History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 58

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n
Publication date: 1871
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Number of Pages: 844

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16 April. Affairs at Fort Or- ange.

Stuyvesant had, meanwhile, revisited Fort Orange, and, to put an end to the unsettled question of jurisdiction, had formally demanded of the patroon's officers to fix the point

* Alb. Rec., ix., 182, 189,, 204-224 ; New Amsterdam Rec., i., 507, 517; ii., 16-18; O'Call., ii., 269, 270 ; Valentine's Manual, 1847, 375; 1848, 378.

591

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

of departure for the boundaries of the colonie according to CH. XVII. the charter of Freedoms. These boundaries, however, were not to include "the limits of Fort Orange." But the co- 1654. lonial officers, being uninstructed by their superiors in Holland, asked delay. The next month fresh difficulties occurred. Commissary Dyekman was ordered to levy an 13 May. exeise upon all liquors retailed " within a circuit of one thousand rods from the fort;" and the right to collect tithes within that distriet was also asserted on behalf of the West India Company. But the colonial officers issued orders to refuse the payment of the exeise, alleging that the provin- cial government did not contribute any thing toward their local expenses. And as to the claim of tithes, neither the Taxes at colonists nor the inhabitants of Beverwyck " could be in- wyck. Bever- dueed, either by monitions or persuasions, to pay them."*

The peace with the French, which the Mohawks had The Iro- confirmed in the autumn of 1653 by the restoration of the French. quois and Father Poneet, was more the result of poliey than of a de- sire to be at rest. They were anxious to attract the Hu- rons from the north to supply the places of the warriors whom they had lost. In this sentiment some of the other Iroquois tribes participated, especially the Onondagas, who began to feel unfriendly toward the Mohawks for treating them ill when they passed through that country to the Dutch at Fort Orange. The Onondagas, therefore, sought the friendship of the French, and sent an embassy to the 5 Feb. governor of Canada, asking that a Jesuit mission might be dagas. established in their country.t Father Simon le Moyne, who had already had eighteen years experience as a mis- sionary among the Hurons, accordingly set out from Que- 2 July. bec for Onondaga, in the hope "of winning the whole West and North to Christendom." Aseending the Saint Law- renee, and coasting along Ontario, or "the Lake of the Iroquois," he landed on the southern shore, and visited the

The Onop.

* Alb. Rec., iv., 213 ; ix., 121-129 ; O'Call., ii., 304 ; New Amst. Rec., i., 419.

t " The word Onnonta, which in the Iroquois tongue signifies a mountain, has given the name to the village called Onnonta, or, as others call it, Onnontagué, because it is on a mountain, and the people who inhabit it consequently style themselves Onnontae- ronnons. or Onnontaguéronnons."-Relation, 1657-8, 30 ; i., Doc. Hist. N. Y., 44 ; ante, p. 83, 5€4.

592

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1654. 10 August. Father Le Moyne at Onondaga.

12 August.

CH. XVII. principal village of the Onondagas, where he was treated " as a brother." Deputies from three of the neighboring tribes soon met in council. A chief, speaking for "five entire nations," invited the French to establish a settle- ment on the banks of the lake, and to fix themselves " in the heart of the country." With pious joy, the Jesuit Fa- ther now recovered the New Testament once belonging to Brebœuf, and a book of devotion used by Garnier. Just before his return to Canada, Le Moyne immortalized his name by discovering what was afterward to form one of the largest sources of the wealth of New York. Coming to the entrance of a small lake, full of salmon-trout and other fish, he tasted the water of a spring which his In- dian guides did not dare to drink, "saying that there was a demon within which renders it offensive." The Jesuit, however, found it to be " a fountain of salt water," from which he actually made salt "as natural as that of the sea." Taking with him "a sample," Le Moyne descend- ed the Oneida, and, retracing his way along Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence, arrived safely at Quebec with the news of his great discovery .*

16 August. Discovery of the Salt Springs.

11 Sept.

4 July.

Jealousy of the Mo- hawks.

. The Mohawks, in the mean time, had sent a deputation to Canada. Finding that they had been anticipated by the Onondagas, they openly expressed their vexation. " We of the five nations," said their orator, "have but one cabin, we make but one fire, and we have always dwelt under the same roof." "You do not enter by the door, which is on the first floor. We Mohawks are that door. You enter by the roof and chimney, for you begin with the Onondagas." The irritation of the Mohawks was promptly appeased ; and the embassy returned with the assurance that Father Le Moyne would visit their valley.t

May.

A crisis had now occurred on the South River. On reaching New Sweden, Rising, in violation of his instruc-

* Relation, 1653-4, p. 13, 14, 51-97 ; Doc. Hist. N. Y., i., 33-44. In Clark's Onondaga, i, 130-138, Le Moyne's visit is erroneously dated in 1653; and the reference, in vol. ii., p. 8, to the Relation of 1645-6, should be to that of 1655-6, as quoted in vol. i., p. 150.

+ Relation, 1653-4, p. 54; Creuxius, 705-716 ; Charlevoix, i., 271, 316-320; Bancroft, iii., 142 ; O'Call., ii., 303 ; Hildreth, ii., 88 ; ante, p. 82. .

593

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

tions, determined at all hazards to possess himself of Fort CH. XVII. Casimir. Gerrit Bikker, the commandant of the Dutch fort, perceiving a strange sail in the offing, sent Adriaen 1654. Rising at van Tienhoven with a sinall party " to investigate." The the South River. 31 May. next day the messengers returned with news "that it was i June. a Swedish ship full of people, with a new governor, and that they wanted to have possession of this place and the fort,, as they said it was lying on the Swedish govern- ment's land." The Dutch residents called on Bikker to defend the fort ; but the commander only replied, " What can I do ?- there is no powder." An hour afterward, a boat from the Swedish ship landed twenty or thirty sol- diers, headed by Swen Sehute. Bikker received them civ- illy on the beach, and " bade them welcome as friends." But the Swedes, finding the gate open, hurried into the fort, and made themselves masters of the place. Van Tienhoven and another commissioner were, however, al- lowed to go on board the Swedish ship to obtain an ex- planation. Rising informed them that he was obeying the orders of his government, whose representative at the Hague had been told that neither the States General nor the West India Company had authorized the erection of this Dutch fort on the territory of the Swedish crown. Two shotted guns were then fired over the fort as a sig- Capture of nal, and the ten or twelve Dutch soldiers in garrison were mir. Fort Casi- immediately disarmed. Seven or eight of these, with Van Tienhoven, were sent to Manhattan; the others, with Bik- ker, remained, and took an oath of allegiance to Sweden. The capture of Fort Casimir happening on Trinity Sun- day, the name of the post was changed to " Trefalldig- Named heet," or Trinity. It was soon rebuilt under the superin- ity by the Fort Trin- Swedes tendence of Lindstrom the engineer, who also constructed a large map, including both sides of the river as far as San- kikan, or the Falls at Trenton. Swen Schute was install- ed as commander of Fort Trinity ; and Rising, after an- nouneing to Stuyvesant his arrival and the capture of the 27 May. Dutch fort, relieved Pappegoya of his temporary authority, 6 June. and assumed the government of New Sweden. A meet-

P P

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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XVII. ing was soon held with the Indian sachems at Tinnicum, 1654. 27 July. and a treaty of friendship was arranged with the natives. The next month, Rising informed his government that, from seventy persons whom he found in New Sweden, the population there had now risen to three hundred and sixty-eight, "including the Hollanders and others." "I hope," he added, "we may be able to preserve them in order and in duty, and to constrain them, if necessary. I will do in this respect all that depends upon me. We will also endeavor to shut up the river."*

June.

The news of the surprise of Fort Casimir reached Stuy- vesant in the midst of his preparations to defend New Netherland from the expected attack of the English. It was out of the question to attempt the recovery of that distant post, in the threatening aspect of public affairs at New Amsterdam ; but the mortified director took care to communicate to his superiors in Holland all the details of Bikker's pusillanimous conduct in " this dishonorable sur- render of the fort."+

27 July. Stuyve- sant's re- port.

Not long afterward, an opportunity of retaliating was

22 Sept. Swedish at Manhat- tan.

ship seized afforded to Stuyvesant. A Swedish ship, the Golden Shark, in charge of Hendrick van Elswyck, bound to the South River, entered Sandy Hook Bay by mistake, and anchored behind Staten Island. Discovering his error, the captain sent a boat up to Manhattan for a pilot. The director instantly ordered the boat's crew to the guard- house ; and sent soldiers down to seize the ship, and bring the factor a prisoner up to Fort Amsterdam.

25 Sept.

1 October.

Stuyvesant now invited the Swedish governor to visit New Amsterdam, " to arrange and settle some unexpect- ed differences ;" and promised him " a cordial reception, with comfortable lodgings, and a courteous treatment." But Rising, preferring his lodgings at Tinnicum, declined the Dutch director's proffered hospitality. The Shark was therefore detained, and her cargo removed to the compa-

* Hol. Doc., viii., 45, 46, 85-90, 106, 107; Alb. Rec., ix., 242 ; Acrelius, 414 ; Campa- nius, 76-78, 82 ; O'Call., ii., 274, 275 ; S. Hazard, Ann. Penn., 148-155, 158. Bozman, ii., 489, 490, misled by Chalmers' absurd account, 632, falls into a series of very curious blunders. + Hol. Doc., viii., 88 ; Alb. Rec., ix., 271.

595

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

ny's magazine, " until a reeiproeal restitution shall have CH. XVII. been made." The Swedish factor sent a long protest to Stuyvesant, complaining of his conduct, and defending 27 October. 1654. that of Rising ; and the Dutch authorities, in reply, com- mented severely upon the proceedings of the Swedish gov- ernor, who had surprised Fort Casimir " at a moment when we and our nation were in great distress, and utterly in- eapable to resist at the same time two such powerful neigh- bors in their attacks from two opposite quarters."*

In the mean time, news had reached Fort Amsterdam Settlement that some Englishmen from the New Haven colony. had at West of English Chester. begun a settlement near " Vredeland," in West Chester, where Anne Hutchinson had formerly lived. The leader of these persons was Thomas Pell, of Norfolk, an adherent to the royal cause, who, on emigrating to New Haven, had refused to swear allegiance to the colonial authorities, and had been twice fined for contempt. Fiseal van Tienho- ven was, therefore, sent to forbid the English intruders 5 Nov. from settling themselves on the lands " long before bought and paid for, near Vredeland." But Pell, disregarding Stuyvesant's mandate, soon afterward purchased from the 24 Nov. saehem, " Ann Hook," and five others of his tribe, a large tract, ineluding the present town of Pelham, in West Ches- ter, and began to build.+

A traet of land on Oyster Bay, which from the time of Oyster the Hartford treaty New England seems to have eonsid- Bay. ered a debatable territory, having been purchased, in 1653, from the Saehem of Mattinnecock, by Wright, Mayo, Lev- eridge, and several other Englishmen from Sandwich, the purehasers applied to New Haven to be received under that jurisdiction. But Stuyvesant, viewing the settlement as an eneroachment upon the Dutch boundary, complained to the New England authorities. No notice, however, was taken of the complaint, and the English intruders remain- ed quietly in their new settlement.

* Alb. Rec., ix., 236, 241-246, 263-272 ; S. Hazard, Ann. Penn., 155-166 ; New Amst. Rec., ii.

t Alb. Rec., ix., 275 ; Bolton's West Chester, i., 515-522 ; ii., 156; O'Call., if., 283; ante, p. 366.

596

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XVII. The seditious proceedings at Gravesend, which the 1654. 23 Nov .. Stuyve- sant at West India Company had directed to be punished "in an exemplary manner," had meanwhile been chastised by the removal from the magistracy of the arch traitors Baxter Gravesend. and Hubbard. To allay any popular discontent, Stuyve- sant now visited that settlement in person, and became the guest of Lady Moody. The people were called to- gether, and told that they might, if they pleased, nomin- ate new magistrates, or might remain until the time for the next election under the existing board, consisting of William Wilkins, commissary, John Maurice, sheriff, and John Tilton, town clerk. Or, a fourth member might be immediately added to the court, if it should be desired. But the people preferred that things should remain as they . were for the present ; and Stuyvesant, recommending to them " to unite with their fear of God the honor of their magistrates, and to pay obedience to both," returned to New Amsterdam, in the vain hope that sedition had been quelled, and covetousness repressed, and the Dutch terri- tory effectually secured against the plotting of its English inhabitants .*

The internal condition of New Netherland was now such, in the director's judgment, as to warrant him in leaving the province and undertaking a voyage to the West Indies for the purpose of establishing a trade with those islands. In taking this step, however, he acted en- tirely upon his own responsibility, and " without the knowledge or approbation" of the Chamber at Amsterdam. A "gay repast" was given to him at the City Hall, where he delivered to the presiding burgomaster, Martin Kregier, the painted coat of arms, the seal, and the silver signet of New Amsterdam, which had just been received from the directors in Holland. The city government again endeav- ored to obtain from him the right to nominate proper per- sons from among whom the new magistrates for the next year should be chosen. Stuyvesant, however, declined ;

8 Dec. Seal and coat of arms of New Am- sterdam.

* Alb. Rec., ix., 75, 106, 166, 230, 256, 287 ; New Haven Rec., i., 63, 96 ; O'Call., ii , 267, 281, 282; Thompson's L. I., i., 485; ii., 173.

597

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

and the old board was continued, with Allard Anthony as CH. XVII. a new burgomaster, and Johannes Nevius as schepen. Leaving the government of the province in the hands of 1654. 24 Dec. De Sille and his colleagues, the director set sail for the Stuyvesant West Indies on Christmas eve .*

The burgomasters and schepens, finding that a better 1655. police was necessary, now appointed the notary, Dirck van Van Schei- 6 Feb. Schelluyne, to be the high constable of New Amsterdam, constable luyne high and furnished him with detailed instructions for the exe- sterdam. cution of his duties. The City Hall, which had hitherto been encumbered by the storage of a quantity of salt, and by various " lodgers," was ordered to be repaired and I March. "lined with boards;" and its former tenants were notified repaired. City Hall to depart, " so that the Stadt Huys be not wholly ruined by the salt, nor occupied by others."t

Serious embarrassments annoyed the provincial couneil from the moment the administration fell into its hands. Baxter, who, on being superseded in his magistracy at Gravesend, had gone to New England, returned to Long Island early the next year, and spread reports that the Pro- January. tector had ordered the governors of the New England col- ances at Disturb- onies to take the whole of that island from the Dutch, and by force if necessary. Fiscal Van Tienhoven was there- fore sent, with Burgomaster Anthony, to the English vil- lages to quell the threatened disturbanees. The commis- sioners reached Gravesend just as Baxter, Hubbard, and 9 March. Grover were hoisting the British flag, and reading a sedi- Hubbard, Baxter, tious paper deelaring that " we, as free-born British sub- ver. and Gro- jects, elaim and assume to ourselves the laws of our na- tion and Republie of England over this place, as to our persons and property, in love and harmony, according to the general peace between the two states in Europe and this country." The chief traitors, Baxter and Hubbard,

* Alb. Rec., iv., 136, 151, 180 ; viii., 98 ; ix., 297, 298, 306 ; x., 26, 70 ; New Amst. Rec., ii., 59, 60 ; Doc. Hist, N. Y., iii., 397; Val. Man., 1851, 420. The city seal consisted of the arms of Old Amsterdam-three crosses saltier-with a beaver for a crest. On the mantle above were the initial letters G. W. C., for " Chartered West India Company," to which the island of Manhattan especially belonged. Underneath was the legend " SIGILLUM AMSTELLODAMENSIS IN NOVO BELGIO," and around the border was a wreath of laurel. t New Amst. Rec., ii., 76, 77-81, 92 ; - Val. Man., 1848, 384.

sails for the West In- dies.

of New Ain-

Gravesend.

598

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

CH. XVII. were instantly arrested, and sent to the keep at Fort Am- 1655.

Hubbard imprisoned.

23 March.

sterdam, where they remained imprisoned until the next year. The time for the election of new magistrates, which had been postponed the previous autumn, was near at hand. But the "loyal inhabitants," thinking that the public mind was too much excited, just then petitioned that 'it might be further deferred "until it shall please God Almighty to bless our governor the director general with a safe return."

Oyster Bay.

23 March.

The English who had settled themselves at Oyster Bay, notwithstanding Stuyvesant's complaint, had continued during the winter in possession of their purchase. To as- sert the jurisdiction of the Dutch, a protest was, therefore, served upon Leveridge and his companions, threatening them with legal proceedings if they persisted in their un- lawful occupation.

19 April.

22 April. The En- glish set- tlers at West Ches- ter.

In spite of the director's warning in the previous au- tumn, Pell's colonists at West Chester had also continued to occupy their settlement. The council, therefore, sent their marshal, Claes Van Elsland, with a protest. The En- glish arms, carved on a board, were found hanging on a tree ; and armed men appeared at the creek to prevent the landing of the Dutch messenger. "I am cold, let me go ashore," said Van Elsland, as he sprung on the beach, followed by " Albert the Trumpeter." The English com- mander came up with a pistol in his hand, and accompa- nied by eight or nine armed men, to whom Van Elsland read his protest. "I can not understand Dutch," replied the Englishman ; "when the fiscal sends English, I will answer. We expect the determination on the boundaries by the next vessel. Time will tell whether we shall be under the Dutch government or the Parliament. Until then we remain here, under the state of England."*

Fort Or- ange.

Early this year, Commissary Dyckman, whose violent conduct at Fort Orange had already given occasion of sus- picion, became insane; and the local magistrates were

* Alb. Rec., x., 8-10, 29-32 ; Hol. Doc., ix., 165, 232, 261-267 ; O'Call., ii., 280-283, 342 ; Bolton's West Chester, ii., 157.

599

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

obliged to inform the provincial government of his condi- CH. XVII. tion. Johannes de Decker, a young man of high charac- ter, who had formerly been a public notary at Schiedam, 1655. had just arrived from Holland, with a letter from the di- April. rectors recommending him for the first vacant "honorable office." The provincial authorities at New Amsterdam, therefore, appointed De Decker to succeed Dyckman as 21 June. De Decker vice-director, " to preside in Fort Orange and the village appointed commissa- of Beverwyck, in the Court of Justice of the commissaries ry at Fort aforesaid, to administer all the affairs of police and justice Orange. as circumstances may require, in conformity to the instruc- tions given by the director general and council, and to pro- mote these for the best service of the country and the pros- perity of the inhabitants."*

Gravesend had now become so tranquil, that the provin- cial government felt safe in directing the schout and Lady 18 June. Moody, "as the oldest and first patentce," together with Gravesend. Affairs at the other inhabitants, to nominate their magistrates. The nomination was made, and sent to Fort Amsterdam for ap- 8 July. proval. But the Dutch settlers protested against a con- 9 July. firmation. They had not been duly notified of the elec- tion ; traitors, and those who had fled the country " tor- tured by their consciences," had voted ; no hired Dutch- man had been permitted to vote in the absence of his mas- ter ; persons had declared that if any Dutchmen were elected they would leave the country ; and obedience to magistrates who had been exiled or imprisoned for their misconduct was required, which the Dutch inhabitants would not promise to yield, unless compatible with the welfare of the state. The council, however, considering the magistrates to have been nominated by " a majority Election of the inhabitants," from motives of public policy confirm- confirmed. ed the election. The West India Company, upon receiv- ing intelligence of Baxter's unexpected treachery, express-

* Alb. Rec., iv., 171, 207 ; x., 68 ; O'Call., ii., 305. De Decker revisited Holland in the winter of 1656, and in May, 1657, returned to New Netherland as receiver general and member of the council. He was one of the Dutch commissioners who signed the capitu- lation to the English in 1664 ; and many of his descendants are still living in New Jersey, where his name survives in that of the settlement of " Deckerville." See post, 625.

600

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

1655. 26 May. Instruc- tions of the WVest India Company.

CH. XVII. ed their astonishment, and ordered Stuyvesant to keep him and his accomplices in confinement. And strict in- structions were added " to avoid bestowing any office of trust upon foreigners who are not interested in the coun- try, and who but seldom can deserve our confidence."*

1654. 17 Sept. The bound- ary ques- tion.

The peace with England now induced the hope that the open question of the boundary between 'New Netherland and New England might be arranged ; and the College of the XIX., being desired to send to the Hague a con- densed statement of the Dutch title, immediately submit- ted to the States General a memorial, accompanied by a map of New Netherland. These documents, together with copies of the papers which the company had communica- ted the previous November, were transmitted to the am- bassadors at London, with instructions to arrange the boundary question upon the basis which they proposed.t

29 Sept.

9 October.

But the ambassadors found themselves surrounded with difficulties. The West India Company's papers were dis- covered to be defective ; they did not even contain a copy of the provisional treaty at Hartford in 1650. In the former discussion, the English had declined to consider the bound- ary question ; and it was now clear that nothing would be done by the government at Whitehall without the con- sent of New England. Under these circumstances, the am- bassadors recommended a convention, referring the whole question to the arbitration of the Dutch and English co- lonial authorities in North America ; and this suggestion was communicated to the West India Company. The directors, however, had not yet received a copy of the Hartford treaty ; but they sent to the States General a compilation from various papers in their archives, showing the priority of the Dutch discovery and possession of New Netherland, explaining the "unjust and violent" usurpa- tions of the English within their territories, and intimat- ing that although they thought the question could be best

27 Nov.

9 Dec. 30 Dec.

* Alb. Rec., iv., 189 ; x., 67-76 ; xi., 6-21 ; O'Call., ii., 281 ; Thompson's L. I., ii., 173. + Hol. Doc., vii., 104-107 ; Verbael van Beverninck, 602 ; Lambrechtsen, 106. I en- deavored to procure the map sent to the ambassadors at London on this occasion, but without success.

PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR GENERAL.

settled in England, upon the basis of " uti possidetis ita CH. XVII. possideatis," they were willing to refer it back to the re- spective colonial governments. These documents were all 1655. 2 January. sent to the Duteh ambassador at London. By the next ships, the Amsterdam Chamber wrote to Stuyvesant to be 26 April. upon his guard against the English on Long Island, and tions to Instruc- ordered a fort to be constructed "at the east, on the most sant. Stuyve- eligible spot." The director was also censured for not having sent over to Holland any of the official documents 26 May. respeeting the Hartford treaty. The States General again 31 May. calling to their ambassador's attention the boundary ques- tion, Nieuport had an interview with Thurloe. But the 4 June. secretary replied, that the New England authorities "had with the sent him as yet no information at all ;" and that, upon the govern- English sole allegations of one side, the Lord Protector, having no Inent. knowledge of the affair, could not be expected to come to a positive decision .*

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History of the state of New York Vol I, Part 58

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n Publication date: 1871 Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers Number of Pages: 844

Author: Brodhead, John Romeyn, 1814-1873. 4n
Publication date: 1871
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Number of Pages: 844