USA > New York > Columbia County > Hudson > History of the city of Hudson, New York : with biographical sketches of Henry Hudson and Robert Fulton > Part 3
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Henry Hudson thus bound and helpless was thrown into the shallup and his son John Hudson was thrown in beside him. The anchor was now weighed, the sails hoisted, and they stood eastward dragging the shallup at
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the stern. When they had nearly cleared the ice the rope was cut, and the boat was set adrift. They then com- menced ransacking the ship, chests were broken open and every place was pillaged. While they were busy at this work, some one cried out that the shallup was in sight, and Prickett entreated them to take their poor comrades on board again, or at least to take them in tow to the entrance to the bay, where Hudson and his companions might perhaps have been enabled to reach Europe But in truth, this was just what the mutineers did not want, and so they hoisted sail and stood away "as from an enemy."
It would have been merciful to kill them at once, but their cruelty preferred leaving them to a lingering horrible death, in which Hudson's young son was to share, though his tender years might have pleaded in his behalf.
The mutineers now kept on their way but like the proverbial way of the transgressor, it was a hard one. For a month they were tossed about by severe tempests, "a fortnight they were embayed in ice, that stretched for miles around; provisions too began to fail though they managed to catch a few fish and shoot a few fowl."
But while they feared the perils that surrounded them, they were far more afraid of returning to England. Green, their new Captain, "swore that the ship should keep the sea until he had the King's hand and seal to his pardon." At length they reached the Capes, and the boat was at once sent ashore to obtain supplies.
They were met by seven canoes filled with Indians who seemed overjoyed at seeing them. The next day they landed again, all except Prickett, who being lame was left to guard the boat. The savages now attacked them and they had great difficulty in making their escape. Green died instantly from his wounds and his body was thrown
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into the sea. Three others soon followed, all suffering terribly before the end came.
Habbakuk Prickett had been twice wounded by the arrows of the savages, but fortunately not mortally, as we are indebted to him for the preservation of Hudson's journal, which he continued until the close of this dis- astrous voyage.
They now determined to shape their course for New Foundland but being too much exhausted to sail the ship, they were the sport of every wind that blew, and took the direction of Ireland.
Their diet now consisted of the few remaining candles, and a little vinegar, and being unable to stand they laid about the deck in stolid misery. Robert Juet now died in great agony of starvation and the others lost all hope of ever reaching the coast of Ireland.
With the death of Juet, the last of the mutineers and the leader of them all, perished.
"At last it pleased God to bring them in sight of land, and they strived to reach it, but this they could not do; but now by God's mercy a still more joyful cry was heard "a sail! a sail!' "
A fishing bark had marked their distress and kindly supplying their wants took them safely into a harbor in Ireland.
From thence they were enabled to reach Plymouth and ere long were in London.
Great was the astonishment of the London Company when these men appeared before them. They had not been heard from in nearly eighteen months, and all hope of ever seeing them again had been given up.
Great too was their sorrow and the sorrow of all Eng- land, when their sufferings and the sad fate of their gallant commander became known.
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"Hudson had ever reflected honor upon his country and his countrymen loved him and grieved for him."
The London Company at once decided to send out two ships, the "Discovery" in which Hudson had sailed, and the "Resolution,"-to search for Hudson and relieve him if possible, if not to endeavor to ascertain his fate.
Habbakuk Prickett was taken with them as a guide, and hopes were entertained that they might also dis- cover the north-west passage ..
The ships returned the following year having failed in both objects. No tidings of Hudson were ever received and there is no clue to the manner of his death. Whether the little shallup reached Cape Digges, (which seems high- ly improbable), and they were murdered by the savages; whether they died of starvation, or were swallowed up by the waves, will never be known.
It is probable that Hudson's Bay became at once his grave and his enduring monument.
The name of Henry Hudson is graven not on perish- able marble of man's device, and not alone on the escutcheons of numerous cities, but on a great bay, a noble strait, and a magnificent river, that shall outlast them all.
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It was on June 23rd, 1611, that Hudson and his son were set adrift to die; in April of the year 1614, his widow applied to the London Company for employment for a younger son, "as she had been left very poor."
The Company considered that the boy had a just claim on them, as his father had perished in the service of the Commonwealth. They accordingly placed the lad for nautical instruction in the Samaritan, and gave him five pounds for his outfit.
The north-west passage remained unachieved until its discovery became of little material moment. By a curious
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coincidence Captain Roald Amundson sailed through it in his diminutive sloop Gjoa less than three years before the three hundredth anniversary of Hudson's first voyage in its search All honor to the brave Norwegian who succeeded, where Franklin and Hudson failed, and per- ished in the attempt.
Three centuries have rolled away since Henry Hudson's career closed in tragic mystery.
Imagine his amazement and delight could he re-visit this mundane sphere during the celebration of his dis- coveries, and view the magnificent pageant to be given in his honor.
How marvelous to him the huge war ships, embody- ing the inventive genius of all the ages in construction and armament, contrasted with his own little 'Half Moon!" How wonderful the stately steamboat, that grand fruition of Robert Fulton's ingenius planting in the tiny Cler- mont! How astounding the 20th Century railway train speeding by on the bank of his "Great River of the Moun- tains,"-and to crown all a fleet of air-ships sailing in the blue empyrean! His astonishment would indeed reach its height at beholding all these miracles, but when he heard his name on every tongue from lisping infancy to quaver- ing age, his heart would glow with gladness, and in the loving praise of a grateful people he would feel repaid for all his sufferings.
HISTORY OF HUDSON.
CHAPTER I.
The Dutch Occupation. 1662-1783.
When, late in the year 1609, the stanch little "Half Moon" came sailing into the harbor of Amsterdam, con- signed to her owners, The Dutch East India Company, the event created no little excitement even in that phleg- matic community.
Henry Hudson, her intrepid commander being detained in England was unable to accompany the ship, and never re-visited Holland; but, faithful in the performance of his duty to his employers, he sent them his journal, and chart of his discoveries, pointing them with pride to "The Great River of the Mountains" as he called the Hudson. This river the Dutch speedily re-named the "River Mauritius" in honor of their young Stadt-holder, Prince Maurice of Nassau.
They also called it the North River, to distinguish it from the Delaware, or South River.
The East India Company proceeded in the following year to reap the fruits of Hudson's arduous enterprise; and thereafter continued a brisk and profitable traffic with the Indians, but made no attempt to colonize. It was not until the year 1623, that "The West India Company" was formed with special reference to this essential duty,
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and brought over sixty families in their first ship, who settled on the banks of the Hudson river, and on Manhat- tan and Long Island. It is related that there were four young couples who were married on the voyage, and who set up their simple homes in New Jersey.
The West India Company proceeded to take possession for the Netherlands, by right of discovery, of a territory about the size of four of our Middle States. . At Bowling Green, where now stands the new Custom House in New York City, they threw up a fortification, planted the Dutch flag, with its seven stripes of red, white and blue, one for each province, and named the place New Amsterdam. This transaction was completed soon after by Director General Peter Minuet, in the purchase of Manhattan Is- land from the Indians, for the sum of sixty guilders or 24 dollars in our money. Other ships followed, bring- ing more Colonists but they came slowly. They were not fleeing from persecution, for Holland was at this time the open asylum for the oppressed of all nations, and they were a happy and contented people. Those who came were doubtless attracted by the palpable evidences of wealth, displayed by the rich cargoes of returning ships, an idea of which may be obtained from the manifest of the "Arms of Amsterdam, in 1624." "7246 beaver-skins, 843 otter and 151 minks and lynxes, and other pelts, be- sides much timber of oak and walnut wood." Then too they felt a natural curiosity to see the new strange land, of which they had heard so much.
Whatever may have been the special attraction to these shores, of our first Dutch settler, we may surely com- mend his taste in the selection of this locality for his home, which is certainly "beautiful for situation," "A City set on a hill."
On the 15th of June in the year 1662, Jan Franz Van Hoesan, a native of Holland, purchased a tract of land from the Mohicans, the Indian tribe who entertained the
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bold Explorer Henry Hudson so hospitably on this shore a half century before.
This tract included the ground on which the City of Hudson is built and a portion of Greenport. It extended along the river from Stockport Creek on the North, to the mouth of Kishna's Kill, or creek on the South, which empties into the South Bay near Mount Merino, and on the East to Claverack Creek.
Here it met the boundary of the Van Rensselaer patent and priority of title was contested by the agent of the Patroon, but after a long litigation the courts decided in favor of Van Hoesan.
These lands were confirmed to him by patent from Governor Nicoll, at Albany on May 14th, 1667.
Jan Franz Van Hoesan, the patentee died about the year 1703 and under the law of primogeniture the prop- erty passed to his eldest son Jurrieu, but on January 7, 1704 he generously "conveyed to his brothers and sister, Jacob Jan, Johannes, and Katherine, wife of Francis Har- dick, his lands lying on and near the river." Francis Hardick when a boy had run away from Liverpool and shipped on a trading vessel to Manhattan, from thence he made his way to the "Landing," obtained employment of Mynheer Van Hoesan and afterward married his daugh- ter.
In the division of Jurrien's inheritance, Jacob Jan re- ceived lands to the Northward while those of his brother Johannes lay upon the river and South Bay, extending on the North to the road which formed the boundary of the tract allotted to the Hardicks.
This road or "wagon way" led from the ferry along the line of what later became Ferry and Partition streets, and continued up to the present Public Square, crossing which it led out to the interior.
The lands of Johannes Van Hoesan and the Hardicks comprised a large part of the site of Hudson City, which
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has had a continuous existence of nearly two hundred and fifty years! The Van Hoesan house, on the site of that occupied by Jan Franz Van Hoesan, is still standing, near the entrance to the covered bridge North of the city, bearing the date 1729.
The first sale recorded was a "store and wharf-lot, and mill site" purchased by Jeremiah Hogeboom, which in- cluded what is now known as Underhills Pond. A grist mill was built here which was owned by Peter Hoge- boom, Jr., in 1783, and is still in evidence. Johannes Van Hoesan died on October 28, 1724, leaving his lands to his sons, Jacob and Gerrit, from whom they descended to Hendrick, Gerrit and Katherine Van Hoesan, who be- came the wife of Colonel John Van Alen. He was one of the most prominent as well as most attractive person- alities of the place. He is described as "a man of noble feelings and well cultivated mind. In stature he was tall and well formed, and true to the Dutch taste and fashion of the day, wore a bright red coat." His residence was one of the larger of the fine brick dwellings of the early Settlement, with wide hospitable "stoep," and high pointed Dutch gables; and his business, which was a flourishing one, was conducted in a large warehouse with a "sloop- landing" or wharf, which he owned.
It would be interesting to inquire where Colonel Van Alen won his military title. Griffis says "that many Officers who gained distinction in Holland's victorious eighty years' struggle with Spain, were among our colon- ists," and mentions Captain John Smith, Captain Myles Standish, and Governor Petrus Stuyvesant, with many others. To these we may safely add the name of Colonel John Van Alen.
Other prominent residents were Justus and Peter Van Hoesan, descendants of Jurrien Van Hoesan. Justus Van Hoesan and his wife died at the same time, being accidentally poisoned by taking arsenic, this event creat-
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ing great excitement in the little Settlement. They were buried in a private burial-ground on land owned by Justus Van Hoesan, near the lower District School. This cemetery and one on the north side were used by the inhabitants until after the opening of the new ground at the present location, when they were discontinued, and the bodies subsequently removed.
There was a canoe-ferry kept by Conrad Flock, starting from the site of the present ferry and running to Loonen- burg, (so-called from the Van Loan family,) now known as Athens.
This was also a Dutch settlement of an early date, mention being made of a tannery in operation there in 1750.
A single canoe was used for passengers, and two were lashed together in order to carry teams; the wagons being fastened upon timbers laid across the canoes, while the horses were tied at the sides and compelled to swim. This soon gave place to a boat, twenty feet long, very narrow, and sharp at both ends, on which the horses were put, and wagons in the centre.
It is recorded that some of these. early settlers were farmers, but they were principally engaged in fishing, there being an abundance of fine fish in the river, for which they found a ready market in New York.
Those who preferred farming must have been well satisfied with the luxuriant fields of indigenous white clover, they found ready for cultivation, and which gave the name to the settlement. "Klauver" being the Dutch word for clover, and "rachen" meaning reach, or field.
But the one employment that engrossed them all, was trading with the Indians. Even farmers, and the farm laborers whom they had brought over to assist them, found it far more profitable and less fatiguing than tilling the soil.
It was not until after the fierce Indian wars checked
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this traffic that the farmer turned his attention solely to the land, and found it to be wonderfully fertile and productive.
Van der Donck, the veracious Dutch historian, whose memory is preserved as the "Yonkeer" or, "Young Master," after whom Yonkers was named, tells marvelous tales of these fields of wheat. Certain it is, that boats were loading continuously at the "Landing" with their grain and produce for many years after.
Flax and hemp grew spontaneously, and De Vries de- scribes these lands as being "very delightful and pleasant to look upon when they were all green with the wheat coming up, and the woods interlaced and festooned with grape vines, the fruit of which was as good and as sweet as in Holland." "Nut trees, wild plums and berries of all kinds grew in greatest profusion, deer were plentiful, the forest was filled with game and the river with fish." Surely the Dutch immigrant had "a goodly heritage." Then too they came in whole families, and not unfre- quently a neighborhood of close friends came together, which must have added much to their contentment.
They were well to do people, some of them wealthy, and they brought with them their house furnishings and in many cases their domestics, as the passenger lists of the vessels prove.
Their dwellings and storehouses with wharves on the river front, were duplicates of those they had left. They were built of small bricks burned with Dutch peat, brought out to them in ships, and each had its huge brick oven, savoring of culinary achievements unknown to the new world. The little colony gained some accessions from Rensselaerwick the settlement that Killian Van Rensselaer, the pearl merchant of Amsterdam, was endeavoring to found near Fort Orange, now Albany.
The States General of Holland offered a grant of land
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with the title of Patroon, which carried with it some feudal privileges, to any one who would settle fifty families in the New Netherlands. With the assistance of the Rev. Johannes Van Mechlin, better known as Domine Mega- polensis, who in the year 1642 brought over forty families, Van Rensselaer obtained this grant, and acquired still larger tracts by purchase from the Indians.
Fort Orange on the site of Albany, was built by the Dutch government in 1614, as a protection for future colonists against Indian depredations, and Sebastian Croll (pronounced Crull) was placed in command. He is the traditional inventor of the cruller, "of which the doughnut is the coarser expression."
Lest this should be deemed too frivolous for so eminent a personage, it must be mentioned that he was also an elder in the "Church in the Fort," which was founded by the Rev. Jonas Michaelius in the year 1628, and which on the first Sabbath had a membership of fifty persons. "Some having brought their letters with them from Hol- land, and others united on confession of their faith."
A school was soon opened in connection with this church, which is still known in New York City, as the Collegiate School of the Reformed Church.
Before the year 1662 eleven churches with schools attached, besides out stations, had been established, and thirteen ministers provided.
Doubtless there were other schools in addition to these. Washington Irving has preserved a Dutch Schoolmaster in the amber of his drollery, but like his other Knicker- bockers, the caricature is so greatly exaggerated as to destroy the resemblance to the original.
Claverack was one of the out stations under the care of the church at Albany until the present Reformed church was organized in 1726, since which time it has had a settled ministry of more than the average ability.
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The present sightly edifice was erected in the year 1767, and is a most attractive and commodious house of worship.
In 1704, a Lutheran congregation was organized in Loonenburgh, and, some of the inhabitants of the "Land- ing" attended church there, and were among the officers of that body, being rowed across in small boats.
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CHAPTER II.
Slavery-Post Riders-Revolutionary War.
The first census was taken in 1714, and showed the population of the settlement to be two hundred and nineteen, sixteen of whom were slaves.
This mention of slaves recalls the fact that this insti- tution that we are accustomed to consider purely sec- tional, existed in all the original thirteen states. It was not until 1817 that the Legislature of the State of New York enacted a law providing for its termination ten years later. This was carried into effect and in 1827 the blot was removed from our escutcheon.
We cannot be too thankful that the climate and economic conditions at the North, were not favorable to its reten- tion. In 1626, seven years after the introduction of slavery into Virginia, the Dutch East India Company brought a small cargo of slaves to the Island of Manhat- tan. The Dutch did not take kindly to slavery, and we are not surprised to find Domine Megapolensis present- ing to the Governor a very strong petition for their manu- mission.
This was granted, but a storm of indignation arose when it was learned later, that the company were selling the children of these slaves to the highest bidder. It was stopped at once, and the Company were finally compelled to hire most of those they brought over to the settlers, consequently but few were imported.
During this period the relations between master and slave were almost patriarchal. They were given little plots of ground to cultivate and were treated most indul-
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gently, but under the English rule their lot was one of suffering and hardship. Their number was also greatly increased when the Duke of York and Albany, afterward King James the Second (after whom New York and Albany were named), was made President of the South African Company, and directly interested in the profits.
The Governors of all the colonies were continually urged to greater diligence in the disposal of these large cargoes of negroes.
There were but few slaves left in this city or county when the first Emancipation Day dawned, on July fourth, 1827, and the action of "Prince" Martin is typical of the others. When Judge Martin told him he was free to go or stay as he pleased, Prince scratched his woolly pate, already frosted with age, and replied, "Well, Massa, you've had the meat and you may as well have the bones." A most wise decision! Prince lived many years in the old home, most tenderly cared for, and annually led the joyous procession on "Emancipation Day," resplendent in the discarded raiment of his master.
The only allusion to wild animals in the early records of the county is in the year 1775. "A bounty being offered to every free Indian, free negro or slave, who shall kill panthers or wolves in Albany or the adjoining counties, on proof of the same to the justices or Supervisors of the said county."
At a very early date it was found necessary to estab- lish regular communication between the Island of Man- hattan and Fort Orange, and various means were tried.
There were many sloops plying upon the river connect- ing the settlements with each other, and carrying both passengers and freight, but they were dependent upon the wind and subject to serious delays.
Small boats with swift Indian rowers were tried, but were found unavailable because of storms, and the ice- bound condition of the river during the winter months.
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Finally, in 1684 post-riders carrying letters and dispatches were decided upon, and a post-road was opened with inns for the rest and refreshment of the weary rider, and. to provide relays of fresh horses. This method proved feasible and the current expression "post-haste" would indicate that it was at least moderately rapid.
The vocation of a mail-carrier in those early days was fraught with danger and difficulty. Picking his way over a mere bridle path, exposed to autumn's gales and winter's. cold and snow, and in constant peril from lurking Indian foes, gladly must he have welcomed his havens of warmth and good cheer.
The Post-road of which an occasional mile stone is still in evidence, traversed the county from north to south, intersecting the "wagon way" from the Landing, now the Columbia Turnpike, near the residence of Mrs. George W. DuBois, which was the Post Station for Claverack, others being located on either side, at Kinderbrook and Livingston. The mother of Mrs. DuBois, Mrs. Elbert S. Porter, remembered distinctly having stopped over night at this Claverack "stage-house," as it was called, when as a little girl she traveled with her father by stage-coach from Kinderhook to New York.
These mail-coaches of a later day necessitated the im- provement of the road and the enlargement of the inns. or taverns, for the accommodation of the general public, and a steady stream of vehicles of all kinds, and of wagons loaded with farm products, passed over it con- tinually. A little hamlet of Hollanders had gathered around the Post Station at an earlier date, and about the year 1786 a Post Office was opened there.
Columbia county was formed from Albany county on the 4th of April, 1786, by an act of the Legislature, which provided "that it should be called Columbia, and that a Court House and gaol should be erected in Claverack District."
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Accordingly the dwelling now appropriately known as "Old Court," formerly, and for many years the residence of Peter Hoffman, was built for the purposes of the courts. The cost including the goal was 3,600 pounds.
The county goal situated in the rear, was a somewhat small building of heavy squared timber, strongly clamped with iron.
Claverack remained the county seat until the year 1805, when it was changed to Hudson.
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