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Dominicus: My name is Dominicus Vandeveer and this is my wife Catalina. Our Dutch ancestry can be traced back to the days when New York City was once called New Amsterdam. Our old farmhouse was located at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and Crossbay Boulevard. On January 24, 1868 we were involved in an incident that caused a sensation in this area.
Catalina: On that day we took our only child Phebe to visit friends in East New York. We had such a wonderful time that we did not notice how late it was but since we lived only a close distance we drove down the Jamaica Plank Road in our small carriage pulled by our horse.
Domincus: Back then Jamaica Avenue was called Jamaica Plank road because of the wooden planks that covered the road. There were few houses on that road in 1868 and it was a dark night and we were but a half-mile from the safety of our home.
Catalina: Suddenly we were surprised to see a man walking by the side of our horse grabbing the reins and bringing us to a stop.
Dominicus: He turned to us and shouted to me �Your money or your life!� I tried to whip the horse into action but before I could do so the desperado had pulled me out of the carriage.
Catalina: The two of them fought by the side of the road as I clung to my daughter with fright.
Dominicus: The highwayman threw a number of punches but I was able to defend myself from his blows. I stumbled to the ground and felt the sharp kick of his boot on my head. Catalina: For a moment the clouds parted and the moon shone down upon the scene and the moon�s rays reflected on the metal barrel of a pistol. Before I could scream a shot ran out.
Dominicus: I had no change to move away and can still see the brilliant flash of the pistol shot before everything went black.
Catalina: When the pistol fired I saw Dominicus fall to the ground but the horse became startled by the sound of the shot and began to run down the plank road. Frightened by the sheer terror of the ordeal my daughter and I fainted in our runaway carriage. When I awoke I found myself in front of my home. By extraordinary good fortune our horse had brought us safely home. As soon as I was able to rouse a few neighbors I led them back to the site to find my dear husband. We found him by the side of the road, insensible from the loss of blood and carried him to a neighbor�s house. A physician from East New York, Dr. Andrews was immediately sent for. Upon examining Dominicus he discovered that he had one wound in the head and the bullet yet remained there, a wound in his hand, where a bullet had gone through, and several bruises and wounds about the head and body. We are told that there were three bullet-holes in his hat. In the scuffle upon the road he was robbed of his wallet, containing $60 in money.
Dominicus: I lay unconscious for a very long time and remember very little. My neighbors scouted the area for the criminal but he could not be found. This crime outraged the citizens of the area and a reward for $1000 dollars was offered to apprehend this perpetrator. Due to the care of my doctors and the devotion of my beloved wife and daughter I recovered from my injuries and on May 10th 1876 I was able to walk my daughter down the aisle when she married Henry Nostrand.
Presented May 22, 2004 by The Richmond Hill Historical Society, Maple Grove Cemetery, and The Immaculate Conception School of Jamaica Estates, NY (Dr. Charlene Jaffie, principal).
Copyright © 2004 Carl Ballenas & Nancy Cataldi.
No claim to Old Kew Gardens [.com] color photograph.
No claim to Old Kew Gardens [.com] color photograph.
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