The Oyster War of 1884 Between Glen Cove and City Island Intensifies

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Yesterday I posted an item about the 1884 "Oyster War" during which Glen Cove, Long Island feuded with City Island and Connecticut oystermen over ownership of oyster beds off its shores.  See Tue., March 23, 2010:  Yet Another "Oyster War" in 1884; Glen Cove Officials Feud with City Island and Connecticut Oystermen.  The oyster war intensified only a few days after the events described in yesterday's posting. City Island oystermen armed with revolvers and shotguns descended en masse on oyster beds planted by Glen Cove residents and harvested thousands of bushels of oysters.  The article below describes the developments.

"LONG ISLAND.

GLEN COVE.--The oyster war still rages.  Elnathan Hall, one of the victims of the City Island oystermen, has made complaints against several of them, and has the names of all the captains of the boats that were at work upon the beds, and will commence suits against them in the County Court.  Mr. Van Nostrand, a planter, says that over 3,000 bushels of oysters have been stolen from his bed.  Henry Davis, who has six acres planted and staked off, has lost several hundred bushels of oysters that he had raised from the seed.  He relates that the boatmen come on his beds armed with revolvers and shotguns.  Elnathan Hall asserts that he has had every oyster on eight acres of land stolen.  The City Islanders say that the beds are natural ones."

Source:  Long Island - Glen Cove, New-York Tribune, Oct. 28, 1884, p. 8, col. 4.

For other recent postings in this series, see:

Tue., March 23, 2010:  Yet Another "Oyster War" in 1884; Glen Cove Officials Feud with City Island and Connecticut Oystermen.

Mon., March 22, 2010:  77-Year Old City Island Oysterman Joshua Leviness Reminisces in Testimony Provided in 1884.

Fri., March 19, 2010:  The New York Legislature Stepped Into the Oyster War on Long Island Sound in 1895.

Thu., March 18, 2010:  1859 Town of Huntington Record Reflecting Dispute with City Island Oystermen.

Wed., March 17, 2010:  Report of September 13, 1884 Tour of Oyster Beds by Captain Joshua Leviness of City Island.

Tue., March 16, 2010:  More on 19th Century Oystering in Pelham - Descriptions of Oyster Beds Off Hart Island, City Island and in Pelham Bay Published in 1887.

Mon., March 15, 2010:  More on 19th Century City Island Oyster Industry - City Island Oystermen Complaint of Pollution.

Fri., March 12, 2010:  Early History of Oystering in the Waters Off City Island in the Town of Pelham.

Thu., March 11, 2010:  The "Great Oyster War" Between City Island and Tarrytown in 1877 and 1878.

Mon., July 30, 2007:  1885 Report Notes Decline of Oyster Industry Near City Island in the Town of Pelham.

Thu., July 26, 2007:  Pelham's City Island Oystermen Feud with Long Islanders in 1869.

Fri., July 27, 2007:  Possible Origins of the Oyster Feud Between City Islanders and Huntington, Long Island.

Fri., April 13, 2007:  Oystermen of City Island (When It Was Part of the Town of Pelham) Pioneered Oyster Cultivation.

Mon., September 18, 2006:  A Brief Description of Oystering in Eastchester Bay and at Pelham Published in 1881.

Fri., January 26, 2007:  A History of the Early Years of City Island When it Was Part of the Town of Pelham, Published in 1927.

Thu., December 3, 2009:  Pelham News on May 30, 1884 Including Allegations of Oyster Larceny and Meeting of the Pelhamville Improvement Association.

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/.
Please Click Here for Index to All Blog Postings.