New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-11
OWNERSHIP or THE SEVEyTH W1pn

AN INTERESTING QUESTION or TITLE IN RIAL ~,
TATE SETTLED.
The duIetus has recently been given to a ouestio,
OF title in real estate which has long been nooted
among the descendants here of an old Knicke,.
booker family. The questi grew out Of family
tradition which, though it had been talked abop.
among the present heirs for quarter of a centnru
was not investigated with any degree Of thorough
ness until a few months ago. The heirs ara
the Banckers; the property concerned ia
that which, during the early part of thii,
century was known as the Rutgers Estate.
Now 1t Is held by hundreds Of owners Tor n en-
braces nearly all of the Seventh Ward between
East Broadway and the East River at Gonyrrnenr
and Rooseyelt-stS Long ago the estates of the two
families Bancker and Rutgers, adjoned each
other, the dividing line being DIvisIon-st Then
the present Madison-st. was called Bancker-st
East Broadway was Herman-st. being called after
Herman Rutgers, and MOnrOe-st. was LOmbarly.
st. The hTst and last of these streets were named
after the two Presidents after the property began
to pass out OF the hands of the old families Cath
ernest. 80 called after the wife of Herman Rut-
gers has retained its old name.
Something more than a hundred years ago this
tract passed out OF the hands Of the Banckers into
those OF the Rutgerses. la u manner which has not
been explained satisfactorily to all concerned the
tradition lived In the house of Dancker that the feo-
slmpc of the property had never been transferred,
the only interest which passed to the Rutgerses be-
Ing ledSehoid estate which would end ninety-nIns
years alter the date of the transfer Abraham
Bsncker Miller, the warehouseman a graud-uenba
OF the Abraham Bancker who while o student az
Columbia College, corrcsponded with George Wash
lngton, says that he heard this atement made re-.
peatedly by his mother and his grandmother the
latter Of whom could recall seeing the British sol.
dlery cross tue Kill Won kul, near where the SallorJ
Snug HarbOr IS now situated, during tue Reyolu-
tionary War This tradition, says Mr. Miller re-
celyed further color OF probability from the fact
that Colonel Rutgers a gallant officer who died
about $780, aud who had held the title of the
property for long time previously, never
gave warrantee deed Tor loot of the land. MS
was considered singular at the time lnasmuch as
the Seventh Ward was at that time the fashionable
quarter Of the city and the home of the elite of the
cIty's society. The late Commodore Vanderbilt aud
many other wealthy men lived in tho nelghborhood
tor time, but. beng unable TO acquire any more
title than that which would pass under quit
claim deed. they moved up 10 the vicinity OF Bond
and BleeckeT-sts.
A few of the bancker heirs have never been ell
tirely willing to concede that the tradition of the
family was entirely without foundation in truth
10 them If the tact OF the nlnetynIne years lease
could be established the only title ever held by
the Rutgerses was valued at several million dollars,
they had reason Tor sharp curiosity concerning
the true state of the case. They have
never united their forces, however in an
Investigation. About year ago Nj.
Miller placed the case ia the hands of his LAWYER
William Ill. ArnOux, who found, IN harmony with
the traditions Of the Banckers that the original
deed OF transfer from Bancker to Rutgers, VAS a
lease Tor ninety nine years; but he also found doc
umen written IL the Dutch language which, though
somewhat informal IN style. he Of the opinion
was sufficient to pass tue fee-smple lie 80 re-
ported tO Mr.. Miller, who, while not giving the
ma ter great deal OF his thought still holds In
the seventh Ward belongs to him and forty-tour
other heirs.