F 127 .L8'7 copy 2 f^mtiti 0* y . • • ■'-\ ..*'% -mm' J'^ O •^ " ' ■' T, ■ A o. . ..0 ^ ... %.** ■■''^^^ \/ ;) %,^ /^^^^■■' \,v ^ -V ,/\ '•■y^/hw ./\: "" ^ S V -• iSa ^' .•■■'• ''^ ' " C"^ -; ^^. .<.'^'" V"^J •* ..-#%-.- .■^^'■^. •.^^•- /% ■•■ ^ %.^ ^&& X'/ :^^'''" . .^ A ^^ ' • • « 1 > ^c^ <> c * o . *^' ^0 '^ % ""^ v^^ ,..». -V -^o' ^< y '6" by ^' .0^ * .0^^ ^-'■ c" -A?^;;:'A •^ o History of Long Island II A NEW AND COMPLETE VOLUME OF INFORMATION With Original Pen and Ink Sketches by EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER Eaale Library Itfo. 182 M XXIX. (19i4). i#ir^«^ .\f/ $! tr;' -"^t lie. Ill A VIEW OF THE HAIRDRESSING ESTABLISHMENT OF MRS. TYLER-MILLER AT 80-82 FLEET STREET, BROOKLYN. MRS. TYLER-MILLER'S HAIRDRESSING ESTABLISHMENT Mrs. Tyler-Miller conducts at 80 Fleet Street, one of the oldest and best known hair- dressing establishments in Brooklyn, having given satisfaction to her many patrons at that address for over tw^enty years. Last sea- son, on account of the large increase in her patronage, she added the building at 82 Fleet Street, thus doubling her space. Mrs. Tyler- Miller's establishment is fitted up in the most elegant manner and is equipped with every modem convenience needed in her business. Her patrons include many of the leading so- ciety women of Brooklyn and Long Island, as they find in the private rooms, which are a special feature of the establishment, the lux- ury and privacy of their own boudoirs. Mrs. Tyler-Miller has a large force of helpers, who are experts in their respective lines, such as the making of hair goods, shampooing, scalp treatment, hairdressing, facial massage, and manicuring, but Mrs. Tyler-Miller gives her personal supervision and advice to each pat- ron and her personal attention to every detail of the business, and, as she is an expert in her line, the business is conducted on a first-class basis. Her prices are moderate and she of- fers special inducements to ladies living on Long Island. She is very glad to show visit- ors her establishment and they will find much to interest them there. THE EAGLE LIBRARY LONG ISLAND ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT WIXH ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS By EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER (Copyright, 1914, by E. L. Armbruster) PUBLISHED BY THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, BROOKLYN-NEW YORK Entered at the Brooklyn-New York Post office as second-class matter. Vol. XXIX No. 7, of the Eagle Library, Serial No. 182, June, 1914. Trademark "Eagle Library," registered. Almanac Number $1.00. Yearly subscription, $1.50, including Almanac. ? q: Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. The Queens County Trust Company Offices and Safe Deposit Vaults^ 375 Fulton St., Jamaica, A. Y. CAPITAL, $600,000.00 BANKING DEPARTMENT Deposits Subject to Checks. Special Deposits not Subject to Check. Interest Allowed on Daily Balances. Foreign Exchange, Travelers Cheques TRUST DEPARTMENT Executor Estates Managed Administrator Registrar Guardian Transfer Agent Trustee Legal Depository for Receiver moneys paid into Court SAFE DEPOSIT VAULTS Boxes rented $5.00 per year and upward. Robert B. Austin, Pres. Willis H. Young, V. Pres. Thomas Napiei^ V. Pres. W. E. Stecher, Secfy. Leander B. Faber, Counsel. Queens County Trust Co., Jamaica, Queens Borough. Conducts a General Banking Business. BRANCH OFFICE Queens Plaza North, Long Island City, N. Y. Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. DR. BERNARD LISSEY One of Queens Borough's leading dentists is Dr. Bernard Lissey, with offices at 339 Fulton street, Jamaica, and his dental operating room, a picture of which is shown above, has been declared the best equipped and the most elaborate and costly on Long Island. As an artisan is judged by his tools and uis workmanship, so a dentist is judged by his appliances and his pleased or displeased patrons. The fact that Dr. Lissey has a large clientele and that his pa- tients invariably leave his office with pleased expressions on their faces. Is sufficient proof of Dr. Lissey's worth. Dr. Lissey desires to please his patrons by not only giving them the best possible workmanship and dental surgery under absolute aseptic conditions, but by giving surrounding cleanliness and comfort. Upon arriving in New York, at the age of 17 years, Dr. Lissey immediately proceeded to educate himself. He secured employment as a junior clerk in a drugstore and within a short time re- ceived his license as a graduate pharmacist. In 1903 he decided upon entering the College of Dental and Oral Surgery of New York. He had a very successful college career, graduating in 1906, receiving a silver medal. Shortly after his graduation. Dr. Lissey was married and in 1907 he established himself modestly at Jamaica, L. I. By close application to his work and constant effort to please, Dr. Lissey soon made for himself an enviable reputation. Despite the fact that he is a very busy dentist, Dr. Lissey still finds time to devote to civic, political, fraternal and charitable work. He is a member of the Jamaica Citizens Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Iroquois Democratic Club, of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, of Jamaica Council of the Royal Arcanum, of Jamaica Conclave, Independent Order of Heptasophs; of the Council of Im- migration of New York, of the Woodmen of the World, of the Foresters of America, of the Knights of Pythias, and of Ionic Lodge No. 4S6, F. and A. M., and of various dental societies. Dr. Lissey is still a comparatively young man. He is thirty-three years old. He lives with his wife and two children — Jeanette Frances and Dorothy Marion Lissey — in a handsome home at 63 Shelton avenue, Jamaica. Dr. Lissey is always pleased to receive members of his profession, medical doctors, as well as the public in general, and permit them to inspect his handsome dental offices at 339 Fulton street, Jamaica. Telephone 281-597 Jamaica. Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. INCORPORATED 1827 1 BROOKLYN SAVINGS BANK CORNER PIERREPONT AND CLINTON STREETS New Entrance 300 Fulton btreet BROOKLYN, N. Y. Due Depositors Surplus (Par Value) $51,400,000 $5,900,000 CROWELL HADDEN - - DANIEL J. CREEM - - RICHARD L. EDWARDS CROWELL, HADDEN RICHARD L. EDWARDS EDW. H. LITCHFIELD FRANK LYMAN DAVID G. LEGGET WILLIS L. OGDEN JOHN F. HALSTED JONATHAN BULKLEY OFFICERS: President LAURUS E. SUTTON • Vice-Pres. ARTHUR C. HARE - Vice-Pres. CHARLES C. PUTNAM Comptroller Cashier Ass't Comp'r TRUSTEES FRANK L. BABBOTT HENRY P. NOYES SANFORD H. STEELE DANIEL J. CREEM CLINTON R. JAMES B. HERBERT SMITH FRANCIS L. NOBLE FREDERICK A. M. BURRELL WILLIAM L. MOFFAT HAROLD I. PRATT EDWIN P. MAYNARD CHARLES J. PEABODY MARTIN JOOST ALBERT L. MASON FRANK D. TUTTLE WILLIAM MASON CHARLES L. MORSE -4/ Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. OAK PARK NURSERIES On East Main street, Patchogue, is situated the Oak Park Nurseries, E. C. and S. V. Tiger, proprietors, comprising many acres. As the picture indicates, their specialty is evergreens. Established in 1888 the nursery has been spreading out year by year, until it now covers a large acreage of superbly stocked nursery specialties. Their reputation is such that it has gained for them customers who continually renew their orders, as they realize they can place their orders in perfect confidence and receive just exactly what they buy. Special attention is given to the culture of trees that will succeed best in this climate, and those grown here are already acclimated. Write for their beautiful cata- logue and when in need of anything in this line write the Oak Park Nurseries, which will exert an effort to please you and make you a satisfied and permanent customer. Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. Jamaica Park South Realty Corporation 120 West Thirty-second Street, New York Telephone 2914 Madison Square 236 Fulton Street, Jamaica, L. I. Telephone 878 Jamaica The Best Moderate Priced Residential Section in Queensborough 19 Minutes From the Pennsylvania Station, 33d Street, New York. 30 Minutes From Manhattan by the New Subway System. LOTS FROM $250 TO $1,500 The City, State and National Governments have united to open what the "New York World" aptly calls "America's New Front Door." It will be at Jamaica Bay, adjacent to our property. New York dock authorities declare at this hour that there are countless vessels which, upon arrival, have no prospect but delay, uncertainty and extortionate dock charges when they try to unload. A READJUSTMENT OF THE COMMERCE OF THE WORLD IS NOW UNDER WAY AND JAMAICA BAY IS TO HANDLE IT. We are showing you history in the making. Facts are here which your mind can build to- gether. It is a cold business proposition. The alert will grasp it to their certain profit. We can prove to you every assertion. JAMAICA PARK SOUTH REALTY CORPORATION 120 West Thirty-second Street, New York Telephone 2914 Madison Square 236 Fulton Street, Jamaica, L. I. Telephone 878 Jamaica Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS LARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. Jamaica Park South Realty Corporation 120 West Thirty-second Street, New York Telephone 2914 Madison Square 236 Fulton Street, Jamaica, L. I. Telephone 878 Jamaica EVERY DOLLAR IN THE PENNSYLVANIA TUNNELS AND TERMINALS, EVERY DOLLAR IN THE CITY'S DUAL SUBWAY SYSTEM, EVERY DOLLAR IN JAMAICA BAY'S GREAT HARBOR, EVERY DOLLAR IN THE NEW ERIE BARGE CANAL, EVERY DOLLAR IN HELL GATE BRIDGE, Every dollar in each and all of these projects is a lever raising Jamaica Park South realty values to a higher level. Our proposition is an open book. These big improvements are right there doing business — ready for your inspection. You take nothing on faith. The facts speak for themselves. When you see, you will say what every other man says — "IT IS BETTER THAN IT WAS REPRE- SENTED." Any of these improvements will create enough big business to make an ordinary city. Think what it means to build a harbor. Here will be miles of wharfage, steamship terminals, docks, etc. Jamaica Bay Harbor means the creation of a thousand new business centers — a city within a city. Shipping facilities bring manufacturers. The increase in Queens manufactures, 314% in 10 years, is a demonstration of that fact. If the National Government were spending $70,000,000 in the construction of a new harbor on some barren shore, miles from any city, property there would be a good investment. But at Jamaica Bay the harbor is being built at the backdoor of the greatest commercial city in the world — a city with water or rail transit to all points on the globe. Suppose even ONE of these improvements was being worked out in any community — you know it would be good business to buy property there and wait its completion. But suppose the entire five came together in that community — what then? If some big business concern would spend $500,000 establishing a plant in a town, you would figure that property there was a good investment. But here is an expenditure of eight hundred and twenty million dollars on the biggest enter- prises this country ever saw — all of them working together to make Jamaica Park South the greatest commercial center in the United States. If real estate does not reach high values here, there is no place on earth that it will. If real estate is not a good investment here — there is no such thing as a good investment. It is GOOD BUSINESS to investigate our proposition before you make any investment any- where. LET US TAKE YOU OUT AND SHOW YOU THE PROPERTY. JAMAICA PARK SOUTH REALTY CORPORATION 120 West Thirty-second Street, New York Telephone 2914 Madison Square 236 Fulton Street, Jamaica, L. L Telephone 878 Jamaica Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. r THE "^ Patchogue Bank OF F»AXCHOGLJE, IM. Y. Capital .... $75,000.00 Surplus and Profits Over $65,000.00 JOHN A. POTTER, President JESSE C. MILLS, Vice President FRANK A. POTTER, Cashier b.. JOHN A. POTTER JESSE C. MILLS JOHN M. PRICE JOHN J. ROE ARCHIBALD S. HAVENS DIRECTORS FRANK OVERTON SMITH W. CONKLIN NATHANIEL O. SWEZEY GEORGE H, FURMAN HOWARD S. CONKLIN JOSEPH T. LOSEE JAMES H. MILLS JAMES H. SNEDECOR J. ROBERT BAILEY DANIEL R. DAVIS FRED B. NEWINS DAYTON HEDGES .^ ^ 215 MONTAOUE ST. TELEPMOME— 3613 r^./\.IM. Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. FRED M. RULAND Granite, Marble and Statuary. Artistic Granite Work a Specialty. Office and yards, corner of Lake street and North Ocean avenue, Patchogue, L. I. ^ kept pace with the demands of the times for better cemetery work, assures all Ruland customers of prompt, courteous, efficient, honest service. The most modern elec- trical lettering devices, the highest grade of workmanship, elevating cranes and all up-to-date equip- ment are the best evidence to offer that Ruland can meet any and all requirements for monuments, headstones, statuary, etc. If you are looking for the genuine prod- ucts — no substitutes — of the fa- mous quarries of Barre, Vt.; Quincy, Mass., and Westerly, R. I., or the noted imports from Aber- deen, Scotland, or Italy, ask FRED M. RULAND, North Ocean Av., Patchogue, L. I. The monuments manufactured | Island are many examples of Ru- at the establishment of Fred M., land's superior work, admired and highly commended for their excel- ence of finish. An established Ruland are noted for their original design and artistic workmanship. In the cemeteries of eastern Long i business of thirty years, that has IF YOU PLEASE- will you send us a sample of that job of commercial printing which you soon will need and permit us to quote you a price upon it — Remembering That Our Reputation for producing printing which is technically and commercially correct gives you all reasonable assurance that, our price being right, you need have no hesitancy in entrusting your order to us? THE AMITY PRINTING HOUSE CHARLES F. DELANO, Proprietor AMITYVILLE, LONG ISLAND, N. Y. Long Distance Telephone No. 77 Amityville. (All Hours) 10 Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. UNIQUE THEATER On South Ocean avenue, 500 feet from Main street, is located the "Unique Theater," a new and modern house, equipped with all improvements, including a gallery seating over SOO. The latest capacity of theater nearly 1,000. Mr. Nathan Goldstein, proprietor and manager, caters to the elite of Patchogue, exhibiting all the latest films as soon as released. This beautiful theater was opened to the public last July and has, under Mr. Goldstein's able management, proven a great success. WILLIAM L. MANTHA COMPANY, Inc. Have been established nine years in Bayport and four years in Sayville, operating a garage in each place. Fully equipped with power to make any repairs that an automobile may require. Expert mechanics are employed. Mr. Mantha makes a study of each new car as it appears upon the market, and is familiar with all types. The cut represents a Reo car for which this company are the local selling agents. They are also selling agents for the Mitchell automobile. These two high-class cars have a splendid reputation, and those seeking an automobile can make no mistake in selecting either of them. Touring cars can be engaged here at reasonable rates. There is also ample storage room for private owners, who can rest assured they will receive first-class service. Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. 11 THE BANK OF HUNTINGTON HUNTINGTON, L. I. Just about twenty-six years ago there was started in Huntington, N. Y., a bank. Ttie exact date is July 1, 1888. The institution sprang from the private bank of the late James M. Brush, Henry S. Brushy and Douglas Conklin. These men virtually did business "over a soap box," and when it was announced that "The Bank of Huntington" was to be opened as a public enterprise, folks were inclined to laugh. Today the bank is the best known on rural Long Island, is the ninth strongest bank in the United States, is the second strong- est State bank in New York State, topped only by the famous Fifth Avenue Bank in New York City. It occupies a place well toward the top on the "roll of honor" of the national banking world. The rise of a community into prominence is generally the rise of its business institutions. Huntington is a good example. The town is composed chiefly of agricultural and residential interests, and for a town of about 6,000 inhabitants it is practically unrivaled on Long Island for general prosperity. If the truth be told, the Bank of Huntington takes a very large percentage of the credit for putting the village on the map, and has much to do with the solidity of its present financial condition. The Mercantile and Financial Times said recently: " * * * when an institution operating or doing business in a small community can show on a capitalization of S30,000 a surplus and undivided profits account more than six times its capital, and total resources of almost one and three-quarter million dollars, it is indeed a most enviable condition and a decided testimonial to the abilities that have been and are directing its affairs. Such is the condition shown upon its completion of a quarter of a century of existence by the 'Bank of Huntington,' which institution now shows a surplus of $200,000, deposits of more than 51,400,000, and total resources of 81,700,000." As an indication of the value of the capital stock of the Bank of Huntington, a short time ago two shares were sold at auction. One share went for Sl,025 and the other for $1,020. Par value, SIOO. OFFICERS: DOUGLASS CONKLIN'. President. HEXBT F. SAMMIS, Vice President. ROSS W. DOWNS, Cashier. .\DDISON W. SAMMIS, Assistant Cashier. WILLARD N. BATLIS, HENRY S. BRUSH, CARLL S. BURR, DIRECTORS: GEORGE WOODHULL CONKLIN. DOUGLASS CONKLIN. AUGUST HECKSCHER, JOSEPH IRWIN, JOHN T. ROBB, HENRT F. SAMMIS, J. NEWELL SAMMIS, THOMAS YOUNG. Statement of The Bank of Huntington, N. Y., May 2. 1914. Resources. Bills discounted $919,755.61 Mortgages Stocks and bonds Real estate Cash on hand Due from reserve banks. 98,462.05 431,141.23 16,000.00 84,078.56 170,478.23 $1,719,915.68 Liabilities. Capital stock $30,000.00 Surplus 130,000.00 Undivided profits 106,143.38 Due depositors 1,451,046.61 Due banks 2,725.69 $1,719,915.68 12 Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. The Eastern District OF Brooklyn WITH FORTY-SIX PEN AND INK SKETCHES BY Eugene L. Armbruster SIZE 5x7. CLOTH BINDING. P. P. 205, WITH GENERAL INDEX Price, ^2-^^ Postpaid ORDER FROM EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER, 263 Eldert Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. The Eagle Library Contents Page 3ohquomi)uo 15 rhe Indians 16 Dutch and English Claims 17 rhe English Towns IS Political Division of the Island IS ^^ong Island's Population at Different Periods IS rhe Borough of Brooklj-n IS rowns : Brooklyn 20 New Utrecht 23 Gravesend 24 Flatbush (and New Lots) 25 Flatlands 26 Bushwick (and Williamsburgh) 26 Newtown (and Long Island City) 27 Flushing 29 Jamaica 30 Page Towns (Continued) : Hempstead (and North Hempstead) 30 Oyster Bay 31 Huntington (and Babylon) 33 Smithtown 34 Islip 35 Brookhaven 36 Southold 37 Shelter Island 38 Riverhead 38 Southampton 39 Easthampton 40 Statistics 40 Long Island a Century Ago 41 Map of New York Harbor 41 Conclusion 43 General Index 44 to 4S Illustrations Page Hap of Original Lake 15 Map of Indian Tribes 17 Wap of Roads in Kings County IS De Heere Gracht 19 Hap of West Riding of Yorkshire 19 3e Hart or Bergen House 21 jowanus Stone House 21 Freeke's Mill and Yellow Mill 21 Second Breukelen Church 22 Long Island Ferry Landing, 1740 22 Fulton Ferry, 1840 23 Dutch Church and De Sllle House, New Utrecht 24 First Dutch Church, Gravesend 24 jravesend Town Hall 25 Driginal Long Island Church, Middelwoud 25 Mew Amersfoort Church, Erected 1663 26 Schenck Homestead, Canarsie 26 Dn Old Woodpoint Road, Bushwick 26 Bushwick Church and Town Hall 27 Did Bay Tavern on the Poor Bowery 28 Page Jackson Tide Mill 29 Duryea House, Flushing 30 Stone Meeting House, Jamaica 30 Cedarmere 31 Monument at Near Rockaway 31 Youngs House, Oyster Bay 33 Lighthouse, Cold Spring Harbor 33 First Presbyterian Church, Huntington 34 Lefterts Homestead, Huntington 34 Paper Mill on Oriwie Lake 35 Fire Island Lighthouse 35 Old First Presbyterian Church, Southold 37 Horton House, Southold 37 Mill on Mattituck Creek 37 Champlain House, Orient 37 Mulford House, Orient 37 South View of Riverhead, 1840 38 Sayre House, Southampton 39 Payne's Childhood Home, Easthampton 40 Map of New York Harbor in the Dutch Times 42 The Eagle Library Introduction r— n — =-1 ETRUS STUYVESANT reported to his ^^^^)f^«6^ ■" superiors in the Netherlands, on taking office as Director General of the colony of New Netherland in 1647, that "he found the colony so stripped of inhabi- tants, that, with the exception of the English villages of Hempstead, Flush- ing and Gravesend, fifty bouweries and plantations could not be enumerated, and there could not be made out in the whole province 250, or at the farthest 300, men capa- ble of bearing arms." Thus the population of Long Island in 1647 may be estimated at 500 men, women and children. We have the figures of later times, viz: In 1700, about 9,000; in 1800, 42,391; in 1900, 1,452,611. In the next decade the increase was 645,849, or approximately 19 times the increase during the century from 1700 to 1800. At this rate Long Island will be transformed so rapidly that it may be well to picture the old towns, while it yet is possible, while we still have some of the old landmarks with us. The first fact on record in the story of Long Island is the arrival of the Half Moon in the bay of New York. Thompson says: "The opinion has sometimes been ad- vanced that the bed of the Long Island Sound was at some remote period covered by the waters of a lake," etc.; but the geologists are silent on this subject. Thomp- son also says "that the language of the Montauk was very close to that of the Narragansett and other New England tribes"; and he quotes Heckewelder, saying, "that from the best accounts he could obtain, the Indians, who inhabited Long Island, were Delawares, and early known as Matouwakes, according to De Laet and Pro- fessor Ebeling." Silas Wood tells us: "It appears that Long Island had been overrun by horstile tribes and many of the natives must have been destroyed by them." These are the few hints we have regarding the history of the island, while occupied by the Indians exclusively. The writer has endeavored to find parts of the unwritten history of the Indians in the names of localities on the island, and the story of Sohquompuo and the chapter on "the Indians" are the result of this undertaking. The Indian names of localities in the counties of Kings and Queens are of the Delaware dialect, and are more sig- nificant than is generally believed; the Dutch names in many cases and the English names in some cases are again translations of the Indian names of these locali- ties. The history of the Indians of Long Island prior to Hudson's coming has been a sealed book, and thus no authorities can be quoted; the absence of geological proofs relating to the formation of Long Island Sound makes it necessary to give the story of Sohquompuo simply as a narrative, although the writer has found it indirectly confirmed by the recorded history in a higher degree than many things which are generally accepted as true historical facts. The spelling of names of towns, villages, rivers, Indian tribes, sachems, etc., is not uniform throughout the book. This is due to several causes. The old documents and records were written by men who had come to this coun- try from all parts of Europe. These men took dov/n the names according to sounds. Names of towns, rivers, etc., in many cases were corruptions of Indian words, which were gradually transformed into names, more agreeable to the ears of the white men. Hence the great variety of spelling in names of the same localities at different periods. The Eagle Library LONG ISLAND nS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT SOHQUOMPUO. Captain C. was a native of Long Island; the farm on which he was reared was located on Manhasset Neck, and had been in the family for gener- ations. Here he lived the life of a farmer's boy, which fitted him for a future full of adventures and hard- ships. His only recreation was to spend an hour or two in the cool of the evening upon the waters of the Sound, after a day's hard toil in the fields. Rowing away from the shore he would let his boat drift along while he listened to the noise of the water and the cViirping of the birds and thus became familiar with many secrets of nature. These evening hours had a great fascination for the boy. One night he was surprised by a storm; 'he had not noticed the change in the atmosphere and the storm was upon him without any warning. He tried his best to reach the shore but _the boat was hard to manage in the angrily splashing waters; it was driven down the Sound, and while passing a rock, against which the waves dashed furious- ly, he thought that he heard the sound of a human voice between the thunder crashes. He forgot his perilous situa- tion, all his senses were concentrated upon that black rock. The sky was of an inky color, but when now a flash of lightning tore the darkness, the figure of a human being seemed to stand on top of the rock; all disappeared in a moment and the storm soon subsided. Rowing back, he tried to locate the rock, without success, and reached home, completely tired out, at mid- night. Many times afterward he went searching for the mysterious rock, but in vain. When he had reached his twentieth year he left home and went West. After many adventures he crossed the line at the great lakes and lived for years among the Indians of Canada; here he became acquainted with the various dialects of the Algonquin tribes. He forget civilization, amass- ing a fortune in the fur trade. But one thing he could never fully forget — that black rock in the Sound. Many a night while lying awake in his wigwam in the wilds of the far-northern forests, he vainlv tried +" «oIve the mystery. The years rolled by and his hair was now white. No matter how long a man may have been away from home some day the memory of that place will stand out so clearly that he is compelled to overcome all obstacles and return to it, to see once more the place where he has spent his childhood days. This happened to Captain C. and he obeyed willingly. We meet him again on the paternal farm on Manhasset Neck. His parents had closed their eyes many years ago. His younger brother lived now in the old home; the captain decided to live with him and his fnrnii--. This was the only place in the world for him with which any pleasant recollections were connected; the snow-covered forests of the high north had lost much in his memory, he began to feel his age. Just now he had returned from a ride on horseback; it had been a typi- cal August day and now, at evening, heavy clouds began to gather and a storm promised to bring relief by mid- night. He walked down Middle Neck Road, expecting to find the air cooler near the shore i-i^o waters of the Sound had not lost their old power over him and he decided to row to Execution Rocks Lie-hthouse. On the way his mind was occupied by recol- lections, his boyhood and later life passed in review, and he did not notice a dense mist settling over the water. The rolling thunder made him look up and around and he realized that he had lost all direction. The night grew darker and the storm broke loose with full force; the boat drifted along with the water for some time. A flash of lighting enabled him to see an object ahead of him; he hoped that it might be the lighthouse; the next flash, how- ever, showed it to be a steep, bare rock, and the boat was alarmingly close up to it. The memory of that mysterious rock of long ago flashed through the captain's mind; a moment later the boat was thrown against the rock and capsized. Holding on to the upturned vessel, he managed to keep above 16 Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT water until the sky was lit up again. He noticed that the rock fell off grad- ually on one side and he pushed the boat in that direction. Leaving the boat in a fairly secure position in a split in the rock, he climbed up. Exhausted, Captain C. stood still. Amidst the howling of the storm he imagined he heard the wailing of a human voice. Forgotten was his exhaus- tion, danger and storm. He ran into the dark until he stumbled; a flash, fol- lowed by a terrible crash revealed the figure of a man with outstretched arms. The mystery of the black rock was to be solved; the half century which had passed since that night was wiped away, he was ready to face any- thing in order to succeed. As sudden as the storm had set in it died out again and the moon broke through the black clouds, flooding the rock with silvery light. The captain walked toward the dark shape, it was the fig- ure of an Indian. His arms, before stretched out, had fallen down on his sides. The Indian broke the silence; his words sounded strange at first, but the captain, familiar with the dialects of the various Algonquin tribes, could grasp the meaning of most sentences. The stranger said: "It was a night like this, when," pointing to the water all around, "the rocks were swept away; down the Sound they went, tearing away large pieces of land. Hundreds of men, women and children were killed. Hob- bamock had told me, while I was lying in my wigwam half asleep, to warn the women and children, but I had not the courage to go upon the water; the waves were angry, and I fled toward the middle of the island. Many died; all are dead — dead for a long, long time; *Shoquompuo alone is alive. Hobbamock says he cannot find rest until the rocks come back again. My people had a tradition that where we now stand was the shore of a lake, which extended eastward beyond Pau- manack, the Fishers' Hook. Many hundreds of years ago this lake was destroyed, and the water, rushing down toward the open sea, broke the land into pieces all along on its way. It formed many islands, which the pale- faces have named Fishers, Gull, Plum, Manhattan, etc., islands; it also made a channel, or what you call the East River; a chain of rocks across the Sound was all that remained here of the shore of the lake. About the time when the first paleface came to this continent, way down in the South, far, far from here, Hobbamock was angry at my people, but he did not want to destroy the women and children. He sent the rocks down the Sound, the waters tore away pieces from our island, which fragments the palefaces now call Ward's, Blackwell's and Gov- ernor's Islands. Randall's Island also was torn from the main; Manhattan Island was flooded so that few could escape from it. Staten Island trem- bled all the time; the pieces of land were thrown against it, when they be- came piled up in the Narrows, and the waters, held up, ran over the Island. When the Dutch came here they were told of this and they called the place Stooten Eylandt, which means the island which was tossed. The goose- band, living upon it fled over the pieces of land, which were pressed in the Narrows, to the westerly end of our island, and drove my people away. They made a village there, which was known as Maereckkaakwick; that is, the place of the gray goose-band. Staten Island was later occupied by men of the Manhattan tribe, who called it Aquehonga Monacknong; that is, the abandoned place of the goose- band. Westward from Staten Island, on the Jersey coast, lived one of the •Sohquompuo— Fainthearted, coward. wolf bands; they also fled over to our island and settled west of the goose- band. Their totem was the wolf; the Dutch called them bears or Canarsee. The Maereckkaak found themselves crowded and renewed their warfare upon my people; they drove them along the north shore; at Nesaquake there was a place of slaughter; at Se- tauket they dispersed them in consecu- tive attacks; at Unkechaug or Patchoag they were finally driven apart and fell in a snare; at Secatoag was the hid- ing place of the last who remained of their number. "The Canarsee were less cruel to my people. They allowed them to remain among them. One band was called by them Mispat; that is, a separate peo- ple. They were not captives, but they were without the power of alienation. The Jamaica were of the same class. They had given up their laud without resistance. At Keshkechqueren, or the bay, and at Rechhouwhacky they had villages of their own tribe. The goose- band started a village near here, at the stones, which was called Sintsink or Matinecoc, and another at the great river. This was called Marospinck, or Matsepe. Later on the tribes on the Fishers' Hook took the last of my peo- ple under their protection. The east- ern tribes had come from the main across the Sound. They landed at Corchaug, the old place; afterward they spread over the pine lands, and be- came thus known as Sinnecox. When the whites bought their land they called the most eastern band Montauk, or those toward the east, or sunrise. An- other band, on Shelter Island, they knew as Manhanset; that is, on the island. "Manhattan Island suffered terribly. The people fled from it, crying out Manetto — that is, god, for they knew not what had befallen them. It was supernatural; way beyond their com- prehension. The island still bears the name Manette, or Manhattan. When the palefaces came, the Indians had a few small places upon that island to give shelter during the hunting sea- son. At the time of the flood, they had fled to the northern limit of their territory, and that part of the band which stayed there became known as Wecquaeskeek. Those who came south again were known as Manhattan. Phey had a village at their original place, or what you call Yonkers. They were of the Wappinger tribe. The U'appinger and my people, the Ma- touwacs, were of the Mahican nation. The Maereckkaak and Canarsee were Delawares, or Leni Lenape. They were called Souwenos, because they came from the southwest, and the land which they had taken from my people was called *Sowanohke, or Suanhacky. In later times the Mae- reckkaak, or Maereck, removed from their first place on the most western end of this island and settled among their brethren, taking up their abode on the Great South Bay. There they became known as Merricoke, or 'Mer- ric' " The Captain had listened to the old chief without interrupting him. Sud- denly the shrill whistle of a Sound steamer broke the charm. He looked in the direction from whence the noise came. When he turned his eyes back his bronze-colored friend had vanished. The first signs of the new day ap- peared. He felt a chill run down his spine, his limbs were stiff and with diflS- culty he reached the boat, and rowed back to Sands Point Light. The cap- tain spoke to his relatives about the adventure of that night. His wish was fulfilled, the mystery was solved. He never again tried to find the rock. Not many years later he closed his eyes •Land of those from the Southwest. in peace. His brother's family still lives on Manhasset Neck. The project recently mentioned in the papers, to construct a lake, which is to take the place of the Long Island Sound, has vividly brought back to their minds the adventure of their relative, for if it be carried out, it will give to his strange acquaintance, Sohquompuo, the rest which he has been longing for for ages. THE INDIANS. The Maereck or Maereckkaak; i. e., Goose band, a tribe of the Delaware family, on coming over from Staten Island, made a village on the extreme western end of Long Island, which was known as Maereckkaakwick or Mary- chkenkwickingh; i. e., the place of the Maereckkaak. They occupied the ter- ritory of the town of Brooklyn with the e'xception of Bedford and Binnega- conck (Wallabout village) ; and New Tjtrecht and Midwout (the original town of Flatbush). The Maereckkaak also sold to the Dutch Ward's and Blackwell's Islands. They were followed by another Dela- ware band, which had been located on the New Jersey shore, west of Staten Island. This band established a vil- lage on Jamaica Bay, which was called Keshkechqueren; i. e., at the bay. They occupied Gravesend, Flatlands, New Lots, Bushwick, Bedford, Rinnega- conck, Jamaica, Newtown and part of Hempstead. They also sold Governor's Island to the Dutch, which latter called them Bears or Canarsee. Barren Island and Coney Island together were prob- ably a secure place for the women of the tribe. Barren Island was called by the Dutch f beeren eylandt; i. e., the Island of the Bears, and the name Coney Island may come from Konooh, a bear. The Canarsee made a new village at Rockaway Bay, called Rechouwacky; i. e., "place of their own people," dis- tinguishing it thus as a place where men of their own tribe resided, in op- position to Mispat and Jamaica, which places were occupied by men of con- quered tribes. The Dutch considered the Reehouwhacky or Rockaway band to be a separate tribe, but the Canar- see chief, Penawitz, i. e. "one of a different tongue or country," sold all the land of the entire tribe to the Dutch in 1640. Tracts of land within the limits ot the Canarsee were granted by Director General Kieft in 1642 to Tymen Jansen behind Dominie's Hoek, in 1643 to the Rev. Francis Doughty and others at Mispat, to Anthony Jansen from Salee at Gravesend, to Burger Jorissen and Richard Brutnell at Dutch Kills, In 1G44 to Gysbert Op Dyck at Coney The Maereckkaak soon felt the need of a larger territory, being closed in at all sides by the water and the Canar- see; they renewed their warfare upon the tribe or tribes which had been driven back into Queens County. Th« names of the tribes, thereafter four In number and located in Suffolk, outside of the Sinnecox confederation, tell the story of the war. The Long Island tribes were driven along the north side of the island; at Nesaquake was a place of slaughter; at Setauket they were scattered; at Unkechaug or Patchoag they fell into a pit or snare; at Secatoag was the hiding place of those that remained of their number. The Maereckkaak established in their new territory a village on the water- way now known as Massapeaque River. This place they called Marossepink, Matsepe or Massapeaque; another one near the rocks off Cow Neck they named Sintsink or Matinecoc. In 1639, Mech- owodt, chief sachem of Marossepink, Sintsink and Its dependencies, sold all the territory of the tribe in Queens County to the Dutch. The chiefs of Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. 17 The dotted line on the map indicates the boundary between the Souwenos and Mattouwacks, which is identical with the Suffolk County line. However, the Matinecoc and Massapeague had, during the War of 1643, retreated into the lands of the Nesaquake and Secatoag and remained in possession of parts of these tracts. The Eastern tribes, on taking the four old Long Island tribes under their protection, would have sent the invaders back to their own territories, but were probably prevented by the English from doing so. For it would have established the title of the Dutch to the territory of the town of Oyster Bay beyond a doubt, as the Dutch had purchased all the lands belonging to the Matinecoc and Massapeague in 1639. But now these tribes occupied lands in Suffolk County, to which they held no other title save by squatter-right, and the English acquired these lands. On the strength of this purchase the English could lay claim to other lands held by the two tribes and on this base they constructed their claim to parts of the town of Oyster Bay. Maereckkaakwick sold their land with- in the town of Brooklyn in the following year and the band removed to Najack, in the town of New Utrecht. In 1643 the war broke out, and after peace be- ing restored in 1645, Seysey and two other chiefs sold the land within the town of New Utrecht to the Dutch and removed to the land along the south side, in Queens County, and we find them recorded as Merric, or Merri- coke, with a village at Hicks Beach. Director General Kieft granted a par- cel of land within the bounds of Mae- reckkaakwick as early as 1639 to Thom- as Bescher, near Saphorakan, at Go- wanus; this land, however, had been purchased some years prior, by indi- viduals, from the Indians. In 1640, land was granted to Frederick Lubbertsen near the Indian village; in 1641, to Jan and Pieter Monfort next to Rinnega- conck; in 1642, to Cornelius Lambert- sen Cool, at Gowanus, and to Claes Cornelissen Schouw, near the ferry; in 1643, to Wouter Van Twiller, at Red Hook, and to Jacob Wolphertsen, near the Navy Yard, etc. The Indians on the eastern end of the island and the conquered tribes called the Maereckkaak and Canarsee "Souwenos;" i. e., people from the scuthwest and the territory occupied by them, Sowanohke;" i. o., land of the Souwenos. The Dutch gave the name of sewan or zewand to all shell money, while the English used the word wam- pum. Thus the Dutch understood Sowanohke or Suanhacky (Delaware) to denote the land of shell money, 1. e. Sewanhacky, and the latter name ap- pears on deeds for land in Kings County of 1636. These deeds were for l three "flats" in the bay, called Caste- teuw, and for land at Gowanus. In 1637 Governor's Island, Blackwell's Island, Ward's Island and Rinnegaconck were purchased by individuals, and the first purchase of land by the Government; i. e.. the West Indian Company, was made in 1638 for the territory of the town of Bushwick. The Canarsee and Maereckkaak sold their lands on the condition that they were to be permitted to remain there- on, to plant corn, to fish and hunt. Certain parts were set aside for their use, and through continued occupancy tliey acquired a certain title to these regions— by squatter right. When the land became more settled and these sections were required for farm land, the best thing for the whites to do was to purchase these plots agam; this was done with Conorasset; 1. e., the planting land of the Bears on Ja- maica Bav, by the town of Jamaica, and with " the greater portion of the town of Middelburgh or Newtown. The Canarsee also sold, after they had re- tired to Staten Island, Sintsink; i. e., Hellgate Neck (not to be confounded with the Sintsink of the Maereckkaak), in 1UG4, and Bedford in 1670. New Utrecht was again sold in 1652 by the Maereckkaak, Hempstead jn 1643, etc. Kanapaukah was the waterland of the Bears, along the East River, in the tcwn of Newtown, the later "Water- tide" or Ravenswood. The Sinnecox confederation embraced the Montauk, Shinnecock, Corchaug and Manhasset tribes. Their first abode seems to have been the Corchaug ter- ritory; this name denotes "the old." When the plantation of Southold was established it was named South Old, to describe its location. The eastern tribes spread later out over the Pine region and became then known as Sin- necox. Their entire territory was later covered by "the three Plantations," viz.: Easthampton, Southampton and South Old, the last named including the later towns of Riverhead and Shelter Island. The deed of the town of Easthamp- ton of 1648 was signed by the chiefs of these four tribes; the chiefs are said to have been brothers. In 1645 the Shin- necock chief appeared before the Dutch Governor, representing the four tribes and the neighboring weaker tribes, Setauket, Nesaquake, Unkechaug and Secatoag, which they had taken under their protection. Three years later, in the Easthampton deed, the Manhasset chief appears to be the leader, and after that Wyandance, the Montauk chief, takes tliis position, and he, re- spected by the Indians, the English and the Dutch alike, held this place as long as he lived. Thus the whites found the Indians of the Island divided into three dis- tinct parts. In Kings and Queens Counties were the Canarsee and Mae- reckkaak, collectively known as Sou- wenos and their territory as Sowan- ohke. The Canarsee were divided into Canarsee proper and Rockaway; living among them were the Mispat and Ja- maica bands. The Maereckkaak were known at first as Maereck or Maereck- kaak at Maereckkaakwick, In Kings County, and later as Merric or Merri- coke, and Matinecock and Massapeague in Queens County. In the western part of Suffolk County were the conquered tribes, known as Setauket, Nesaquake. Unkechaug and Secatoag. These and the Mispat and Jamaica bands were probably the survivors of the Matou- vvacs, who formerly had inhabited the entire island. In the eastern part of Suffolk County were the Montauk, .=;hinnecock, Corchaug and Manhasset, collectively called Sinnecox: their ter- ritorv was called Paumanack. The Maereckka.ak and the Canarsee scld their lands independent from each other; the deeds read: The Canarsee chief sells, or else the chiefs of Mary- kenwickingh sell; there was no com- munion among these two tribes. When Vv'yandance of Montauk became the leader of the Eastern tribes, about 1652, he being the most trusted among the chiefs on the island, had to append hi.s mark to most deeds for land within the territory of the foiir protected tribes, as well as on other places on the is- land. When Tackapousha was chosen chief sachem of the Western tribes, in 1656, the Secatoag formally joined their union; the Canarsee were reduced by this time to a small number. In 1660 Takapousha is called by the Dutch the "Chief of the Savages on Long Is- land." In 1669 Governor Lovelace in- quires whether Takapousha, of Massa- peague, had a right to sell the lands of the Matinecoc, in 1643, and whether the Montauk chief, by conquest, had power to dispose of said lands. The Hemp- stead people replied later, in 1671, that Takapousha was intrusted by the Matinecoc to sell their land, and the sale was confirmed by the Great Sa- chem of Montauk. About 1677 Taka- pousha appeared before Governor An- dros for all the Indians, as far east as Unkechaug; i. e. all except the four Eastern tribes. The Indians applied the name Mat- touwac to the island, the Dutch Ge- broken Land or Broken Land, is a translation of it. By an act passed m 1693 the name of Long Island was changed to Nassau, but this name be- came soon obsolete. DUTCH AND ENGLISH CLAIMS. From the time of the earliest set- tlement on Long Island until the sur- render of the colony of New Nether- land to the English, the western end of the Island was within the jurisdic- tion of the Dutch, whose claim in- cluded the town of Oyster Bay, which claim, however, was disregarded by the English. . The Plymouth Company issued, in 1635, by order of Charles I, letters patent to William, Earl of Sterling, for the entire Island. Sterling exe- cuted in the following year a power of attorney to James Farrett, to dispose of lands on Long Island. Four years later the Earl died. His grandson, who had succeeded him, survived him but a few months. Their heirs surrendered the grant for the Island to the Crown. The settlers on the eastern end were left to themselves, and regulated their affairs accordingly. Purchases of land were made by the towns and were in later years confirmed by the governors appointed by the Duke of York. Van der Donck savs: In 1640 a Scotchman claimed Long" Island. In 1647 Captain Andrew Forester of Dundee, Scotland, claimed Long Island for the Dowager of Sterling. In 1660 Charles TI ascended the throne of England, and Wmthrop, the Governor of the Colony of Connec- 18 Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. ticut, was sent to England to obtain a charter. In 1662 he received a char- ter covering the territories of the colo- nies of Connecticut and New Haven, and now tlie colony which became later known as Connecticut Colony, laid claim to Long Island, as being one of the islands adjacent. In 1664, in the month of January, Major John Scott came to Long Island with some royal authority, and formed a combination of the English villages — Hempstead, Gravesend, Flushing, New- town, Jamaica and Oyster Bay — with himself as president. On March 12, 1664, Charles II granted, by letters patent, to his brother, James, the Duke of York, the country occupied by the Dutch, together with Long Island. The Duke appointed Colonel Richard Nic- POLITICAL DIVISION OF THE ISLAND. After the surrender of New Nether- land to the British, Long Island was incorporated with the Colony of New York. In 1665, Governor Nicolls called together delegates of the several towns to meet at Hempstead. At this assem- bly Long Island and Staten Island were created into a "shire" called Yorkshire, and the Duke's laws were formulated at this occasion. Yorkshire was di- vided into three ridings like its name- sake in England. These were divisions of territory for the convenience of the courts, implied in the Saxon word "try things," long since called ridings. The oils governor, and to him New Nether- land was surrendered by the Dutch on August 27, 1664. THE ENGLISH TOWNS. Lyon Gardiner was the first settler on the eastern end of the Island, locat- ing on Gardiner's Island In 1639. South- old and Southampton were settled in 1640, Easthampton in 1648, Shelter Island in 1652, Oyster Bay and Hun- tington in 1653, Brookhaven in 1655 and Smithtown in 1663. Each town was in the beginning a colony by itself, in- dependent of each other. After a few years they voluntarily placed them- selves under the protection of the New England colonies. Southampton ob- tained, in 1644, the protection of Con- necticut; Easthampton in 1657, Brook- haven in 1659 and Huntington in 1660. Southold united, in 1648, with the New Haven colony, together with Shelter Island. When the colonies of New Haven and Connecticut were united, in 1662, and a new charter was granted, including in the territory "the islands adjacent," Connecticut claimed Long Island as one of these islands. This claim had the support of the eastern towns. Oyster Bay also placed itself under the .protection of Connecticut. The other English towns on the west- ern end, within the Dutch jurisdiction, were trying to join this union, and then the grant of 1664 to the Duke of York Was made, and in the same year the Colony Qf New Netherland was sur- rendered to the English. "shires" in England were also called counties, because they were governed by a count or earl. The word shire is derived from Anglo-Saxon "sciran" to cut or divide, and means "division." "York" is derived from "Ure" and "wic." Ure was the name of a part of the river later known as "Ouse." "Wic" means a village. In Anglo-Saxon the name was Eurewic; the old Roman was Eboracum. The several towns had up to this time existed without having their bounda- ries properly fixed. The settlers of a district came together from time to time to regulate their local affairs, and these men, associated for the purpose of government, constituted the town. Now the towns were recognized and were required to take out patents for the lands within their boundaries, which the towns themselves, or else the West India Company, had purchased from the Indians. After the reconquest of the colony by the Dutch, in 1673, the Island came soon again into the possession of the Eng- lish by treaty, and the Duke of York obtained a new patent for the province of New York in 1674. The present Suffolk County had con- ."Jtituted the East Riding. Hempstead Flushing, Jamaica and Oyster Bay the North Riding, and the present Kings County, Newtown and Staten Island the West Riding. In 1675 Staten Island w;is spnarated from the West Ridins-. In 1683 the first General Assembly of the colony met and repealed some of the Duke's laws, the ridings, also, were abolished, and the Island was re- divided into three counties, viz.. Kings, Queens and Suffolk. The town of New- town, formerly a part of the West Rid- ing, was now made a part of Queens County. Kings and Queens Counties were named in compliment to King Cliarles and his wife. Staten Island was made a county by itself and named Richmond. Richmond was the title of a son of Charles. In 1788 the towns were recognized by the laws of the newly established State of New York. The division of the Island into three counties, made in 1683, remained in force until Greater New York City came into existence, which took in, of Long Island territory. Kings County and a large part of Queens County. In 1899 Queens County was divided. The part included within the greater city retained the old name Queens County and the remainder was incorporated as the County of Nassau. LONG ISLAND'S POPULATION AT DIFFERENT PERIODS. Year Kings. Queens. Suffolk. 1698 2,013 3,565 2,679 1703 1,915 4,392 3,346 1723 2,218 7,191 6,241 1731 2,150 7,995 7,675 1737 2,348 9,059 7,923 1746 2,331 9,640 9,251 1749 2,283 8,040 9,384 1756 2,707 10,786 10,290 1771 3,623 10,980 13,128 1786 3,986 13.084 13,793 1790 4,495 16,014 16,440 1800 5,740 16,916 19,735 1810 8,303 19,336 21,113 1814 7,655 19,269 21,368 1820 11,187 21,519 24,272 1825 14,679 20,331 23,695 1830 20,535 22,460 26,780 1835 32,057 25,130 28,274 1840 47,613 30,324 32,469 1845 78,691 31,849 34,579 1850 138,882 36,833 3g,922 1855 216,355 46,266 40,906 1860 279,122 57,391 43,275 1865 311,090 57,997 42,869 1870 419,921 73,803 46,924 1875 509,154 84,011 51,873 1880 599,495 90,574 53,888 1890 838,547 128,059 62,491 Year Kings. Queens, Nassau. Suffolk. 1900 1,166,582 152,999 55,448 77,582 1910 1,634,351 284,041 83,930 96,138 THE BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN. The Borough of Brooklyn comprise.^ the territory of the County of Kings, one of the three original counties of Long Island. Until eighty years ago Kings County was the least among these, not only in area, but also In population, as may be noticed from the following list, containing the number of inhabitants at various times. King.s. Queens. Suffolk. 1698 2,013 3,565 2,679 1749 2,283 8,040 9,384 1800 5,740 16,916 19,735 1830 20,535 22,460 26,780 1835 32,057 25,130 28,274 The population of Kings County was thus: in 1698, 2,013; in 1800, 5,740. and in 1840, 47,613. The increase was very slow outside the limits of the two later cities of Brooklyn and Williamsburgh. Of the 5,740 inhabitants in 1800, 3,298 resided in Brooklyn, and of the 47,613 in 1840. 36.233 resided in Brooklyn and 5.094 in Williamsburgh: and the number of people living outside of these two centers of population was in 1800, 2,442, and in 1840, 6,286. A description of the other towns with- in the county in the year 1700 closely fits the state of things in 1800. In 1700 the land was nearly all under cultiva- tion; a century later some of the farms had been divided, and the number of inhabitants had correspondingly in- creased. During the first four decades of the nineteenth century, the popula- tion rose more rapidly, viz.: from 5,740 in 1800 to 47,613 in 1840, yet this Jn- Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. 19 crease was mainly caused by the influx of people Into Brooklyn and Williams- burgh, where ropewalks and factories had been built; the other towns were still farming districts. Indian footpaths connected the shores of the East River and Jamaica Bay. They followed the line of least resist- ance through the flats or level lands, which had been the cornfields of the Indians for many years, and these flats the white men were eager to possess. Along one trail settlements were estab- lished which were known as "het veer" or "The Ferry," Breukelen, Bedford, Middelwoud and Nieuw Amer.sfoort, along another trail the Boswijck and "het kruispad" settlements came into existence. In 1636 several settlers bought lands from the Indians in Flatlands, Flatbush and probably in Brooklyn. In 1638 the West India Company purchased the territory of the town of Bushwick and during the following two years the remainder of Kings and all of Queens County. The Indians had been friendly toward the settlers, and persuaded by them to do so, refused to pay any longer tribute to the Mohawks. They were attacked by the latter and were nearly extermi- nated. In the uprising against the Dutch in 1643 they sustained further losses, epidemics also reduced their numbers. When the second uprising of the In- dians in the colony occurred, in 1655, some of the settlers on the Long Island side of the East River wished to attack their red-skinned neighbors and to drive them from their planting lands. The remnant of the Canarsee tribe disposed of the lands which were in their pos- session, and which they claimed to own, and removed across the Narrows to Staten Island, and after a few years to other parts. The last one of the Can- arsee tribe died about 1800. Until 1636 the territory of the present Borough of Brooklyn had been a wilder- ness of marshes, hills and woods; a few "plains" with waterways on two sides were cultivated by the Indians. Such plains were situated between Gowanus Creek and the Walboght; Gowanus Creek and East River; Newtown Creek and Bushwick Creek; Bedford | Creek and Gerretsen's Creek. They were traversed by the Indian trails from river to bay. There seem to have been a few white squatters located on the western end of the Island then, but doc- umentary nroofs are lacking. It has been the general belief that the towns founded under the Dutch on Long Island were named after towns in the Netherlands, at the time when each settlement was begun, as Breukelen, Amersfoort, Gravesend, New Utrecht, Middelburgh, etc. When settlements were started by single settlers locating here, nobody thought of selecting names for the same — they were dots in an im- mense wilderness — but within a short time localities became known by spe- cific names. These names described the location of a settlement, generally noint- ing out some peculiar feature of the ground, which served as a landmark. Thus the present Flatlands was called "bouwery," or district of Achtervelt, i.e., the bowery or plantation in the rear, meaning in the rear of the hills, from achter, behind, and feld. field. One of the landmarks considered by the Dutch of greatest importance, was caused no doubt the application of the ' name Grenewijck to this region, from grenen (flr> and wijck (quarter, district refuge, retreat). On Van der Donck's map of New Netherland, 1656, is a settlement marked Greewijck, on the site of the later New Utrecht. Several other localities received their names from this same word "grenen," as Greenpoint, from grenen punt or grenen hout-punt. Grenen Berghen, the hills forming the boundary line between the Towns of Newtown and New Lots, were anglicized into Green Hills or Cypress Hills; the cemeteries located upon them, viz., Cypress Hills and the Cemetery of the Evergreens, are trans- lations of the original Dutch name, both i having the same meaning. Bennett and Bentyn's reasons for selecting the DE HEERE GRACHT, OR GRAFT, ABOUT 1645. a forest of fir trees; it must be remem- bered that the Netherlands depend, even to this day, upon other countries for timber. The low lands do not produce strong and tall trees, and they have al- ways had a great need of such trees, suitable for masts and planks for their many ships, as well as for building ma- terial. Thousands of majestic fir trees, taken from the Black Forest, are an- nually floated down the Rhine to sup- ply the demands of the Netherlands. The wooded ridges on the northern border of the Town of New Utrecht, Gowanus region for a plantation may be found not only in the condition of the ground, but also in the nearness of the wooded ridges of New Utrecht; as the settlers needed building material to erect houses, palisades, fences, etc. The Dutch settlements originated by individuals settling in a certain neigh- borhood, each one by himself, and a.3 these settlers became more numerous the Director General appointed magris- trates, with more or less power, as he judged proper in each case, without any uniformity as to their number or 20 Eagle Library— LONG ISLAND; ITS EARLY DAYS AND DEVELOPMENT. title of office. Their duty was to see that the fields were fenced and the fences kept in repair, to open a com- mon road through the settlement, to erect a blockhouse or other public building, to attend to the division of the lands, which were held in com- mon, provide for the security of the settlement and decide all differences. Cases in which sums of fifty guilders or over were in dispute could be ap- pealed to the Director General and Council. During the first Indian War the scat- tered farmers had been advised by Kieft to concentrate themselves, in 1644. and again in 1645. After the second outbreak of troubles Stuyvesant issued an order on January 18, 1656, that vil- lages were to be formed in the spring to reduce the danger of Indian attacks. On February 9, 1660, the final order came to the farmers to remove their houses, goods and cattle before the last of March or at the latest by middle of April to the villages or settlements nearest or most convenient to them, or with the previous approval of the Di- rector General to a favorably situated and defensible spot in a new palisaded village, to be hereafter formed, where all those who shall apply shall be shown and granted suitable lots by the Director and Council, who would thus be better able to protect their good subjects in case of any difficulty with the cruel barbarians. The last clause of the order led to the forma- tion of Boswijck Village. The planters brought the produce of their farms to "de heere gracht" on Manhattan Island, to which place also the Indians came with peltries, to ex- change these for things needed. The gracht or graft was an inlet of the East River, which extended, nearly paralleling Whitehall street and Broad- way, to Wall street along the line of present Broad street; its water rose and fell with the tides as far as Ex- change place. The canal was crossed near its mouth, at "De Brugh straat " and "Brouwer straat," now Bridge and Stone streets, by a large bridge, and farther up by smaller stone bridges. Near the river .shore were the store- houses of the West India Company. Here, too, was the anchorage ground, where all vessels had to unload. The boats of the planters were drawn up the sides of the gracht and the farm produce was sold from the boats The bank.s of the gracht formed the mar- ket place of the colony until 1656, and the bridge was the commercial center De Kermis or "annual fair." lasting ten days, m the fall of the vear, was inau- gurated in 1648. From the gracht ex- tended "de smifs vly." or "the smitl^'s flat along the shore to the Long Is- land Ferry, at Peck's Slip r-^!T }^^ '■■'''"^^ -"ere created, lb» Wo"? ^•'^■■'^ """^^ t'^'^ '^'i*'-^ town of loL^ * Ridmg. This community had the n^]'"'^f "^ Englishmen, and was the only town in the later Kings County with which the Engli.sh Co?- ernor could transact official business in his own language. In 1668 the several towns ,n the West Riding were as- sessed for a Sessions House, to be erected at Gravesend. as follows: f s