the Negro wench a Slave Belonging to Benjamin Larzelere,
Yeoman of the Town of Westfield in the County of Richmond
and State of New York was Dilivered of a male Child wich is
now Living by the Name of Tom.
" Given under my hand the 7th Day of April 1800.
" BENJAMIN LARZELERE.
" Recorded this seventh Day of April one thousd Eight
Hundred 1880
" HENKY PARLEE, Town Clerk."
The following are from the records of the town of Castleton:
"I do hearby certify that a male negro child named Nicholas
the Father of whom named Sam belongs to me, and the mother
named Bett belongs to Cornelius Cruser, was born In my House
at Castle Town the eight day of may in the year of our Lord
one thousand Eight hundred, and I request that this return of
the Birth of the Said Child may be Entered agreeable to the
directions Contained In a late Act for the gradual Abolition of
Slavery.
" JOHN MERCEREAU."
"Castletown January 15th, 1801."
" Richmond County 30th wit :
" Personally came & appeared before me John Garretson,
first Judge of the said County, the Rev. Peter I. Vanpelt, who
being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he has a coloured
boy named Harry born February 1803 also that he has a col-
oured Girl named Eliza born August 1810 also a coloured girl
named Dian born June 29th 1814 also a coloured boy named
Ned born Febry 28th 1818 And further this deponent saith
not.
"PETER I. VANPELT
' ' Sworn before me
this 6th day of april 1818
"JOHN GARRETSON
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY. 261
" To be recorded by the Town Clerk of Castletown as the Law
directs."
"This is to Certify that my Woman of Colour named Mary
had a female child born the fifteenth day of December in the
Year 1814 named Mary and also same Woman had a male child
born the Second day of March 1817 named harry -
and also my woman of Colour named Jane had a male child
born the tenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and
sixteen named Murry which Certificate I hereby request the
Clerk of Castletown to record. Dated at Castletown the 9th
day of May, 1817.
"JAMES G-UYON "
"To the Clerk of Castle Town. I hereby certify to you that
a female negro Child named Mary, born of my slave Jane the
fifth day of February last, which was given up to be recorded,
I do hereby Manumit and give up all my rig lit & title to the
service thereof given under my hand at Castle Town the third
day of February, 1804
"JACOB LOZIEE"
" Richmond County [
Town of Northfield ) To whom it may Concern know ye that
on the 24 day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand
Eight hundred & Eleven T Joseph Ryers a free Black Man do
by thease presence Manumit and abandon all My Rite and title
to the service of my son Harry and he is hereby pronounced By
me to be a free man agreable to the Laws of the State of New
York as witness My hand
his
"JOSEPH X RYERSS"
mark
During the years of the first half of this century, as well as
those of the eighteenth century that followed the revolution,
the people paid attention to the training of their able bodied
citizens in the manipulation of weapons of defense and military
movements. Years afterward, when the settled condition of
peace seemed to lull the public mind into indifference in regard
to preparations for war, the custom fell into disuse. The mil-
itia system was under similar regulations in this as in other
counties of the state. It was held as the bulwark of that con-
fidence which the people had in their own dominant might ; the
dearest feature and safeguard of freedom ; the life guard of a
262 HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
nation, drawn out yearly before the view of its rulers, showing
them their own proper orbits by a display of numerical strength
which it would be madness to oppose, and at the same time
showing to the eyes of foreign powers the muscle of the nation,
against which it would be folly to make conquest.
Reviews of the militia were held on the broad plain which
was spread out on either side of New Dorp lane. Here the re-
view by the officers annually took place, and those occasions
were gala days to the people who witnessed them, as well as to
those who took part in the parade. Officers and men were on
the alert to make the best possible exhibition, for critical eyes
were upon them, as well, as was often the case, the eyes of loved
ones, the fair and the beautiful. A sumptuous dinner and gen-
eral merry-making, often accompanied by the perverted good
cheer that flowed from the old decanters and made discord
where harmony was intended, usually followed the military
review.
The militia of Staten Island in 1837 composed the One Hun-
dred and Forty-sixth regiment, which was a part of the Sixty-
fifth brigade, in the Second division of New York state in-
fantry. The division was then in command of Major-General
Van Buren, the brigade was under Brigadier-General D. Denyse,
and the regiment was commanded by Colonel Tompkins. The
" Mirror" a local paper of the time, in its issue of September
7, 1837, contains the following picture of one of these militia
parades.
" On Friday last we were witness to a parade of the officers
of the 146th regiment. Major Tompkins of the staff of Major
General Van Buren, has lately been promoted to the command
of this regiment, and this was his first parade, or drill of offi-
cers. We unexpectedly met the battalion on its way to Rich-
mond village; the sounds of martial music reverberated along
the hills, and prickled up't he hairs on our horse's ears, his whole
frame quivered with alarm; steed threatened steed with high
and boastful neighings; cows scampered off like militiamen at
the clarion's sound; OUT own impatient nag turned tail upon
the army, bearing safely away his interesting burthen: the very
mud-turtles, that inhabit the ponds in the neighborhood,
plunged headlong into the tide and hid their coward heads; but
all this consternation and dismay was occasioned by the rascally
exotics who were hired for the occasion to make a racket with
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY. 263
their drums and trumpets. The detachment themselves were as
peaceable a set of men as ever shouldered arms; and we were
much better pleased with their manual exercise than we have
been with like exhibitions in New York. The officers of the
Tompkins Guards looked well in their new uniforms, and the
non-commissioned officers behaved like soldiers. One thing we
have to commend Col. Tompkins for his orders were given cor-
rectly and in good time; but on the march his guides of the left
were poorly covered this is a matter of some importance, and
should be attended to. We understand that the field and staff
are about adopting the United States infantry uniform good.
Old Richmond begins to pick up spirit on every hand she'll do
presently. Go it fellow sogers."
A statute fixed the first Monday in September of each
year as the day for annual military parade, for all the
enrolled militia of the state to parade by companies in
each company district. This occasion was frequently denom-
inated the "September training day." Those "September
training days" were remarkable occasions, landmarks in the
lives of the sturdy yeomanry. To get the crowd into shape
was a task indeed for the officers, and the line would often
be a marvel of curvature straight as a new moon. This
might be accounted for in a measure by the fact that it
was the only time in each year when the privates were drilled
by companies, and was also the day when the corporal would
bring in his new recruits, and report their enrollment. Those
new recruits, the boys, were not required to be equipped at
their first appearance, but simply to answer at roll call, and
when any of them remained in the ranks during the drill, it
was only to have a good time generally. If those young sol-
diers appeared with anything less crude than a hoe handle or
a flail staff instead of a musket, the officers were to be con-
gratulated.
The regimental parade, or " general muster," as it was called,
was neither boys' play nor a drill with wooden guns in a half
circle. Upon the adjutant, who was chief of the colonel's staff,
devolved the duty of forming the companies into one regimen-
tal line and to equalize the divisions, then the whole was turned
over to the colonel commanding, and after drill and evolutions
in his discretion the regiment was reviewed by the division and
brigadier generals, each with his staff officers all mounted.
264 HISTORY or RICHMOND COUNTY.
After passing in review, the field officers and the colonel's
mounted staff were all inspected in the saddle by the brigade
inspector. Then followed the inspection of the officers and
privates in the line, the inspector having dismounted. Every
sword, musket, lock and flint, cartridge-box and bayonet, as
well as the uniform of the officers, must pass the ordeal, and
the belt or buckle that betrayed any sign of weakness was at
the risk of being sundered by a little extra force of the inspec-
tor's arm. The confusion and loose discipline of the " Septem-
ber training day " had no place in the " general muster."
The colonel commanding was required by law to issue an
order annually, summoning the regimental and staff officers,
the commissioned and non-commissioned officers and musi-
cians of the whole island to rendezvous at some place designated
by him in the order, three successive days, for drill and in-
struction, which was conducted by the regimental officers
under the supervision of the colonel. To be buttoned to the
chin in the regulation coat, and exposed to the rays of the
hot summer sun, under a brimless beaver chapeau, was an
ordeal that was dreaded by those who had to pass through
it, but the blasts of the sun on the parade field were not to
be compared in their destructive effects with the blasts of
gunpowder on the field of battle. About forty years ago the
state laws were materially changed, and all those old military
organizations were disbanded.
An era of improvement seemed to open upon the island
about the year 1836. In the following year it was said that
more buildings were then in process of erection or had just
been completed than at any previous time since the revolution.
In Richmond village a new street had just been opened and
seven new houses had been built upon it. The village had
grown dormant, but this dash seemed like the pushing forth
of a new life. Tompkinsville was estimated to have doubled
its population within a short space of time, a rapid growth de-
veloping toward Stapleton. New Brighton was unusually
fall of life and bustle. Factoryville had suffered somewhat
from the decreased activity in its manufactures, yet the
recent erection of many new homes gave it a cheering glow of
promise. Improvements were also noticeable at Rossville, the
name of which had not long before been changed from the old
cognomen, " Blazing Star."
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
That there are two sides to every question of public policy,
and that there was a strong sentiment against some enterprises
that are generally welcomed, is seen by the action of the people
of this county taken in regard to the establishment of a bank,
a whaling company and a steam ferry company in 1838. These
three enterprises were projected here in 1838,and notice was duly
given that applications would be made to the legislature for
acts to incorporate them. A public meeting was called at Fac-
toryville, at the "Shakespeare Hotel," January 11, 1838, in
which call the "citizens of Richmond County, without dis-
tinction of party, opposed to all monopolies," were invited to
join in opposing the granting of charters to the aforesaid
companies. The meeting, which was said to be "large and
respectable," was presided over by Hon. Samuel Barton,
while Paul Mersereau acted as secretary. Animated discus-
sions followed, and a number of resolutions were passed, the
result of which was to decide upon a remonstrance to the
legislature against granting charters to any of the proposed
incorporations. The sentiments prevailing in these expressions
declared that " we view the application for a bank at the pres-
ent as a most flagrant and daring insult to the good of the
People and that we will use all honorable
means to bring into contempt our present odious banking sys-
tem;" that they regarded the incorporation of a steamboat com-
pany as entirely unnecessary; and in general that all acts of
special incorporation come from the people and that the people
have a just right to inquire into the necessity of such acts,
" and if found wanting in the balance of justice, to instruct
our representative to veto the applications in the bud. and
thereby save ourselves a vast amount of money which is ex-
pended in payment of legislatures for discussing topics which
they of right have no business to meddle with." In the re-
monstrance the following passage appears, which we think
worthy of notice here:
"Your petitioners think it preposterous in any government
to lend its aid to carry into effect the mad schemes of specu-
lators, to permit them by the aid of their corporate privileges
to appropriate all the profits arising therefrom to their
private use, as long as successful, by which they often ac-
quire princely fortunes, and then by their private property
being exempt from the payment of their corporate debts,
266 HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
enable them, when unsuccessful, to throw the burthen of their
losses on the community. It is no longer a novelty to see the
individual stockholders of a bankrupt institution living in
splendor and rolling in wealth, while from the poor mechanic
and laborer they withhold the amounts justly due to them,
and thereby deprive them of the means of supporting their
destitute and unhappy families. It is also a bitter reflection
that such cruelty and injustice is sanctioned by the laws
of our beloved country, from which there is no earthly
appeal."
As we follow the chronological order of our history circum-
stances invite our attention for a moment to the remarkable
peculiarities of the season of 1843. The early part of the
preceding winter had been quite mild, but it became very
severe about February, and so continued until near May,
when the weather became suddenly warm. Extremes of heat
and cold followed in frequent alternations. But little spring
weather was developed. On the 3d of June ice formed in the
Clove road an eighth of an inch thick. All vegetation was
stunted. Early in that month extreme heat commenced, accom-
panied with drought which extended into July. The seventeen-
year locusts appeared early in June, doing a great amount of
mischief to young trees. They remained about six weeks. On
the 2d of July the thermometer marked 94 in the shade, and
in the afternoon of that day a terrific tornado passed over the
island, adding to the damage of frost, drought and locusts.
Early in August a deluge of rain followed the drought. Early
in September a remarkably cold week necessitated fires to keep
warm by, and this was followed by a spell of extreme heat.
The island has several times felt the shock of earthquakes.
On the 21st of February, 1845, between 7 and 8 o'clock in the
evening, a shock was felt. Persons seated at the time could feel
the chairs oscillating beneath them. The same impression was
perceptible in different parts of the island. On the 25th of the
following October, another shock was sensibly felt on the island,
this one moving from east to west. February 4, 1846, still
another similar shock was felt. The preceding summer was
one of great heat and extreme dryness. On the 8th of Septem-
ber, 1848, about 11 o'clock at night, an earthquake was felt
on the island. One who remembers it, thus describes his im-
pressions. "I was in bed at the time, and in an imperfect sleep
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY. 267
and was awakened by it. It shook the house and was accom-
panied by a noise as of many carriages passing over the paved
streets of a city. Its course seemed from southwest to north-
east, and it continued several seconds. But perhaps the most
severe earthquake shock ever felt here was that which visited
the island, in common with some other parts of the country, on
the afternoon of Sunday, August 10, 1884. It passed at 10 min-
utes past 2 o'clock, and was preceded by a deep rumbling
sound, which increased in volume till every house on the island
trembled, shaking sashes, doors and shutters, throwing dishes
from tables and shelves and jostling bricks off the tops of chim-
nies. Some supposed that the Standard oil works on Bergen
point had exploded. At the Pavilion hotel the guests were at
dinner. Great confusion prevailed, men and women rushing
into the halls and about the house, while some ladies fainted.
More or less confusion prevailed in other houses, but no serious
damage was done.
We come now to notice one of the most conspicuous barriers
to the prosperity and growth of Staten Island that its history
can show. That "barrier" was indeed long since "burned
away." We refer to the quarantine hospitals, which were
located at Tompkinsville, and the removal of which is one of
the most striking examples of the determination to which a
community may in very desperation be driven by a persistent
course of oppression, even when pursued under the cloak of
state authoi'ity.
As the commerce of the port of New York extended itself)
and vessels from all parts of the world visited its harbor, and
sometimes brought infectious diseases with them, it became an
imperative necessity that the authorities should establish a
quarantine for the protection of the people dwelling within its
limits. Accordingly, the colonial legislature, in 1758, enacted
a law creating a quarantine establishment, and located it upon
Bedloe's island, where it remained thirty-eight years, and from
which it was removed to Nutten, or Governor's island. In 1799,
the yellow fever was brought to New York, and it was decided
that the establishment was altogether too near the metropolis to
be of any service in protecting the people, by preventing the
spread of malignant diseases. Commissioners were then ap-
pointed by aci of legislature to procure a site on Staten Island.
They selected a parcel of land containing thirty acres, belong-
268 HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
ing to St. Andrew's church, beautifully located on the northeast
shore of the island. Strong opposition was made not only by
the owners of the land, but by the people of the island gener-
ally, to its location among them, but it was taken, notwith-
standing, by what in law is termed " the right of eminent
domain." Hospitals and other necessary buildings were erected,
and during the first year of its existence on the island, twenty-
five cases of yellow fever occurred among the people residing
outside of its boundaries, nil but one of which proved fatal.
Almost every year thereafter contagious diseases, in some form,
found victims among the people. In 1848, the number of per-
sons sick from infectious diseases outside of the quarantine
amounted to one hundred and eighty. In that year an earnest
petition for relief was presented to the legislature by the people
of the island, supported by powerful influences from New York
and Brooklyn, and a committee was appointed by the legisla-
ture to examine into the matter, and report at the following
session. This committee at once proceeded to the performance
of the duty assigned them, and in 1849 " unhesitatingly recom-
mended the immediate removal of the quarantine." While the
committee were engaged in performing their duty, the yellow
fever again broke out, and extended itself to various other
places. In April an act was passed for the removal of the quar-
antine establishment from Staten Island to Sandy Hook. The
measure had its opponents among the shipping merchants and
others in New York, who were not idle ; the state of New Jer-
sey also interposed its objections, and the persons appointed by
the legislature of New York to carry out its intentions, took no
action whatever, so that the removal act remained a dead letter-
on the statute books.
The fearful visitation of yellow fever in 1856 once more
aroused the people of the island, and another application for
relief was made. In March, 1857, another act was passed for
the removal of the quarantine from Staten Island, but the op-
position of the commissioners of emigration, the board of
underwriters of New York, and the shipping interests of that
city, again thwarted the beneficent designs of the legislature.
The precautions adopted by the local authorities to protect the
citizens and their families from infection, were opposed by
the health officer, and every possible obstacle was thrown in the
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY. 269
way of the local officers to embarrass them in the performance
of their duties.
The largest hospital building in the enclosure was three
stories high, one hundred and thirty-six by twenty-eight feet,
and had wings thirty-seven by twenty-eight feet at each end.
A hospital building near the water was three stories high, fifty
by forty-five feet, with wings at each end sixty-six by twenty-
six feet. These two buildings were designed to accommodate
four hundred patients. The small-pox hospital was two stories
high, eighty by twenty-eight feet, with a piazza running along
the front and rear. It was designed to accommodate fifty
patients. There were twelve other buildings on the grounds,
viz. : health -officer's residence, deputy health-officer's residence,
assistant physician's house, steward and farmer's house, work-
house, house for barge-men, boat house, office, carpenter's shop,
ice and coal house, wagon house and barn.
The board of health of the town of Castleton was organized
August 2, 1856, with Richard Christopher as chairman and Dr.
Isaac Lea as health officer. Frequent meetings were held, and
the health of the villages of the town, and the effect of the
quarantine upon them frequently considered. Carelessness was
prevalent in the management of that institution, and diseases
were frequently propagated from the hospitals among the people
living in the town. These diseases were communicated by em-
ployees of the quarantine going out among the people, and by
miasmatic transmission through the atmosphere. The history
of the action of this board and the progress of the popular
sentiment which kept pace with it would be interesting to those
who have time to read, but space forbids following it in any
detail during the three years of its growth up to the culminat-
ing point. Dr. E. C. Mundy was appointed health officer dur-
ing this time, and at times a guard was employed to keep sur-
veilance over the enclosure, to prevent as far as possible the
commerce of its employees with the people outside.
At a meeting July 15, 1858, health officer Doctor Mundy stated
that a persistent determination was manifest to thwart the ac-
tion of the board by misrepresentation and ridicule. In order
to counteract in some measure the influence of such efforts he
made a statement as follows :
" We have located in our midst a lazaretto, whence emanates
those noxious effluvia which produce disease and death. This
270 HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
monstrous nuisance, it seems, from the result of the efforts
made for the accomplishment of its removal by the people of
the county for several years past, we are doomed still to bear
with and submit to, and hence it becomes necessary to adopt
such measures as the law authorizes to mitigate as far as pos-
sible the evils of its presence and protect our citizens from the
influence of its deadly miasmata. For this purpose and no
other, the Board of Health was organized, and at its last meet-
ing adopted rules and regulations by which all persons engaged
off shore or on board of any infected or quarantined vessels, and
all passengers and luggage landed from such vessel shall be
prohibited from comingoutside of the quarantine enclosure and
from going to the City of New York upon any of the boats of
the Staten Island Perry Company."
Though the approval of the quarantine health officer. Doctor
Thompson, seems to have been secured, harmony did not exist
with the commissioners of health of New York city. Notwith-
standing all efforts of the health officers he reports July 23
" Stevedores and lightermen, passengers and luggage from in-
fected vessels, continue as previously to pass from the quarantine
enclosure to other parts of the town and on board our public ferry
boats." The spirit of discord between the quarantine authorities
and the local board of health increased until Doctor Mundy