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Simon Boerum

1724 births1775 deaths18th-century American politiciansAll accuracy disputesBurials at Green-Wood Cemetery
Continental Congressmen from New York (state)Members of the New York General AssemblyMembers of the New York Provincial CongressPeople from BrooklynPeople of the Province of New YorkSigners of the Continental AssociationUse mdy dates from April 2019

Simon Boerum (February 29, 1724 – July 11, 1775) was a farmer, miller, and political leader from Brooklyn, New York. He represented New York in the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775. He signed the Continental Association and is thus considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.Boerum's family settled on Long Island when it was a part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. His parents were William Jacob Boerum (1687–1766) and Rachel (Bloom) Boerum (1690–1738), who farmed in the town of New Lots, in Kings County, New York, which is now part of Brooklyn. Simon was born there on February 29, 1724, and was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church on March 8. He attended and graduated from the Dutch school in Flatbush. Boerum farmed and operated a mill in Flatbush. In 1748, he bought a home and garden at what is today is the southwest corner of Fulton and Hoyt streets in downtown Brooklyn. On September 30, 1724, he married Maria Schenck (1726–1771), and the house became their home for the rest of their lives. In 1750, Governor George Clinton appointed Boerum as county clerk for Kings County. He would hold that office for the rest of his life, as well as a seat in the Province of New York Assembly after 1761. In 1774, the Assembly could not reach agreement about the Continental Congress. Kings County selected him to represent them, and on October 1, 1774, the Congress added him to the New York delegation. In the Congress, he supported the non-importation agreement and the more radical members in general. He helped to defeat the Galloway Plan for union and reconciliation with England. Early in 1775, the Colony's Assembly rejected the work of the first Congress and was hurriedly adjourned to prevent further measures from consideration. In April, Boerum was elected to the revolutionary New York Provincial Congress. That body in turn named him once again to the Continental Congress, but illness soon forced his return from Philadelphia. Simon died at home on July 11, 1775, and was originally buried in the Dutch Burying Ground in New Lots. In 1848, he and his wife, Maria, were re-interred in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Simon Boerum (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Simon Boerum
Dell Avenue, New York Brooklyn

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N 40.652222222222 ° E -73.989722222222 °
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Dell Avenue

Dell Avenue
11232 New York, Brooklyn
New York, United States
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Battle Hill (Brooklyn)
Battle Hill (Brooklyn)

Battle Hill is the highest natural point in Brooklyn, New York, United States, at 216 feet (66 m) above sea level. The hill is part of the Harbor Hill Moraine, a terminal moraine formed during the last glacial period. Battle Hill, located in what is today Green-Wood Cemetery, received its name from the battle which occurred on its slopes between American troops under the immediate command of General Samuel Holden Parsons and British troops under the command of General James Grant. The fighting occurred on August 27, 1776 during the Battle of Brooklyn, the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War. The Americans inflicted the largest number of casualties against the British troops on the slopes of Battle Hill. Among the many casualties in the fight was British Colonel James Grant of the 40th Regiment of Foot: When the Americans viewed his name, which was sewn into his headgear, they erroneously believed they had killed General Grant.Battle Hill is also known as Gowan's Heights, and was historically part of the Heights of Guan. Several monuments are sited on the hill, most prominent being the bronze statue Altar to Liberty: Minerva by sculptor Frederick Ruckstull, sponsored by local businessman Charles M. Higgins in 1920. Minerva faces the Statue of Liberty across the harbor, and there has been a community effort to make this a protected view, a distinction so far only held in New York City by the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Weir Greenhouse
Weir Greenhouse

Weir Greenhouse is a historic greenhouse located across the street from the main entrance of Green-Wood Cemetery in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York City. It was designed by George Curtis Gillespie and built in 1895 by James Weir, Jr., a Brooklyn florist who had been in business for 50 years when he built the greenhouse for the business he operated with his son and grandson. It is a rectangular, wood frame and galvanized iron building with projecting bays and domes in the Victorian commercial style. The main entrance is set at an angle to the street corner and is octagonal in form. The rooftop features an octagonal cupola with a ball finial. Attached to the greenhouse is a one-story brick office structure.The Weirs continued to operate the business until 1971, when they sold to the McGovern family. The building was designated a New York City Landmark in 1982. On February 2, 2012, the Weir Greenhouse was purchased by the neighboring Green-Wood Cemetery, which planned to preserve the greenhouse and restore elements which have decayed in recent years. By early 2015, structural stabilization of the vacant, decayed building was complete, and the project was scheduled to move toward restoration of the building to its 1895 appearance. As of 2020, the restoration is still underway, but Green-Wood planned to convert the greenhouse into the cemetery's visitor center.The greenhouse was made a New York City designated landmark in 1982. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.