CHAPTER VII.
CIVIL HISTORY OF BROOKLAND, 1675—1775.
| Brookland’s growth in population and wealth—Is made a market town—A remmendation to neighborly action—Assessment of 1676—Arrival of Gov. Dongan —Reorganization of Provincial Government—The Dongan Patent of Breuckelen, 1686—Names of Inhabitants of Brookland who took the Oath of Allegiance in 1686—The Leister Rebellion—The “Stocks” erected in Brooklyn—Long Island called “Island of Nassau”—The Common Lands of Breuckelen—Riotous proceedings in King’s County—Petition of Volkert Brier—Orders to Constables—Regulations as to Negroes—Extracts from the Town Records—Extracts from Newspapers | Page 197-220 |
CHAPTER VIII.
THE DOMESTIC
HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE,
FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF
THE
COUNTRY TO THE REVOLUTIONARY
PERIOD.
| Commenced with the arrival of the thirty families which came in 1623—First temporary dwellings—Rude furniture—Gradual. improvement—Brick houses—RentS—Contract for building a new Ferry—house at Breuckelen in 1655—The “Slaapbanck”—Glimpse at a Dutch tavern of that day—The Labadist travellers’ description of De Hart’s house at Gowanus, in 1679—Gowanus oysters—pumpkins—fine living—Jacques Cortelyou's house, New Utreeht—Architectural peculiarities of the Dutch farm—houses—Interior accommodations and decorations—Domestic habits —Carpets—Furniture—China ware—Books—Inventory of a bride’s property in 1691—Methods of travelling —Manners—Agriculture—Tobacco and Cotton raised in Kings County at an early period—Slavery—Last public sale of slaves in the county—Funeral customs of the Dutch—Peculiarities of ancient Dutch wills — Dutch nomenclature | Page 221-241 |
CHAPTER IX.
BROOKLYN DURING THE REVOLUTION.
| Part 1. THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN, August 17, 1776.—Brooklyn at the beginning of the war—Dawnings of the conflict—Town and county action in 1775—Lukewarm action of Kings County—General Lee’s arrival in New York—Fortification of that city and Long Island commenced—Officers of Brooklyn militia—Troops in Brooklyn—Captain Waldron's Light Horse—Fort Sterling erected on the Heights—Red Hook fortified—General Washington’s arrival at New York—Arrival at Staten Island of the British army and fleet—Concentration of American troops at Brooklyn—General Greene's illness——Is succeeded by General Sullivan—Disaffeetion in Kings County—Description of the American interior lines of defence on Long Island—Landing of the British, on 22d August—Curious incident—The British take position at Flatbush— Skirmishing there between Americans and Hessians—Howe's ProclamationÑWashington’s Proclamation to his troops—Disorder in the American camp—Putnam appointed to the chief commandÐÑDescription of the exterior lines of defenceÑThe position of the two armies on the evening of August 26th—The British movement commencesÑThe Bedford pass is turned— |