The Court of Sessions ordered the town to make choice of a new Commissioner in the place of Tunis Guysbert; which they according did, and elected Jan Gerritsen Dorland.
- 1688. Simon Aertsen, Micheal Hansen, and Claes Barense.
The Court of Sessions refused to swear Michael Hansen.
- 1690. Joris Hansen, Hendrick Claasen, and Jan Gerbritse.
The office of “Commissioner” continued until 1703, when a “Supervisor” was elected. The Supervisors of Kings County had their first meeting on the first Tuesday of October, 1703; at which meeting Captain Joras Hansen was the Supervisor from Brooklyn. The duty of the Supervisors was, “to compute, ascertaine, examine, oversee and allow the contingent, publick, and necessary charge of each county.” Two assessors were also elected for this town, whose names were, Peter Garrabrantse, and John E. Bennet; and one Collector. This is not the first mention of the assessors and collectors of this town in our County Records. In 1688, Michael Hansen, and Daniel Rapalie were chosen assessors, for the purpose of assessing this town’s proportion of a tax of £308 8s 0d, which was imposed on Kings County. It is the opinion of the Compiler, that these were distinct officers from the Commissioners, whose duty it was to assess the ordinary rates; and that these assessors were but temporary officers, appointed to assess this particular tax. In 1699, Jan Garretse Dorlant is mentioned as Collector of Brooklyn; and in 1701, John Bybout held the same office.
In 1691, a majority of the freeholders of the town were impowered to make orders for the improvement of their public lands; and annually to elect three surveyors of highways. The duties of these svrveyors were to amend and lay out highways and fences. The town meeting at which these orders were made, and officers elected, were held by the direction, and under the superintendance of one or more justices of the peace.
November 8, 1692. The court of sessions for Kings county, ordered that each town within the county, should erect “a good pair of stocks, and a good pound;” and that the clerk of the court should issue a warrant to the constable of every town, requiring them to see this order complied with “at their peril.” The following is a list of the constables of this town, from the new organization of the colony in 1691, to 1711, as far as the compiler has been able to ascertain the same:
- 1693. Volkert Brier.
- 1697. Volkert Brier.
- 1698. Jacob Hansen. [This man was complained of by the last constable for not making his appearance at court; and the sheriff was ordered to summon him to appear at the next court.]
- 1699. Jacobus Beauvois.
- 1700. Cornelius Verhoeven.
- 1701. Jacob Verdon.
- 1702. Thomas Davies.
- 1703. Thomas Davies.
- 1704. William Brower.
- 1705. Jacob Ffardon. [This constable refused to call a town meeting in 1706, in compliance with the requisitions of a warrant he had received from Justice Ffilkin, for the election of town officers; and the inhabitants complained of him to the court of sessions, who ordered that a town meeting should be held for the election of town officers, and that Ffardon should hold over until a new constable was elected and sworn in his stead.]
- 1707. Abram Sleghter.
- 1708. Cornelius Collier.
- 1709. William Brower.
- 1711. Thomas Davies.
For some time previous and subsequent to the year 1693, the colony was in a very disordered state, arising probably from its new organization after the revolution in Great Britain.
At the same period, both the civil and military governments in this town and also in the county, were very unpopular. In order to support their authority, the justices of the peace resorted to the exercise of very arbitrary measures: arresting and confining many persons under the pretence of their having uttered scandalous words against them, and the government; by which proceedings they completely alienated the people’s affections, and exasperated them to such a degree that they committed many excesses: all which will appear by the following extracts from the records: