USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume V > Part 36
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proper Certificates Signed by the Said Managers and Receipts thereon Shall be good Vouchers to him for the Payment thereof for the amount of which the General Assembly Shall and will Provide ways and Means to repay and Replace the Same.
PROVIDED AND BE IT ENACTED that in case the Said Five Thousand Tickets Aforesaid be Sold and disposed off in the Manner Aforesaid before the first Tues- day in November Next that then the Managers Shall Proceed to drawing the Lots in Manner Aforesaid first giving publick Notice thereof in the New York Post Boy at least Fourteen days before the drawing the Same anything in this Act to the Contrary Notwithstanding.
AND be it further Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that if either of the before mentioned Managers Shall happen to Die Remove out of this Colony or Refuse to Act according to the Several and Respective Powers and Authorities hereby directed and required it Shall and may be Lawfull to and for the Governor or Commander in Chief for the time being by and with the advice and Consent of his Majesty's Coun- cil to Nominate and Appoint Some other fit Person or Persons to be Manager or Managers in the place and Stead of the Manager or Managers So Dying Removing or Refusing to Act as Aforesaid anything herein Contained to the Contrary Not- withstanding. PROVIDED that the Person or Persons who may be So appointed Shall be obliged to take the like Oath Enter into the like Recognizances and Sure- ties as is herein Directed to be done by the Managers Named in this Act and be in all respects as Subject to Observe and Perform the Severall Directions of this Act as if he or they had been Named or appointed in it .- Colonial Laws of New York, Vol. iii. pp. 899-908.
This act is repeated verbatim on Dec. 12, 1753, with the exception of "his Honour, the Lieutenant Governor", instead of "his Excellency, the Governor"; and the names of "Abraham Van Wyck and Abraham Leynsen" as managers; and changes in the dates of drawing, and the number of tickets. It is again repeated on Dec. 7, 1754.
OTHER MONEYS FOR THE COLLEGE IN NEW YORK.
An Act further to continue the Duty of Excise and the Currency of the Bills of Credit emitted thereon for the purposes in the former Act and herein Mentioned.
(Passed July 4, 1753.)
Whereas by an Act of the Governor Council and General Assembly Entituled an Act for laying an Excise on all Strong Liquors retailed in this Colony passed the Twelfth Year of her late Majesty Queen Anne there was granted to and for the Uses in the Said Particularly Mentioned a Duty of Excise on all Strong Liquors retailed in this Colony for the Term of Twenty Years to determine on the first day of November in the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty four which by Several Subsequent Acts has been prolonged to the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Seven.
AND Whereas it has been the Intention of the Legislature for Several Years Past to Establish a SEMINARY within this Colony for the Education of Youth in the Liberal Arts and Sciences And as at present no other means can be devised than by a further Continuance of the Aforesaid Act and the Bills of Credit Issued there- upon and his Excellency the Governor having been pleased to approve of the Inten- tions of the General Assembly to proceed upon that good design at this Session as Signified by their Votes at their last Meeting, The General Assembly therefore Pray it may be Enacted, AND
BE IT ENACTED by his Excellency the Governor the Council and the General Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same that the before Mentioned Act Entituled An Act for laying an Excise on all Strong Liquors retailed in this Colony and every Clause Matter and thing therein Contained Shall from the first day of November which will be in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Seven (to which time the Said Duty on Excise was Con- tinued by an Act passed in the Thirteenth Year of his present Majesties Reign) be, remain and Continue of full Force and Virtue to all Intents Constructions and Pur- poses whatsoever until the first Day of November which will be in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Seven.
AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Treasurer of this Colony for the time being is hereby Enabled and Directed to Pay unto the Trustees
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OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Mentioned and appointed in and by an Act Passed in the Twenty fifth Year of his present Majesties Reign Entituled An Act Vesting in Trustees the Sum of Three thousand Four Hundred and Forty three Pounds Eighteen Shillings raised by way of Lottery for Erecting a College within this Colony out of the Money's arising by the Duty of Excise the Annual Sum of Five Hundred Pounds for and during the Term of Seven Years to Commence from and After the first of January now next Ensuing to be by them apportioned and distributed in Salaries for the Chief Master or head of the Seminary by whatever denomination he may be hereafter Called and for Such and So many other Masters and Officers uses and Purposes Concerning the Establishment of the Said Seminary as the Said Trustees Shall from time to time in their discretion think Needful, Allways Provided that the whole Charge and Expence of the Same do not exceed the Above Sum of Five Hundred Pounds a Year Any thing in the Acts Aforesaid to the Contrary Notwithstanding.
AND be it further Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that the Said Trustees Shall be and are hereby impowered to Apportion and Appoint the Quantum of the Salary's of the Several Masters and officers of the Seminary hereby intended to be Established and to direct the Payment thereof by Quarterly or half Yearly Pay- ments as they in their discretion Shall think Most fitting And Convenient.
AND be it further Enacted by the Authority Aforesaid that the Trustees Afore- said Shall Ascertain the Rates which each Student or Scholar Shall Annually Pay for his or their Education at the Said Seminary for all which Sums they Shall Account with the Governor or Commander in Chief for the time being the Council or the General Assembly when by them or any of them thereunto Required And which Said Sums shall be applyed to and for Such use or uses as Shall be directed by Act or Acts hereafter to be passed.
AND be it further Enacted By the Authority Aforesaid That all the Residue of the Money arising by the Said Duty of Excise Shall be applyed towards Cancelling the Bills of Credit Emitted on the Said Fund unless the Said Bills be all Cancelled by Money Arising by the Said Duty before the Said Year One thousand Seven Hun- dred and Sixty Seven in which Case all the Residue of the Said Money Shall remain in the Treasury to be disposed off as Shall be directed by Some Act or Acts here- after to be PASSED for that purpose and that the Said Bills of Credit Shall also remain Current until the Said Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Seven unless they be Sooner Cancelled .- Colonial Laws of New York. Vol. iii. pp. 908-910.
CHURCH OF NEW YORK.
Organists and Choristers. Manor of Fordham. New York, July 16, 1753.
Consistory held after calling on God's name. The following were laid before the Consistory.
A. Whether the lot of the Messrs. Livingston near the New Church, lately inherited by the widow Moor, should be bought; or taken on the same conditions as the whole plot of four lots was bought by us? Answer, Yes : but on condition that Messrs. Ab. Van Wyck, Evert Bancker, and Peter Keteltas, at once ask her to set the building on the newly bought ground, at the side of Mr. Waldron's, and not begin with the line of ground we have taken from her.
B. The organist Boutsman, and the chorister of the Old Church, Jacobus Stoutenberg, being sent for, on account of their
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quarrel, the Consistory resolved that they should become recon- ciled. If this were done, both should continue in their office. Nevertheless, this was refused by the latter for a reason which the Consistory judged insufficient. Therefore the President was directed to summon him privately, and say that if he continued in the same mind, they would be obliged to provide for the matter themselves.
C. It was judged necessary to make preparation by the time of the next meeting of the Colonial Assembly to have the legacy of the Manor of Fordham broken, (that is, to obtain the right to alienate the fee). The following committee was appointed : Elders, Ab. Van Wyck and Francis Marschalk; and Deacons, Corn. Clopper, Jr. and Albert Tiebout. These were to speak with Second Judge Chambers, and lawyer Alexander, together with Mr. Paul Richards, Elder, and such others as they thought needful.
Thus done in Consistory on date above given. Signed in the name of all,
J. Ritzema, p. t. Vice President.
New York July 17, 1753.
Consistory held. After calling on the Lord's name, the act of the previous day was read. After consideration, it was fur- ther Resolved, unanimously, to announce the following to Mr. Jacobus Stoutenberg, the provisional chorister of the old church ; and he appearing, this announcement was made :
1. That the consistory abides by its resolution of yesterday (see B above) respecting him and Mr. Boutsman.
2. That the consistory is resolved to take careful consideration the aggravating circumstances of his tongue, yet would be gladly spared this trouble.
3. Therefore the consistory earnestly advises him to resign his office, and thus let the whole matter rest.
Wherefore, after some discourse, Mr. Stoutenberg resigned his office, and thanked the consistory, and said he would according to order, deliver the silver baptismal bowl to the President. He requested that nothing should be said of what had occurred. This
1753
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OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
the consistory promised, provided he gave no reason for the con- trary course.
Mr. Jacobus Van Antwerpen was then called in and appointed precentor in the Old Church at a yearly salary of fifteen pounds, New York money, and the fees for recording the infant baptisms in the Old Church. He engaged to undertake this in the fear of the Lord. Further instructions were promised him by the President, and it was resolved that his appointment should be published from the pulpit.
Mr. Peter Boutsman was continued in office as organist, and seriously warned to keep silence in reference to the past between him and Mr. Stoutenberg; and, far from taunting or reproaching ; to leave Mr. Stoutenberg and his family in proper respect and quiet, (as Mr. S. on his side had promised consistory to act toward Mr. Boutsman), and to conduct himself to the satisfaction of the consistory, and the congregation.
Whereupon Mr. Boutsman gave thanks for his reinstatement and warning. He also promised to conform to it and to whatever else should be esteemed necessary for the edification of the con- gregation. This was again recommended to him, in order to prevent any complaints in the future. Thus done in consistory meeting, and with the preceding of July 16, Signed in the name of all, by me,
Henricus Boel, President.
ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Thomas Romeyn.
1753, July 23rd. 3. Thomas Romeyn, of Hackensack, in Bergen County, in the province of New Jersey, in the American New Netherland, S.S. Theol. Studiosus, exhibited very laudable certificates, ecclesiastical, as well as others, of his studies in America in the languages and Theology. He also exhibited the instrument of a call made out to him by the Consistories of the combined congregations of Jamaica and Oyster Bay in Queens County on Long Island, in the province of New York. But some of the people at Jamaica had protested against this call, as there were formerly two more churches combined with Jamaica and
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Oyster Bay. For the moderating of this call, Rev. de Ronde had been appointed by the Coetus ; but it was done also in the presence of Rev. John Frielinghuysen, from whom in addition, came a lengthy letter in justification of the legality of this call.
The Deputati ad res Exteras made a full report from the former Acta as to the state of those churches (in Queens County). Therefore the Assembly resolved to adopt the advice submitted by the Messrs. Deputies, which reads as follows :
1. That it would be hard to send Thomas Romyn back, un- ordained.
2. That he can be ordained as minister at Oyster Bay alone ; for nothing has occurred against this call with reference to Oyster Bay.
3. But Rev. Romyn will have to promise in writing, not to allow himself to be employed as minister at Jamaica, until the appeal brought against the Consistory that called him, as well as that against his call by another Consistory at Jamaica, shall have been settled either in Coetus or in Classis.
4. That express mention of this arrangement shall be made in the qualification which at the proper time shall be given to Rev. Romyn.
5. That of all this, notice shall be given to the Coetus. Also they (the Deputati) shall indicate that it is not considered proper that Rev. Frielinghuysen should have allowed himself to be em- ployed as moderator of this call, since Rev. de Ronde had been appointed moderator of said call by the Coetus.
6. That it should be suggested to the consideration of Coetus, whether it were not expedient, in order to prevent confusion, that hereafter, all calls which are made in America should be first handed in for judgment and approval to the Coetus, before they are brought to our Classis.
7. That the Coetus be requested to put forth their good offices once more, in order to reunite the four congregations of Oyster Bay, Jamaica, Newtown, and Hempstead; and that Rev. Romyn be earnestly urged to cooperate towards this, and to submit him- self to the Coetus.
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Rev. Romyn having considered all this, agrees to it, and shall be examined, preparatorily and finally, at the next Classis.
XII. 346-347. Referred to, XXIV. 20-22.
The Classis gave to the wife of Rev. P. H. Dorsius, £6. XII. 347.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES IN NEW YORK, 1753.
A Letter from Rev. Gideon Hawley of Marshpee containing a Narrative of his Journey to Onohoghgwage in July, 1753.
July 31, 1794.
It is forty years, this day, since I was ordained a Missionary to the Indians, in the Old South meeting house, (Boston), when the Rev. Dr. Sewall preached on the occasion, and the Rey. Mr. Prince gave the charge.
I had been in the service from Feb. 5. O. S. 1752, and by an ecclesiastical council convened for that purpose, was now solemnly set apart to the work of an evangelist among the western Indians. The Rev. Mr. Foxcroft and Dr. Chauncy assisted upon the occasion, and Mrs. Appleton of Cambridge, with many delegates from their respective Churches.
I entered upon this arduous business at Stockbridge, (Ct.) under the patronage of the Rev. Mr. Edwards. Was instructor of a few families of Iroquois, who came down from their country for the sake of christian knowledge and the schooling of their children.
These families consisted of Mohawks, Oneidas, and Tuscaroras, from Kanajoharry, and Onohoghgwage. I was their school-master, and preached to them on the Lord's- day. Mr. Edwards visited my school, catechised my scholars, and frequently deliv- ered a discourse to their parents. To Indians he was a very plain and practical preacher: upon no occasion did he display any metaphysical knowledge in the pul- pit. His sentences were concise, and full of meaning; and his delivery grave and natural. In the winter, Indians are at home, and my school was well attended. But many, who wintered at Stockbridge, in the Spring and Summer went off, and were about Schoharry, beyond Albany. In the month of September, (1752), I, therefore, made an excursion into the Mohawk country, I had never been at Albany, nor even as far as Kinderhook, till now; and was ignorant of the way, which led through the wilderness.
I therefore wanted a guide, and took with me a young Canada Indian, who had attended my school. He had been bred a Roman Catholic; could repeat the Lord's Prayer in Latin, and Ave Maria; could read and write. He furnished me with an alphabet for his language, which was of use to me. He was of the Cagnawauga tribe.
He was my company, and only he. Two years afterwards, some of the Canada Indians came, and not improbably this fellow might be of the party, who fell upon a family at Stockbridge, on the Lord's-day, and murdered and captured several of its inhabitants. But it was now peace, and I had no apprehension when travelling alone with him, a whole day, through a solitary wilderness.
Near night we arrived at the out houses in Kinderhook. (At this point Mr. Hawley was abandoned by his guide, and obliged to proceed alone.)
I knew not the way to Albany; and the path I had taken was obscure, and unfrequented by white people. I came to an Indian village, took some directions, but lost my way. I wandered in blind paths till I found a few white inhabitants in huts, who had lately made settlements; but being ignorant of the English lan- guage could give me but poor information. To be short, I finally got into the great road, I knew not how, but not until I had been out in a most terrible storm of thunder and lightening. Thunder tempests are very frequent in the interior parts of the country; and I have often met with them since in the wilderness, and some- times when alone. It cleared off, and I travelled; and all at once, through an open- ing, appeared to view the city of Albany; and I soon discovered a fleet of vessels
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by its side, on the adjacent river. Great was my satisfaction. I came down and crossed the ferry; went into the city, and passed it; came to the houses between Albany and Schenectady, and lodged. These were only two houses, kept for the entertainment of passengers. They were alone, but did not harmonize. Three houses will agree; but two in a wilderness will be considered as rivals; and their interests will clash. Such is human nature, that power and interests must be balanced by a third person or interest.
Between Albany and Skenectady is barren land; but it is strange that only two houses had been at that time erected on a road so much frequented, and for so many years together.
Soon after I left these houses, the road parts. That to the right, leads to Sche- nectady; and on the other, a road to Schoharry,* where I arrived in the after- noon; and soon found the Indians, and particularly Jonah, whose Indian name is Thanhanagwanageas, which is long, but of no extraordinary meaning. This was a very christian-like Indian, and his wife a good woman, who soon got me some refreshment. His mother was a very old person, and of French extract, and full blooded, being captured from Canada when very young. Jonah, therefore, was half blood. I never saw him the worse for strong drink. He was a man of prayer. I had much acquaintance with him after this, as I had considerable the winter passed, when he was at Stockbridge with his family. His wife was of the Tuscarora tribe. Jonah and some other families were about coming again to Stockbridge, there to winter. Some others, whom I saw, were going to Onohoghgwage, where they belonged. I left Jonah, and went further down, about six miles, and found, at the Mohawk village, Sharrack, Peter, and others, who the summer passed had been gathering, with their wives and children, genseng root for the European market; it having the last year answered for the exporter, beyond all expectation. But this year, as the event proved, many adventurers or speculators in it were nearly ruined; but the Indians employed in gathering it, got considerable by it, having collected it in great quantities. The Indian name for this root is, Kalon- daggough. I lodged in the vicinity of these Indians, and visited them in the morning; gave their children a few trifles that were acceptable, invited them to Stockbridge, and set out upon my return, and came to the two houses between Albany and Skenectady, where I again lodged.
In regard to Schoharry, it is fine land, and settled by Palatines, brought over, at the expense of the nation, in Queen Anne's reign. It is watered by a stream, which tends to the southward, not far from the source of the Delaware, which takes an opposite direction. Here are three decent meeting houses, and two domines. The one a Calvinian; (John Schuyler); and the other, a Lutheran. (Peter M. Somner). The language of this people is German or High Dutch, and they are husbandmen. The Albanians and people of Schenectady were Hollanders, and employed in trade; and very few were farmers. For the sake of the Indian trade, which is very lucra- tive, they have explored the great lakes, and penetrated into the bowels of the wilderness. The Indians from Canada, with their skins and furs, came to Albany in time of peace. I have seen numbers of them there at a time.
There was a missionary (Rev. John Ogilvie) to the Mohawks from the society in London; but he resided, as he was considered as chaplain to the fort, in Albany; very little of his time with his Indians; and, therefore, could do them less good than a constant resident among them. I was solicited once by a clergyman of that city, to tarry a while in town, saying, "in case I went and baptized the children, I might return and spend the season agreeably at Albany." The Rev. Mr. Barclay, who was now a missionary in the city of New York, it was said, he had been a faithful and zealous instructor of the Indians, but his situation, as I was informed, was made uncomfortable by his neighbours; and his support being scanty, he left them and Mr. Oglevie was his successor, and now in office. This gentleman had many amiable qualities; but he finally removed to New York, and succeeded Dr. Barclay also at that place.
In the year 1748, this Board had sent upon the same mission Mr. Elihu Spencer,; who could not surmount the obstacles he met with. But these Indians having, sundry of them, particularly Jonah, Sharrack, and some others, by coming to Stock- bridge manifested a thirst for christian knowledge, the commissioners were encour-
* Hunter's field, after Governor Hunter.
¡ Rev. Dr. Spencer finally settled at Elizabeth-town in New Jersey, as president Dickinson's successor,
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OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
aged to make another attempt to carry the gospel to them. They did all they could to encourage it. Money was not wanting in their treasury; and the company in London were able to answer their bills, when more was called for, and were ready to do it.
It was agreed that Deacon Woodbridge* being a man long acquainted with the business, and a gentleman of abilities, should accompany me into their country, and introduce me to the Indians, with whose manners and language I had gained some acquaintance and had been acceptable in my school, etc. It was also agreed that Mrs. Ashley should be our interpreter; and that Benjamin Ashley, her husband, should be employed, and have a salary. This could not be avoided, if we had his wife; but he was a fanatick, and on that account unfit to be employed in the mnis- sion. His wife was a very good sort of a woman, and an extraordinary interpreter in the Iroquois language. She was captured at Deerfield, when that town was
destroyed, in 1703, and carried to Cagnawauga, when she was about three years old. Her two brothers, Martin and Joseph Kellogg, well known in their day, were both older than their sister, and were taken at the same time. The two boys got away before the sister, who resided in Canada among the Cagnawaugas until she was a maiden grown. Her brothers, however, lived there long enough to be good inter- preters, particularly Joseph Kellogg, Esq., who was the best in his day, that New England had, and was employed upon every occasion. For many years he was at Fort Dummer, on Connecticut river, near Number Four ;} was at the Albany treaty in the year 1754, which was attended by a great number of respectable personages from the several provinces and colonies than had met on any similar occasion. And in the year 1756, being persuaded by General Shirley to accompany him in his way to Oswego, as an interpreter, which he undertook with a broken state of health, he sickened and died; and was buried at Skenectady.
Martin, well known by the name of Captain Kellogg, was a very remarkable man for his courage and bodily strength. He was several times captured and carried to Canada. Many stories were related of his feats and exploits in early life. He was employed by Mr. Sergeant in Mr. Hollis's school, and his labors were acceptable, as far as I know. He lived at Newington near Farmington, in Connecticut, where, I suppose, he died about the year 1758. Rebecca, my interpreter, laid her bones at Onohoghgwage in August, 1757, when I was at Marshpee. She was much lamented by the Indians. Her Indian name was Wausaunia.
Having returned from Boston, with a written recommendation from the Governor, to which was affixed the great seal of the province and with other credentials and private letters from particular gentlemen, it was only necessary for us to prepare for our mission, which we did without delay. But it was on Tuesday, May 22nd, (1753) when Mr. Woodbridge, myself and company, set out from Stockbridge for the Indian country. Our departure upon so great an errand as the planting christianity in the wilderness, about an hundred miles beyond any settlement of christian people, drew the attention of the whole town. And the Rev. Mr. Edwards, his wife, and others, accompanied us a considerable distance into the woods, toward Kinderhook. They returned after taking leave of us in the most affectionate manner, and we pursued our way having only an Indian track. We arrived at the first house, and put up for the night, and the next day came to Albany, where we tarried two nights, making acquaintances, and collecting some necessaries for our journey. We found friends, but the people in general did not much favour our undertaking. Trade with the savages was their support. This city is very compact. In the time of war it was always picketed, and in the many expeditions against Canada, it has been the rendezvous of soldiers. It is considered as the head of navigation, although with small craft the river is navigable to the Half Moon, nine miles above it. The land on the back of the town is poor, but the intervals, up and down the river are . fertile, and there are some very considerable and valuable islands not far from the city.
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