Lot: L3 (Taxlots)

Lot
L3
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Taxlots
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Property Was Used in 1660 For:
Description

Red Lion Brewery

Full Stokes Entry (See images below)
"de Brouwerije vande Roode Leeuw." — De Sille List, of 1660.

Just when, or by whom, the Red Lion Brewery was built is not a matter of record. The indications are that Isaac de Forest began the business here; that before August, 1660, Joannes Verveelen was his partner in the brewery (recitals in Liber Deeds, A: 214), and that the de la Montagnes, father and son, had some interest in the business. The land on which it stood was patented to Joannes de la Montagne, Sr., April 22, 165 1, and was conveyed to "de Foreest" by deed recorded December 29, 1661. — Ibid., A: 253. When De Forest turned it over to the Verveelens, Joannes and Daniel — February 14, 1662 — he declared that he acted "as well for himself as in quality of Agent of Mr Joannes de la Montagne Junior," and he conveyed "his certain right in the Brewery brewing apparatus and dependencies thereof, together with his and the above mentioned Montagne's lot." — • Ibid., A: 255. This was, evidently, a leasehold. Before 1670, De Forest had become the sole owner of the land; in this year he conveyed the rear part of the plot to Frederick Arentsen, a turner. — Original Book of N. Y. Deeds, in N. Y. Hist. Soc. Collections, 1913, pp. 54-5. In July, 1675, his widow, Sara, sold to Thomas Verdon, mariner, "Just the halfe or equall breadth of my Erve [garden] next the Street, (Except) the going or passage of Eight foote w'^'^ going is to bee cut off between both Erves. The true length & breadth thereof as in Jacques Corteleau's middle breefe is specified. . . ." — Ibid., ^6~j.

Indisputably, this was the date of the demolition of the building, through the very centre of the site of which the passage was to be cut. Probably, it had not yet been erected, in September, 1656, as the deed of that date to the property on the west side recites no brewery. — Liber Deeds, A: 72.

Joannes Verveelen gave up his interests here, and removed to Harlem, where he was magistrate, November 17, 1663 {Register of N. Neth., 97), and ferry-master between that village and Fordham, July 9, 1667 {Rec. N. Am., VI: 83-4), a position which he held until King's Bridge was built, in 1693; although the ferry was removed to Spuyten Duyvil in 1669. — Exec. Coun. Min., ed. by V. H. Paltsits, I: 222—30.

Daniel Verveelen continued brewing at the sign of the Red Lion, and, in October, 1666, incautiously sent to his father at Harlem two half-barrels of strong beer, which had not paid excise. AUard Anthony, the schout, discovered it there, summoned Joannes before the magistrates, and demanded that he be fined twenty pounds sterling and costs, and that the beer be confiscated. The Worshipful Court found the defendant not guilty of smuggling the beer, but fined him 25 guilders and costs, because he said "he did not know the pltf. [Anthony] as Schout, but well as Sherif," which remark "tends to the lowering of the pltf."— iJ^f. N. Am., VI: 37.

On the next court day, Allard Anthony summoned Daniel Verveelen before their honors. His wife's plea, that it had "occurred thro' mistake," did not save him; he was fined 220 guilders, of which the city received 100 guilders, the sheriff 100 guilders, and the informer 20 guilders. — Ibid.,Yl: 38.

The location of the brewery is now covered by the buildings at 47, 49, and 51 Beaver Street.