VICTORY Boulevard, one of Staten Island’s longest roads, has a history that goes back to a 19th Century US Vice President. The village of Tompkinsville, founded by a future Vice President, Daniel D. Tompkins (1774-1825) in 1815, while he was the Governor of New York State. He established a ferry service to Manhattan in 1817, from the foot of Victory Boulevard at the bay, and founded the Richmond Turnpike Company as an expedited means for wagons to travel to Philadelphia and elsewhere on the East Coast. Tompkins was elected Vice President on a ticket with James Monroe in 1816, and served two terms. He died here in Tompkinsville just 3 months after leaving office and is buried in St. Mark’s Churchyard on 2nd Avenue and East 10th Street in Manhattan; Tompkins Square Park also bears his name, as well as Tompkins Avenues in Staten Island and Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Daniel Tompkins’ wife, Hannah Minthorne Tompkins, is also remembered by Tompkinsville’s street layout. Four of his children were named Hannah, Sarah Ann, Griffin and Minthorne. Originally, streets in Tompkinsville bore those four names; today, Van Duzer Street has replaced Sarah Ann Street, Bay Street has replaced Griffin, but Hannah and Minthorne Streets are still in place. Hyatt Street is likely named for Tompkins’ mother, Sarah Ann Hyatt Tompkins, while Minthorne was the name of Tompkins’ father-in-law, Magnet Minthorne. Daniel Van Duzer was a Tompkinsvile landowner in the 1830s, with Van Duzer Street running through what used to be his holdings.
Daniel Tompkins extended a turnpike west from the street named for his daughter Arietta in 1818 and for a century it was called simply Richmond Turnpike. After the USA’s successful WWI campaign, the turnpike was renamed Victory Boulevard, seen here at Hodges Place in Castleton Corners, in 1918.
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10/30/24