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 326 BEOOKLYN of Brooklyn, organized in 1854 with 207 mem- bers, is in the front rank of similar institutions in the United States. In 1872 it occupied the elegant new building on the corner of Fulton street and Gallatin place, which is rented by the association, and is admirably adapted to the social enjoyment and instruction of the members. It is of architectural iron, four sto- ries high ; its dimensions are 100 by 75 ft. The first floor above the ground embraces the libra- ry, reading, prayer-meeting, and conversation rooms, a large, handsomely furnished parlor, and offices. The second and third floors are de- voted to a hall for lectures, concerts, &c., with seats for 1,200 persons; also various class, mu- sic, and debating rooms. The library contains about 6,000 volumes, while the reading room is well supplied with newspapers and maga- zines. Prayer meetings are held every day and evening, daily instruction in all branches is afforded by numerous recitations and lectures, and frequent concerts are given. The number of instructors is 10. Much work is done by committees in distributing clothing and other articles among the needy, visiting the sick, &c. In January, 1873, the number of members was 8,700, and was rapidly increasing. Tbte an- nual subscription for each member is $2. There are two other local young men's Christian as- sociations in the city. Three daily papers are published in Brooklyn, 1 semi-weekly in Ger- man, 6 weeklies, 1 bi-weekly, 1 semi-monthly, and 4 monthlies. There are 57 masonic lodges, 18 lodges and 3 encampments of odd fellows, 27 divisions of the sons of temperance, and 16 lodges of good templars. The number of churches is 230, of which 38 are Methodist Episcopal, 36 Episcopal, 29 Baptist, 29 Pres- byterian, 28 Roman Catholic, 18 Congrega- tional, 15 Eeformed, 11 Lutheran, 6 Methodist non-episcopal, 4 Jewish, 4 Dniversalist, 3 Uni- tarian, 2 Friends', 1 New Jerusalem, and 6 of other denominations. In 1870 the total num- ber of church organizations of all denominations in Kings county was 276 ; edifices, 262 ; sit- tings, 197,125; value of property, $12,025,000. Brooklyn was settled by emigrants from Hol- land who had been sent out by the Dutch West India company to colonize New Netherland. The first settlement, according to Stiles ("His- tory of the City of Brooklyn, "3 vols., 1867-70), was made by William Adriaense Bennett and Jacques Bentyn, who purchased in 1636 from the Indians a tract of 930 acres of land at Gow- anus, upon which a dwelling house was soon erected. In the following year John Jansen de Rapalje, one of the Walloon emigrants who settled at New Amsterdam in 1623, purchased a tract of land where the navy yard now is, which, however, he did not occupy as a resi- dence till 1654. In the mean time others, many of whom were Walloons, settled in this locality, which became known as the Waal-bogt, after- ward corrupted to Wallabout. In 1646 nearly the whole water front from Newtown creek to the S. side of Gowanus bay was held by individ- uals who were engaged in its cultivation. Set- tlers under patents from the Dutch West India company had established themselves between Flatbush and the "Ferry," along what is now Fulton street, S. E. of the present city hall, and the settlement thus formed was called Breucke- len, after the village of that name near Amster- dam in Holland. In 1646 the town was organ- ized by Gov. Kieft, who appointed Jan Ever- sen Bout and Huyck Aertsen as schepens, or superintendents, to preserve the peace and reg- ulate the police of the community. In 1607 Gov. Richard Nicolls granted a full and ample patent to certain inhabitants of Breuckelen, their heirs, successors, and assigns, of all land acquired, or to be purchased or acquired, on behalf of the town, from the Indians or others. This patent was confirmed by Gov. Dongan in 1686, in consideration of an annual quitrent of 20 bushels of good merchantable wheat. This quitrent, or its equivalent, continued to be paid by the town as late as 1786. Brooklyn was the scene of several memorable events during the revolution. On Aug. 27, 1776, the battle of Long Island was fought. (See LONG ISLAND.) From this time until November, 1783, Brooklyn was occupied by the English. In 1776, and for six years thereafter, until New York was evacuated, several condemned hulks were moored in the Wallabout, and used for the detention of American seamen captured by the British. It is estimated that 11,500 Americans died on these plague ships. The shores of the Wallabout were full of dead men's bones, and for many years the tides washed out the re- mains from the sand. After some years of agi- tation, the bones were finally collected in 1808, and laid in a vault near the navy yard, with imposing ceremonies. In 1873 they were trans- ferred to a vault constructed for the purpose in Washington park, where it is also proposed to erect a monument to the memory of the mar- tyrs. For many years after the settlement of Brooklyn, its inhabitants worshipped in New Amsterdam. In 1655 a church was erected in the neighboring town of Midwout, or Flatbush, for the accommodation also of Brooklyn and Amersfoort. The Rev. Mr. Polhemus was the pastor of this church. In 1660 the Rev. Henry Selwyn (otherwise Henricus Selyns), of Hol- land, was installed as pastor of the congrega- tion in Brooklyn. The first church edifice in Brooklyn was erected in 1666, in the middle of the highway, now Fulton street, near Law- rence. Its successor is the first Reformed church in Joralemon street, erected in 1835. The Episcopal church of Brooklyn was incorpora- ted by act of the legislature in 1787. In 1795 the church was reorganized and incorporated under the name of St. Ann's church. The first Methodist church was incorporated in 1794 ; the first Presbyterian, Baptist, and Roman Catholic churches in 1822; and the first Congregation- al church in 1839. The earliest ferry between Long Island and New Amsterdam was, accord- ing to Stiles, established as early as 1 642, and