While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
At the request of the corporation he wrote an account
of the estate, revenue and income of the Dutch Reformed Protestant Church
in the City of New York for different years, viz.: 1770, 1776, 1784 and
1786, showing the assets and liabilities, from which it appears that the
Manor of Fordham was sold in 1761, for £11,533, 17s., 9d. When the North
Church was being built be placed under a pillar near the pulpit a plate of
pewter on which was inscribed the names of the Elders and Deacons, who
comprised the Building Committee, the names of the carpenters, masons,
etc., and also the fact that "The first stone was laid, July ye 2d, 1767,
by Mr. Jacobus Rosevelt, Senr. Elder, &c."
This plate was found when the church was torn down in
1875, and is still
in possession of one of the members of the Consistory.
Major Abeel married Nov. 19, 1760, Mary Byvanck,
daughter of Evert
Byvanck and Mary Cannon.
Evert Byvanck was born June 15, 1705; resided at his
country seat on the East River near the foot of Delaney Street, which he
was obliged to leave as soon as it was ascertained that the city would
fall into the possession of British. He gives an interesting narrative of
his efforts to get to horseneck, to which place he started on Aug. 31st,
four days after the battle of Long Island. After relating some unimportant
matters he says: "On Thursday, the 12th of September, I took my Chais,
Horse and Negro Sam to drive, and went down to Corlears' Hook to my
country seat.
There being heavy firing of cannon from the two
Batteries on Long Island [then in possession of the British] and two of
ours on Corlears' Hook, on both sides of the house, was advised not to
proceed farther, but being so near my house, about three-quarters of a
mile off, I went out of my Chais and ventured to walk through a Lane which
led me to the back part of my place, ordering my man to follow me with
Horse and Chais. P. heavy cannonade still kept on; as we were going there
several cannon balls flew past us, and two balls struck a post and a rail
of the Lane fence we passed through breast-high just before us; however,
we got safe to the back part of my Land. That afternoon the
Gentleman I took down with me in my Chais, came to me and importuned me to
make all the haste I possibly could to get away out of imminent danger, as
it was not in the least doubted but the King's Troops were preparing for
landing, and by all likelihood would land next day or Sunday, at farthest,
and I would or could not then escape being killed, wounded or taken
prisoner, on which I took his advice, and after the firing of the Enemies'
Cannon ceased, which was about six o'clock on Friday evening, 13 Sept., I
ordered my man Sam to put the horse in the Chais, and I proceeded that
evening as far as the hill above Harlem to the place where Mr. Lawe
Kortright had retired to, being a house
belonging to Mr. Eagans of St. Croix, where I was kindly received, who
told me he had removed his family to Hackensack that day, and intended
in one or two days to follow them; his house and outhouses were filled
with officers, attendants and their horses. About ten o'clock we were all
preparing to go to bed, when a General who was there received orders to be
with his several companies of Soldiers at one o'clock that night opposite
Turtle Bay and Kip's Bay, and to lay on their arms to obstruct the landing
of the King's troops then hourly expected."
