauxhall was the property of the 
 Warners and in their house Summerfield the beloved young- 
 Methodist Minister always made his home when he visited the 
 village. 
 
 The building was afterwards removed two lots north and 
 slightly raised, a store being built on the ground floor. This 
 store is now occupied by Mrs. Lynch for the saie of Glass 
 shades and funeral memorials. 
 
 In the early history of this neighborhood the fire laddies were 
 considered persons of great importance, they rendered their 
 services voluntarily, and were prompt in every action; in 1838 
 Clinton Hose Company was formed in Fifth street; the people 
 were quite excited over the event; the Company made the 
 place lively on every possible occasion. Attached to the 
 Hose Carriage were both ends of a very long rope, forming a 
 loop; apparently about seventy-five or one hundred men at 
 the signal bell which was in a cupola on the larger market, 
 would take hold of this rope and come tearing along like mad. 
 A man with a tremendous and ear-splitting trumpet would 
 precede all the rest, and make the air hideous with prodigious 
 blasts; when at the fire if the by-standers did not "give a lift" 
 when the firemen requested, the hose was promptly turned 
 upon them. The hose used were of leather riveted together. 
 
 Whin Clinton Hose Company No. 17 was formed it was 
 thought that considerable practice was necessary, so every 
 Saturday night the signal bell sounded forth, and in an instant, 
 the men were in their red flannel shirts, and helmet hats, and 
 
 5 6- 
 
off to the imaginary fire. Some zealous souls thought that 
 more frequent practice was necessary; accordingly Sunday 
 mornings the call was heard, and immediately met with re- 
 sponse; the woman going through a pretense of packing up, 
 but after a time the novelty wore off, and all resumed their 
 usual pace. But No. 17 was always proud of its turnout. 
 The fire department of the present day is nothing in com- 
 parison with the reckless, dashing and formidable old com- 
 panies of that period; so say the grizzled fire-fighters of the 
 volunteer department. 
 
 Diagonally opposite the Hose Company in Fifth street were 
 a number of houses belonging to Philips and Dodge familiar- 
 ly known as the "Ministers Row," from the fact that Minis- 
 ters and literary people generally, were the occupents; in the 
 Fourties and Fifties, the publisher Barnes, the journalist Hud- 
 son, the City Missionary George liatt the Henlys, the Shard- 
 lows the Rev. Dr. Eaton, Prof. White, president of Union 
 Theological Seminary and Mrs. Raymond's school were here. 
 Nearly opposite on the same street lived the Burtsells; Mrs. 
 Burtsell was a musical proficient, and her husband was a fine 
 Latin scholar, there were two sons and one daughter, every 
 morning summer and winter Mr. Burtsell had the boys up at 
 five o'clock rehearsing their Latin, he frequently remarked to 
 the neighbors that he was determined there should be two good 
 priests in New York, and those two should be his sons; the 
 result was that one of them became the Rev. Dr. Burtsell of 
 the Roman Catholic Church; the other son never entered the 
 priesthood although Johnney received frequent and striking 
 attentions from Pater familis. The adjoining property be- 
 
 -57- 
 
longed to Richard L. Schieffelin, President of the Board of 
 Aldermen. 
 
 Directly opposite, and next to Albro's grocery, was a house 
 occupied by a fine looking woman and a steadily increasing 
 family, Singer of sewing machine fame was an habitual visitor. 
 Lawyer Schieffelin's property included the corner house which 
 had been raised and a store built under it, this house originally 
 belonged to the Hall's who were prominent people, the street 
 extending from Sixth to Seventh St., known as Hall Place 
 was part of their property, one of the family the Reverend Mr. 
 Hall was an eloquent and popular Baptist minister. On the 
 corner of Hall Place and Sixth street was a grocery owned by 
 John Martine who with his wife were justly famed for their 
 good works. 
 
 In those times there were no trained nurses, and the 
 sick were dependent on the kindly attentions of their neigh- 
 bors; Mrs. Martine's domestic affairs were always in such ex- 
 cellent condition, that at any moment she could leave and 
 respond to the call of the ailing; then at the last sad call Mr. 
 Martine and Charles Carpenter where the efficient helpsrs. 
 Mr. Charles Carpenter, was interred in his vault in St. Marks 
 just east of the Eleventh St., gate. 
 
 Neal's flower garden on Fifth Street was one of the attract- 
 ions in the Twenties and Thirties; the people enjoyed walking 
 around the grounds, and purchasing slips, or cuttings of the 
 pot plants for a trifling consideration; the rule was to keep the 
 slip in partial shade for nine days, and then gradually bring 
 to the light; the grower learned to love the little plant and 
 watched it attentively. 
 
 •58- 
 
There seems to be some peculiarity about the figure nine in 
 the physical, as well as the mathematical world; in Spring the 
 children took sulphur and molasses three mornings and inter- 
 mitted three, until they had taken the purifier nine times; then 
 there was a cessation of nine days, again resinning the process 
 until the odor of sulphur could be detected on their finger 
 tips, when they were supposed to be disease proof. 
 
 Besides Santa Clause, or St. Nicholas Day, New 
 Year, which was the great festival, Pinkster which was 
 always spent in the woods, and was a day of special liberty 
 for the negroes, Vrouwen-dagh or St. Valentine's Day 
 February 14th, was the most popular with the young people. 
 There were none of those hideous creations known to us at the 
 present as comic valentines, but all through the year the 
 young men and maidens were studying the character of their 
 associates, and mentally devising drawings, and composing 
 verses descriptive of their peculiarities, so that at the right 
 period they had a supply of material on hand. 
 
 The receivers were always careful to conceal their chagrin 
 as much as possible, for at the least manifestation of pique, 
 they received a still more pointed missive. 
 
 Long before the Government Postal System was established 
 there were three individuals — Swartz, Boyd, Hussey, who 
 each conducted City Letter and Express Companies. By this 
 time colored valentines began to appear, and the stores where 
 they were for sale had a post box for their special use, when 
 the auspicious day arrived tne fun was fast and furious, for the 
 receiver always suspected some one as the sender, and must 
 return the compliment; the stone thus set rolling was kept in 
 
 59 
 
rapid motion until the end of the month. 
 About the early Fifties the city telegraph was in operation 
 
 the local office was in Cromby's drug store on the corner of 
 
 Fourth street. Wiggins drug store was at the northern end of 
 
 the village — ioth street. 
 
 What were called tin plate stoves were used up to 1840; these 
 stoves were oval, consumed wood, and stood on iron legs 
 about eighteen inches from the floor, over the fire was the oven 
 and on the top of the stove was one opening making altogether 
 a three story arrangement. Then coal stoves were introduced 
 for heating purposes the Franklin stove was most generally 
 used. Sitting rooms and parlors were provided with grates, 
 but in kitchens the old fashioned wood fires were still in vogue; 
 the kitchen fire was not allowed to go out, at night the embers 
 were covered with ashes, and in the morning the ashes were 
 removed, the back log brought forward and broken in two 
 and a new back log put on, then with an armful of wood 
 thrown on tne backlog of yesterday and a few puffs of the 
 bellows the fire was soon blazing bright and cheery, and the 
 reflection on the pewter plates and mugs which were rubbed 
 to look like silver produced a beautiful effect. Kurning so 
 much wood necessitated frequent chimney sweepings. Color- 
 ed men usually called boys, with scraper and brushes ascended 
 the chimneys and thoroughly cleared away all soot. These 
 sweeps had a cry peculiar to their vocation, and as the colored 
 race is sensitive to tune and time some of these boys sang 
 snatches of popular songs; the last sweep in this vicinity (about 
 184a) sang— 
 
 60- 
 
Sweep oh sweep! Sweep de chimney 
 
 From de bottom to de top. Sweep oh sweep! 
 
 Home! Home! .^wect, sweet home! There's no place like home! There's no place 
 
 [like home. 
 
 In the early '2oes the Methodists put up a two story and 
 high basement frame building on the north side of Seventh 
 street; the basement was occupied by the sexton and his 
 family, the Auditorium for the services of the Methodist 
 society, and the top floor the academy, taught by Mr. Badeau. 
 The Methodist remained here until 1835 or 6 when parties 
 building on Eighth street wishing to extend their gardens 
 through to Seventh street, gave the Methodist lots on the op- 
 posite side of the street, and a sum of money sufficiently large 
 to enable them to build a substantial brick church. This 
 society has had many excellent pastois among whom are the 
 Revs, Mr. Wakely, Osborne and Bottome, the wife cf the last 
 mentioned, Mrs Margaret Bottome is the founder of the 
 "King's Daughters" an organization that has auxiliaries all 
 over the world and has done and is still doing an immense 
 amount of good. Among the young members who became 
 preachers are the Rev. Jarves Nichols and the Rev. George 
 Woodruff. 
 
 In the basement of this Church in the early '40s, Mr. Rus- 
 sel formed a singing school which all the little people in the 
 
 -61 
 
neighborhood eagerly joined; in the winter concerts were given, 
 which were Weill attended an dappredated by the community. * 
 In the same room Miss Nichols had a private school. 
 
 In 1334 or 5 the Episcopalians built a brick church on Sixth 
 street near Second avenue, but failing financially the building 
 was bought by the Baptists and was known as the Sixth street 
 Baptist Church; the Rev. George W. Miller, a man who loved 
 his fellow men, and thought no sacrifice too great for their 
 spiritual or temporal welfare, and the Rev. John Overton 
 Choules, D. D., were in turn the Pastor of this Church. Dr. 
 Choules was the author of "Bible and Closet," "Young Ameri- 
 cans Abroad," and the "Cruise of the North Star." He also 
 contributed to, and edited several historical works. In 1854 
 he accompanied Commodore Vanderbilt in his yacht voyage 
 to Europe. He died in Jamaica Plains near Boston in '56. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Miller was especially felicitous in conducting 
 prayer meetings, and frequently at the close of the exercises 
 would step to the front of the platform and say, "Now let us 
 sing the Voice of Free Grace." There was one who loved 
 that Church as her life, and when her voice was strong and 
 vigorous joined them in singing that beautiful hymn, and 
 when she had nearly attained her ninety-second year, and her 
 voice was feeble and broken she still sang of grace. — "And 
 new supplies each hour I meet, while pressing on to God." 
 
 The school connected with this church was under the super- 
 intendance of George H. Andrews of the Journal of Commerce, 
 and was known in the American Sunday School Union as 
 No. 35. The children were enthusiastically happy at the May 
 
 ■ Mr. Russell died in Greenwich, Conn., in 1893. 
 62 
 
anniversary when they marched down Broadway to the Broad- 
 way Tabernacle, and joined the other schools in singing hymns 
 prepared for the occasion. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. G. W. Miller died in Essex Conn., in 1842, 
 and was interred in the Mills* plot in Greenwood. Mr. Miller's 
 second wife was Miss Sarah M. Mills of Long Island.* The 
 Sixth street Church passed through great financial straits 
 caused by the persecution of a former pastor (Johnson Chase), 
 and the Episcopalians again came in possession of the build- 
 ing; the Baptists hiring the large lecture room in Stuyvesant 
 Institute, Broadway opposite Bond street, and calling the Rev. 
 Oliver Ayer of Massachusetts for their pastor. Finally they 
 became discouraged and disbanded March 22, 184.7. On 
 the following Sunday, March 27th, they held their last de- 
 votional meeting in the back room, on the first floor of house 
 No. 1 Sixth street. ;vV ■ /» "' 
 
 Meanwhile the Episcopalians disposed of trie Church edifice 
 to a fashionable colored organization, and here in February 
 1854, Dr. James McCune Smith, and Fred. Douglas, after- 
 ward the Hon. Frederick Douglas, delivered stirring addresses, 
 to a crowded house composed largely of the best white people 
 in the vicinity. The colored people had a flourishing Sunday 
 School and frequently gave exibitions of the childreus attain- 
 ments; one evening when the children had acquitted them- 
 selves remarkably well, one lady of ebony hue, and perhaps 
 250 avoirdupois swayed from side to side in her pew exclaim- 
 ing with great ferver "None o' dat in my day' None o' dat 
 
 "The Mills owned a large estate on Long Island, since purchased by the Roman 
 Catholic's, and now Calvery Cemetery. 
 
 63 
 
in my day!" In the early sixties the building was used as a 
 livery 6table, but was soon demolished and several houses 
 erected on the site. 
 
 In the Forties and early Fifties W. H. Disbrow's Riding 
 School was located on Fourth Avenue, entrance No. 20, here 
 ladies and gentlemen practiced the healthful and charming- 
 exercise; at this period equestrian perfection was one of the 
 accomplishments required of ladies, and Disbrow's School 
 met all demands. 
 
 In December 1851 Lajos (Louis) Kossouth visited the United 
 States, during his stay in New York a grand procession was 
 formed in his honor, the people received him most enthusias- 
 tically; the route of the procession was up Broadway and 
 down Fourth Avenue, Kossouth appeared the personification 
 of all that was grand and noble; he wore the first soft felt hat 
 ever seen in America. 
 
 Among other people of mark Peter Cooper stood promin- 
 ently, he was an ingenious mechanic with an active mind and 
 executive power. Mr. Cooper lived for some years in a house 
 that stood where the Bible House now is, and here all his 
 children were born. This house was erected by Nicholas 
 William Stuyvesant in the beginning of the present century. 
 
 Mr. Cooper bought the house and leased the ground; at this 
 period all the ground from Ninth street to the Point belonged 
 to the Stuyvesant estate; this house was afterward 
 removed to the South East corner of Fourth Avenue and 
 Twenty-eight street, and is one of the few which has survived 
 the general reconstruction of the City. 
 
 In Baltimore in 1830 Peter Cooper designed and bulit the 
 
first locomotive engine constructed in America. 
 
 He was among the first to be interested in the Erie Canal; 
 he was also among the earliest promoters of telegraphic com- 
 munication in this country; and was for eighteen years presi- 
 dent of the New York, Newfoundland and London Telegraph 
 Company. He was nominated by the Green Back-Party for 
 the presidency of the United States. 
 
 The neighbors did not think that Peter Cooper's little son 
 Eddie would ever become Mayor of New York, (18S0) he was 
 a nice little fellow, and like all the family carefully brought 
 up. And when Abram S. Hewitt came courting Miss 
 Cooper the people about there agreed that they would make a 
 good match, and when he was nominated for Mayor they all 
 gave him their vote, as they also did for Edward Cooper. In 
 i S54 Peter Cooper laid the cornerstone of a large building at 
 the junction of Third and Fourth Avenues "to be devoted for- 
 ever to the union of an and science in their application to the 
 useful purposes of life." Here everything may be found that 
 can be devised to carry out the intentions of the founder. At 
 Cooper Union is a magnificent library, rooms for holding 
 meetings, art rooms &c, 6cc. Peter Cooper's children are 
 zealous in following up his benevolent designs. 
 
 May 29, 1897 the beautiful statue of Peter Cooper was un- 
 veiled amid great enthusiasm from an immense crowd of ap- 
 preciative citizens, by little four-year-old Candace Hevvitt, the 
 great-grand-daughter of the famous philanthropist; the statue 
 was fashioned by a Cooper Union graduate, Augustus St. 
 Gaudens. Peter Cooper's sister, Julia, left $200,000 by will. 
 to the Union. In the Twenties and Thirties on the spot where 
 
 ■65- 
 
the statue stands was a cottage occupied by a one armed 
 woman who taught a private school. 
 
 The Bible House bounded by Third and Fourth Avenues, 
 Astor Place, and Ninth street, containing about three-fourths 
 of an acre, is built with an open court in the centre and is six 
 stories high and cost with the ground $304,000. Here may be 
 found a valuable Biblical Library of more than 4,700 volumes, 
 there are several priceless manuscripts, and rare old editions 
 in many languages. 
 
 In 1859 tne Mechanics Institute was located on Fourth Ave- 
 nue opposite Cooper Union; this Society was chartered April 
 24, 1833, and for many years occupied a large building on 
 Broadway extending through to Crosby Street. Hon. Hamil- 
 ton Fish, President. 
 
 The Ophthalmic Hospital was organized in 1859 on Stuy- 
 vesant street Rev. Isaac Ferris, D. D., L. L. D., President; 
 Peter Cooper, Vice-President; Benedict Lewis, Treasurer; 
 Hon. Caleb L. Woodhull, Enoch Dean, Solomon Jenner, Hon. 
 William S. Davidson, Rev. F. Dewitt, D. D., John M. Sea- 
 man, John Johnson, John J. Davis, J. B. Abbott, Hon. J. R. 
 Whitney, Daniel Drew, E. F. Purdy, Managers; W. H. 
 Stephenson, Secretary; Consulting Surgeons: Valentine Mott, 
 M. D., L. L. D.; D. L. Rogers, M. D., Attending Surgeons; 
 Mark Stephenson, M. D., John P. Garrish, M. D., Apothecary; 
 John Smith. 
 
 Every war in which the United States has been engaged the 
 residents of this section of New York City were largely re- 
 presented— '76, '12, '48, '6i, and "98, found them ready to die 
 for the Stars and Stripes, not the mere bit of tri-colored bunt- 
 
 66- 
 
ing, but the grand, unseen realities which the flag represents 
 It was fitting that the remains of young Hamilton Fish, who 
 fell at the battle of La Quasimas, Cuba, June 24, 1898, should 
 have been brought to old St. Mark's for the funeral rites; this 
 was his ancestral home, at No. 21 Stuyvesant street, his great 
 grand-parents lived; Nicholas Fish married, a Miss Stuyvesant, 
 third in descent from the Governor, and here Hamilton Fish 
 Secretary of State under Grant, was born. Col. Nicholas 
 Fish, and Major Leonard Bleecker, were in the army of oc- 
 cupancy at the evacuation of the British. It was in No. 21 at 
 that time in the midst of a beautiful garden, that Lafayette on 
 September 10, 1 824 dined and spent the evening with the Fish's. 
 This section of Manhattan is now the publishing centre of 
 greater New York, the books, papers and magazines are all of 
 the mcst exalted character, and their influence is world-wide 
 It is impossible to name them all — the Churchman, the Re- 
 view of Reviews are examples. Funck and Wagnal represent 
 the publishers, of which there are many all doing excellent 
 work. 
 
 The portion of the village included in the Bowery was not 
 always thus called, it was the Main street and the connection 
 with the Boston Post-road; it has been proposed to give it the 
 more suitable name of Cooper Avenue, the cognomen Bowery 
 being a misnomer. The people of the present d.iy cannot 
 understand that this street was once occupied by country resi- 
 dences, and so attractive that people came up from the City to 
 admire its beauties; during the occupancy of the British, the 
 road was a bower of flowers and was called the King's Bowery, 
 but the mutations of time have effaced all this. 
 
 67 
 
THE CIRCUIT OF THE 
 VILLAGE. 
 
 The north-western limit of the village w;;s at Tenth street 
 and Broadway, here on the site of A. T. Stewart's famous 
 dry-goods house, was the Washington Hotel, frequented ex- 
 clusively by the literati; here Fennimore Cooper founded the 
 "Bread and Cheese Club." and thither came N. P. Willis, 
 Charles Fenno Hoffman, William C. Bryant, George P. 
 Morris, Wilber F. Storey and all the wits of the day. 
 
 At the present time just below Eighth street are the large 
 and influential houses of prosperous merchants, notably the 
 American Book Company, &c, &c, built on the former gar- 
 dens of houses facing on Fourth Avenue. On the opposite side 
 of Broadway near Waverly Place, was the New York Hotel, 
 in the Fifties and Sixties this was a famous hostelery frequent- 
 ed by the United States Army and Navy Officers, none were 
 allowed to enter the dinning room to dinner unless they wore 
 full evening dress. Among the distinguished New Yorkers to 
 be seen in those days at this Hotel were the Schermerhorns, 
 Wandells, Goelets, Belmots, Tiemanns and many others. 
 General Scott, President Buchanan, President Pierce, General 
 Albert Sidney Johnson, Admiral Farragut, General Beaure- 
 gard, Col. Bruce, Jefferson Davis, General Hancock, General 
 Pope, Phil. Kearny, General John B. Magruder, Vice Admiral 
 Le Roy, "Fighting" Joe Hooker represented the army and 
 navy; it was in this hotel that Prince Napoleon and wife 
 
 68 
 
Princess Clotilde put up in 1861. 
 
 The Prince came to this country under orders from his 
 Uncle Napoleon III., to observe the movements of the two 
 great armies — the Union and Confederate; he remained on the 
 field three months, the Princess staying at the New York 
 Hotel. The suite of these distinguished guests consisted of 31 
 persons in all. 
 
 It was in this hotel that during the trouble between Macready 
 and Forrest, usually called the Astor Place Opera House riot, 
 that the Governor of the State, the Mayor of the City, and the 
 Recorder had their headquarters in parlor I., and directed 
 the movements of the militia and Sheriff's forces from there. 
 
 Opposite Waverly Place was the Church of the Messiah 
 (Unitarian), the building afterwards altered to a theatre known 
 as "Ye Olde London Streete" and now used by the Waldorf 
 Athletic Club. Just below here in the fifties was Hope Chapel, 
 built by the Baptists who had the Auditorum in the rear of the 
 lot, the front was occupied by stores, the entrance to the 
 Church being between the stores 
 
 In the 40's or 50's on the corner of Broadway and Great 
 Jones street stood a mansion, the residence of a recluse; an 
 air of sadness surrounded the dwelling, the blinds were al- 
 ways closed; occasionally a servant appeared at the hall door 
 in response to the bell, but aside from this all was quiet except 
 at a certain hour each day a close carriage stopped at the 
 door, and Roosevelt Brown (for such was the owners name) 
 with his valet entered the carriage for a drive; as the years 
 passed on Mr. Brown became thinner and weaker, until he 
 was not able to walk from the house to the carriage even with 
 
 69 
 
the help of his valet, he was then carried like a little child, and 
 thus was enabled to take an airing. When the neighbors enquir- 
 ed the cause of all this splendid misery they were told that there 
 had been an affair of the heart some years before, from which 
 Mr. Brown had never recovered; but by and by nature was 
 exhausted and the sufferer laid to rest. On demolishing the 
 house it was found that the floor in a room on the second story, 
 although laid with heavy plank, was nearly worn through; 
 and the world was then informed that a previous plank floor 
 had been worn entirely out by Mr. Brown pacing up and 
 down, day and night for many years. 
 
 At 663 Broadway was the fashionable boarding house known 
 as the Bond Street House, C. Plinta, proprietor, and frequent- 
 ed by the most exclusive people; the Rhinelanders, the Living- 
 stons, the Van Renssalers, the Crugers, the Fishes, the Kamil- 
 tons, the Bayards, &c, &c. In the early Fifties our first Am- 
 bassador to the court of St. James, Thomas F. Bayard, was a 
 frequent visitor, at that peiiod his mother and sister boarded 
 here, Mrs, Bayard is remembered as a pretty black-eyed 
 women, with a decidedly aristocratic air, but very gracious 
 with all. At the same time Mr. and Mrs. Hart were guests at 
 the house, Mrs. Hart was a Philadelphian, and in childhood in 
 connection with a party of young ladies assisted in reeling the 
 silk from the cocoon for the first silk-woven United States 
 flag. 
 
 During the Forties and Fifties Broadway from Bleecker to 
 Fourteen street in connection with the side streets already 
 named formed the aristocratic sections of Manhattan Island; 
 the good old Knickerbocker family of Roosevelt were well re- 
 
 70 
 
presented here; by the bequest of James H. Roosevelt by will 
 executed on March 13, 1854, he provided, after making certain 
 special bequests, that "all the rest and residue of his personal 
 estate" should be employed "for the establishment in the city 
 of New York of a Hospital for the reception and relief of sick 
 and diseased persons, and for its permanent endowment." 
 Nearly opposite Bond street was Tripler Hall, the largest 
 autitorium in the City; here Jenny Lind appeared during the 
 latter part of her visit to New York in 1847; the melodious 
 Swede was the most remarkable vocalist of the age; tickets for 
 her concerts brought fabulous prices, in one instance $ 650 
 were paid for a single ticket. 
 
 At the same time an unknown pianist, Otto Goldschmidt 
 was engaged to accompany Miss Lind; at the close of his first 
 performance, the audiance were in doubt whether to applaud 
 or not, Jenny Lind appeared at the back of the stage and 
 clapped her hand with great enthusiasm, from that moment 
 Goldschmidt's success was assured; this was thought to be a 
 very graceful act on the part of Miss Lind.* They were 
 married shortly after. Then came Ole Bull like a young Vi- 
 king out of the North, and New York City felt itself to be in- 
 deed the metropolis of the country (for long ere this Stuyvesant 
 Village had lost its identity and been absorbed in the great 
 City) to have secured such remarkable musical talent, as Jenny 
 Lind the vocalist, Otto Goldschmidt the painist, and Ole 
 Bull t the violinist; but the city of that period was a quiet 
 
 * Jenny Lind died in London November 2, 1&87 in the 68th, year of her age- 
 
 t It is not known that Ole Bull ever performed in Tripler Hall, but he was in 
 the audience at the performance of Miss Lind and Otto Goldschmidt- 
 
 71- 
 
little town m comparison with the bustling, busy mart of the 
 present. 
 
 Tripler Hall was afterwards altered and renamed Winter 
 Garden Theatre, and here in the season of 1859 and 60 ap- 
 peared Boucicault, Joseph Jefferson, and other famous actors. 
 
 The Academy of Design was founded by the professional 
 Artists in 1826; incorporated by Act of the Legislature, April 
 5, 1828, and occupied their new buildings 661 Broadway op- 
 posite Bond street, May 1, 1850; at that time the Board of Of- 
 ficers were The Council — A B. Durand, President; C. C. 
 
 Ingham, Vice-President; F. R. Spencer, Recording Secretary; 
 J. H. Shegogue, Corresponding Secretary; T. S. Cummings, 
 Treasurer; William S. Mount and William Page, Members. 
 Committee of Arrangement for the opening exhibition in con- 
 nection with the Council Daniel Huntington and Edward 
 Mooney, of the Academnitions; T. H. Richards and J. T. 
 Peale, of the Associates. The stair-case leading to the ex- 
 hibition rooms was thought to be an exquisite piece of work- 
 manship. 
 
 StuyVesant Institute entrance 659 Broadway, was at one 
 period the leading auditorium of the neighborhood; here the 
 University College a medical branch of the University of the 
 City of New York was located, under the leadership of Martyn 
 Paine, A. Sidney Doane, Gunning S. Bradford, and Alfred C. 
 Post, from its inception in 1838, until its removal to a new 
 building in Fourteenth street in 1854. The first clinique ever 
 given in America was founded here by the distinguished 
 Valentine Mott the Professor of Surgery. Many prominent 
 physicians and surgeons were associated with the University 
 
 72 
 
at this time. It was in Stuyvesant Institute on Monday, 
 April 29, 1839 tnat Peter Gerard Stuyvesant, then President 
 of the New York Historical Society, entertained ex-President 
 John Quincy Adams (at the semi-centenial of Washington) 
 and a large number of the members of the Historical Society, 
 at the Society rooms waich were then in this building. On 
 the upper floor of Stuyvesant Institute in 1854, the Young 
 Men's Christian Association had rooms and, did good Mission- 
 ery work. 
 
 This locality was called the court end of New York City, and 
 here was represented all that was aristocratic and exclusive 
 on Manhattan Island. Among the elete were the Hones, 
 Gallatins, Hamiltons and Stewarts, ex-Mayor Philip Hone 
 was a popular man in his day, and his son Henry was called 
 the handsomest man in the City, some said in the United 
 States, they lived on the north-east corner of Bond street and 
 Broadway; on the south-east corner lived the Gallatins, the 
 daughter married a Hamilton, who was much her senior; Mrs. 
 Hamilton and Moses Jones daughters were intimate friends 
 and congenial spirits, fond of dress, and tripping the light 
 fantastic toe. Just below Bond street lived Lispenard Stewart 
 and a little lower Captain Stuart. 
 
 Previous to 1850 there were no stores above the Metropolitan 
 Hotel, near Prince street. 
 
 In this domestic little community everybody knew every- 
 body, and took a kindly interest in their affairs, which does 
 not necessarily include gossip; and this is as it should be, for 
 while statistics are right and proper in their way, it is the 
 welfare of our friends and neighbors that appeals to us, and 
 
 -73- 
 
we are glad to know of their prosperity and happiness. 
 
 Stuyvesant village did not extend farther south than the 
 Bleecker property (35 acres); here lived the good old Knicker- 
 bocker family that has left its name on the street. The 
 Bleeckers were people of consequence when some who are 
 now represented in the 400 were peddling furs, and the young- 
 er people loitering about the village trying to pick up odd jobs, 
 for which they received very slight remuneration. On this 
 street the first savings bank in New York City was built in 
 1 819, largely through the efforts of John Pintard a prominant 
 citizen, there were twenty-eight directors, with De Witt Clin- 
 ton at the head. It began on a Saturday evening at six 
 o'clock, and closed at mne. There were deposited that 
 evening $2,807. The largest deposit was $300 the smallest $2. 
 
 Individuals not knowing the great changes in this part of 
 Manhattan Island would not suppose that this street was ever 
 the abode of exclusive people, and yet there are those who 
 say that through the grime and squalor of the present, can be 
 discerned the beautiful frescoes and delicately tinted walls of 
 the past. On this street lived the Mumfords, the Schermer- 
 horns and many other prominent New Yorkers. 
 
 In the *3oes two ladies by the name of Townsend had a 
 select school and taught with great acceptance, and in the 
 same house lived a Mr. Townsend (no connection of the ladies) 
 whose son John P. Townsend, L. L. D., was or has been 
 president of the Maritime Exchange, of the Knickerbocker 
 Trust Company, treasurer of the New York Produce Exchange, 
 trustee of the University of Rochester, and honory president 
 of the Society of ihe Universal Scientific Congress of Provi- 
 
 74 
 
dent Institutions of Paris, France; he was also president of a 
 Savings Bank, his books "A History of Banking in All Na- 
 tions" is an acknowledge authority throughout the world. 
 This work is in several volumns. He died September u, 1S98. 
 On Bleecker street at Nos. 21 and 23 is the Florence Mission, 
 founded by Mr. C. N. Crittenton in 1883, in memory of his lit- 
 tle daughter Florence, who died in March of that year. This 
 is the first Mission of its kind, and is spoken of as the Mother 
 Mission; from this has sprung more than twenty others in dif- 
 ferent cities. 
 
 In 1850 the "New York Society for the Relief of Widows 
 and Orphans of Medical Men" had rooms at No. 43 Bleecker 
 street. In this street may be found Mills house No. 1., this 
 hotel was projected and built by D. O. Mills, and was design- 
 ed for men of moderate means, whose tastes are for clean- 
 liness and comfort, there are accomodations for 1,600 guests 
 one of the most expert chefs in the country has charge of the 
 larder. Citizen George Francis Train prefers this hotel to any 
 other in the City. Citizen Train is now editing a Magazine, 
 first issue Jan. 1899. Without question this new Periodical 
 hasn't its like anywhere on the face of the civilized earth. 
 
 At No. 190 is "The Mission of the Lord" conducted by Elder 
 Ellis Ballou an own cousin of the late president James A. 
 Garfield, every other evening there are out-door meetings 
 from 7 to 8 when the indoor service is held; on Sunday there 
 are four services, Ministers of all denominations assist the Rev. 
 Mr. Ballou 
 
 Now let us cross the Bowerij lane and enter what was once 
 a silent village. Immediately after the streets were opened 
 
 75 
 
above North (now Houston) street, in 1807, the different 
 Christian denominations secured land for burial purposes, and 
 nearly all the interments from the City were made here; but 
 ground became too valuable to be usel for this purpose and the 
 dead were removed from the Methodist, Presbyterian and 
 Dutch Reformed grounds in the Fourties, for the dead have 
 small reverance where the interests of the living are concerned. 
 The Marble Cemetery, the Baptist ground, and a part of the 
 Friends ground, alone remain intact. 
 
 The passerby not familiar with this locality would never 
 suspect that the center ot the block bounded by Second and 
 Third streets, Second Avenue and Bowery was a graveyard, 
 but such is the case; the houses are built like a wall around 
 the old burial yard of the Marble Cemetery; here lie the remains 
 of many of the best people of this vicinity, many of them laid 
 to rest so long ago, that no representative is in the City. It 
 has been proposed to remove the tomb-stones, and make a 
 public play ground for the children, of this old burial place. 
 The new Marble Cemetery (1822) is just a little east of Second 
 Avenue, and here are interred the remains of many who made 
 their mark; among them may be mentioned Preserved Fish, 
 as an unknown child he was taken from the water by a citizen, 
 and given every advantage, he improved his opportunites and 
 became a leading man of his time. 
 
 Here ex-President Monroe was interred. Monroe immedi- 
 ately after his graduation from college joined the Revolution- 
 ary Army and distinguished himself in several battles. He 
 was minister to France and to England, and was Secretary of 
 State under Madison. He was inaugurated President March 
 
 •76 
 
4, i8i7 and served eight years. 
 
 President Monroe was the author of what has since been 
 known, as the Monroe Doctrine. The United States still 
 adhere to the principle as stated by Monroe. He was the last 
 president connected with the Revolution. He died in his home 
 where he had lived for many years just outside of the village 
 limits July 4, 1841 his funeral occurred three days after, and 
 was by far the largest one that had been seen in New York 
 up to that date. The body remained in the Marble Cemetery 
 for twenty-seven years; it was disinterred at the request of the 
 State of Virginia in 1858 and removed to Hollywood Cemetery, 
 Richmond Virginia. 
 
 In the Marble Cemetery the remains of John Ericsson the 
 great Swedish inventor whose talant changed the affairs of 
 nations; the inventor of the Monitor, the forerunner of iron- 
 clad vessels reposed, until conveyed like one of the Vikings of 
 old, with all civil military and naval honors, to his native 
 land. Both Monroe and Ericsson lived and died just a little 
 Southwest of Stuyvesant village and were well known to all 
 the people. The last interment in the Marble Cemetery was 
 that of Reuben B. Withers in 1897. Mr. Withers died in Paris 
 France where he had lived for many years. His remains were 
 brought to New York. The body was carried from the steam- 
 er to St. Mark's Church, and after the service was interred in 
 the family vault in the Southeast corner of the cemetery. 
 
 On First otreet a little below the Methodist burial ground 
 was the pretty little church of Rev. W. M. Stillwell, who was 
 the owner of the property and preached gratuitously he called 
 his organization the "Saviour's Church of the Methodist 
 
 -77 
 
Society." The building stood on the rear of the ground 
 leaving quite a nice lawn with a full city lot on either 
 side, there were several interments here, but in 1856 the 
 bodies were removed and the church demolished; one 
 grave remained untouched, this belonged to a Mr. Steves who 
 some years before had purchased the spot intending to be 
 buried there himself. The family had all died or moved 
 West, except one aged daughter of Mr. Steves who was an 
 inmate of the Old Ladies Home, then in Twentieth street. 
 (Founded by Mrs. Isabela Graham, daughter of Rev. Dr. 
 Divie Bethune) some tenement houses front and rear were 
 erected, before beginning the work a written guarantee was 
 given the daughter that the grave should never be disturbed, 
 and to the last of her life she held the paper thinking that 
 everything remained as it did while the pretty little church 
 stood on this ground, little knowing that long before every 
 visible vestage of the grave had disappeared. In this grave 
 are two bodies, the first was that of the Rev. Mr. Van Velzor 
 a man who at one time stirred Manhattan Island with his un- 
 cultured eloquence. 
 
 At this period preaching was more personal than at the pres- 
 ent. The minister of the gospel got a grip on the individual, and 
 did not let go the hold until he had the sinner at the foot of the 
 cross pleading for mercy. 
 
 Mr. Steves bore the greatest love and reverence for Mr. 
 Van Velzor and wished his own remains to be placed over 
 those of his friend, so that at the last the dust of the two would 
 mingle. This grave was about midway between the front 
 and rear houses of No. 42. The Stillwell's were leading people 
 
 7* 
 
in this neighborhood. 
 
 In 1893 an octoganarian who had been born and brought 
 up in Stuyvesant Village pined once more to see the long-ago 
 beautiful place, as her carnage rolled on she contrasted the 
 past with the present, she exclaimed ' 'all is dark and changed 
 except the Marble Cemetery, that looks as it used to. I never 
 want to come here again." 
 
 Where was once a village of the dead, and now occupied 
 with tenement houses and factories, arises a grer.t light 
 Nicola Tesla 's lahatory is here, and from that mental workshop 
 the great Electrical Magician sends out the results of his 
 wonderful experiments to enlighten and benefit the whole 
 world; his latest is the process of converting the nitrogen of 
 the air into nitrates for fertilizing wheat fields. 
 
 Just above Second street on the Avenue, may be seen a 
 building that in its time was considered very imposing, this 
 house was built by the Presbyterians and for some time a large 
 and wealthy congregation worshipped here. About 1840 dif- 
 ferences of opinion arose upon certain subjects, and the 
 church members were divided into two parties; the dissension 
 finally became so hot, that many members withdrew from the 
 church, going a little further up the Avenue, and building a 
 small brick edifice on Sixth street; the lower part was let to 
 Mr Fry who had here an excellent and prosperous private 
 school. But the spirit of dissension destroyed the religious 
 life of both churches, and prosperity did not smile on them. 
 The mother church was the first to succumb, and in 1S45 their 
 church edifice was sold to the Roman Catholics in whose 
 possession it has since remained. The Sixth street branch 
 
 79 
 
struggled on until 1848, when they sold the building to the 
 German Lutheran St. Marcus congregation. 
 
 In 1840 a large log cabin was erected on the southeast cor- 
 ner of Third street and Second Avenue as the political head- 
 quarters of the neighborhood. The canvass of that year was 
 one of wild excitement and was known as the "Log-Cabin and 
 Hard-Cider Campaign." Harrison & Tyler were triumphantly 
 elected. 
 
 A few steps up the Avenue near Seventh street we come to 
 property that has been in possession of the Dutch Reformed 
 for many years, here lived in the Forties and Fifties a most 
 attractive and charming family named Leuquare consisting of 
 the seniors, three daughters and one son, decided in their at- 
 tachment to the Reformed Church. On this site was erected 
 in 1891 the "Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of 
 the City of New York. Organized under Peter Minuit Direct- 
 or General of the New Netherlands. A. D,, 1628. Chartered 
 by William, King of England, A. D., 1696." Originally known 
 as the Middle Dutch Church, Liberty corner Nassau street, 
 adjacent to the famous sugar house the scene of atrocious and 
 multiplied cruelties inflicted upon American citizens; it was 
 used by the British soldiers for their quarters, and the interior 
 destroyed and rendered desolate. At one time the Church 
 was used as a prison and 3.000 American soldiers sick and well 
 were crowded within its walls. The present pastor is the Rev. 
 John Hutchings. 
 
 Opposite the Leuquare's on the south-west coroner lived at 
 the same period an English Canadian named William H. 
 Hcople, Mrs. Hoople possessed a remarkably sympathetic 
 
 80 
 
character, and was in every way a supsrior woman; thsre was 
 one only daughter, Miss Mary, and while living here she mar- 
 ried Mr. Van Wyck Brinkerhoff a wealthy merchant in the East 
 India trade; after his death in 1892 Mrs. Brinkerhoff offered to 
 Barnard College the mumificent gift of $100,000 the same to 
 be used in the erection of a building to be named Brinkerhoff 
 Hall, in memory of her late husband Mr. Van Wyck Brinker- 
 hoff, and her father Mr. W. A. Hoople. Mr. Hojple made a 
 large fortune in the leather business in the Swamp. — Gold 
 street. 
 
 After Mr. Hoople's removal the house was occupied by Dr. 
 James Knight a humane physician, who seeing the number of 
 maimed and crippled children in the neighborhood felt sad- 
 dened, his whole heart going out to them in sympathy, he fit- 
 ted up a room in the second story of his own home, and 
 received them free of expense, they came to him in such num- 
 bers that one room was not sufficient for their accommodation, 
 and the whole second floor was occupied by the little unfortu- 
 nates; still the needs increased. Dr. Knight interested a 
 number of wealthy ladies and gentlemen in the work, a society 
 was formed in 1862, money collected, and the magnificent 
 building known as the Hospital for Crippled Children was 
 erected on the corner of Forty-second street and Lexington 
 Avenue, as the result of Dr. Knight's benevolent, sympathetic 
 charity. 
 
 On the easterly side of Second Avenue between Tenth and 
 Eleventh streets opposite Stuyvesant street which here forms 
 a junction with the Avenue in an oblique direction is a church 
 erected by the Baptists coming from the lower part of the 
 
City with the Rev. Archibald Mcclay, D. D., as their pastor. 
 The building does not present a combination of lofty tower 
 and spire, with their attendant pinnacles,, but the more sedate 
 and pleasing features of the Gothic style of architecture. 
 
 For many years the Rev. Dr. Lathrop, was their pastor, 
 and afterward the Rev. Dr. D. C. Potter. For some time 
 the Church and Church house have been closed. But on the 
 20th of February 1898, the buildings were reopened under the 
 auspices of the City Mission Society; a new church organized 
 known as the Second Avenue Baptist Church, with the Rev. 
 James A. Francis pastor. 
 
 Adjoining the church is the New York Historical Society. 
 On the 20th of November 1804 eleven highly accomplished 
 citizens met by appointment in the picture-room of the City 
 Hall in Wall street, and agreed to organize a society for the 
 collection and preservation of whatever might relate to the 
 civil or ecclesiastical history of New York, those gentlemen 
 were Judge Egbert Benson, Mayor De Witt Clinton, the cel- 
 ebrated devines Rev. Dr. L. Miller, Rev. Dr. John M. Mason, 
 Rev. Dr. John N. Abeel and Rev. Dr. William Linn and Dr. 
 David Hosack, Anthony Bleecker, Samuel Bayard, Peter 
 Gerard Stuyvesant and John Pintard. A committee was ap- 
 pointed to draft a constitution consisting of Judge Benson, 
 Rev. Dr. Miller and John Pintard. At a second meeting 
 December 10th, other prominent gentlemen were present in- 
 cluding Rufus King, Daniel D. Tompkins, and Rev. John H. 
 llobert. Permanent officers were chosen the 14th of January 
 1805, with Judge Bronson as president; Right Rev. Bishop 
 Moore 1st. vice-president; Judge Brockholst Livington, 2nd 
 
 8a 
 
vice-president; Rev. Dr. Miller, corresponding secretary; John 
 Pintard, recording secretary; Charles Wilkes, treasurer; and 
 John Forbes, librarian. 
 
 The first standing committee consisted of Dr. Samuel I. 
 Mitchell, Dr. David Hosack, Daniel D. Tompkins, William 
 Johnson, John McKesson, Anthony Bleecker and Rev. Dr. 
 Mason. In the New York Historical Society are found the 
 early records of the City, some of them so precious that they 
 are kept carefully in a strong locked safe, and although going 
 back as far as 1633 the writing ink is perfectly legible, show- 
 ing the superior quality of the ink in those times; there are also 
 a valuable collection of coins, and medals; the gallery com- 
 prises portraits of many distinguished individuals. Present 
 building erected 1857. 
 
 We next come to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, on 
 the corner of Thirteenth street. This infirmary was founded 
 in 1820 and for many years occupied the middle house in the 
 row of two story cottages in St. Marks Place near Third Ave- 
 nue. This is the oldest institution of its kind m the country. 
 It was organized witn a staff of two physicians and the first 
 year gave relief to 600 patients; since then nearly 1. 000. o„o 
 patients have been treated. 
 
 The corner-stone of the new building was laid March 15, 
 1890 by the President of the Board of Directors, Benjamin H. 
 Field, assisted by Bibhop Potter and Mrs. G rover Cleveland. 
 Ex-Mayor Abram S. Hewitt presided, and made the opening 
 address. Bishop Potter in full episcopal vestments made an 
 impressive prayer, J. Harsen Pvhodes, one of the Board of 
 Directors, gave a historical sketch of the infirmary. Execu- 
 
 83 
 
tive Surgeon Henry D. Noyes described the work of the in- 
 firmary. George William Curtis made the principal address, 
 after which President Field assisted Mrs. Grover Cleveland up 
 a flight of steps, leading to where the corner-stone was sus- 
 pended. Both Mrs. Cleveland and Mrs. Field smoothed the 
 mortar, and the stone was lowered to its place. Bishop Pot- 
 ter pronounced the benediction. It may be well to add paren- 
 thetically that Jacob Harsen, Sr., was one of the number to 
 organize this great work, and at his death soon after, left 
 $ io.ooo to the institution. This is the same Jacob Harsen in 
 whose house on the Bloomingdale road, now Seventieth street 
 and Boulevard, the Bloomingdale Dutch Reformed Church 
 was formed. Jacob Harsen bequeathed to the church a tract 
 of land on Broadway and Sixty-ninth street; a few years since 
 a portion of the land was sold for $300,000 and the new church 
 erected, Rev. Dr. Martyn pastor. Present pastor Rev. J. 
 Madison Peters. A tablet was inserted in the wall in memory 
 of Jacob Harsen. 
 
 On the point made by the junction of Tenth and Eleventh 
 streets with Second Avenue, is St. Mark's Protestant Episco- 
 pal Church this edifice is built on the very site of Governor 
 Stuyvesant's Church. 
 
 The present building was erected in 179 1. It is one of the 
 most historical buildings in the City. Its vaults bear the 
 names of many families connected with the history of this 
 vicinity. Here lie the remains of the Governors ot three dif- 
 ferent dynasties Dutch, English and American. In the Stuy- 
 vesant vault, side by side with Governor Stuyvesant, are the 
 remains of the English governor Colonel Henry Sloughter 
 
 -84- 
 
who died in 1691, in the vault of Mr. Minthorn, not far distant, 
 the body of Daniel D. Tompkins governor of New York State 
 1807-17 and Vice-President of the United States, 1817-25 are 
 interred. Here are the vaults of the Winthrops, Hones, Van 
 Denheuvels, Gebharis, Barclays, Iselins, Dirck Ten Brokes, 
 Milderburgers, Raynors, Waldrons, Anthons, Townsends, 
 Graffs, Lorillards, and here at his death April 10, 1876 the re- 
 mains of A. T. Stewart were deposited. The grave was rob- 
 bed of the body, the coffin remaining in the vault; detectives 
 say that the body was never recovered. Judge Hilton found 
 some way of pacifying Mrs. Stewart, and the coffin was placed 
 in the mausoleum at Garden City, Long Island. This church 
 has had many superior Rectors, among them may be mention- 
 ed the Rev. Dr. Henry Anthon, and the Rev. Dr. Rylance, 
 who was pastor from 1S7 1-1899, at that date he was made pas- 
 tor emeritus. The assistant Rector is the Rev. Walter E. 
 Bentley, a highly esteemed, and efficient co-laboror in church 
 work. 
 
 The Anthons were leading people in the City in intellectual 
 circles; Charles Anthon was classical professor in Columbia 
 College. There were always a great many artists in this 
 vicinity. 
 
 In this neighborhood in the Forties and Fifties lived the 
 Ogdens, the Underbills, the Zabriskies, the Fellows, the 
 Johnsons, the Tomlinsons and the Ensigns. Near 13th street 
 lived Fernando Wood, Mayor of the City of New York in 1855 
 '56 and '57. 
 
 Diagonally opposite from the Eye and Ear Infirmary on the 
 corner of Fourteenth street is the Presbyterian Church for 
 many years under the efficient pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Henry 
 
 85 
 
T. McEwen, who by his urbanity and enthusiasm did an im- 
 mense amount of good. Present pastor Rev. F. B. Richards. 
 
 A little higher up the Avenue we come to Stuyvesant Square; 
 until the early Nineties this park was exclusively for the use of 
 the wealthy residents of the immediate neighborhood, and the 
 gates were locked regularly at sunset; but now the gates are 
 never locked and the park is free to all. 
 
 On the west side of the Park is St. George's Church (Rev. 
 Dr. Milnor's removed from Beekman street,) formerly Dr. 
 Tyng rector, now Rev. Dr. Rainsford. 
 
 Contiguous to the Episcopal Church is the Friends Meeting 
 House, adjoining is the Penington, a home for infirm and 
 aged Friends; visitors and others are also accommodated. 
 Opened May 22, 1897. This is the northern limit of Director 
 Stuyvesant's property on the east side; and now we will cross 
 to the Boston Highway (Third Avenue) and a little south we 
 come to a spot that is famous in song and story — namely the 
 pear orchard belonging to the Governor; one of these trees 
 Stuyvesant brought from Holland and planted it just where 
 afterward was the corner of Third Avenue and Thirteenth 
 street, here the tree stood for over 240 years. In 1863 there 
 were three pears hanging from its branches. William Spiker, 
 a grocer, whose store was opposite the tree, plucked these 
 pears and sent them to the Fair of the American Institute 
 
 One of these last three pears may now be seen in the drug 
 store of the late J. B. Frees, No. 179 Sixth Avenue. The 
 pear is perfectly preserved, still attached to the original twig, 
 in a bottle of spirits. The jar containing the pear bears the 
 official card of the Institute, yellowed by long exposure. 
 This was the last time the tree produced fruit; although the 
 
 86 
 
tree was surrounded by a high iron railing, it was thought 
 hazardous to remain, and it was cut down in 1867. The Hol- 
 land Society have placed a Memorial stone in the corner house. 
 
 And thus coming down the avenue a few steps we reach 
 the great dry goods house of A. T. Stewart — Hilton & 
 Hughes — E. J. Denning and Co., — Wanamaker. 
 
 We have compassed the village and who shall not say it has 
 been a pleasant and profitable walk, one of which the 
 original founders, if they can now take cognizance of earth, 
 are not ashamed. As we saunter down the old Boston High- 
 way, and think of the traditions of our forefathers, we come 
 to the spot which was once the City's limit and stop where 
 the oyster house once stood hush with the point, in imagin- 
 ation we go up the stairs to the reading room and post office 
 and look in the pantry (for the point was utilized) and see the 
 piles of books and newspapers, and we exclaim "food for the 
 mind," we descend, and look into the pantry on the ground 
 floor, and here we see quantities of good things, prepared in 
 the most appetizing manner, and we exclaim "material food." 
 And now just where those closets were is a drinking fountain 
 for man and animals a fitting rounding up of internal and 
 mental cheer. This drinking fountain is a memorial to the 
 late Mrs. Marie Guise Newcomb, an artist well known as an 
 animal painter. It was erected by the society for the Preven- 
 tion of Cruelty to Animals, to which Mrs. Newcomb gave 
 •^750, the proceeds of the sale of a picture, "The Horse's 
 Need," for the purpose. The fountain is thirteen feet, six 
 inches high, surmounted by an ornamental lamp, which stands 
 nearly six feet above the top of the stone work, and is a carved 
 block of Italian coral red granite. 
 
 37- 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 It may be safely assumed that this locality has sent out 
 more individuals who have been a blessing to mankind 
 than any portion of New York City of equal size. 
 
 The descendants of the founders of the village formed a 
 social circle remote and independent of the new comers, and 
 when they met always talked over the sayings and doings of 
 their ancestors, dwelling upon them with special pride and 
 pleasure: invariably ending with the exclamation "Well! there 
 are not many of us remaining." There was a certain pathos 
 in this it seemed like the last sigh of a fast-passing race. 
 Portions of the neighborhood were being peopled by a rough, 
 illiterate class; a complete exodus of the original inhabitants 
 began in the Fifties and in a few years all, with the exception 
 of the Governor's descendants, had vacated the home of their 
 ancestors. But the spirit of the past, its frankness, probity 
 and high-souled courage still hovers over the place, and casts 
 its benign influence on the people and their work. Now let 
 us bid adieu to this once lovely spot, with affection and rever- 
 ance, and be thankful that in a large portion of it, is still to be 
 met the design of its founders— 
 
 "Who left unstained what there they found, Freedom to 
 worship God." 
 
 88-