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NEW LOTS SECTION
Including: Alphabetical order: Brownsville, Cypress Hills, East New York, STREETS FOLLOW...

BROWNSVILLE
Charles L. BROWN, president of a bank in NYC, bought, abt 1859. as a speculation, the CURTIS & LOTT farms. HAGINER & SMITH, his attorneys, had this tract surveyed. The Sts were of a uniform width, 30 feet. Lots were sold at $50. each. BROWN put up two rows of houses in the fields just west of Manhattan Crossing. He failed & fled the country & in time died. The little St formed by his houses was, BROWN'S Ville. There were about 150 cottages in the settlement until the exodus from the east side of New York City set in. Elias KAPLAN was the pioneer, moving in 1884 his clothing shop from the east side her. He located in an old house on the road, now Watkins St. The Scotch farmers of BROWN'S settlement held first service in June, 1866. A room was later secured & the Sunday School org. July 28th, 1868. A plot donated by G. S. THATFORD & a frame edifice was erected cor. Rockaway & Blake Aves.,The Rev. I. T. DAVISON was the first minister. The Scotch Congregational Church. The little frame school building, which in 1897 on Berriman St. & Liberty Ave. has been perpetuated in P.S.64 on Berriman St. & Belmont Ave P.S.66, Osborn St.near Sutler Ave.opened 1906 when the real estate boom set in. The Pitkin Market opened June 2, 1908. The Mission Protestant Episcopal Church 1874 on West St.
CYPRESS HILLS
Cypress Hills was applied to the eastern most settlement in the town of New Lots at the foot of the hills on the county line. It started in the early 30's of the 19th Century around SNEDIKER'S roadhouse. The John R. SNEDIKER Roadhouse, north side of Jamaica Plank Road, now the ruin of the Brooklyn Truant School, the old pump which stood in front of the tavern is still standing in front of the building. John R. SNEDIKER kept the resort the days when his son, John I. SNEDIKER, ran the famous roadhouse, particularly in the sleighing time. No sooner did the first flakes of snow fall, they would get their sleighs in order for a ride by moonlight or starlight along the turnpike & later plank road to John I's. The Inn was a well kept house with a ballroom running the entire length of the building. A good band provided the music during evenings of the sleighing season. The admission to the ballroom was two York shillings & the floor crowded with dancers. Two other large rooms were reserved for private parties, who usually engaged these in advance & generally brought their own music with them, John I. supplying the suppers. It was known for it's asparagus dinners. The reception room, also running the full length of the building, was heated with oak & hickory logs. The sleighs & horses were well looked after by the numerous negros who were experts in their line of business. At one time there were two SNEDIKER taverns at this point, one on either side of the road, kept by two brothers. One of these buildings was either partly or completely destroyed by fire, most likely the one of Jerome SNEDIKER southeast cor. of Jamaica Ave & Elderts Lane where SHAW'S Hotel was later located. Whether SHAW occupied the original building or a new structure is uncertain. From the following description it would appear that it was the original building. A two-story & an attic structure with sloping roof facing the turnpike road. The house was built in 1838 & was surrounded great elm trees. William 1. SHAW, who kept the inn, came from Virginia later Ephraim SHAW was the owner. Since 1906 the old house has been st & ing untenanted. In 1902 it was sawed in two equal parts & one-half was moved to the cor. of Danforth & Hemlock Sts & the other to the cor. of Danforth & Crescent Sts. The two parts now form the cor.s of the same block on the south side of Danfort St & the old roadhouse on its new site has thus been extended to a unique length. The Long Island & Shooting Club, 1840, having grounds at SNEDIKER'S. COBB'S grocery on the southwest cor. of Jamaica Ave. & Elderts Lane was kept by COBB in the 1850's. It was a two-story & attic frame structure. Later, a little addition had been built in front of the house & used as a cafe. Both have been torn down in recent years. Hiram WOODRUFF & John D. SMITH, training stable & inns near this settlement. At first Hiram WOODRUFF kept an inn at Stony Rd , northwest cor. Jamaica Ave. Salems Field Cemetery was begun at the opposite cor.The inn became known as Benjamin's Hotel & was finally destroyed by fire. Later WOODRUFF kept an inn farther east in Jamaica, which still remains & known as Dexter Park. For a time he also was the host of the old HOWARDs Halfway House. Hiram HOWE, the adopted son of Hiram WOODRUFF, married Sally SHAW. Ike WOODRUFF, the brother of Hiram WOODRUFF, had a roadhouse a little west of COBB'S Grocery. The Methodist Episcopal Church of Cypress Hills' on former Clinton Ave., built, 1848, org. 1845. The early services were held in the PILL House on Sheffield Ave., in the German Lutheran Church & the schoolhouse on Vermont Ave in East New York. The church repaired under, Rev. Wm. GOTTHARD, 1874. S. PLATT NICHOLL'S, 1870s, blacksmith shop, south side Jamaica Ave., b/w Cresent St. & Rail Road Ave. In 1874 the population of Cypress Hills was 3,000.
EAST NEW YORK
John R. PITKIN bought in 1835-36 the LINNINGTON, WYCKOFF, SLOOTHOFF & Van SICKLEN farms near the old HOWARD estate. He laid out this tract in Sts & lots & named it East N.Y. Lots were sold at prices varying from $10.00-$25.00 @.The panic of 1837 brought an end to this venture & PITKIN gave the land back to the original owners, excepting the portion lying b/w Wyona St. & Alabama Ave. This tract was now called East N.Y. In 1853 Horace A. MILLER & James BUTLER bought abt 50 acres of land lying east of Wyona St. Montgomery QUEENS' stages connected East N.Y. with Bklyn & IVANS stages with Williamsburgh. East N.Y. was the largest of the 4 villages in the town in area as well as in population. It was bounded on the north by Newtown & the Cemetery of the Evergreens, on the west by Brownsville & the Brooklyn line, on the south by Bay Ave., the present Belmont Ave. & by Union Ave., the present Sutler Ave., which separated it from the old village of New Lots. East N.Y. adopted a village charter in 1876. When the Fire Department was formed in 1850, the American Eagle Co. No.1, organized with 32 men, an engine was bought in Bklyn. This Co. disbanded, 1862, was re-organized as Union Hook & Ladder Company No.1. A truck was bought for $150. & manned by 30 members. In 1864 Engine Company No.1 was org. & an engine was bought for $750. Hope Company was org. The department was chartered in 1850. It disbanded,1875 but was immediately re-organized & Liberty Hose Company No.1 was formed, In 1886 the Paid Department of the City of Bklyn took the place of the volunteers & the apparatus was sold. Proceeds were invested in the headquarters of, Exempt Firemen's Assoc. Neptune Engine went to Sheepshead Bay, Liberty Hose Carriage to Staten Isl & , Alert Hose Carriage to Far Rockaway, Union Hook & Ladder truck to Yonkers, Eagle Hook & Ladder truck to Rockaway Beach Independence Pump & Bucket equipment to Bay Ridge. Franklin Engine was reserved for the Exempt Firemen's Assoc. The New Lots Fire Department was formed at a meeting held on August 15, 1850 in the carpenter shop of Frank DOREMUS. The organizers were former members of the Volunteer Fire Department of N.Y. & Brooklyn who then resided in East N.Y. At this meeting American Eagle Company No. I was org., Feb.5th, 1851, the first Firemen's Ball was given at Henry LUB'S Hotel on the Jamaica Tpke. The mail from East N.Y. in 1840 used to arrive at the Bklyn Post Office at 68 Fulton Street near Hicks Street at 3:30 P.M. The mail for East N.Y. left the Brooklyn Post Office at 7:30 P.M. The New Lots Race Course was in existence during the British occupation, the grounds stretching from the HOWARD Halfway house to the south. During the War of 1812-14 a detachment of 1200 militia was stationed at New Lots. It was anticipated that the British would repeat the maneuver of 1776, when they marched through this section & surprised the American Army. Spring Creek, alias Third Creek, known as such in 1875 as far as FORBELL'S Landing. The continuation was known as BETTS' Creek. The Ridgewood Reservoir was est., 1856 on the site of SNEDIKER'S Cornfield. Ground was broken, July 11, 1856, know as Ridgewood Reservoir. The water flowing into this reservoir came from a chain of lakes & creeks scattered over the towns of Hempstead & Jamaica. Near the eastern extremity this chain was a railroad station of the old South Side Railroad, 27 miles distant from Bklyn & close to the Oyster Bay town line. This station was known as Ridgewood. From the fact that the aqueduct & canal, as they were laid out when the great enterprise was commenced, started in the Ridgewood tract, people spoke of the Ridgewood water & the reservoir constructed upon the Green Hills or Cypress Hills became known as the Ridgewood water reservoir & the thinly settled neighbohood in its rear as Ridgewood. A few years before the reservoir was built another settlement had been started near the northern entrance of the Cemetery of the Evergreens which had been named South Williamsburgh. This being the most compact neighborhood the name Ridgewood was soon applied to it & when a large area later was embraced under the designation of Ridgewood, this part became known as Evergreen. Most of its denizens we connected in some way with the Cemetery of the Evergreens, as florists, laborers, etc. The name of Ridgewood now identified with a large tract in Queens County & at one time was even applied to a part of the Eastern District of Brooklyn. The name appears to have acquired a mania for spreading out after its first hop of 27 miles. When Highland Park was to be estab'on Ridgewood Heights near the reservoir, options on 47 acres of land running until May 1, 1891 were obtained from the following persons: Herbert C. Smith 8.4 acres at $3000 per acre Charles G. Bennett 5.8 acres at $3000 per acre A. W. Montfort 6.3 acres at $5000 per acre C. W. Colyer 7.2 acres at $5000 per acre Marie W. Bergen 0.5 acres at $3000 per acre John C. Schenck 15.5 acres at $4000 to $5000 per acre (NOTE: The following comes out of nowhere. I have found no reference to what ALEXANDER girl the author is writing of.) Pasach N. RUBENSTEIN killed the ALEXANDER girl on December 14 1875. The girl's body was found on the farm of Dietrich WASSELS at New Lots. RUBENSTEIN was sentenced to be hanged on March 24, 1876. A stay of execution was granted. He died on May 9, 1876 of incipient pulmonary tuberculosis hastened by self-deprivation of nourishment & general nervous prostration. East N.Y. had a good number of roadhouses. Most of them clustered around the old HOWARD Halfway House. Among the old resorts may be mentioned a former roadhouse on the southwest cor. of Fulton Street & Van Sinderen Ave., still standing in a dilapidated condition. The former MATTOWACK House, #2443 Fulton St.cor. Norman Place (a remnant of the old Jamaica Plank Road) at Van Sinderen Ave. Along the line of Van Sinderen Ave. ran for a time the tracks of the Manhattan Beach & Canarsie Railroads & the MATTOWACK House was then a busy place; it was kept in 1859 by William SIMONSON & in 1874 by James L. HOGINS. BUTLER'S roadhouse stood on the northside of Broadway near the FURMAN House. The original roadhouse on the old Kings Highway (Fulton Street in Brooklyn & Jamaica Ave. further out) had been the HOWARD Halfway House. The old structure was in its later days known in part as the Hunters Home. It stood on the north side of Broadway at the junction with Jamaica Ave. next to the Fulton Ave. car stables, abt 10' back from the roadway. Next to & surely a part of the original HOWARD Halfway House was Continental Hotel on the site now the Railroad men's building. The Continental Hotel, in 1873 purchased by Captain J.R. & ANDERSON who heretofore had kept the 25th Ward House, cor. of Broadway & Gates Ave.Bklyn. The Halfway House was built of stone in the lower part & the sides were covered with shingles. Kings County House, kept by William WHEELAN, northeast cor. Jamaica Ave. & Gillen Place, now the Street Cleaning Department Building. On the north west cor. was DURGEN'S roadhouse. Simon D. HOAGLAND'S roadhouse, junction of Jamaica Ave. & Alabama Ave. HOAGLAND'S & WHEELAN'S places were the best frequented houses. Later times J. HOAGLAND kept a roadhouse at the junction of Jamaica Ave., Fulton St. & Alabama Ave. on the site now occupied by a United Cigar store. In the rear was BOOKMAN'S Clothing & Drygoods store. Andres HACK'S Alabama House & Summer Garden, early 1870s, southeast cor. of Fulton Street & Alabama Ave.. C. MILLER, 1890 built a new hotel at this cor., which is still standing. Christian KOCH kept a hotel, early 1870's on Jamaica Ave.,near Sheffield St, the building has been vacant for years. The ARMER'S stood on the northwest cor. of Bushwick & Jamaica Aves. C. GRIFFITH'S roadhouse, early 1870s, southeast cor. of Jamaica & Pennsylvania Ave.s has been torn down in the Spring of 1922. In the vicinity of Atlantic Ave. & Liberty Ave. were among others the Central Hotel on the northeast cor. of East N.Y. & Atlantic Aves. This was probably the place kept by Jim NAGER, whose father had been the proprietor of NAGER'S Hotel on Bay Ave. or present Belmont Ave. Henry STEINHEUSER'S Railroad house, early 1870s, Alabama Ave. b/w Fulton St & Atlantic Ave. The HOWARD House, northwest cor. of Atlantic & Alabama Ave. kept by L.G. BROWN. HERRING'S Summer garden, southwest cor. of Atlantic & Georgia Aves, now the 26th Ward Bank, branch of the Mechanics Bank. J.SCHLUCHTNE'S Apollo Hall, early 1870's,cor. Atlantic & Pennsylvania Aves. Peter BENNETT, 1859, Railroad House on the northwest cor. of Atlantic Ave. & Vermont Street. Martin BENNETT kept the place in 1874. Later, known as ALTENBRAND'S Hotel & Shooting Gallery, & Peter BRADY'S East N.Y. Assembly Rooms. The entire blk was consumed by fire. William SCHIELLEIN, early 1870s had a hotel on the cor.Atlantic & Vermont St. known as Judge SCHIELLEIN'S Hall. Emil SCHIELLEIN, son of the original proprietor, was: Town Clerk from 1877-79., Justice of the Peace, 1880-88, a member of Liberty Hose Co., an officer of the National Guard. He now has, JUDGE'S Chop Shop House near the old Jamaica Town Hall. Military Hall on Liberty Ave. was kept in 1859 by John LOHMAN. LOHMAN'S Park was on Liberty Ave. & Wyonna Street & took up the entire block fronting on Liberty Ave. & one-half block towards Atlantic Ave. The stone wall used for target shooting was on the east side of Vermont Street, abt 100' south of Atlantic Ave. A part of this wall is still standing. The Shooting Gallery was on Wyona St. Phil BERNET kept the place, 1870's & later TECHLAND, formerly had charge of Turner Hall. Masonic Hall was in the 1870's cor.Atlantic Ave. & Bradford St, later BEINHAUER House. John GARRITY'S Hotel was in the 1870's on Atlantic & Butler. Charles COSBURG'S Hotel, cor. of Liberty & Miller Aves. John B. McGURK'S Hotel was at Atlantic & Schenck Aves. Fritz DEBBE'S Hotel, cor. Liberty Ave. & Essex St opp LIKEWISE'S blacksmith shop. Centreville Roadhouse, southwest cor. Eldert's Lane & Atlantic Ave. Livery stables, blacksmith & wheelwright shops did a good business in the 1870's when the races were in full swing. J. W. MOORE'S stables, were then at Georgia Ave. b/w Fulton Street & Atlantic Ave. The blacksmith & wheelwright shop of LIKEWISE was near Liberty Ave. & Shepherd Ave. C. T. REIMEL on Liberty Ave. near Berriman St. WORTMAN'S on New Lots Road. Edward F. LINTON was born in Massachusetts. After serving during the Civil War he settled in East New York. LINTON bought the STOOTHOFF farm of 40 acres, east of Van Siclen Avenue & south of the old Jamaica Road, also the Gilliam SCHENCK farm of 16 acres just east of the STOOTHOFF farm, the latter being offered for sale in October 1888. He bought the CONOVER farm of 16 acres in 1888 & he also acquired the ATKINS farm. He bought & developed farms b/w 1885 & 1890. In March 1890 he bought the WYCKOFF & LININGTON farms, covering together 125 acres of flat land bounded by Pennsylvania, New York, Van Sicklen Aves & Eastern Parkway. He paid $500.000 for this land. A farm belonging to the FURMAN family was upon the hill b/w an extension of Vermont Ave & the turnpike. Lawyer HERBERT bought this abt 1885. The CARRAVALLO farm, abt 30 acres, June 26. 1889 acquired by a NY capitalist for the sum of 40,000.
NEW LOTS
New Lots was set off from Flatbush & made a separate town on February 1, 1852. On August 4, 1886 the town of New Lots was annexed to the City of Bklyn & became the 26th Ward. Until the town was annexed, its territory had been divided into three school districts. No. 1 was established in 1806 & embraced the Old New Lots settlement. 1870's this district included Brownsville. The original school house stood on the New Lots Road. In 1806 a new schoolhouse was erected also on the New Lots Rd, 2 story frame. This was used until abt 1888. It has since been moved & is now standing ,#639 Barbey St. The new school erected in l888 on the old site near Schenck Ave. was one story high. Stories & wings have since been added. The school is known as P.S. No.72. District No. 2 was estab'd in 1847, comprising the northern end of the town around the old HOWARD Halfway house i.e. East N.Y. proper. The two story & basement brick schoolhouse stood on Bradford St b/w Atlantic & Liberty Aves. District No. 3 was established in 1850 & embraced the Cypress Hills settlement & the easterly portion of East N.Y. A new brick schoolhouse was erected in 1871. POPULATION OF THE TOWN OF NEW LOTS 1855- 2,261 1870- 9,800 1860- 3,271 1875- 10,765 1865- 5,000 1880- 13,681 1882- 14,000 POPULATION OF EAST N.Y. ESTIMATED TO BE: 1840-- 400 1874-- 8,000 1860-- 1,000 . 1886-- 25,000 In 1860 East N.Y's 1,000 inhabitants supported four churches, viz: Reformed Dutch, Episcopal, German Lutheran & Roman Catholic. In 1885 there were twelve churches, viz: three Methodist, I Baptist, 2 German Lutheran, 2 Congregational, 2 reformed, 2 Roman Catholic. The other localities within the town limits were distant from East N.Y: Brownsville, I mile to the west; Cypress Hills, 1 mile to the east. Plunder's Neck, 2 miles to the southeast.The town government consisted of a Town Board, four Justices of the Peace, a County Supervisor & a Town Clerk. There are three districts : East N.Y, in the centre, Cypress Hills to the east, Brownsville to the west with small communities known as Bohnen-Viertel, Winock-Viertel & Bell Plains. The town was for the largest part settled by the old stock of Germans mainly tailors & gold beaters. They supported the societies Concordia & Frohsinn. There were six policemen & the first police station was on Liberty Ave. b/w Schenck Ave. & Barbey St. next door to KAISER'S Cafe. New Lots School District No.2 was estab'd in 1847, taking in the northern end of the town. New Lots School District No. 3 was organized about 1834 in the Cypress Hills Section, when the little red schoolhouse 20 x 32 feet in size, was erected, which was used until 1889, when a large brick schoolhouse was built on Richmond St. a half block away from the old building. The latter, a 2-story structure with an old fashioned roof running up to a centre ridge pole, was subsequently used as a factory for basket making & finally was occupied by an Italian family as a dwelling. It occupied the southeast cor. of Ridgewood Ave. & Richmond St. until 1909 when it was moved to Lincoln St. near Etna St. & put upon a stone foundation, was altered into a cottage.
NEW LOTS NEWSPAPERS
The Mechanic was published by Pitkin in 1838. The Kings County Advertiser & Village Guardian, in 1853 by C. Warren HAMILTON & existed for three years. It was published for ten years more by others as the Kings County Journal. The New Lots Journal was started in 1870. Its name was changed twice. The Laterne appeared in 1878. The Mirror appeared in 1884. The East N.Y. Sentinel,started by Matthew Cooper in 1886. The Deutsche Zeitung was a popular paper.
NEW LOTS VILLAGE
The old village of New Lots was situated along New Lots Road, there was a cluster of houses, a two-story frame district schoolhouse, stores, a blacksmith shop & the old Dutch Church burying ground.
ALABAMA AVENUE
Henry STEINHEISER'S Rail Road House, early 1870's on Alabama Ave. b/w Fulton St. & Atlantic Ave. The original on Atlantic Ave. & Vermont St. destroyed by fire. Andres HACK'S Alabama House & Summer garden, early 1870's the se cor. Alabama Ave. & Fulton St. C. MILLER, 1890 a new building on this cor. for his hotel, which is still standing. Andy HACK was one of East New York's first policemen. BENNETT'S Casino on Alabama Ave. was totally destroyed by fire on September 9, 1893. H. MONTOUR, printer, #45.
ARLINGTON AVENUE
Named for the Arlington Military Cemetery. Formerly Division Ave. The thoroughfare was laid abt 1854 by Charles R. MILLER. The Arlington Ave. Presbyterian Church, org. May 1, 1890, dedicated, February 26, 1893. On November 30, 1904, new building Arlington Ave. & Elton St., dedicated on February 11,1906.
ASHFORD STREET
The W. H. HOPKINS House,1870's on the east side of Ashford (then Adams) St. on grounds extending from New Lots Ave. to Livonia Ave.. The barn stood near Livonia Ave. & Warwick (then Washington) St.
ATLANTIC AVENUE
The office of Walter M. MESEROLE was in 1905, #2505. Phil H. REID, residence, on Atlantic & Williams Place. He erected in the late 1850's on a portion of this land 11 houses, 8 on Atlantic & 3 on Alabama. They were known as REID'S Row, stood opposite the HOWARD House, was taken down in 1912. The HOWARD House, was erected by REID in 1853. The Draft riots in the Civil War days, when a number of men were killed, took place near this structure in 1864. The Parade ground was a tract of land west of Alabama Ave. where all military parades & drills were held. The land had been owned in the 1820's by Whitehead HOWARD, who kept a tavern at old #13 Fulton St., Bklyn. He died 1833. The HOWARD House was called 'palatial' in the 1860's, Robert SMITH kept the resort in 1874. Phil REID died in 1893 in his 67th year. In 1920 the HOWARD House was transformed into a laundry. The Canarsie & Jamaica Bay R.R., was known as the Littlejohn Railroad. William WARNER was appointed foreman in 1862 & in 1870 superintentdant of the line. then known as the Rockaway Beach R.R. & Steamboat line. He retired in 1898. The 26th Ward Bank of Bklyn was org. Feb. 11, 1889 by Ditmas JEWELL, who was elected president. HERRING'S Summer Garden occupied the southwest cor. of Georgia Ave. in the 1870's. SCHLUECHTNER'S Row is located b/w Pennsylvania & New Jersey Ave. Joseph SCHLUECHTNER kept here in the 1870's, Apollo Hall with billard & pool parlour, 1867. It was later known as BROWN'S Hall. During the Civil War a hospital was here. The Brighten Athletic Club was organized here & SCHLUECHTNER'S Hardware Store was here years later. In the rear of the row stands the Old Stone House, erected betwen 1836 & 1838 by PITKIN, the founder of East New York The Bank started business on May 1, 1869. Gilliam SCHENCK was the first president. Judge Edward A. RICHARDS is the present head of the bank. A hay scale was near the roadhouse kept by John GARRITY on Atlantic Ave., extending from Bradford St. to Butler Ave. The Bklyn Record was published at #2702, on the north west cor. of Wyonna, built in the early 1880's by SACKMANN, C.BOULTON'S book store was in the lower part. The terminal for the Atlantic Ave. Horse Cars was in the early 1870's at Atlantic & Schenck Ave. The cars ran from Fulton Ferry via Furman St. to South Ferry, through Atlantic Ave, to Van Sicklen Ave. The trip took 65 minutes. The house of the Good Shepherd in the early 1870's, northeast cor. of Atlantic & East N.Y. Ave. It was later known as the Central House. Sim NAGER at one time kept this resort. John B. McGURCK'S Hotel, Atlantic & Schenck Aves. The Union Course Chemical Works on Atlantic & Sneidiker was destroyed by fire, April 26, 1902. The Railroad House on the north west cor. of Atlantic & Vermont , opposite SCHIELLEIN'S Hotel, was erected by Louis ALTENBRAND, who had come to East N.Y. in 1839. He ran the place until 1859 under the name, ALTENBRAND'S Railroad House & Shooting Gallery. Peter BENNETT succeeded in that year. Martin BENNETT was the host in 1874, at one time the place was known as Peter BRADY'S East N.Y. Assembly Rooms. The entire block, was owned by H.E. SACKMAN, was consumed by fire. The Oriental Building, Atlantic Ave. near Alabama. St. Clement's Protestant Episcopal Church, org. as a mission on Nov. 11, 1888. St. Clement's was the cor. of Pennsylvania & Liberty, dedicated Sept. 21, 1890, & demolished April, 1929. Businesses in 1890 located on Atlantic Ave: Joseph DYKER'S & Co, produce, near Snediker, printer at #2520. George D. SHORT, provisions, #2529. Louis STRUTHWOLF, sporting goods, #2558. George S. CAPSTICK, sewing machines, #2579. William JESSEN, photographer, #2583, in the same building was the only typewriter in East N.Y, Miss Ella BOONE, #2633. McLAUGHLIN & SMITH, surveyors, #2636. Theodore HINNTERMAN, musical instruments, #2647. SCHLEUCHTNER Bros, hardware, #2665. Edward J. JUSTIN, dancing teacher, near Vermont St. Noyes G. PALME R & Son, suveyors, at the cor. of Wyonna St. John McGAHIE, dealer in teas, #2725. A.W.BAKER, watchmaker, #2784. Walter M. MESEROLE, suveyor, #2789. The office of the Brooklyn Sentinel & Herald was near Hendrix St. At the cor. of Schenck Ave. was George U. FORBELL'S lumber yard. The office of the Brooklyn Advance & L.I. Record, #2921. K.A. MURPHY, mason, #2923. Gustave NATHAN, printer, cor. of Cleveland St. HAMPTON & CREVELING'S, lumber yard cor. of Norwood.
BARBEY STREET
John C. SCHENCK House, Barbey St. b/w Fulton St. & Atlantic Ave. He was born, 1837, son of Isaac SCHENCK & Catherine MESEROLE. He married Josephine M. PELLY, had one daughter, Elizabeth MESEROLE SCHENCK.
BELMONT AVENUE
NAGER'S Hotel on Belmont Ave., formerly Bay Ave. was run by Simon NAGER, born NYC, 1849. He was constable of New Lots for 12 years. His son, Simon later kept a resort on Atlantic & East New York Aves. A fire on April 21, 1905 in the furniture factory, #31-37 Belmont Ave. caused damage of $100,000.
BRADFORD STREET
Bradford St. was formerly Butler Ave. The town government consisted of a Town Board, four Justices of the Peace, a County Supervisor & a Town Clerk. When the Metropolitan Police Department was abolished, the Kings County towns were left without police protection. The Bklyn Police Bill was accordingly amended, giving authority to the Town Bklyn to apply to the Police Commissioner of the City of Bklyn for as many men as were deemed necessary. Town of New Lots applied in 1871 for the appointment of 3 men, who were duly appointed in 1873. 6 all total. A station house and lockup were estab'd in a rented structure on Liberty Ave. but it was too small. An act was secured providing for the expenditure of $2,000. for a Town Hall. A plot 100 50' was purchased of Horace A. MILLER in Bradford St. b/w Fulton St. & Atlantic Ave. & a 2 story & basement brick building was built, #109. Opened on Dec.11, 1873. Police occupied the ground floor, the cells were in the basement; the upper floor was used for public assemblies, lectures, etc. After the town was annexed in 1886 to the City of Bklyn, the Town Hall was solely used as a police station, known as the 17th Precinct. Nov.13, 1889 the 26th Ward Homeopathic Hospital Dispensary was opened here & the building is now known as the Bradford St. Hospital. Turner Hall, 3-story frame building on the west side of Bradford St. near Atlantic Ave. Formally opened,July 4,1864. FECHLAND was the keeper. The place accommodated singing societies, etc. The East New York Turner Society, org., Nov.20, 1859. Adjoining the Turner Hall & probably originally forming a part of that institution, is a small structure which served as a court house. From this structure runs Pig Tail Alley one block to Miller Ave. b/w Atlantic & Liberty Aves. T. ABEL, carriage painter, #14 Bradford St. A little engine house stood on the west side of Bradford St. abt 100' south of Atlantic Ave. & opposite Pig Alley in the back of Masonic Hall. Masonic Hall was in the 1870's, cor. Bradford St. & Atlantic Ave. Known later as BEINHAUER House. LINDAU Photo Studio was in this house.
BRISTOL STREET
Formerly Baltic St. Thomas SHERGER, varnish maker, Sutter Ave.
BROADWAY
A few short blocks of Broadway, near the junction with Jamaica Ave., are lying within the limits of the former town of New Lots. Mrs FURMAN built a house at Broadway & Manhattan Junction, this moved to Conway St. b/w Broadway & Norman Pl. Another house built by her, was in this vicinity, facing B'way. Phil H. REID built a row of 6 cottages at the junction of Broadway with Fulton St., just east of Ditmas JEWELL'S grain & feed place abt 1850. It was a delightful place facing the Green Hills. The Cemetery of the Evergreens is now part of these hills. To the left was SPENCER'S Orchard. From the rear of the houses the LAURENCE Mansion could be seen & nearby was the Augustus IVINS House. The row of cottages fell in course of years into decay, in their last years were known as Italian Row, finally demolished in 1909. FURMAN Orchard started just below Italian Row & extended west several FURMAN House it had big white columns, on the hillside faced the orchard. BUTLER'S roadhouse, north side of Broadway near the FURMAN House which latter stood in the present L Road yard, next to TROMMER'S Brewery. SPENCER'S Orchard formerly was FURMAN'S Orchard. SPENCER had married Mrs. FURMAN'S daughter.
BUSHWICK AVENUE
J.T. TROMMER Brewery, #1632 Bushwick Ave., formerly known as BREIKOPF & TROMMER'S Brewery.
CHESTNUT STREET
Solidarity Watch Case Co., 1905, #242.
CLEVELAND STREET
Cleveland St. formerly Jefferson St., named for Grover CLEVELAND. T. SCHULZ Sons, toy-maker, Cleveland St. near Liberty Ave.
CRESCENT STREET
Formerly Cypress Ave. Cypress Ave was a station on the Long Island Railroad in the 1880s. FOX homestead, Crescent St. & Atlantic Ave., last owner, one EDGARTON. What is now known as the Old Mill was estab'd on the Bull Creek abt 1770 by Van BRUNT, at the same period when the Red Mill, across the Flatlands town line was built. Until 1810 the Bull Creek Mill stood at the second floodgate abt a half mile south, it was taken down & the present structure was built from timbers of the original mill at the foot of Crescent St. It was owned by L. Van WICKLEN & is still referred to as, Van WICKLEN'S Mill. The Van WICKLEN house is standing a little distance to the north on the east side of the street. Van Van WICKLEN 'S hotel, 2-story & attic frame, was near the mill on the west side of the road. In former days old time prize fights were held here. Fire destroyed it, Dec.30,1924, together with several buildings standing also on the west side of the roadway. These had been formerly known as the cottages. The hotel & cottages had been vacant for years. Red Mill on Fresh Kil, alais VANDERVEER'S Mill, was operated abt 1770 by Dominicus VANDERVEER. The mill stood until the beginning of the 1900s, a half mile south of the New Lots Road at Flatlands Ave. abt E. 109th St. The remains of Mill were still visible a few years ago. Archibald GREENWORD, stone yard, & G.H. NOLL, stone yard, were near Jamaica Ave.
EAST NEW YORK AVENUE
Formerly Flatbush Road. Charles Van HULTZ, blacksmith & wheelwright shop, 1870s, on East New York Ave. near the Hunterfly Rd (now HOWARD Ave.). Jacob BLUM, blacksmith & wheelwright shop, 1870s, same road near Chester St., formerly Center St. Thomas F. RYAN, milk dairy, at the cor. Rockaway Ave. formerly Paca Ave. BROWN House, Junius St. (formerly Johnson Ave.) now the Lutheran Hospital. James L. WILLIAMS, early 1840s, opp. HOWARD'S Halfway House, Jamaica & Flatbush Rds or at Fulton St. & East New York Ave., facing Jamaica Ave. The house was later turned around, bounded by Fulton St., East New York Ave. and Williams Place, on the north side of East New York Ave. & Williams Place. It was for a time known as the GREEN residence, then as LUBBA Hotel and became Trinity Hospital. The hospital was in 1924 enlarged and stuccoed, since again enlarged. The car barn of the Cypress Hills 3 cents Jigger line, the south west cor. Alabama Ave. Altered then opened on June 30, 1890 as Peter BENETT'S Casino. Fire in the early 1890s, destroyed it. It was replaced by Brooklyn Music Hall which later became the Gotham Theatre. It was known under that name a quarter-century ago. The residence of William ALEXANDER, Flatbush Road in 1859. Charlea FIENBOLD, wagon maker, East New York Ave. near HOWARD Ave. Lorenz VOGL, wagon maker, near Rockaway Ave. Ezra CHICHESTER, horse shoer, cor. Stone Ave. Jacob LEHMAN, blacksmith, near Stone Ave. A VANDERVEER house, "The Farmhouse", Blake Ave. & Hunterfly Rd, later a roadhouse, at one time kept by one Rudolph. Another VANDERVEER House, Hunterfly Rd (now part of Kings Highway) near Blake Ave., moved from its original site to this point. Jacob BLUM, blacksmith & wheelwright, 1874, East New York Ave. near Chester St. Charles Van HULTZ, blacksmith & wheelwright shop, 1874, East New York Ave. near Hunterfly Rd. CUMMINGS & Sons,1874, moulding & planning mills, Pitkin Ave. & Junius St. Thomas F. RYAN'S Milk Dairy,cor. East NY & Rockaway Aves.
ELDERTS LANE
Known as Enfield St., corrupted from Endfield St., this being the end of the fields of the town. The old, time-honored name of Elderts Lane, however, has been restored. Among the earliest settlers was the ELDERT family. The ELDERT farm, originally extended from the Hills to FORBELL'S. It stood abt 25' east of the line of Elderts Lane & abt 150' north of Fulton St., facing Atlantic Ave.Built of stone, the walls were of a thickness of thirty inches. A large cherry tree stood close to the side of the house. The KOUWENHOVEN House, also called CONOVER House, on the west side abt 300' south of Atlantic Ave., a 2 story building with a steep straw roof of English architecture, facing south. A 2-story frame house standing back from the west side of the road near Ridgewood Ave. was built by the CONOVER family abt 1840, on the site of the original ELDERT barn. The CENTREVILLE House, southwest cor. Atlantic Ave. ADAMS House, southwest cor. McKinley Ave., formerly known as Adams St. ADAMS was active in the development of Adamsville. John DREW House, on the point where Old South Rd met New Lots Rd. The site of the house is known now as eastside of Forbell Ave. b/w Glenmore & Pitkin Aves. It has been moved one block westward to the east side of Elderts Lane, #568-570. It is believed that this originally was a KOUWENHOVEN House. Henry DREW House also stood upon the former Eldert farm on Rockaway Rd and Elderts Lane. The walls were covered with shingles and filled in with baked clay and salthay. The half doors were provided with bulls eyes. The house has been destroyed. Johannes ELDERT was among the patentees of 1667. During the Revolution, Isaac, a grandson of Johannes, was the owner of the farm. His sister, Marie, married Col. WYCKOFF of General WASHINGTON'S staff. In the second story of the farmhouse, built in one of the bedrooms, was a secret chamber which could only be opened by a spring hidden in one of the panels on the wall. It is said that many a patriot found refuge in this room while British soldiers went through the house looking for him, In 1857 the town of New Lots took part of the ELDERT farm for the water conduit and erected here the New Lots pumping station. In 1871 the ELDERT farm passed into the hands of Joshua LELAND & a year later to John Crook. After several changes it came to Henry B. YOUNG who purchased it with the intention of taking down the old homestead and laying out the farm in building lots.
ELTON STREET
Formerly Madison St. The Samuel COZINE House is standing in the meadows at the foot of Elton St.
FULTON STREET
Metropolitan Hotel, southwest cor. Van Sinderen Ave. formerly Vesta Ave., 1870s, kept by Robert SMITH. It was taken down abt 1923. The hotel & MATTOWACK House stood on either side of former Fulton Ave. near Brooklyn City line. MATTOWACK House is still standing at 2443 Fulton St., former Fulton Ave. & the old Jamaica Tpke. or what is now Fulton St., Norman Pl. & Van Sinderen. Wm. SIMONSON kept the hotel in 1859. James L. HOGINS in the 1870s. Ditmas JEWELL, grain & feed business, Fulton St. & Broadway. The building is still standing, #2505 Fulton St. M. & A. BOOKMAN, estab'd, 1852, drygoods, clothing & shoe store, Jamaica Plank Rd at Georgia Ave.,known as BOOKMAN'S corner. The building remains, northwest cor. Fulton St. & Georgia Ave. WARTBURG Home for the Aged & Infirm, Fulton St. & Sheffield estab'd, 1886. German Reformed Church, #2729-33 Fulton St. b/w Wyona & Bradford Sts. Rev. John ESCHEMANN, pastor, early 1870s. The building in recent years, a dressmaking establishment. KOHL'S Fulton Palace, #2957, a quarter century ago. Long Island Carbon Arc Light Co., #2975. Captain Henry KOERNER ran the Lafayette Hotel, northeast cor. Crescent St. from 1872 until 1892. His widow continued until 1902. It was known as SLARK'S Old Roadhouse when fire partly destroyed the building on Feb.18,1922.
GEORGIA AVENUE
F. W. MOORE, livery stables, 1870s, Georgia Ave. b/w Fulton St.& Atlantic Ave, later, #44 Pennsylvania Ave.
GLENMORE AVENUE
Glenmore Ave. was Baltic Rd or Ave. Opened, 1896. A school was kept at one time in NELSON'S store, Glenmore Avenue.
HENDRIX STREET
Formerly Smith St. Baptist Church, Hendrix St. b/w Arlington Ave. & Fulton St. Rev. Charles COLEMAN, pastor, 1870s, Is still standing. A building standing in LANG'S yard, northeast cor. of Arlington and Schenck Aves was used as a meeting place by seceders from the Baptist Church. Later it was used as a stable, and became a lodge meeting place known as LANG'S Casino. A house of modern type, south east cor. Fulton St. was a Van SICKLEN residence and one of the showplaces of East New York. The house has been moved 80' south of Fulton St., became the home of the Democratic Club. Horace MILLER House, northeast cor. Fulton St., was moved to a lot on the east side of the St., 100' north of Fulton St. near the Baptist Church. Horace MILLER & James BUTLER had purchased, 1853, a large tract of East New York and built many houses. MILLER lost his life in an accident on the Long Island Railroad. Bernard HEANEY, metal dealer, #170 Hendrix St. John O'DONOGHUE, mason, #200. LIKEWISE Bros., iron railing makers, near Liberty Avenue.
HIGHLAND BOULEVARD
The residence of Dr. Francis MILLER, stood on the hill above Jamaica Ave. b/w the lines of Van SicklenAve. & Hendrix St.
HOWARD AVENUE
VANDERVEER family home, stood on the HunterFly Rd at Blake Avenue. It was later used as a roadhouse; "The Farmhouse"; one RUDOLPH was the host at one time. It was taken down in 1923. Now known as Howard & Blake Ave. The J. J. VANDERVEER House of a later type, is standing on the south side Howard Avenue, #714, west of Blake Ave.
JAMAICA AVENUE
The corners at the north side of the road at Gille n Place, formerly Howard Place, were roadhouses kept by WHEELAN & DURYEA. Kings County House, north east cor., where the Street Cleaning Department Building is now, was kept by William WHEELAN & DURYEA, north west cor. The Sales & Exchange stables of B. L. CAMPBELL, #36 b/w Fanchon Place, formerly Furman Place, & Sheffield Ave. Simon D. HOAGLAND, Hotel & racing stables, of Jamaica & Alabama Aves. Later, J. HOAGLAND kept a roadhouse at Jamaica Ave., Fulton St & Alabama Ave., Now a United Cigar store. In the rear BOOKMAN'S Clothing & Drygoods Store, #11 Jamaica Ave. The 3 story roadhouse near Sheffield St. was for a time kept by LUBBS & later, in the early 1870s, by Christian KOCH. Now known as the north east corner of Fanchon Place. Louis ALTENBRAND'S residence originally faced the plank road or present Jamaica Ave. it's now standing on the south side of Pellington Place, abt 100' east of Bushwick Ave. ALTENBRAND came to East New York in 1839 & built the hotel, Rail Road House, which he ran until 1859. He died in 1873. The Farmers Home, a tavern, cor. Bushwick Ave. Adolph SCHMIDT'S Brewery, Jamaica & Pennsylvania in 1905. Issac CORNELL SCHENCK Farmhouse appears to have been built abt 1760, although there was probably an earlier house standing since 1705. The present building has been rebuilt & remodelled several times. At one time in 1792 by Isaac CORNELL, father-in-law of Judge TEUNIS SCHENCK, & again in 1811 by Judge SCHENCK. Judge SCHENCK was born, 1762 & died in 1842. It was for many years occupied by John SCHENCK and later by his son John SCHENCK, the lawyer. Issac CORNELL SCHNECK was the occupant in 1876. It was, at one time, occupied by POWELL, the milkman. The old house is now standing within the grounds of Highland Park, on the north side of Jamaica Ave, opp. the east cor. Ashford St. Johannes SCHENCK, the emmigrant, had come to Flatbush in 1690. In 1712 he bought the mill property in Bushwick, where he died in 1729. His son Peter died in 1736. Peter's son Teunis was born in 1724. Teunis' son Teunis was born in 1767. He married in 1794, Gertrude, daughter of Isaac CORNELL. He died in 1842. The barn stood north of Jamaica Ave., opposite the junction of Warwick St. and Ridgewood Ave. William STOOTHOFF House, #494, south east cor. plot of Elton St., formerly Madison St., was a farmhouse of the Dutch type, painted a yellow color. Theodore Van WYCK occupied the house at one time. In 1889 it was remodelled by Frank HART, the real estate man, who occupied it. Later, another real estate man, LINTON, purchased the building. In recent years the building has been greatly altered and is now stuccoed. There were two toll-gates on the plank road within the limits of the Town of New Lots. Originally there had been only one, standing twenty feet distant from NICOLL'S blacksmith shop. When the Sts were opened west of this gate, it became necessary to set up another gate at Elton St.. Beyond the town and county line were two gates, one at Richmond Hill and another at Queens. SNEDIKER house, north side of the plank road, opposite Elton & Linwood (formerly Monroe) Sts. The house was at one time occupied by C. Washington COLYER, the son-in-law of SCHENCK, who came from California after SCHENCK'S death and settled in this house. It had been painted white, later yellow. The mantel piece in the parlor attracted the attention of all visitors. Later the house was occupied by MONTFORT, the milkman, and finally became city property, its site being included in Highland Park. It was taken down about 1908. Albert H. W. Van SICKLEN House, south east cor. Shepherd Ave., a 2 story and attic house. Van SICKLEN was the son-in-law of William SCHENCK. The house was taken down in March, 1925 to make room for the Y.M.C.A. Next to it on the south west corner of Force Tube Ave., formerly Siegel Ave., afterwards for a time Dresden St., was in the 1870s the house of John ELDERT and at one time was occupied by a brother of Albert H. W. Van SICKLEN. Gilliam SCHENCK was living on the south side of the road in a modern house. He was born in the old homestead on the north side of the road on January the son of Judge Teunis SCHENCK and Gertrude CORNELL. He married in 1840 Anna Maria ELDERT, born 1817, daughter of Hendrick ELDERT and Sarah EMMONS of New Lots. He died on May 6, 1894. He had two daughters Gertrude CORNELL SCHENCK, born 1841, who married Albert H. W. Van SICKLEN in 1860, and Sarah EMMONS SCHENCK who married Simon RAPELYE in 1861. A SNEDIKER House was on the grounds now occupied by the National Cemetery, abt 20' north of Jamaica Ave. The cemetery was estab'd abt 1890. William J. SMITH, 1870s, the Aqueduct Hotel, south cast cor. Hale Ave. the successor to John D. SMITH'S resort of other days. After the cemetery had been estab'd, SMITH renamed it the National Hotel. G. DISTLER, Hotel & Brewery, estab'd, 1860s, was in 1872, south side b/w Euclid Ave. & Crescent St., opposite the main entrance of the Cypress Hills Cemetery, now the stables of the Cemetery, a remnant of the plant. Some years back the place was known as HARMAN'S Casino Grove. In the 1880s DISTLER'S park, was in Queens Co. southside of Jamaica Ave. near the toll gate b/w Metropolitan & Queens Blvd. Salem Fields Cemetery, estab'd, 1851, north side Jamaica Ave., opp. Euclid Ave., formerly Market St. Hiram WOODRUFF, earlier had an inn on the cor. of Jamaica Ave. & Stony Rd. Salem Fields Cemetery now starts from the opposite cor.. The Hotel was later known as BENJAMIN'S Hotel & was destroyed by fire. WOODRUFF, later days, had the inn further east on Jamaica Ave., known as DEXTER Park, & for a time he ran the HOWARD'S Halfway House. Hiram HOWE, the adopted son of Hiram WOODRUFF, married Sally SHAW. Ike WOODRUFF, brother of Hiram WOODRUFF, kept a roadhouse a little west of COBB'S Grocery. The old red painted frame structure, #870, the blackamith shop of Stephen PLATT NICOLL. NICOLL had the SMITH smithy since 1870. He was born in 1846 Farmingdale, L.I., son of Richard Floyd NICOLL, Jr. (born on Shelter Island) & Rebecca PLATT. He married in 1874 Fostina Estella BURTON. Early 1880s the toll-gate stood upon the plank road 20' from the smithy. William F. GROTZ Brewery, #948. Just beyond Nichols Ave., an old roadhouse of the days when Union Course was in its heyday, standing south side b/w Nichols & Grant Aves; probably was Ike WOODRUFF'S place. The building was later occupied by a real estate & painting concern. ACKERLEY owned the land on the south west cor. of Elderts Lane, at Cypress Hills. His daughter married Dan COBB. COBB opened a grocery here & ran it in the 1850s & 1860s; known as COBB Corner. In 1922 a resort known as Bayrische Bierstube occupied an addition to the old structure, both were torn down in the Spring OF 1925. 1869, City of Bklyn bought of John L. SNEDIKER, his hotel, 10 acres of land. The hotel was for a time, Truant Home. later a brick building was erected on the site, which was used by the home until it was destroyed by fire, Dec.1,1924. The county line ran through the barroom in the hotel. HOWARD estate, abt 4 acres the historic Halfway House were sold at auction in 1867 for $21,000, to Henry R. PIERSON, president of the Bklyn City R.R. Co. John C. SCHENCK of New Lots died in 1909. His father, Isaac SCHENCK, originally owned a tract of land from Jamaica Ave. south to Fulton St. and from Schenck Ave. east to Warwick St., known as the SCHENCK farm. Abt 1738 a number of descendants of the early Dutch settlers on Long Island located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Among these was Gilliam CORNELL. Gilliam CORNELL of Flatbush, who had married in 1710 Cornelia Van NORDWYCK, settled in North Auxxton, Bucks County, PA. abt 1738. Pieter GUIJAMSE & William GUILJAMSE, named in the New Lotts (of Flatbush) Patent of 1677 granted by Governor ANDROS, were members of the CORNELL family. JAMESON & KEENAN, horseshoers, Jamaica Ave. ALACK Bros., horseshoers, #74. August KLAUS, wheelwright, cor New Jersey Ave. J. S. SMALL, carriage painter, near Wyona St. G. S. CORWIN, horseshoer, near Arlington Ave. These stone yards were on Jamaica Ave.: Henry VAELMER, near Chestnut St. J. K. JOHNSON, near Chestnut St. LEIGHTON & TURNER, cor Euclid Ave. James F. WALSH, near Euclid Ave. Benjamin LOVE, cor Crescent St. J. BENISCH, near Autumn Ave.
JEROME STREET
Formerly John St. St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church for Germans, built on the east of Jerome St. b/w Atlantic & Liberty Aves. Purchased in 1860 of Jacob SACKMANN. The corner-stone, April 28, 1860 by Bishop John LOUGHLIN of Brooklyn. Dedicated, July 8, 1860, 3 additional lots were purchased on Warwick St.
JUNIUS STREET
Formerly Johnson Ave. J. PEARSALL, horseshoer, on Junias St. near East New York Ave.
LIBERTY AVENUE
Named for the fact that it was a free road for the farmers, the present Jamaica Ave. was a toll-road. LANZER'S Brewery at Georgia Ave. known as PIEL Bros. Brewery. John R. PITKIN came in 1835 from Massachusetts to New Lots & started a shoe factory, employing 100 people. Together with his brother-In-law, George W. THRALL, , they purchased the WYCKOFF, STOOTHOFF & Van SINDEREN farms near the HOWARD estate & had the land surveyed & laid out in building lots. PITKIN named his development East New York, claiming that it would become the eastern part of New York City. PITKIN"S shop was on Liberty Ave. & his workmen built their little cottages around the shop in the vicinity of Pennsylvania & New Jersey Aves. In 1838 he published "The Mechanic" in the 3-story stone building on grounds at the corner of Atlantic & Pennsylvania Aves. The old stone house still remains, but is completely enclosed by frame houses. After a few years PITKIN moved his shoe factory to Woodhaven. DAVIS Starch Mill, south side of Liberty Ave. from Pennsylvania to New Jersey Aves. The S. DAVIS House, north east cor of Pennsylvania Ave. abt 100' from Fulton St. Now known as "Penn & Fulton Hall" & is occupied by courtrooms. Another DAVIS house on the south east cor Pennsylvania & Liberty Aves became afterwards the first home of the Homestead Bank. August STORCH, 1870s, bakery on Liberty Ave., cor Miller Ave.,later northwest cor Vermont & Liberty Aves. The building is still standing. The J. H. SACKMANN House, #434, opposite LOHMAN'S Park, b/w Vermont & Wyona St.s. SACKMANN lived here in the 1860s. Military Hall on Liberty Ave., cor Wyona St., John LOHMAN as early as 1853. The Park extended a full block on Liberty Ave. & a half block on Wyona Ave. towards Atlantic Ave. The shooting gallery was on Wyona St. The stonewall for target shooting, east side Vermont St. abt 100' south of Atlantic Ave. A part of the wall still remains. Philip BERNET, ran the place from 1869 to 1878. FECHLAND, who formerly had charge of Turner Hall, kept this place later. Peter BREDE kept another resort at the cor of Liberty Ave. & Wyona St. abt 1870. ERNEST'S fancy goods store b/w Wyona & Bradford Sts, estab'd abt 1856. Charles COBING'S Hotel, cor Miller Ave. Dr. Cornelia LaTELLE, an allopathist, estab'd in May, 1873, her "Invalids' Retreat" on the cor of Van Sicklen Ave., by The Saint Patrick Benevolent Soc. John LIKEWISE House, north side of Liberty Ave., east of Linwood St. LIKEWISE was a blacksmith & wheelwright. His father, Philip LIKEWISE, was born in 1792 & came in 1815 to this country & settled in New Lots. John LIKEWISE was born in 1834. 1856 he married Frederica P. MISNER; they had 6 children. LIKEWISE estab'd his wheelwright place on the cor of Essex St. in 1863 & the shop was still standing 40 yrs later. Fritz DEPPE, a hotel opp. the smithy at the cor Liberty Ave. & Essex St., C. T. REIMEL, blacksmith & wheelwright, 1870s, Liberty Ave. near Berriman St. (formerly called Bennett Ave.). The East New York Station of the Standard Oil Company of New York was located in 1905 at Liberty Ave. & Berriman St.. John R. HUGHES, sash & door maker, cor Van Sinderen Ave. Edward HAASE, produce, #195. Kings County Ledger, #213. PIEL Bros. Brewery & Summer garden, cor Sheffield St. Philip FORTENBACH, sewing machines, #500. H. WORTMAN, horseshoer, cor Hendrix St. Fritz KLATT, provisions, near Ashford St.
LINCOLN AVENUE
John ELDERT built his house, 1772, #555 & 557 Lincoln Ave., 60' south of Pitkin Ave. In 1850s the house was known as the Jackson ELDERT House & in the 1870s as the E. W. PECK House. A sign painted on the shingles of the gable and reading Fresh Daily, with a large egg depicted between those two words, caused the old house to be known as the Egg House. Later yrs partly destroyed by fire, rebuilt, modernized stuccoed, but remained vacant.
MILLER AVENUE
The Seventh Precinct Station House, cor Miller Ave. & Liberty Ave., was opened on June 2, 1892. Samuel SANDEN, maker of iron railings, #152 Miller Ave.
MONTAUK AVENUE
The plant of WILKES & INGLEBY, #15 Montauk Ave. destroyed by fire on February 16, 1911. The body of the watchman was found in the ruins.
NEW JERSEY AVENUE
The Reformed Dutch Church of East NY, originated from a Sunday school, which was started in a room over wheelwright shop in the rear of Postmaster STRONG'S office. One TIMPSON, a tailor, was the first teacher. The church was org., 1839.In 1854 the church had become too small in it's Jersey Ave., b/w Jamaica & Fulton St. location. This building was sold to the Episcopal Society, who moved the building to Wyona St. The church was rededicated on Feb. 28, 1892, probably after it had been renovated. It was taken down in 1921. Early ministers were, Revs. William H. CAMPBELL, Martinus V. SCHOONMAKER, who was installed Sept. 25, 1842., J. Pascal STRONG, Anson F. NUNN, & C.R. BLAUVELT. The HORSFIELD House, known also as S. FRISBEY House, 1870's close to the south east cor. of New Jersey Ave & Fulton St. The house was later moved a little to the south to #123 & #125. St. Johannes German Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1846, a frame ediface on the south east cor. plot of New Jersey & Liberty, dedicated, Sept. 17, 1847.It was taken down in 1898 to make room for Borden's Milk Depot. More ground was bought in the 1890's & a new ediface erected on New Jersey Ave. south of Liberty, dedicated in 1898., Rev. Justus T. HOLSTEIN became the pastor in 1891. St. John of Kenty Roman Catholic Church on New Jersey & Blake is known as St. John Cantius was organized in 1902. John R. PITKIN donated the site for the East N.Y. Reformed Church on New Jersey Ave. The old parsonage on the cor. of Sheffeild Ave. & Fulton was built while the Rev. J. Pascal STRONG was the minister, b/w 1850 & 1856.
NEW LOTS AVENUE
Was the old town road known as New Lotts Road. ADAMS Bone Factory stood, surrounded by woods, near the Flatlands townline. There was a bridge at Rockaway Ave. at this time. The Van SINDEREN House, built in the later colonial style, northeast cor. of Junius St., forerly called Johnson Ave., just west of the present L. Road.The building was demolished in 1905. The SNEDIKER House, stood upon a little hill on the north side of the road b/w the Van SINDEREN & RAPELYE houses., built in 1750, of Dutch architecture, just east of the point where the L.Road crosses, at abt. present #187 to #193. The house has been taken down. Between SNEDIKER House & the old RAPELYE House stood the farmhouse of Abraham VANDERVEER. There was a group of houses owned by the RAPELYE family. The oldest of these, #349 on the northwest cor. of Sheffield St, was the Old RAPELYLE house, the lower part was built in stone. The house was the home of Major Daniel RAPELYE, who was born in the town of Newton in 1748. He married Agnes, daughter of Johannes BERGEN, & settled in New Lots, where he died in 1796. He had children: John, Daniel, Simon, & Michael. Ethan ALLEN was billeted at this house. It was taken down in May 1922. One of the Major's sons, Daniel, was born in 1772. He owned & operated COE'S Mill at Corona, for abt half a century. Simon married Helen, daughter of Nicholas WILLIAMSON. Simon's son, Williamson RAPELYE, born 1803, married Ann, daughter of John VANDERVEER. He occupied the old homestead in the 1850's & 1860's. He built large houses on the homestead farms. He died in 1868. William RAPELYE Jr., was the owner in the 1870's. The house just west of the stone house was erected in 1820 by William RAPELYE. It too was demolished in May 1922. The William RAPELYE Senior House, of Dutch Architecture, #321, at the north west cor. of Georgia Ave, was for a time occupied by William RAPELYE. William RAPELYE Senoir, lived here in the 1860's & 1870's. Simon RAPELYE, son of the builder of the stone house, erected this house. Charles M. GEE lived there abt 1820. It was called the M. GEE House & at other times, Henry RAPELYE & LOTT House. Nearby stood the RAPELYE barn. 2 story, peak roof, frame house at #341 northwest cor. of Sheffeild was built for a RAPELYE daughter who did not marry. It was later occupied by the LINDAY family. The RAPELYE WILLIAMSON House #296 south side b/w Georgia & Alabama. Another RAPELYE house fronted on old New Lots Rd on the portion on the eastern end, now obliterated in a straightening of the road.The building has been turned around & is #948 Belmont Ave. A little further east along the old farmers road is still another RAPELYE House, known as the P. RAPELYE House. The old LINNINGTON House, a big square building, painted white, stood east of Pennsylvania; it has been demolished. The LINNINGTON farm joined the RAPELYE farm on the east & extended from Pennsylvania. Ave. to Wyona St. The William GLOVER House stood upon this farm. The old WYCKOFF House north side of the road b/w Bradford St. & Miller Ave. Henry WYCKOFF had built another house just west of the old parsonage. The old WYCKOFF house had probably been built by Cornelis Pieterse WYCKOFF of New Lotts, son of Pieter Claesen WYCKOFF of Flatlands (whose house is still standing on Canarsie Lane near the lines of Ditmars & Ralph Ave.) Cornelis married in 1678 Gertrude SIMONSE, daughter of Simon Van ARSDALE. He died in 1746. The Samuel H. WORTMAN House south side of the road near Van Sicklen Ave., abt opposite the Reformed Dutch Parsonage. The blacksmith shop adjoined the house, both have been taken down. Samuel H. WORTMAN, born 1833, the son of John S. WORTMAN, also native of New Lots & a blacksmith by trade, who married Tabetha SMITH. Samuel H. WORTMAN married at Jamaica, Margaret Ann, daughter of Stephen PEARSALL. Mrs. WORTMAN was living in the house in the early 1870's. Fred LINDAU occupied in 1889. The Abraham Van SICKLEN farmhouse at #569, north side of the road b/w Van Sicklen Ave. & Hendrix St was built abt 1730 & is Dutch Architecture. Abraham Van SICKLEN'S son, John was born here in 1787. He married in 1814 Maria RYERSON, born in 1795 in Kings County. During the War of 1812 he was employed by the government as mail carrier from Ft. Greene to Amagansett, L.I. He died in 1845. His son Abraham, born in New Lots in 1829, remained at the place until 1887. Abraham's brother, Jacob RYERSON Van SICKLEN, born 1826, remained at the homestead, a bachelor, & died in 1879. Another brother, James Cornell Van SICKLEN, born 1838, died in 1886. Another Van SICKLEN house north side of the Schenck Ave. The Reformed Dutch Church of New Lots. org. 1824., dedicated June 1824. The Old New Lots Burying ground was estab'd near the end of the 18th century & was located on the north side of the railroad b/w Schenck Ave & Barbey St. On this tract north of Livonia Ave. formerly called Linnington Ave., extended abt 100 ft northward on a sloping ground , was the burial place of the slaves. The Burying Ground has been sadly neglected & in 1922 there were only a few tombstones standing, among many which had fallen to the ground, one bearing the date of 1796 as the year of death. The City of New York took over the old burying ground for school purposes & agreed to move the remains. The site is now attached at least in part to the school grounds of P.S. #75. A churchyard had been estab'd on the south side of the road from Schenck Ave. to Jerome. It has been said that the original New Lots Burying Ground has been on the southside of the road & it is likely that the church was erected on part of this site. The former parsonage stands on what is now Riverdale Ave. (formerly Rapelye Ave.) & Van Sicklen Ave. Among the pastors of this church are : Rev. W.CRUIKSHANK 1824-1834 Rev.J.C. BALDWIN, 1834-1852 Rev. J,M. Van BUREN, 1852 Rev.C.W. WOOD, 1874 Rev. N. PEARCE since 1877. The New Lots schoolhouse, 1810 adjoining the old burying ground, known as District School #2 of the town of Flatbush & after 1852 as District School #1 the town of New Lots. Henry Joel HAMILTON, born in 1801, in Massachuetts, was the schoolmaster from 1844 until his death in 1853. C. Warren HAMILTON was the teacher from 1856 to 1857. He resided in the 1870's on the west side of Sheffield Ave. The schoolhouse was moved to 639 Barbey St, b/w Livonia & Dumont. P.S. #72, was built on the site of the old school house. The LININGTON DURYEA House, New Lots Rd & Barbey St. It was 1740 Dutch architecture. A creek passed by the house. New Lots Rd. was crossed by a bridge at Jerome St. The house was moved to #562 Jerome, formerly called John St, south of Dumont. M. DURYEA lived there in the 1870's. Livington DURYEA later occupied the house. The W.HOPKINS House, just north of New Lots Rd. The STORMS House, north side of New Lots east of Warwick St. H. MARTIN'S Hotel, later north side near Linwood St. East MARTIN'S was the G.R. COZINE'S Cafe b/w Linwood & Essex. Essex was formerly Eldert. The very old farmhouse, north east cor. Shepherd Ave, known by various names. WIllem & Carel BOERUM House, Van BRUNT House, D. HOPKINS House, R. HOPKINS House, C. Van BRUNT appears to have been the occupant in 1860. D. Hopkins in 1873. A florist occupied it in 1922. Jacob Willemse BOERUM of New Lots, son of Willem Jacobse Van BOERINN, who emmigrated from Amsterdam in 1649. He married Geertruyd BEAUVOIS. Simon BOERUM of New Lots bought in 1748, a house & garden, on the southwest cor. of Fulton & Hoyt Sts in Bklyn. He died there in 1775 & was buried in the Dutch Burying Ground at Fulton & Hoyt. In 1868 his & his wife's remains were reinterred in Greenwood Cemetery. Carel BOERUM married Mary LOTT, daughter of Johannes LOTT. Wilhelmus Van BRUNT, born 1764, was a lawyer. He owned or resided on a farm in New Lots. George HEGEMAN House, northwest cor. Berriman St.,formerly Bennett Ave. He was a trustee of the Berriman St. School, which was erected on his farm. Wm. STOOTHOFF House, south west cor. Montauk Ave. Jack COZINE House, built 1850, south west cor. Milford St.fomerly Morse Ave. LOTT WYCKOFF House in New Lots, destroyed by fire, Sept.1843. ADAMS & MUNROE'S fat rendering & bone burning establishment was in the early 1880's on New Lots Ave. Hank LOTT House, New Lots Rd near Hunter Fly Rd destroyed by fire abt 1900. Robert MARSHALL, horseshoer, New Lots Ave. near Hendiix St. The Dutch farmhouse on New Lots Rd. cor. Van Sicklen & known as the Van SICKLEN House dates to 1730. It was originally occupied by the CORNELL family.
PACIFIC AVENUE
Was laid out by Charles R.MILLER abt 1854.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
C. GRIFFITH, roadhouse, early 1870s, cor. Jamaica & Pennsylvania Aves. Taken down Spring 1922. Dr. Jon S. ANDREWS house, 1870s, eastside of Pennsylvania Ave b/w Jamaica & Fulton. Colonel BROWN, 1874, 2 story, brick building, #74, close to Atlantic Ave. His son, Miles A. BROWN, was the postmaster of New Lots at the time; a stone slab inserted in the upper part of the building, the inscription, U.S.P.O. 180, W.F.MOORE, undertaker, #44. James DAVIES & Son, starch manufacturers, #99.
PITKIN AVENUE
1st called Broadway, later Eastern Pwky. When Eastern Pwky was constructed in 1871-1874, thru the City of Bklyn from Flatbush Ave. to New Lots town line at abt Ralph. When Timothy WOODRUFF was Park Commisioner the line of the Pwky was deflected at the New Lots line & the extended acros Broadway to Bushwick Ave. CUMMINGS & Sons Moulding & Planing Mills, in 1870's at Pitkin & Junius. Eastern Park occupied several blks in the vicity of Pitkin & Van Sinderen Ave. These were the grounds of the Brooklyn Players League team in 1890, & the Brooklyn National League team from 1891-1898. The name Eastern Park, figuring the Eastern Pwky would extend along this tract. Now there's a depressed freight yard on the site of the former ballfield & the entrance to the Evergreen Hill tunnel of the N.Y. Connecting R.R. is abt where home plate used to be. The Park was located close to Snediker Ave & Eastern Pwky Station of the Kings Co. Elevated R.R.The Manhattan Beach R.R. ran by it's Eastern side, but there was no station road nearer than the Manhattan Junction on Atlantic Ave. The admission rates were 75 cents on the Gr & St & , 50 cents in the pavilion & 25 cents on the "bleacheries". there were seperate entrances for each. It was the coolest ball ground in the county from June to the close of August, with sea breezes blowing in every afternoon in fair weather. Charles H. BYRNE was the presient in 1893 & Charles B. EBBETTS was secretary. Fire on Nov. 27, 1905 in B. FRANKEL'S factory at Pitkin & Van Sinderen Aves caused damage $100,000.
PLUNDERS NECK ROAD
Alais Old Mill Rd., forms the continuation of Elderts Lane.
RIVERDALE AVENUE
Formerly Rapelye Ave. The former Reformed Dutch Parsonage, northwest Van Sidden Ave. When the Rev. MUNN was the pastor, it was northeast cor. Sheffield Ave. Fulton St. WYCKOFF homestead, upon the line of Riverdale Ave. near Bradford St. Another WYCKOFF house stood in Revolutionary days south of New Lots Ave. on the Mill Road.
ROCKAWAY AVENUE
The part of this thoroughfare in the City of Brooklyn was originally called Paca Ave. First Congregational Church of New Lots, east side of Rockaway Ave. north of Blake Ave. First services were held in 1866 and a Sunday School, org. July 28, 1868. Built on two lots, donated by G. S. THATFORD, dedicated May 31, 1869. For a year the Rev. I. T. DAVIDSON preached without pay, but was installed as pastor on January 1, 1870. He was succeeded on January 1, 1871 by the Rev. I. C. LOCKWOOD & September of the same year the Rev. C. H. H. PANNEL became the pastor.
SCHENCK AVENUE
Laid out abt 1854 by Charles R. MILLER.
SHEFFIELD AVENUE
Harmonica Singing Society, org., August, 1859 as the Concordia Singing Society. 1859-1874 their headquarters were at Henry MILLER'S Hall on Sheffield Ave. they moved to John GASTIEGER'S Hall, cor. Sheffield & Jamaica Aves. later, to A. BEBBE'S place at Glenmore Ave. PITKIN House, southeast cor of Sheffield Ave. & Fulton St. J. C. MIDDENDORF House, standing in the 1850s on Sheffield Ave. & Fulton St. has been turned around & stands now on a side St. Reformed Dutch Parsonage occupied by Dominie MUNN, northeast cor of Sheffield Ave. & Fulton St. Dr. C. A. BECKERT, resided since 1856 on the east side of Sheffield Ave., 100'south of Fulton St. Dr. Beckert's office was popularly known as the Doctor Shop. G. KRAETZER House, Sheffield Ave. in the 1850s.
STANLEY AVENUE
Formerly called Stoothoff Ave. A two-story frame structure, on the shore of Jamaica Bay at what is now Stanley & Atkins Aves., is claimed to have served as a Town Hall after New Lots had been taken off the Town of Flatbush in 1852. The building waa used as a dance hall when fire destroyed it 1922.
STONE AVENUE
East New York Music Hall, #172 Stone Ave. was in 1905 also known as Bank Music Hall. The State Bank had its Brownsville Branch at that time, #363 Stone Ave; this institution merged with Manufacturers Trust Company, January 1929.
SUTTER AVENUE
Formerly Union Ave. District Schoolhoose No. 2 of New Lots, on Sutter Ave.
THATFORD STREET
Seven frame buildings on Thaford St, b/w Dumont & Livonia Aves., were destroyed by fire Feb. 2, 1900. starting at, #286.
VAN SICKLEN AVENUE
Laid out abt 1854 by Charles R. MILLER. St. Malachi R.C. Church, on Van Sicklen Ave. near Atlantic Ave. was built under the supervision of the Rev. BROWN, the priest in charge Holy Cross Church at Flatbush. Theodore KIENDL, lawyer, #157 Van Sicklen Ave.
VAN SINDEREN AVENUE
Was called Vesta Ave. Grand Central Hall at Atlantic & Van Sinderen Aves. run by Frank BALDWIN since 1881. He had a roadhouse abt 1872. Anglers on their fishing trips to Canarsie would sleep here until midnight and then start out early. When the Manhattan Beach Rail Road built abt 1877, this building was purchased by the railroad company and converted into a ticicet office & after the L.I.R.R. had acquired lhc Manhattan Beach R.r., this became the East New York Station of the Long Island R.R. Co. In 1912 the old station was demolished to make room for the New York Connecting Rail Road's subway. M. TRUDDEN, Blue stone yard, Van Sinderen Ave. in 1905. SWEENEY Bros., stone yard, Van Sinderen Ave cor East New Ave. Earl A. GILLESPIE, lumber-yard, cor Liberty Ave.
VERMONT STREET
Formerly Vermont Ave. A little old schoolhouse stood abt 1870, north west cor Vermont & Fulton Sts. Methodist Episcopal Church of Cypress Hills, org. 1845 held services in the PILL house on Sheffield Ave. & in the German Lutheran Church & in this schoolhouse on Vermont St. a church was built in Cypress Hills. Bijou Theatre was on the cor of Atlantic Ave.
WARWICK STREET
Formerly Washington St. SULLIVAN'S Pond went from Warwick St. to Ashford St. & Fulton St.to Atlantic Ave. SULLIVAN'S, house was surrounded by willow trees on the south side of Fulton St. b/w Warwick & Ashford Sts. A man named GECKLER moved the old house to the rear of the lot.
WATKINS STREET
Formerly Williamson Ave. The cornerstone of the Synagogue, cor Watkins St. & Glenmore Ave., laid January 19, 1903. East New York Dispensary, opened at 129 Watkins St. near Pitkin Ave.
WILLIAMS PLACE
Ditmas JEWELL born at Fishkill, NY 1822. He resided at present, #11 Williams Pl., married Joanna K. VOORHEES in 1849. 1857 be founded the flour business, BERGEN & JEWELL. His partner, Gilbert H. BERGEN, died abt 1861 the firm changed to JEWELL & VOORHEES, In 1862, it became D. JEWELL & Son. Ditmas JEWELL retired from active business, 1889 & died in 1905. The firms flour,feed & grain warehouse was at Fulton St. & Broadway. Now known as #2505 Fulton St.
WYONA STREET
Formerly Wyckoff Ave., laid out abt 1854 by Charles R MILLER. Philip Leopold JARDINE, born in Germany, 1832. He operated a WEISBIER brewery, cor Wyona St. & Atlantic Ave. The plant destroyed by fire in 1879, JARDINE rebuilt a 3 story building in it's place. H. E. SACKMANN House, north west cor Atlantic Ave. Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church, org. Sept.11,1854. Symon COBB Jr., came to East New York in 1850 & soon after the movement to organize a Church Society. In 1854 the Reformed Dutch Congregation sold its edifice to the Episcopal Society & the building was moved from New Jersey Ave to Wyona St. It was remodelled. The early ministers were the Rev Chas. CLEVELAND, who remained in charge until his death in 1866. Rev. Thomas McKEE, served 2 years. Rev. Joseph I ELSEGOOD. The church was popularly referred to as " Dr. ELSEGOOD'S Church." Building is #91 Wyona St, later used as a synagogue & a used by a manufacturing jeweler. S.G. CONOVER, livery stables, #102. Long Island ater Supply Co., cor. Wyona St. & Atlantic Ave. Back to EASTERN DISTRICT Main Back to TOWN Main Page Back to STREETS Main Back to BROOKLYN Main