by which the character of our forefathers was developed, that we
are willing to forego their memory, save as it may minister to our
curiosity.



■■■4 ^ ♦i »



REMARKABLE FACTS AND INCIDENTS.

-" To strike our marvelling eyes,



Or move our special wonder."

In filling up a chapter of this kind, we foresee that it will be
necessarily so various and desultory, as to preclude any classifi-
cation. It will be all such facts and things as may best serve
to surprise, amuse and inform the present generation. Though
old in themselves, they will be novelties to many now, — a present
picture, — though in fragments, and in mosaic of a buried age.

In the year 1735, animosity ran pretty high between the mili-
tary governor and his council on the one part, and the mayor and
council on the other part. On this occasion, Zanger the printer,
took the part of the latter, which was considered " vox populi"
also ; the consequence was, he was put under arrest and trial.
The popular excitement was strong, and feelings extended even
to Philadelphia. Andrew Hamilton, there a celebrated lawyer
and civilian, volunteered to aid Zanger, and went on to New
York, and there effected his deliverance with great triumph.
Grateful for this, the corporation of the city voted him " a golden
snuff-box, with many classical inscriptions, and within they
enclosed him the freedom of the city." The box might now be
a curiosity.

I was shown the locality of an incident which has had more
readers than any other popular tale of modern times. No, 24
on Bowery road, is a low wooden house, the same from which
the heroine of " Charlotte Temple" was seduced by a British
officer. The facts were stated to me, and the place shown by
Dr. F.

In 1769 was a time of fierce and contentious election for

Assemblymen ; the poll was kept open for four days ; no expense

was spared by the candidates ; the friends of each party kept

open houses in every ward, where all regaled and partook to the

29



226 Eemarkable Facts and Incidents.

full ; all citizens left off their usual business ; there were only
1515 electors, of which 917 were freeholders; all non-resident
voters were sought for earnestly in the country and brought to
the city polls. John Cruger, James Delancy, Jacob Walton, and
John Jauncey, were the successful candidates by majorities gene-
rally of 250 to 270 votes.

On an occasion of an election, INIr. Alexander M'Dougal (after-
wards Gen. M'D.) was the author of an address "to the public,"
signed " Legion," wherein he invoked the public assembling of
the people at the fields near De la Montange's, (which is in
modern parlance in the Park, near Peale's museum,) " in order
effectually to avert the evil of the late base, inglorious conduct
by our general assembly, who, in opposition to the loud and
general call of their constitutents and of sound policy, and to the
glorious struggle for our birthrights, have dared to vote supplies
to the troops without a shadow of pretext. Therefore, let every
friend to his country then appear."

For this stirring appeal M'Dougal was taken under arrest by the
sergeant at arms of the assembly, who placed him in the county
gaol. While he was there confined, forty-five persons " Sons of
Liberty," (for " forty-five" persons was a talismanic number
then) went to visit him in prison, to salute and cheer him. Not
long after, " forty-five" female " Sons of Liberty," headed by
Mrs. Malcomb, (wife of the general) made their visit also to cheer
the state prisoner, and to applaud " his noble conduct in the cause
of liberty." It was this leaven that was carrying on the fermen-
tation thus early for the revolution.

The gaining of the election caused the New Yorkers, in 1770,
to recede from their non-importation covenants, and the Whigs of
Philadelphia resolved to buy nothing of them " while governed
by a faction."

The winter of 1755 was so peculiarly mild, that the navigation
of the North river kept open all the season. Mr. David Grim,
saw from that cause. Sir Peter Hackett's and Col. Dunbar's
regiment go up the river to Albany in that winter.

The winter of 1779-SO, on the other hand, was the extreme of
cold, producing " the hard winter." Two great cakes of ice closed
up the North river from Paulus Hook ferry to Courtland street.
Hundreds then crossed daily. Artillery, and sleds of provisions,
were readily passed over : and even heavy artillery was borne
over the frozen bridge to Statcn Island.

My friend James Bogert, then a small lad, was with his uncle,
the Jfirst persons who were ever known to have crossed the East
river on the ice, at or near Hell Gate,

The winters of 1740-41, 1764-5, 1779-80, and 1820-21,
formed the four severest winters in 100 years : and were the only
winters in which the North river could be crossed on the ice.
The cold, on the 25th January 1821, was 5ere?i degrees below



Remarkable Facts and Incidents. 227

zero ; being one degree lower than any former record. The
cold in January 1765, was at six degrees below zero.

" Then the parching air burnt frore,
And cold performed the effect ofjire /"

I saw in the Historical Society Library, something very rare
to be found in this country : they are sixteen volumes folio of
MS. Journals of the House of Commons, in Cromwell's rule,
say from 1650, to 1675, said to have been presented through the
family of the late Governor Livingston. I suspect, however, they
came through the family of Governor Williamson, because a
great part of Col. De Hart's library went by will to De Hart
Williamson in 1801. Mrs. D. Logan had before told me of
having seen those volumes in the possession of Col. De Hart, of
Morristown, N. J. about the year ISOO. She could not learn
hov/ they came into this country, although she found it was
believed they were abducted by some of Cromwell's friends
(who went out first to New England, and afterwards settled
near Morristown) to prevent their use against those who might
remain in England. Their ample margins had been partially
used by a commanding officer of our army there, when paper
was scarce, to write his orders !*

Captain Kidd, the celebrated pirate, was once married and
settled at New York. As the trial of Kidd, which I have seen
and preserved, states on the authority of Col. Livingston, that he
had a wife and child then in New York, my inquiring mind has
sometimes, looking among the multitude, said. Who knows, but
some of these are Kidd's descendants ? I observe, however, that
the name is not in the New York Directory ; Col. Livingston
recommended him to the crown officers " as a bold and honest
man." He had probably been a privateersman aforetime out of
New York, as we find the records there stating that he there paid
his fees (in 1691) to the governor and to the king. Another
record also states some process against one of his seamen, as
deserted from him.

In 1695 he arrived at New York from England, with the
king's commission, and soon after began and continued his pira-
cies for four years. In 1699 he again arrived within the Long
Island Sound, and made several deposits on the shore of that
island. Being decoyed to Boston, he was arrested, sent to Eng-
land, and executed at Execution Dock on the 23d March, 1701.

To this day it is the traditionary report that the family of
J at Oyster Bay, and of C at Huntington, are en-

* An elaborate notice of these volumes has been made by James Bowdoin,
Esq., for the Historical Society, of Massachusetts, and I have since ascertained
that they accord with the printed Journals. It is nevertheless strange that they
are here.



228 Bemarkable Facts ajid Incidents.

riched by Kidd's spoils ; they having been in his service, hy force,
it is presumed, and made tiieir escape at Long Island at Eaton-
neck, which gave them tiie power afterwards of attaining " the

deposits" above referred to. Both J and C became

strangely rich.

The records of Philadelphia show that, contemporaneous with
this time, " one Shelly, from New York, has greatly infested our
navigation with Kidd's pirates."

In the "History of the Pirates," Boston edition, we find
some additional facts concerning Captain Robert Kidd and his
associates. The king's commission to Kidd, while he atfected to
be a legal Privateersman, incidentally named the pirates whom
he was intended to seek and capture ; they were " Captains
Thomas Too, John Ireland, Thomas Wake, and Captain ftlaze,
and other subjects, natives or inhabitants of Neiv Vor/c and
elsewhere in America, they being Pirates upon the American
seas," &c. None of their histories appeared in the book. Some
of them were natives of New Jersey nearest to New York.
With Kidd were executed at London as his accomplices, Nich,
Churchill and James How of New Jersey, and Gabriel Loff,
Hugh Parrott, Abel Owens, and Darby Mullins. It was proved
that Kidd had killed his gunner " William Moor" in a quarrel.
It will not fail to be observed in the foregoing, and similar cases
of names, that none of them are of the true Holland race. It is
however believed, that the New Yorkers as Dutchmen, were
keen enemies of the Spaniards, who had so long oppressed and
wasted their father-land. They might have been willing to con-
nive at unlawful aggressions on their possessions in the West
Indies and in South America : Even the English colonists, every
where, had no aversion to their being roughly scourged, as ene-
mies in many wars.

In 1712 a pirate brigantine appeared off Long Island, com-
manded by one Lowe, a Bostonian; he was a successful fellow,
who had captured Honduras. About the same time one Evans
also comes on the coast.

The next year two pirates looked into Perth Amboy and New
Y'ork itself

Lowe commanded the " Merry Christmas," of three hundred
and thirty tons, and his consort was commanded by one Harris.
[Another pirate, Captain Sprigg, called his vessel "the Bachelor's
Delight."] They bore a black flag : while off the Hook, they
Avere engaged by the Greyhound of his Majesty's nav)''. He
captured the least of them, having on board as prisoners thirty-
seven whites and six blacks ; all of whom were tried and executed
at Rhode Island, and all bearing our common English names.
Captain Soigard, who thus conquered, was presented with the
freedom of the city in a gold snuif-box. Lowe, in indignation,



Remarkable Facts and Incidents. 229

afterwards became cruel to Englishmen, cutting and slitting their
noses. He had on board during the fight, as the prisoners told,
£150,000 in silver and gold.

The gazettes of this period teem with their adventures. In
that time the public mind was engrossed with the dread of them,
and they had accomplices often on shore to aid them and divide
the spoil.

In 1724 William Bradford, in New York, publishes the general
liistory of the pirates, including two women, Mary Reed and
Anne Bonny.

First discovery of New York harbour by the English. It is
not told^ and perhaps not known to any American historian, that
New York harbour and the mouth of the Hudson, Avere discovered
by the English, before seen or known by Hudson. My edition
of ^' Modern History," being a continuation of the Universal
History (in 3 vols. 8vo., concerning America,) London edition,
1763, vol. 2, p. 240, says, "A ship was equipped by two enter-
prising public spirited noblemen, the Lords Southampton and
Arundel, to prosecute discoveries, the conduct of which was en-
trusted to Capt. Weymouth. The adventurer set sail in the
month of March 1605, and arrived the following Whitsunday
at the mouth of Hudson's river, on the coast of North America,
to which, for this reason, he gave the name of Pentecost har-
bour. At first his voyage was successful, he traded with the
natives for furs, and obtained a considerable cargo ; but his men
kidnapping some of the Indians, he was forced to quit the coast
abruptly, to avoid the etlects of their resentment, and take his
departure for England."

It may be remarked also, that the French have also had some
show of claim to discovery, by the Dauphin in April 1524, one
of Verranzo's ships. He entered the harbour about the lati-
tude of 41° described somewhat like New York — there he re-
mained and traded with the natives till the 5th of May. See
Hakluyt's voyages.

The same vol. 2nd, p. 546, says, " It is difficult, and indeed
immaterial, to settle the claims of prior possession amongst the
colonists of America. Capt. Hudson, an Englishman, is said to
have been the first who discovered this country, and about the
year 1608 he sold it to the Dutch. [This time don't agree with our
records that his discovery was in September 1609.] This trans-
action was certainly very questionable, as it had not the sanction
of James I., without which it was thought it was not in the power
of a private subject to dispose of so important and so fine a tract
of country. The Dutch however proceeded to settle it ; the court
of England complained of this settlement, and of their placing a
governor over it — protesting against it." Sir Samuel Argal,
while acting as governor in Virginia, as deputy to Lord Dela-
war, (p. 245) " was indefatigable in making discoveries on the

. U



230 Remarkable Facts and Incidents.

coasts of New England, Nova Scotia, and Acadia ; from whence
he had driven some parties of French, who had attempted to
make settlements — Sir Samuel claiming all this coast as the right
of tlie crown of England. It being represented that Mr. Argal
bent his whole application to the discovery of new countries,
without making the proper advantage of those already in posses-
sion, he was recalled (1611). It was perhaps owing to the above
mentioned characteristics of Sir Samuel Argal, that it is said, vol.
2, p. 346 : " Sir Samuel Argal, in his way from Virginia to
New Scotland (Nova Scotia), attacked and destroyed the planta-
tions of the Dutch, by order, it is to be presumed, from the court
of England," " Upon this, the Dutch applied to king James for
a confirmation of Hudson's conveyance ; but all they could ob-
tain, was leave to build some cottages for the conveniency of
their ships, touching for fresh water, in their way to Brazil.''''
" This permission afforded them pretexts for enlarging their
settlements, till at last, New Netherlands became a flourishing
colony."

Early Notices. In 1670, Dan'l Denton of England, who had
been residing among the first English settlers at Jamaica, Long
Island, published in London, his " brief relation of New York,"
as it had appeared to him under its then recent change, from the
Dutch to the British rule. From it as a scarce work, (reprinted
by the Historical Society of Penna.,) I make sundry extracts, de-
pictive of things as they were, viz. He writes, he says, to give
satisfaction to those who may be desirous to go thither. Land,
he says, is procured by forming a company sufficient to make a
town, which the governor readily confirms, wherever they may
choose to locate it. A part of the first land they leave to lie in
common as pasture land, until more population may make it use-
ful to divide the remainder. It seems to be all a gratis concern,
for the sake of population and improvement. The things most
needful for the new comers, is said to be clothing ; for with that,
they can supply themselves with cattle and corn ; and with any
sorts of English goods, such as implements of husbandry, nails,
hinges, glass &c., they can command everything. The tradesmen
there of all kinds, iiave enough to do, and all live happily. There
they do much in raising their own flax, making their own linen,
their woollen cloth, and linsey-woolsey. I may say, (says he,)
and that truly, that if there be any terrestrial happiness to be had
by people of all ranks, especially of an inferior rank, it must cer-
tainly be here : here any one may furnish himself with land and
live rent free ; yea with such a quantity of land, that he may
weary himself in the walking over his fields of corn, and all sorts
of grain. And let his stock of cattle amount to hundreds, he need
not fear their want of pasture in the summer, or fodder in the
Avinter, the woods then affording sufficient supply. In the sum-
mer season, the grass grows spontaneously as high as the knees,




City of Nieu Orange, as sketched in 1673, p. 11 and 147.



Remarkable Facts and Incidents. 231

and some places as high as the waist, interlaced with pea vines
and other weeds, which cattle much delight in. Grape vines
abound, forest trees afford shade, and brooks and ponds are all
about at hand, for cattle in their ranges. Such a free and open
land once, free to all who would come and take, might make
many of us now ejaculate a wish that we had been born then,
to have put in for our share of the common chance. Mr. Denton
says, here, those on whom fortune hath frowned in England,
should come — here gain an inheritance of lands, and stock of
cattle — here live happily while they live, and then leave a benefit
to their children after them. Happy land, says he, where nature
hath made such rich provison of all sorts of game, of wild beasts,
and wild fowl, where he may furnish his house with venison,
turkies, geese, heath-hens, swans, ducks, pigeons, partridges,
quails, &c., and when wearied with the pleasure of hunting, he
may go a fishing, where the rivers are so furnished, as that he may
fully supply himself with fish, before he can leave off" the recrea-
tion. Travel where you will, you see no poor and know of no
beggars. In such a land, you travel without fear of robbers ;
and if you chance to come across an Indian town, they will be
sure to give you freely of their best. Such is the healthfulness
of the country, that families for twenty years have not been met
with sickness — indeed the very air of the atmosphere is invigorat-
ing, sending forth such a fragrance from its flowers, herbs, and
vegetation, as readily to be noticed at sea before they can make
the land. The flowers give such supply to honey bees, that you
can scarcely see a house, which is not on the south side, begirt
with its hives of bees, which here increase after an incredible
manner. Truly here is indeed a terrestrial Canaan, flowing with
milk and honey. Truly the inhabitants as well as the land are
blessed — blessed with peace and plenty ; in their fields and
ground, in their cattle, in their basket and in their store : Every-
thing is a picture of blessedness.

Surely, some of the present pains-taking moderns, who are
talking of our vaunted improvemejits, might sigh for such a
former state of repose and plenty. On some such impulse of
feeling the author even then, apostrophizes his generation, and
says, "how free are those parts of the world from the pride and
oppression, with their miserable effects, with which many, nay
almost all parts of the world are troubled, which being ignorant
of that pomp and bravery which aspiring humours are servants
to, and striving after almost everywhere ; where a wagon or cart
gives as good content as a coach, and a piece of home-made cloth
better than finest lawns or richest silks — where if their low roofed
houses may seem to show closed doors against pride and luxury,
they do, nevertheless, stand open wide, to let charity in and out
either to assist each other, or relieve a stranger !" Do any now



233 Remarkable Facts and Incidents.

covet or envy the picture, — let them go and try to emulate it, by
going to Oregon. That is now what New York once was.

The author, even then, admired that so fine a country should
be so little known abroad. He gives as a reason, that the former
Dutch did not encourage the English ; that they also chiefly in-
clined to the pursuit of the beaver trade, to the neglect of agricul-
tural improvements — that they also made themselves unpopular
by exacting the tenth of all which men produced off" their land.
Soon as it was changed to English rule, the country as he thought,
began to improve, for then he says, " several towns of a consider-
able greatness were begun and settled by people out of New
England, and every day, more and more came to view and settle."

New York, he says, is then built most of brick and stone, and
covered with red and black tile ; and seen at a distance, as an
elevated site, it is of pleasing aspect. The inhabitants consist
mostly of English and Dutch, and have a considerable trade with
the Indians, for beavers, otters, and other furs, as also for bear,
deer, and elk skins. They produce some tobacco, as good as of
Maryland. Long Island, is then spoken of as " inhabited from
one end to the other," while up the North river, there's no settle-
ments save at Esopus (" Sopers") and Albany. The west end
of Long Island, then, had four or five Dutch towns, the rest being
all E Jig lis h, to the number of twelve, besides villages and farm-
houses." Strawberries then abounded, "so much so in June,
that the fields and woods were dyed red, which the country peo-
ple perceiving, would go forth with wine, cream, and sugar ; and
instead of a coat of mail, every one takes up a female behind
him on horseback, and starting for the fields, set to picking the
fruit, and regahng themselves as long as they last. They have
also cranberries, raspberries, plums of various sorts, and huckle-
berries. In May, the woods and fields were curiously bedecked
with roses, and an innumerable multitude of delightful flowers ;
all of which, the natives say, administer relief to sundry diseases."

" Upon the south side of Long Island, in the winter, lie store of
whales and grampuses, which the inhabitants Avith small boats,
begin to make a trade of, catching them to no small benefit. There
is also an innumerable multitude of seuls^ lying all winter upon
broken marshes, sand bars, and beaches, which might be caught
and made into excellent oil, if there were but skilful men to un-
dertake it." Now, we must notice that there are no seals there.

The author has considerable to note of Indians, but nothing of
sufiicient circumstance to be herein stated. He speaks of their
love of rum— their making their wives their husbandmen — their
superstition in their powows. They buried their dead sitting
upright, and deposited with them their favourite articles. They
made much use of greasing and painting their bodies, and having
but little clothing. They seemed even then, in his opinion, a de-
based and wasting race.



Remarkable Facts and Incidents. 233

The Rev. " C. W." of the Protestant Episcopal church, put out
a little journal of two years' residence in New York, which he
visited in the year 167S. The London edition of 1701, I have
seen, and made my extracts thus, viz.

He sailed the 27th May, 1678, in the Blossom, from old Eng-
land, with Gov. Andros, and arrived at New York in the then
ordinary passage on the 7th August ! Speaks highly of the
healthiness of the place. Of the natives (Indians) much com-
mends their fine forms, and says the women so hardily bear their
children — instances the case of one Harman the Indian, in Mar-
bletown, in the county of Ulster, formerly called Sojms, whose
squaw, to harden herself, would go out after delivery to bring in
on her back a bundle of sticks. The Indians grease themselves
to preserve their skins from blistering in the summer sun, and as
their best armour against musquitoes, and against the winter's
cold. Their hairs on the chin they pluck out. Their breech flaps
they tie with a snake skin round their middles. He tells the
value of skins, says beavers bring 10^. per pound ; an ox-hide
2d. a pound wet, Qd. dry. Negroes bring 30 to £40 a head, the
same which cost 12 or £14 in Barbadoes. The price of provi-
sions thus — Long Island wheat 3^. a skipple {i. e. three parts of
a bushel), Sopus wheat half a crown a skipple. Bread IS*, per
cwt. Pork £3 per bbl, beef 30^'. Both Indians and Dutch are ob-
stinate and incessant smokers of tobacco. The latter are great
eaters of sallads and bacon, and very often buttermilk. Tobacco
is 2hd. a pound. All smoke with short campaigne pipes. Their
best ale is made of wheat malt. Their quaffing liquors are rum
punch and brandy punch. Their sweet wine is fiall. The Indians
bring in all varieties of game, selling a venison for 3s. Their
dogs are young wolves stolen when young. About Christmas
is the ivhaling season here — two boats of six men each make up
the company ; then the whales come on from the north-east ; a
whale of sixty feet length yields about forty to fifty barrels of oil.
Of bears, he says the Indians seek them in companies of two or
three to be secure in case of only wounding them, when one