THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



Col. Herman Jauncey Thorne, who maintained it in fine style. It 

 was disposed of by the latter in 1859 and after degeneration in 

 many ways was demolished in 1888. The mansion was located be- 

 tween 91st and 92nd Streets, near the Hudson and was of a supe- 

 rior type of architecture. 



Near the centre of the island was the estate of Nicholas Bayard, 

 near what is now the intersection of Grand Street and Broadway. 

 This occupied a high elevation overlooking the upper part of the 

 City, with fine gardens on the south and a shaded drive leading 

 from the Bowery Lane (near Broome St.) to the mansion. The 

 property was purchased by the Bayards about 1748 and disposed 

 of in 1798 to James Delacroix who established the Vauxhall 

 Garden on the property. 



East of the Bayard estate and on the Bowery Lane was the seat 

 of James Delancey, son of Stephen Delancey. He was Chief 

 Justice of the Colony in 1733 and Lieut. Governor in 1753, his 

 death occurring in 1760. The mansion was near what is now the 

 corner of Delancey and Chrystie Streets. This was a fine property 

 with its semi-circular entrance gateway, its magnificent shade trees 

 and extensive gardens. 



Another attractive country seat located near the centre of the 

 Island, not far north of Delancey's, was that of Andrew EHot, 

 which he purchased in 1766. The mansion was located near the 

 present corner of loth Street and Broadway, connected with the 

 Bowery Lane, the property extending from the Bowery west to 

 Fifth Avenue and containing 21 acres. Eliot served as Acting 

 Governor of the Province from 1780 to 1783 and had laid out 

 very beautiful grounds about his mansion. Soon after the evacua- 

 tion of the British, in 1783, the property passed to "Baron" Poel- 

 nitz and in 1790 to Capt. Robert R. Randall, a merchant and ship- 

 master, who at his death in 1801 bequeathed it for the founding 

 of a Sailor's Snug Harbor. 



On the East River there were a number of substantial Colonial 

 Country Estates. That of Peter Stuyvesant extended along the 

 river and comprised what would now be the greater portion of the 

 iith, 1 6th and 17th wards, the mansion on the river bank near the 

 corner of 17th Street and ist Avenue. His gardens were exten- 

 sive and elaborate and he kept about 50 Negro slaves working on 



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