USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 10
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On luoking about them they found this old man's canoe, with which they crossed the creek to the other ludians' dwellings. They only found some beans, a few feltries, and one gun. Having destroyed all they could find, the expedition was about to return. Preymaker " being too old to walk, and the distance too great to carry him, we struck him down with his own axe." On their way back they were attacked by some savages, who were concealed in some bushes, and had one man wounded. " Making tighi, the Indians fled to a thick woods, where they could not be pursued," when the company marched on home.t
* Alh. Rec .. xxiv. 255-61; nºC. N. Y., ii. 110-11.
+ Alb. Rec., xvi. 138, 189.
This took place while Senwackenamo, one of the E-opus sachems, was at " Gamoenapa," interceding with the Hack- ensacks and Haverstrawes to get them to mediate in favor of a cessation of hostilities. On the 3d of June, Oratany. chief of these tribes, appeared before the director, and sned for peace in their name. He said Senwackenamo, only a few days before, had called together the Wanwassietje Indians ( Wawcarsings), and asked them what they would do. " We will fight no more," was their answer. He next asked the squaws " what seemed best." They answered. " Let us plant our fields in peace and live in quiet." Ile then went to the young men, who lived apart in another quarter. "and asked their opinion, too." "They would not kill either hog or fowl any more." Having now the consent of all classes to make peace, he had come down to get them to intercede in their behalf. While here, only the day be- fore, he had heard of the expedition ot Smit, and the death of " their greatest and best chief." " This news fell heavily on his heart." He knew not what to do. He re- turned home " to appease his people," and would return in ten or twelve days. He left the Hackensack and Harer- straw Indians to do the best they could with the Dutch. " He had no hope."
Oratany was assured the Christians wanted peace. " It is very strange, then," he answered, "your people were so recently engaged against the savages, and had killed their chief. They lament his loss."
Stuyvesant told him it was their enstom to use all their power while they had no solid peace. He should have said he meant to make an example of the despised Esopus natives which all should heed. It was now agreed that there should be a truee, while he, Oratany, and his sachems went up to Esopus with Claes de Ruyter, to see what the true disposition of the Indians was. " Now," said this war- rior, "I will see if these savages mean anything good." Claes was accordingly authorized to go with them and make a treaty, provided they would return the ransom paid for prisoners afterwards murdered and retire from the Eropus lands. He could promise them, if they were penceable, " they may, in time, get some of their men back."
He and Commander Smit soon reported that they were willing to accept these terms, but wanted the director to come with an interpreter called " Weather Cock." The Minnesinck savages, who had been engaged with the Eso- pus, and had lost twelve warriors, likewise wished to come to amicable terms.
The council of New Netherland How concluded to send Stuyvesant to the Esopus, with two old burgomasters, Martin Cregier and Oloff Stevenson Van Cortland, " to ad- vise with him." On the 7th of July this party left the Manhattans and sailed up the river. On the 9th they re- ceived on board the Highland chiefs, who sent two Indians to notify the Esopus savages of their arrival, not a soul having as yet come. On Sunday, the 11th, they again sent them word to come, -" the sooner the better." Two days passed, and no sachems, but word came, "Perhaps they will come to-morrow, perhaps not at all."
Incensed at this apparent fooling, a meeting of all the sachems present was called, and the director, through the interpreter, spoke :
43
THE FIRST ESOPUS INDIAN WAR, IN 1659.
" Brothers: Ve all know well that wo have not enused this war. After the Esopus Indians burned three of our houses and murdered one of our meu, a year ago, we forgave them and renewed the chain of friendship with them, promising the one to the other, that we could not thenceforth again wage war, though one man was killed bu! the murderer should be surrendered and punished. Notwith- standing all this, the Esopus savages took some of our people pris- eners nut ten moons ago, burnt several houses, besieged and stormed Eropus, though they pretende I during the siege to be inclined to peace. They then eousented to receive a ransom for the prisoners, but when it was brought out to the gate they carried it away by force, retained our prisoners, and afterwards murdered eight or niue more in an infamous manuer. Brothers: It was this compelled us to lake up the hatehet.
" Brothers : Ou the earnest entreaties of Indian friends, who solie- ited peace in their behalf, and on the intercession of our allies, the Magnus, the Mohicans, the Highlands, the Minguar, Katskills, and other tribes, we conchiled & truce with our enemies, who seemed mineb rejoiced, and solicited us to come in person to conclude a treaty. We came with our friends, yet those of Esopus hang back. They come not nor speak a word of peace. Ye see clearly it is not our fault. Bro- thers : The Esopus In-lians play the fool with you as well as with ns.
" Brothers : Our stit.on will not permit us to remain here in uncer- tainty any longer. Fven ye are tired with waiting, an I are as willing to depart as we. We request you to remember these, our words, com- municate thetu to all the other sachems, our brothers, and to all the Indians, our friends, and tell them, as we have done before, that they must not meddle with the Esopus savages, nor suffer them to live among them. And now tell the Esopus savages we will yet wait till evening. Brothers: When yonder sun goes down we depart, if they be not here."
Towards evening, Kaelkop ( Bald Head), Seewackamano, Nosbabowan, and Pemmyrawack, Esopus sachems, appeared. The next day, the 15th of July, they and Adogbeguewal- quo, Requeserade, Ogkuckelt, Maguas; Eskyras, alias Aepje (Ape), AAmpumst, Mohicans ; Keeseweig, Machack- neteau, Catskills ; Orderis Hoeque, Kaskongeritschage; Minquas ; Isseschabga, Wisachganio, Wappingers ; Ora- tauy, Carstaugh, Hackensacks ; Warehan, Staten Island sachets, the director and his advisers, . Ohl Weather Cock, Arent Vau Curler," interpreter, and all the inhabitants of Esopus, " Christian as well as savage," met on the flat near the Strand gate, just without the village, " under the blue sky of heaven."
John Vanderlyu meant to paint a picture of this inn- posing conference, but neglected it until it was too late. It is truly sorrowful he did not commemorate his birthplace by transferring this cpie seene to canvas.
Ondoris, sachew of the Mingnas, arose, and thus ad- dressed the Christians :
" The savages of Eropus have complained to us that they were in- solved in a heavy war with the Dutch. We answered them, Why did ye begin it? It is all your fanlt; we einnot, therefore, help you in your necessity, but we shall intereelle in your bebalf, and do all in our power to obtain for you penee. We have now brought a present in return for that with which they solicitel our assistance for a peace, which we now request in their behalf. If they cannot obtain it now, there of Isopus must return home weeping."
Stuyvesant answered he would consent to it " if we could place confidence in that peace." Having proposed the same thing over and over again, he asked the Minguas, Maquas, wrl other chief's, if they would be sureties that they would not art again as they had done.
A Mohawk sachem now arose and spoke to the Esopus chiefs :
"The whole country is now convened in behalf of you, who began Il. is quarrel, to procure you peace. If this be onee concluded, break
it never again. If yo do break it and treat us with contempt, we shall never again intercede for you."
Ondoris again took the word and said, ----
"Yo must not renew this quarrel ; neither kill horse nor cow, nor steal any property. Whatever yo want ye must purchase or earn. Ye must live with the Dutch as brothers."
After a few more speeches to one another, he continued, ---
" Ye eause the Mingnas and Maquaa great. losses. This is not your land. It is ours. Therefore expect not this, but throw down the hatehet. Tread it so deep into the earth that it shall never be taken up again."
At the close of this address, he presented them a belt of white wampum.
The Magnas then addressed the Dutch, and told them they too must not renew this trouble, " nor beat the Esopus savages in the face, and then laugh at them." Taking an axe from the hands of an Esopus chief, he threw it on the ground, jumped on it, and said, "Now they will never commence this quarrel agait."
The Esopus chief, arising slowly, said, ---
" The hatchet have we permitted to be taken from our hands, and to be trodden in the ground. We will never take it up again !"
Stuyvesant now submitted the conditions of the peace, which were agreed to. All hostilities were to cease,-all injuries forgiven and forgotten ; the Dutch to have all the land of Esopus, and the Indians to depart from and not to plant thercon ; the directors to pay eight hundred schepels corn for the Christian prisoners, " one half this harvest, and the other next year, when the maize is ripe." Further, the Esopus savages were not to kill any horses, cattle, or hogs, and if they did were to pay for them, or remain under ar- rest until such time as damages were paid, the Dutch agree- ing to the same terms. There was not to be war for murder, but the guilty parties to be punished; the Indians not to approach the plantations or dwellings armed, as before, and only to drink brandy and spirituous liquors "in their own camp, deep in the woods, at a great distance." Finally, the peace was to include the friends of both sides, and the chiefs mentioned were to be surety for the observance of these conditions by the Esopus Indians, and, in case of any infrac- tion, " to assist the Dutch in subduing them."
This ended what is termed the first Esopus war. We here give all the data respecting it we could find, but much of interest that transpired during this period is lost. By the address of Stuyvesant and the allusions of the chief's, incidents of a thrilling nature took place, but, unlike those of most of the settlements, they had no chronicler. We can but therefore add that the director did not display much true statesmanship in not returning the Indian prisoners. He told their bretliren perhaps they would get some of them back,-perhaps not. They must think them dead. Such treatment would rankle in the bosom of white men. How much more, then, did it rankle in the hearts of these savages ! Every few months they would ask, " Where are our brothers ?" When Stuyvesant left Esopus, he went up the river to settle some troubles with the Indian runners. While at Fort Orange, he held a grand coun- cil with the Senecas, who had been included in the peace at " Mamakating" ( Esopus). "Set now at liberty the sav- ages ye have taken prisoners there," they said. " We are
44
HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
sometimes obliged to pass by that path." The injustice was too great for even these cruel warriors. When Stuy- vesant's report of these proceedings reached the directors of the West Indian Company, they were greatly pleased, and urged " their wings may be cropped" and " the cultivation of land undertaken with greater zeal."
CHAPTER XIL.
ORGANIZATION OF WILTWYCK IN 1661.
I .- WILTWYCK IN 1661.
THE inhabitants of Esopus celebrated the New Year, 1661, by firing guns and a muster of the militia, after which they were regaled with wine by a " few of the prin- cipal barghers." Blom, who seems to have been Puritanie in regard to these old observanees, took exceptions to them and remoustrated, calling the " custom a heathenish one." But this did not prevent several from getting quite " be- foodled."
There were at this time fifteen farmers in the settlement, who cultivated about five hundred morgen, or eleven hun- dred aeres, of land. There were also some twenty families of laborers and artisans. As land was then cultivated, it took many hands to work a farm of fifty acres. This drew around the boors' hearths young men, bachelors without a home, adventurers who had nothing to lose and all to gain. The Dutch military service contained much of this ele- ment, who, when they wished, left it; for Stuyvesant was very willing they should take this course, for the good of the colony. In this manner, Jonas Rantzou, Jacob Bur- hans, Jan Laquire, Jacob Van Campen, Peter Lamberts, Michael Verre, Wallerand Dumont, Jochem Hendrix ("Schoonmaker"), Jan Van Amesfort, Gerret Van Cam- pen, Jan Vandebush, and others, located there.
The number of dwellings in the village was thirty-five, with the parsonage, church, barns, and barracks. The buildings were mostly built of logs, tightened with mud, made after the custom of backwoodsmen in latter days. The roofs were covered with plank, reed, and straw. The latter material was especially used for the barns, but, by ordinaned of the schepens, it was soon prohibited within the stockade as dangerous. Much of the reed they eut on the flats along the creek. There was a place down on Chambers' land especially noted for it. It was the same reed used for " quills" by weavers. The chimneys were built of stone, outside the houses, which were at first one story high with a loft. Slecht's house stood at the mill- gate. Wallerand Dumont erected one next to his, two Years later. Thomas Chambers lived in what is now Grecu Street, ncar the Lucas turnpike. The church stood on the ground yet belonging to the First Reformed Church of Kingston, on the corner of Wall and Main Streets. Wall was then named "Dwars Straat," -- Cross Street. The church was a rude building, uneoriforiable in winter, for " snow blew through into it in great heaps." The parson- age stood hard by the church.
A small grist-mill had been built quite carly just below
the spot where the tannery now stands, on North Front Street, which ". Peter de Muelenaar" attended to. I infer it belonged to Slecht. The latter gentleman also had a brewery on the south side of the mill-gate. Here good beer was made for more than one hundred and fifty years. Esopus beer had as good a reputation as Albany ale has now. Jan de Backer ( Baker) carried on a bakery, but I know not where his shop was.
Down on the Strand a fort had been built long before, on which were now mounted two guns. A small detach- ment of men from the garrison at the village kept watch in it to guard stores, traders, and strangers. Opposite it, on the south side of the Roudout Creek, Christopher Davis had a small house, in which he generally lived. He seems to have been born to suffer poverty, "but not restraint. Evert Pels had a trading-house near the fort, which was a great drinking-place, especially for river sailors. Being generally a rough set, his house was the scene of many fights, in which the Indians often got puinmneled.
II .- THE NAME WILTWYCK GIVEN TO ESOPUS BY GOVERNOR STUYVESANT.
Such was the condition of the little settlement at " Eso- pus" in the spring of 1661, when Governor Stuyvesant created it a village, named it " Wiltwyck,"* by the follow- ing order, which is the first entry in the Esopus records, and which we give in Dutch with a translation :
" Anno 1661. Den 16. May.
" Man regent, en Generael Directaur Petrus Stuyvesant, was gelast ende geauthoriseert, tot alle Saken van Directle, valende tot gemvene beste van alle landen, van Nieuw-Nederlant, endde alles uft macht, en last, van de edele heeren bewint hebberen, der Geoctroyeerde West India Company.
"uyt welecke oorzaecke, den voorge melden vroomen, Directuur, General Petrus Stuyvesant, ziende den start ende gelegenthest van eenen Plaetz. genacmt de Esoopes nu, ses, a, seven, Jaren hewoort, ende gesticht Door den Selven.
" heeft aengesien den Staet, ende pupelatic van den Selven, stell ons plaets tot een Dorp, en vercert den naem van Wiltwyck, waer tree het van nu voortaen sal benacit worden."
" Governor and Director-General Petrus Stuyvesant. commissioned amil authorized in the control of all affairs falling to the public good of all the country of New Netherland, and all by power and permis- sion of the Honorable Lords, the Directors of the Privileged West India Company ; therefore, the aforesaid, valiant Director-General Petrus Stuyvesant, observing the situation aud condition of a place named ' Esoopus,' now inhabited six or seven years, and pleased thereat. hath, in consideration of the state and population of the same, creeted our place into a village, and honored it with the name of Wiltwyck, by which it shall be called from uow henceforth."
TIL .- FIRST CHARTER OF WILTWYCK.
In the year 1661 a formal charter was granted for Wilt- wyck, which we give below :
" Petrus Stuyvesant, in behalf of the High and Mighty Lords. the States-General of the United Netherlands, and the Lords Directors of the Privileged West India Company, Director-General of New Netherland, Curacoa, Aruba, and Buenaire and dependencies, together
# Stuyvesant gave it this cognomen in honor of the Indians, who had made "a free gift" of the soil. The worl is susceptible of two or more renderings in English, both approximating to the same idea. It is derived from two Dutch words, Wilt, wild or Indian, and wyb, retreat, refuge, and ward or parish; from which we can interpret Will Retreat, Indian Refuge, Wild or Indian Parish. From the fact first stated, the Governor meant oither Indian Retreat, Indian Refuge, or Indian Village.
45
ORGANIZATION OF WILTWYCK IN 1661.
with the High Conneil. To all who see or hear this rend-Greeting : Be it known that their Honors, hoping and wishing nothing else but the prosperity and welfare of their good inhabitants generally, and particularly that of the residents in the village of Wiltwyek, situated in the Esopus; and desiring that this may be effected and preserved with more love, peace, and harmony, and to show each inhabitant of the aforesaid village, and prove by deed its effects. So is it, that the aforesaid Director-General and Council, considering the increased population of said village, resolve to favor its inhabitants with a subaltern Court of Justice, and to organize it as far as possible and the situation of the country will periuit, in conformity with the cus- toms of the city of Amsterdam in Holland; but so, that from all judgments an appeal inny be made to the Director-General and Council in New Netherland, who shall reserve the power to give the final decision. It is therefore, necessary, so that everything may be effected with due order and respect, that there be chosen as judges honest, intelligent persons possessing real estate, peaceable men, good subjects to their Lords aud Patroons, and the high administration appointed by them in this country ; professors of the Reformed Reli- gion, as it is now preached in the United Netherlandish churches, in conformnity to the word of God, and the orders of the Synod of Dor- drecht; which Court of Justice, for the present time, till otherwise shall be ordained by the aforesaid Lords Patroons in their anthorized administration, shall consist of a Sheriff, being in loco, who shall summon, in the name of the Director-General and Council, the ap- pointed Schepens, and preside at their meetings ; and with him three Schepens, who for the present time and ensuing year, beginning with the last of May next, are elected by the Director-General and the Couneil aforesaid, and confirmed after they shall have taken their oath, Evert P'els, Cornelis Barentsen Slecht, and Elbert Heymanse Roosa. Before whem all cases relative to the police, security, and peace of the inhabitants of Esopus, so, too, all suits between man und man shall be brought, heard, examined, and determined by definitive judgment, to the amount of fifty guilders and below it, without appeal. But on higher sums it shall be left to the discretion of the aggrieved to appeal to the Director-General and Conneil afore- said, provided that he enters the appeal in due time, and procures bail for the prosecution and expenses of the law-snit, according to law.
" If there be a disparity of votes and opinions on any concurrent affairs, then the minority shall coincide with the majority without contradiction. But it is permitted to those who adopt another opinion or advice, to have their sentiments and adviec registered on the roll or protovol. But they shall by no means publish ont of Conrt their advice, or communicate the same to the parties, under arbitrary eor- rection, at the discretion of the bench.
" The Sheriff shall, in conformity to the first article, preside at the meeting, collect the votes, and act as Secretary till further orders, or until the population is increased. But, whenever he shall act for himself, or in behalf of the rights of the Lords Patroons, or in behalf of justice, instead of the Attorney-General, in all such cases he shall lave his sent, sud absent himself from the bench, and in such cases Le shall not have an advisory, much less a casting vote. In all such cases, one of the oldest Schepeus shall preside in his place.
" What in the aforesaid article is derreed with regard to the Sheriff shall take place, in a similar manner, with respect to the Schepens, whenever, in the aforesaid Court, any cases or questions might occur between them as parties or others, nearly allied in blood to the ap- pointed Schepens, as when a. brother, brother-in-law, or a cousiu is concerned,-viz., in the first and right linc.
"All the inhabitants of Esopus are, till further orders, cither from the Lords Patroons, or their higher magistrates, subjected and may be summoned before the aforesaid Sheriff and Commissaries, who shall hold their court, in the village aforesaid, every fortnight,-har- Vest time excepted, -- unless necessity or occasion might otherwise inquire.
" To procure the good inhabitants of Wiltwych a civil and casy ad- ministration of justice, the Sheriff as President, and the Schepens of this Court, shall, for the better convenience of parties, appear at the appointed day and place, on line of twenty stivers, to be disposed of by the College, when they shall have been informed by the Court Messenger, qualified for that purpose by the Director-General and Conteil, at least twenty - four hours before the sessions of the Court, &byl double this suth for the President, except by sickness or absence. If they arrive too late, or after the stated hours, the penalty shall be -ix ativers.
" No extenordinary ses-ions shall, at the expenses and bundens of the parties, be called, except at the request of both parties, with sub- mission to the costs, in case of the loss of the snit; which cost shall previously be secured by the solicitant or plaintiff, viz. : for each Schepen, fifteen stivers; for the President, three guilders; besides & provision for the Clerk, yet to be appointed, the Court Messenger, and other necessary costs, agrecably to law.
" All criminal cases shall be directly referred to the Director-Gen- eral and Cenneil of New Netherland, provided that the Court remains obliged to apprehend, arrest, detain, and imprison the delinquents till they have a proper opportunity to transport them with safety before the Supreme Magistrate of the land, while in the meantime they are holden to take good and correct information with regard to the committed crime, at the expense of the criminal, or in behalf of the Attorney-General, and transmit thesc, together with the de- linquent.
"Lesser erimes, as quarrels, injuries, scolding, kicking, beating, threatening, simply drawing a knife or sword, without assault or bloodshed, are left to the judication and decision of the aforesaid Court, in which cases the Sheriff may act as plaintiff before said Court, with reservation of clause of appeal, if the condemned feel himself aggrieved by the decision of said Court.
" All criminals ard delinquents guilty of wounding, bloodshed, forniention, adultery, public and notorions thefts, robberies, smug- gling or contraband, blasphemy, violating God's holy name and re- ligion, injuring and slandering the Supreme Magistrates, or their representatives, shall, with the informations, affidavits, and witnesses, be referred to the Director-General and Council of the New Nether- lands.
"Should the situation of affairs be such that the President and Schepens deet it advisable for the security and peace of the inhabi- tants, during the absence of the Director General and Council for the greater advantage and peace of the village and Court aforesaid, to issne in said district any orders respecting public roads, enclosures of land, gardens, orchards, and further, what might concern the country and agriculture, so, too, relative to the building of churches, schools, and other similar public works; as well as the ineans from which, and in what manner, these shall be regulated, they are authorized to bring their considerations on sueb subjects in wii ing, support these by argument, and deliver them to the Director General and Couneil, to be. if deerued nseful and necessary, confirmed, approved, and com- manded by the Director-General and Council.
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