USA > New York > Schenectady County > Schenectady County, New York : its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 3
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Philip Hendrickse Brouwer was the second of the original pro- prietors. He was in Beaverwyck as early as 1655, where he owned
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18
SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
a house, lot and brewery and became one of the proprietors of Schenectady. He died soon after, in 1664, having previously acci- dentally shot Class Cornelise Swits there, who was not a proprietor, but an early settler, and had married the daughter of Symnon Symonse Groot, who had long been in the employ of the West India Company as boatswain of the ship Prince Maurice. His wife's naine was Elsie Tjerk. Brouwer left no children.
His village lot, two hundred feet square, was on the northwest corner of Church and State streets. It is on a portion of this lot that the present law office of Charles P. Sanders now stands- Shortly after his decease the lot was sold to Cornelius Van Ness, who had married the widow of Dirk Van Eps, and subsequently conveyed the lot to his step-son, John Dirksie Van Eps, who, in the massacre of 1690, was killed, with two of his children, and his son, John Baptist, taken prisoner. Afterwards, John's widow married Gysbert Gerritse Van Brakel, a wealthy citizen, whose son Alexander liad been killed, and his son Stephen captured, on the same disastrous occasion.
Alexander Lindsay Glen was the third original proprietor named, called by the Dutch, Sander Leendertse Glen. He was a Scotchinan of the Highlands, born in the vicinity of Invernes, and a refugee to Holland, from whence he emigrated with the Dutch to New Netherlands at a very early day. It appears from the colonial records, that he was an agent of the West India Company, at Fort Nassau on the Delaware, in 1643; received a grant of land there, and prepared to build in 1651, but was prevented by the violence of the Swedes.
Alexander Lindsey Glen's village lot in Schenectady, on the division was 200 feet front on the west side of what is now Washington Avenue, running down with equal breadth to the strand on the main Bennekill. A part of these premises, being the exact location of the old Glen family city residence, belonged to, and was occupied by, one of his lineal descendants until it was destroyed by the great fire of 1819.
Mr. Glen's farmn apportionment embraced the flats and adjacent
19
ANECDOTE OF COLONEL JOHN GLEN.
islands, on the north side of the Mohawk river, as by him previously occupied by permission of the Indians.
Major John A. Glen built the present Sanders mansion at Scotia, in 1713, (now occupied by Charles P. Sanders, Esq.,) and occupied by himself for seventeen years, until his death. His whole estate, both real and personal, was spared when Schenectady was destroyed, by express order of the Governor of Canada for rescues made and kindnesses shown to sundry French prisoners captured with Van Curler, from whom he had received valuable lessons.
The circumstances attending one of those rescues are so interest- ing and ingenious. that the temptation of incorporating here an extract from the draft of a letter written by Judge Sanders to a friend, in 1874, giving an account of the occurrences, is irresistible.
"The Mohawks of Scotia's early days were always devoted friends of the Dutch, but they were barbarous, after all, and the white pop- ulation was too sparse, weak and timid, to interfere with the chival- ric customs of those noble knights of the tomahawk, blunderbuss, bow and arrow.
" The writer's father has shown him a hillock, not far from the present Scotia house, where, after their return from warlike or plun- dering expeditions, they were wont to sacrifice their victims. Even so late as the time of his grandfather, Col. Jacob Glen, a Mohegan Indian was burned on the spot. This surely was revolting, but the monarchs of the valley, original owners of the soil, willed it so and nothing was left to civilization but to mitigate or ameliorate and this the Christian pioneers accomplished when possible; and many were the acts of kindness which, according to the accounts of the French themselves, were rendered by the Glens of Scotia to parties captured by the Mohawks.
" Under such circumstances, according to well established tradi- tion, it happened that sometime about five years before the burning of Schenectady in 1690, towards sundown of a beautiful summer afternoon, the original large stone house, according to the French accounts, stood on the bank of the Mohawk (its site now covered by water, though the writer has seen a portion of its foundation wall.) The home and estate of John Sanders (Alexander) Glen, was occu-
20
SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
pied only by himself, his wife, four daughters and two sons. His eldest daughter, Catrina, was then only thirteen years of age, and his then youngest son, Jacob Alexander, subsequently the ancestor of the Baltimore Glens, was in his cradle. He had a large family of negro slaves (for Mr. Glen was an extensive land cultivator and pro- prietor.) On this occasion while they were quietly surrounded by the enchanting beauty of its lake, river, lowlands, adjacent island and a full view of Schenectady, and all was peace, a large party of Mohawks, just returned from the north, encamped below the Glen mansion, as in that day of aboriginal power they claimed clear right to do, as original sovereigns of the soil.
"The party was in a high state of elation and triumph, having captured a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, against whom they enter- tained extremne antipathy. The reason of their peculiar dislike to priests was this: The Mohawks were Protestants, after their cwn faslıion, because the Dutch were, and this priest, with others, had proselyted among them and caused some, as a Catholic party, to remove to Canada.
"Now these rejoicing, victorious Christians soon announced to Mr. Glen and wife, that they intended a special roast of their cap- tive on the following morning. So they brought the unfortunate priest along for Glen to lock up in his cellar until they should want him for their pious sacrifice.
" Mr. Glen and his wife (the last very much praised in the French accounts for her many acts of benevolence and humanity to cap- tives) did not see it in that light. Now Major Coudre (Glen) pos- sessed two keys to his locked cellar and, aware of the confidence the Mohawks placed in him, also of their credulity and superstition, raised this clear-sighted well-intended and formidable objection.
" That the Mohawks were his friends, and he felt pleasure at all proper times to oblige them; but, in this case, he would not take the responsibility. 'Priests' were ' wizzards,' and could go through any keyhole; suppose the priest was gone in the morning, what then ? ' No, he should take no risk.' But one thing he proposed 'with wise solemnity.' They might lock him up, and take the key thein- selves. This just proposition Mrs. Glen seconded. It was ratified,
21
ESCAPE OF A PRIEST.
the poor priest placed in close quarters, and the key duly delivered to his captors.
" Mr. Glen had also suggested, at a proper time, in a quiet way, and to the proper ears, that early in the morning, before daylight, he should send his team to Albany for salt, so as to excite no sus- picions about movements contemplated or an early stir.
" Well, the noble Mohawk, as was customary after a campaign, got their rum from Schenectady and feasted, drank, danced and sang, until the wee small hours of the morning, when their exhausted nature, and even their dogs, settled into stupid repose.
" This lull, Major Glen, his wife Anna, and faithful slaves, having watched, placed the priest in a wagon, in a hogshead with the lower head out, and the bung hole to breath through, and with a good team the priest and two negro men started for Albany after a load of salt. The priest was quietly and well received by the humanitarians of Albany, and silently forwarded to Montreal. Publicity, after such a joke on Mohawk warriors, was impolitic; but this kind act bore abundant and blessed fruit afterwards to the Glen family in 1690, when Schenectady was burned. Nor was it ever heard that Major or Mrs. Glen, or their faithful slaves, ever felt any remorse about the pious fraud.
" The team, hogshead, priest and negroes were gone. The dawn of morning came, with it the Mohawks, having an important mis- sion on hand, a roast; but Mr. Glen took the matter easy. The Mohawks found the cellar closed, 'but the priest had flown.' Sleep to Mr. Glen then becaine impossible ; the shouts were awful, and the agonies of disappointed justice became simply diabolical. When Major Glen appeared, and said calmly to his Indian friends, 'I told you so ; I told you so ; priests are wizards.' And they reluctantly responded : 'Coudre,' ( his Indian name ) 'was right.' Nor was it ever known that any Mohawk of that generation discovered the deception. Major Glen was always a great favorite of the Mohawks; his sayings and doings were ex-cathreda."
Simon Volkertse Veeder was the fourth named proprietor. He was born in Holland in 1624; bought a lot at New Amsterdam in
3
22
SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
1652 ; sold the same and came to Beaverwyck in 1654, and from thence removed to Schenectady in 1662. He owned, on the division, a farm on the great flat, numbered 9, containing fifty-one acres, and a lot on the north side of State street, at its junction with Ferry street, 200 feet square, and also owned considerable possessions on the Norman's Kil.
Few settlers contributed more to the healthy and vigorous early settlement of Schenectady than this proprietor, who died January 8th, 1696, aged about 72 years. His descendants are numerous, all bearing the name and having his blood.
Swear ( Ahasueras ) Teunise Van Velsen ( alias Van Westbrock,) was the fifthi named proprietor. In 1664 he married Maritie Myn- derse, widow of Jan Barentse Weinp. About this time he removed from Lubberda's land (Troy,) to Schenectady, and built a grist mill on Mill Lane. This was carried away by the flood, and rebuilt by him in 1673. In consideration of his loss, the community generally allowed him to take one-eighth, instead of one-twentieth, as a toll, out of grain ground there.
Besides the one-half of the great Van Slyck island, purchased by him of Jan Barentse Wemp, (who had previously obtained the one-half interest therein of Martin Mauris Van Slyck, which he held conjointly with Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck, the brother of Martin Mouris, who owned the other equal undivided one-half) he owned the land on the south side of State street from Church street, including Mill Lane, nearly to Cowhorn creek, and extending upon the lowlands so as to comprehend about twenty-five acres.
Swear Teunise (so always called) was a much-respected and influential citizen of Schenectady. In 1676 he was a magistrate of the village, and one of the five patentees nained in the great town- ship grant, confirmed in 1684. He was slain in the massacre of 1690, with his wife and four negro slaves, leaving no descendants or heirs.
Cornelius Antonisen Van Slyck, called by the Mohawks "Broer Cornelis" (brother Cornelis), was the seventh named proprietor, and an early settler at Beaverwyck. Previous to 1640 he married a Mohawk chieftian's daughter, by whom he had several children,
23
EARLY PROPRIETORS
viz .: Jacques, Martin, Mouris, Hillitie and Leah. Martin Mouris (Maurice) gave naine to the island lying between the Mohawk river and the inain Binnekill, west of Schenectady (now called Van Slyck's island). This son, Martin Mouris, a tradition hands down, died early in 1662.
Cornelius Antonisen was a proprietor, and received his portion on division, but the location of his farmn and village lot the writer has been unable to determine, or even whether he was, at any time, a settled resident of Schenectady. His original home was Beaver- wyck, but most of his time was passed among the Mohawks, at their upper or great castle at Canajoharie, either as an interpreter for the province, or as a trader, or because he had married among them, and been adopted by the tribe.
Such marriages were not deemed disreputable, for the Mohawks enjoyed high character among the tribes of North America, and were wonderfully generous in grants or outfits of land to their white friends, and especially to married connections of the tribe, which last were uniformly adopted as members of their community.
Cornelius Antonisen died in 1676, at an advanced age, fourteen years after the decease of his son, Martin Mouris. He was reputed to be a inan of excellent character and unbending integrity, possess- ing great influence among the Mohawks particularly, and the Five Nations generally. By reason of his eminent services on several occasions, in bringing about peace with the natives, he received a patent for a large tract of land at Catskill. He also owned land at Cohoes, granted to him by the Mohawks, near their old castle at the mouth of the Mohawk river.
Accustomed, as Cornelius Antonisen was, to Indian customs and peculiarities, it certainly tells much for his sense of what was due to his civilization and early education, that, during his life, he had only one wife and one family. It was owing to his sterling character, aided by his extended landed interests, that, although his son, Mar- tin Mouris, died young and unmarried, his son, Jacques, and his daughters, Hillitie and Leah, and their respective descendants, ınar- ried among the most respectable, full-blood white families in the province. This fact might be illustrated by well-preserved genea-
24
SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
logical tables, but it would exceed the proposed limit of this local history ; so the writer contents himself with adding the son, Jacques Cornelise, who will be treated of hereafter as one of the early pro- prietors of Schenectady.
Gerrit Bancker was the eighth proprietor. He hailed from Amsterdam in Holland. He was at New Amsterdam before 1655, and, in 1667, was settled at Beaverwyck, where he continued to reside until his death in 1691. When Arent Van Curler began the settlement of Schenectady in 1661, he became one of the original proprietors. Farm lot number six, on the Bouwland, was appor- tioned to him, and his village lot comprised the northerly quarter of the block bounded by Washington, Union, Church and State streets. His son Evert held his property until 1702, when he sold it to Isaac Swits.
Gerrit Bancker left two children : Evert, born January 24th, 1665, who, on the 24th day of September, 1686, married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Christopher Jans Abeel ; also a daughter, Anna, who married Johannas DePeyster of New York, September 21st, 1688.
William Teller was the ninth proprietor named. He was born in Holland A. D., 1620, and was the first Teller who came to the New Netherlands, arriving at New Amsterdam in 1639, when he was sent to Fort Orange by Governor Kieft, and entered into the service of the West India Company. He was " Machtmeester" of the Fort, and for many years a trader at Beaverwyck, continuing his residence there fron1 1639 to 1692, when he removed to New York, accom- panied by all of his sons, except his son John, who was settled in Schenectady.
William Teller married Margaret Dongan, a sister to Alexander Lindsay Glen's wife. He was not only an original proprietor, but one of the five patentees mentioned in the first patent of the town, granted by Governor Dongan in 1684. On the apportionment, in 1664, his allotments on the flats were numbered five, the foremost lot lying on the west side of, and separated by, the Tellers' Killitie from Elias Van Guysling's farm. This Van Guysling farm, situated on the Bouwland, in Rotterdam, remained in that family from that time to 1665, when Cornelius Van Guysling died without issue.
25
THE TENTH PROPRIETOR.
William Teller's village lot, two hundred feet square, was on the northeast corner of Union and Washington streets. He gave all his real estate in Schenectady to his son John, in 1700, who also remained, when the rest of the family removed to New York. Wil- liam Teller was an individual of wealth and great influence in his day. He died in 1701 and left seven children. All the Tellers in this section of our country are descended from his son John. U. S. Senator Teller from Colorado, Secretary of the Interior, is a descendant of this William Teller.
Bastian DeWinter was the tenth proprietor named. He came from Middleburg in Holland, and was at Schenectady as early as 1662. On the apportionment his village lot, 200 feet square, was situated on the southeast corner of Church and Union streets, and his farm on the flats was subsequently known as Elias Van Guysling's plantation. Falling sick in 1670, he sold all his real estate to Elias Van Guysling and others, with the intention of returning to Holland. . His death prevented his return. He left 10 heirs in this country, and in 1678 the Dutch Church at Albany (the church at Schenec- tady being not yet erected ) claimed, and in some way obtained his property for the use of the poor.
Bastian DeWinter, as the attorney of Catalina, widow of Arent Andries Bradt (commonly called " the Noorman") became, as such attorney, the eleventh proprietor named. Mr. Bradt became one of the proprietors of Schenectady in 1662, but died soon after and before any apportionment was made, leaving his widow, Catalina, and six children surviving him. After his death the flats and vil- lage lot which fell to his share was confirmed to his widow, through De Winter, for herself and Bradt's children. The farmn was No. 1 011 the Bouwland, and the village lot was the southwest quarter of the block bounded by Washington, Union, Church and State streets, and was 200 feet square, Amsterdam measure.
This Catalina Bradt was the daughter of Andries DeVos, a magis- trate and deputy-director of Rensselaerwyck. She was reputed to be a lady of intelligence and good education for the limited opportuni- ties of that day. She had great and sad experiences in the early his- tory of Schenectady.
26
SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
Pieter Danielse Van Olinda was the twelfth proprietor named. Judge Sanders was unable to locate his village lot, or his farm on the Bouwlandt. He married Hilitie, the daughter of Cornelius Antonisen Van Slyck, and a sister of Jacques Cornelise. She was a half-blood Mohawk and was a paid interpretress of the Provincial Government. The Mohawks gave her several tracts of land. She died February 10th, 1707. He died in 1716. They left three sons, Daniel, Jacob and Mathias.
Peter Jacobse Borsboom was the thirteenth proprietor named. His house lot in the village, 200 feet square, was the northwest quarter of the block bounded by Front, Washington, Church and Union streets. He had also two farins allotted to him on the Bouwlandt. He died in 1688, and left surviving him one son, Cornelius, who died young and unmarried ; also four daughters, viz .: Anna, who married John Pieterse Mabie ; Maria, who married Hendrick Brower ; Fytie, who married Martin Van Benthuysen ; Catharine, who married John Oliver. The name has disappeared in this county.
Jan Barentse (Wemple) was the fourteenth proprietor namned. He was an inhabitant of Beaverwyck as early as 1643. Having pur- chased the interest of Martin Maurice Van Slyck in 1662, he received, as joint owner with Martin Maurice's brother, Jacques Cornelise, a patent for the Great Island, lying immediately west of Schenectady, which interest was subsequently owned by Swear Teunise Van Velsen, who had married Weinp's widow. Wemp also had a house lot in the village, on the west side of Washington street, a little north on State street, with a front of 200 feet on Washington street, running down with equal width to the strand on the inain Binnekill. He died in 1663, an ancestor of an extensive list of descendants.
Jacques Cornelius Van Slyck was the fifteenth and last proprietor named. He was born at the great Indian Castle, Canajoharie, in 1640. The Mohawks gave him and his brother, Martin Maurice, the large island in the Mohawk river, lying immediately west of the city, and only separated from it by the main Binnekill; to each brother the equal undivided one-half. Jan Barentse Wemp subsequently
27
THE FIRST MINISTER.
purchased the interest of Martin Maurice, which, as has been shown, eventually vested in Swear Teunise Van Velsen.
The Mohawks also gave Jacques Cornelise a tract of land five iniles above the city, on the south side of the Mohawk, a portion of which is still occupied by his lineal descendants. He also owned land on the flats, apportioned to him as a proprietor, on the division, unlocated, except that it was the first flat, and was, after his decease, divided among his heirs.
His village lot, granted on the only public square of the place, on which the first church was erected, was on that front extending between State and Water streets, and running westerly along both streets, to an alley still existing, dividing the Van Slyck lot from the premises now owned and occupied by the Young Women's Christian Association.
Dominie Petrus Thesschenmaecker was the first settled minister in Schenectady. Having officiated in 1676 in Kingston, to the acceptance of the people, they petitioned for his continuance. In 1679 he was ordained in New York, by a council comprising the ininisters then settled in the province, as of the church at Newcastle on the Delaware, where he continued until about 1684 when he came to Schenectady. In the destruction of the village in 1690, the parson- age, the site of which is unknown, was burned and the Dominie was killed. He left no heirs.
This completes the list of the original proprietors. But others came before 1690. Herinan Albertie Vedder, ancestor of all the Vedders in this county, and who married into the Indian blood of the Van Slycks ; Symon Symnonse Groot, whose five children were taken captives on the night of the massacre ; Johannes Van Eps who caine to this city and was slain on Church street with his two chil- dren, two sons and a daughter escaping.
Class Frederickse Van Patten came to Schenectady in 1664. In 1668 he bought, in company with Cornelius Cornelisse Viele, the farm of Martin Cornelisse Van Issesteyn (Esselstyn,) lying next west of the farin of Ryer Schermerhorn, the elder, who was his brother- in-law, Van Patten having married Aeffie, the daughter of Arent Andreas Bradt and Catalyntje DeVos. His bouwery remained in the
28
SCHENECTADY COUNTY : ITS HISTORY.
family for several generations. In 1690 Van Patten was appointed a justice of the peace by Leisler. He was born May 30th, 1641, and died October 3d, 1728, aged 87 years. He left surviving him three sons and three daughters.
Isaac Swits settled in Schenectady in 1664. He married Susanna, daughter of Simon Groot ; his village lot was on the west side of Washington street opposite the west end of State street. On the destruction of the town in 1690, he was carried away captive, together with his oldest son, Cornelius, but they were ransomed and returned home the following July.
Johannes Putnam came to Schenectady in 1664. He married Cor- nelia, daughter of Arent Andries Bradt and Catalyntje DeVos. His homestead lot was on the northwest corner of Union and Ferry streets, having 100 feet next west from Jan Roeloefse, the oldest son of the celebrated Anneke Janse, by her first marriage. He sold sub- ject to the life estate of himself and wife. Roeloefse had no child- ren. On the disastrous night of February 9th, 1690, both Putnam and his neighbor Roeloefse, with their wives, were slain by the French and Indians. Jan Putnam left three sons and two daughters.
John Apple came to Schenectady in 1668; he, too, was wounded in his limbs at the destruction in 1690. The Apples removed to New York in 1693. William had a son, Simon, and a daughter, Maria Magdalena, who married Johannes Vrooman, a nephew of the dis- tinguished Adam.
Hanse Janse Eenklwys. This was truly a remarkable old Hollan- der who came to reside at Schenectady in 1670. Already as early as 1632, he was an officer of the Dutch West India Company, under the administration of Governor Van Twiller, and erected the standard (the arıns of the States-General ) at a spot called Kievit's Hoeck, (now Saybrook,) at the mouth of the Connecticut river. (See O'Cal. laghan's His. N. Y. Netherlands, Vol. I, p. 149.) . In July, 1648, on the occasion of Governor Stuyvesant's visit to Rensselaerwyck, he was employed to clean the Patroon's cannons and fire the salute. When he came to Schenectady, being an old man, without any rela- tions in this country, he made, by his will, the deacons of the Dutch Church of Schenectady his devisees and legatees, on condition that
29
THE EARLY CHURCH.
he should be supported by them in his old age and weakness, which they did to his satisfaction for thirteen years, and when he died, in 1683, at a very advanced age, they buried him with due respect and solemnity. The church inherited all his property, consisting mostly of forty acres of land, of what was formerly known as the Poor Pas- ture, being that portion of it lying west of or above Hausen Kil, (now College brook.) That portion of the Poor Pasture lying east of or below the creek, called "The Boght," was bought of Harina- nus Van Slyck, in 1806, for $1,750. The memory of brave, honest Hans Janse Eenklwys should always be cherished by the descendants of Schenectady's pioneers. Monuments, in these latter days, are often erected to perpetuate the ineinory of those who possessed but a sınıall share of his experience, honesty, gallantry and worth. He gave to the church of his affections his memories of Holland, and all he possessed.
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