56 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

A deed from Thomas Bescher, above mentioned, to Cornelis Lambertsen (Cool), of May 17th, 1639, prior to the date of the patent recorded in the office of the Secretary of State at Albany, for these premises, is the earliest conveyance from one settler to another which has been found for lands in Brooklyn. In this deed Bescher conveys his right in

“A plantation before occupied by John Van Rotterdam, and afterwards by him, Thomas Beacher, situate on Long Island, by Gouwanes, in a course towards the south by a certain creek or underwood on which borders the plantation of Willem Adriaensen (Bennet) Cooper; and to the north, Claes Cornelise Smit’s; reaching the woods in longitude: for all which Cornelis Lambertsen (Cool) shall pay to said Thomas Bescher 300 Carolus guilders, at 20 stuyvers the guilder.”1

From this deed we may infer that one of the first agricultural settlements in Brooklyn was made upon these lands.

Of Claes Corneliese Smit’s, afterwards Jan Pietersen’s (Staats)2 patent, above referred to, no copy has been discovered; and, in the absence of any measurements, we are only enabled to locate it as commencing about at the head of and on the southerly side of Gowanus Cove, extending some distance along the Mill Creek, or the meadows bordering. thereon; including, it is believed, the land between Braxton and Ninth streets, designated on Butt's map as farms of heirs of Rachel Berry, J. Dimon, R. Berry, H. L. Clark, and A. Van Brunt.

We subjoin a few notes concerning the more modern occupation of the lands between First and Twenty-eighth streets.

From First to Fifth street, marked on our map as land of Edwin C. Litchfield, was originally the Vechte farm. On this farm is still standing, on the west side of Fifth avenue, near Fourth street, and on the east side of the old Gowanus road, the ancient building commonly known as “the Cortelyou house.” It is constructed mainly of stone, the gable-ends, above the eaves, being of brick; the date of its erection, 1699, being indicated by iron figures secured to the

1 See page 28.

2 King’s Co. Convey., lib. IV. 9.