USA > New York > New York City > History of the New Netherlands, province of New York, and state of New York : to the adoption of the federal Constitution. Vol. I > Part 1
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Gc 974.7 D92hi v.1 1752894
M.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01105 6147
Gc 974.7 D92hi v.1 1752894
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofnewneth01dunl
G I ]
840
HISTORY
-
OF THE
NEW NETHERLANDS,
PROVINCE OF NEW YORK,
AND '
STATE OF NEW YORK,
TO THE ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
BY WILLIAM DUNLAP.
V.1 VOL. I.
*
NEW YORK :
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR
BY CARTER & THORP, EXCHANGE PLACE.
1839.
93016 840
I
1752894
To payed by the Stewart Tiene the original Partout in the possession of
ENTERED, According to Act of Congress, in the year 1839, BY WILLIAM DUNLAF, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of NEW YORK.
-
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
-
CHAPTER I. PAGE.
Dutch claims-Discovery of America and New Netherland-Verrazzano -Canada-Indians of New Netherland-Gallatin-America Antiquities, - - 9
CHAPTER II.
Discovery of Manhattoes-Henry Hudson-Commencement of New Nether- land-Christianse and Block, 30
CHAPTER III -
Colonization of New England-Intimate connection with the Dutch of New York-Massachusetts-Permanent settlement of New Netherland-Silas Wood-Long Island-The Patroons-Peter Minuits-Van Twiller-The Swedes-Gustavus Adolphus, 42
CHAPTER IV.
Tendency which the ignorant have in all ages to worship idols of their own making-Universality of Negro Slavery in the beginning of the seven- teenth century-Superiority of Eastern Colonists- Absurdity of a com- mmunity of property in mixed societies -- The population of New Amsterdam -- State of society under Sir William Kieft-Various encroachments upon his jurisdiction-Canadian affairs-Foundation of the enmity borne by the Iroquois to the French, 55
CHAPTER V.
Fort Amsterdam-Long Island-Hartford-Struggle of Sir William Kieft -With New England-with the Indians-De Vries-Roger Williams -- Canadian affairs-Previons History of Captain Underhill-Troubles and unhappy end of Director-general Kieft,
CHAPTER VI.
Swedes on the Delaware -- Minuits-Printz -- The Stuarts-Colonization of New England -- Doctor Vanderdonk -- Peter Stuyvesant -- Controversy with the commissioners of the United New England Colonies -- Charzes against Stuyvesant as conspiring with the Indians to cut off the English, denied and refuted, 86
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4
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII.
Connecticut is confined within limits by the Duke of York-Conduct of Nicolls --- Discontent of the towns-Francis Lovelace, governour-Conti- nnation of the History of the Iroquois till 1671-The Rev. Mr. James- The Lutheran Church in New York, 118
CHAPTER VIII.
Holland re-conquers New Amsterdam -- The fort-Garrison commanded by Captain Manning-New Orange-Anthony Colve -- Again restored to the English, and Andros appointed as the Duke of York's governour- Town meetings on Long Island, and application for a representative assembly denied by James-New Jersey, - 128
CHAPTER LY.
Governonr Dongan-The first representative assembly -- Charter of Liber- ties -- Canadian affairs -- Fort Frontignac-French Missionaries, Priests, and Jesuits among the Iroquois -- Dongan counteracts the views of James -The governours of Virginia and New York meet the Iroquois at Albany -They profess to be, and are, independent : the interpreter represents them as otherwise-Expedition of M. Barie against the Iroquois -- His distress -- He is reproved by an Indian-Dongan protests against a French fort at Niagara-De Nonville's expedition-Dougan recalled, 133
CHAPTER X.
The bigotry of James-Favours the French views, religious and political- Doctrines of Rome in opposition to self-government -- Success of James in introducing these doctrines-Aların and resistance in England : in New York-Jacob Leisler raises the standard of William HI-Opposition made by the officers of James -- Convention of Albany -- Bayard -- Van Cortlandt -- Phillipse-Schuyler -- Letter from England, authorizing the present ruler to govern till further orders-Leister, Lieutenant-governour -Robert Livingston -- Leisler's proceedings -- Bayard's petition, - 148
CHAPTER XI.
Hostilities in America, notwithstanding the peace declared in Europe -- Affairs of Canada-Destruction of Schenectady, January, 1690 -- Other French and Indian wars-The open opposition to Leisler put down- Leisler and the governonr of Connecticut plan an expedition against Ca- nada, which fails-Causes-William Phipps, 173
CHAPTER XII.
Great discontent .in New York and Connecticut-Arrival of Captain In- goldsby, with troops-lle joins the party of Bayard, Van Cortlandt, Livingston, etc .- His claims properly denied by Leisler -- His outrageous proceedings -- Sloughter arrives -- Leisler is seized, and after a mock trial, is executed, with his son-in-law, 190
CHAPTER, XIII.
Retrospect-First assembly under Sloughter's government-Canadian affairs -- Slonghter's death-Ingoldsby, governour, pro tem -- Schuyler attacks the French, at La Prairie -- Indian wars -- Richard De Peyster -- Fletcher, governour-Confirmis the aristocratick council -- Caleb Heathcote -- His family-His mode of enforcing religious exercises on Long Island- Fletcher is guided by Peter Schuyler -- Count Frontignac -- Wars with the Iroquois-Great expedition against them,
211
5
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIV.
Piracy --- Lord Bellamont, governour -- Robert Livingston-William Kidd completes his crew at New York -- Turns pirate -- Returns to America and is secured by Bellamont --- Treasure -- Bellamont at the head of the democracy-His council, at the time of his arrival-Progress of the city -New City Hall, in Wall street-French plans of conquest in America
1 -. Bellamont claims the Iroquois as subjects to England and New York- Canadian affairs -- Death of Bellamont,
229
CHAPTER XV.
Continuation of Kidd's affairs-Persecution of Robert Livingston-Rever- sal of the attainder of Jacob Leisler, and restoration of property to the family -- Lord Corubury's family and character -- Bayard's trial and cou- demnation-Reprieve -- Relief by the arrival of Cornbury, and reversal , of the judgment against him-Nanfan, and the assembly of 1702, -
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CHAPTER XVI.
1
Colonial government- Cornbnry relieves Bayard, and avows himself leader of the aristocracy -- Yellow fever of 1702-Cornbury a zealous Episcopalian-Affairs of the Iroquois and Canada -- Peter Schuyler's efforts -- Queen Anne appoints Cornbury to the government of New Jer- sey, with New York-His instructions to promote religion, and the in- crease of African slavery -- English navigation act -- Cornbury unites both parties in a detestation of himself -- He is superseded, and thrown into jail by his creditors-Becomes Earl of Clarendon, and a peer of Great Britain -- Lovelace, governour -- His death, -
253
CHAPTER XVII,
Preparations for subduing Canada-Alacrity of New York-The Iroquois join-Troops halt at Wood Creek -- English armament goes to Portugal -The provincials are led back -- Discontent -- Expedition from Canada -- Schuyler's plan for engaging England in the conquest of Canada-Ile goes to England with five Indian chiefs -- Produces another English at- temipt, which fails as before -- Governour Hunter -- Ilis Council -- Arrival of Germans -- Lewis Morris -- Jacobus Van Cortlandt -Hunter's demands upon the assembly -- Details of the failure of the attack upon Canada -- Treaty of Utrecht -- Pirates, - 265
CHAPTER XVIII.
Court of Chancery-By the treaty of Utrecht, the Iroquois considered sub- jects of England-l'eter Schuyler-Governour Burnet-Doctor C. Col- den-Oswego-Congress at Albany - Spotteswode - French plan of extending forts from St. Lawrence to Mississippi-Chevalier de Joncaire -Burnet's plan, in opposition to France-French at Niagara-Governour Burnet's difficulties and final removal to Massachusetts-Character, . . - 280
CHAPTER XIX.
Montgomerie, governour-Burnet in Massachusetts-Nature of colonial government-Military governours-Members of the council at this time -Death of Montgomerie-Rip Van Damn -- Colonel Cosby, governonr -Dispute with Van Dam-Bradford and Zenger-Smith and Alexander -The aristocratick and democratick parties, and their leaders-De Lancey and Phillipse-Zenger's trial, - 291
6
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XX.
.
Colonial history of New York; why valuable-City; description of-Man- ners of the times-Lord Angustus Fitzroy ; his reception, and the conse- quences-Death of Governour Cosby, and promulgation of the suspension of Van Dam-Struggle for power between Clarke and Van Dam, termi- nated by a mandate from England-Morris-Disfranchisement of the Jews -Management and abilities of Clarke, 311 ..
CHAPTER XXI.
Madness of the people of New York, in what is called the Negro Plot- Horsemanden-Hughson and family-Peggy Cary-Kane-Price-John Ury-Executions-Trial of Ury, and his execution-Reward of Mary Burton, 320
CHAPTER XXII.
Arrival of Admiral Clinton, as governonr of New York-Capture of Louis- bourg-Distress of the frontiers-Destruction of Hoosick and Saratoga- Sir Peter Warren-Governour Clinton at Albany-Failure of England to second the projected conquest of Canada-Governonr Clinton's insolent language to the house of assembly, and their spirited reply-David Brai- nard-Murder by a shot from a man-of-war in the harbour of New York -Sir Danvers Osborne-Congress at Albany,
352
CHAPTER XXIII.
The congress of 1751-Progress of the French-Debasement of Provincials by the English government and by British officers-Affairs at Oswego, and other parts of Lake Ontario-Expedition of General William John- son against Crown Point-Hendrick-General Lyman-Fort Edward- Johnson arrives at Lake George -- Lyman, leaving a garrison at Fort Edward, joins him-Baron Dieskau -- Defeat of Williams-Attack upon Provincials-Johnson wounded-Lyman commands -- Dieskan wounded, and his troops defeated-Affair of McGinnis-Campaign of 1755-Lord London-M. Montcalm takes Oswego and Fort William Henry, - 372
CHAPTER XXIV.
Fort William Henry-Trognois-Lord Loudon-Lonisbourg-Abercrombie, his defeat ; and the death of Lord Howe-Charles Lee-Bradstreet takes Fort Frontignac-Lientenant-governonr De Lancey meets the legisla- ture-Mr. Pitt's requisitions for the compaign of 1559-Wolfe and Quebec -Amherst-Ticonderoga-Crown Point-Isle aux Noix-Prideanx- Niagara taken by Johnson, 390
CHAPTER XXV.
Legislative enactments-Death and funeral of Lieutenant-governonr De Lancey-Amherst's conquest of Canada, 401
CHAPTER XXVI.
General Amherst arrives at New York ; is invested with the Order of the Garter by Monckton, at the encampment on Staten Island-Monckton and army sail for Martinique-Troops raised for the regular service of Great Britain-Gratitude of England-Stamp Act-Its retrospect and reception in America in general, and New York in particular-A congress in New York-Stampsarrive-Riots -- Prudent measures -- Lord Chatham -Repeal of the Stamp Act, - - 406
7
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXVII.
New Hampshire grants-Unanimity in opposing the stamp act -- Triumph at its repeal -- Liberty-poles-English project for raising a revenue from the colonies -- Charles Townsend, 429
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Some causes of the war of the revolution-The Gaspee -- Informers --- Impressment, -
CHAPTER XXIX. 439
Refusal to grant more than £200 -- Philip Schuyler, George Clinton, and N. Woodhull -- The Tea-Committee of fifty-one -- Congress of 1774, - - - 447
CHAPTER XXX.
Lieutenant-governour Colden-Appointment of Washington -- Lee -- Gates -Washington's reception by the Provincial Congress at New York, - - 456
CHAPTER XXXI.
The congress of 1774 -- Articles of confederation during the war of the revo- lution -- The history of Vermont -- New York in 1775 -- The Asia -- Charles Lee, -
460
CHAPTER XXXII.
1
Chatham-Rivington -- Christopher Colles-Washington -- Schuyler, - - - 473
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Churches and Clergy -- Lawyers and Physicians, 482
1
LOPES
8+9
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
CHAPTER I.
Dutch claims-Discovery of America and New Netherland-Ver- razzano-Canada-Indians of New Netherland -- Gallatin -- American Antiquities.
THE territory claimed by the Dutch, and by them called the New Netherlands, extended, in the first instance, from Cape Cod to Delaware Bay on the Atlantic,* including the islands of the sea coast : the river St. Lawrence seems to have bounded it on the north : on' the south, some undefined line beyond Delaware Bay ; and west, it was boundless. But for the purpose I have in view, at present, which is to lay before my readers all that I know respecting the inhabitants of this territory when our Dutch ances- tors first visited it, I must bound the New Netherlands to the west by a line drawn from the upper part of Lake Erie to the Ohio River. I shall have hereafter to speak of other lines and boun- daries, when we are called to consider the conflicting claims of the various nations of Europe. That such claims, and the hetero- geneous and hostile colonies resulting from them, should ever have combined to form one great nation, such as we now see in the United States of America. is what must make the most unthinking seriously ponder on the future.
In the year 1497, (five years after Columbus disco- 1497 vered, San Salvador,) Gabotti. or Cabot, saw the island of Newfoundland, which the Northmen had already disco- vered long before, and called Vinland.t Columbus, a Genoese,
* Vanderdonck, writing in the New Netherlands previous to 1653, gives the extent thus : "Beginning north of the equinoctial, 38 degrees and 53 minutes, extending north.easterly along the sea-coast to the 42nd degree."
t Humboldt, the great philosophical traveller, has given it as his opinion that the Northmen, or Scandinavians, were the first discoverers of America. Others have asserted that Columbus, in 1477, when he visited Iceland, obtained such knowledge respecting these early discoveries as resulted in his ever memorable voyage to the West Indies. The Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries at Copenhagen have already VOL. I. 2
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10
DISCOVERERS.
'in the service of Spain, gave to that kingdom a claim to all Ame- rica, because he, in 1492, arrived at San Salvador ; and Cabot, a Venetian, in the employment of Henry VII., of England, con- ferred a supposed right upon that monarch to half, or the northern ' portion of that new world, the whole of which Columbus and the Bishop of Rome had already given to Spain.
Those islands called the West Indies, were, probably, at some distant period, a part of our continent ; and when Christopher Colon, or Columbus, fell in with them, in his search for the East Indies. he called the inhabitants Indians, supposing that he had arrived at the land of his desires. It was soon, however, believed that this discovery of Columbus was a new world ; and as he was in the employment of Spain, this new world, with all its in- habitants, was claimed by that kingdom, and the claim was con- firmed by the Bishop of Rome,* to whom all the earth and its inhabitants belonged. As the Genoese Columbus had given Spain a right to all the new world in 1492, so the Venetian Ga- botti, or Cabot, gave the same kind of right to England in 1497 ; but England had no ecclesiastical confirmation of her claims, and relied solely on her power to enforce them. The Norwegian - discovery was already forgotten. Cabot touched at Vinland in 1497, and called the country Newfoundland ; he then sailed along
thrown much light on the visits of their ancestors to America, and little doubt remains that these early navigators touched our coast as far south as Massachusetts and Rhode Island ;+ but I shall, as far as possible, or eligible, confine myself to the New Netherlands, that is, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and part of Connecticut ; and the first navigator who gives us any account of the coast, or the inhabitants of any portion of this region, is Giovanni Verrazzano. (Sce Hackluyt.) In conse- quence of his voyages we may suppose that Heury IV., of France, granted to M. des Monts, all America, from the 40th to the 46th degree of latitude, and of course, the present state of New York ; but James I., of England, likewise gave it away, as a part of Virginia, in consequence of Cabot's voyage. But before Columbus, if we believe the various claimants for the honour of discovering Ame- rica, the Arabs of Spain. the Welsh, the Venetians, and the Danes, besides the - Northmen above mentioned, had seen the new world ; certain it is, nothing resulted from their discoveries. Various dates are given to the voyages : the Spanish Arabians, 1140; Madoc's, 1170 ; and Venice, when mistress of commerce and the sea, when prosperity caused pride, and pride guilt, may have seen America and called it Antilla before the map of 1436 ; and the story of the fisherman and the Zeni may be worthy of belief. From these shadowy tales I free my pages, and hope to bring forth realities enough and prove their truth.
* Alexander VI. The material parts of his bull granting the New World to Ferdi- nand and Isabella, the sovereigns of Spain, will be found in Vattel's law of Nations. Book.1. Ch. 18. Note.
t Collection respecting American antiquities, published by the Royal Society of Antiquaries of the North :
986 .- Eric, the red. formed a settlement in Greenland, he emigrating from Iceland.
1000 .- The son of Eric, in a voyage of discovery, saw various lands and named thein ; he finally built huts on a part of the coast, and having discovered grapes, named the land Viuland.
11
DISCOVERERS.
the coast, sometimes landing, but generally kept some leagues out at sea, as far perhaps as the capes of Chesapeake Bay and having occasionally visited the shore during this voyage, he brought back to his employer a cock and hen-turkey, and three New- foundland savages.
King Henry VII., of England, seems not to have believed that the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, had a legal or divine right to be- stow the whole of the new world upon the King of Spain ; he therefore sent out Cabot again, with instructions to plant his standard on the walls of all " the cities and castles," (which the inhabitants of this newly discovered world had built for their own convenience or pleasure, without consulting his majesty,) and to take possession of all the countries " unappropriated by christian sovereigns."
Thus we see that if the people of these countries should have happened to be governed by a monarch not a christian, or to have been so silly as to govern themselves, then they and their country were to be taken possession of "in the name of Henry" King of England ; and the Venetian Cabot was instructed " to maintain with the inhabitants a traffic exclusive of all competitors, and ex- empted from all customs, under the condition of paying a fifth of the free profit of every voyage to the crown." The Venetian brought back two turkeys. But England claimed, in conse- quence of his voyage, the whole of North America not already taken possession of by Spain. The Spaniards had really found cities and castles, on which to plant the standard of their king ; and as the Bishop of Rome had given to them all they could find, they took all, and murdered such of the previous possessors as resisted. the will of the Pope : those who submitted and became christians, were only made slaves.
But the English had not been sufficiently allured by the pro- ducts of America, which Cabot brought to them as a return for
1004 .- In 1002 his brother Thorward went to Vinland, and prosecuting disco- veries, went east and north : saw Esquimaux-attacked them-murdered many, and was himself killed.
1006 .- Other adventurers found a country more southerly, where the winter was without snow : spent a winter there-saw and had intercourse with the inhabitants, called Skrellings, as were those I call Esquimaux.
1012 .- Another voyage to Vinland is given.
1015 .- An adventurer and trader settled there, and an American born son. The records of these discoveries are supported by nautical and geographical facts, etc. The intercourse between Greenland and Vinland long kept up.
1112 -Bishop Eric went to Vinland.
1266 .- Voyages of discovery prosecuted.
1347 .- A voyage from Greenland to Markland.
Result, that in the tenth and eleventh centuries the Northmen discovered Ame- rica-Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries on the ante-Columbian History of America.
1
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VERRAZZANO.
the cost of fitting out his voyage of discovery and conquest ; he had seen neither cities, castles, nor gold. Nearly a century elapsed before Englishmen were tempted to take possession of the land of turkeys, although the undoubted property of their so- vereign. In the meantime an adjoining nation, (who, although neighbours, were not loved quite as well as themselves, by the in- habitants of the British Isle,) the French, employed another Italian to make discoveries west of the Atlantic, and secure the 1523 future happiness of the inhabitants of all countries in the
New World, by converting them to christianity, and the present enjoyment of the benevolent discoverers, by taking pos- session of their property, their territory, and themselves. Francis the first commissioned Giovanni Verrazzano to make conquests and converts for him and the Pope. But Verrazzano did not even bring back a turkey.
Francis, however, was not discouraged; and in ei- 1524 ther a second or third voyage, Verrazzano arrived on the coast of America, to the south of New-York, in this year ; and as he proceeded northwardly, hoping (as all the ex- plorers of those times did,) to find a northwest passage to the East Indies, he was delighted with the beauty of the country, , and the friendly reception he met with from its inhabitants. As he approached our superb bay and islands, from the southi, the scenery increased in loveliness, and the natives in demonstra- .' tions of admiration and hospitality. The Indians flocked to the shores with the fruits of their forests and fields-they invited and assisted the strangers to land-they received them with joy and reverence. In return for the admiration, courtesy and hospitality of the savages, the civilized servants of the most christian king kidnapped a boy, bore him off from home and parents, and endeavoured to force a young woman from her friends, relatives, and country, by brutal violence; but her struggles and their cowardice prevented the accomplishment of the rape.
Still pursuing a northwardly course, Verrazzano arrived at the highlands near Sandy Hook, and delighted with his discovery, entered Amboy bay. In the words of the Italian voyager as trans- . lated,* " He here came upon a beautiful spot situated among hills, through which a vast river rolled its waters towards the ocean. There was water enough at the mouth for a ship of . any burthen ; but he resolved to try the passage first in his boat." " He was met by the natives, who far from giving any sign of fear, advanced towards him with joyful gestures, and shouts of
* Sec North American Review ; Hackluyt's voyages ; and transactions of the New York Historical Society.
13
DRESSES AND MANNERS OF THE NATIVES.
admiration." Such demonstrations of welcome appear to have met him wherever he approached the shores of New Netherland. " Before he had penetrated beyond half a league into the beau- tiful lake," (' Bellissimo lago,') and while the inhabitants of each shore were hastening "to catch a sight of the strangers," a violent wind forced him to return to his ship, and he put to sea again, and pursued his way northward and eastward. Thus Verraz- zano was driven by stress of weather from the great bay between Staten Island and Sandy Hook (or the shore of New Jersey,) be- fore he had explored New York harbour, or the mouths of the Hudson or Raritan. He passed the island subsequently visited by Adrian Block, the Dutch navigator, and which still bears his name. But Verrazzano called it Louisa, that being the name of king Francis's mother .. Fifteen leagues more brought him to the harbour of Newport; his description of which has been applied to New York harbour, erroneously by Belknap and Miller. As from the shores of New Jersey, and from Long and Staten Islands, so here, the navigator was visited by the hos- pitabie and admiring natives ; and as the description of these people given by the Italian, may be supposed in some measure, to correspond with that which suited the inhabitants of our coast, when first permanently colonized, I will give it nearly in his words .* Among those who visited the ship, were two kings, a title very lavishly bestowed by Europeans of that time, on the . chiefs or sachems of the country. One seemed to be about 40, the other 24 years of age : the elder was arrayed in a robe of deer skins, skilfully wrought with rich embroidery ; his head was bare, with the hair carefully tied behind; his neck was adorned with a large chain, set off with various coloured stones. " The younger chief was dressed somewhat after the manner of the first." The complexion of the people is described as being clear. From which we may suppose, that they had not adopted the custom of daubing themselves with earth and grease, but were purified by the waters of the Atlantic ocean. Their features ap- peared regular to the Italian, and their colour not much darker than his own. "Their eyes black and lively." "Their hair long, and dressed with no ordinary degree of care." Their whole appearance bearing resemblance to the busts or statues of the ancients. This will remind the reader of the exclamation of Ben- jamin West, when he was first shown the statue of the Apollo Bel- videre, " how like a young Mohawk warrior!"
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