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The record of JOHN ^ OGDEN'S career, in the notes which are
our guide, stands (with some omissions) thus :
" 'John Ogden was one of the most influential founders of
the town (EHzabeth). He was at Stamford, Ct, in 1641, within a year
after its settlement. He had previously married Jane, who, as tradition
reports, was a sister of Robert Bond. In May 1642 he and his brother
Richard} both of them, at the time, of Stamford, entered into a contract
with Gov. Wm Kieft, Gisbert op Dyck and Thomas Willet, of New
Amsterdam, Churchwardens, to build a stone church in the fort 72 by 50
feet, for the sum of 2500 guilders ($1000), to be paid in beaver, cash, or
merchandise ; one hundred guilders to be added if the work proved satis-
factiry ; and
the use of the company's boat to be given the builders, for
carrying stone, a month or six weeks, if necessary. The work was duly
and satisfactorily completed."'
" ' It was probably in this way that the two brothers became acquainted
with the West end of Long Island. Early in 1644, in company with the
Rev. Robert Fordham, Rev. Richard Denton and a few others, they
removed from Stamford and settled Hempstead, L. I., of which John
Ogden was one of the Patentees. At the expiration of five or six years,
not hking the control of the Dutch, with whom he had considerable dealings
at New Amsterdam, and disgusted with the cruelties practised upon
the natives, of whom scores, soon after his settlement at Hempstead, had
there, by order of the government, been put to death, he removed to the
' In the History of the State of New York. By John Romeyn Brodhead. New York, 1859, i. 336-37
we read respecting the building of this church :
"
It only remained to secure the necessary subscriptions.
Fortunately it happened that the daughter of Domine Bogardus was married just then ; and
thought the wedding-feast a good opportunity to excite the generosity of the guests. So, '
Kieft
after the fourth
or fifth round of drinking,' he showed a liberal example himself, and let the other wedding guests sub-
scribe what they would toward the church fund. All the company, with light hands and glad hearts,
vied with each other in ' subscribing richly.' Some of them, when they went home, 'well repented it,'
but ' nothing availed to excuse.'
". . . The
walls were soon built, and the roof was raised and covered by English carpenters with
oak shingles, which, by exposure to the weather, soon 'looked like slate.' The honor and the owner-
ship of the work were both commemorated by a square stone inserted in the front wall, bearing the
inscription [found in 1790, when the fort was demolished, to make way for the Government House on
what is now Bowling Green, ' Ao. Dom. MDCXLII. W. Kieft Dr Gr Heeft de Gemeenten dese Tempel
doen Bouwen ']."
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