. A Walloon family in America; Lockwood de Forest and his forbears 1500-1848. nished or not, the Long Wharf was the pride andboast of the town born, for those who could claimthis title held themselves above those who could not,and did not allow these latter the same rights on thewharf. In fact, a sharp distinction was drawn be-tween the town born and interlopers. It wasthe custom for the Long Wharf merchants to assem-ble frequently at the tavern at the head of the wharfto have a good time. There over a bowl of punchor half and half, made from genuine Grenada orAntigua of their own importation,
. A Walloon family in America; Lockwood de Forest and his forbears 1500-1848. nished or not, the Long Wharf was the pride andboast of the town born, for those who could claimthis title held themselves above those who could not,and did not allow these latter the same rights on thewharf. In fact, a sharp distinction was drawn be-tween the town born and interlopers. It wasthe custom for the Long Wharf merchants to assem-ble frequently at the tavern at the head of the wharfto have a good time. There over a bowl of punchor half and half, made from genuine Grenada orAntigua of their own importation, they would dis-cuss the state of the West India trade, the conditionof the country, and affairs generally. It was on onesuch occasion, when nearly all were assembled,that the astounding news was received of the treach-ery of their old friend and fellow West India mer-chant, Benedict Arnold. They could not believethat one who in 1775 was with the foremost to marchin defense of his country, could ever betray it ; butwhen the evidence was past controverting, they con- [ 26 ]. LONG WHARF AND THE SITE OF THE BONTICOU HOUSE, NEW HAVENFrom Doolittles Map of New Haven, 1812 Prosperous Days soled themselves with the reflection that Arnold was New Havennot a Long Wharf merchant ; had he been locatedon that venerable wharf, he could never have beena traitor. Great, too, was the excitement among the boys inthe town when the news would spread that a vesselhad arrived from the West Indies ! Then they wouldflock to the wharf, where oranges and cocoanuts werefreely distributed and where there was always thepossibility of securing sugar or molasses from leakyhogsheads. The Yale students, also, were wont toflock there for the good bathing opportunities itafl^orded. To be situated on this wharf was a matter of realconcern to shipping merchants. It is recorded thaton August 25, 1804, Lockwood de Forests new firmpurchased from Andrew Hull, Jr., for ^1500 acertain piece of land with two stores stan
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