The Bowne House Historical Society, Inc. AUTUMN 2011 BOWNE HOUSE AND ITS MISSION Bowne House, circa 1661, is the oldest house in and one of the oldest in City. The house is an amalgam of Dutch and English traditions of building; continuity of ownership provides a unique view of changing cultural values and increased prosperity over time. Bowne House was occupied by nine generations of family, but events which took place in its early years secured its place in history. John Bowne is known for his courageous defense of religious liberty; his actions, and those of his fellow residents of Flushing, helped establish this principle in America. In 1662, Bowne defied a ban imposed by Governor Peter Stuyvesant on the practice of religions other than the Dutch Reformed Church by permitting Quakers to worship in his home. Bowne was arrested and deported to Holland, where he successfully pleaded his case before the Dutch West India Company. He returned home in 1664, and the principle of religious freedom was established in the colony. Bowne House is operated by the Bowne House Historical Society, whose mission includes the preservation of the house, its collections and its grounds for their historical and educational interest, for the significance of the house in the history of New York, and for its role in the establishment of the principle of freedom of conscience in America. Bowne House is owned by the Department of Parks & Recreation and is a member of Historic House Trust of New York.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE BOWNE HOUSE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Rosemary S. Vietor, President Morris Hylton III, Vice President Wellington Z. Chen George Farr Annette L. Geddes Edith T. Loening Hon. Frank Padavan Penelope B. Perryman Kenneth S. Schwartz Margaret D. Sullivan Roland Wade

TRUSTEES EMERITUS Nina Powell Franklin Regan, Esq.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Donald R. Friary, Chair Jeanne Adair, Ph.D. Dean F. Failey Peter Kenny Anthony C. Wood

Page 1 Bowne House celebrates its 350th Anniversary; gives first Historic Preservation Award

The Bowne House celebrated its 350th vice, the impact of which has been felt across New year on October 6th with a party at the Arsenal York and across America. In fact, the 350 year sur- Roof in . Members and friends gath- vival of Bowne House is due to the dedication of ered for this festive event. The museum received local residents who purchased the house to oper- a number of citations and proclamations, includ- ate it as a museum in 1947, after the departure of ing ones from the New York City Mayor, the City the last Bowne family member in residence. Council, the Office of the Comptroller, the Queens Borough President, and the New York State I would like to leave you with one thought, Assembly commemorating this special occasion. this one from Margaret Meade, which captures the essence of John Bowne’s stand for freedom The museum also marked the occasion of conscience, and those of his fellow residents of by presenting its first ever Historic Preservation Flushing– “Never doubt a small group of thought- Award. The award was given to Dr. Barbaralee ful committed citizens can change the world. In- Diamonstein-Spielvogel in recognition of her deed, it is the only thing that ever has.” The dedi- more than 40 year commitment to the preser- cation of these citizens has helped make America vation of the historic built environment of our the exceptional country that it is. country. Now, I will speak about another person The following are remarks given by who has changed the world – Dr. Barbaralee Dia- Rosemary Vietor, the president of the Bowne monstein-Spielvogel. Barbaralee has worked tire- House Historical Society, on this occasion. lessly for over 40 years as an advocate for preser- vation of our cultural and historic resources, and This year we are celebrating the 350th an- to raise awareness of our unique heritage. niversary of the Bowne House. The house is best known for its connection to the principle of free- I first met Barbaralee when we were be- dom of conscience in America. While the concept ing interviewed and photographed for an article was not unique in 17th century America – others on preservation in Parade Magazine. The article had tried and failed to implement this ideal – John featured Bowne House. I learned that Barbaralee Bowne was the first man to successfully challenge has sense of humor – she instructed the photog- the ban on free practice of religion. Freedom of rapher – “Don’t make me look like a relic”. Well, conscience did not exist in 17th century England, she doesn’t look like a relic – 40 years as an advo- ancestral home of his family. England had suf- cate for history and culture has kept her youth- fered from a series of religious and political wars. ful. But, the free practice of religion in the town of Flushing had been guaranteed by Governor Peter The Bowne House Historical Society has Stuyvesant’s predecessor. John Bowne’s challenge never, to my knowledge, given an award. The to Governor Stuyvesant, by permitting Quakers Historic Preservation Award is new, and it is ap- to meet in his house for worship, was followed propriate that our first recipient is Barbaralee. by his arrest, imprisonment and banishment from Without her advocacy, many of America’s most the country. His successful appeal to the Dutch important historic sites might have languished West India Company resulted in the guarantee or disappeared for lack of interest or support. of religious freedom for citizens of New Amster- Through her writing, speaking, research and en- dam. These principles were later codified in the thusiasm for our history, she has raised the profile First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. of many important sites, of which Bowne House is one. While Bowne House is best known for these events, which took place from 1662-1664, We are thrilled to have her here tonight the house and its Flushing community have also and to honor her with our Historic Preservation served as an incubator for a long chain of ideals award. and concepts and a tradition of community ser-

Page 2 2011 NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW

The New York Botanical Garden will be hold- with the Westchester Chordsmen, featuring a ing its 20th annual Holiday Train Show at the Enid selection of carols. Other events include Gingerbread Haupt A. Conservatory. The Train Show, which will Adventures, which will feature a gingerbread play- run from November 19th through January 16th, has house and a display of gingerbread houses made become a holiday tradition for New Yorkers. Model by area bakers. A Holiday Film Festival will include trains run over bridges and past familiar New York a PBS documentary featuring designer Busse. City landmarks made of natural materials, includ- ing bark, leaves and nuts. Bowne House is among Activities for children include The Little En- these more than 140 landmarks. gine That Could puppet show and All Aboard with Thomas and Friends™. These events, as well as the Designer Paul Busse and his team at Applied events described above, will take place at various Imagination are responsible for the design and con- times throughout the season; for the full sched- struction of the show. This year, visitors will have a ule of activities and programs, admission fees, and chance to take a peek behind the scenes to see how dates and times check www.nybg.org. the models are constructed. Photos, tools and sup- plies will help tell the story of how the show comes The Holiday Train Show is a unique New together. York experience, and is not to be missed. Bowne House is thrilled to be a part of the show. A number of special activities are planned around the show. A Holiday Tree Lighting will The New York Botanical Garden is lo- kick off the season on November 19th; this cated in , NY. The telephone number is will include a conifer display and a sing-along 718-817-8700.

Photo courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden Page 3 Feeding the “Sweet Tooth” of Flushing’s Early Quakers

by its old forests and superior drainage facilitated , 1645: by its rolling hills. Since colonial economics were based on the substantial movement of raw and a group of English families is granted a charter by manufactured goods to and from the motherland – the Dutch of New Amsterdam to establish a village with all transactions taxed accordingly – agriculture called Vlissengen, or what is now known as Flush- was a highly competitive industry. ing, in the Borough of Queens. Many of these folks are Quakers (members of the Society of Friends), and over time, the area from Flushing to Oyster Bay becomes one of the strongholds of Quakerism in , along with Rhode Island and Penn- sylvania.

Hannah Bowne’s simple gravestone at the Friends Meeting House in Flushing

The Bay of Flushing/Newtown Dock was a major shipping hub to and from Europe, delivering such products as the extraordinary array of apples Classic Bakewell Tart, a favorite of the grown in New York, and receiving fine goods like Bowne family of Flushing wine, fabric, and sugar. The leading nurseries of In 1651, an industrious man, John Bowne the day – import/export outfits where farmers pur- (pronounced like “town”) and Quaker wife, Han- chased seeds and plants – were located in Flushing, nah Feke, buy land from the Native Americans in including the Prince Linnean Garden and Nursery, Vlissingen and set up what is to become one of the founded in 1735, which had the monopoly on tree most prosperous farms in the region. This is the propagation in North America and sold the famous same John Bowne who will later lead the famous Newtown Pippin apple. John Bowne was not a spe- Flushing Remonstrance petition, earning Quakers cialist, we know from the farm records dating from the right to worship publicly in the Dutch colony, 1649 – 1692 that he cultivated a variety of products: and who donates land to build the Friends Meeting wheat, buckwheat, rye, oats, barley, and flax; for House of Flushing, 1694, which is still an active as- livestock he raised cattle, oxen, sheep, pigs, horses sembly today. and bees; there is also evidence of vegetables and fruits including peas and turnips as well as apples. The fact that the Bowne family was so prom- All along the North Fork of Long Island, oysters and inent in agriculture is saying something, because other shellfish were harvested in abundance, sup- what later was known as the Borough of Queens plying the growing New Amsterdam. was an extremely important early agricultural cen- ter in New York, due to the excellent soil nourished Before all of this ambitious agricultural in- dustry developed, the early English and Dutch set- Page 4 fectively and lastingly from the Native Americans to the Europeans is the cornmeal cake – centuries of variations from points all over the country abound: Indian cakes, journey cakes, hoe cakes, hearth cakes, quick cakes, ad infinitum. These consisted of, at their simplest, cornmeal and lard; at their richest, cornmeal, butter, eggs, and milk, with a sweetener such as molasses or sugar. The Dutch made a treat called ‘sappaen,’ or cornmeal mush, gleaned from the Native Americans, in which a softer version of the mixture was piled into a large serving dish. A crater was forged into the top and milk was ladled in, which slowly seeped into the mound.

A cloam oven tlers, in their basic struggle to survive in a new en- vironment, relied heavily upon the knowledge of the Native Americans of the region, who, as we all know, shared their farming and cooking tech- niques. Primary amongst their foodstuffs was what the Europeans called “Indian corn,” a useful veg- etable that could feed humans and livestock alike.

The English newcomers were especially for- tunate, for they actually arrived having brought along virtually the same oven technology that the locals were using here. According to William Woys Weaver, in his republishing of A Quaker Woman’s An old beverage urn on display at the Cookbook, The Domestic Cookery of Elizabeth Elli- Friends Meeting House of Flushing cott Lea, (Stackpole Books, 2004), the Native Amer- ican methods of cooking on a hearth using ash As the flow of goods amongst the colonial closely resembled what was being used in England networks increased, giving the Dutch and British ac- at the time, nicely facilitating the exchange of reci- cess to sugar from the Caribbean and fruit from Eu- pes from one culture to the other. In this hearth rope, everyone was able to replicate their traditional technique, kindling was placed inside the oven, recipes from home. While the Dutch were making burned down to hot ash, and then pushed aside waffles and pancakes (poffertjes), doughnuts (oly making room for the item to be baked. The tem- koeks), and cookies (koeckjens), the English Quakers perature would be controlled depending on how were baking meat-filled crusts (pyes), custard-filled crusts (puddings), and fruit-filled crusts (tarts). In much or how little ash was used. Quaker households, these treats were taken with tea, which was their hot preferred beverage, along with apple cider, weak beer and wine.

Rosemary Vietor, who is a descendent of John Bowne, and President of the Board of Trust- ees of the Bowne House Historical Society, http:// www.bownehouse.org/, is passionate about the domestic and personal lives of the Bownes. As the Bowne House undergoes a major renovation and A quick recipe from Clayton’s Quaker Cook-Book by A.J. Clangtor gets ready to celebrate its 300th anniversary, the organization looks forward to better utilizing its The primary example of a recipe passing ef- fantastic collection of decorative arts and house-

Page 5 hold items to tell the long and illustrious story of To further investigate the broader history of the Bownes in Flushing. The house has a large col- food in New York City, don’t miss “The Culinary His- lection of cooking utensils and, not surprisingly, tory of New York: A Moveable Feast,” organized by one of the only known cloam ovens in America, a the Historic House Trust of New York City, taking small brick oven covered in clay with an iron door place at historic sites all across the City: http://www. that uses ash. historichousetrust.org/page.php?p_id=61

For those who are interested in learn- - Written by Anne Shisler-Hughes ing more about early American culinary tech- nology, you can take a day-long course at This article was used with permission from Hearth Studios in Smithtown, Long Island with Edible Queens magazine. See the original renowned food historian Dr. Alice Ross, article at www.ediblequeensblog.com http://www.aliceross.com/.

Bowne House Museum Summer Intern: Shawn Chen, Stuyvesant High School Research:

General Introduction: joyed by our forefathers. The world was a different Alexander Smith, the Scottish poet, once place a few centuries ago. Those residents from Par- said, “A man does not plant a tree for himself. He sons’ time cannot come to us, nor can we physically plants it for posterity.” Samuel Parsons was an in- come to them. However the plants of Parsons and fluential man, but most importantly he was a man his nursery can serve as a spiritual bridge that will who believes in the value of preserving history, of bring his Flushing to us. By honoring the goals of his leaving a legacy so it can become a beacon for fu- horticultural legacy we pay tribute to the Flushing ture generations to peer into the past of an ever- that used to be. changing world. This can be shown with Parsons’ opening of his nursery in 1837 and in the shrubs History of Parsons Nursery: and trees he planted in the name of beauty and history. In the now bustling and growing township Specific Plants Series: of Flushing, Parsons’ trees play an ever more impor- It is easily and correctly assumed that tant role in preserving and reminding us of the hal- throughout the history of the Bowne/Parsons fam- cyon days, when Flushing was just a serene town. ily in horticulture, their nursery would be the home to thousands of plants ranging from those native Mission: to North America as well as to the exotic plants Thus the mission statement of this section brought back to be cultivated by the Parsons dur- will be to enlighten you, the reader, about the type, ing their distant horticultural excursions. In this sec- location and history of plants cultivated by Samuel tion, some of the better known and valued plants Parsons and by the next two generations of Parsons/ during the era of the Parsons’ Nursery will be de- Bownes in a philanthropic mission to beautify the scribed. These legendary plants and/or their stories township of Flushing as well as to supply his famed are landmarks of the famed nursery, and are either nursery, which was dissolved in 1907 (Flushing Eve- still beautifully standing today to be admired or ning Journal). Although many plants described can- have become a story of a forgotten beauty of long not be physically seen by a tourist or resident of ago which brings back vivid images of what Flush- Flushing today, the purpose of such descriptions is ing may have looked like during its horticultural to relish in the longevity and historical significance hay-day. of the extant plants. A secondary goal is to allow the reader to conjure up an image for certain areas The of Flushing: in Flushing to show admiration for and and to pay a The first and most well known tree planted silent respect to the beauty that was there to be en- by the Parsons is the Weeping Beech of Flushing. Page 6 The Weeping Beech or Fagus sylvatica var. pen- America gave to the world. dula (OPIN) is said to be first seen around 1817 in Belgium (Flushing Evening Journal). The Weeping Recollection Series: Beech is a large tree in adulthood with branches The nursery played a major role in the lives that seem to droop down to the ground. In 1845, of many. Specifically to the Bownes who lived in when Samuel B. Parsons was taking a horticultural Flushing, the nursery has been a part of their glory trip in Europe, he bought a seedling of a Weeping days. Their childhood memories have become em- Beech and carried it back to the States in his lug- bedded in them to an extent, and in certain docu- gage (Flushing Evening Journal). At the time, the ments, they recalled these memories to give us a Weeping Beech was only a small seedling. Upon ar- picture of what the nursery and the surrounding rival to the states, the Weeping Beech was planted area of Flushing looked like during the 19th and in Fox Lane on the lawn of Mrs. Samuel Jackson, early 20th century. The images invoked by the rec- and after much nurturing by Parsons, the Weeping ollections may not be specific enough to give us the Beech grew to become such a beauty that Sir Joseph exact species and location of every single plant in Hooker of Kew Gardens later declared it to be the the vicinity of the nursery, but they do give us, the “finest tree of its kind in the world” (Flushing Eve- modern day visitor, a general picture as to what ning Journal). This Weeping Beech, whose beauty Flushing was like. Oftentimes it is that general pic- made it the standard of its fellow beeches in Bel- ture, along with our imagination that allows for gium, has become the icon of its species in America, the greatest degree of appreciation. for every Weeping Beech in American can trace its genealogy to Parsons’ tree on Mrs. Jackson’s lawn Plants from the Memories of Robert E. (Flushing Evening Journal). Although the original Parsons (Grandson of Samuel Parsons): tree no longer exists today in Flushing, its progeny In 1934, during the laying of the cornerstone are still seen growing right next the Bowne House for Barney’s market at the corner of Northern and Museum in Flushing (in the small park located to- Parsons Boulevards, Robert E. Parsons was called to wards Northern Boulevard). Weeping Beech Park on speak at the ceremony about the history of his commemorates this famed tree. family, for the grounds of the market were formerly the property of the Bowne/Parsons family. Many of Twin Fox Oaks, aka “Flushing Oaks” his recollections involve the nursery, which existed A short distance away from where the cel- during his childhood years. ebrated Weeping Beech stood is a boulder that is known to us as the George Fox Stone, named after According to Robert E. Parsons, at the the famous English Quaker who preached to 500 time of his childhood, Amity Street (modern day people at the site. Adjacent to this boulder are two Roosevelt Avenue), which ended around two hun- oaks, one on each side. These two oaks became dred feet eastward of , led to the known as the “Fox Oaks” or the “Flushing Oaks.” Parsons’ apple orchard. As you walk up a winding The Fox Oaks are most likely native and common in road extending from the end of Amity Street (in North America, so they are probably red or white a northeasterly direction) until it intersects with a oaks. lane that connects it to Broadway (Northern Boule- vard) at a right angle, you have navigated around The significance of these two Oaks and the the borders of the apple orchard (Daily Star). Near Fox Stone lies in what they represent. The Twin Fox cemetery circle (possibly in the plot of land sur- Oaks are emblems of religious freedom in Flushing. rounded today by 38th 147th Northern and 149th), The legacy of the Bowne House has always been are numerous trees with wild grape vines hanging freedom of conscience and religious tolerance, as down from them. Along the west of Colden Ave- shown in John Bowne’s acceptance of the Quakers, nue, in between two creeks, there is a large area a religious sect persecuted in Europe and in 17th of land in which salt hay was cut. Lastly, according century America. The Fox Oaks, along with the to Robert, if you walk along the part of Northern Bowne House, show a tradition of religious toler- Boulevard between Parsons Boulevard and Bowne ance, one of the greatest examples of freedom that Street, there was a row of fourteen greenhouses

Page 7 and two cellars lining the roads which were used that between those two streets, there were nurs- for the propagation of plants (Daily Star). ery rows filled with trees that were claimed by the master of Kew Gardens to be the finest collection Plants from “The Memories of Bertha R. of rare and beautiful shrubs and trees. Parsons”: From the memories of Bertha R. Parsons, we Walking down the driveway east of the get details of the greenhouses described by Robert. Bowne House one found a sugar maple and in the According to her, the contents of the greenhous- front yard, there were rhododendrons, an arch of es were separated by species and that they were English elms, and a colorful Jorot beneath the elms. often “filled with the pungent, piquant odor of In the “circle of the drive” (also in the vicinity of steam heat, soil and manure” (Bertha Parsons). This the plot of land surrounded today by 38th 147th goes along with Robert’s recollection of the green- Northern and 149th streets) were a myriad of trees houses’ use as a propagation area for the nursery’s whose species names are recalled by Bertha. Plants new plant introductions. that were located there included: several magno- lias, a holly tree , King Charles oak , silver birch, Near the Weeping Beech, in the time of Ber- silverbell , fringe tree, flowering quince, two weep- tha’s childhood, there was a drainage ditch “along ing beeches, Sargent Weeping Hemlock, ginkgo, the cobbled courtyard and bordered Parsons Ave- weeping sophora, linden, Judas tree, Japanese cy- nue” (Bertha Parsons). This drainage ditch was sur- press, and the green and red varieties of Japanese rounded by a hawthorn hedge (Crataegus sp.) and Maples (Bertha Roberts). On the house itself, there was probably located in the area between Weep- grew vines of honeysuckle and wisteria and to the ing Beech Park and Parsons Boulevard, behind the house’s northwestern border there were two beau- Bowne House property. South of the courtyard was tiful tulip trees. a hedge of arborvitae and hotbeds behind those hedges. Also, according to Bertha, the entrance of In the last part of Bertha’s recollections, she the nursery was moved from the corner of Broad- talks about two paths in the center of the nurs- way (Northern) and Bowne to the vicinity of a horse ery. One path originated from Parsons Boulevard chestnut tree on Bowne Lane (modern day Bowne between Amity and Lincoln (Roosevelt and 38th) Street). Along both sides of what is now Bowne and went up to Northern Boulevard and the other Street were a series of “specimen show beds,” (Ber- path was located between the Bowne House and tha Roberts) which probably played the same role the Nursery Office (at the southeast corner of mod- as modern day store display windows, showing off ern day Weeping Beech Park). At the northern end the new exotic and native plants that were avail- of the first path was a persimmon and the second able at the Parsons Nursery. Along with these show path had snowdrops, violets, and blue-eyed grass. beds was a bed of cannas. Miscellaneous Series: During the childhood of Bertha Parsons, Along with the stories of famed plants and there was a cornfield at modern day Sanford Ave- the recollections of those Bownes/Parsons whose nue and along Northern Boulevard there was a for- childhood days were spent in the vicinity of the est of hickory, chestnut, dogwood and many other nursery, there are many other ways, either sub- varieties of trees and bushes located across the liminal or conspicuous, in which the family has left street from the nursery (Bertha Parsons). East of the their horticultural legacy for us. In this series, you Parsons’ property in the wooded area of Broadway will see the references to the plants of Flushing was a black walnut tree (Juglans nigra) that stood that originate from a variety of other sources, such near the “gateway of barn lane” (Bertha Parsons). as Samuel Parsons Diary, letters to Parsons, photo- Near the walnut tree was a row of hemlocks (Tsuga graphs, interviews with experts, etc. Each source, canadensis) and east of those were nursery rows whether or not their purpose was to inform, in- that were the home to Green and Rivers Purple evitably provides vital information that allows the Beeches. If you walked west of the house towards reader to conjure up a better visual image of 19th Parsons and Percy Street back then, you would see century Flushing.

Page 8 In Samuel Parsons’ journal, he mentions in main walkway) consisting of rhododendrons and 1838 that he was planting mulberries in front of azaleas, and spruces trees are found to the side of his house, which is probably the front yard of the the beds. Near , at Sanford Av- modern day Bowne House, where he lived. This enue near modern day 149th Street, is a European matches with the “mulberry madness,” which was Beech that was imported by the Parsons. The last a mass buying/cultivating of weeping and silkworm living remnant of Parsons Nursery is found in Kis- mulberries during that time period. From a letter sena Park, at Parsons Boulevard and Rose Avenue. to Parsons from Hicks and Keene & Faulk (fellow nurserymen), we also know that Parsons planted Conclusion: Rhododendrons in places such as the Johnson’s Samuel Parsons wished to beautify his Flush- (possibly a neighbor) near the Bowne House. ing birthplace through horticulture. Although the 1661 Bowne House is the last remnant of what was From photos of the Bowne House in the once hundreds of acres owned by the Bowne/Par- 19th century, we can tell that there was an oak to sons families, the plants that were grown by Par- the left (removed by 1909) and a Japanese maple in sons during the existence of the nursery and the the yard of the Bowne House. In a back view of the memories that these plants inspire have outlived house, there was a Locust (removed by 1887) and a the dissolution of the nursery and serve to remind Carolina Silverbell tree. In 1902, it can be seen that us, the future generations, of the Flushing of our the Parsons family had planted a fir tree in the far forefathers. We should appreciate and respect the right of the Bowne House garden and a pine on the extant Parsons plants for their longevity, and ad- left. Across the street from the house, to the right mire the beauty contributed by those plants no of the Fox Oaks, there was an evergreen and an ivy longer with us. Whether alive or not, all of these covered church. Today we can also go down Bowne plants are an emblem of the past and they repre- Street, and we can see an ancient mossy cup oak sent a legacy of Flushing’s horticultural history and about 3 blocks south of the Bowne House and an reminder of what one person with a vision can ac- English Oak in juxtaposition to the park and to the complish. north of the Bowne House. Source Section From photos and maps, it may be easily seen 1. Queens Library Archives, Long Island Division that Northern Boulevard during the time of the 2. Parsons Nursery and Co. Folder Parsons was a much different place than it is today. • Recollection of Bertha R. Parsons For example, there is a pond at the western end • Daily Star of Northern Boulevard (where the bridge is today) • Flushing Evening Journal which no longer exists (Bowne Farm Map). Also, 3. P-7: Parson Business and Miscellaneous back then, the average street tree was different Documents Box 28H and 29 from the average street tree today. Then, streets • Samuel Parsons like Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue • Parsons and Co. would have been lined with American Elms (Ulmus • Robert B. Parsons Americana), the street tree of the time, chosen for 4. Parsons Nursery Catalog Set- Parsons & Co. their wine glass- like shape. Across the street from Greenhouse, Stove and Bedding what is now Flushing High School( a horticultural Printed By: John W. Averman accomplishment in itself), Northern Boulevard was R631.521 P267C also lined with a row of beautiful pink and white Years: 1858, 1860, 1861 Autumn, 1862 No. 1 and flowering trees identified as saucer magnolias. In No. 2 the vicinity of Flushing High School, to the right 5. Slides and Interviews with Chuck Wade and Fred was an open area where there were many trees, Gerber including two weeping beeches and a tulip tree; in front of the school (along the street) are four bald cypresses which still exist today. Behind the cypress- es are two beds of flowers (on either side of the

Page 9 THE CIVIL WAR 1861-1865: The Roles of Flushing and the Bowne family in America’s Struggle to Preserve the Union

This year, as we are celebrating the 350th an- niversary of the Bowne House (1661-2011), we will also commemorate the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. The war began with an assault on Fort Sumpter, near Charleston, South Carolina on April 12-13th 1861.The battle resulted in a victory for the Confederates; the war had begun in earnest.

Many members of the Bowne family be- longed to the Society of Friends (Quakers). While their religion advocated peace and non-violence, they were eager to help their country in other ways. Some Quakers did enlist in the military, serving in both the American Revolution and the Civil War. The records of the Civil War Soldier and Sailor Database (www.civilwarnps.gov) show 36 Officers of the Sanitary Commission men in the Union Army with the surname Bowne Photo courtesy of The Archives of the New York Public Library from New York State. Several of these are named house for information about Union soldiers. As a John Bowne. humanitarian agency, it helped to locate missing men. Communications were poor; information from Another John Bowne, a descendant of Rob- the front was slow to arrive and families waited for ert Bowne, founder of Bowne and Company (1775), months without learning the fate of loved ones. Of- the financial printer, did not serve on active duty ten, wounded or dead soldiers remained unidenti- but performed a vital and unique service through fied. John Bowne responded to these many inquiries, his participation in the New York Sanitary Commis- and tried to match the requests with information ob- sion. The Sanitary Commission, a forerunner of to- tained from the hospitals. Often, the news was bad. day’s Red Cross, was formed in 1861 as a charitable Mortality rates were very high, and those who were agency to aid soldiers. Its first executive secretary fortunate enough to survive a battle sometimes suc- was Frederick Law Olmstead, for cumbed to disease and infection in the hospital. New York’s Central Park. The many thousands of letters describing the In 1862, after the Battle of Bull Run, Olm- families’ desperate quests for information and the stead discovered that soldiers were exhausted and efforts of the Sanitary Commission during the Civil lacking in food and supplies. He dispatched doctors War were donated to the Astor Library, the forerun- and nurses to care for the soldiers, organized kitch- ner of the New York Public Library, after the war’s ens and obtained uniforms. The public responded end. There are tens of thousands of letters, diaries, generously with donations, and over $4 million dol- logs and photos in the collections. The library has lars were raised. preserved these documents and has raised funds to preserve them and to create a database of all the In 1862, volumes of letters from the families names on file in the collections. The library’s goal is of men serving in the military began to pour in; the to create an online Civil War database. families were desperate for news of their loved ones. A Hospital Directory was established to coordinate Many men from Flushing served in the Civil inquiries with information coming from the front. War. There is a monument in downtown Flushing, The Directory was run by John Bowne, an accoun- on Northern Boulevard at Linden Street, opposite tant in his grandfather’s firm, Bowne & Co. The Di- the Quaker Meeting House, which commemorates rectory received reports from hundreds of hospitals their service. The inscription reads as follows: “Erect- and recorded information on over 1 million soldiers ed in memory of the Patriotic Volunteers who sacri- serving in the war. ficed their lives in the War for the Preservation of the Union 1861-1865”. The monument lists the names of The Hospital Directory became a clearing- 87 local men who perished in the Civil War. Page 10 2011 - 2012 MEMBERSHIP DUES RENEWAL THE BOWNE HOUSE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 37-01 Bowne Street, Flushing, NY 11354 789-359-0528

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• * Life Members may receive, if they wish, a complimentary framed hand painted Life Member Certificate, personalized with calligraphy. Please list your name as you wish to have it appear on the certificate. • Please print your name and address below as you would like them to appear on our mailing list, as well as email, fax and phone so that we can better communicate with you. • ______• ______

Referral names and contact information: We welcome your suggestions of friends and family who like to hear about the Society. Please list names and contact information on the reverse of this page.

Page 11 The Bowne House PRSRT STD US Postage 37-01 Bowne Street PAID Flushing, NY 11354 Permit #2643

Newburgh, NY

Circa 1661 Circa The Bowne House Bowne The

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