SUYDAM HOMESTEAD GONE _______________________ Historic Landmark in the Bushwick Section Obliterated by the March of Improvement. ____________ CHURCH WILL OCCUPY SITE. House Was Built by Leffert LEFFERTS in 1720 and SUYDAMS Secured It in 1778 ____________
22 November 1899 Brooklyn Eagle Little now remains but the memory of the oldSUYDAM homestead at Evergreen avenue and Woodbine street, for the sturdy old structure has been torn down, stone by stone, to clear the plot for the South german Baptist Church which is to erect an imposing place opf worship. The deep roof and heavy blue stone blocks that formed the old house gave the workmen much trouble in the demolition, but they will again be put to use in making the foundation for the church that much stronger. It is related in "STYLES History of Brooklyn" that in the year 1660 a number of Frenchmen, by permission of the sturdy Dutch governor, Peter STUYVESTANT, settled between "Mespath Kil, " now Newtown Creek, and "Norman's Kil," now Bushwick Creek, and that this foundation grew and becane known as "Boswick," or Bushwick, which latter title was later given to all that territory now forming what is known as the: Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eightth Wards of Brooklyn. About 1720 one Leffert LEFFERTS erected in a secluded spot bear the New Bushwick lane a substantial house after the Dutch style of architecture that prevailed on Long Island. In the year 1768 Jacob SUYDAM purchased the farm with the buildings, and tradition relates that large repairs were necessary to render the old place tenantable. Jacob SUYDAM had two sons, Hendrick and Lambert, the latter a Whig, who was captain in the Kings County troop of horse. Hendrick, who succeeded to the property, lived in the house while the British occupied Long Island during the Revolution. Although a stanch Whig, as well as its owner, like many of his neighbors, to avoid the prison ship, he took the oath of conformity. He thus escaped imprisonment, but suffered the discomforts of having a squad of Hessians lodge with him. These troops were not strict in their habits. In fact, so filthy were they that they were distinguished as the "Dirty Blues." As many as twenty Hessians, with a woman to cook for them, were quarted in the south room, while Mrs. SUYDAM and her children were confined to that on the north side, until the soldiers acted in so outrageous a manner as to compel her to leave for a safe refuge. With no restraining influence, the troops stole everything portable, and when they finally left the place was dreadfully filthy. It is related that on one occasion a Hession captain amused himself and tried the quality of the steel in his sword by hacking out large pieces from the door posts, and no one at least until very recently, disturbed the marks of the vandal. There is no other authentic knowledge of any special interest, unless it is the fact that WASHINGTON never saw the house. The tunnel recently reported to have been discovered under the house, but not explored, does not exist, the only excuse for such a story being an old trap door that leads into the cellar. The SUYDAM family lived on in the old place, son succeeding father, until the last generation, Jacob, Farmer, and Adrian M., sons of Jacob, succeeded to the family estate, along with their sister, who married a Mr. WOODWORTH, for many years principal of one of the public schools of Brooklyn, and whose son is now a member of the school board. Farmer SUYDAM, so report goes, sold out his interests to Jacob and Adrian, and left a family consisting of four girls. Jacob died a bachelor and willed his property to the daughters of Farmer. Adrian much incensed at this, when he died left all his property to others than his family. Adrian was a man of peculiar temperament, very set in his ways, but easily influenced by those who knew how to approach him and to such he was the most generous of men. He was at one time in the Legis;ature and identified with most local movements, but was always extremely conservative. With Adrian expired the male line of that branch of the SUYDAM family. 20 January 1894 Brooklyn Eagle The obituary record of yesterday contains a well known Brooklyn name. Adrian M. SUYDAM died yesterday at East Pasadena, California, where he had gone on what proved a vain search for health impaired during a long illness. He was born in 1825, in the well known homestead at what is now Evergreen avenue and Woodbine street. The SUYDAM property comprised a large part of the old village of Bushwick. The last survivor had only to wait for it to become greatly valuable, while it enriched many of the holders on the way down. He was a representative of a far away time, many of those habits and features he retained, but he culyivated many public and business interests down to the time of his death. RETURN to PEOPLE MAIN RETURN to BROOKLYN MAIN