History
Throughout its history, a variety of people owned and possibly maintained the island. During the summer of 1849, there was aGeography
There were 23 acres of land to be used immediately, which were separated from the Berrien farm by a channel of about 150 feet. The formation of Berrien's Island is somewhat singular, being a belt averaging in width at about 200 feet on top. The top was composed of high, dry sand and gravel interspersed with large boulder stones nearly surrounding the natural basin; the high lands rose about 40 feet above the tide water. The high lands on the northeasterly were almost entirely a bed of sand and gravel rising abruptly from the water to an elevation of about 32 feet and the level then rose to an elevation of 40 feet above tide water. The high lands then fell off a gradual slope in the north to the basin on/ in the center of the island. According to a complaint issued in ''Document No. 6: Board of Assistant Aldermen, September 24th, 1849. Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records (B-19), John V.B. Varick Records (V-8), Waters Family Papers CW-13 Document Case Box 489h, Folder 20 Complain. 1850. Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records, 1849-1851'' at the Queens Central Library, Berrien's Island had fallen within the County's jurisdiction (the County of New York's line of boundary on the North, across the East river into Flushing Bay).Letter of Complaint, Anonymous (Griffin, Edmund and Charles Crane), September 24th, 1849, Box 489h, Folder 20, Coll. B-19, Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records, 1849-1851, Long Island Division, Queens Borough Public Library. The island is also a half-mile from Astoria than the present location at Randall's Island. Berrien's Island is also as closer to Harlem as it was to Astoria: Berrien's Island is 2 miles distant from Astoria and Harlem.Use
In a letter to George F. Clarke from Edwin Smith, in the Queens Library's ''Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records, 1849-1851'', the writer (Smith) wrote that he was called upon by Blake and his Committee to examine and observe on the relative advantage of using both Riker's and Berrien's Islands for a city cemetery.Letter, Edwin Smith to George F. Clarke, November 1849, Folder 15, Coll. B-19, Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records, 1849-1851, Long Island Division, Queens Borough Public Library. He proceeded on Thursday November 11 of 1849, in the company with D.S. Geer, the resident physician, and Mr. Marcellus Eells, who volunteered his boat to be used for the occasion to make the necessary examinations of the Island(s) and collect such information in relation to the limited time granted to them. Berrien's Island and farm, according observations, altogether contain about 47 acres of land. In his letter, Edwin Smith stated 4 reasons in which the Berrien Island was considered the most appropriate location in which to construct and hold a cemetery: (1) The soil was a dryer and looser formation and the lands were used to a higher elevation above the tides; (2) The natural basin of it should be deemed expeditious after being drained could be used as a cemetery without excavation below the present surface by depositing the remaining therein and covering them with the earth from the surrounding high lands thereby grading the island; (3) The location being well over the southerly side of the sound and the cemetery being most offensive during the warm summer months. When southerly winds mostly prevail it could not so much affect the neighboring country/county as is located on the other island; (4) It is not so directly in the view of travel through the sound. In addition, the Special Committee listed previously visited Berrien's Island and farm property in 1850. According to the report, the island was situated inCorrespondences and complaints
In a complaint document, Special Committee members Edmund Griffin and Charles Crane (or The Committee) had examined several locations, one of which, from the remoteness of inhabitants, convenience of access, and nature of soil, would be suitable for a public cemetery. Of the six selected areas, Berrien's Island seemed the more likely choice. People from Astoria had objected to his location: however, the objections were not valid and contained no reasonable foundation for such opposition except the desire of one Astorian individual to purchase the island for himself. However, as discussed previously, Berrien's Island had fallen within the jurisdiction of the County of the State of New York. On September 15, 1849, a Special Term was held at New York City Hall regarding how the defendants showed cause.Court Case: (Edwards, Charles, Plaintiffs Attorney, New York). “Document No. 6: Board of Assistant Aldermen, September 24th, 1849”, Anonymous (Edwards, Charles, Plaintiffs Attorney, New York), Box 489h, Folder 22, Coll. B-19, Berrien's Island Supreme Court Case Records, 1849-1851, Long Island Division, Queens Borough Public Library. The reason for this was to determine why an Injunction Order was not granted pursuant to the claim and demand of the said complaint. The defendants were Mayor Alderman and the Commonalty of the City of New York. The Commonalty included George Clark, Robert J. Haws, Moses W. J. Jackson, and others. Under virtue of one or both Resolutions issued by the Common Council of New York, these men were instructed and restrained from appropriating, expending, or paying out any money of the City of New York for the purpose of purchasing Berrien's Island and the farm at Newtown, Queens County, owned by Ezra Berrien.References
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