USA > New York > New York City > History of the New Netherlands, province of New York, and state of New York : to the adoption of the federal Constitution. Vol. II > Part 47
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Whereas, there is an act of general assembly, for encouragement of a free grammer school in the city of New York, and the court being of the opinion, that there is not any person withiin the citty, (with whose convenience it would be agreeable,) proper and duly qualified for the office of school-master, think it necessary that this want be represented to the Bishop of London, and he be requested to send over a person of good learning and pious life and conver- sation, of English extract, and good and mild temper for this office : and that the court petition Lord Cornbury, to recommend this to the bishop ; and recommend said school to the society for propa- gating the gospel in foreign parts: and likewise, to her sacred ma- jesty, to appropriate part of the farm, commonly called the king's farm, for encouraging this school : and the recorder to draw up the petition.
December 23d-At a common council held at the City Hall, pre- sent, Philip French, mayor : Samson Shelton Broughton, recorder; Jacobus Van Cortlandt, John Corbett, William Smith, aldermen. Ordered, that the arms of the late governour, the Earl of Bellamont, and Captain Nanfan, which are fastened in the wall of the City Hall, be by the marshal of this city, forthwith pulled down, and broken ; that the wall be filled up, and that the mayor issue his warrant to. the treasurer, for the payment of the charge thereof. On his arri- val a salute was ordered by the corporation : and four barrels of powder appropriated. His commission was published 2d of April, 169S, and the commission of John Nanfan, lieutenant-governour. - It was on the 29th of March, 1701, that the " court agreed with William Mumford, stone-cutter, to find stones, and to carve there- upon, the king's arms, the Earl of Bellamont's arms, and the lieu- tenant-governour's arms, according to the dimensions of the seve-
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ral squares left in the front of the City Hall." This is ordered to be done within the space of six months. The cost was to be £41 4s., current money of New York. Therefore, it is probable that the Earl's arms, and those of Nanfan's, were put up in Septem- ber, 1701, and taken down and broken, in December, 1702. This was occasioned by the part Bellamont and Nanfan took against the aristocratick party, of which Nicholas Bayard was one of the leaders, and when Cornbury arrived, the party of the Dutch, or the people, was put down, and the arms of their leaders disgraced by being taken from the front of the New City Hall, in Wall street, finished during Bellamont's administration, and broken. The king's arms remained until 1776, when on the reading of the De- claration of Independence, some of the citizens threw them down, and broke the tablet to pieces.
1703 January 15th .- The common council humbly beg Lord Cornbury, to help on the work of procuring a school-mas- ter for the free school.
Philip French, the mayor, paid £19 10s., for thirty day's ser- vice in the general assembly, as representative of the city.
February 15th .- The treasurer ordered to repay the mayor £9 16s. 3d., paid by him for a bonfire, beer, and wine, on her ma- jesty's birth day, 6th February.
A petition from the rector, wardens, and vestry, of Trinity Church, praying the grant of " the burial place of this city" for ever, to be so appropriated ; the rector, etc., keeping the fence in repair, and only taking for each person from 12 years of age and upwards, 3s. for breaking the ground, and for a child 1s. 6d .- Granted accor- dingly.
24th .- Ordered, " that a publick bonfire be made this night," at the usual place in this city, and ten gallons of wine, and a bar- rel of beer, be provided, at the expence of the city, on account of the success of his majesty's arms at Vego and in Flanders ; and the house-keepers ordered to illuminate.
November 1st .- Resolved, that a cage, whipping-post, pillory, and stocks, be forthwith erected before the City Hall of this city, (in Wall street.) And Mr. Vesey is paid £5, as usual, for the corporation sermon.
1704
January 5th .- Captains Claver and Dewitt " sayled a privateering"
February 6th .- Her majesty's birth-day celebrated, with healths drank of the Princess Sophia, Prince George, Duke of Marlbo- rough, etc. and illuminations.
17th .- Ordered, that the sheriff have the gaol of this city made sufficient " for the holding of felons," and likewise a convenient and sufficient prison for debtors on the upper story of the City Hall, at the east end thereof.
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2Sth .- Colonel William Smith died at Brookhaven. He was " the first of her majesty's council."
Mr. William Vesey being a missionary, a catechizing school for Blacks was opened in New York. From him we have the name of Vesey street.
Christopher Billop, lived on Staten Island opposite Perth Am- boy, and from him Christopher Farmer took the name and estate, and he was the noted Colonel Billop, of the revolutionary war.
A number of palatines (emigrants) arrived and settled at Newburgh. The first newspaper printed in America, the Newsletter, was publish- ed at Boston by the printer Bartholomew Green, whose father Samuel a printer, arrived with Winthrop in 1630, and settled at Cambridge. The first number was published the 17th of April, of this year, on a half sheet of " pot paper." This paper was continued to 1776. It was owned by John Campbell, a Scotchman. Thomas's his- tory of printing says, the 24th of April was the first ; but I find a paper dated April 17th, 1704, printed by B. Green, as above, on "one half sheet, two pages ; it is in the New York City Library.
It is said that the first white man born in New England was White by name, and died this year, aged S4, which brings his birth to 1620. . This individual was Mr. Peregrine White, who must, according to this, have been born the same year that the Puritan pilgrims landed at Plymouth.
The French Protestant church " du St. Esprit," was built in what was afterwards called Pine street, in the year 1704, by the refugees from the tyranny of papists, let loose upon them by the revocation of the Edict of Nants. Worship was performed in the French language. Those Huguenots who settled at West Ches- ter and other places around New York, for a time resorted to this place for their devotional exercises.
October 14th .- The mayor, William Peartree, and aldermen, sworn in with the usual ceremony ; Mr. Vesey preaching at Trinity Church on this day, yearly, and receiving £5 each day he preaches.
22d .-- £10 1Ss. Gd. paid for the entertainment given by the corporation to Lord Cornbury " on his arrival here, froin his go- vernment of New Jersey."
1705 April 20th .- A bonfire ordered for the 23d, being the anniversary of her majesty's coronation, and also three gal- lons of wine to drink her health. Our present common council do not manage these matters in such a sneaking way as this.
The original of the oath taken by Robert Lurting, John Tuder, D. Provoost, Richard Willet, E. Blagge, C. De Peyster, etc., justices and common council, with their autographs, is in the clerk's office of the common council. They swear, that they do not believe in transubstantiation, that the bread and wine
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in the Lord's supper is not converted into the body and blood of Christ, " at or after the consecration thereof," and that they make this declaration "in the plain and ordinary sense of the words, as they are commonly understood by English protest- ants." They abjure the invocation of the Virgin Mary, or any other saint, and the sacrifice of the Mass-or the virtue of any dispensation as granted by the pope, or any other person.
Governour Cornbury prohibits the importation of " chipt money, of bits or double bits."
Mr. Byerly was receiver-general of the province, and was super- ceded by P. Fauconnier.
A thief is punished by burning (or branding) " in the left cheek near the nose, with the letter T." There is an account of an im- postor, who pretended to be a Quaker, and that he falling in with a pirate, was wounded in the cheek ; it afterwards proved that he was a thief, and his scars were those inflicted by this law. His name was Burch.
May 14th .- " The Pennsylvania post not yet come in, and sup- pose the three days of rainy weather last week has hindered him."
July 23d .- " There is a prodigious tooth brought here, sup- posed to be the tooth of a man" from the shape ; "it weighs 4 3-4 lbs." It was dug up on the side of a hill, thirty or forty feet under ground " near a place called Clavarack, about thirty miles this side of Albany : it is looked upon here as a mighty wonder whether the tooth be of man or beast." Other bones were dug up which crum- bled away on exposure to the air ; " they say one of them, which is thought to be a thigh bone, was 17 feet long." Here we have, I believe the first discovery of the mammoth in our country. Eighty years after this the bones of the great beast were found in Ulster county, and Charles William Peale formed his skeleton, for his Museum.
This year an act was passed by the British parliament to permit the exportation of Irish linen cloth to the plantations. This was in the fourth year of the reign of Queen Anne.
August 13th .- Three privateers bring into port a rich Spanish prize ; she had a number of passengers, among them, three friars. She was a ship of twenty guns, but was boarded and carried by Captain Claver, with the loss of three men.
September 19th .- A riot took place in consequence of some offence given by the sheriff to the privateersmen, which I do not find stated. They assaulted the sheriff at the door of his own house, and beat those who came to his assistance. Their numbers increasing, the troops from the fort and sailors from the Queen's ships were marched against them. This was in the evening, and before the armed men encountered them, the rioters fell in with two army officers, whom they assaulted, killed one, and wounded and beat the other. The
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soldiers and sailors charged on the privateersmen and dispersed them : one was killed, and several taken prisoners, among whom was Erasmus Wilkins, who was tried and convicted of the murder of Lieutenant Featherstonehough. He confessed that with the sword taken from the other officer he run the lieutenant through the body. The blow pierced the heart. This man was executed for the murder, on the 26th.
December 25th is recorded as the coldest day ever known. For several days the Hudson was frozen over.
1706 January 21st is recorded as remarkably warm : and so for some days.
May Sth .- The common council petition Lord Cornbury to repair the fortifications, to repel any attacks of the French, and to mount the artillery, and to arm the inhabitants. Presented, and kindly received.
13th .- Lord Cornbury, the governour of the two provinces of New York and New Jersey, orders the inhabitants of New York city, "all persons," to appear in arms on the first alarm. A visit from a French fleet was feared. The inhabitants were employed in fortifying the town. From two to four hundred men were daily at work.
19th-Another petition to Lord Cornbury, for arming the mili- tia throughout the province, and begging him to adjourn his visit to New Jersey.
July 1st .- By computation, between four and five thousand might be assembled in arms in twenty-four hours, being the militia of New York, New Jersey, and the surrounding country. The militia of the city and the neighbouring counties, of the province
is estimated at three thousand.
December 21st .- Rebecca Van Schaick, widow, appointed pound keeper.
1707 September 29th .- The rates of ferriage to Long Island : A single person, eight stivers in wampum, or a silver two- pence ; a hog, the same as a man : a sheep, half.
There are frequent notices of Indian slaves both in New York and Massachusetts. I presume the same in the other colonies. It seems that the good people of the good old times considered a dark skin proof of the bearer's being made for a white-skin's beast of burthen, if she or he could be seized upon. I find, for example : " Ranaway from her master, Nathan Baker, of Boston, on the 22d of August last, a tall, lusty, Carolina Indian woman, having long, strait, black hair," etc. Again : in an encounter with a French vessel off the harbour of New York, "they fired at the pilot-boat, and they took an Indian slave that belonged to the pilot."- Again : Mr. William Hallet, jun., of Newtown, Long Island, his wife, who was big with child, and five children, were all inhumanly
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murdered by an Indian man and a negro woman, their own slaves, who are apprehended, and have confessed the fact : they said they committed the murder because they were restrained from going abroad on the Sabbath.
February 10th .- " The Indian man and negro woman men- tioned in my last, who committed the horrible murder at New- ton, on Long Island, were, on Monday the 2d inst., executed at Jamaica for the same, and put to all the torment possible, for a terrour to others." On the Saturday following, two negro men " were executed at Jamaica as accessories, and several others are in custody."
Here was a little negro-plot, preparatory to the great plot of 1741. " The chief-justice, judges, attorney-general, are indefatiga- ble in the discovery of this negro-plot and bloody murder."
. 1708 The 14th of December called the coldest day ever known in New England.
The house of assembly declared that it was the unquestionable right of every freeman in the colony to have a perfect and entire property in his goods and estate ; and that the imposing and levy- ing of any moneys on the subjects of the colony, under any pre- tence or colour whatsoever, without their consent in general assem-
bly, was a grievance, and a violation of right. 1710
April 13th .- A petition is presented by the common council of New York to the honourable Gerardus Beek- man, president of her majesty's council, and the rest of the coun- cil, showing, that nothing contributes more to the happiness of a people than plenty ; so nothing is more deplorable than the want of bread. The colony is threatened with want, in consequence of illegal practices of several inhabitants, as well as the agents of neigh- bouring colonies, by their engrossing and monopolizing wheat and selling it at unreasonable prices : and the arrival of 3,400 pala- tines from Great Britain being daily expected, who must be sup- ported, will render the danger greater : they pray the council to take measures to prevent these evils.
June 13th .- Another petition to the council mentions the arri- val of palatines, and more expected, who from the long voyage are grown very sickly, and have many contagious disorders, as there is just cause to believe. The common council are apprehensive, should they be permitted to land within this corporation " at this hot season of the year, it would endanger the inhabitants and ob- struct trade ; therefore they pray they may not be permitted to come within this city until they shall be in a full state of health."
November 2d .- The usual bonfire ordered for the 5th. " Or- dered, that the cage, pillory, stocks, and whipping-post be removed to the upper end of the Broad street, a little below the City
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Hall, and be put up there. Mr. Recorder dissents from this order."
1711 February 3d .- " Whereas, evil disposed persons make it a common practice to go about the streets at the dead time of the night, breaking and destroying the glass windows," a re- ward is offered for their discovery and conviction. This is an instance of the low state of civilization at that period. The rowdies of the present day would not be satisfied with merely breaking windows.
March 3d .- Resolved, that the common council do meet at the City Hall at 9 in the forenoon of the first Friday of every month.
April 6th .- Ordered, that the treasurer forthwith purchase 18 rush-bottom chairs, and an oval table, for the use of this corpo- ration.
June 1st .- The widow of Andreas Donn, deceased, is continued scavenger of the Broad street for one year, at £11 the year.
November 30th .- A law appointing a place for the more conve- nient hiring of slaves. " All negro and Indian slaves that are let out to hire within this city do take up their standing in order to be hired at the market-house at the Wall street slip, until such time as they are hired." This was the custom at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1820, and is so probably still, as in all towns where slavery is practised.
1712 November 22d .- Huybert Vandenberg, carman, in con- sideration of bodily infirmities, is permitted to ride on his cart in the street, provided he at no time ride faster than a foot pace.
1713 February 3d .- Ordered, that Francis Harrison, Esq. sheriff, be paid £36 10d. disburst by him " for iron work gibbets, cartage, and labours, firewood, and other materials and expenses for the execution of several negro slaves for murders by them committed in April last." This relates to what is called a negro-plot, at that time.
October 24th .- Richard Cooper is appointed publick whipper of the city, with a salary of €5.
November 3d .- Preparations for celebrating the anniversary of the gunpowder-plot by a bonfire and seven gallons of wine at the expense of the common council ; and for the Queen's birth-day another bonfire, and five gallons. 1714
October 6th .- The governour notifies the death of
Queen Anne, and that he shall proclaim Prince George King of Great Britain. The common council ordered seven or eight cords of wood for a bonfire, and twenty gallons of wine. The inhabitants are ordered to illuminate their houses, and a glazier is employed to mend the windows of the City Hall.
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1715 April 7th .- A bonfire and seven gallons of wine ordered by the common council of New York, it being the day ap- pointed by the governour for thanksgiving on his majesty's happy accession.
October 7th .- No freeman to be obliged to serve twice as con- stable. Resolved, that this corporation will pay £3 to the minister that shall preach to this corporation on the 14th inst., being the an- niversary of swearing in the corporation. They used to give Mr. Vesey £5. The mayor is to speak to a minister accordingly.
December 20th .- An association read and subscribed by the common council, declaring the right of George I. alone to the throne, and promising to defend his right, against the pretender. Mr. Stephen Delancey, having been paid the sum of £50, as a re- presentative of the city in the general assembly, presents the same
to the corporation.
1716 February 23d .- Mr. Delancey having advised that said £50 be laid out for a clock for the city ; therefore, it was ordered accordingly.
June 2d .- Inquiry to be made, whether Mr. Coddrington did offer to serve as assemblyman gratis.
July 27th. A law for regulating mid-wires within the city of New York. No woman is to exercise this office, before taking an oath before the mayor and common council, to be diligent for poor and rich, and not leave the poor woman to go to the rich. Neither to cause nor suffer any woman to name or put any other father to the child, but only him whichi is the very true father of it indeed, according to the utmost of her power. Not to suffer any woman to pretend, feign, or surmize herself to be delivered of a child, who is not indeed ; neither to claim any other woman's child for her own. Not to suffer any woman's child to be mutilated, maimed, or otherwise hurt, " as much as" she "may." And in case of danger to woman or child, to send for other mid-wives, and advise, counsel and assist therein. Not to administer any herb, medicine, or potion, to produce miscarriage. Not to " enforce any woman, being with child, by any pain, or by any ungodly ways," to pay more for her service than she otherwise would. Not to agree, or assist in bringing a child secretly into the world "but in the pre- sence of two or three witnesses." Not to speak of the secrets of her office before any man, unless upon urgent occasion. Not to conceal any breach of these articles, but to inform the mayor, etc. To conduct honestly and with propriety in her office, and not per- form it by deputy. Not to hinder any woman in labour from other . advice of mid-wives. Not to conceal the birth of any bastard child, but to reveal the same to the common council.
August 4th .- " Ordered, that Susannah Wood have a license to retail liquors, gratis, being an object of charity."
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1717 October 14th. Ordered, that there be a bonfire and wine "on Sunday next at night," being the anniversary of the coronation.
December 21st .-- The common council pay £5 17s. 3d. " for expenses of this corporation" at Parmelie's house, on the anniver- sary of the coronation.
1718 April 16th .- Gilbert Livingston, Thomas Grant, Pa- trick Macknight, and John Nicolls, in behalf of themselves and the congregation of dissenting protestants, called Presbyterians, represent, that they have bought a piece of ground, contiguous to the City Hall, or near thereunto, with intent, speedily, to erect a meet- ing-house for publick worship, and they pray for the use of the City Hall for the same purpose, until their meeting-house is finished. Granted : but not to interfere with courts.
1719 April. 2d .- Alderman Blagge appointed pound keeper in New York, as Alderman D'Reimer had been.
October 14. Moses Levy, merchant, refusing as constable of the South ward, paid his fine of £15. Joseph Latham, likewise re- fused for the East ward, and is fined ££15. The common coun- cil's expenses on the anniversary of the king's coronation, were £5 11s. 10}d.
1722 February 2d .- Mr. Nicholas Eyre on proving that he is an anabaptist preacher, is excused from serving as con- stable.
20th .- A law passed by the common council of New York, " restraining slaves, negroes, and Indians from gaining with mo- neys." If found gaming with any sort of money, " copper pennies, · copper halfpence, or copper farthings," they shall be publickly whipped at the publick whipping-post of this city, at the discretion of the mayor, recorder, and aldermen, or any one of them, unless the owner pay to the church-wardens for the poor, 3s. 1723
July 25th-The common council, in consideration of the services done by Captain Peter Solgard, of his majesty's ship Greyhound, in seeking and engaging two pyrate sloops, commanded by one Low, " a notorious and inhumane pyrate," one'of which sloops he took, after a desperate resistance, and very much shattered the other, who, by the favour of the night, escaped-twenty-six of which pyrates were lately executed at Rhode Island-therefore, ordered that the freedom of the city, in a gold box, be presented to him- the arms of this corporation to be engraved on one side thereof, and a representation of the engagement on the other, with this motto : " Quesitos Humani Generis Hostes debellare superbum, 10th Junii, 1723." Charles Le Roux, goldsmith, is paid the 6th of Au- gust, £23 19s., for the above box and engraving the same. [This Charles Le Roux, appears at this time, as an artist in New York.] The corporation waited upon Captain Peter Solgard, and pre-
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sented said box, which he " accepted with great satisfaction, and invited the corporation to a collation to-morrow night."
1725 William Bradford, published a paper weekly in New York : it was called the New York Gazette, and advertised to be sold by Richard Nicolls, post-master. This was the first newspaper published in this city .* It is to be observed, that before New York had one newspaper, Boston had three.
1726 September 27th .- Governour Burnett met the assembly. Their number twenty-five. Four from the city and county of New York. Adolph Phillipse, speaker.
The papers are replete with advertisements of runaway slaves and servants. The latter appellation was applied to whites, either sold as convicts, (these principally were sent to Mary- land,) or sold by agreement with the captains or owners of vessels, for a limited time, as a remuneration for their passage. One Hays, of Perth Amboy, advertises a runaway servant man, white, " a bar- ber by trade."
The coast of North America and the West India Islands, were vexed by piracies at this time, June 26th. A sloop of New Lon- don was taken, plundered, and released, by a " pyrat Snow," Wil- liam Fly commander, carrying six guns and twenty-three men. Pirates of the names of Low and Sprigs, were on the coast. The vessel of Sprigs was soon after taken by the Diamond ship of war, but he escaped by jumping overboard and swimming ashore. The Diamond likewise captured the vessel of Coupar, a pirate, but the captain and crew escaped to the shore. Another pirate of the name of Shipton, fell in with the Diamond, and was taken with a crew of eighty men, and carried into an island of the West Indies.
At Boston, about this time, arrived a Snow, commanded by William Atkinson, who, having been a passenger in a sloop from North Carolina, was captured during her voyage to Boston by Fly the pirate, who detained him, and forced him (as he understood navigation, which Fly did not,) to navigate his Snow : but Atkin- son found an opportunity, with the assistance of three others, con- strained men, to rise on the pirates, secure them, and bring them into Boston harbour. This pirate had been boatswain on board the Elizabeth, of Bristol, Green commander, and had, with four others, mutinied, murdered the captain and mate, and proceeded on a cruize, as a pirate. Fly, and his four guilty mates, were tried and sentenced to death, the principal to be hung in chains, July 10th. In October, five more pirates were executed in Boston harbour.
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