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QUEENS COUNTY, 549
and greenhouses.1 It is connected with NewYork bjferries, and is inhabited by manypersons doing
business in the city. Pop. about 3,200. Ravenswood, (p. v.,) upon the East River, is a suburban
village, and the houses consist mostly of costly residences. The poorhouse farms of New York City
were located at this place previous to the purchase of the islands in the river for that purpose.2 A
rifle cartridge factory exploded here about 1850, occasioning a great destruction of life. SSuli¬
ters Point3 is a newly surveyed and thinly settled village, immediately n. of the mouth A New¬
town Creek. It has several manufactories,4 and is rapidly increasing in business and population.
Newtown, (p.v.,) near the center, and Penny Bridge are stations upon the Flushing R. R.;
and Winstield and .West Finsiling are village plats upon the same roads. Maspetli5 (p. o.)
Res near the head of Newtown Creek; and Melvina, Columtousville, and W Inaaits-
Ville are village plats in the same vicinity. Eawrenceville, n. w. of Winfield, and Mid¬
dletown, s.e. of Astoria, are village plats. Eocust Grove, IAnden Hills, New As¬
toria, Middle Village, and South Williamsbnrgh are localities and prospective
villages. Butch Kills is a gardening neighborhood. St. Ronans Well, a wooded island
near the head of Flushing Bay, contains 7 acres, and is a favorite resort for picnic parties. Cal¬
vary Cemetery, on the Laurel Hills, n. of Newtown Creek, contains 59 acres, and is owned
by the R. C. denomination. The Cemetery of the Evergreens, in the s. w. corner, is
partly in Brooklyn and partly in New Lots, Kings co. It is beautifully situated upon’the Cypress
Hills, and contains 115 acres, with the privilege of extending its area to 500 acres. Cypress
HlliS Cemetery, e. of the latter, is also situated upon the highlands, and contains 400 acres.6
Mount Olivet Cemetery lies near Maspeth, and the Eutheran Cemetery near
Middle Village. The National Race Course, incorp. May 31, 1854, is located near the Flushing
R. R.7 The first settlements were made in 1651, by English immigrants, who had first located in
New England. The first grant of privileges obtained from the Dutch in 1652 was followed by
another more liberal in its character in 1665. The early records of the town were lost duimg the
British occupation in the Revolution. A blockhouse was built at Hell Gate during the Revolu¬
tion, and a water-battery, named Fort Stevens,8 during the War of 1812. The first church edifice
(Presb.) of which there is any record was erected, in 1670, at Newtown Village; and the first,
preacher was Rev. John Moore, who was employed from the first settlement until his death, in
1661. The census reports 15 churches in town.9
NORTH HEMPSTEAD 10—-was formed from Hempstead, April 6, 1784. It lies upon
Long Island Sound, between Hempstead Harbor and Little Neck Bay, and on the s. extends to
near the center of Hempstead Plains. A range of hills extends e. and w. through near the center;
and from them spurs extend to the Sound, giving to the'n. part a moderately hilly character. Hemp¬
stead Harbor and Manhasset Bay are irregular bays extending far inland, dividing the coast into
“necks” and points,—the principal of which are Cow and Great Necks, Motts, Prospect, Sands,
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making dry alkalies, the TJ. S. Vulcanized Gutta Percha Belting
and Packing Works, and an extensive carpet factory.
1 Grant Thorburn, the celebrated seedsman and florist, had a
nursery here from 1832 to 1851. There are now 6 floral estab¬
lishments for supplying the city market, besides many gentle¬
men’s greenhouses, graperies, &c.
2 About 1834-35, the corporation of New York City.erected ex¬
tensive buildings, about 1J mi. s. from Astoria, for a pauper
establishment, which were sold at public auction, April 15,1847,
upon the removal of these institutions to the islands in the river.
Three large buildings—called the “ Boys’ Nursery,” “ School
House,” and “ Infant Nursery,” the property of Wm. W. Miles
—were leased (May 25) to the Commissioners of Emigration for a
ship fever hospital, aud other purposes. A public meeting was
held immediately after at Astoria, to express indignation at the
application of the property to these uses and to remonstrate
against it. The people failing to obtain their object, the pre¬
mises were assailed and destroyed on the night of May 26-27,
1847, by a large mob in disguise. An attempt was made to
fasten the expense of these losses upon the town; and, after
repeated efforts, the owner recovered $3,000 from the' State by
act of March 17,1855.—Assem.Doc. 1848, Nos. 19,161,164,186;
Senate Doc. 1849, No. 31, and 1850, Nos. 62 and 82.
3 Originally called “Dominies Hook.” The place was after¬
ward owned by Geo. Hunter, who died before 1825. It is desig¬
nated in deeds as “ Long Island City.” Much of the property
given to Union College by Rev. Dr. Nott as an endowment is
located here, and consists of graded lots.
4 The principal manufactories are a flint glass factory, chemical
works, paint and varnish factory, foundery for the manufacture
of iron pipes, and an oil and locomotive grease factory. Con¬
siderable ship-building is also done here. |
5 Sometimes written “Mespat“Mispat,” &c. It was settled
by English, and often designated “English Kills,” to distinguish
it from Dutch Kills. De Witt Clinton formerly resided heie.
A foundery for castiDg metallic burial cases was established
here several years since.
6 Tho general act forbids cemeteries to hold more thau 250
acres in. one co.; and hence this was located in two. A special
act allows this cemetery to hold 100 acres more in Queens'eo.
The highest point is 219 ft. above tide.
7 The company that owns this course is incorp., with a capital
of $250,000.
8 Named from Maj. Gen. Ebenezer Stevens, who in his youth
was a member of the “ Boston Tea Party” and subsequently an
officer in the Revolution and the War of 1812.
9 4 Prot. E., 3 Ref. Prot. D., 3 M. E., 2 Fresh., 2 R. C., and 1
Bap. The Ref. Prot. D. Church at Newtown was formed in 1704,
and a Prot. E. church at the same place in 1731. A M. E. Church
was erected near Middle Village in 1836, chiefly through the
liberality of Jos. Harper, father of the Harper Brothers, pub¬
lishers in NewYork.
10 Under the act of organization each town was to enjoy the
right of oystering, clamming, and fishing in the other; and both
continued to cut grass upon the South Meadows until 1815.
They each assumed the sole care of the common lands that fell
within their several bounds. At the town meeting in Hemp¬
stead, April, 1797, a resolution was passed, giving to the people
of that town 10 days’ precedence of right in cutting grass. A
suit was instituted, and was appealed to the Court of Errors,
which decided, in Dec. 1828, that North Hempstead had no power
to interfere in the regulations of Hempstead.—Opinion of Chan¬
cellor Kent, Johnson’s, II, 320-338; of Chancellor Sanford,Hop¬
kins, I, 289-300; Decision of Court of Errors, Wendell, II, 109-
137. The public lands of the town were sold under an act
passed March 25, 1830. Obadiah Townsend, Singleton Mitchell,
Benj. Albertson, and Jos.Dodge were appointed commissioners
for this purpose. |
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