The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-24

j scendants of these children are the people who
I have vainly fought Trinity church for their
1 claims through two centuries.
The farm, which now represents millions,
| and which has been the subject of SO much
| contention was called the Dommie's Bouwery.
| The original grant of 1896 was confirmed in
| 1864 by Director Stuyvcsant, by n patent to
Mrs. Anneke Jams, as widow of Everardus
Bogardus. In 1867, three years after the oc
cupation by the English, Governor Nichols
made a confirmatory patent to the heirs Of
Mrs. Bogardus, reciting the original grant
from Van Twiller. 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 held it year. On its restoration to tho
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
Iovelace's estates including this Bouwc.y.
The deed from the heirs to Governor Love
lace was discovered by the Trinity church
trustees in 1855, and its contents communi-
Gated to some of the heirs, as if it was n 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
TO him seems to have been treated practically
as if it was a deed to the crown. The term
King or Queens farm was supposed TO in
clude the Jansen, or Bogardus 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 n frequent sub
ject of discussion III 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 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 in 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
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. It is written that in Septcm- |
Der, 1913, n 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 |
11.5 they got after tenant of one of the |
heirs, destroyed his field of rye, kicked an old |
woman in the eye and wounded her husband |
In 11Si Trinity church sent out little army |
he.
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 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 i'll n pail of Srog, first having dragged
her across the street, and gave her very
indecent usage otherwise" n year later there
was a fight, in which one of the heirs fired
shotgun, wounding his man and four others.
The claimant OH 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 Rcadc street One of the
witnesses in a suit brough. in 1880 testified
in 1872 that he knew the old lady and that she
III possession of the old redoubt, re-
fusing to leave until the opposing forces ac-
ually dug it away, when she compromised
with parties representing Trinity church.
Altogether, Trinity, venerable Trinity,
,hurch of the chimes. high stecple and his
oric graveyard, has been the source of much
trife and great bitterness of heart. In all
contests, however, the church always came
IF victorious. One by one the original claim
.pts have dropped into their graves; but the
light still went on. The descendants took it
Up and carried the war into Africa, other
wise down to date. They have not yet sue
,umbcd. Meetings are still held for the as
ertion of their claims One historian says:
The contest will probably continue until
through the natural increase of the multi
udinous claimants the pecuniary results of
success would be reduced for each to a