USA > New York > Schenectady County > History of the County of Schenectady, N. Y., from 1662 to 1886... > Part 6
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MARTEN VAN BENTHUYSEN, through his wife, Feitje, daughter of Pieter Jacobse Borsboom, had a fourth interest in Borsboom's land.
GYSBERT GERRITSE VAN BRAKELEN came here in about 1700. He owned several lots of land. He left two sons, Gerrit and Gysbert.
ARENT VAN CURLER was the leader of the colony at Schenectady in 1662. He came over in 1630, and in 1643 married Antonia Slaaghboom, widow of Jonas Bronck. No man of his time had so fully won the confidence and esteem of the Indians, and to honor his memory they ever addressed the Gov- ernor of the Province by his name. He was drowned on Lake Champlain in July, 1669. Van Curler's home lot in the village was a portion of the block boun ded by Union, Church, Front and Washington streets. The Rev. WM. ELLIOT GRIF- FIN, D. D., says that "Arent Van Curler was a scholar and a gentleman, fluent with his pen, pos- sessing a gift by no means to be despised-the mastery of language. He was a man of systematic mind, so faithful to his trust and vow as to recall a Roman of classic days ; and so kind of heart, so full of deep conviction of conscience, along with the power of rising above the narrowness of sect or nationality, as to suggest a Christian. Brave as a lion, fearless neither of conspirators, scheming law- yers, who made use of their profession mainly to molest honest men, or of crafty savages, or perfidi-
20
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
ous French ; further, he had the eye of an engi- neer and strategist, with the foresight of a states- man."
FRANS VAN DE BOGART came here among the early settlers, and was killed in the massacre of 1690. His farm lay on the south side of the river at and below the Saratoga Railroad bridge, and a portion of it still belongs to his descendants.
LAURENS CLAESE VAN DER VOLGEN, at the de- struction of the village in 1690, was made captive by the Indians, with whom he remained several years. He became interpreter for the Province, which position he held until his death, in 1742. His village lot was the eastern half of the lot now occupied by the Myers block, and he also owned part of the fifth flat.
JACOBUS VAN DYCK was a doctor ; he settled here and practiced his profession until his death. He married Jacomyntje, daughter of Johannes Sanders Glen, October 25, 1694, and had two children, Elizabeth, and a son, Cornelius, who followed his father's profession and inherited his possessions.
DIRK VAN EPS married Maritie Damens, and had two children, Johannes and Lysbert, who became the wife of Gerrit Bancker, of Albany. His home lot was on the north corner of State and Church streets. JAN BAPTIST VAN EPS, eldest son of Jan Dirkse Van Eps, was born in 1673, and married Helena, daughter of Johannes Sanderse Glen, in 1699, and had eleven children, all of whom, save one, reached mature age and had families. He was captured by the Indians in 1690, with whom he remained three years. He owned, with other parcels, the "foremost " farm, No. 8, on the bouwland. This farm has remained in the fam- ily until this day. EVERT VAN EPS was a son of Jan Dirkse Van Eps. His first wife was Eva, daughter of Carle Hansen Toll ; his second, Eliza- beth, daughter of Isaac Truax. He had thirteen children. His village lot was on the west side of Washington street.
CLAAS FREDERICKSE VAN PETTEN was born in 1641. His wife was Aeffie, daughter of Arent Bratt. They had eight children. They both died in 1728, she aged seventy-eight years, he eighty- seven years. He owned a farm between the river and the lake in Scotia, and a village lot, being part of the Glen lot. .
HARMEN ALBERTSE VEDDER owned much land here at an early day, removing here in about 1672. He died, June 18, 1714, leaving five sons and one daughter. ALBERT VEDDER, eldest son of Harmen, was born in 1671. He was captured by the In- dians in 1690, and was kept in captivity for several
years. His village lot was on the north side of Union street. It was afterward owned by Regnier Schaets. HARMANUS VEDDER, son of Harmen, was an Indian trader, and owned a village lot on the north corner of State and Church streets. In 1757 Harmen Vedder, Jr., conveyed this lot to Alexander Vedder. Ferry street (extended south) passes through this lot. ARENT VEDDER, son of Harmen, married Sara, daughter of Symon Groot, and had eleven children, all of whom, save one, were living, and had families, August 10, 1846, when he made his will. His village lot, on the west side of Washington street, is now owned by D. Cady Smith. JOHANNES VEDDER, fourth son of Harmen, was carried to Canada in 1690 with his brother Albert He inherited a portion of the "hindmost " farm, No. 8, from his father. COR- SET VEDDER, fifth son of Harmen, lived in "Schaghkook " until 1720, when he removed to Niskayuna. He owned four morgens of his father's farm.
SYMON VOLCKERTSE VEEDER was born in 1624. His home lot in the village was on the north cor- ner of State and Ferry streets. GERRIT SYMONSE VEEDER, son of Symon, married Tryntje, daughter of Helmer Otten, in 1690. He was the owner of much landed property. PIETER SYMONSE VEEDER, son of Symon, married Neeltje, daughter of Claase Van der Volgen, in 1704. He settled on the Nor- mans Kil. He died about 1709. JOHANNES SY- MONSE VEEDER, son of Symon, resided on the Normans Kil, where he had a portion of his father's land. VOLKERT SYMONSE VEEDER, son of Symon, lived on the north corner of Ferry and State streets, on a lot received from his father.
PIETER CORNELISE VIELE was among the early settlers. He owned part of De Winter's bouwery in 1670, and died some time before 1690. COR- NELIS VIELE, brother of Pieter, owned the two bouweries No. 8. He was one of the two licensed tapsters of the village, his inn being on the south corner of Mill lane and State, near Church street., ARNOUT CORNELISE VIELE, son of Cornelis, was for many years provincial interpreter. On account of the Indians' high esteem for him, the Mohawks, in 1633, gave him a parcel of land, above Schenec- tady, on the north side of the river, called Wach- keerhoha.
HENDRICK MEESE VROOMAN came here in 1677 and bought the Van Curler bouwery. His village lot was on the north side of State street. He was slain in 1690. ADAM VROOMAN, son of Hendrick, in 1690, saved his life "by his bravery in de- fending his house, which stood near the north gate,
21
YANCES.
on the west corner of Church and Front streets." Besides this lot he owned other parcels of land.
JAN VROOMAN, son of Hendrick, married Geesie, daughter of Symon Veeder, July 4, 1680, and had fifteen children, the most of whom attained maturity and had families. His village lot, inherit- ed from his father, was on the north side of State street, near Given's Hotel. Capt. HENDRICK VROOMAN was the fourth son of Adam Vrooman. Among other parcels of land, he owned in 1706 a lot on the south side of State street, " on the side of the Coehorn creek." BARENT VROOMAN, son of Adam, married Tryntje, daughter of Takel Heem- straat, of Albany, June 18, 1699. He died in 1746; his village lot was on the north corner of State and Center streets. WOUTER VROOMAN, son of Adam, married Marytje, daughter of Isaac Hallen- beck, of Albany ; they had sixteen children ; he died October 26, 1856 ; he owned five different parcels of land. JAN VROOMAN, son of Adam, was by trade a brewer. He received some land from his father, among which was a parcel lying west of the city, now mainly covered by the canal and railroad. PIETER VROOMAN, son of Adam, married Grietje, daughter of Isaac Van Alstyne, of Albany, February 2, 1706 ; they had twelve children. He settled early upon "Vrooman's land," in Scho- harie. SIMON VROOMAN, son of Jan Vrooman, married Eytje, daughter of Jacob Delamont. He bought, in 1710, a " lot lying on the west side of the canal, extending from State to Liberty street." By his will, made in 1752, his son Jacob inherited this, and his son Johannes the " tan-pits," near the Church mill on Mill lane.
JAN BARENTSE WEMP settled here in 1662, buy- ing " Van Slyck's " or "Wemp's Island." His village lot was on the west side of Washington street. This lot was inherited by his son Myndert, who was killed in the massacre of 1690. MYNDERT WEMP, son of Jan, was born in 1649. He married Diewer, daughter of Evert Wendel, of Albany. CAPT. BARENT WEMP, son of Jan, was born in 1656, and married Folkje, daughter of Symon V. Veeder. His village lot was on the east corner of State and Center streets. The front of this lot is now occupied by the Carley House.
ROBERT Y'ATES, son of Joseph Yates, settled in Schenectady at the age of twenty-three, and mar- ried Grietje Claase De Graff, of the Hoek in Scotia. His village lot was on the Albany road, near the present Ferry street. By his will, made in 1747, he left his interest in his tan-yards to his sons, Joseph and Abraham. Robert, son of Joseph, settled in Schenectady before 1712, and his
nephew, Joseph Christoffelse, settled here in 1734. Abraham, a son of the latter, owned a house and lot on Union street, opposite the Court House.
Yates House.
YANCES.
About the year 1798 there migrated to the bar- ren pine plains adjoining the Albany and Schenec- tady turnpike, about one mile from this city, a tribe of people called Yances. In the reign of Queen Anne we date the first migration of the gypsies to this country. A tribe of them came over at that time with some German families, and settled in or near Kinderhook in this State. From thence proceeded the clan which settled in this vicinity.
This name, as it obtained among the early in- habitants of this vicinity, was Yances, so called after their patriarch, John Yonse. They were a race of persons with long, straight, black hair and dark complexions. They were generally well dis- posed, and the males made a precarious living by making baskets, selling berries-which grew abundantly at this time-and doing light work for the citizens of Schenectady, but never cultivated their land, nor worked strictly at anything; while the female portion of the tribe occupied themselves in spinning, picking berries and telling fortunes.
Some dwelt in caves which they dug at the foot of rising grounds, others in rude huts of their own construction. They were at first about forty strong, including men, women and children, but in the course of a few years they greatly increased in num- bers, and about forty years ago there were about two hundred of them.
At present but a few of their descendants are living in this vicinity. Some families may be found living among the mountains around the vil- lages in Schoharie County. There they are called the "Sloughters."
22
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
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INDIAN WARS ON THE BORDER, 1662-1743.
Down to the close of the French war in 1763, the Iroquois carried on an intermittent warfare with the French of Canada. All settlements in the valley of the upper Hudson were made on this river and the Mohawk. The danger line was along the banks of the Mohawk and the shores of the Hudson above Waterford.
During a period of more than seventy years- 1688 to 1760 -- the English provinces were, more than half the time, in a state of war, or painful ap- prehension.
No formidable body of Frenchmen, it is true, ever crossed the Mohawk -- 1690 -- but parties of their Indian allies, in squads of five to twenty, were constantly sent out to skulk along the border and pick off unwary husbandmen. Every dwelling along this danger line was constructed for defense, as well as for habitation. Movable block-houses were placed in the field for temporary shelter, and the farmer labored with his musket by his side, yet,
in spite of every precaution suggested by experi- ence, scarcely a year passed in which some house- holds were not bereft of one or more of their members.
Less than four years after Schenectady was set- tled occurred the first alarm to the inhabitants.
M. De Courcelles, Governor of Canada, on the 29th December, 1665, began a march from Mon- treal with six hundred volunteers, " to seeke out their inveterate ennemyes called the Mohawke In- dians, to take revenge upon them for the severall murthers and spoyles which the barbarians had for many yeares exercised in Canada." The snow was four feet deep; the soldiers marched on snow- shoes, while their provisions were drawn on " slight sledges " by mastiff dogs. On the 9th of Febru- ary they encamped within two miles of Schenec- tady, having been misled by their guide. That evening "60 of their best Fusileers being led into an ambuscade by the Mohaks, lost 11 men besides divers others," who were wounded. Governor Courcelles applied to the inhabitants for provisions
RIVER
from Mahawk Country
23
INDIAN WARS ON THE BORDER.
which were supplied according to the " best ac- commodation ye poore village afforded," but re- fused shelter for his men, fearing if " hee had brought his weary and halfe starved people within the smell of a chimney corner, " he could not keep them from straggling or running away.
Seven of his wounded were sent to Albany. " The Dutch boers carryed to the camp such pro- visions as they had, especially peaz and bread, of which a good quantity was bought." On the 12th of February the French began their return to Canada.
Three years later, to wit, in 1669, another In- dian battle was fought on the western borders of the town.
In August, Caughnawaga [Fonda], a stockaded village of the Mohawks, was attacked by the river Indians or Mahikanders. After an obstinate re- sistance the latter were repulsed and retired. The Mohawks descended the river in their canoes and attacked the retreating foe at a place called Kind- quarimes and put them to flight.
From this time up to 1689, while the people lived in constant apprehension, there was really no outbreak. In this period of twenty years' peace Schenectady slowly gained in population and agri- cultural wealth and comforts. Some trade, too, was had surreptitiously with the Indians. During these years the French occasionally sent out ma- rauding expeditions, which made necessary a gath- ering of the savages about Schenectady. They were given to drink, and were always a source of annoyance to the inhabitants.
In August, 1689, the Five Nations made a de- structive raid upon Montreal, killing several hun- dred persons and holding the place until October. Retaliation was naturally to be expected. The border settlements, as winter approached, when re- lief from New York would be cut off, cast about for help.
The general apprehension of an attack by the French led to a kind of committee of safety, called "the Convention," which convened in Albany from time to time to watch the progress of events and prepare for defense. This convention was composed of the Mayor and Aldermen of the city and the magistrates and chief military officers of the country. They were unanimously opposed to Leisler, and would obey none of his orders. Many persons during the summer of 1689 medi- tated and prepared to flee to a place of greater safety, which led to a proclamation, given at the City Hall, in Albany, August 7, published by the Justices of the Peace, forbidding all persons to de-
part from the country. During September the convention was again held, the proceedings of which plainly show that the attack of the French on Schenectady, which took place the following February, was not unexpected.
Schenectady, equally with Albany, was rent by party spirit, the inhabitants being divided into Leislerians and anti-Leislerians.
Leisler promised the people the same privileges as Albany, to wit: those of trading with the Indians, hitherto forbidden them, and the right of bolting flour. This was a strong bid for public favor; but Adam Vrooman, who was addressed as Leisler's agent, very modestly and prudently declined the honor.
Early in November, 1689, news reached Albany " that Leysler is about to send up an armed force to take possession of the place and overthrow the government." Capt. Sander Glen, Jan Van Eps and Sweer Teunise Van Velsen, of Schenec- tady, were opponents of Leisler, and sustained the convention to the last, Capt. Glen being one of the eight men appointed by the Convention to sign articles with Melbourne, Leisler's agent.
On the 25th November Capt. Jonathan Bull arrived with eighty-seven men from Connecticut, and on the 29th Lieutenant Enos Talmage, of Capt. Bull's company, "marched with twenty-four men to Schinnectady to keep y' Post as it was agreed upon by ye five gentlemen appoint4 by ye Convention and ye Capt. Bull and Jochim Staats." December 9th was ordered as a day of fasting and prayer. All was confusion at Albany. Mr. Staats, who commanded Leisler's soldiers, would not submit to the convention and send ten of his men to Schenectady, as they wished; but went thither himself with some of his faction to stir up the people, so that the convention thought it neces- sary to send some one after him.
January 12, 1689-90, " while the convention was debating whether to submit to Joachim Staats as deputy of Leysler, a letter comes from Capt. Sander Glen, there Majles Justice of the Peace at Schinnectady, informing them how that there are five commissions come to Schinnectady from Capt. Leysler for five Justices of ye Peace, brought thither by Jeronimus Wendel and Gerrit Luycasse [Wyn- gaard]; Y. persons are Dowe Aukus, Ryer Jacobse [Schermerhorn], David Christoffelse, Myn- dert Wemp and Johannes Pootman; and a com- mission to call the people together, to choose new Capt., Lieut. and Ensigne and Town Court, and y" y" sª five justices come here to-morrow to assist Mr. Joachim Staats and to enter upon there office."
26
HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
** * * At eleven o'clock at night they came within sight of the town (but) resolved to defer the assault until two o'clock in the morning. But the excessive cold admitted of no further delay.
"The town of Corlaer forms a sort of oblong with only two gates-one opposite the road we had taken-the other leading to Orange, which is only six leagues distant. Messieurs de Sainte Helene and de Mantet were to enter at the first, which the Squaws pointed out, and which in fact was found wide open. Messieurs d'Iberville and de Montes- son took the left with another detachment, in order to make themselves masters of that leading to Orange. But they could not discover it, and returned to join the remainder of the party. A profound silence was everywhere observed, until the two commanders, who separated, at their en- trance into the town, for the purpose of encircling it, had met at the other extremity.
" The signal of attack was given Indian fashion, and the whole force rushed out simultaneously. M. de Mantet placed himself at the head of a detachment, and reached a small fort where the garrison were under arms. The gate was burst in after a good deal of difficulty, the whole set on fire, and all who defended the place slaughtered.
"The sack of the town began a moment before the attack on the fort. Few houses made any resistance. M. de Montigny discovered some, which he attempted to carry sword in hand, hav- ing tried the musket in vain. He received two thrusts of a spear-one in the body and the other in the arm. But M. de Sainte Helene, having come to his aid, effected an entrance, and put every one who defended the place to the sword. The massacre lasted two hours. The remainder of the night was spent in placing sentinels and in taking some repose.
"The house belonging to the minister was ordered to be saved, so as to take him alive to obtain information from him; but as it was not known, it was not spared any more than the others. He was slain and his papers burnt before he could be recognized.
"At daybreak some men who were sent to the dwelling of Mr. Coudre [Coudre (?) Sander], who was major of the place, and who lived at the other side of the river. He was not willing to surrender, and began to put himself on the defen- sive, with his servants and some Indians; but as it was resolved not to do him any harm, in conse- quence of the good treatment that the French had formerly experienced at his hands, Mr. d'Iberville
and the Great Mohawk proceeded thither alone, promised him quarter for himself, his people, and his property, whereupon he laid down his arms, on parole, entertaining them in his fort, and returned with them to see the commandants of the town.
" In order to occupy the savages, who would otherwise have taken to drink and thus render them- selves unable for defence, the houses had already been set on fire. None were spared in the town but one house belonging to Coudre [Sander Glen], and that of a widow [Bratt] who had six children,- whither M. de Montigny had been carried when wounded. All the rest were consumed. The lives of between fifty and sixty persons-old men, women and children-were spared, they having escaped the first fury of the attack. Some twenty Mohawks were also spared, in order to show them that it was the English and not they against whom the grudge was entertained.
"The loss on this occasion in houses, cattle and grain amounts to more than four hundred thousand livres. There were upwards of eighty well built and well furnished houses in the town.
"The return march commenced with thirty prisoners. The wounded, who were to be carried, and the plunder, with which all the Indians and some Frenchmen were loaded, caused consider- able inconvenience. Fifty good horses were brought away; sixteen of these only reached Mon- treal. The remainder were killed for food on the road. * * *
"Such, Madame, is the account of what passed at the taking of Corlaer. The French lost but twenty-one men, namely, four Indians and seven- teen Frenchmen. Only one Indian and one Frenchman were killed at the capture of the town; the others were lost on the road."-Doc. Hist. N. Y., 1, 186.
A few days subsequent to the massacre at Schenectady, Pieter Schuyler, mayor, and Dirk Wessels Ten Broeck, recorder of Albany, and Kilian Van Rensselaer, Patroon of Rensselaerwyck, addressed the following appeal to the Governor (Bradstreet) and Council of Massachusetts. This letter, as well as one from Capt. Bull, was answered by the Governor and Council on the 27th of February.
" ALBANY ye 15th day of feb', 1688. "Hon" Gent":
"To our great greeffe and sorrow we must ac- quaint you with our deplorable condition, there haveing never ye Like Dreadfull massacre and murthur been committed in these Parts of America, as hath been acted by ye french and there Indians at Shinnectady 20 miles from Albanie Betwixt Sat-
·;
87
BURNING OF SCHENECTADY.
urday and Sunday last, at 11 a clok at night. A companie of Two hundred french and Indians fell upon said village and murther'd sixty men women and children most Barbarously, Burning y' Place and carried 27 along with them Prisoners, among which the Leif of Cap' Bull Enos Talmadge and 4 more of sd company were killed & 5 taken Priso- ners y' Rest being Inhabitants and about 25 Per- sones there Limbs frozen in y flight.
"The cruelties committed at sª Place no Penn can write nor Tongue expresse, y' women bigg with childe Rip'd up and y' children alive throwne into yª flames, and there heads Dash'd in Pieces against the Doors and windows.
" But what shall we say we must Lay our hands upon our mouth and be silent. It is Gods will and Pleasure and we must submitt, it is but what our Sinns and Transgressions have Deserv'd. And since Generally humane things are Directed by outward means, so we must ascribe this sad mis- fortune to y' factions and Divisions which were amongst y People and there great Dissobedience to there officers for they would Obey no Com- mands or keep any watch, so y' y' Enemie have- ing Discovered there negligence and Security by there Praying maquase Indians (who were in sd Place 2 or 3 Days before y" attaque was made) came in and Broak open there verry doors before any Soule knew of it, y Enemy Divideing them- selfs in 3 severall companies came in at 3 severall Places no gate being shutt, and Seperated them- selfs 6 or 7 to a house and in this manner begunn to murther sparing no man till they see all yª houses open and masterd, and so took what plun- der they would, Loading 30 or 40 of y Best horses and so went away about 11 or 12 a clock at noon on Sabbath day." * * * * * * *
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