102. STATEN ISLAND INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 
Ryder map a building is indicated in the position of that now 
standing. ‘This house was the meeting place of Lord Howe and 
a committee from the Continental Congress at the beginning of 
the Revolution.®°* Danckaerts and Sluyter are believed to have 
visited Capt. Billop in 1679.°° His name first appears upon the 
colonial records July 2, 1674, when he was commissioned to be 
Lieutenant of Major Andros’ company.® It is said that Billop 
had a distinguished record as Captain in the British Navy.” He 
was appointed commissioner of highways of Staten Island Jan. 
RO} 1OS7. 
Bentley Manor was granted to Capt. Billop in patents dated 
1676 and 1687, and on draughts attached to the survey for each 
of these patents a building apparently the present house is shown.” 
The map shows Raritan River also Woodbridge and Eliza Town 
(now Elizabeth) on the adjacent New Jersey shore. Considerable 
care as to details is evident in its making, as may be seen in the 
accurate location of places, islands near Fresh Kills, etc. 
Robert Ryder executed quite a number of surveys on Staten 
Island. The first reference to his work appears to be the follow- 
ing: 
An Ord. for Capt. Lovelace, Mr. Norwood, etc., to take a sur- 
vey of Staten Island. 
These are to authorize and Empower you Capt. Dudley Love- 
lace, Mr. Andrew Norwood, and Mr. Robert Rider, by the best 
skill and judgement that you have, to take a survey of ye Bounds 
& Lymitts of Staten Island, together with its Dimensions & Cir- 
cumference, the which you are to putt upon a Platt & make Re- 
turn thereof unto me, And ye justice of ye peace, Constable & 
other Offic-"* upon ye said Island, are hereby required to bee 
ayding and assisting unto you herein as Occasion shall require; 
And for what you shall act or doe in prosecucon of ye Premises, 
this shall be unto you a sufficient Warrant. 
67 Morris 1: 144. 
68 Danckaerts p. 73. 
D Col, IDo@e, 88 Zit. 
70 A history of Thomas and Anne Billopp Farmar by Charles Farmar 
Billopp, N. Y. 1907. Hist. Bulletin p. 52. 
71 Karly Documents Relating to the Manor of Bentley and the Billop 
House, by George W. Tuttle. Proc. Staten Is. INst. 1: 27. 1922. 
