Amazing People of New York: Inspirational Stories

149 Pages·2010·5.82 MB·English

by  Charles Margerison

AMAZING PEOPLE OF
NEW YORK
DR CHARLES MARGERISON
Amazing People Club is a Supporter of:
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The Amazing People Club®
Amazing People of New York
Published by Viewpoint Resources Ltd
Trading as The Amazing People Club©
Dr Charles Margerison 2008
Viewpoint Resources Ltd
10 Grange Road, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside, England C48 4HA
Tel: [phone]
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Web: www.amazingpeopleclub.com
Represented by Amazing People Club LLC in North America
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This publication is provided subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,
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other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being
imposed on the subsequent publisher.
BioViews Disclaimer
BioView® and the Amazing People Club® are registered trademarks. The published materials, under these
marks, represent the views of the author.
A BioView® story is a scripted virtual interview based on research about a person’s life and times. As in any
story, the words indicate only an interpretation of what the individuals mentioned in the BioViews® could
have said. While the interpretations are based on available research, they do not purport to represent the
actual views of the people mentioned. The interpretations are made in good faith, recognizing that other
interpretations could be made. The inverted commas used in the BioViews® give an indication of possible
dialogue in the context of the story. The author and publisher disclaim any responsibility from action that
readers take on the BioViews® for educational or other purposes. Any use of the BioView® materials is the
responsibility of the reader and should be supported by their independent research.
ISBN: 978-1-921629-40-2
Design by Varjak Design www.varjak.com.au
®
Contents
The Author’s Note
Introduction 2
Jak Lenape – Fisherman 4
Captain Giovanni da Verrazzano – Ship Captain of La Dauphine 6
Captain Henry Hudson – Ship Captain of the Half Moon 8
Peter Minuit – Dutch Director General 9
Jonas Bronk – Landowner 10
Pieter Stuyvesant – Dutch Director General 11
Richard Nicolls – British Governor of New York 14
Stephanus Van Cortlandt – Mayor of New York 16
Elias Neau – French Immigrant and Teacher 18
Anna Zenger – Wife and Newspaper Editor 20
Governor Clinton – British Governor of New York 22
George Washington – Military Leader and First USA President 24
Viewpoints and Quotes 26
George Clinton – First American Governor of New York 28
Julian McEvers – Stockbroker 30
Alexander Hamilton – Lawyer, Politician and Publisher 32
Robert Fulton – Steamship Owner and Entrepreneur 34
John Bloomfield Jervis – Engineer 36
Albert Gallatin – Politicians and Benefactor 38
John Jacob Astor – Landowner and Philanthropist 40
Patrick Hanlon – Labor Union Organizer 42
Sojourner Truth – Slave and Abolitionist 44
Albro Lyons – Manager of Colored Sailors Home 46
Clemence Sophia Lozier – Doctor 48
Cornelius Vanderbilt – Shipping and Railroad Entrepreneur 50
Viewpoints and Quotes 52
William Cullen Bryant – Newspaper Editor 54
Frederick Law Olmsted – Architect 56
Thomas Edison – Inventor and Businessman 58
Washington Roebling – Bridge Builder 60
Amazing People of New York
Susan B. Anthony – Women’s Rights Campaigner 62
Mark Twain – Author 64
George Plunkitt – Landowner and Tammany Hall Member 66
Theodore Roosevelt – Politician and Author 68
Mary Lilly – Politician 70
Al Jolson – Singer 72
John D. Rockefeller – Businessman and Philanthropist 74
Damon Runyon – Author 76
Fiorello Henry La Guardia – Politician 78
Viewpoints and Quotes 80
Oscar Hammerstein – Composer 82
Othmar Amman – Architect 84
Margaret Sanger – Health Organizer 86
Robert Moses – City Planner 90
Irving Berlin – Songwriter 92
Leroy Sands – Student 94
Viewpoints and Quotes 96
Population Trends 98
Timeline of Events 100
Films and Musicals 104
Songs about New York 108
Annual Celebrations 109
Places of Interest 112
Index 139
Amazing People Team 142
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club
Amazing People of New York
The Author’s Note
Dr Charles Margerison is a Chartered Psychologist,
a member of the Royal Institution and the Royal
Literature Society. He is Chairman of Viewpoint
Resources Ltd, a publishing organization. Previously,
he was Professor of Management at the University
of Cranfield, UK, and also at the University of
Queensland, Australia.
The author of more than ten books on management
issues, he has written an innovative continuing
professional development system called The
Communication and Problem Solving Resource. He
is the co-founder of Team Management Systems and the Chairman of Bell
Hughes Music Group. He lives in Queensland, Australia.
Dr Margerison is the founder and author of the Amazing People Club Series.
This unique range is based on BioViews®, a new concept that combines a
biography with a virtual interview. The stories are presented as if written
by the amazing person concerned and are an interpretation of their life.
BioViews® offer new and accessible ways of exploring the lives of people
who made major contributions to our world. They are inspirational stories
that can help you achieve your ambitions in your own journey through life.
Thanks to Frances Corcoran, Alan Ernst, James Maxwell, Emily Hamilton,
Monica Lawlor, Lisa Moffatt, Katharine Smith, Dennis Bedson, Emma
Braithwaite and Rodney Bain for their great work on the production of this
book.
For more information, please visit www.amazingpeopleclub.com.
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club

Amazing People of New York
Introduction
If you were visiting New York in 1789, you could have met some of the
people who helped form the United States of America. At that time, New
York was the capital city of a new country. George Washington arrived to
acclaim, as the victorious military leader, and was sworn in as the inaugural
President. Thirteen years earlier, the war of independence from Britain had
commenced in the city, when Washington had led his troops into battle.
It was all a long way from the days in 1609 when Captain Henry Hudson
sailed into New York Harbor and was amazed at what he found. He returned
to Europe to let people know and, as a result, colonists from Holland arrived.
One of them was Joseph Bronk who bought land from the native Indians in
an area now called the Bronx.
It was the start of the fascinating story of how New York came to be one of
the world’s great cities. Over the years, many strong people have contributed
to the growth and development of the city. Richard Nicolls and his men
invaded in 1664 and claimed New York for the British. That was the way it
was until 1776, when the Declaration of the Independence was signed. Since
then there have been many momentous days in the life of New York and for
those who call themselves New Yorkers.
There have been fires, riots, plagues, political battles, celebrations, business
successes and failures. Above all, New York is a story of how people have
survived and succeeded in a city that never sleeps. Over the years, in the
New York streets there has been sadness and joy, optimism and pessimism,
tragedy and triumph. New York has witnessed the continual growth of a
population that today consists of over eight million people, and all that goes
with it in terms of building and development. Everyone who has visited New
York, even for a day, has their story about New York.
In Amazing People of New York, you can gain an impression of what it could
have been like to be there on momentous days through BioViews®. This new
format combines biography with interview to reveal amazing life stories and
great events. Through these inspirational stories you can explore the lives of
people who made major contributions.
Every city has been home to great individuals who, in their different ways,
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club

Amazing People of New York
have contributed to its development. In this book you can travel with
outstanding individuals such as Captain Hudson, Anna Zenger the first
female newspaper editor, Frederick Olmsted the architect of Central Park,
Mark Twain the great writer, Al Jolson the famous singer, and others who all
made their mark on New York.
Each of the BioViews® is a creative interpretation of how these amazing
individuals may have described their experiences. Collectively they create
a pen portrait of the city, in an interview format that is similar to what we
recognize today as a blog. BioViews® are an interpretation of views based
on the known facts.
The founding members of the Amazing People Club have been chosen
for their outstanding contributions. They include individuals such as
Michelangelo, Mozart, Curie, Nightingale, Leonardo, Einstein, and
Shakespeare who appear in the stories of other cities such as London, Paris,
and Rome. In this way, it is possible to gain a unique and personal view,
through the eyes of those who lived there.
Amazing People of New York provides a valuable resource for students,
and all involved in education. Anyone who has an interest in New York can
enjoy the book to gain a rich and unique insight on the city. This book is part
of the Amazing People Club series of books and audio resources which all
explore the life stories of people who have contributed to cities, countries and
cultures. I trust that you will enjoy meeting those who have made New York
the great city that it is today.
Dr Charles Margerison
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club

Amazing People of New York
Jak Lenape
1525
Before the white man arrived, life was simple
Fishing and hunting
Raising our children
Living as peacefully as possible
Occasionally, we had to fight other tribes
Protecting our land rights from intruders was vital
I was the leader of the Lenape tribe
We had a proud tradition
Particularly of welcoming visitors who came in peace
One day, a large boat arrived with huge sails on it
Who were these people?
What tribe did they represent?
We sent our warriors out in canoes to meet them
They reported the men had white faces
We had never seen people like that, nor such a large boat
The sailors came ashore and offered us gifts
Their leader said his name was Captain Verrazzano
The sailors, compared to ourselves, were well dressed
We wore breechclouts and moccasins with leggings
Our clothes were basic, made to protect us in cold weather
Many of the visitors had long beards and did not seem to wash
We exchanged gifts
After a while, the white faces left
Would they return?
Maybe, next time, they would bring their tribe
I could see trouble lay ahead, if they tried to take our land.
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club

Amazing People of New York
© Dr Charles J Margerison - The Amazing People Club