Picture this Greenridge Staten Island in 1896. A black bear sighting gripped the tiny hamlet. Doors slammed shut at dusk. Guns were cleaned and loaded. This wasn’t just any bear. This was a large ferocious creature. It sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest Greenridge residents.
Greenridge a western part of Eltingville on Staten Island’s South Shore has a rich history. Its earliest settlers were French Huguenots. The Dutch called it Kleine Kill Little Creek. The British called it Fresh Kills. Around 1876 it acquired its present name.
The bear story began with David H Cortelyou a Civil War veteran and farmer. His son Stephen first encountered the beast. The ensuing hunt involved many Greenridge residents. They scoured the woods armed with shotguns and revolvers. The hunt became a community event fueled by rumors and fear. The excitement spread even to James Carroll’s hotel for fishermen at Giffords-by-the-Sea. Men gathered there planning a grand bear hunt.
The hunt culminated at George White’s farm. The men heard growls. Panic ensued. Some men climbed trees others hid behind fences. Ultimately the terrifying growl turned out to be one of White’s St Bernard dogs digging at a small animal’s nest. The bear hunt ended in anticlimactic laughter. The entire event was a testament to the close-knit community of Greenridge. Their collective fear and shared experience solidified their bonds.
The Cortelyou family a prominent Greenridge family played a significant role in the bear hunt story. Their history stretches back to 1652 with Jacques Cortelyou a French Huguenot surveyor. David Cortelyou the Civil War veteran was at the center of the bear hunt. The story of the great Greenridge bear hunt illustrates the close-knit nature of the community. It showcases their shared experiences and their unique place in Staten Island’s history. The old Cortelyou farmhouse once stood near the intersection of Arthur Kill Road and Cortelyou Avenue. A housing development and strip mall now occupy the site. Much of the land however remains vacant a testament to the past.