This town appears to have entered early into the contest respecting
roads. There are many instances on record previous to 1683, of the
Constable of Brooklyn being ordered to repair the roads, and in case of
neglect, fined; and in one instance he was ordered by the Court not to
depart until further order.
The main road, or as part of it is now called, Fulton-street, in the
village of Brooklyn, was laid out March 28th, 1704, by Joseph Hageman,
Peter Cortelyou, and Benjamin Vandewater, Commissioners, appointed by an
act of the General Assembly of the colony of New-York, for the laying
out, regulating, clearing and preserving of public highways in the
colony. The record of this road is as follows:--“One publique, common
and general highway, to begin ffrom _low water marke_ at the ferry in
the township of Broockland, in Kings county, and ffrom thence to run
ffour rod wide up between the houses and lands of John Aerson, John Coe,
and George Jacobs, and soe all along to Broockland towne aforesaid,
through the lane that now is, and ffrom thence straight along a certaine
lane to the Southward corner of John Van Couwenhoven’s land, and ffrom
thence straight to Bedfford as it is now staked out, to the lane where
the house of Benjamin Vandewater stands, and ffrom thence straight
along through Bedfford towne to Bedfford lane, running between the lands
of John Garretse, Dorlant and Claes Barnse, to the rear of the lands of
the said Cloyse, and ffrom thence southerly to the old path now in use,
and soe all along said path to Philip Volkertses land, taking in a
little slip of said Philip’s land on the south corner, soe all along
said road by Isaack Greg’s house to the Fflackbush new lotts ffence, and
soe all along said ffence to the eastward, to the north-east corner of
Eldert Lucas’s land, lying within the New lotts, of Fflattbush
aforesaid, being ffour rod wide all along, to be and continue forever.”
This road or “king’s highway,” as it was then called, leading from the
ferry to the old Dutch Church, or Brooklyn parish, was the cause of much
contention. At the April term of the General Sessions of the Peace for
Kings County, in 1721, indictments were found for encroaching on the
“common high way of the King, leading from the ferry to the Church at
Brookland,” against John Rapalje, Hans Bergen and James Harding, and
others.--By which indictments it appears that the road should have been
four rods wide.
These indictments appear to have been predicated as well on the
following application of John Rapalje and Hans Bergen, as on complaints
from several of the inhabitants:
“Fflatbush, April 19, 1721. John Rapalje and Hans Bergen of the
fferry, desires of the grand jury that the Commissioners now being
should be presented for not doing their duty in laying out the
king’s highway according to ye law, being the King’s highway is too
narrow from the ferry to one Nicalus Cowenhoven, living at Brooklyn
and if all our neighbours will make ye road according to law, then
ye said John Rapelje and Hans Bergen, is willing to do the same as
aforesaid, being they are not willing to suffer more than their
neighbours. As witness our hands the day and year first above
written.
JAN RAPELJE,
HANS BERGEN.”
Some of the persons indicted considering themselves aggrieved, and
others who feared being placed in the same situation, applied to the
Colonial Legislature, and July 27th, 1721, obtained the passage of a law
to “continue the common road or king’s highway, from the ferry, towards
the town of Breuckland, on the Island of Nassau, in the Province of New
York,” with the following preamble. “Whereas several of the inhabitants
on the ferry, on the Island of Nassau, by their petition preferred to
the General Assembly, by setting forth, that they have been molested
prosecutions, occasioned by the contrivance and instigations of ill and
disaffected persons to the neighbourhood, who would encroach upon the
buildings and fences that have been made many years, alledging the road
was not wide enough, to the great damage of several of the old
inhabitants, on the said ferry; the said road as it now is, has been so
for at least these sixty years past, without any complaint, either of
the inhabitants or travellers.”
The law then proceeds to establish the road “forever,” as it then was,
from the ferry upwards to the town of Breuckland, as far as the swinging
gate of John Rapalje, just above the house and land belonging to James
Harding. These proceedings will readily account for Fulton-street, in
the present village of Brooklyn being so narrow and crooked in many
places.
The point however to which the Compiler wishes to draw the attention of
his fellow citizens, is to the existence and location of several public
highways and landing-places in this town which at present are known to
very few.
There is a public landing-place at or near the mills of Nehemiah Denton,
Esq. and a public highway leading thereto.--The record of which is as
follows:--“One common highway to Gawanus mill, to begin ffrom the
north-east corner of Leffert Peterses ffence, and soe along the roade
westerly, as it is now in use to the lane yt parts the lands of Hendrick
Vechte, and Abraham Brower, and Nicholas Brower, and soe all along said
lane as it is now in ffence to the house of Jurian Collier, and from
thence all along the roade now in use to the said Gowanos mill, being in
all four rod wide to the said lane; and that there be a convenient
landing place for all persons whatsoever, to begin ffrom the
southernmost side of said Gowanus mill house, and ffrom said house to
run ffour rod to the southward, ffor the transportation of goods and the
commodious passing of travellers; and that said highway to said Gowanos
mill ffrom said house of said Jurian Collier shall be but two rod only
and where it is now in use; said common highway to be and continue
forever; and ffurther that the ffence and gate that now stands upon the
entrance into said mill neck, ffor the inclosing and securing of said
neck, shall soe remaine and be alwayes kept soe inclosed with a ffence
and hanging gate; and the way to said mill to be thorow that gate only
and to be allwayes shutt or put to by all persons that passes thorow.”
The Commissioners laid out the above road and landing place, March 28th,
1704.
In 1709, the Commissioners laid out another road and landing place, at
or near the mill of John C. Freeke, Esq. The record of which is as
follows:--“One common highway to begin ffrom the house of Jurian
Collier to the New mill of Nicholas Brower, now sett up on Gowanos mill
neck soe called, as the way is now in use along said neck to said mill
to be of two rod wide; and that there shall be a landing place by said
mill in the most convenient place ffor the transportation of goods and
the commodious passing of travellers; and said highway and landing place
to be, remaine and continue forever.”
This town has a public landing place seven rods in length, near the foot
of what is now called District-street, in the village of Brooklyn.--This
landing place is mentioned in the record of a road three rods wide,
leading to the same, which record the Compiler omits inserting in
consequence of its length and the multitude of entries connected
therewith.
It is believed by many, and not without very good reason, that this town
has a public landing place a short distance to the North of the Old or
Fulton ferry, and which landing place is now in the possession of the
Corporation of New-York.
There is a very distinct tradition of a road to near where this landing
place is supposed to have been, at the foot of which road was the public
slaughter house, where the butchers of Brooklyn dressed their meats. The
road referred to, came out where the house of the Fire Engine No. 4 now
stands, and the existence of that road gives the town its title to that
small piece of ground.