Lot: Negroes' Lots Along Bowery Road (Original Grants and Farms)

Lot
Negroes' Lots Along Bowery Road
Lot Group
Original Grants and Farms
Property Was Used in 1660 For:
Full Stokes Entry (See images below)
THE NEGROES' LOTS ALONG THE BOWERY ROAD Block Check List. Along the Bowery Road, 507-544.

The negro lots along the west side of the Bowery Road, between Prince St. (the old Indian trench or graft) and Astor Place (the old highway, or Cosyn Gerritsen's wagon way), were taken from Wouter van Twiller's plantation when it reverted to the Dutch government.

Three lots north of the old highway were included in the series. 1 1 is believed that all of the land north of his wagon way belonged to Cosyn Gerritsen in 1639. His name is given on the Manatus Maps: No. 41.

These were all Stuyvesant ground-briefs, but the negroes had been there for a long time before the patents were issued. The grant to Manuel Gerrit de Reus, in 1643, recited other negroes as neighbours. (See the Herring Farm.)

In October, 1667, Governour Nicolls prefaced this series of confirmations of ground-briefs thus: "Whereas there was heretofore, that is to say, in the years 1659 and 1660, several grants made by the Dutch Governor, Petrus Stuyvesant, unto certain free negroes for several small parcels of land lying upon the Island Manhattans, along the highway, near unto the said Governor's Bowery. . . ." — Liber Patents, \1: 119.

The most southerly lot in the tier was Manuel De Spangle's.

Manuel the Spaniard procured his ground-brief several years earlier than others in this series.

Petrus Stuyvesant, Director, etc., to Manuel de Spangie, a free negro. Ground-brief dated Jan. 18, 1651. Not found of record; recited in Liber Patents, IT. 132 (Albany).

Conveys premises described in following confirmation.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Manuel de Spangie, a free negro. Confirmation dated Oct. 19, 1667. — Ibid., II: 132 (Albany).

Confirms a ground-brief bearing date Jan. 18, 1651, for a piece of land to the east of the land of Hans Kiersted, beginning at one end of Tosyn Briel's land and stretching to the other negroes' land, containing as it lies, east-and-by-south to the wagon-way, 83 rods where a great tree is marked with a notch; from thence along the wagon-way towards the west till you come to an Indian trench or graft, 32 rods and so on northwest (by west) to a mark at the corner or hook of Tosyn Briel's land, 72 rods; the said piece of land lies triangular.

The great tree stood on the west side of the Bowery about 200 ft. south of Houston St. The Indian trench or graft was almost identical with Prince St.

Petrus Stuyvesant, Director etc., to Antony Antonys.

Ground-brief dated 1659-60. Not found of record; recited in the following confirmation.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Antony Antonys, Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 124 (Albany).

Conveys a ground-brief by Director Stuyvesant to said Antony Antonys, made in 1659-60, of a "parcel of land having no name lying between Christotfell Santomes and Manuel de Spang, containing before in breadth toward the 'Wagon Path,' 16 rods, behind 30 rods; and in length on each side, 55 rods."

These two lots became part of the Tucker farm.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc.; to Christoffell Santome. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Ibid., II: 122 (Albany).

Confirms a grant to Christoffell Santome, a free negro, made to him by Director Stuyvesant, in 1659-60, and designated No. I. "Containing in breadth alongst the wagon path 32 rods; in length, on the south side, along by the land of Antony Sopie, 46 rods; behind, on the west side, 39 rods; and on the north side, alongst Manuell de Ros, 38 rods."

This lot. No. i, became part of the John Dyckman farm.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Manuell de Ros. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 122 (Albany).

Confirms Parcell of Land marked No. 2. "Containing in breadth along the waggon path 19 rods; on the south side along by land of Christoffel, 19 rods behind, on west side, 21 rods; and on north side, alongst the land of Luycas Pieters, ig rods."

Lot No. 2 is identical with the A. L. Bleecker farm, at the road.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Luycas Pieters. Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, IT. 124 (Albany).

Confirms "Parcell No. 3. Containing in breadth alongst the highway 17 rods; in length on south side, along by Manuel de Ros, 39 rods; behind on west side, 17 rods, and on north side alongst Solomon Pieters ye negro, 31 rods."

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Solomon Pieters. Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 123 (Albany).

Confirms "Parcell No. 4, Containing in breadth alongst the Waggon Path 22 rods; on the south side, along Luycas Pieters, 63 rods; behind on the west side, 19 rods; and on the north side, alongst Otto Grim, 46 rods."

Lots 3 and 4 are identical with the Herring farm, as to the frontage along the Bowery Road.

Petrus Stuyvesant, Director, etc., to Orro Grim. Groundbrief dated May 15, 1664. Not found of record; recited in the following confirmation.

This grantee was not a negro. As his patent is dated five years later than others in the series, it may be assumed that it replaced a negro grant that had lapsed. The lot is not numbered in the confirmation. It can be positively identified as the fifth lot in the series.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Otto Grim. Confirmation dated Dec. 24, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 147 (Albany).

Confirms Stuyvesant's ground-brief to Otto Grim, of May 15, 1664, of "land along by the wagon way containing on the south side next to Solomon Pieters 46 rods; on the north, adjoining Francisco Cartagena, 44 r.; in front, towards the highway, il'A r.; and behind, 18 r."

Otto Grim's lot became vested in Richard Pero before his death. It was devised by his will dated July 5, 1736, proved Jan. 16, i-ii^.— Liber IVills, XVIII: 454 (New York).

Katie Perrow and other heirs of Richard Perrow, to Jellis Mandeville. Deed dated Jan. 19, 1754. — Liber Dff^j, XXXVII: 66 (New York). Recites that Richard Perrow was the owner of this land at the time that he made his will. That it is the same land that was patented to Otto Grim.

Mary MandeviUe, daughter of JeUis Mandeville, married Mathew Buyce. His will dated October, 1794; proved June 3, 1796, in Liber mils, XLII: 45 (New York).

Bancker surveyed the plot in 1796. The survey is in the Bancker collection in the N. Y. P. L. "Matthew Buys land in

5 equal parts on Bowery Lane June 22, 1796." A copy of this map is annexed to Liber Deeds, CXXXIT. 379 (New York).

While making this survey, Mr. Bancker tried to plot out the negro lots in this vicinity somewhat as here shown. Apparently he lacked the necessary data to plot them accurately. His sketch is with the Grim survey. He found the lines of Otto Grim's lot firmly established. The north line of the tract is still to be found on the modern tax map. North of Fourth St., parallel or nearly so to the street and about 130 ft. from it. The south line is still shown running diagonally across the block below; another instance of the fact that the early grant lines remained fixed for a long time. They are being rapidly obliterated.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Francisco Cartagena. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 121 (Albany).

Confirms "Plot marked Number 6, containing in breadth alongst the waggon Path iij^ r.; in length on the south side alongst Otto Grim, 44 r. and on the north side along by the land of Assento, in length, 40 r."

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Assento. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 120.

Confirms "Plot marked Number 7, containing in breadth alongst the waggon path, 15 r.; on the south side along ffrancisco Cartagena, 40 r.; behinde on the west side, in breadth, 15 r. and on the north side, along Manuel Peters, 28 r."

Lots 6 and 7 were abandoned. By 1697, Solomon Peters, one of the most capable men in the city, had bought all of lot

6 and part of lot 7. No deeds found of record; recited in the following patent to Van Cortlandt. Part of lot 7 and land in the rear of lot 7.

Benjamin Fletcher, Governour, etc., to Stephanus van Cortlandt. Patent dated June 2, 1697. — Liber Patents, VII: 114 (Albany).

Conveys (with other premises shown in the story of the Abijah Hammond Meadow belonging to Bouwery No. 8.) "Another Lott of land, situate, lying and being in the City of New York, on the West side of a certain Streete or Lane commonly called the Bowry Lane or Highway, being to the North of the land of Solomon Petersen and to the South of the land of Ariaen Cornelisse. Beginning at the South West [S. E.] corner of the land of Ariaen Cornelisse & runns thence North West 6 chains 45 links; thence North 47° West l chain, 21 links; thence West 40° Southerly, 7 chains, 20 links, and thence by the highway 2 chains, 13 links to the place where [it] begunn. Containing one acre and 12 perches. Bounded on the East by the Highway; on the North by Ariaen Cornelisse; on the West by the free Negroes land and on the South by Solomon Peterse."

The history of this lot is lost to the records for a long period of time. It is said to have been conveyed by David Provoost to Sarah Boulton Loftus, Feb. 3, 1775. After the death of Provoost she conveyed it to his son, James Provoost.

Sarah Boulton Loftus to James Provoost. Deed dated March 20, i-ji-j.— Liber Deeds, XLIV: 247 (New York).

Conveys Land fronting to the Bowery Road. Bounded south by the land of Matthew Buyse; north by land of Jacob Sperry; west by land of the late Albert Herring. Recites deed from David Provoost to Sarah Boulton Loftus, Feb. 3, 1775.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Domingo Angola.

Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 120 (Albany).

Confirms "Parcel Number 8, containing in breadth along the waggon path 13 r. in length; on the south side towards the land of Assento, 15^ r.; in breadth behind, 11 r.; and on the north side, by the land of William Anthonys Portugijs, in length, 14 r."

Domingo Angola married Francienne Mandeere, Sept. 14, 1652. — Marr. in Ref. Dutch Ch., 17.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Willem Antonys PoRTUGiEs. Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 123 (Albany).

Confirms "Parcel Number 9, containing in breadth alongst the waggon path, 34 r.; on the south side, along by land of Domingo Angola and Christina, 70 r.; behind, on the west side, 31 r.; and on the north side, alongst the Gardens of Groot Manuel, Manuel Sanders and Claes de Neger, 70 r."

(The dimensions in the above confirmation are clearly erroneous. They are excessive.)

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Claes de Neger. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, IT. 120 (Albany).

Confirms "Plot marked No. 12, containing on the east side, alongst Manuell Sanders, 16 r.; on the south, along William Portugijs, 9 r.; on the west side, 16 r.; and on the north side, alongst the crossway, 9 r."

(This plot is mentioned in the record as No. 12. No. 10 was evidently intended to be patented.)

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Manuel Sanders. Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 123.

Confirms "Parcell marked Number 11, containing on the east, alongst the garden of Groot Manuel, 16 r., to the south along by land of William Antonys, 9 r.; to west along land of Claes de Neger, 16 r., and to north, towards the crossway, 9 r."

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Groot Manuell. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 122 (Albany).

Confirms "parcel marked Number 12, containing in breadth alongst the Waggon Path, 16 r.; to the south along by the land of William Portuguese, 8 r.; to west along by land of Manuel Sanders, 16 r.; and to north towards the crossway, 8 r."

Three lots were laid out north of the wagon road to Cosyn's bouwery. In the first numbering the corner seems to have been No. 13. (The lot immediately to the west is No. 14.) In the following confirmation it is called lot 4. Clearly an error; lot 4 had already been granted.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Pieter Tamboer. Confirmation dated Oct. 15, 1667. — Liber Patents, 11: 121 (Albany).

Confirms "plot marked Number 4 [13], containing on the south side alongst the crossway, 13 r. and yi, to the west alongst Assento Angola, 14 r.; behind by land of Cosyn Gerrits, 13 r. and yir.; to the east alongst waggon path, 14 r."

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Assento Angola. Confirmation dated Oct. 16, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 124 (Albany).

Confirms "parcell Number 14, containing in breadth towards the south alongst the crossway, 13^ r.; to west along Antony the blind negro's, 14 r.; behind and to east alongst the garden of Pieter Tambeer, 14 r."

Antony, the blind negro, occupied the space between lot 14 and Cosyn Gerritsen's house lot. Recited as a neighbour in the confirmation of lot 14.

This negro not found elsewhere in the records.

Antony's land (all of lots 8 to 14, probably part of lot 7, and gores of land adjoining) all vested in Ariaen CorneHssen Van Schaick. No deeds found of record or unrecorded. (See the Pero farm.)