CONSELYEA






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Story on front page of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle - 
October 27, 1932

PROPRIETOR WAS NOTABLE FIGURE IN HIS DAY AND HIS HOTEL AT BUSHWICK AND
FLUSHING AVES. MADE A TIDY FORTUNE FOR HIM

"Let's go over to Conselyea's"
 This was a popular remark among the gay young bloods of Williamsburg and
Bushwick way back in the 1840s.
 William Conselyea - probably known to his cronies as "Bill" kept a hotel at
Bushwick and Flushing Aves.
 He came of the old and respected Bushwick family after which Conselyea
Street was named. He was active in many lines and when he got tired of the
hustle and bustle of business and political life retired to a comfortable
home at 457 Bedford Ave., with a tidy fortune, and there lived with his good
wife to a green old age.
    STARTED AS MILK BOY
"Bill" Conselyea made his first contact with the great world of business by
getting up before daybreak in all sorts of weather and helping his father in
the task of supplying a goodly number of the housewives of Bushwick with
lacteal fluid produced by a big herd of fine cows.
In addition to this, he had the usual routine of chores on the farm which,
while they developed his muscles and gave him a fine appetite, were none the
less irksome and so when he got a good chance he shook the mud of the farm
from his boots and embarked in the hotel business.
The old town of Bushwick was his birthplace and in the early morning of
Columbus Day (just Oct. 12 in his day and generation) the heart of his dad,
Judge Joseph Conselyea, thumped a bit harder than usual when the midwife
smilingly said, "Your Honor 'tis a boy, and a bright and bonny lad he is if
I do say it."
His mother, too, who was Ann Hopper before Judge Conselyea led her to the
altar. Was also probably highly pleased when Bill kicked up his tiny pink
heels.
"Bill" got a smattering of education when he was not busy on the milk route
or chopping wood or weeding the garden, or pitching hay, but her learned how
two and two made four, how to mind his p's and q's,  and after all what more
education does one need if nature has provided him with a goodly supply of
gumption?
Conselyea's first venture in the hotel business was at Bushwick Ave. and N.
2d(?) Street.  This was in 1835. In 1840 he moved to Grand Ave. and 1st
Streets in the town of Williamsburg, where he established a thriving
wholesale and retail liquor business. In 1845 he became the proprietor and
manager of a rather pretentious hostelry at Bushwickand Flushing Aves.,
which became a favorite meeting place for the "gay dogs" as well as the
politicians of this vicinity.
>From his majority to the end of his life Conselyea was a staunch Democrat.
He ran for the Assembly in 1840 but was defeated by his uncle and and
namesake , William Conselyea 1st. In 2843 he tried again for the same office
and was successful. He served one term.
In addition to the other irons he had in the fire, Conselyea for many years
carried on a successful business as an auctioneer.
On April ______, Mr. Conselyea married Anna Marie Griffin of Bushwick. They
had nine children and celebrated several anniversaries after their golden wedding.

Thanks to :<a href="mailto:ceckert@mgfairfax.rr.com">Alan Eckert</a>
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