102 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

Van Rossum specified the amount of land as being 29 morgens; the confirmatory patent of Nicholls, with substantially the same boundaries, estimated it at 90 morgens. Bergen took possession of 90 morgens, whereupon the freeholders of Breuckelen, about 1722, brought a suit against him in Chancery, claiming that be had a right to only 29 acres, and that the balance belonged to the town. During the progress of this suit Bergen, for the sum of £800, conveyed the property in question to his son, Hans Bergen,1 who compromised with the freeholders of Breuckelen for the sum of £40, and thus ended the suit.2 He, by his will, dated January 18, 1731, and proved January 13, 1732,3 devised to his oldest son, Michael, the farm on which he then resided, being 180 acres (90 morgen), which be (Hans Bergen) bad purchased from his father. On the 12th April, 1748, Rachel, widow of Hans Bergen, released to her son, Michael Bergen, her right of dower in the farm in Brookland, which was devised to him by his father, said farm being bounded in the release as follows: “Southerly by land of Jacobus Debevois; northerly by land of Carell Debevois and Israel Horsfield; easterly by the King’s Highway, leading from Flatbush to New York ferry; and westerly by the meadows; containing 120 acres:

Brooklyn, at their own expense, represented to the Director how prejudicial it would be to the town that one man, named Teunis Nyssen, should have too exclusive posses. sion of so large a valley (meadow), directly contrary to the (provisions of the) Freedoms. The Director signed the report of Hudde (Surveyor-General) without then specifying the morgens. And after information had been received from said Jan Evertsen Bout (one of the petitioners) and others, the Director allowed Tennis Nyssen, agreeably to the Freedoms, as much of said valley as he should have need of, in proportion to his plantation.”

January 26, 1668, a patent was granted to Albert C. Wantenaer to confirm to him a lot of ground in the town of Breuckelen, on Long Island, said lot "being on the west side of the town next to J. E. Bout, abutting on the highway, which lot being, on the 22d day of April, 1654, surveyed and measured in the presence of the then Schout and Schepens, was found to contain on the southeast side 26 rods, to the north the like, and northeast by north 5 rod 9 feet," as owned by said Albert, also “a certain parcell of valley or meadow ground, lying behind the said Albert's plough-land, stretching from the Great Kil to the entrance into the woodland,” as sold by Teunis Nysse, May 26, 1656, to said Albert. These patents and conveyances are now in possession of Hon. T. 0. Bergen.

1 Conveyance dated August 21, 1723. Kings Co. Convey., liber V. 19.

2 Conveyance (signed by 61 freeholders) dated January 7,1723-4. Kings Co. Convey., liber E, 20.

3 Liber ii. 311, Wills—Surrogate’s office, city of New York.