▁ 1 6 7 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁land ▁pat ent ▁on ▁ 9 3 2 ▁acres ▁( 3 . 7   km ² ) ▁on ▁the ▁southern most ▁tip ▁of ▁St aten ▁Island . ▁Arch ae ological ▁evidence , ▁including ▁shell ▁m idd ens ▁and ▁dig s ▁conducted ▁by ▁The ▁American ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁the ▁R ar itan ▁band ▁of ▁the ▁L ena pe ▁camp ed ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁used ▁the ▁location ▁as ▁a ▁bur ial ▁ground . ▁Kn own ▁as ▁Bur ial ▁R idge , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁pre - Europe an ▁site ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁Leg end ▁holds ▁that ▁so vere ig nt y ▁of ▁St aten ▁Island ▁was ▁determined ▁by ▁Capt . ▁B illo pp ' s ▁skill ▁in ▁cir cling ▁it ▁in ▁one ▁day , ▁ear ning ▁it ▁for ▁New ▁York ▁rather ▁than ▁to ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 7 7 , ▁the ▁fort unes ▁of ▁colonial ▁service ▁took ▁Capt . ▁B illo pp ▁to ▁New ▁Castle ▁on ▁the ▁Del aware ▁River , ▁where ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁local ▁g arrison . ▁Upon ▁appointment ▁of ▁Thomas ▁D ong an ▁as ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁of ▁New ▁York , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁St aten ▁Island ▁and ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁government . ▁He ▁was ▁further ▁reward ed ▁by ▁another ▁pat ent , ▁expand ing ▁his ▁St aten ▁Island ▁property ▁to ▁ 1 , 6 0 0 ▁acres