USA > New York > Schenectady County > Schenectady > A history of the Schenectady patent in the Dutch and English times : being contributions toward a history of the lower Mohawk Valley > Part 18
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At the same time the trustees conveyed to him a third lot of ground near the last, " having to ye north the highroad [Water street] being 133 feet,- " the west side also ye high road 153 ft .- south Symon Groot being 133 " ft.,-east Claas Van Boekhoven 153 ft."| This lot was probably on the
* See Bratt and Van Dyck ; Deeds v, 217.
+ Deeds, IV, 332 ; v, 217.
Į Deeds IV, 332.
§ Old deed.
| Deeds, Iv, 332.
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Adult Freeholders.
south corner of Water street and the old river road, which at that time occupied the place now covered by the Binnè kil .*
On the 14 Oct., 1762, Edward Collins, innkeeper, gave to John Baptist Van Eps (perhaps son of the above Jan Baptist), " a house and lot on the " south end of Schenectady on the north-easterly side of a street leading " from where the Old Church stood to Albany [State street], on the northerly " side of a road that leads from said road to the grist-mill of said John " Baptist Van Eps [Jay street],-in breadth in front 55 feet,-in rear one " chain 60 links,-in length on both sides 6 chains."t The front portion of this lot is now covered by Union Hall.
In addition to the above parcels of ground in the village, Jan Baptist also owned the foremost farm No. 8, on the bouwland. This was originally patented to Marten Cornelise Van Isselsteyn by whom it was sold Oct. 23, 1668, to Claas Frederickse Van Petten and Cornelis Cornelise Vielè; the former immediately sold his moiety, being the foremost bouwery, to Jan Dirkse Van Eps, and in Feb., 170}, the trustees of Schenectady gave a con- firmatory deed of the same to his son and heir Jan Baptist,¿ his deed being lost, in which it is described as "a lot containing 12 morgens, bounded " north by ye path, or highway [river road], south by ye hills, or woods, "east by Pieter Jacobsen's [Borsboom] lot now in occupation of Gysbert " Gerritse [Van Brakel], and west by a small kil or creek [Poenties kil], "all wood measure."
This farm has remained in the family till this day.
He had also another village lot at the north end and on the east side of Washington street, bought of Myndert Van Guyseling July 5, 1728, ex- tending from Pieter Mebie's lot to the river.§
* [Rotterdam street (Frog Alley), did not then exist. The road up the river left the gate at south end Church street, followed Water street to the present line of the Binne kil-thence to the westward along the former bank of the stream. The wearing of the east bank of the Binné kil by floods, gradually pushed the road back, and finally Rotter- dam street-an extension of Handalaers (now Washington) street, was carried across Mill creek and a new line of road was carried back a distance from the river. It was afterwards made to conform to the line of the Erie canal, as at present .- M'M.]]
+ Deeds. VII.
Į Patents, 527; Deeds, II, 741 ; Deeds, Iv, 332.
§ Deeds, III, 99 ; XIX, 193.
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History of the Schenectady Patent.
EVERT VAN EPS.
He was son of Jan Dirkse Van Eps. His first wife was Eva, daughter of Carel Hansen Toll, his second, Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac Truax. He had 13 children.
His village lot on the west side of Washington street is now divided into two parcels, on which stand the houses of the late Judge A. C. Paige and Mrs. Peck .*
On the 3d of April, 1707, the trustees of Schenectady conveyed to him four morgens of land on " both sides of the Hansen kil [College brook], " beginning from the east side of woodland belonging to Gerrit Gysbertse " [Van Brakel], where its 30 rods [360 feet] wide and holds that breadth " up along both sides of the said creek till it takes in four morgens."t
This parcel of ground commenced at a point on College brook 720 feet easterly of the west side of Romeyn street or Symon Groot's bridge, and ran up the creek from that point 960 feet, having a breadth of 180 feet on each side of said creek, and was partly within the present [1883] College lands.
MARTEN CORNELISE VAN ESSELSTEYN (YSSELSTEYN).
He was born in the city of Ysselteyn in Holland; his wife Mayke Cor- nelise was a native of Barnevelt; on the 12th Jan., 1676 they made a joint will, both then living in Claverac. He died before 1705, leaving one son Cornelis Martense.
Cornelis was one of the first settlers of Schenectady; after residing here about six years he sold his farms and removed to Claverac. His residence was upon his hindmost farm near the site of Mr. John D. Campbell's house in Rotterdam.
His farms are thus described in the patent of date April 13, 1668 :
" Two parcels of land at Schenectady both marked No. 8 ;- one lying on " the second piece of land to the west of No. 7,-to the east of the creek " [Poenties kit],§ a line cutting between No. 7 [and No. 8] from the creek
* Deeds, IV, 324.
+ Church Papers; also H. Yates' Papers.
# Not. Papers, II.
§ [The Poenties kil crosses the river road on the west side of the old Van Eps place and is usually dry now at that point, the water having been diverted into Willem Teller's killetje. which also crosses the river road about a quarter of a mile east of the Poenties kil. All these streams have failed of water of late years, though this kil comes from the sand .- M'M.]
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Adult Freeholders.
" or kil to the woods south-west somewhat more southerly ;- in breadth 36 " rods containing about 22 acres or 11 morgens ;- the other being upon the " hindmost piece of land on the woodside, to the west of No. 9, to the east " of No. 7, a line being run as before from the creek [Dove gat]* to the woods " south-west by west, -breadth 56 rods, containing about 24 acres or 12 " morgens and 130 rods, as granted June 16, 1664 by Governor Stuyvesant " to said Cornelise."+ On the 23d of October following, Van Esselstyn sold the hindmost lot to Claas Frederikse Van Petten and Cornelis Cornelise Vielè, "together with the house, barn, 3 ricks, 4 horses, 5 cows, 8 hogs, wagon, plough and harrow." On the 25 Aug., 1670, Viele exchanged the same with Jurriaen Teunise Tappen for a house and lot in Albany. Tappen conveyed the same to Dirk Hesselingh, who again transferred it to Harmen Albertse Vedder on the 1st day of February, 1673.1
The foremost lot No. 8 early passed into the possession of Jan Baptist Van Eps.§
On the 23 Jan., 170} " Cornelis Martense, eldest son and heir of Marten Cornelise Van Isselstyn, deceased, of Claverac," confirmed the sale of farms No. 8, to Claas Van Petten. ||
ELIAS VAN GYSELING.
He came to New Netherland in 1659, from Zeeland, in the ship Bonte Koe and settled first at Beverwyck. " Sprekende goet Frans" he was sometimes employed as an interpreter. His wife, Tryntje Claase, after his death married Willem Hall in 1695.
In 1670, he came to Schenectady and with Pieter Cornelise Vielè pur- chased Bastiaen De Winter's farm, described as " a parcel of land at Schenec- " tady, wide on the west side 350 rods, long on the north side 60 rods, lying " by the first land of Willem Teller and Maritie Damens [Van Eps], accord- " ing to patent of 21st October, 1670 from Governor Lovelace."*
* [The Erie canal in its passage across the bouwland was made over a series of dove gats or dead holes containing dead water, once doubtless the ancient bed of an arm of the river. One of these dove gats (called " Maritjes Gat") near the junction of the Prince- town and river roads of great breadth and depth, was enclosed by the two banks of the canal and called " Navarino Bay."-M'M.]
+ Patents, 527.
Į Deeds, II, 741, 777, 866 ; VII, 185; Not. Papers, II ; Wills, I, 285; Will of Johannes Vedder, in Court of Appeal's office.
§ Deeds, IV, 332. | Deeds, IV. ** Deeds, II, 789; see also De Winter.
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History of the Schenectady Patent.
This farm usually called " Elias' plantasie " remained in the Van Gyse- ling family until the death of the late Mr. Cornelius Van Gyseling, in 1865, when it passed into the possession of his stepson Mr. John C. Perry, the present occupant. One of the oldest dwellings in this region (possibly built by Elias Van Gyseling but more probably by his son Myndert),* is still standing on this farm.
On his death, about 1694, his eldest son, Myndert, succeeded him.
His second son Jacob resided in the village upon a lot conveyed to him by Reyer Schermerhorn [trustee] March 1714, and described as "a lot on " the north side of the town with house, barn and orchard, bounded easterly " by the lot of heirs of Samuel Bratt, length from the river to the street 550 " feet, south by the [Front] street in breadth 155 feet, bounded [westerly] "on the house and lot of the heirs of Philip Philipse deceased 162 feet, " south by said heirs of Philip Philipse deceased 75 ft., west by the old " brewhouse [of the Glens], 294 feet and north by the river 255 feet." This lot containing about 2} acres was probably purchased of Arent Bratt the former owner, but conveyed by Reyer Schermerhorn as being the sole sur- viving patentee of the town by the patent of 1684. It commenced at a point on the north side of Front street 100 feet easterly from Wash- ington street and extended easterly to the west line of the lot of the late Nicholas Cain excepting the lot of heirs of Philip Philipse 75 X 162 feet. In 1725-32, it belonged to Myndert Van Gyseling.t
BENNONY ARENTSE VAN HOEK.
He was son of Arent Isaacse Van Hoek of Beverwyck ; marrying Jacquemina Swart, widow of Pieter Cornelise Vielè, he settled in Schenec- tady. He is not known to have possessed any real estate save what he acquired by his marriage }
* | Myndert was married in 1721,-died in 1771, between which dates he probably built this house .- M'M.]
+ Deeds, v, 199, 220
Į B. Van Hoek, Sept. 17, 1686, was cited to appear before the court at Albany on a complaint made by Cornelis Vielè and others,
"yt Bennony Arentse doth most crewelly and barbarously Beat ye Daughter of Pr " Vielè deceased of wh he is the step-father, wh child being stood before ye justices of "Peace is found all blak and blew, and ye "said Bennony being sent for by a Warrant " and appearing before ye justices doth excuse himself Because she is a whole night and " somethings half a night out a seeking cows."
-
183
Adult Freeholders.
JAN GERRITSE VAN MARCKEN.
He and his wife Geertie Huybertse came over in the ship St. Jacob in 1654. For a time he was at New Amstel* on the Delaware, but came from thence to Beverwyck about 1659, where he served two years 1661-2, as farmer of the excise of wine and beer. He was appointed schout of Schenectady in 1673, but remained here only a short time.t
PIETER DANIELSE VAN OLINDA.
He was a tailor in Beverwyck in 1663, about which time he came to Schenectady and married Hilletie Cornelise Van Slyck,-sister of Jacques Cornelise,-a half-breed of the Mohawk tribe, through whom he received valuable grants of land at De Willegen (the Willows), below Port Jackson, at the Boght in Watervliet, and the Great Islands in the river at Niskayuna. Van Olinda made his will Aug. 1, 1715,-proved Dec. 27, 1716,-and died at Watervliet in 1715, at an advanced age.
For many years Hilletie his wife, was employed at a salary of £20 as Provincial interpreter. Her death occurred Feb. 10, 1705.
Van Olinda in his willt speaks of only three children,-Daniel, Jacob and Matthys. The first inherited his land at the " Boght of the Kahoos " and married Lysbet, daughter of Martinus Cregier, Jr. To Jacob who married Eva, daughter of Claas De Graaf, he gave his land at De Willegen, and Matthys being non compos mentis, was to be maintained till his death.
Hilletie though born and brought up in her early years among the
" Whereupon ordered yt ye sd Girle shal be delivered in ye hands of ye Trustees " Jacob Meese [Vrooman] & Arnout Cornelise [Vielè], who is to dispose of her as they shal " see meet, and if ye said Bennony Arentse shal for ye future abuse any of ye said " children of Pr Vielè upon complaint they shall be delivered to ye Trustees who shall " have Power to dispose of ye same accordingly and ye Bond of good behaviour given "ye tenth of y" instant to Remain in force."- Minutes of Common Coun. Allany : IV.
* [Amsterdam is a later spelling for Amsteldam, or the dam on the river Amstel (Holland). The city is now Amsterdam, but the river retains the spelling :Amstel .- M'M.]
· + Dutch MSS., XIV, 116; Col. MSS., XXIV, 140; xxv, 135, 148 to 153. # Wills, 1, 148
184
History of the Schenectady Patent.
Mohawks, was soon separated from them and received the rudiments of a Christian education in Albany and Schenectady. She made excellent use of her advantages and is spoken of as an estimable woman.t
+ " While we were there [at Schenectady], a certain Indian woman or half-breed, " that is, from an European and an Indian woman, came with a little boy, her child, " who was dumb, or whose tongue had grown fast. It was about four years old ; she " had heard we were there, and came to ask whether we knew of any advice for her " child, or whether we could not do a little something to cure it. Sanders [Glen] told " me aside that she was a Christian, that is had left the Indians and had been taught by " the Christians and baptized. I was surprised to find so far in the woods and among " Indians, a person who should address me with such affection and love of God. She " then related to me from the beginning her case, that is how she had embraced christ- " ianity. She was born of a Christian father and an Indian mother of the Mohawk " tribes. Her mother remained in the country and lived among the Mohawks, and she " lived with her the same as Indians live together. Her mother would never listen to any " thing about the Christians, as it was against her heart, from an inward unfounded " hate. She lived there with her mother and brothers and sisters ; but sometimes she " went with her mother among the Christians to trade and make purchases, or the " Christians came among them, and thus it was that some Christians took a fancy to the " girl, discovering in her more resemblance to the Christians than the Indians. They " therefore wished to take the girl and bring her up, which the mother would not hear " to. The little daughter herself had no disposition at first to go. This happened several " times when the daughter began to mistrust the Christians were not such as the mother " told her. She therefore began to hearken to them, but particularly she felt a great in- " clination and love in her heart towards those Christians who spoke to her about God " and of Christ Jesus and the Christian religion. Her mother observed it and began to " hate her, her brothers and sisters despised and cursed her, threw stones at her and did " all the wrong they could. They compelled her to leave them, as she did and went to " those who had so long solicited her. They gave her the name of Eltie or Illetie. She " lived a long time with a woman with whom we conversed afterwards, who taught her " to read and write and do various handiwork. She felt such a desire and eagerness to "learn that she could not be withheld, particularly when she began to understand the " Dutch language and what was expressed in the New Testament where her whole heart " was. Finally she made her profession and was baptized.
" She has some children ; her husband is not as good as she is, though he is not one "of the worst; she sets a good example before him, and knows how to direct him."
" She had a brother [Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck], who was also a half-breed, who " had made profession of Christianity and had been baptized and who was not by far as " good as she but on the contrary, very wicked ; though I believe he has been better and " has been corrupted by the conversation of impious Hollanders ; for this place is a god- " less one being without a minister and having only a homily (postyl) read on Sundays."- Danker's and Sluyter's Journal, 1680, p. 301-5.
185
Adult Freeholders.
Great Island* at Niskayuna was conveyed to Hilletie Van Olinda, by the Mohawks, June 11, 1667 and confirmed by Governor Nicolls, May 8, 1668. On the 4th March, 1669, and again 6 Feb., 1705, she and her husband con- veyed the same to Johannes Clute, which sale was ratified by the Governor and Council on the 2d Aug., 1671.+
His house lot in Schenectady was on the south side of Union street, 100 feet westerly from Ferry street and had a front of 100 feet and a depth of 210 feet Amsterdam measure. He held it until 1712, when it was conveyed to Isaac Van Valkenburgh for £53 [$132.50]; it remained in Van Valken- burgh's possession until 1764 and perhaps later; from 1793 to 1821 or later it was owned and occupied by Hendrick Dellamot and is now the site of the Court House.t
The " Willow Flat " (De willegen) was granted to Pieter Van Olinda and Claas Willemse Van Coppernol, by Governor Dongan on the 9th- Nov., 1685. It commenced at Stone creek and ran down the river 349 rods and contained 33 morgens or 66 acres and 390 rods of land, together with 200 acres of woodland adjoining. Van Coppernol owned the westerly half and Van Olinda the easterly half.§
GOOSEN VAN OORT.
Nothing is known of him save that he early owned, down to 1702, the lot on the north side of State street, now occupied by the stores of H. S. Barney & Co., and of the estate of the late Barent J. Myndertse, Nos. 93 to 101, having a front of 84 feet.
CLAAS FREDERICKSE VAN PETTEN.
He was born in 1641. His wife was Aeffie daughter of Arent Bratt and Catalyntje De Vos. They had eight children all of whom, reached mature age and had families save one.
They both died in 1728, she at the age of 78 years, and he aged 87 years and five months.
* [Great Island is now known as Shaker's Island .- M'M.]
+ Deeds, v, 55 ; II, 711 ; Gen. Entries, IV, 283 ; Albany Co. Rec., 436.
# Deeds, II, 788; IV, 236,; v, 153, 264, 343, 354, 358; Schen. Deeds B., 293. etc. § Deeds, IV, 236.
24
186
History of the Schenectady Patent.
At his first coming to Schenectady in 1664, in company with Isaac Cor- nelise Swits, he hired Willem Teller's bouwerye gelegen op Schanechtede be- staende in woonhuys, Schuerberg en bouwlant in twee parcelles genome- neert . ... Van de landmeter No. 5, &c .*
Oct. 23, 1668, Van Petten and Cornelis Cornelise Vielé bought the two bouweries numbered 8, of Marten Cornelise Van Esselsteyn and mortgaged the same the same day to Van Esselsteyn for 220 beavers. Viele's moiety,- the hindmost farm,-he sold to Jurriaen Teunise Tappen, and Van Petten conveyed the foremost farm to Jan Baptist Van Eps.t
On the 30th Jan., 1686, the Glens sold to Claas Van Petten a piece of land between the river and the lake in Scotia, comprising 12 morgens of land .¿ And on the 6 April, 1704, John Jacobse Glen, eldest son and heir of Jacob Sanderse Glen, eldest son and heir of Sander Leendertse Glen, both deceased, bought back the above mentioned 12 morgens of land, giving Van Petten in exchange therefor, "a piece of land now in his possession adjoining " the lot of Reyer Schermerhorn,-being the foremost lot No. 3 and two "morgens of land§ out of the hindmost lot No. 3."" The above mentioned foremost lot No. 3 remained in the Van Petten family more than 100 years, and until it was purchased by the Schermerhorns who owned the adjoining farm.
Van Petten built his dwelling house upon the south end of this farm at the foot of the sand bluff .**
In the above exchange with Glen, Van Petten also received a house lot in the village, a part of the Glen lot. This lot extended from the lot of Mrs. Benjamin Willard No. 36 Washington street, to that of the late Judge A. C. Paige No. 42.
For many years after Van Petten obtained possession of farm No. 3, the boundary line between him and his brother-in-law Schermerhorn, was in dispute; finally a compromise was effected in 1714-16, according to a survey
* Not. Papers, 1, 439.
+ Deeds, II, 741 ; IV, 325.
# Deeds, IV, 330.
§ Conveyed by Claas Van Petten to his son Claas, March 6, 1713-14; Deeds, v, 358.
| Deeds, rv, 324, [Ante, page 116, Glen .- M'M.]
** He had egress from his house by a lane running northerly across the flats to the river road along the boundary line between farms Nos. 3 and 4.
187
Adult Freeholders.
made by Philip Verplanck and mutual releases were executed, Schermerhorn reserving to his use the right of way over the lane or road along the west side of the division fence from Van Patten's house to the river road. This lane as well as the division fence are now removed .*
ANDRIES VAN PETTEN.
Andries, the eldest son of Claas Van Petten, born in September, 1684, married Maieke, daughter of Jacob Coenratse Ten Eyck of Albany, Dec. 26, 1712. They had seven children, only two of whom arrived at maturity and had families. He died in 1748, aged 62 years,-she died Jan. 31, 1779, at the age of 91 years, 9 months and 27 days.
On the 4th June, 1711, his father conveyed the foremost farm No. 3 to him together with horses, cows, etc .; and on the 6th March, 1713, he likewise conveyed to his son Claas " the two morgens which he owned in the hind- " most lot No. 3, as it had been conveyed to him by Johannes Glen."t
On the 28 Oct., 1717, he received from the patentees of Schenectady a lease of " a certain piece of lowland about one mile from Schenectady on " the south side of the Mohawk, bounded west by the land of Jacob. Van " Guyseling, north by the standing water [dove gat], South by the Commons, " beginning by a small creek by the foot of the hill and runs from thence " along the bounds of the said Jacob Van Guyseling, north 19º E. 49 rods " to the aforesaid standing water, thence S. 58º. E. 29 rods, thence "South 34° E. 55 rods, thence S. 35° W. to the foot of said hill, thence " along said hill to the place of Beginning, containing three morgens and " 411 rods Dutch Rynland measure ;- rent one skipple of wheat yearly,- " said to have been previously granted by patent to Bastiaen De Winter " 47 years before."} This triangular parcel of land lay at the foot of the sand bluff between the Van Petten and the Van Guyseling farms.
ARENT VAN PETTEN.
Arent, son of Claas Van Petten the first settler, married Jannetje, daughter of Philip Conyn of Albany, 10th April, 1703. They had ten children. By trade he was a carpenter.
On the 8th October, 1703, Reyer Schermerhorn [only surviving trustee] sold to Thomas Williams, of Albany "a parcel of woodland on the north
* Deeds, v, 222. [See Ante, page 117, Glen .- M'M.
+ Deeds, v, 222, 340, 341, 353.
Į Dutch Church Papers ; see also Annals of Albany, VI, 79 ; Doc. Hist., II, 200.
188
History of the Schenectady Patent.
"side of the town of Schenectady, over against the north-west corner " of woodland of Adam Vrooman, running between the highway that "leads to Niskayuna [Green street]* and the highway that leads to the " Aal-plaas [Front street] and westward to the church yard or burial " place, being butted and bounded on the west the burial place or church- "yard, on the east the woodland of Hendrick Hansen, on the south and " north the said two roads or highways [Green and Front streets], containing " four morgens more or less." Said Williams by deed dated 7 April, 1709, conveyed the above land to Arent Van Petten of Schenectady, who by deed dated .Jan. 20, 1743 conveyed the same to his son Frederic of Normanskill, for the sum of £60 [$150].t The above parcel of land lying between Front and Green streets extended from the then burying ground of the Dutch church easterly nearly to John street and was from time to time divided into building lots and sold by Frederic Van Petten.
Arent Van Petten, Myndert Schuyler and Jan Dellamont received a patent for 500 acres of land on the Normanskil Nov. 3, 1714, on which his son Frederic probably settled.}
CORNELIS ANTONISSEN VAN SLYCK.
Cornelis Antonissen Van Slyck alias Broer Cornelis is said to have married a Mohawk woman by whom he had several children, three sons, Jacques, Marten and Cornelis, and two daughters Hilletie and Lea (?)
Broer Cornelis by reason of his eminent services in bringing about peace and ransoming prisoners in the hands of the Indians, "which well known services should of right be duly acknowledged,"-received a grant of lands at Katskill in 1646.§
In 1640 he lived near Cohoes falls; he died in 1676.||
JACQUES CORNELISE VAN SLYCK.
Of the three sons of Broer Cornelis, Marten died in 1662, and Cornelis is only once mentioned in the records, - in 1659.
* [Union street was not opened out at this time beyond Ferry. The north gate (at Church and Front), opened out to the ferry, and to the Aal Plaats (River Road), and Niskayuna (Green st.) roads which lead through the pasture and wood lots .- M'M.]
+ Dutch Church Papers.
į Patents, 1678.
§ O'Callaghan's Hist. N. N , 1, 382.
| Brodhead, Hist. N. N. 1, 306.
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Adult Freeholders.
Jacques was born in 1640, at Canajoharie ; his Indian name was Itsy- chosaquachka ; he was also sometimes called Jacques Cornelise Gautsh .* He married Grietje, daughter of Harmen Janse Ryckman of Albany and had nine children living in 1697. He died probably about 1690, as his widow made an antenuptial contract 21 Feb., 1692, being then about to marry Adam Vrooman. His will was made 8th May, 1690.+ In 1671, he was one of the two licensed tapsters in the village.
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