Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-03

minister, Governor Andres, representing the
Duke Of York, who represented the crown,
took possession of the farm, seized and CON
tiscated in behalf of the crown, Governor
Lovelace's estates, including this BOuwery
The deed from the heirs to Governor Love
lace was discovered by the Trinity church
trustees i'll l1S5, and its contents cOmmUni
Gated to some of the heirs, as if il was a com
plete answer to their claims.
1t does not appear that LOvelaCe's title was
ever directly conveyed either to the duke, the
crown, or TO Trinity church: but the transfer
TO him seems TO have been treated practically
as if it was deed to the crown. The term
King or Queens farm was supposed to in
clude the Jansen or Bogarius farm, and in
1905 the grant was made from Queen Anne to
the corporation Of Trinity church, the validity
and effect of which has been a frequent sub
ject of discussion in the courts, and forms the
principal feature i'll the claim of title by
Trinity church.
The litigations over this bit of Manhattan
soil have been interesting and numerous. The
heirs, seeking their OWL again, have brought
to bear upon the venerable old sacerdOtal in
stitution every implement Of the law. The
city of New York has put forward its claim,
and the state has tried to assert its rights as
owner paramount, succeeding to the rights of
the British crown. Each lawsuit ended leav-
ing the church still in possession.
The battles fought over this coveted tract
of land have not been wholly forensic Bone
and sinew have been engaged i'll the contest.
Heads have been thumped and broken. as
well as hearts, and shots have been fired.
For years before and after the evacuation of
a.. IA, l.-,
kept badly torn up by the contending factions
seeking TO obtain and held possession of the
old Bouwery Long before the revolutionary
war this war was begun. Certain old his
tories contain very interesting particulars of
these battles. 1t is written that in Septem-
Der. 11113 dozen men armed with broadaxes,
under orders from the authorities of the
church, entered upon the premises where
one of the Bogardus heirs had located himself
on the tract, and tore down his fences. In
17I5 they got after a tenant Of one Of the
heirs, DESTROYED his field of rye, kicked an old
woman In the eye and wounded her husband
In 1874 Trinity church sent out little army
to destroy all the Bogardus fences. Several
Of the heirs, then located on the property,
determined to fight it out. The church then
put up its own fences which were promptly
burned by the heirs. One witness who par
ticipated in this engagement swore under oath
that one Of the church invaders took hold Of
Hannah Marsh, about G3 years of age, pulled
her down on her knees and attempted to put
her head in pail of grog, first having dragged
her across the street, and gave her very
indecent usage otherwise" year later there
was fight, in which one of the heirs fired
shotgun, wounding his man and four others
The claimant on the Bogarlus side who is
entitled to all the honors Of war was old Mrs.
Broad, who lived in the stOckades of the old
fort at the foot of Reade street One Of the
witnesses in suit brought in 1880 testified
in 1872 that hc knew the old lady and that she
continued in possession of the old redoubt, re-
fusing to leave until the opposing forces ac-
tually dug it away, when she compromised
with parties representing Trinity church.
Altogether, Trinity, venerable Trinity,
church of the chimes, high steeple and his
tOric graveyard has been the source Of much
strife and great bitterness of heart. In all
contests, however, the church always came
off victorious. One by one the original claim
ants have dropped into their graves; but the
fight still went on. The descendants took il
up and carried the war into Africa, other
wise down to date. They have not yet sue
cumbed Meetings are still held for the as
sertion of their claims One historian SAYS:
"The contest will probably continue until
through the natural increase of the multi
tudinOus claimants the pecuniary results of
success would be reduced for each to a
minimum"