History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 59

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 59
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 59

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The Raritans, Wrongfully Accused, Attacked by Kieft's Soldiers. - Without waiting to be attacked,

1 Broadhend, 1. 308.

" Broadhead, p. 314.

3 Journal of N. N., In Hot. Doc., H. 103 : Report In Hul. Dor., li. 368 ; V'C'all., 1. 224, 419, Ito Vries, 158 . Doc, [list. > Y., Iv. 5, 6, 7, 8. 4 Broadhead, 1. 300.

912

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Kieft, the imprudent director, soon found an oppor- tunity to become the aggressor. It happened that some persons in the company's employ, while on their way to the South River, landed at Staten Island for wood and water, and on re-embarking stole some swine belonging to De Vries and to the company, ; paper" he begins by saying, "The Savages of Rari- which had been left there in charge of a negro. The tan daily grow holder," and goes on with his braggadocio, offering ten fathoms of wampum for the head of every one of that tribe, and twenty fathoms was offered for the heads of the actual mur- derers. blame was thrown on the innocent Raritan Indians. who lived about twenty miles inland.1 These Indians were also accused of having attacked the yacht "Vrede," which had been sent among them to trade for furs.

Kieft rashly resolved to mete out to the alleged offenders the punishment he thought deserving ; there- fore he sent Van Tienhoven, the provincial secretary, to lead a party of fitty soldiers and twenty sailors to attack the Indians and destroy their corn, unless they should make prompt reparation.2

When Van Tienhoven reached his destination, he demanded satisfaction, which, of course, as innocent Indians, was refused him. This refusal at once ex- asperated the men under his command, and they wished to kill and plunder the Indians, which they knew would please Kieft. Van Tienhoven remon- strated, but at last, showing his weakness as a com- mander, left the party, protesting against their diso- bedience. Several of the Indians were killed, their crops destroyed and such tyranny was perpetrated by the company's servants that there was now little hope of ever regaining the friendship of the Indians. Thus

Kieft, in his hatred to the Indians, feared to exas- perate the people, who charged him with seeking a war in order to make "a wrong reckoning with the was laid the foundation of a bloody Indian war, i Company," and who now began to reproach him for which before long desplated all New Netherlands, and made Kieft's administration a hissing and a by- word among the people.

Had the government of New Netherland been in the hands of a " prudent" director, its prosperity would, perhaps, have been by that time permanently estab- lished. But prudence was not an element in Kieft's character. His levy of contributions had already alienated the Indians around Manhattan, and the cruelties inflicted upon the Raritans had aroused a feeling of revenge, which only waited a fitting mo- ment for it- display.

The Raritans attack De Vries on Staten Island.3 -The moment for retaliation had now come. While the Raritans cajolel Kiett with peaceful messages, they suddenly attacked De Vries' unprotected plan- tation on Staten Island, killing four of his plant- er- and burning his dwelling and tobacco-house. Thus De Vries' feeble colony was smothered in its birth through the blind folly of Kieft in inflicting upon the Indians a punishment for wrongs done by his own peng le.

Folly breeds folly. No sooner had Kieft heard how

the Raritans had avenged the wrongs done them than he issued a proclamation for the extermination of the race of Indians, forgetting in his blindness that the Indians were as good players at the game of extermination as were the Dutch. In his "state

River Indians attack the Raritans.4-Incited by the offered bounties, some of the River, or Manhattan, Indians attacked the Raritans. In November, 1641, a chief of the Tankitekes, or Haverstraw tribe, named Pocham, "who was great with the governor at the fort." came in triumph to Manhattan with a dead man's hand hanging on a stick. This he presented to Kieft as the hand of the chief who had killed the Dutch on Staten Island. "I have taken revenge for the sake of the Swannekens" said Pocham, "for I love them as my best friends." >

Other murders were committed by both parties and equally justified by cach, and more especially by the Weekquaesgeeks, who complained bitterly of the treatment they had received at the hands of the Dutch.

personal cowardice. "It was all very well," they said, for him, "who could secure his own life in a good fort, out of which he had not slept a single night in all the years he had been here."

Meeting Called .- Kieft, perceiving that he would have to bear the whole responsibility of the proposed war, reluctantly sought the counsel of the community ; he therefore ordered all the masters and heads of fam- ilies to meet at Fort Amsterdam, " to resolve there on something of the first necessity."6 At this meeting several questions of an incendiary character were pro- posed by Kieft, whereupon the meeting chose " twelve select men" to consider the propositions submitted by the director.

The Twelve Chosen-First Representatives of the People .- The following-named persons were chosen to act upon questions of Director Kieft : Jacques Benten, Maryn Adriaensen, Jan Jansen Dam, Hen- drick Jansen, David Pietersen de Vries, Jacob Stof- felsen, Abram Molenaar, Frederick Lubbertsen, Jo- chemi Pietersen (Kuyter), Gerrit Dircksen, George Rapelje and Abram Planck.

Of these first representatives of the people of New Netherland, De Vries was made president. The

1 Alb Records, H. 42 ; Journal von N. N., in Hol. Dx., ili. I01 ; Ior Hist N Y., Jv 8,

3 Brua head, 1. 300.

J Broadhead, 1. 315

4 Broadhead, i 315.

5 The Indians were in the habit of calling the Dutch " Swaunekens." o Broadhead, i. 17.

913

FIRST REPRESENTATIVES

twelve men were all Hollanders, or emigrants from: Holland 1

The popular representatives did not delay their answers to Kieft's questions. While they agreed that murders should be avenged, they thought that "Gul and the opportunity" ought to be taken into consid- eration, and that the director should make the neces- sary į reparations, and especially procure a suthicient number of coats of mail " for the soldiers, as well as for the freemen, who are willing to pay their share in these expenses." They also thought that trade should be temporarily kept up with the Indians, and on the whole, the "twelve men" took a very sensible and conservative view of the matter.

De Vries, who had been the principal loser by iu- cursions, took the same view, only in stronger terms. But Kieft did not wish to listen to conservatism, and demanded war. To accomplish his favorite design, Ire questioned each of the twelve men separately, and found, as before, that prace reigned in their breasts, and De Vries, the president of the twelve, was drei- dedly opposed to war.

Indians turn to the Dutch for Protection and are Butchered .--- The war that had been going on at intervals between the lower river Indians and their powerful enemies of the north was at this time (1648) just breaking out afresh ; as the northern tribe care down upon their weak brethren in the vicinity of Manhattan, the river Indians, as they were called, fled to the Dutch tor protection. This the weak- minded Kieft thought was his opportunity for which he had waited long. He had dissolved the represen- tative " twelve," and yet he feared the people, should he attack the Indians. Well he might, for besides the retaliation which would fall upon the scattered whites and outlying plantations, the Indians were now the guests of the Dutch. Violent and unscrupulous men, however, soon opened a way for the slaughter of the Indians. Among the former " twelve" were Jan Jansen Dam, Maryn Andriaensen, and Abram Isaac- sen Planck, "three inconsiderate boors." Kieft's secretary, Cornelis Van Tienhoven, was a crafty, sub- tle, intelligent, sharp-witted man. " He was an adept in dissembling. When he laughed heartiest he bit most; when he hated most he pretended the

1 Hol. Dve., v 327-329 ; All, Rec., H. 136-7 ; H. S. Y. I . C. i. 277-278. De Vries, 160, says that Ki It can . I the election of the twelve mens, " to aid him in managing the affairs of the country. " but Van der Donck, in his " Vrrivogh,' written eight yente afterwards, norm" that they " had in juilletal matters neither vate nar udvier, but were chomen in view of the war and some other occurrences, to serve as "look" and entspann." (IJ N Y. H. S. Col., 300.) Of these " Twelve Von," Ben Iyu was one of Van Twiller's Counch ; Adriaenson cany ont un a colonist to Renewlaprawyck in 1631 ; Imam was alsoen columnist there, in lod, len drick Jansen wie a tailor at Manhattan ; Studioben was one of Van Twill- for's commissarien, and had married the widow of Van Court, of l'avenir . Lubbertson was "Brat bostswain ;" Pietersen, or, a la war called, huster. came out in 1630 ; Rapelje was one of the original Wallons that most of at the Wall-light ; Plauk, or Vorplank, was a farmerat Paulus Ilwerk ;

of Molenaar and Fireken the records may little , of De Vries, much. " Winfield's " History Hudson Co., & J."

warmest friendship. In words and deahug- he was loose, false, deceitful and lying, promising every one, but when they came to the point, he was not at home'" He and Planck were brothers-in-law and sons in-law of Dam. Planck Dam, and Adriaensen were the cronies of Kieft. As Kieft was dining with Dam at Shrovetide on the night of Feb. 24, 1643, and had become mellow with drinking "mysterious toasts," and so open to the approach of evil counsel, the host, with Planck and Adriaensen, assuming to speak for the people, presented to Kieft the follow- ing cruel petition drawn up by Van Tienhoven for the innoediate slaughter of the unsuspecting Indians :

" TO THE HONOR ABLE WILLIAM KIEFT, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF NEW NETH-

The who lo of the freemeu rope fully r form of that the ich bereta- fore much Innocent blend was spilleut ty the savage with at Having lind that the chefs should deliver the murderer into your hands, (either deal or bliv , wherein they have failed, up to the present time the reputa- tin of which our n tion bath in other court, en has thun to dimin- Island, cion, notwithstanding ' innocent bloed alleth Basit I land for vengeance, we therefore s quest your Honor the pl al muth riz us to attack the Indians as enemies, whilst and hath fully i read the on into our hands, for which pargne we ain't out patrullen. This tal In efecto, at the one place by the from men and at the ther by the soldier

JAN JANSEN IJAMES. 4 ABRAHAM PLANCK

" By their anthority,

"CORNELIS VAN TIFNU NEN ~cretary -3

Although the "twelve" had been dissaved by Kieft himself, and he therefore well knew that no one could speak for them, he was weak enough to heed the voice of these men who falsely spoke in the name of " the whole of the freemen." In his anxiety 1, perform what he thought a great and hernie deed, he yielded to their counsel, and resolved to make the savages wijwe their chops." On the following day Van Tienhoven and Hans Stein, at one time a deputy jailor in Now Amsterdam, came over to Pavonia lo reconnoitre the camp of the ludians.4 t'apt. De Vries and Dominic Bogardus having been informed of what was going on, remonstrated against the whole proceeding, but in vain. Kiet, however_ was am- bitions "to perform a feat worthy of the ancient heroes of Rome,"3 and immediately issued the fol- lowing order:

· Sergeant R »b If is commanded and authorized to take under bis mo- mail a tropol mulders and kad them to l'avenir, and drive away all destroy the savages being behind Jan Everten's, but to share as much

ON Y Hist. Soc., V . 1. 345 Duc. Hint. V. Y . 1v 13.

" Hanfeld's "Hist. Ind. Co.," p. 35, ale. \ \ Het S. N. S., 1 31. ; The Hist NY, tv IL.

3 \ \' Tist. NM . N. 8. 1. 209.

. De Vries says they encampal at Par nis, year " the Dyster Bank." "On Jun de Lacher'n Hone k. uenr Jan Evertsen a Bouwerie Mel. Ilist of Y Y, I. am. "By the houwerle of Jan Evertown " That, I IR " Behind the settlement of Expert Wont reen, and adjoining the bouwers of Jut Everton's Bank " ('Call., N. N., 1. 267).

914

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

as is possible their wives and children, and to take the savages prisoners. Hle may watch these for the proper opportunity to make his assault suc- ceesful for which end Hans Stein, who is acquainted with every spot on which the sa age are skulking, accompanies him. He, therefore, shall consult with the aforesaid llans Stein and the corporals. The exploit ought to be executed at night with the greatest caution and prudence. Our Ciddi may bless the expedition.

" Do. 25 February, 164.3."

With such revolting blasphemy did the weak di- rector end such a cruel order. The settlers were scattered and entirely without notice of the impend- ing blow. Their position and want of preparation for defense rendered them an easy prey to the say- ages. Under these circumstances the Dutch were entering upon a course the end of which was only destruction.

The Massacre of Pavonia.1-The light of Feh. 25, 1643, was fading, and the shadows of the black winter night were fast drawing over the beautiful bay. Huddled and shivering on the western slope of Jan de Lacher's Hoeck, under the protection of the Dutch, the unsuspecting Indians thought themselves safe from the fierce Mohawks and Iroquois. But while they drew around the camp-fires, and talked or dreamed of their forsaken wigwams, Manhattan was all astir with the movement of troops and citizens. The noble-hearted De Vries stood beside the director when the soldiers, under Sergt. Rodolf, passed by the fort on their way to Pavonia, and said to Kieft, " Let this work alone; you will go to break the Indians' heads ; but it is our nation you are going to murder." Kieft doggedly replied. "The order has gone forth; it shall not be recalled."

The sergeant, with his eighty soldiers armed for the slaughter, marched down to the river, and, embarking in boats prepared for the purpose, silently rowed to- wards the shores of Pavonia. Rounding the south- erly point of Paulus Hoeck, under the guidance of Hans Stein, they pulled for the high point at the mouth of Mill Creek. Here they landed. ('limbing the bank, they passed close to the house of Egbert Woutersen, and cautiously approached their sleeping victims. Suddenly the sound of musketry was heard, and the wild shrieks of the Indians rang out upon the midnight air. Capt. De Vries, who, in content- plating the consequences of the expedition, could not sleep, says : " I remained that night at the Governor's, and took a seat in the kitchen near the fire, and at milnight I heard loud shrieks. I went out to the parapets of the fort and looked toward Pavonia. ! - saw nothing but the flash of the guns, and heard no- thing more of the yells and clamor of the Indians, who were butchered during their sleep." Neither age nor sex could stay the hand of the unrelenting Dutch. Sucklings were torn from their mothers' breasts and butchered in the presence of their parents, and their mangled limbs thrown into the fire or water. Others, " while fastened to little boards,"-

the rude cradle of the papoose,-were cut through, stabbed and miserably massaered. Some were thrown alive into the river, and when their fathers, obeying the promptings of nature, rushed in to save them, the soldiers prevented their coming to the shore, and thus parents and children perished. The babe and the decrepit old man shared the same fate. Some succeeded in hiding among the bushes from their de- stroyers, but the next morning, driven out by hunger to beg for bread, were cut down in cold blood, and thrown into the fire or river. De Vries says : "Some came running to us from the country having their hands off. Some, who had their legs cut off, were supporting their entrails with their arms, while others were mangled in other horrid ways, in part too shock- ing to be conceived, and these miserable wretches did not know, as well as some of our people did not know, but they had been attacked by the Mohawks." Isaac Abramson, a captain of one of the vessels which had brought over the soldiers, and was waiting for their return, saved a little boy and hid him under the sails; but towards morning the poor child, overcome with cold and hunger, made some noise. Instantly he was "heard by the soldiers. Eighteen Dutch tigers dragged him from under the sails in spite of the en- deavors of the skipper, who was alone against cigh- teen, cut in two, and thrown overboard."? Eighty Indians were slaughtered at Pavonia during that night, and this, says De Vries, was "the feat worthy of the heroes of old Rome."

Retaliation of the Indians .- Great was the rejoic- ing on Manhattan when the soldiers returned from the butchery, bringing with them the ghastly heads of some of their victims. While yet the smoke of bat- tle filled the air, and the blood of the innocent Indians was yet coursing down the hillside, the work of retaliation had commenced by a few surviving Indians, who had secreted themselves in the bushes.

Immediately after the slaughter Direk Straatmaker, his wife and a few Englishmen, arrived on the field of slaughter, with the view of plundering the dead and wounded. They were discovered, however, by the few Indians that had escaped slaughter, who fired upon Direk and his companions, killing Mrs. Straat- maker and wounding Dirck, who died shortly after. The soldiers heard the liring and returned in time to save the Englishmen and the babe of Mrs. Straatmaker.3

" DECLARATION RESPECTING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UNDER WHICH DIRCK STRAATEMAKEN AND HIS WIFE WERE KILLED BY THE INDIANS AT PAVONIA.

" We, the undersigned Sergeant, Cadet and soldiers, declare and testify

2 " Bruden Raedt, " Doc. ITist. of N. V., iv. 104.

This child was afterwards named Jan Dircksen Struntinnker. Shortly after this affair he was bound by the authorities in New Amsterdam to Clues Teunissen, with whom he had, on Feb, 28, 1659, been living for six- teen years He was then in his seventeenth year. (" Minutes of Orphan's Court, Nrw Amsterdam, "96.) Hle minst have been very young at the time of tho mawaere. It is probable that from him camo the family of that name that lived so long a time in Hoboken. Ite married Gecejo Gerrits, Jan. 14, 1665. (" Winfield's Land Titles," 58.)

1 Winfield's " Ilist. Ind. Co.," 37.

915

TREATY OF PEACE.

at the request of the Fiscal Cornelis van Hoykens, that on the - of February 1643 (in the morning after having attacked according to order a party of savagra behind Egbert Woutersen's) Direk Straateraker, hin wife and some Englishmon enme to the place, where the lead were lying, lo eteal coro or something else We declare with promise to confirm our statement with a rolein onth, that we have warned the said Straatetmaker and lus wife and said to them "Go to your house," whereupon the mid Dirck answered . We are not in danger ; even if there were una hundred savages, they could do me noharm.' The withrwen then moved away. going according to their instructions to Egbert's house. Arrived there they heard cries and the Sergeant ordered some soldiers to go there, who found the said Jurek wounded (he finally died uf hin wounda) and hin wife dead. They rescued the Englishmon, who had only one gun among them.

" Thomas Willett declares, that the onid Direk was asked ' Why did you not como with us when we warned you' and that he answered 'I might have escu june, but I would not leave my pour wife.'

" All of which the witncaw's declare to be true

Done the 19th of May. 1643, in Now Netherland.

" This is the mark

4h of

" THO. WILLETI. " It RIAFS HopLer, Sergeant.

" PIERRE. PIA.

" l'adet. "

So unsuspecting were the Indians of the treachery of the Dutch at the time of this massacre that some of them fled from Pavonia to the fort in New Amster- dam for protection, believing for a time that they had been attacked by the Mohawks." They were soon undeceived, however, and forthwith entered upon a relentless war, by the consolidation of eleven tribes, who resolved upon the work of destruction. They murdered all the men they could find, dragged the women and children into captivity, burned houses, barns, grain, hay-stacks, and laid waste the farms of the whites. From the Raritan to the Connecticut not a white person was safe from the tomahawk and scalping-knife, except those who clustered around Fort Amsterdam.

A Supposed Peace Treaty .- In the spring of 1643 a peace was talked of and agreed upon between the whites and Indians, but it was of a character not calculated to last long. The river tribes were uneasy under the great injuries inflicted upon them by the hated Swannekins, which had not been avenged or atoned for, and nothing but blood or a full satisfac- tion could extinguish the fierce hatred which they nursed. Early in August, 1643, the war-whoop was sounded above the Highlands, and thence it rolled southward. In some instances by stealth, and in others by open violence, the Indians waged a vigorous and relentless war of retaliation. Seven tribes had by this time joined the coalition, which spread terror on every hand.

Kieft Calls upon the People for Assistance-The War still goes on, and Bouweries are Laid Waste -Another Treaty of Peace,-In his hour of peril Kieft called upon the people, whom he had previously slighted, to come to his assistance. They selected eight representatives to confer and advise with the director and Council. In this body was Jan Jansen Dam; but for the part he had taken in bringing

about the tragedy in February he was expelled, and Jan Evertson Bout, of Communipaw, chosen in hi stead. The eight resolved on war, and Kieft pro- ceeded to arm the people and stationed them in small companies to protect the outlying settlements. But the Indians were alert, and gave the Dutch but little time for preparation. The force detailed to defend Lord Nederhorst's colony were routed on the night of September 17th, and the house in which they took refuge was burned. Jacob Stoffelsen, then living Dear what is now the corner of Henderson and Third Streets, in Jersey City, fearing his place might be injured, had three or four soldiers detailed for its pro- tection. October Ist nine Indians came to his house and were kindly disposed toward him, and did not wish to injure his person, and by some means induced him to cross over to the fort. They then approached the soldiers as friends, and, being thrown off their guard by this show of friendship, gave no attention to their fire-arms; they were attacked, killed, and the building burned. The Indians took young Ide Van Vorst prisoner, and carried him to Tappaen .? Aert Tunisen, of Hoboken, ont on a trading excursion, was killed near Sandy Hook, 'and afterwards his farm was laid waste and his cattle destroyed. The four bouweries in Pavonia -Bout's at Gamoenepaen. Woutersen's at Jan de Lacker's Hoeck, Stotelsen's at Ahasimins, and Teunisen's at Hoboken-were laid waste and the buildings destroyed, not generally by open force, but by creeping through the bush and set- ting tire to the roofs, which were constructed either of reeds or straw.4 Before leaving they burned every house in Pavonia except the brew-house in Hoho- ken," and destroyed every bouwerie and plantation, with twenty-five lasts of corn and other produce, and killed or drove away the cattle." Pavonia and adjoining districts suffered more than any other section. So complete was the destruction and de- moralization that the whole of what is now New Jersey was again in possession of its original owners and occupants.

This condition of affairs caused much discontent among the colonists, and poverty became the legiti- mate child of war. While the company's treasury was empty Kieft very foolishly tried to replenish its depleted coffers by another tax levy, which, added to the war, kept the country in a disturbed condition until the spring of 1645, when several of the tribes of Indians concluded a treaty of peace with the Dutch. The treaty, however, was not signed till Aug. 30, 1645, and was in the following language :

. This day being the With day of August, 1645, appeared in the Fort Amsterdam, before the Direct ir and Council, in the presence of the whole

2 N. Y Hist. No .. N. S., 1. 972. The next day, at the request of Kieft and St felsen, De Vries went to Tappaen and ransomed the "buy."

3 Valentine's " Hant. N. Y., " 47.

4 Cul Ilist. N. Y., 1, 185.

b l'ol. Hint. \ Y., 1. 329.

· Broadhead. 1. 300.

' N. Y. Hist. Soc , N. S. 1, 260,

916

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Commonalty, the sachets or chiefs of the savages, as well as in their wwn behalf as being anthorized by the neighboring savages, namely : Orataney, chief of the Ackinkes-hacky ; sessenkenick aml William,

hiefs of Pappaen and Reckguwa-wauk , Pacham and Pennewink (who are here yesterday and gave their power of attorney to the former, and Iso look upon themalves & answer for those of Onancy and the vicinity of Majanwertennemin, of Marechowick, of Nyack and its neighborhood), vì Ajjen, wh , personally appearel, speaking in behalf of Wappinx, Wiquaeskecks, Sintsnichs and Kichtawons :

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 59

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830