Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-08-07
IzIgW RARzv II G0Exu0R3 EZ.AnD

this was set aside by the assembly as being Part
Of the Denizen of His Majestie's Fort at New
York for the Benefit and Accommodation of His
Majesties Governors and Commanders in Chief
for the Time Being" After this II became known
in familiar parlance Governors Island. but not
all at in legal documents
In its early history it furnished examples of
rapine and graft which put to shame the efforts
OF the present day. One of the early governors,
Lord Cornbury, cousin of Queen Anne comes
down to being universally detested," prin-
cipally for his questionable dealings in regard to
this piece of land which the people at large were
already beginning to cherish for it's beauty and
utility.
In 1710 the island served in fact if not in name
as the first quarantine post of the province and
IN that year shiploads of "Palatnes,"
ligious refugees. were housed there, the proper
est place for their sickness and poverty" said
Queen Anne, who financed them parsimonously
One of these immigrants, Peter Zenger was the
first citizen to vindicate publicly the freedom of
the press and personal liberty
Nutten Island (Governors) was made part OF
the city of New York by the Montgomery char
ter Q730l and act of March 7, 1888, included
it in the county. 1t was in 1855 that it first full
filled its manifest destiny a military post
From 1855 to 1878 there were several royal reg
ments of England living there. These were the
Royal Americans, His Majesty's SiXty-first Regi-
ment OF Foot under Lord LOudoun, and His Ma
Jestys TwentysecOnd and Forty-fOurth Regiments
OF Foot Details Of their life were found by the
historian referred to in the private library of Col
onel Fitz-Clarence, Earl of Munster, who commit
ted suicide QS42), and in the English army rec
Ords 17541842. These regiments are in name ex-
listing today, and the leader of the band who
played at the garden party of the Army Relief
society is a lneal descendant Of one of the
officers.
In 1856 the first fortifcation was built in 1776
a Strong Castle" was erected. General Putnam
writing at this time to the president of congress
speaks of it "as very important post" Wash
ington wrote of Its strong works." the New York
Gazette referred to the thousand Continental men
stationed there; Lord Stirling considered it "bet
ter guarded than any other post" The brothers
Howe stayed there until the evacuation Of New
York
After the battle of Long Island and the British
victory, August q, 1875, the Liberty" boys came
back under cover of the darkness and right under
the noses of the victorious enemy secured NUM-
tons and food
Tradition says that Governor Clinton loaned
the island once for a race course (1784-5)
In 1894 ferry was established which took pas
sengers at threepence a head. The one in use
now averages 10000 passengers a month
That year congress appropriated $3,727.52 for
the islands defenses In 1895 the works were
dignifed as forts, and about this date Knox re-
ports 'On Governors Island, one Fashioned SQUARE
commanding two low batteries quite finished"
Between 1894 and 1906 more than $4,000 was
expended on the works.
In 1898 the faculty and students of Columbia
college, repeating their patriotic work in Harlem
came down to Governors Island with pickaxes
and shovels to help erect breastworks when one
OF the French war scares aroused local fears and
inspired the call for harbor defense In 1880 1t
was coded by the State of New York to the
United States, and in 1921 the Federal military
headGp@rters were transferred there