Baseball Legends of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery


History of Flatbush, continued


the Old Town of Flatbush, was no doubt purchased and procured from the native Indian proprietors, by the inhabitants of Midwout. But at what particular time cannot be distinctly ascertained. It was probably not far from the period when the Patent of Governor Nicolls was granted, which was in 1667. It was a tract of woodland covered with the same description of timber as that of Midwout. Its situation was also somewhat similar, having the Hills on the north, the Bay, which was then called the Sea, on the south, and extending easterly to the bounds of Jamaica. An extensive tract of meadows was included in these limits, lying in front of the upland, and extending to the Bay. All this land appears to have been subdivided in the same manner, as Midwout, or the Old Town of Flatbush, and the church also received its share in such allotment, with the inhabitants of the town. The meadow was, without doubt, also subdivided about the same time, and similarly allotted, as the upland. This opinion appears to be confirmed by the fact, that the first conveyances of land recorded in the town records always include one or more parcels of meadow therewith. The meadows must also have been esteemed valuable, on account of producing spontaneously an annual crop of hay, and that, without previous labor or tillage. This tract of country generally was called the New Lands, and principally settled by the inhabitants of Midwout, or the Old Town, and afterwards assumed the name of the New-Lots. The Patent for this was obtained under the administration of Sir, Edmond Andros, the second English Governor, to which we shall advert presently.

In the year 1665, a meeting of delegates from the several towns on Long-Island, was held at Hempstead, for the purpose of adjusting any conflicting claims to lands, and settling the boundaries of the several towns, and of receiving and acknowledging the code of laws, which had been prepared by the Duke of York, for the government of the Colony, commonly called the "Dukes Laws." At this meeting the Governor himself attended, and the delegates were so much gratified with his manners, and the liberal views which he professed on the occasion, that they drew up, and signed an address to His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, full of gratitude and loyalty, but at which, as soon as their constituents found that they were to have no voice in the selection of magistrates, or a share in legislation, they manifested their disapprobation, and censured the deputies with so much severity, that the civil authorities thought it necessary to interfere. And accordingly, at a court of Assize, held in October, 1666, it was resolved that whoever thereafter should detract, or speak against any of the deputies, signing the address to His Royal Highness, at the general meeting at Hempstead, should be presented to the next court of Sessions: and if the justices should see cause, they should thence be bound over to the Assizes, there to answer for the slander by plaint or information.

The delegates who attended this convention from Flatbush, and signed the address, were John Stryker and Hendrick Gucksen. It is not necessary here to give any summary of the Dukes Laws, which were then promulgated, and continued to be the law of the land until October, 1683. There are in them many quite curious provisions. There was nothing in them peculiar to any town, except the fixing the mark by which horses were to be branded. Each town was required to have a marking or flesh brand for this purpose. The town mark for Flatbush was the letter O.




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