By chapter 144 of Laws of 1850 (p. 242), passed April 4, 1850, so much of the territory of the city of Brooklyn as lay east of the centre of Division Avenue, between the intersection of South Sixth Street, in the village of Williamsburgh, and Flushing Avenue, in the city of Brooklyn, was annexed to the village of Williamsburgh; the city of Brooklyn was divided into eleven wards (therein described), and the Common Council of the city was authorized, under certain restrictions and limitations, to cause streets and avenues to be opened and widened, and to be regulated, graded, and paved, public squares and parks to be opened, regulated, and ornamented, etc., and to close up and discontinue roads, streets, lanes, and avenues, etc.[25] By chapter 102 of Laws of 1835 (p. 88), passed April 18, 1835, a portion of the town of Bushwick--"beginning at the southeast corner of the present village of Williamsburgh, running thence southeasterly along the line that divides the town of Bushwick and the city of Brooklyn, to a turnpike road leading from Brooklyn to Newtown and Flushing, at a point near, and southwesterly of, the house of Charles DeBevoise, thence running along said road northeasterly to the crossroads, thence northerly along the road leading to Bushwick Church to the Williamsburgh and Jamaica turnpike, thence northerly along the road, passing the church, and leading to Newtown Bridge, about twelve hundred feet, to an abrupt angle in said road turning to the east, thence westerly about eighteen hundred feet until it intersects the head of navigation of a branch of Bushwick Creek, thence westerly along said branch creek, according to its meanderings, to the main creek, which is the present boundary of the said village of Williamsburgh, thence southerly along the eastern boundary line of the said village of Williamsburgh to the place of beginning"--was annexed to Williamsburgh, and Nicholas Wyckoff, David Johnson, Peter Stagg, Robert Ainslie, and John Leonard were appointed commissioners to lay out streets. In 1840 the town of Williamsburgh was created, and eleven years later the city of Williamsburgh was incorporated, comprising the village of Williamsburgh. The city was divided into three wards, and the Common Council was authorized, under certain restrictions and limitations, to cause streets and avenues to be opened and widened, and public squares and parks to be opened. The city charter was drawn by S. M. Meeker, counselor of the village, a lawyer, whose name was prominent in the annals of this section of Brooklyn for many years. Mr. Meeker was counsel of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank when chosen its president in 1881. He was a prime mover in the establishment of the First National Bank.