lo Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



As the Huguenots were French Protestants, the addition of the 

 word "French" does not seem to Hmit the statement of the com- 

 mittee. 



We have found no evidence to support the date 1660, and from 

 the letters of Stuyvesant from 1650 to 1666 (29), showing the 

 condition of Staten Island, we believe it to be too early. In 1676 

 quite a number of surveys were filed for grants of land south o£ 

 the Fresh Kill (30), and in 1698 a lot was conveyed to the French 

 congregation for building a church at what is now Green Ridge 

 (31). We do not find evidence that Fresh Kills was settled be- 

 fore New Dorp, which was laid out about 1670. The date of 

 the filing of the surveys for patents is the only date that we can 

 definitely fix in this matter, and while we believe many of the 

 settlers in this vicinity were Huguenots most of the surveys were 

 made for parties with English names. 



We, therefore, consider the date and event too uncertain to be 

 inscribed. 



The sixth date and event inscribed on the tablet is : 



1664. Dutch Government supplanted by English. 



This is inscribed as selected and approved by the committee of 

 1906. Its accuracy has not been questioned and we have found 

 abundant evidence in the records to sustain it. The historical im- 

 portance of the event properly gives it a place on the tablet. 



The seventh date and event inscribed on the tablet is : 

 1668. Staten Island separated from New Jersey. 



This inscription is precisely as approved by the committee of 

 1906. 



It may be seen by reference to the appended extracts and from 

 references concerning the settlement of Old Town and the event 

 with which we are now dealing, that the Director General and 

 Council of New Netherland exercised authority over Staten Island 

 up to the surrender to the English in 1664 (32), and that there 



