HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS ON STATEN ISLAND
There has been a close connection between Long Island history and Staten Island history, and Staten Island has been largely settled from Long Island. The first settlement on Staten Island was at Onde Dorp, the present site of Arrochar Park, near Fort Wadsworth. It contained but a few cottages and was destroyed three times by the Indians. At Stony Brook was the first permanent settlement. Nieuwe Dorp was a continuation of Stony Brook. Several foundations of the old buildings may yet be distinguished. Long Neck was on the site of the New Springville. It had one of the first public schools on Staten Island. Smoking Point, later called Blazing Star, and later Rossville, is a very old settlment. Tottenville was formerly the manor of Bentley, named after the little vessel which brought Billopp to America. Tompkinsville was laid out in 1814 by Governor Tompkins, who gave to the streets the names of his children. The road from Tompkinsville to Richmond is full of historic interest. On Pavilion Hill, at Tompkinsville, may be seen an old British breastwork, which was rebuilt by Americans in the War of 1812. Concord was so named by the Emersons. Judge William Emerson, who was county judge of Richmond County, lived there in 1840, and his brother, Ralph, was a frequent guest, as was also Thoreau, the naturalist. West of Emerson Hill is the Old Clinch homestead, built in 1700. It was confiscated by British officers during the Revolution. At Garretsons is the Perine home, erected in 1668, by one of the Huguenot settlers, whose descendants still hold it. Captain Coughlin, of the British Army, who married Margaret Moncrieffe, lived in this house while his regiment was stationed at Staten Island. The old Moravian church at New Dorp was built in 1763. The British made an unsuccessful attempt to burn it. Near the head of New Dorp Lane stood for nearly 200 years the Rose and Crown farm house, built by a Huguenot settler named Bedell. On July 4, 1776, Howe, commander-in-chief of the British land forces in America, had his headquarters there. In that house he first saw and read the Declaration of Independence. Here was planned the battle of Long Island to offset the Declaration. The Black Horse Tavern is west of this site at the junction of Amboy and Richmond roads. This was occupied by the British officers and here they received the reports of the spies. A few hundred yards from the Black Horse Tavern toward the west is Camp Hill, where stood the gambling den which witnessed the ruin of many British officers. Near this on a level depression now covered with trees was a duelling ground, where many famous duels were fought. It is said that these two places caused the dishonorable discharge of nearly fifty British officers. Beyond this on the Amboy Road lies Stony Brook, where stood the first Waldensian church on the continent, and the first church on Staten Island, the first trading post, the first county court of Richmond County, and the second whipping post in that part of the country. West of Stony Brook may be seen the remains of the Britton homestead which, until a few years ago, was probably the oldest house standing on the island. Beyond Green Ridge, between Huguenot and Rossville, is Woodrow. It once held one of the very earliest Methodist churches built in America. In the old Van Pelt house Bishop Asbury preached eleven days after his arrival in America. The lower part of the island was known as Bentley Manor and contains perhaps the greatest landmark in the borough, the Billopp house. When the apportionment of the islands surrounding New York and New Jersey was made, it was agreed that New York should have as many as could be circumnavigated in one day. Captain Christopher Billopp, commander of a small vessel, succeeded in including Staten Island in one day's sail, an act which won from the Duke of York a tract of land containing 1,063 acres. This includes the village of Tottenville. Under the roof of the Billopp house was held the only peace conference of the Revolution. Benjamin Franklin, of Pennsylvania; John Adams, of Massachusetts, and Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, were appointed as a committee by the Continental Congress, then in session at Philadelphia, to confer on the issues of war. On the north shore the first object upon leaving St. George is the old Pavilion Hotel, built in 1832, which was in the '50s the center of attractiion for many wealthy Southerners. Sailors' Snug Harbor, a world-famous institution, is the outcome of a will made by Robert Randall, in 1801. The will was drawn up by Governor Daniel Tompkins and Alexander Hamilton, and resulted in much legislation, in which Daniel Webster and Dr. Emmett took part. The suits were not terminated till 1831, in which year the corner-stone was laid. At Tompkins Place once stood the Fountain Hotel. General Sullivan ordered this to be burned when he made his raid on Staten Island, but the British succeeded in rescuing it. It was the scene of more gaiety and social functions than any other of the ancient taverns on the island. At Castle Corners was one of the oldest schoolhouses, being the third on the island. It was just back of the site of the present school and was built in 1784. At the junction of Brooks Avenue and Broadway is the Tyler house, the former residence of the wife of the tenth President of the United States, John Tyler. It later became the residence of the Russian Consul General, whose coach and four-in-hand were the delight of the neighbors. Old Place is interesting as the last Indian settlement or village on Staten Island. Fort Wadsworth was established during the War of 1812 by New York State. In 1847 the United States Government bought the property, tore down the old forts, and built the present stronghold. The last shot of the Revolutionary war is said to have been fired at this fort by a British gunboat on Evacuation Day, 1783. Source: History of New York State 1523-1927 Publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc.-New York, Chicago. Copyright: 1927 Volume I ___________________________________________ Transcribed by Miriam Medina Back To MANHATTAN Main Back To BROOKLYN Main