The Race to Win Staten Island

A long, long time ago, New York and New Jersey fought over each other's

island

s. Were they New York or were they New Jersey? To determine who belonged to whom, New York proposed a

race

! All the

island

s that could be surrounded in less than 24 hours would belong to New York. Those who don't, to New Jersey. Staten Island was the grand prize, then described as "the most comfortable and richest land." New Jersey wanted it and since the island is huge and the ships of yesteryear were slow,... ...New Jersey thought it was impossible to go around the island in less than a day, so it would be theirs.

But young New York, determined to expand her state empire, thought she had the right man for the job. Captain Christopher Billopp. The clever captain tied empty barrels to his ship, to help catch the wind and speed up,... ...and it was this that made the difference, winning the

race

against time,... ...and surrounding the most comfortable island of Staten for New York. in just over twenty-three hours. This delightful feat earned Billopp historical immortality in books, articles, and on Wikipedia... ...and the magnified New York gifted the captain a property, on Staten Island, of course,... ...which still exists today. It remains standing today, a historical museum and park for local Staten Island.

The New Yorkers who, if it weren't for Billopp, would become Jerseyans. What a nice story! So *perfect* for the New York/New Jersey border disputes video I'm working on. But wait, was the 24 hour race around *each island individually* or *all the islands at once*? This wording is not clear. You could also ask the museum about the route. I have always found that local historians happily honor local heroes. Well, there's no reason to sit around, let's follow the trail of the footnotes. New York Times, 1913. Ok, Billopp is inspired to put the barrels on his boat. There is great suspense as people await his fate in the state of residence... ...and it took Billopp "a little over twenty-three hours" to complete his journey.

That's unhelpful and it's a newspaper: no sources are listed, just the name of the journalist. But six years later he wrote a book that contained practically the same story. (although viewers go from suspense to *throbbing suspense*) And unlike a newspaper, there is a Bibliography (yay!) but it's not broken down by chapter (boo!). I really don't want to go through this. Please tell me the museum responded. Hmmmm Wait a minute: More than two hundred years ago? The article says almost three hundred years ago. There is almost a hundred years difference. When did this race occur? Almost three hundred years ago, from 1913 would be around 1620.

But New Jersey only became New Jersey in 1664 by royal charter. What… does that thing even mention Billopp? Why do so many organizations post these small, illegible gif versions of their *founding documents*? Then there's no mention of Billopp, or even Staten Island, so the race had to happen *after* the contract. Which means that no more than 249 years have passed before this article. That's the *oldest* source it could be. What is the *youngest* reliable source who could mention the race? Well, the Supreme Court dealt with ownership of the islands of New York and New Jersey in the '90s.

Does that mention Billopp? (Gray) Uhhooohhh (Gray) Ohhhh, New Jersey you're going crazy...it's only just begun. (Gray) Hahahaha, he got you New York! Thunk (Gray) What was he doing? Oh, right... There's nothing here about Billopp, but they do mention another Supreme Court situation from 1880. But there's no mention of Billopp either. Meanwhile, the museum hasn't *yet* returned and I suspect they're avoiding me. But there is a history section on the site, which says that the house was built around 1680,... ...and Christoper Billopp was a filthy royal loyalist... ....and his house was the place of a failed peace conversation... ... between the righteous revolutionaries and the conquering crown.

A traitor for the video! Sweet. Wait, there's a hundred years difference again... Oh, damn! There are two of them! Captain Christoper Billopp (two L's, two p's) and Colonel Christoper Billop (two L's, one p') The latter is the former's great-grandson. They both live in Billopp Manor, Staten Island. This has caused a lot of confusion…. But Captain Billopp died in 1726, so the race had to take place between 1664 and then. Okay, I give up. Let's delve into this. NOTHING IS CONSEQUENTIAL! Look, look: on Wikipedia and the New York Times, the race lasted just over 23 hours. But The Staten Islander, 1911, says the race lasted exactly 23 hours and 37 minutes.

Where did that come from?? And the boat. Sometimes she is a ship that crosses the Atlantic with cannons. And sometimes she is Billopp's personal brave ship. Or the mansion. In early versions of the story, Billopp already lived in the mansion. But in later versions, it was a reward for his victory. Or the barrels. *The barrels*!! In A History of Thomas and Anne Billopp Farmar and Some of Their Descendants (1907),... ...there is this paragraph about the exact spot where Billopp waved the barrels. But that detail is never mentioned anywhere else. Right here. But in Morris's earlier Memorial History of Staten Island (1898)... "He is said to have covered the decks of his ships with empty barrels, thus gaining considerable sailing power." The "it" in "it is said"... (a weasel phrase if ever there was one)... is J.

J. Clute, who wrote The Annals of Staten Island twenty years earlier,... ... telling the story without hesitation. And Clute begins his "history" book by saying that he spoke to a group of veterans... ...just before he died and got stories out of them... ...to add to The Forest of All Knowledge, which otherwise way they would have been lost. Which is a polite way of saying, “This is oral history.” Which is a polite way of saying, “These are rumors.” Which means: "This is a heard story." Which means: "This is not history." And so it is revealed. The story of the race is cute and perfect because it is a story of Lady Godiva. (told long after it supposedly happened) And she survived the centuries being smart and cute.

And evolving to be smarter and cuter as she progressed. It's Ye Old Meme. So much time wasted... chasing ghosts. It's time to fix the record and it's time to let it go. But... whose ghost is it? Fantastic stories require narrators. Who told this story for the first time? Crossing the centuries to steal hours of my life, for the lulz? OK. I have resumed a previous trial of J.J. Clute. There's a New York Evening Post article from 1873... (with the race, without the barrels, and where Billopp already owned the land, by the way)... that lists the main culprit: Reverend Disosway.

The 'local chronicler' who told the story. I'm singling him out as the veteran Clute spoke to for his book that set the story in motion. There are references to Disosway writing articles for The Richmond County Gazette... ...about this race that never happened. And the Staten Island Historical Archives has digitized *hundreds* of volumes. But after checking *all* of them, there are no Disosway items. But some volumes are missing. He now looks. I don't want to get all conspiratorial here... About a History Museum that never responded. Or a Staten Island Historical Archive that is missing both parts I'm looking for.

But I'm in... very deep now. I have located the only place in the world where physical copies are preserved... ... of the Richmond County Gazette. The New York Public Library. Who coincidentally also lists vital volumes as missing? But are they really? Perhaps somewhere in your archive of old and rare books are the missing editions. But unfortunately, I live thousands of miles away. The trail went cold, but I have the name of the culprit. Disosway (1798 to 1868) is the first storyteller. But the first written records are lost to history. time to let go. I couldn't let it go. I came to the New York Public Library to see for myself that Disosway's first story... ...about Billopp in the Richmond County Gazette is really missing.

Ohhhh… This is it. The last place with answers. The rare book room. (Grey, whispering loudly) It's really over. I tried to convince the librarians to let me into his rare book crypt. And, to my great surprise, they said… “No.” (librarian) Shhhh!! (Grey, to the librarian) I'm sorry. (Grey, whispering more quietly) But I was able to speak to someone who might be the world's expert on The Gazette... ...and he confirmed (quite firmly) that the lost volumes really are lost. So this is it. The end of the footnote journey. There's nowhere left to go. While I'm here, I might as well go to the Billopp Museum... ...and talk to the historians who never got back to me. (laughing) Ignore my emails?

Maybe it will show up! You got to be kidding. They closed it! I got here and they closed it?!?! Well… at least I know the building is real. Although it is not exactly clear when and why it was built. And... as far as I can tell... Captain and Colonel Christopher Billops were real people... ...connected to the founding and freedom of the country. And these reality hooks probably helped Disosway's story survive through the centuries. From his mouth to Clute's ear and book, and then to the rest. And finally, the New York Times, which will be obtained from Wikipedia,... ...which I will find (I wish it had never happened) for me.

But here, on the southern tip of Staten Island,... ...alone and excluded from the Billopp house, it's really the end of the story. Nothing else awaits me on this island except ghosts and tombs. Oh!! Where is?? I know you're here somewhere! Ah HAHAHA. Oh, it's amazing!