USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. I > Part 10
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Henry Quackenbush, Henry Staats, Isaac Truax, John Gates, Gerrit A. Lansing, Peter Lansing, Joachim Staats, James Bleecker, Elbert Willett, John J. Bleecker, John H. Wendell, Cor's Van Schelluyne, Philip P. Schuyler, Cornelius Van Vechten, William Staats, Abraham Schuyler, John P. Quackenboss,
K. K. Van Rensselaer, Jacob Bleecker, Jr., Teunis Ts. Van Vechten, Harmanus A. Wendell, Henry Van Woert, Casparus Pruyn, Gerardus Lansing,
Jacob J. Lansing, Gornelius Groesbeeck,
Richard Lush, Sanders Lansing, Isaac Bogert,
Jacob Van Loon, Volkert S. Veeder,
Peter E. Elmendorf, Abraham Ten Eyck.
In the absence of any pastor, Mr, Peter Dox had presided over the meet. ings of the board for a long time. They determined to call the Rev. John M. Bradford, under a salary of $1500. He was to be required to preach
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but onee on each sabbath during the first year, and his salary was to be increased $250 in the event of his marriage. The Rev. Mr. Linn, who had been an occasional preacher here several years, was also engaged to preach once on each sabbath. Mr. Bradford was ordained and installed pastor of the church on the 11th of August, 1805.
The project of another new church began to be agitated early in 1799, to be located upon the ancient church yard, where it was subsequently built. In 1805, the ground occupied by the old church at the foot of State street, was sold to the city corporation, for $5,000, and in the spring of the following year it was taken down, and the materials used in the con- struction of the church on Beaver street. A great deal of interest still attaches to this venerable edifice, and its demolition was viewed with pain- ful emotions by many of the old people, who had been so long accustomed to worship there. It had served the purposes of the congregation nearly a century, and was invested with an unusual religious affection and vene- ration ; the march of improvement has seldom overturned a nobler struc, ture. The site had been selected for the church just a century and a half previous. The one erected in 1643 had before 1656 become inadequate to the accommodation of the community, and it had been determined in the course of the preceding year to erect a new building. To assist this good work the patroon and codirectors subscribed 1000 guilders, or $400, and 1500 guilders were appropriated from the fines imposed by the eourt at Fort Orange. In the early part of the summer, Rutger Jacobsen, one of the magistrates, laid the corner stone of the sacred edifice, in presence of the authorities, both of the town and colonie, and of the assembled inhas bitants. A temporary pulpit was, at first, erected for the use of the mi- nister, but the settlers subscribed twenty-five beavers to purchase a more splendid one in Holland. The chamber at Amsterdam added seventy-five guilders to this sum, for "the beavers were greatly damaged ;" and "with a view to inspire the congregation with more ardent zeal," presented them the next year with a bell, " to adorn their newly constructed little church."* A fragment of this bell is still preserved, it is said, in one of the churches, bearing the inscription, " Anno 1601." And when in 1715, the original structure was beginning to decay, and the congregation, becoming too numerous for its dimensions, the foundations of a new one were laid around it, and the walls carried up and enelosed before the first was taken down, so that the customary services were interrupted only three sabbaths, This enlargement was made in the third year of the mi- nistry of the Rev. Petrus Van Driessen ; and the ingenuity of the scheme by which so great a work was accomplished without materially interrupt- ing the weekly services, seems to have been a subject of great admiration and universal remark, in all time since, The edifice which had been con, structed in this extraordinary manner, was in the Gothic style, and is sup- posed to be correctly delineated in the accompanying engraving. It occupied almost the entire width of State street, and extended partly across Broadway.
When the church was demolished, very few of the armorial bearings upon its stained windows escaped destruction ; still a few relics were preserved, Among these, is one of its small windows; also, the weather-fane, and one of the bags in which the contributions were taken. But above all the
* Hist, N. Neth., ii,, 307.
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old pulpit is still in existence, and forms a very interesting relic. It was sent over from Holland in 1656, and was continued in the service of the church 150 years. It is constructed of oak, octagonal in form, about four feet high, and three feet in diameter. Although in a dismounted state, and rather off at the hinges, it is otherwise in a very good state of preservation. The ac- companying engraving represents it very accurately, as it now stands in the attic of the North Dutch Church. The bracket is seen in front, upon which the dominle placed the hour glass, when he commenced his dis- course. This pulpit was occupied by a long line of ministers, whose me- mory has been so much neglected, that it has been with great difficulty and labor we have traced their names even, and that imperfectly. The following is the best account we are able to give of the succession of the ministry.
1642 to 1649, Rev. Johannes Megapolensis.
1652 to 1683, Rev. Gideon Schaats.
1675
Rev. - Niewenhrysen.
1633 to 1699,
Rev. Godfredius Dellius.
1699 to 9 1703 to 1709,
Rev. - - Nucella.
Rev. John Lydius.
1710 no pastor, Rev. Gualterus Du Bois. (occasional) 1711 do. Rev. Petrus Vas. do. )
1712 to 1739,
Rev. Petrus Van Driessen.
1733 to 1744,
Rev. Cornelis Van Schie.
to 1760, Rev, Theodorus Frelinghuysen.
1760 to 1790, Rev. Eilardus Westerlo.
1776 to 1779,
Rev. John H, Livingston. (occasional)
1787 to 1804,
Rev. John Bassett.
Rev. John B. Johnson.
1796 to 1802, 1805 Rev. John M. Bradford.
The minutes of the board of consistory were very imperfectly kept pre- vious to the year 1790. The records of the church which we have seen, consist principally of registers of baptisms and marriages, kept often in a very obscure manner, in which the elections of church officers are some- times interspersed. Soon after the above date, however, a new spirit seems to have animated the board, which was composed of some of the most eminent men of the city. They entered upon the business of erecting a large church, surpassing all others in the city; and among other im- provements and regulations which they introduced, they caused the minutes of the board, as far as they had been kept, to be fairly transcribed, and insisted upon their being properly and fully noted, Since then their trans- actions have been very well preserved.
We have traced the history of this church, one of the oldest in the United States, down to the year 1805, when a new era begins. The church now consists of three congregations, an account of which is deferred to a future time.
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APPENDIX.
Call of the Rev. Johannes Megapolensis .- Whereas, by the state of the navigation in the East and West Indies, a door is opened through the special providence of God, also in New Netherland, for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the salvation of men, as good fruits have been already witnessed there, through God's mercy ; and whereas the brethren of the Classis of Amsterdam have been notified that Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer hath within the said limits in the North River. as patroon or lord, founded a colony named Renselaerswyck, and would fain have the same provided with a good, honest, and pure preacher ; therefore they have observed and fixed their eyes, on the reverend, pi- ous and well-learned Dr. Joannes Megapolensis, junior, a faithful ser- vant of the gospel of the Lord, in the congregation of Schorel and Berg, under the Classis of Alkmaar, whom ye have also called, after they had spoken with the said lord, Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, in the same manner as they, with his honor's approbation, do hereby call him to be sent to New Netherland, there to preach God's word in the said colony, to administer the holy sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper; to set an example to the congregation, in a Christian like man- ner, by public precept ; to ordain elders and deacons according to the form of the holy apostle Paul, 1 Tim., iii., 1; moreover to keep and govern, with the advice and assistance of the same, God's congregation in good discipline and order, all according to God's holy word, and in conformity with the government, confession and catechism of the Nether- land churches and the synodal acts of Dordrecht, subscribed by him to this end, with his own hand, and promised in the presence of God, at his ordination, requesting hereby all and every who shall see and read these, to respect our worthy brother as a lawfully called minister, and him to esteem by reason of his office, so that he may perform the duty of the gospel to the advancement of God's holy name and the conver- sion of many poor blind men. May the Almighty God, who hath call- ed him to this ministry, and instilled this good zeal in his heart, to pro- claim Christ to Christians and heathens in such distant lands, strengthen him more and more, in this his undertaking, enrich him with all sorts of spiritual gifts; and bless overflowingly his faithful labors; and when the Chief Shepherd, Christ Jesus, shall appear, present him with the imperishable crown of eternal glory. Amen. Thus given in our clas- sical assembly at Amsterdam, this 22d day of March, 1642. Signed in the name and on behalf of the whole body. Wilhelmus Somerus, loco præsidis ; Zloahar Swalmius, scriba classis; Jonas Abeels, elder. Ex. amined and approved by the directors of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam, 6th June 1642 (signed) Charles Looten, Elias de Raet. Mr. Megapolensis embarked in the Houttuyn, and arrived at the colony in August of 1642 .- O'Callaghan's Hist. N. Neth., i., 449.
The First Church .-- In commissary Van Curler's letter to the patroon, dated June 16, 1643, he says : " As for the church, it is not yet con- tracted for, nor even begun. I had written last year to your honor, that I had a building almost ready, namely, the covenanted work, which would have been for Dom. Megapolensis ; and this house was not agree- able to the taste of Dom. Johannes ; in other respects it was altogether suitable for him, so that I have laid it aside, That which I intend to
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build this summer in the pine grove (in het greynen bosch), will be 34 feet long by 19 feet wide. It will be large enough for the first three or four years, to preach in, and can afterwards always serve for the resi- dence of the sexton, or for a school."-Ibid., i.,459.
Note of Hand .- It appears that in 1647, the church was rich enough to loan money to the patroon, as will be seen by the following note of hand to the deaconry : "I, the undersigned, Anthonie de Hooges, have, on the part of the noble patroon of the colonie of Rensselaers -. wyck, borrowed from the diaconie of the aforesaid place, for the term of one year, to be repaid in cash, at the option of the lenders, with ten per cent interest per annum, the sum of three hundred guilders in sea- wan, whereof one hundred and twenty is in ordinary seawan, promis- ing thankfully to produce at the aforesaid time, in stated specie afore- said, to the diaconie of the aforesaid place. In testimony whereof, have I subscribed this acte with mine own hand. Actum R. Wyck, 9th May, 1647."-Ibid, i., 471.
Agreement between Dom. Megapolensis and the Patroon .- The condi- tions upon which Mr. Megapolensis accepted the call " to administer and promote divine service in the colonie for the term of six successive years, according to previous demission from his classis," were as fol- lows : " Firstly, Dr. Johannes Megapolensis 39 years old, with his wife, Machtelt Willemsen, aged 42 years, besides his children, Helle- gond, Derrick, Jan, and Samuel, aged 14, 12, 10 and 8 years, shall furn- ish and provide themselves with clothing, furniture and other utensils, and these put up in such small and compact parcels, as can be properly stowed away in the ship. In the mean time, as his six years and his salary shall commence so soon as be shall set foot in the aforesaid colo- nie, the patroon, in addition to free board for them all in the ship, until they reach the colonie, shall over and above make him & present, for future serivce, at once, of three hundred guilders, without deduction. And in case it happen, which the Lord God in his mercy forbid, that he and his family come to fall in the hands of the Dunkirkers, the patroon promises to use all diligence to procure his ransom ; to forward him af- terwards on his voyage, according as occasion shall again offer, and to cause to be paid him during his detention, for the support of himself and family, forty guilders per month; and also so much here monthly, after he shall have received his liberty and orders, and shall have conveyed him hither, until he embarks. On his arrival, by God's help, in the co- lonie, the patroon shall cause to be shown to him where he and his shall lodge at first, until a fit dwelling shall be erected for him. So soon as he shall reach the colonie, his hereafter-mentioned salary shall com. mence, and his board and wages cease, and the patroon be discharged therefrom. Which salary, in order that he and his family shall be able honorably to maintain themselves, and not be necessitated to have re- course to any other means, whether tilling the land, commerce, rearing of cattle, or such like ; but by the diligent performance of his duties, for the edifying improvement of the inhabitants and Indians, without being indebted to any person, which he also acknowledges to observe; where. fore the patroon promises to cause to be paid to him for the first three years' salary, meat, drink, and whatever else he may claim in that re- gard, one thousand, or ten hundred guilders yearly, one half here in
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this country, the remaining half in proper account there, according as he requires it, in provisions, clothing, and such like, at the ordinary and accustomed prices ; and a further yearly addition of thirty schepels of wheat-I say thirty schepels-and two firkins of butter, or in place thereof, sixty guilders in money's worth. Should the patroon be satis- fied with his service, he shall give him yearly, the three following years, an increase of two hundred guilders. In case of decease within the aforesaid six years, at which time the salary shall cease, the patroon shall pay to his widow, besides the supplement of the half year in which he shall have entered, a yearly sum of one hundred guilders, until the expiration of the aforesaid six years. He shall, besides, befriend and serve the patroon, in all things wherein he can do so without interfering with or impeding his duties. The aforesaid Johannes Megapolensis having also promised to comport himself in the said colonie as a loyal subject and inhabitant thereof, the above named patroon, on his side, also promises, for him and his successors, to perform and execute what is hereinbefore set forth, and to furnish him with due acte and commis- sion, sealed with the seal of the patroon and the colonie; and in acknow- ledgment of the truth, without fraud, guile, or deceit, has this writing been signed by both sides. In Amsterdam, this 6th of March, 1642."- I bid, i., 448.
The Rev. Gideon Schaats-the second clergyman in Albany, was born in'1607. He was originally engaged as minister of the colonie of Rensse- laerswyck, but in 1657, he was appointed " at the request of the inhabi- tants of Fort Orange and Beverwyck," minister of the latter place, at a salary of 1200 guilders, " to be collected for the greatest part from the inhabitants." The following is a contract under which he first came to this country : " We, Johan Van Rensselaer, patroon, and codirectors of the Colonie Rensselaerswyck in New Netherland, having seen and ex- amined the actes granted by the venerable Classis of Amsterdam to Dominie Gideon Schaats, so have we invited and accepted the said Gideon Schaats as preacher in our aforesaid colonie, there to perform divine service in quality aforesaid. To use all Christian zeal there to bring up both the heathens and their children in the Christian re- ligion. To teach also the Catechism there, and instruct the people in the holy scriptures, and to pay attention to the office of schoolmaster for old and young. And further to do everything fitting and becoming a public, honest and holy teacher, for the advancement of divine service and church exercise among the young and old. And, in case his rever- ence should take any of the heathen children there to board and to edu. cate, he shall be indemnified therefor as the commissioners there shall think proper. And he is accepted and engaged for the period of three years, commencing when his reverence shall have arrived thither in the Colonie Rensselaerswick, in the ship the Flower of Gelder, his passage and board being free ; and he shall enjoy for his salary, yearly, the sum of eight hundred guilders, which shall be paid to his reverence there through the patroon's and codirectors' commissioners; and in case of prolongation, the salary and allowance shall be increased in such man- ner as the parties there shall mutually agree upon. And as a donation, and in confirmation of this reciprocal engagement, one hundred guilders are now presented to the dominie. And in addition the sum of three hundred guilders to be deducted from the first earned wages in the colo-
6
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nie, which moneys he doth hereby acknowledge to have received, acquit- ting thereof the patroon and codirectors. Finally, should the dominie require any money to the amount of one hundred guilders, to be paid yearly here, and to be deducted there, the said payment, on advice from the commissaries there, shall be made here, to the order of the afore- said dominie. Whereupon, the call, acceptance, and agreement are con- cluded, cach promising on his side, with God's help, to observe and fol- low the same, which each has promised, and in testimony thereof have both signed this. In Amsterdam, this eighth of May, XVI hundred two and fifty." Was signed Johan Van Rensselaer, Toussaint Mussart, for the codirectors, Gideon Schaats called minister to Rensselaerswick .- Ibid, ii., 567.
Mr. Schaats's Children .- The Rev. Mr. Schaats had three children, two sons and one daughter. Reynier, the oldest, removed to Schenec- tady, where he was killed, with his son, at the great massacre, Feb. 10, 1690. Bartolomeus, the second, passed over to Holland, 1670, but re- turned and settled as a silversmith in New York, where he died about 1720, having a son, Reynier, from whom are descended all of the name now in this country. Anneke S., the daughter, married Thomas Davitse Kikebell, of New York. She was by no means a favorite with some of the female portion of her father's congregation, who carried their feel- ings so far, at one time, as to object to approach the Lord's supper in her company. Her father resented this. Indeed, already female gossip had been caught busy at a tea- party with even the dominie's character ; a prosecution for slander ensued, and the parties had to pay heavy dama- ges. Out of this probably arose the ill-will towards the daughter, who was sent by the magistrates to her husband at New York. The dominie in consequence, resigned his charge over the church, after having preach- ed a sermon on 2 Peter, i., 12-15. He was, however, reconciled to his flock, and Anneke returned to her father, by whom she seems to have been much loved."-Ibid, ii., 568.
Dom. Dellius Deposed .- When the Earl of Bellomont arrived as gov- ernor of the province, in 1688, Mr. Dellius was despatched in company with Capt. John Schuyler, to Canada, to convey the account of the peace of Ryswick, and to solicit a mutual interchange of prisoners. The dominie allowed his Indian agency to involve him in serious dif- ficulties. The Assembly of 1699 took into consideration sundry extrava- gant grants of land which had been made by Col. Fletcher to several of his favorites. Among these were two grants to Mr. Dellius, who was accused of having fraudulently obtained the deeds, according to which the patents had been granted. One of these, dated Sept 3, 1696, under the seal of the province, was made by Col. Fletcher for a tract of land " lying upon the east side of the IIudson river, between the nothermost bounds of Saraghtoga and the Rock Rossian," containing about 70 miles in length, and 12 miles broad, subject to a yearly rent of one raccoon skin ! Another grant was made to Dominie Dellius, William Pinchon and Evert Banker, dated July 30, 1697, for "a tract on the Mohawk river, 50 miles in length, and two miles on each side of the river, as it runs," subject to an annual rent of one beaver skin for the first seven years, and five yearly forever thereafter. On the 12th May, 1699, the Assembly resolved that, " It having appeared before the house of rep-
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resentatives convened in general assembly, that Mr. Godfrey Dellius has been a principal instrument in deluding the Maquaas Indians, and illegal and surreptitious obtaining of said grants, that he ought to be and is hereby suspended from the exercises of his ministerial function in the city and county of Albany."
Church Records .- The book of baptisms and marriages commenced by Mr. Dellius in 1683, and continued to the present day, has been of great service to many, who from various motives have sought to trace their ancestry, and to others who have resorted to it for the purpose of per- fecting papers to obtain pensions; but above all the heirs of Anneke Jantz are there enabled to make out their parentage, and get it estab- lished by the certificate of the church master; which having obtained they carefully deposit it in a capacious wallet, with as much satisfaction, apparently, as if they had overcome a great obstacle, and were actually pocketing Trinity church itself. The resort to the books for the above and similar purposes has been so great, that they have become a good deal defaced. In order to the entire preservation of so valuable a record, two large folio volumes have been procured, into which all the names have been copied in a fair and legible hand. Posterity is indebted for this laborious performance to the industry of Dr. John H. Trotter, who, with the zeal and perseverance of a Dutch commentator, has given up his leisure hours for many months, to the arduous task of decyphering and transcribing several hundred pages of Dutch and Indian names, many of them almost unintelligible. The baptisms during the minis- try of Dom. Dellius, embracing about sixteen years, were more than 1100. Among these Indian names frequently occur. Under the date of July 11, 1690, are the following:
Suongara (Little Plank), aged 40 ; baptismal name David.
Kowajatense, wife of the above, aged 30; named Rebecca.
Tekaneadaroga aged 22; named Isaac.
Tejonihokarawe (Open the Door), aged 30; named Hendrick.
Karanondo (Uplifter), aged 50 ; named Lydia.
Kaadejihendara aged 12; named Seth.
Siouheja (Lively), named Rachel.
Skanjodowanne (Eagle's Beak), named Manasse.
Sagonorasse (Fast Binder), aged 12; named Adam.
Karehodongwas (the Plucker), aged 16, wife of Isaac; named Eunice. Aug. 6, 1690 .- Son of Eunice, aged 9 months; named Simon. Kwaorate, mother of Eunice, aged 60; named Lea.
Karehojenda, aged 30, daughter of Lea; named Alida.
Waniho, aged 40; named Josine.
Daughter of Josine, aged 9; named Jakomine.
Son of Josine, aged 7; named Josua.
The whole number of baptisms on record is about 14,000. The first baptisms under the successor of Mr. Dellius, who was Dom. Nucella, bear date Sept. 3, 1699. In 1701, baptisms seem to have been made of a considerable number of persons belonging to Kinderhook, and in 1707 and 1708, at Esopus, (Kingston). On the 23d and 30th April, 1710, 61 baptisms are entered by Mr. Gualterus DuBois, who left his settlement at New York the previous year. In 1711, the following baptisms were made by Rev. Petrus Vas, who was a settled pastor at Kingston: March
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4th, 14; 11th, 7; Oct. 7th, 16; 12th, 2; 14th, 8; 20th, 3. Also in 1712, by the same, Feb. 10th, 15; 17th, 5. On the 20th April 1712, the first entry is make by Rev. Petrus Van Driessen, of 29 baptisms.
Early Members of the Church .- We are indebted to Mr. S. V. Talcott for the following names of the members of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the city of Albany, "as they were numbered at the end of the year 1683," in the handwriting of Mr. Dellius.
Juriaen Teunis,
Gerrit Swart, Antonia Swart,
Areaantje Wynandts (his wife), Laurens Van Alen, Elbertje Van Alen,
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