USA > New York > New York City > History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch, Vol. I > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
Such was the unpromising condition of New Netherland, as acknowledged by the West India Company, after the adminis- tration of its affairs by that powerful body for a term of fifteen years. Removed scarcely a degree from its primitive state of wilderness, uninhabited except by a few traders and clerks in the employ of a distant corporation, its rich and luxuriant soil almost wholly uncultivated and unreclaimed, for the number of farms as yet amounted to not much more than half a dozen around Fort Amsterdam, and the same number around Fort Orange, it afforded evidence, everywhere, of mismanagement ; and when its progress is compared with that of the settlements in New England, proofs only multiply of still more culpable neglect, and another instance is only afforded that foreign compa-
1 Hol. Doc. ii., 188, 189, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195.
23
178
HISTORY OF
1638.
BOOK nies, though they may retard, have never advanced the settle- II. ment of America. In truth, the directors of the West India Company, or rather those who composed its Amsterdam cham- ber, seem to have ruled New Netherland hitherto only with a view to promote their own special interests. For the advance- ment of these, immense sums had been expended; but no effort, of any consequence by its permanency, had been made to introduce, on a large scale, a sound and industrious popula- tion into the country. They appear rather to desire that it should be inhabited merely by their own servants ; a project, which, if entertained, was as visionary as it would be suicidal, for when these dependents had completed their term of service, they, for the most part, returned home dissipated and poor, leaving the country worse than they found it, for it obtained, through them, " a bad and hungry name."1
The charter to the Patroons tended also, in no small degree, to retard the settlement of the province. Losing sight, for the most part, of their first duties as planters, the patroons diverted their energies and means in competing with the company for a share of the Indian trade. Quarrels and mutual bickerings ensued ; the one party accused the other of having en- croached on its special privileges, and the consequence was fatal to the prosperity of the country. The spirit of monopo- ly, which breathed throughout that charter, discouraged private enterprise and industry, so that individuals who were inclined to emigrate abandoned their design, "and durst venture no- thing." It is true that the company introduced a few settlers previous to this period ; but, unfortunately, most of these did not remain, and the directors did not persevere in the good work.2 Had they filled the land, as the English were doing,
1 Het liet sich aensien met den eersten als off de compagnie dit landt met haer eygen dienaars souden hebben willen populeren, hetwelck groot misverstant moeste wesen ; want als haer tydt nyt was, vertrocken die weer, niet mede- brengende als wat voor haer beurs, en voor het landt een quaden naem van grooten honger en andersints geven. Vertoogh van Nieuw Nederlant.
2 Hadde men de eerste exemptie rechtsinnich betracht gelyckse leggen, en niet met singulier insichten gepractiseert ; gewis daer souden haer meer liefheb- bers van N. Nederland benaersticht hebben, dat te bevolcken en in te nemen. De andere clausulen oock, die men heeft weten intevoeren, bebben de particu-
179
NEW NETHERLAND.
with thousands of moral, hardy pioneers ; had they transported CHAP. cattle, and encouraged the planting of towns and villages in the wilderness, instead of building solitary forts to serve as a rendezvous for lazy Indians and a few isolated traders, render- ed the more defenceless by their isolation, the tide of encroach- ment from New England would not, at this date, have threat- ened to wash the walls of Fort Amsterdam ; possibly, that collision between the two races, which was now commencing, would have been stayed, and that contest avoided, which termi- nated, after a continuance of thirty years, in the loss to the Dutch of every rood of land, to which they now, of right, laid claim.
The States General saw the error, and endeavored, now, though late, to apply a remedy. They enjoined on their delegates to the Assembly of the XIX. to insist, before they adjourned, on the adoption of such a plan as would effectually promote the settlement of New Netherland, and encourage, by advanta- geous proposals, all good and moral citizens of the mother country to proceed thither, so that, concluded their High Mightinesses, "this state may not be deprived of the said New Netherland by the indirect intrigues of any inhabitants of this country, and the attacks and invasions of foreign princes and potentates."1
It was at this delicate juncture, that the new Director-general entered on the performance of his duties.
lieren altyt den moedbenomen en ondergehouden, soo dat sy van die der kennis van hadden, onderrecht synde, niet dorsten bestaen. "Tis wel waer, dat de compagnie wel eenige persoonen heeft overgevoert, maer niet daerby geconti- nneert ; soodat het weynich voordeel gedaen heeft; het hadde oock geen rechten aengangh, want het geschiede offer geen meeninge by ware geweest. Vertoogh van N. N.
1 Soo hebben haer Hoog Moogende nae voorgaende deliberatie goet gevonden en verstaen. dat de gemelte Heeren derselver gedeputeerden, voor 't scheyden van de aenwesende gecommitteerden . soodanige effective ordre sullen helpen beramen en stellen op de populatie van Nieu Nederlandt, en daertoe inviteren alle goede ingesetenen deser Nederlanden op soodangie voordelen en preeminentien alse, op approbatie van haer Hoog Moo- gende, snllen goetvinden alle coloniers aentebieden, op dat desen staet door indirecte ondercruypinge van eenige ingesetenen deser landen, en opdringinge ende invasie van die van nytheemsche princen ende potentaten van het voors: Nieu Nederland niet en worden ontset. Instructions from the States General to the deputies. Hol. Doc. ii., 190.
VI. 1638.
180
HISTORY OF
CHAPTER VII.
Arrival of WILLEM KIEFT, third Director-general-His council-Colonial Secre- tary, and shout-fiscaal-Other public officers-Their salaries-Condition of New Amsterdam-Irregularities there-Proclamations of director and coun- cil-Organization of court of justice-Proclamation against drunkenness- Arrival of immigrants-Purchase of land on Long Island-State of public morals-Regulations for the inspection of New Netherland tobacco-Rights of the Dutch threatened in the south-Swedish West India Company form- ed-Pieter Minuit, former director of New Netherland, appointed director of New Sweden-Arrives at the Delaware with some Swedes-Is hoarded by the Dutch Commissary-Opens a trade with the natives-Purchases land and erects Fort Christina-Kieft protests against him several times, but in vain-Minuit returns to Sweden, leaving a colony of twenty men behind- Swedish ship seized in Holland on her return from "the West Indies"-Is released-States General urge the permanent settlement of New Netherland -New articles and conditions proposed by the Amsterdam chamber-a " new project" also submitted by parties friendly to the Patroons-Patroons seek to enlarge their privileges, and to reserve the country for manors and lordships-States General disapprove of both these plans-Proclamation opening the trade with New Netherland, and abolishing the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the West India Company
WILLEM KIEFT, the third Director-general, arrived at the Manhattans on the 28th of March, 1638, in the Herring, one of the West India Company's ships, of two hundred and eighty tons burden, carrying two metal, sixteen iron, and two stone guns. His first step, on his assumption of the reins of government, was to organize a council of which he should re- tain the entire control. With this view, he appointed to a seat in the board Doctor Johannes La Montagne, a learned Hugue- not gentleman, who had arrived in the country in the course of the preceding spring or summer, to whom he gave one vote, while he reserved two to himself.1 Cornelis van Tienhoven, a native of Utrecht, and one of the oldest residents in the
1 The date of Kieft's arrival is in Alb. Rec. i., 89. De Laet gives the ton- nage and rate of the Herring. Dr. La Montagne must have arrived in the spring of 1637. He had a daughter born to him January 26, 1637, at sea off the island of Madeira. He is styled, (Hol. Doc. v., 38,) " een wel gestudeerdt man." He derived his commission at first only from Kieft, but it was afterwards ap- proved by the directors in Amsterdam. Vanderdonck states that he had but one, while Kieft had two votes in the council. Vertoogh van Nieuw Nederlandt.
BOOK Il. 1638. March 28.
181
NEW NETHERLAND.
province, who had hitherto acted as book-keeper of monthly CHAP. wages, to the satisfaction of the company, was promoted to be colonial secretary, with a salary of about two hundred and fifty dollars per annum, and sundry fees ; and Ulrich Lupold was continued as schout-fiscaal, or sheriff, and attorney-general.
Among the other officers and servants of the company, we find mention made of Claes van Elslant, David Provoost, commissaries of provisions ; Andreas Hudde, first commis- sary of wares ; Jacob van Curler, inspector of merchandise ; Laurens Haen, assistant ditto ; Jacob Stoffelsen, overseer ; Michel Evertsen, clerk of the customs ;1 Wybrant Pietersen, superintendent of merchandise ; William Breedenbent, under sheriff ; Philip de Truy, court messenger ; Gerrit Schult and Hans Kierstede, surgeons ; Hans Steen, midshipman ; Jan Jansen, gunner ; Fredrick Lubbertsen, first boatswain ; Nic- olas Koorn, serjeant ; Hendrick Pietersen, mason ; Gillis van der Gouw and Tomas Walraven, house-carpenters ; Tymen Jansen, ship-carpenter; Gysbert op Dyck, commissary at Fort Good Hope; Jan Jansen van Ilpendam, commissary at Fort Nassau, where Pieter Mey acted as assistant ; Bastiaen Janssen Crol, who came out about the year 1624, was still commissary at Fort Orange, where Dirck Stipel acted as wacht-meister, or serjeant, and Adriaen Dircksen, assistant commissary, to which charge he was appointed because he spoke correctly the language of the Mohawks, and was " well- versed in the art of trading with them." The Rev. Everardus Bogardus continued to officiate as clergyman at Fort Amster- dam, where Adam Roelantsen was schoolmaster.2
1 Four brothers of the Evertsen family, named Jacobus, Volckert, Myndert, and Arendt, (relatives of this Michel,) lived in prosperous circumstances, some in Pavonia, and some on Manhattan Island, anno 1638. They cultivated to- bacco with great success ; one of them also had a tannery. Arendt Evertsen was afterwards a celebrated Dutch captain on the Sound, where he captured several vessels belonging to the New England colonies, during the hostilities be- tween the English and Dutch in the time of Cromwell. Many respectable families of the name are still in this state.
2 Alb. Rec. i., 6, 12, 17, 18, 26, 52, 65, 68, 99, 100, 101, 115, 148, 185, 247; ii., 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 125.
The following were the salaries of some of the above officers : La Montagne, as member of council, 35 guilders [$14] per month. The book-keeper of monthly wages, 36 gl. [$14.40] per month, and 200 gl. [$80] a year for board ;
1638.
182
HISTORY OF
BOOK 11. 1638.
The council managed the general affairs of the government, and constituted, as under the preceding administrations, the ordinary court of justice, as well as the court of appeal from inferior tribunals. But on extraordinary occasions it was usual to adjoin to that board a few of the other inhabitants, selected mostly from among the company's servants, (who still formed the principal part of the population,) when special questions were to be deliberated upon, or special cases tried, in which, perhaps, one or other of the ordinary members of the council might be interested.
The government having been thus far organized, Director Kieft proceeded, pursuant to his instructions, to introduce some order into the company's affairs, which, in truth, were in a ruinous condition. The fort, completed but three years before, at a heavy expense, was in an utter state of decay ; open at every side, permitting everywhere free ingress and egress, " except at the stone point." All the guns were off their car- riages ; the house in the fort, and the other public buildings, as well as the church, were entirely out of repair ; the place on which the magazine for wares and merchandise had been erected " could with difficulty be discovered," the building itself having disappeared ; and every vessel, except one afloat, and another on the stocks, was falling in pieces. Of " the three windmills," only one was in operation ; the five farms belonging to the company were unoccupied by tenants, and thrown into commons, without a single creature, " not even a goat," remaining thereupon, the property of the company, while the farms belonging to the late Director were well fur- nished with dwelling and farm houses, agricultural implements, and stocked with brood-mares, milch-cows, oxen, goats, calves, and every thing else in the greatest abundance.1
mason, 20 gl. [$8] per month ; gunner, 16 gl. [6.40] per month ; commissary of stores, 36 gl. per month ; carpenter, 18 gl. [$7.20] and 100 gl. [$40] a year for board ; overseer, 30 gl. [$12] per month ; Indian interpreter, 12 gl. per month, and 100 gl. per ann. for board ; house-carpenter, 36 gl. per month. Alb. Rec. ii., 14.
1 By an inventory taken of Van Twiller's property, it appears that he had " on farm No. 1.," 4 mares, 1 stallion, 1 gelding, 10 milch-cows, 1 yearling, 1 heifer, 11 oxen, 1 bull, besides the necessary farming implements ; on the
183
NEW NETHERLAND.
The right which the company had reserved to itself of trad- CHAP. ing with the Indians, had been openly disregarded, for every
1638.
VII. person, whether in the public service or not, trafficked in pel- tries, without hesitation. Practices more injurious to the company's interests, also prevailed. Private individuals pur- chased, or appropriated to themselves, the most valuable furs, leaving the refuse only to be shipped on account of the direc- tors, by which means the character of the furs, offered by the latter for sale in Holland, was seriously injured, and the com- pany's receipts diminished, for they were undersold by the Russian traders, who furnished a better article at a lower price. The competition did not stop here. Those in New Nether- land, who were concerned in these clandestine proceedings, shipped return cargoes, and thus the trade with the interior became entirely deranged.
To put an end to these irregularities, the Director-general issued proclamations, shortly after his arrival, forbidding the company's servants trading for the future in peltries under a penalty of loss of their wages, as well as of all claims they April might have against the company ; and all disobeying this order 15. subjected themselves to confiscation of their goods and an ar- bitrary correction. No articles were hereafter to be exported without the special knowledge and permission of the authori- ties, under pain of confiscation ; nor was any person whatso- ever to trade for themselves, or others, in any part of New Netherland, without a license, on pain of sequestration of their furs, arbitrary punishment, and loss of all moneys due them by the company. Sailors were warned not to remain on shore after sunset without leave from the Director-general, and all communication from the shore with vessels in the stream, or
islands in Hellegat, 1 dwelling-house, 3 milch-cows, 3 bull calves, 1 mare, 1 stallion ; on Nut island, a frame of a house, 21 goats ; on " farm No. 3," 3 milch cows, 3 bull calves ; on tobacco plantation at Sapohanican, now Green- wich, on the North River, which was surrounded by palisades, 1 good dwelling- house, I tobacco-house. At Forts Hope and Nassau the company had " 30 goats and three negroes," while from their five or six farms on Manhattan Island, " which were now destitute of a creature," 16 milch-cows, 10 mares, a number of sheep and other stock had been sold and otherwise disposed of. Alb. Rec. i., 89, 91, 101.
184
HISTORY OF
1638.
BOOK from the latter to the shore, was as strictly forbidden. All Il. tradesmen in the company's service, of whatever grade, were directed to proceed to, and leave off work, at stated hours ; to obey the orders of their superiors and not to waste their time ; and such as refused to do any necessary work were to be punished as turbulent and seditious persons. Finally, all per- sons were seriously admonished "to abstain from fighting; from carnal intercourse with heathens, blacks, or other per- sons ; from rebellion, theft, false swearing, calumny, and all other immoralities," as certain condign punishment would surely overtake the guilty, as a terror to all evil-doers
This proclamation terminated by establishing Thursday in each week for the sittings of the court for the hearing and ad- judication of all civil and criminal processes, and for a redress of all grievances of which any person might have to complain. Defaulters at this court subjected themselves to the payment, for the first time, of one shilling ; second time, double that sum, and for the third default, judgment was entered against them. In consequence of the great mischief which was daily caused by immoderate drinking, another proclamation was sub- sequently issued, by which all, "except those who sold wine at a decent price, and in moderate quantities," were forbidden to sell any liquor under a penalty of twenty-five guilders, or $10, and the loss of their stock ; and any person who dared to provide lodgings, after sunset, for any sailor, or servant belong- ing to the company, without leave from the Director-general, subjected himself to a similar fine. All seafaring persons found on shore, after the above hour, were to forfeit two months' wages for the first offence ; for the second, all their wages, and to be expelled the company's service ; and whoever was guilty of selling powder or guns to the Indians was to be punished by death.1
A few immigrants arrived this summer in the Dolphin from Fatherland, some of whom proceeded to Rensselaerswyck, which still continued to be, however, " a place of trifling con- sequence." A number of horses were also imported ; and in anticipation of a greater influx of settlers, next year, Kieft
1 Alb. Rec. ii., 3, 4. 8, 10, 11, 12, 188.
185
NEW NETHERLAND.
sent to Curaçoa for negroes, cattle, and salt. Additional set- CHAP. tlements were being made on the western extremity of Long VII. Island. The Director-general purchased, in the early part of 1638. August, from the natives, for eight fathoms of duffels cloth, Aug. 1. eight fathoms of wampum, twelve kettles, eight adzes, eight axes, some knives, corals, and awls, a tract of land two miles broad, and four miles long, extending from the East River to the swamps of Mespeachtes, composing, we believe, the present settlement of Newtown. On Manhattan Island, La Montagne, and other private individuals, were beginning to make improvements. Abraham Isaacsen Verplanck took up Oct. a tract of land at Paulus Hoeck, and there was every prospect that settlements would multiply were the company's monopoly removed, and the trade of the country opened.1
The state of morals in New Amsterdam was, at this period, however, by no means healthy, owing as well to the descrip- tion of persons which trade brought thither, as to the absence, in a great part, of an agricultural population. Prosecutions for lewdness and thievery were frequent ; there were some public executions for manslaughter and mutiny ; and the au- thorities complained that several persons were becoming rich by appropriating to themselves the company's property, and using it as if it was their own. This state of things called forth proclamations, ever and anon, threatening fines and con- fiscations to evil-doers of whatever rank. But though the inhabitants were strictly forbidden to leave the Manhattans
1 Abraham Isaacsen Verplanck's name was sometimes written Planck. He was, probably, a near relative of Jacob Alberts. Planck, first sheriff of Rensse- laerswyck. He is represented as having been a wealthy as well as an excellent farmer, and to have been the proprietor of a large dairy. Gulian, son of Abra- ham Jacobs. Verplanck, was a leading merchant in New York in 1683, and having an interest in the north part of the manor of Cortland, moved thither. The Verplancks of Dutchess, Orange, and Geneva, (Ontario county,) are the descendants of this Gulian. Isaac, third sou of Abraham Jacobs., settled in the neighborhood of Albany, wbere David, of Beeren Island, cousin of Philip, of Westchester, married Ariantje, daughter of Barent Pieterse Coeymans. This lady died without issue. Thereupon David Verplanck married a lady named Brouwer, of an ancient Dutch stock, by whom he had David, Johan- nes, Ariantje, and Isaac, the father of Col. Abraham Verplanck of Haquatuck, Coeymans, whose sons, again, have moved west, and settled in Batavia, Gene- eee county.
24
186
HISTORY OF
BOOK without a passport, the lust of wealth was apparently more II. powerful than government placards.1
1638.
In the mean time, stimulated by the great demand which prevailed in Europe for tobacco, efforts had been making for some years to render that weed one of the staples of the prov- ince. The rich virgin soil around and in the vicinity of New Amsterdam, was at the time well adapted for the culture of the plant, and tobacco plantations consequently multiplied to such a degree, that the Director and council considered it their duty now to regulate, by statute, the mode of cultivating to- bacco, and to subject it to inspection, with a view to guard against frauds, and to preserve its character abroad. The fol- lowing ordinance was accordingly issued :
Aug. 19.
" Whereas, the Honorable Director and Council of the New Netherlands have deemed it advisable to make some regula-
1 Alb. Rec. GG, 57 ; i., 65 ; ü., 33 ; iii., 419 ; La Montagne's farm was called Vredendal, or the Valley of Peace. It belonged to Hendrick de Foreest, deceased, and cost 1800 gl., or $720. This farm was one hundred morgens, or two hundred acres in superficies. It is described as lying " between the hills and kills, and a point on the East River called Rechgawanes, situate between the two kills." Three brothers of these De Foreests originally emigrated to America during the early Huguenot troubles. Two of these, Hendrick and Isaac, settled at New Amsterdam, where we find the latter living in the Brou- wer-straat, now Stone-street. He was taxed, in 1653, one hundred guilders towards putting the city in a state of defence ; and twenty guilders, in 1655, to aid in paying off the public debt. He was one of the city magistrates in 1658. The third brother, whose name I cannot ascertain, settled at New Haven. David C. de Forest, son of Benjamin, and grandson of Benjamin, one of the descendants of this third brother, bequeathed, I understand, a sum of $5000, in 1823, for the establishment of a " De Forest Fund" in Yale Col- lege. This bequest is to remain at an interest of six per cent. until 1852, after which $1000 a year are to be expended in the free education and support, at that institution, of the male descendants of the donor, as well as of Jno. H. do Forest, of Humphreysville ; of Benjamin C. de Forest, of Watertown'; and Ezra de Forest, of Huntington, all of Connecticut ; and of the sons of the fe- male children of David C. and Julia, his wife. In default of descendants afore- said, the above sum is to be applied to the education of others of the same family name, giving preference to the next of kin to the donor. Failing candi- dates of the name of De Forest, the above is then to be applied annually to the education of young men in indigent circumstances, of good morals and suitable talents, who will consent to assume the name of De Forest. Iu the selection of these young men, " no religious or political opinions of the candidates or their families are to operate against them."
187
NEW NETHERLAND.
tions about the cultivation of tobacco, as the chief aim and CHAP. employ of many planters is to obtain a large crop, and thereby the high name which our tobacco has gained in foreign coun- tries is injured ; to obviate which every planter is seriously warned to pay due attention that the tobacco appear in good condition ; that the superfluous leaves are cut away ; and, further, that the tobacco which is sponged is not more wetted than is required ; that what is intended to be exported from New Netherland be first carried to the public storehouse, to be there inspected, weighed, and marked, and to be paid there the duties which are due to the company ;- to wit, five of every hundred pounds weight, in conformity to the grant from the company. Those who transgress this ordinance shall lose all their tobacco by confiscation, and besides be arbitrarily corrected and punished."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.