Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-10-21

3
was much whispering, shoulder Struggling,
speculation as to consequences, and secret en-
ioyment of the battle between the two most
eminent men in the colony
The courageous dominic, however, met
with cruel fate He went to visit the vader-
land, and perished by shipwreck on the rocks
off the coast of Wales. His widow died in the
year 1868, leaving four children by her first
marriage and four by her second. The de-
scendants Of these children are the people who
have vainly fought Trinity church for tl:eir
claims through two centuries.
The farm, which now represents millions,
and which has been the subject of so much
contention, was called the Domnie's Bouwery.
The original grant of 1886 was confirmed in
1864 by Director Stuyyesant, by patent to
Mrs. Anneke JAMS, as widow of Everardus
Bogardus. In 1861, three years after the oc-
cupation by the English, Governor Nichols
made confirmatory patent to the heirs OF
Mrs. Bogardus, reciting the original grant
from Van Twiler. The heirs sold it in 1911
to Col. Lovelace, but their deed did not con-
vey the share Of Cornelis Bogardus, and who
at that time was deceased. Two years after
this deed was given the Dutch recovered pos
session of New Amsterdam from the English
and ileld it year. On its restoration to the
English in 1914, under the treaty Of West
minister, Governor Andres, representing the
Duke of York, who represented the crown,
took possession of the farm, seized and con-
fiscated 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 in 11S5, and its contents communi-
Gated to some of the heirs, as if it was a COM
plete answer to their claims.
1t does not appear that Lovelaces title was
ever directly conveyed either to the duke, the
CROWN or to Trinity church; but the transfer
10 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
Nude the Jansen, or Bogardus farm and in
1926 the grant was made from Queen Anne to
the corporation of Trinity church, the validity
and effect of which has been frequent sub
ject of discussion in the courts, and forms the
principal feature in the claim of title by
Trinity church
The litigations over this bit of Manhattan
soil have been interesting and numerous. The
heirs, seeking their own again, have brought
to bear upon the venerable old SAGE.
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 in the contest.
Heads have been thumped and broken. as
-lN L@x-n LDa G,,4I
For years before and after the evacuation Of
the city by the British the community was
kept badly torn up by the contending factions
seeking to obtain and hold 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, 1913, a 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
1775 they got after q tenant Of one Of the
heirs, destroyed his field of rye, kicked an old
woman in the eye and wounded her husband.
In 1854 Trinity church sent out a 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 63 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" A year later there
was fight, in which one of the heirs fired
shotgun, wounding his man and four others.
The claimant on the Bogardus 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 1896 testified
in 1S42 that he 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 it
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 q
minimum"