  The first public officer appointed by the Dutch Government for this town after its settlement in 1625, was a “Superintendant,” whose duties were to preserve the peace, and regulate the police of the town. A few years after the office of Superintendant was abolished, and the offices of Schout, Secretary, and Assessor, created; these officers were also appointed by the Governor. In 1646, the town having considerably increased, the inhabitants were permitted to elect two magistrates; subject, however, to the approval or rejection of the Governor. These magistrates had increased powers: they were authorised to give judgment in all cases as they might think proper; provided that the judgment so given be not contrary to the charter of New-Netherland. Subsequently this Town Court was new modelled by the Dutch Government, and its power and authority more clearly defined. The inhabitants suffering very much under the arbitrary exercise of power on the part of the government, frequently remonstrated against the same. Finally a convention of delegates from this, and the other towns under the Dutch government assembled at New Amsterdam, November 26th, 1653, on an In 1654, it appears that the country was very much infested with robbers; to disperse whom, April 7, 1654, the magistrates of this town, together with those of Midwout and Amersfort, united in forming a company of soldiers to act against “robbers and pirates,” and determined that there should be a military officer in each town, called a Sergeant. In order to prevent the depredations of the Indians, the Governor in 1660, ordered the inhabitants of Brooklyn to put the town in a state of defence; and commanded the farmers to remove within the fortifications, on the pain of forfeiting their estates. For the first two or three years under the English government, the magistrates of this town were but temporary officers. Nearly all that we know about the government previous to 1669, is, that Town Courts were established in this Colony.—The inference would be, that as this town was granted “all the rights and privileges belonging to a town within this government,” a town Court was also organized here. The Town Clerk of this town was appointed by the Governor, and confirmed by the Court of Sessions, as will appear by the following record: At a Court of Sessions held at Gravesend for the West Riding of Yorkshire upon Long-Island, December 15, 1669. “Whereas Derick Storm presented an order from his Hon. the Governor, for the approbation of the Court of Sessions, to allow him to be towne clerk of Breucklen, taking his oath, the Court having allowed thereof, and doe hereby confirme him of Clerke of the said towne.” In the year 1669, the first mention is made in the records of the “Constable of Breucklen;” which office at that period was held by Michael Lenell. The duties of constable as laid down in the Duke’s laws were, holding town courts with the overseers, and with them making assessments, &c. whipping, or punishing offenders, raising the hue and cry after murderers, manslayers, thieves, robbers, burglarers; and also to apprehend without warrant such as were overtaken with drink, swearing, Sabbath The following is a list of the Constables of Brooklyn, from 1669 to 1690:
Brooklyn and Newtown were ordered to make a new choice according to law.
Shortly after the conquest of this Colony by the English from the Dutch, the towns of Brooklyn, Bushwyck, Midwout, or Flatbush, Amersfort, or Flatlands, and New-Utrecht, were formed into a There were also in this town, officers, who were called “Overseers.” The Duke’s Laws provide for their appointment in the following manner. “Overseers shall be eight in number, men of good fame, and life, chosen by the plurality of voyces of the freeholders in each towne, whereof foure shall remaine in their office two yeares successively, and foure shall be changed for new ones every yeare; which election shall preceed the elections of Constables, in point of time, in regard the Constable for the yeare ensuing, is to bee chosen out of that number which are dismist from their office of Overseers.” The following is a copy of the oath which was administered to the overseers elect. “Whereas you are chosen and appointed an Overseer for the Towne of Breucklen you doe sweare by the Ever-living God, that you will faithfully and diligently discharge the trust reposed in you, in relation to the publique and towne affaires, according to the present lawes established, without favour, affection or partiality to any person or cause which shall fall under your cognizance; and at time when you shall bee required by your superiors to attend the private differences of neighbours, you will endeavour to reconcile them: and in all causes conscientiously and according to the best of your judgment deliver your voyce in the towne meetings of Constable and Overseers. So helpe you God.” These officers were commonly sworn by the Court of Sessions; but in the year 1671, the Constable of Newtown objected to the Court’s swearing the overseers of that town, “alledginge that accordinge to the amendments of the law iff special occation required, itt is in the power of the Constable to sweare them, otherwise not, which is left to his Honor the Governor to decide.” The inhabitants of the town for which the overseers were elected were authorised to determine by a major vote whether the said overseers should, on admission to office, take the oath prescribed as above; and in case the said overseers were not sworn, it was a legal objection against their proceedings on the part of any person prosecuted in their court, unless the overseers immediately on objection being made, took the oath, which the Constable was permitted to administer. It was the duty of the overseers, together with the Constable, to hold Town Courts, for the trial of causes under £5. Their other duties are contained They and the Constable, were frequently to admonish the inhabitants “to instruct their children and servants in matters of religion, and the lawes of the country.” They, with the Constable, appointed an officer “to record every man’s particular marke, and see each man’s horse and colt branded.” The Constable and two of the Overseers were to pay the value of an Indian coat for each wolf killed; and they were to cause the wolf’s head to be “nayled over the door of the Constable, their to remaine, as also to cut of both the eares in token that the head is bought and paid for.” The following is the only list that the Compiler could obtain of the Overseers of this town.
In the year 1683, the “Overseers” were changed to “Commissioners.” The “act for defraying the publique and necessary charge of each respective citty, towne, and county throughout this province; and for maintaining the poore and preventing vagabonds.” Passed by the General Assembly of this colony, November 1st, 1683, provides—“That annually and once in every yeare there shall be elected a certaine number out of each respective citty, towne, and county throughout this province; to be elected and chosen by the major part of all the ffreeholders and ffreemen; which certaine number so duely elected shall have full power and authority to make an assessment or certaine rate within their respective cittys, townes and countys annually, and once in every yeare, which assessment and certain rate so established as aforesaid, shall bee paid into a certaine Treasurer, who shall be chosen by a major part of all the ffreemen of each respective citty, towne, and county; which Treasurer soe duly chosen, shall make such payment for the defraying of all the publique and necessary charges of each respective place above-menconed, as shall bee appointed by the commissioners, or their President, that shall be appointed in each respective citty, towne, and county within this province, for he supervising the publique affaires and charge of each respective citty, towne and county aforesaid.” And the said act proceeds further to say, “And whereas it is the custome and practice of his Majesties The following is a list of the Commissioners of this town from 1684, to 1690, inclusive.
The town made choice of Hansen and De Rapalie; and were ordered by the Court of Sessions to make a new selection by the 12th of April, 1686, and return the same to one of the Justices of the Peace for Kings County.
The Court of Sessions ordered the town to make choice of a new Commissioner in the place of Tunis Guysbert; which they according did, and elected Jan Gerritsen Dorland.
The Court of Sessions refused to swear Michael Hansen.
The office of “Commissioner” continued until 1703, when a “Supervisor” was elected. The Supervisors of Kings County had their first meeting on the first Tuesday of October, 1703; at which meeting Captain Joras Hansen was the Supervisor from Brooklyn. The duty of the Supervisors was, “to compute, ascertaine, examine, oversee and allow the contingent, publick, and necessary charge of each county.” Two assessors were also elected for this town, whose names were, Peter Garrabrantse, and John E. Bennet; and one Collector. This is not the first mention of the assessors and collectors of this town in our County Records. In 1688, Michael Hansen, and Daniel Rapalie were chosen assessors, for the purpose of assessing this town’s proportion of a tax of £308 8s 0d, which was imposed on Kings County. It is the opinion of the Compiler, that these were distinct officers from the Commissioners, whose duty it was to assess the ordinary rates; and that these assessors were but temporary officers, appointed to assess this particular tax. In 1699, Jan Garretse Dorlant is mentioned as Collector of Brooklyn; and in 1701, John Bybout held the same office. In 1691, a majority of the freeholders of the town were impowered to make orders for the improvement of their public lands; and annually to elect three surveyors of highways. The duties of these svrveyors were to amend and lay out highways and fences. The town meeting at which these orders were made, and officers elected, were held by the direction, and under the superintendance of one or more justices of the peace. November 8, 1692. The court of sessions for Kings county, ordered that each town within the county, should erect “a good pair of stocks, and
For some time previous and subsequent to the year 1693, the colony was in a very disordered state, arising probably from its new organization after the revolution in Great Britain. At the same period, both the civil and military governments in this town and also in the county, were very unpopular. In order to support their authority, the justices of the peace resorted to the exercise of very arbitrary measures: arresting and confining many persons under the pretence of their having uttered scandalous words against them, and the government; by which proceedings they completely alienated the people’s affections, and exasperated them to such a degree that they committed many excesses: all which will appear by the following extracts from the records: “October 11, 1693, at a meeting of the justices of Kings county, at the county hall. Present, Roeleff Martinse, Nicholas Stillwell, Joseph Hegeman, and Henry Ffilkin, esqrs. justices. John Bibout, of Broockland, in the county aforesaid, we aver being committed by the said justices to the common jail of Kings county, for divers scandalous and abusive words spoken by the said John against their majesties justices of the peace for the county aforesaid, to the contempt of their majesties authority and breach of the peace; the said John having now humbly submitted himself, and craves pardon and mercy of the said justices for his misdemeanour, is discharged, paying the officer’s fees, and being on his good behaviour till next court of sessions, in November next ensuing the date hereof.” In another instance, during the same year, in the month of October, in the town of Bushwyck, a man named Urian Hagell, was imprisoned for having said, on a training day, speaking jestingly of the soldiers, “Let us knock them down, we are three to their one.” The justices called these “mutinous, factious, and seditious words;” which, This town with respect to legal matters was under the jurisdiction of the court of sessions held at Gravesend, for the West Riding of Yorkshire, upon Long-Island, |
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