HISTORY Books: Officials of Flatbush; Kings co., NY submitted by Joy Fisher (sdgenweb at yahoo.com) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm Submitted Date: May 18, 2006 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/nyfiles/ File size: 22 Kb ************************************************ Book Title: History Of Flatbush The overseers were appointed in the following manner, according to the provisions of the Dukes Laws. "Overseers shall be eight in number, men of good fame and life, chosen by the plurality of voiyes of the freeholders in each towne, whereof f oure shall remaine in their office two yeares successively, and foure shall be changed for new ones, every yeare; which election shall preceed the election of constables, in point of time, in regard the constable for the yeare ensuing, is to bee chosen out of that number which are dismist from their office of overseers." The following is a summary of the duties of the overseers, as stated by Judge Furman, in his notes on Brooklyn. They were authorized together with the constable, to hold town courts, for the trial of causes under £5. On the death of any person, they were to repair with the constable to the house of the deceased, and inquire after the manner of his death, and of his will and testament; and if no will was found, the constable, in the presence of the overseers, was, within forty-eight hours, to search after the estate of the deceased, and to deliver an account of the same, in writing, under oath, to the next justice of the peace. They together with the constable, made all assessments. If any overseer died during his term, the rest of the overseers by a major vote, made choice of another in his place: and if the person so chosen, refuse to serve, he forfeited the sum of £10. towards defraying the town charges. They were to settle the bounds of the town, within twelve months after the bounds were granted. They had the power of regulating fences. They were authorized, together with the constable, to make choice of two out of the eight overseers, of church affairs. They and the constable were frequently to admonish the inhabitants, "to instruct their children and servants, in matters of religion, and the lawes of the country." They, with the constable, appointed an officer "to record every man's particular marke, and see each man's horse and colt branded." The constable and two of the overseers, were to pay the value of an Indian coat for each wolf killed; and they were to cause the wolf's head to be "nayled over the door of the constable, their to remaine, as also to cut of both the eares, in token that the head is bought and paid for." The following is the most complete list of the overseers of Flatbush that could be obtained. 1675. Simon Hansen, and John Roloffson. 1676. Arian Ryers, and Garrit Sneger. 1679. Joseph Hegeman, and Deriek Jansen Van Vleet. 1680. Barent Claas, Cornelius Berrian, and Joseph Hegeman. 1681. Cornelius Berrian, Rimer Aertsen, Barthold Claases and Jan Remsen. 1682. Rynier Aeartsen, Jan Jansen, Jan Remsen and Arian Ryersen. 1683. Aris Janse, Jan Aeartsen, Jan Jansen, and John Auky. In the year 1683, the "overseers," were changed to " commissioners." The act regulating their appointment, and prescribing particularly their duties, was passed by the first General Assembly of this Colony, November 1st, 1683. It is not necessary to recite the provisions of this act. The only list that we have been able to obtain of the commissioners appointed under this act, in the town of Flatbush, is the following: 1684. Adrian Ryersen, Cornelius Baronson and John Auky. 1685. Stoffle Probasco, and Joseph Hegeman. 1686. Arian Ryers and Pieter Stryker. 1687. Aris Janse, and Stoffle Probasco. 1688. Pieter Stryker, and Cornelius Bardulph. The constables, overseers and commissioners, were sworn before the court of Sessions, before they entered upon the discharge of the duties of their respective offices. The office of "Commissioner" continued until the first Tuesday of April, 1703, when " Supervisors " were elected for the several towns of Kings County. The first meeting of this board, was held on the first Tuesday in October, of the same year. It is probable, that at first they kept no minutes of their proceedings, as the first record is that of a meeting which took place at the court-house in Flat-bush, on the first Tuesday in October, in the year 1714. The Supervisor who then attended from Flatbush, was Ryck Hendrickson. The board at this, their first recorded meeting, made choice of Samuel Garretson, of Gravesend, as their Clerk, and John Vanderbilt, of Flatbush, as Treasurer of the county. At that time, the ordinary and contingent expenses of the county, (including the per diem compensation of the two members of the Colonial Assembly from the county, for their attendance during the year 1703.) amounted to only £71. 0. 6. or $177.56. This sum was apportioned among the several towns in the county in the following manner. Brooklyn, £19. 9. 3. Flatbush, 15. 1. 6. New-Utrecht 9.18. 9. Flatlands, 8.14. 9. Bushwick, 9. 3. 0. Gravesend, 8.13. 3. £71. 0. 6.—$177.56. The following is a list of the Supervisors of the town of Flatbush, from the year 1703, to the present time. Names Dates Aris Vanderbilt, From April, 1703 to April 1705 Daniel Polhemus, " " 1705 " 1706 Jacob Hendrick Ryck, " " 1706 " 1707 Aris Jansen Vanderbilt, " " 1707 " 1708 Jan Vanderveer, " " 1708 " 1710 Benjamin Hegeman, " " 1710 " 1711 Ryck Hendricks, " " 1711 " 1712 Jan Cornelise, " " 1712 " 1713 Jacob Hendrickson, " " 1713 " 1714 Ryck Hendrickson, " " 1714 " 1715 John Vanderveer, " " 1715 " 1716 Daniel Remse, " " 1716 " 1717 Jacob Suydam, " " 1717 " 1718 Dominicus Vanderveer, " " 1718 " 1719 Lieut. Philip Nagle, " " 1719 " 1720 Cornelius Cornell, " " 1720 " 1721 Abraham Lott, " " 1721 " 1722 Ryck Hendrickson, " " 1722 " 1723 John Vanderveer, " " 1723 " 1724 Cornelius Cornell, " " 1724 " 1726 Peter Lefferts, " " 1726 " 1727 Johannes Ditmarse, " " 1727 " 1728 Ryck Suydam, " " 1728 " 1741 John Van Kerk, " " 1741 " 1743 Peter Stryker, " " 1743 " 1744 John Van Kerk, " " 1744 " 1749 Dominicus Vanderveer, " " 1749 " 1751 Johannes Lott, Jun. " " 1751 " 1759 Jeremias Vanderbilt, " " 1759 " 1763 Johannes Lott, Jun. " " 1763 " 1782 Philip Nagel, " " 1782 " 1787 Johannes J. Lott, " " 1787 " 1804 John C. Vanderveer, " " 1804 " 1832 John Wyckoff, " " 1832 to Feby. 1837 Isaac Cortelyou, From Febry, 1837 " 1839 Jacob Rapelje, From Febry, 1839 to Apl. 1841 Isaac Cortelyou, " April 1841 " 1842 The following is a list of the Town Clerks of the town of Flatbush, from the year 1659, to the year 1842. Names. Dates. Adrian Hegeman, from 1659 to 1771 Jacop Joosten, " 1671 " 1673 Francays De Bruynne, " 1673 " 1674 Michael Hainelle, " 1674 " 1675 Jan Gerrit Van Marckje, " 1675 " 1680 Derick Storm, " 1680 " 1683 Johannes Van Eklen, " 1683 " 1700 Johannes Schenck, " 1700 " 1711 Abraham Lott, " 1711 " 1716 Jan Gancel, " 1716 " 1719 Adrian Hegeman, " 1716 " 1741 Jores Remsen, " 1741 " 1754 Jeremias Van Der Bilt, " 1754 " 1762 Petrus Van Steenbergh, " 1762 " 1773 John Lefferts, " 1773 " 1776 Philip Nagle, " 1776 " 1792 John Van Der Bilt, " 1792 " 1794 John C. Vanderveer, " 1794 " 1804 Garret Stryker, " 1804 " 1810 Abraham Vanderveer, " 1810 " 1816 Garret Stryker, " 1816 " 1819 Adrian Hegeman, " 1819 " 1823 William Ellsworth, " 1823 " 1827 William Hegeman, " 1827 " 1828 John A. Lott, " 1828 " 1842 The following is the most complete list of the Constables of the town of Flatbush, that could be obtained from the year 1669, to the year 1842. Names Dates Jacob Stryker, From 1669 to 1670 Bartholf Clairesen, " 1670 " 1675 Cornelius Barentse, " 1675 " 1676 Minne Johannes, " 1676 " 1679 Cornelius Jansen, " 1679 " 1681 Joseph Hegeman, " 1681 " 1682 Cornelius Jansen Berrian, " 1682 " 1683 Bien Aeartsen, " 1683 " 1685 Cornelius Barentse, " 1685 " 1686 Binier Aeartsen, " 1686 " 1687 Jan Ditmarsen, " 1687 " 1688 Simon Hanssen, " 1688 " 1689 Pieter Stryker, " 1689 " 1690 Daniel Polhemus, " 1690 " Jan Bennem, " 1705 " 1707 Jacob Van Der Boergh, " 1707 " 1708 Jan Bennem, " 1708 " 1709 Jacob Van Der Boergh, " 1709 " 1710 Jan Bennem, " 1710 " 1713 Hendericus Kip, " 1713 " 1716 John Van Der Veer, ) " 1716 " 1717 John Bennet, Dep. ) Cornelius Cornell, " 1717 " 1718 Johannes Symonsen, " 1718 " 1719 Isaac Snedecker, " 1719 " 1720 Jan Bennet, " 1720 " 1721 Jan Walderom, " 1721 " 1722 Abraham Lott, " 1722 " 1723 Joris Bloom, " 1723 " 1724 Peter Luyster, " 1724 " 1725 Johannes Lott, " 1725 " 1726 Isaac Lefferts, " 1726 " 1727 Lawrence Ditmarse, " 1727 " 1728 Jacob Remsen, " 1728 " 1729 Johannes Ditmarse, " 1729 " 1730 Robert Betts, " 1730 " 1731 Philippus Nagel, " 1731 " 1732 Nicholas Wyckoff, " 1732 " 1733 Gilliam Cornell, " 1733 " 1734 Peter Stryker, " 1734 " 1735 Nicholas Stillwell, " 1735 " 1736 Jacob Boerum, " 1736 " 1737 Joseph Benham, " 1737 " 1738 Cornelius Suydam, " 1738 " 1739 Nicholas Andriesen, " 1739 " 1740 Garret Van Duyn, " 1740 " 1742 Jeremias Van Der Bilt, " 1742 " 1743 Jan Laen, " 1743 " 1745 Thomas Doxse, " 1745 " 1746 Cornelius Van Cleeff, " 1746 " 1748 Leffert Lefferts, " 1748 " 1749 Aris Morffee, " 1749 " 1751 Adriaen Hegeman, " 1751 " 1769 Vincentius Antonides, " 1769 " 1791 William Merrill, " 1791 " 1792 William Allgeo, " 1792 " 1794 William Merrill, " 1794 " 1795 William Allgeo, " 1795 " 1796 William Merrill, " 1796 " 1797 Michael Van Cleeff, " 1797 " 1810 Rem Hegeman, " 1810 " 1815 William Allgeo, " 1815 " 1840 Suydam Hegeman, " 1840 " 1842 From among the inhabitants of the town of Flatbush, the county have selected at different times many individuals to fill their county offices, as well as to represent them in the legislative assemblies of the country. From the year 1714, at which date the first minutes of the Board of Supervisors of the county commence, till the year 1840, the treasurers of the county were, with one exception, residents in the town of Flatbush. The following is a list of the individuals who have served in this responsible office:— John Vanderbilt, of Flatbush, from October, 1714, to October, 1737. Peter Lefferts, of Flatbush, from October, 1737, to October, 1772. Jeremias Vanderbilt, of Flatbush, from October, 1772, to May, 1786. Philip Nagel, of Flatbush, from May, 1786, to June, 1792. Johannes J. Lott, of Flatbush, from June, 1792, to December, 1806. Hendrick J. Lott, of Flatlands, from December, 1806, to October, 1811. John Lefferts, of Flatbush, from October, 1811, to September, 1813. John C. Vanderveer, of Flatbush, from September, 1813, to August, 1837. John A. Lott, of Flatbush, from August, 1837, to August, 1840. John Skillman, of Brooklyn, from August, 1840, to August, 1842. The following is a specimen of the usual Minute of the Board of Supervisors, in the former part of the last century, relative to auditing the accounts of their Treasurer. It is full, unique and characteristic of the age. "The Supervisors have examined their Treasurer and called in their warrants, and have taken the reckonings of their Treasurer, John Vanderbilt, and found that he had done as an honest man, and he is acquitted of all reckonings concerning the Supervisors, and is in Cassa or money, the sum of £00. 06. 4." The following is a list of the Clerks of the Board of Supervisors, from 1714 to 1842. 1714 to 1715, Samuel Garritson, Gravesend. 1715 to 1724, J. M. Sperling, Flatbush. 1724 to 1725, Adrian Hegeman, " 1725 to 1727, J. M. Sperling, " 1727 to 1752, Adrian Hegeman, " 1752 to 1775, Simon Boerum, Brooklyn. 1775 to 1782, Johannes Lott, Flatbush. 1782 to 1784, Johannes J. Lott, " 1784 to 1785, Nicholas Couwenhoven, Utrecht. 1785 to 1801, Jacob Sharpe, Jr., Brooklyn. 1801 to 1842, Jeremiah Lott, Flatbush. Among the Judges of this county anterior to the American Revolution, we find the following from Flatbush. Cornelius Sebring, from 1715 to 1718. Peter Stryker, " 1720 to 1722 Daniel Polhemus, " 1722 to 1724 Ryck Suydam, " 1732 to 1739 Johannes Lott, " 1742 to 1745 Abraham Lott, " 1745 to 1749 John Lefferts, " 1761 to 1777 Philip Nagel, " 1770 to 1777 Englebert Lott and Jeremiah Vanderbilt, " 1777 to 1780 After the Revolution, the second first Judge of the county, was Johannes E. Lott, of this town. He remained upon the bench about six years. Beside these several associate judges of the court, have from time to time been taken from Flatbush, which we need not name. But among those who have represented this county in the Legislative Assemblies of the country, we find many who were inhabitants of Flatbush. In the Colonial assemblies, who met at different periods, from 1683 to 1775, we notice the following names. Johannes Van Ecklen, from 1693 to 1698 Henry Filkin, from 1694 to 1695 Cornelius Sebring, from 1695 to 1698 Gerardus Beekman, from 1698 to 1699 Cornelius Sebring, from 1699 to 1726 Johannes Lott, from 1727 to 1761 Abraham Lott, from 1737 to 1750 Dominicus Vanderveer, from 1750 to 1759 Among the Deputies from the county of Kings, who met in the city of New-York, in convention, April 10th, 1775, for the purpose of choosing delegates to the first Continental congress, was John Vanderbilt, who from his being subsequently a member of the Senate of the State, was called Senator John, to distinguish him from Judge John Vanderbilt. Among the delegates chosen by this convention, to represent this county in that congress, were no less than three from this town, viz: Johannes Lott, John Lefferts, and John Vanderbilt. These delegates convened at New-York, on the 22d, of May, 1775, and continued to meet at different places, from time to time, till the adoption of the Constitution of the State, in April, 1777. John Lefferts of this town, was also a member of the Provential Congress, from this county, which met on the 30th, day of June, 1776. His son Peter Lefferts, whose widow still survives, was one of the two delegates from this county, to the convention which met at Poughkeepsie, on the 27th, day of June, 1778, to adopt the constitution of the United States. He was subsequently also a member of the Senate of this State, in which he appeared in a suit made entirely of homespun cloth, but of so fine a texture and finish, that it attracted special notice. His son, John Lefferts, whose widow is still spared to us, was a member of Congress, from this district, and also a delegate to the convention of 1821, which met for amending the constitution of the State. Several persons have been selected from this town to represent the county of Kings, in the Assembly of the State, since the Revolution. In 1784 Johannes E. Lott, " 1785-6 John Vanderbilt, " 1787-8 Cornelius Wyckoff, " 1789-91 Aquila Giles, " 1793 Aquila Giles, " 1802 John C. Vanderveer, " 1811 to 1813 John C. Vanderveer, " 1814 Jeremiah Lott, " 1815 Teunis Schenck, " 1816 & 1817 Bichard Fish, " 1819 & 1820 Teunis Schenck, " 1821 & 1822 Jeremiah Lott, " 1829 John Wyckoff, " 1839 Jeremiah Lott, " 1842 John A. Lott. Statement of the population of the Town of Flatbush, including New-Lots, from the year 1810, to the year 1840, inclusive. Years. Population. 1810 1,159 1820 1,062 1825 1,027 1830 1,049 1835 1,143 1840 1,537 Statement of the aggregate valuations of real and personal estates, in the Town of Flatbush, including New-Lots, as revised and corrected by the Board of Supervisors of the county of Kings, from the year 1817, to 1841, inclusive. Year. Real Estate. Personal Estate. Agg't Valuation. 1817 $368,657 $34,399 $403,056 1818 367.107. 32.633. 399.739. 1819 384.657. 162.904. 547.561. 1820 363.358. 141.050. 504.408. 1821 357.238. 115.990. 473.228. 1822 355.713. 117.795. 473.508. 1823 320.158. 102.365. 422.523. 1824 301.300. 88.930. 390.230. 1825 325.402. 93.140. 418.542. 1826 317.714. 89.330. 407.044. 1827 331.892. 90.480. 422.372. 1828 319.840. 84.638. 404.478. 1829 325.665. 83.580. 409.245. 1830 321.310. 73.900. 395.210. 1831 314.301. 62.050. 376.351. 1832 316.396. 68.300. 384.696. 1833 319.640. 64.475. 384.115. 1834 387.601. 62.450. 450.051. 1835 822.120. 144.850. 966.970. 1836 833.970. 167.150. 1.001.120. 1837 836.035. 167.250. 1.003.285. 1838 860.495. 168.000. 1.028.495. 1839 877.630. 181.850. 1.059.480. 1840 880.055. 220.500. 1.100.555. 1841 899.900. 218.500. 1.118.400. Thus have we sketched some of the leading facts, relating to the civil history of the town of Flatbush. We cannot but mark the good hand of providence in all. He has favored the spot with health; rendered its soil fertile; and prospered its inhabitants. The latter have steadily pursued the even tenor of their way, and while they have enjoyed liberally the gifts of a benificent providence, have advanced in wealth and solid comforts. While in other sections of our country, the lands possessed by the original proprietors, have passed from their descendants; here, but few farms comparatively, have changed hands; the spirit of roving not having been cherished. Most of the farms are still in the possession of the descendants of the first patentees and proprietors. Numerous families in the town too, can trace back their genealogy to the early settlement of the place. May they continue to emulate the virtues of their fathers, and go on in the enjoyment of the good land which God has given them, thanking Him, that "the lines have fallen to them in pleasant places, and that they enjoy so goodly a heritage." Additional Comments: Extracted from: 1908 Reprint of Thomas M. Strong's "The History of the Town of Flatbush in Kings County, Long Island" originally published in 1842.