Coffee House, moved to the noted sign of the Horse and Cart, where he
announced that "to gratify his Customers he takes in the Boston,
Philadelphia and New York papers." He soon gave place to Captain George
Edmonds. It seems to have been a tavern that was patronized by travelers,
especially those coming in from the north and east and was a favorite of
the New England people, as is shown by the announcement made by Captain
Edmonds when its landlord in 1751, that it had "lately been very much
balked, to the great Disappointment of Numbers of Persons from New England
that used to frequent that House." Notice was given in March, 1752, that
"the once noted Horse and Cart Inn, in the City of New York, is now
revived by Edward Willett." Thus there are indications that the house had
lost the popularity which it once enjoyed. Throughout all its many
vicissitudes it retained its name for a great many years. Landlords came
and landlords went, but the sign of the Horse and Cart remained, and was
well known as a landmark by which the locations of other houses and places
were designated. The house was still known as the Horse and Cart as late
as 1765. The old sign was probably taken down about this time, or a little
later, and during the decade preceding the Revolution the house was known
as the Golden Hill Inn.
In 1733 there was a tavern on Broadway that hung out the sign of the Coach
and Horses, kept by Thomas Welch, from London, where, it was announced,
could be had "very good Entertainment for Man and Horse," and where were
"also Horses to be let or stand at Livery."
In 1738 Captain Norris, commander of the ship Tartar, then lying in the
harbor of New York, was in need of men and made application to the mayor
for permission to impress thirty seamen to man his ship. The governor and
council ordered the mayor to comply with this request, but the mayor
pre-emptorily refused to obey the order, and the governor and council
prudently refrained from taking further action. Thus it seems that it was
difficult at that time to obtain a crew for a man-of-war in New York
harbor, but a year or two later there was no difficulty in obtaining
volunteers for privateering.
[Sidenote: Privateering]
As soon as England had declared war with Spain the adventurous merchants
of New York commenced fitting out privateers to prey upon the commerce of
the enemy, and the taverns along the East River shore were all bustle and
excitement. Many of them became headquarters for recruiting seamen for
these adventurous expeditions. The vessels were commanded and manned in
part by young men of the best families of New York, who left off
cock-fighting and horse-racing to go a-privateering. The appeals for
volunteers to join these expeditions were made to "Gentlemen Sailors" and
to "Gentlemen Adventurers." Samuel Bayard went out in the sloop Ranger as
its commander and soon returned with two prizes, taken at St. Jago, in
the West Indies. These were offered to be sold, in June, 1740, and notice
was given that the inventory could be seen at the Coffee House. He seems
to have been a successful commander and brought in other prizes.
The sign of the Pine Apple on the New Dock, kept by Benjamin Kierstede,
was a place for recruiting seamen and also for enlisting men in the
military companies then organizing to go out against the Spanish colonies
in the West Indies. Another place of the same kind was the tavern at the
sign of the Jamaica Arms, on Cruger's Wharf, kept by Benjamin Pain. At
both of these places there was great activity in making up crews for
privateers about to sail. Here the "articles" could be seen, and men were
engaged. Here also prizes and cargoes were sold.
In August, 1740, five companies of soldiers had been enlisted, commanded
by Captains Clarke, Cosby, Provost, Cuyler and Stevens, and were encamped
on the Common. In September the companies raised in Rhode Island were
expected to join them. The New York Weekly Journal of August 4, 1740,
contains the following:
"An express arrived a few days since from the Earl of Waldegrave which
Occasioned the holding of a Council which sat till 2 the next Morning. The
Dispatch brought by the Courier occasions great Matter of Speculation
among the Coffee House Politicians and some since talk of Peace while
others say the French will no longer remain Neuter."
When, in 1744, war was declared with France an additional impulse was
given to the privateering business. For the five years preceding 1748 no
less than thirty-one vessels, each carrying from ten to twenty-four guns,
are named in the newspapers, and there is continually mention made of
prizes being brought in, of cases before the court of admiralty, of sales
of the captured ships and their cargoes and of the adjustments of disputes
over the division of the spoils. In 1745, we find that arbitrators were to
meet at the house of Robert Todd every Friday evening "for settling the
Differences between the four Privateers formerly arrived here with six
French Prizes." This continued from January to May. In September, 1744, a
New York newspaper stated that, "'tis computed there will be before winter
113 Sail of Privateers at Sea, from the British American Colonies, mostly
stout Vessels and well manned. A Naval Force equal (some say) to that of
Great Britain in the Time of Queen Elizabeth." In 1745 it was stated that
at that time there were thirteen privateers at sea from the port of New
York. The men for these vessels were not all supplied by New York City.
The alluring promises of gain drew volunteers from all the neighboring
country. Governor Hamilton, of New Jersey, complained that the
privateers-men were sweeping into their ranks the flower of the youth of
his province.
In 1745 Captain Bevan, of the privateer sloop Clinton, brought into the
port of New York a French prize, which he had taken after a short
engagement, without the loss of a man. Her cargo, consisting of sugar,
indigo and cotton, was valued at £40,000, and each man of the crew
received £160 prize money. As a reward for complying with his request not
to plunder the passengers, officers and sailors of the captured ship,
Captain Bevan gave his crew a handsome treat of a hogshead of punch and an
ox roasted whole in the fields at Dominie's Hook, which was quite handsome
in Captain Bevan. The cargo of the prize ship Le Pomone (La Pomme),
brought in by Captain Bevan, was sold at the house of widow Thomas. The
prize ship Joseph of Egypt and cargo were sold in April, 1746, at the
house of the widow Susannah Lawrence, on the Dock, near the Meal Market,
at the lower end of Wall Street.
When news came of the capture of Louisburg the common council, to
celebrate the victory, ordered that Mr. DeJancourt, whose house was near
the Meal Market, be directed to prepare a handsome dinner for the board
and that the governor, the members of the council, the assembly members of
the city, with the field officers, be invited to dine with them and that a
bonfire be made "without the Spring Garden" in the evening. They also
ordered that twenty gallons of good wine be sent to the bonfire for the
people.
[Sidenote: The Negro Plot]
In 1741, during the Spanish war, New York City was thrown into a panic of
excitement by the so-called negro plot. Each week the newspapers gave
accounts of the numerous executions and of the trials resulting from the
confessions of the victims, each one of whom was induced to accuse another
in order to save himself. It seems to have seized on the inhabitants of
New York in the same way that witchcraft overwhelmed the people of Salem,
Massachusetts. In the intense excitement persons of better and better
standing in the community were being accused until a halt was found
necessary. Thomas Croker, at this time, was landlord of the Fighting Cocks
in Dock Street, and it was at his house that John Ury, who was tried for
complicity in the plot, lodged. Although Ury, the most prominent victim,
was, no doubt, innocent of any criminal act, he was, nevertheless,
convicted on the evidence of those who had been urged to accuse somebody
to save themselves or to gain a reward. He was a stranger and fell a
victim to the panic which pervaded the community.
The sign of the Fighting Cocks had hung in Dock Street, next door to the
corner of Broad Street, for many years. In 1736, the tavern was kept by
Edward Eastham, who met with the loss of a silver quart tankard, marked
on the handle with an E, taken from his house, for the recovery of which
he offered a reward of three pounds. The next year a silver watch was
taken from this house, "of a size rather larger than midling, Regmaiden at
Dublin the Maker," for the return of which a reward of ten shillings was
offered, "and no questions asked." Although though the Fighting Cocks
Tavern, as its name implies, may have been the scene of many cock-fights,
we do not think that at that time this would detract from its standing and
respectability.
[Sidenote: The King's Birthday]
In March, 1748, in celebration of the King's birthday, it is stated that a
Jack was displayed all day from the flagstaff on the southwest bastion of
Fort George. The city regiment of militia and troops were under arms and
were reviewed by the governor from the piazza of the City Hall, as they
passed from Broadway, where they had been drawn up, and, it is said, made
a very handsome appearance. The governor and some of the gentlemen of the
council who attended him were entertained by the mayor, corporation, and
officers of the militia with some extraordinary wine ("such as is rare to
be met with in any private house") from Hugh Crawford's, ford's, near at
hand, and there they drank the health of his majesty and other royal
healths under the discharge of twenty-one guns at the Fort.
In honor of the day there were two halls, one at the Fort and another at
Ramsay's tavern in Dock Street. We give an account of these two balls as
it appeared in a newspaper of that period.
"In the evening there was a private entertainment and ball at his
Excellency's, consisting of a snug select company of the _choicest fruits_
of the town, that were particularly invited for that purpose, the only
entertainment of the kind that His Excellency's leisure has admitted of
upon such public occasions during his administration; the company was very
sociable, and the night concluded there as usual.
"The gentlemen that had not the honour to be invited to His Excellency's
ball resolved not to be behindhand in their demonstrations of loyalty on
this occasion, and therefore ordered a public entertainment to be provided
against the evening at Mr. Ramsay's tavern, where there was a very
splendid and beautiful appearance of ladies, such as would have graced an
Assembly in England. There were several gentlemen of Council and
Corporation, and most of the principal merchants and other gentlemen in
the city, that made up a gay and numerous assembly.
"The ball was opened about six o'clock, the city being illuminated from
one end to the other, the supper was served up about ten and
notwithstanding the short warning given, there was the greatest variety
this town or country could produce, and the tables were decorated in so
neat and elegant a manner as raised a general admiration and 'twas
declared by good judges that never was a more magnificent entertainment in
this country. The whole tables were taken up with ladies the length of two
rooms laid into one, that the gentlemen's time was generally employed in
waiting on them, and when they were done the gentlemen supplied their
places. After supper, His Majesty's, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and
the other Royal Healths were drank, and then prosperity to the province, a
speedy exportation of its enemies, etc.
"The whole affair was conducted with the utmost decency and decorum; there
was the greatest gaiety, cheerfulness and complacency in every
countenance. The ball was concluded about 5 A. M. and the night was passed
in the general satisfaction, without the least incivility offered or
offence taken by any one, which is scarce to be said on the like
occasions. We are told this was distinguished by the title of the Country
Ball."
V
THE MERCHANTS' COFFEE HOUSE
[Sidenote: The Meal Market]
Trade had extended its territory along the East River shore until about
the beginning of the eighteenth century it had reached and taken in Wall
Street. In 1709 the first slave market was erected at the foot of this
street, on the site of the Half Moon Battery and block house of the Dutch
era, and for many years continued to be the established place where slaves
were offered for sale and "stood for hire." A market house had been built,
and in January, 1726-7, it was ordained by the common council of the city
of New York that the market house at the lower end of Wall Street be
appointed a public market for the sale of all sorts of corn, grain and
meal, and a penalty was fixed for selling such in any public market
elsewhere. From this time it was known as the Meal Market.
In the course of time several taverns had been opened in the neighborhood
of the market, and it had become the center of considerable business. In
1726 the only newspaper in New York gave notice of servants to be sold by
John Dunks at the sign of the Jamaica Pilot Boat, on the Dock. In 1750
the following appeared in the New York Gazette or Weekly Post Boy: "Just
imported, a parcel of likely negros, to be sold at public vendue to-morrow
at Ten o'clock at the Merchants' Coffee House."
The tavern at the sign of the Jamaica Pilot Boat stood on the northwest
corner of the present Wall and Water Streets, then Wall and Burnet
Streets. Francis Child, a wigmaker, owned it and advertised it for sale in
1736 and 1737, when he described it as the corner house near the Meal
Market, "a well frequented tavern for several years past" and in good
repair.
Daniel Bloom, mariner, who as captain of the Turtle Dove had met with a
very unfortunate experience in the West Indies, his brig and all on board
being stript of everything even to the clothing they wore, and who had
lately arrived rived in New York, purchased the house and lot, in June,
1738, the consideration mentioned in the deed being five hundred pounds
(£500). Bloom was landlord of the house for more than a dozen years. While
living here he, in December, 1747, took the lease of the ferry between the
city and Nassau (Long) Island for the term of five years, for which he
agreed to pay the sum of four hundred and fifty-five pounds (£455) per
annum, to be paid in quarterly installments, and the common council
ordered that the neighborhood of the Meal Market have leave, at their own
expense, to make and erect a dock and stairs, for the convenience of the
ferry boat which was to land there, in such manner as shall be directed
by the committee appointed for that purpose. Bloom ran the ferry for about
three years, when, in September, 1750, by permission of the common
council, he transferred the lease to Andrew Ramsay, who at this time was
the landlord of the Exchange Coffee House, from which he moved to the
ferry house on the Long Island side of the river. Soon after this Bloom
died. At the time of his death he was still indebted to the city for a
portion of the rent of the ferry, and the corporation, in June, 1751,
offered to take from the executors of his estate fifty pounds (£50) in
settlement of all arrears due.
[Sidenote: The Merchants' Coffee House]
Long before Daniel Bloom purchased the house that hung out the sign of the
Jamaica Pilot Boat, it had been kept by John Dunks. Bloom did not retain
the sign, for we find that a few years later, it was used by the widow of
John Dunks, who kept a house a little further up near the Fly Market.
Bloom had seen considerable of the world, and appears to have been a man
of some property, owning real estate in the city and in Westchester
County. He probably had an acquaintance among the merchants, as sea
captains generally had, and was able to make his house a resort for them.
He called it the Merchants' Coffee House, and he was no doubt the first
landlord of the house by that name, which, for more than half a century,
was one of the most prominent houses of the city. As its name implies, it
gradually became the place where the merchants of the city met and
transacted business, and it became also the place where auctions, or
vendues, as they were called, were held, especially such as were connected
with the shipping business. The year after Bloom's death, its landlord was
Captain James Ackland.
The price paid for the lease of the ferry indicates that there must have
been considerable travel over it and that the house at the landing place
should have been a profitable one. On the next corner below, on Burnet's
Key and Wall Street Slip, was the tavern of Widow Susannah Lawrence, which
at one time was called the Red Lion, and on the opposite side of Wall
Street stood, in 1735, St. George and the Dragon, which in 1750 was
occupied by Thomas Leppers, from London, who hung out the sign of the Duke
of Cumberland. He had succeeded George Burns, who became prominent as a
tavern-keeper and was in turn the landlord of many well known houses. In
May, 1750, announcement was made that "Thomas Leppers, living at the sign
of the Duke of Cumberland, opposite the Merchants' Coffee House, proposes
to open an Ordinary To-morrow, Dinner will be ready at half an Hour after
One," and a few days later he gave notice that "Whereas, I have often
heard Gentlemen Strangers and single Gentlemen of this City wish for a
Regular Ordinary and since my removal to the Duke of Cumberland, opposite
the Merchants' Coffee House, I have been frequently advised by Gentlemen
my friends to keep one. These are to give Notice That I began to do so on
Tuesday last, which shall be continued every Day. Dinner shall be ready at
One o'clock. Per Thomas Leppers from London."
[Sidenote: An Affair at Leppers' Tavern]
In August, 1750, this house was the scene of a disturbance which must have
caused much talk in the town, as an account of the affair occupies a whole
page in one of the issues of the New York Gazette Revived in the Weekly
Post Boy, a very unusual attention given any local news. It was claimed
that the article had been written by spectators of the affair to set to
right reports that were current in the town. On Tuesday evening, the 28th
of August, several persons met as a club at Leppers' tavern, and one or
two of the company, signifying a desire to have Mr. James Porterfield join
them, one of the members went out and in a short time returned and
introduced him to the company, who, it seems, were mostly physicians or
interested in that profession. After supper he begged the attention of the
club, and stated that he had received many civilities from the gentlemen
of the club, for which he returned them thanks; but a friend had told him
that having lately asked a member if Mr. Porterfield were admitted to it,
the answer was, that he was not, and that his loquacity was the cause of
it. He said that he submitted to the judgment of the club whether he had
ever behaved in such a manner at the club as to deserve that reflection.
The members of the club declined to pass judgment upon the question,
stating that as he was not a member, it would be to no purpose to give any
judgment about it, since if they thought him too talkative it was not in
their power to prevent it as his conduct could not be regulated by any of
their rules. Notwithstanding this definite answer, he still persisted in
claiming a judgment whether he was faulty in being too talkative or not.
The members of the club maintained their first position and begged him not
to insist any further, as he was defeating the original intention of the
meeting. He became violent, but was prevailed at length to be quiet while
a paper was being read by one of the members. He seems to have worked
himself up to a high state of resentment for he sneered and interrupted
the reading, and after it was finished became so uncontrollable and
insulting that he was threatened with expulsion. He then threw his glove
upon the table as a challenge, and although no other person was armed,
drew his sword. At this point the member, who had threatened to turn him
out, took up the glove and threw it in his face, and being seated at the
opposite side of a long table went round to him, and, with the assistance
of some of the other members, disarmed him and broke his sword. They
forced him to the door, but he used his cane, which was also broken by the
company, who now went to another room, leaving him alone. He went down
stairs and on his way out told Mr. Loppers that he would get another sword
and return and run some of the members upstairs through the body, but Mr.
Loppers told him that he could not again enter his house that night. He
thereupon seated himself at the door with the stump of his sword in his
hand waiting for revenge, but was induced by the member of the club who
had introduced him to retire to his lodgings.
This was not the end, for the next evening Mr. Porterfield came down to
the Merchants' Coffee House, and at sight of Doctor Ayscough, drew his
sword and shook it at the Doctor, who stood in the door, calling him
villain and scoundrel and challenging him to fight. After some abuse of
this kind Doctor Ayscough seized a cane from a bystander and struck
Porterfield on the head, who immediately rushed towards him and made a
pass at him. Doctor Ayscough, in retreating, fell down and Porterfield,
thinking that he had pricked him, very quickly and prudently disappeared,
as the resentment of the spectators was apparent. Doctor Ayscough was not
injured.
[Sidenote: Clubs]
It seems to have been quite usual at this period for men of like tastes
and inclinations to form themselves into clubs. A writer, describing New
York and its people in 1756, states that, "New York is one of the most
social places on the continent. The men collect themselves into weekly
evening clubs. The ladies, in winter, are frequently entertained either at
concerts of music or assemblies, and make a very good appearance." The
clubs, as well as the assemblies for dancing, were held at the taverns.
The first club in the colony of New York, of which we have any knowledge,
was formed at the instance of Governor Lovelace, in the winter of 1668-69,
composed of ten French and Dutch and six English families, to meet at each
other's houses twice a week in winter and once a week in summer, from six
to nine in the evening. It is said that the Governor was generally present
and made himself agreeable. This, no doubt, was a select circle, and the
enjoyment derived consisted of the social pleasures and the good things to
eat and drink, the beverages being Madeira wine and rum and brandy punch
served up in silver tankards. Governor Bellomont speaks of the men who
were opposed to him meeting as a club and of Governor Fletcher's club
night, which was Saturday. The club opposed to Bellomont met at the tavern
of Lieutenant Matthews, which was in the South Ward. In 1734 there was a
club in New York called the Hum Drum Club, which appears to have been
honored by the presence of the Governor on two succeeding Saturdays. As
we approach the period of the Revolution, we find the number of clubs
increasing; they were organized with different objects in view. There was
the purely social club, the political club, the club for the lawyer and
the club for the physician, etc.
[Sidenote: Merchants' Exchange]