Discovering John Bowne: Archaeology, Architecture, and Flushing’s Beginnings

The impending restoration of the John Bowne House in Flushing, Queens, scientifically dated 1661--the second oldest house in the City of New York--will attract much national interest from preservationists, historians, and the general public. The Bowne House Historical Society is offering two panel discussions, Discovering John Bowne: Archaeology, Architecture, and Flushing’s Beginnings: National Arts Club at Gramercy Park on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:30 p.m., and one at Queens College on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the LeFrak Music Hall.

These panels are free and open to the public. Three distinguished scholars will discuss the process of historic house restoration: (1) Professor James Moore of Queens College’s Anthropology Department will recount his experience in archaeological investigation of the Bowne House; (2) J. Ritchie Garrison, Director, Winterthur Program in American Material Culture and Professor of History, University of Delaware, will show how archaeological, archival, and architectural research are translated into historic structures restoration; and (3) Cary Carson, recently retired Vice-President for Research at Colonial Williamsburg, will explore the meaning and use of the restored site. Donald R. Friary, Chair of the Bowne House Historical Society’s Advisory Committee, will moderate the panels and the audience participation that follows.
Please reserve a space by calling 718-359-0528, or send an email to office@bownehouse.org.

Donald R. Friary

Celebratory Events for Decendants

JOIN THE EVENTS CELEBRATING THE 350th ANNIVERSARY
of THE FLUSHING REMONSTRANCE!

A Brief History of the Flushing Remonstrance

On December 27, 1657, thirty residents of Flushing signed a remonstrance—a grievance—addressed to Peter Stuyvesant, the director general of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. The two-page document vehemently protested Stuyvesant’s ban on Quaker worship in the colony and the harsh punishment he imposed on anyone who dared to “receive or entertain any of those people called Quakers.”

“For our part,” they wrote, “we cannot condemn them [the Quakers]..., neither can we stretch out our hands against them, to punish, banish or persecute them...” The brave citizens of Flushing demanded that Stuyvesant allow all people, “whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist, or Quaker” to have “free egresse and regresse unto our Town, and houses, as God shall persuade our consciences.”

The extraordinary document, known as the Flushing Remonstrance, did not win religious freedom for the colonists of New Netherland in 1657. However, it was a monumental step towards that end. In 1663, John Bowne, an English immigrant whose wife was a Quaker minister, risked his life and his Flushing farm to defend the principles of religious tolerance. He appeared before administrators of the Dutch West India Company, Stuyvesant’s employer, and used logic and passion to make his case. The administrators, moved by Bowne’s defense, swiftly ordered Stuyvesant to allow Quakers and all other colonists, regardless of their religion, to be “free and unshackled so long as they continue...peaceable...and not hostile to the government.”

John Bowne’s courage and determination were key in establishing religious freedom in New Netherland. But the citizens who drew up the Flushing Remonstrance were the first to forcefully advocate this right. Indeed, many legal scholars today acknowledge the Flushing Remonstrance as the precursor to Americans’ right for religious freedom, which was codified in 1791 in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. 

On the 350th anniversary of the Flushing Remonstrance, we celebrate the valor and altruism of all the people who fought for—and won—religious freedom for the colonists of New Netherland.

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS
December 2007 – May 2008

There will be many exciting public events in the months ahead in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Flushing Remonstrance. Everyone is invited to participate! Events include a candlelight walk through historic Flushing, an exhibition about religious tolerance at the Queens Museum, and a giveaway at the Flushing Post Office of postcards bearing the original 3-cent stamp from 1957, the 300th anniversary of the Remonstrance. 

A “must see” is the only known copy of the Flushing Remonstrance, which will be on view at the Queens Library in Flushing from December 5, 2007 to January 7, 2008. It will be on temporary loan from the New York State Archives in Albany. At 7 PM On December 27, 2007—the actual 350th anniversary of the Flushing.

Remonstrance - everyone in Flushing will be asked to join together in making “a joyful noise” to celebrate the historic document. 

For a full listing of events, please see www.flushingremonstrance.info. The site also includes the full text of the Flushing Remonstrance and the names of the thirty citizens who signed the document.