USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. VIII > Part 4
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May it please you Honor Your Honor's mo obedient humble servants Sgd EDWD HOLLAND Mayor CORNELIUS CUYLER Alderman JOHANNES EVERT WENDELL Ald LEENDERT GANSEWORT Ald
TOBIAS RYCKMAN Ald JACOB TIEN EYCK GERRIT BRAT ANTONY BRAT
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COMMISSIONERS FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS TO PRESIDENT CLARKE.
[New York Papers, Ff., No. 31,]
Albany 17th May 1736
May it please your Honor: Sir Capt Collins has com- municated to us the Commissioners of Indian affairs, your letter to him of the 11th Instant whereby we perceive you desire our opinion concerning a Tract of Land Mr Storke and Mr Van Brugh Livingston has petitioned His Majesty for, and whether any of them be already granted to others, whether the Mohawks be seated on any part of it and whether the Mohawk Flatts be included in said Tract We observe with you that there is one course left out but are certain that a great part of the Land we take
* from us. Minutes of Common Council, Albany, N. Y.
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to be petitioned for is already granted to others, and as we are informed some purchases made in the usual way tho' not yet granted by Patent and that some of the Mo- hawks Indians live upon part of it but do not think that the Mohawk Flatts are included therein But are humbly of opinion that that way of granting Land before purchas- ing from the natives may be of ill consequence and alienate the minds of the Indians from His Majestys Interest and occasion great divisions among the people of this Province We most earnestly desire that your Honor and Council will be pleased in the strongest manner to recommend to the Lords of Trade to discountenance any such Practice We are
May it please your Honor Your Honors mo' obedient humble Servants sgd MYNDER SCHUYLER RUTGER BLEEKER
DIRK TEN BROECK
IN DE PEYSTER
EDWD COLLINS
REYER GERRITSE
JOHN LANSING Junr
CONS CUYLER
EDWD HOLLAND
NICHOLAES BLEEKER
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PRESIDENT CLARKE TO SECRETARY POPPLE.
[New York Papers, Ff., No. 33]
New York May 28th 1736
Sir : With the Duplicate, for the first is not yet come to hand of that of the 23rd of January I had the honor to receive your letter of the 25th of February last with a copy of Mr Storke and Mr Livingstons Petition for lands in the Mohawks country a copy whereof I sent two days after to the surveyor General directing him to inform me whether any of the land petitioned for by them be already granted, how much and to whom, who tells me he can
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STEVANUS GROESBECK
ABRAHAM CUIJLER JOHN SCHUIJLER Junr
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not at present give me a satisfactory answer perhaps he may not be well acquainted with that part of the country. I therefore likewise wrote to Albany for the same infor- mation and whether any of the Mohawks are seated on any part of it, or whether any of the Mohock Flatts be comprehended within it and having received an answer thereto from the commissioners of the Indian affairs I do myself the honor to inclose it to you presuming it will give their Lordships full satisfaction in those points and to obey their Lordships commands in the rest I beg leave to make the following observations on the Petition and first, They pray to have the grant before they purchase the Lands of the Indians This is a practice so little known and so seldom used among us that I have heard of no more than two instances of it vizt that in the Albany Charter, before the Revolution of the Mohawk Flatts mentioned in your letter to be surrendered by the Mo- howks to the City of Albany in trust for themselves the ยท other a grant made by Mr Van Dam after Coll Montgom- eries death to Mr Philip Livingston, the Petitioner Liv- ingtons Father and four others, of lands in the Mohawks Country likewise, Livingston and the other Grantees of the Grantecs of the last mentioned Tract having in vain attempted in Coll Montgomeries time to purchase it of the Indians, took the advantage of Van Dams weakness, and got a grant from him without a real purchase but the Indians would never yet suffer them to possess it the Gov- ernment in all other instances have been very careful not to grant Lands until they have been first purchased of the Indians knowing that they are impatient of such injuries and too apt on slighter occasions to show their resent- ment of them, their Lordships know of how much im- portance it is to the British Colonies to tye the six Nations to our Interest, and I am confident they will discounten- ance every thing that may tend to alienate their affections from us The Petitioners pray to be exempt from paying any Quitt Rents till the Lands come to be settled who would not on such Terms take Grants, and if such a Grant be made who will afterwards take them on any other
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Terms-Few who take Grants of Lands propose to make any immediate Profits of them, those who have Lands lease them out for ten or twelve years on a pepper Corn Rent and pay the Quitt Rents themselves from the date of their Patent which may be ten years more before they do lease it The Petitioners intend they say to bring over Palatines to settle the Land but they don't propose to oblige themselves to do it, nor do they mention any time for it nor any number of familys, they foresee perhaps that a few years may people the Province from Germany Ireland and other Parts of Europe and are preparing before hand to lay in for themselves an estate on easy Terms, for Sir having often reflected on the great con- course of People that for almost twenty years have flocked to Pensilvania, from Germany and other parts of Europe and have informed myself of the nature of the Soil in General of that Province, of the price that the proprie- tors sell their Land for and the Rents they reserve I con- cluded that if one could induce some familys to come to this Province from Europe, they would find the Lands so much better than any that are now bought of the Pro- prietors of Pensilvania and the terms on which they may be bought or leased so easy that multitudes on their re- port of these things, would follow them. I drew up therefore some proposals, showed them to Govr Cosby and having had his approbation and that of the Attorney `and Surveyor General, we laid them before the Governor and Council in 1734 desiring they would make some re- solves engage the honor and faith of the Government for the performance of the Proposals as they very readily did and ordered them to be advertized printed dispersed in Eu- rope but those being only printed papers some merchants in Dublin and Amsterdam desired that they may have the proposals under the Seal of the Government assuring us that they could then procure people to come In this we complyed and sent it to them last fall under the Seal of the Province, and under the hands of the Governor and Council and hope to hear further from them this Sum- mer The proposals were these to grant no dealers of Land
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in the Mohawks Country in 200 acres to a family to the first 500 protestant families that shall come from Europe, the Grants to be made gratis and the Lands to be pur- chased for them the only difference that they are to be at (besides the Quitt Rent which is to commence from the date of the Patents) will be the Surveying it, which will be very little, we have already some Lands purchased which we design for this use if the people come in reason- able time: and this is such encouragement as Messrs Storke and Livingston can not give them and such as the [y] can not have in any other Province, for no proprie- tors will give away their Land when they can have twenty- five pounds and more a hundred for them. By the pro- posals for giving away 100,000 acres I shall be at, con- siderable expence, for parchment, wax, engrossing Books for recording the Patents and Certificates &c the Gover- nor and Surveyor General at none at all for they will only sett their names to the Surveys and certificates, the At- torney General will only be at the expense of copying paper for the Drafts of the Patents The prospect of ad- vantage to us arises from the Expectation that after these 100,000 acres are settled great numbers of people will follow who must purchase of the Indians and take grants at their own expence or if they are not able must become Servants to others who are able and will readily do it
Thus Sir, I have without disguise opened to you my design the advantage I propose to myself is at a distance, the publick benefit in the augmentation of the Quitt Rents, and the peopling of the Province near at hand, but near- est of all the profit to the Merchants in the Transporta- tion of the people. This advertisement which contained the proposals was sent to Mr Guerin in London the Gov- ernors Agent to Messrs (Swoern?) Merchants in Dublin and to Mr Livinus Flackson merchant in Amsterdam to be printed and dispersed in Great Britain and Ireland, and in Holland to be translated into High Dutch and sent into all parts of Germany, the Germans are the most likely people of all these to set on foot the Hemp manufac- ure for which we have many lands in the Mohawk Country
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very proper, but the first settlers being generally poor will want some further encouragement to enable them to begin that work and some skilful people to lead the way and show others the best method of raising and dressing it: If these proposals had some publick Countenance at home and that signified abroad, it would without doubt highly promote the design, I presume Governor Cosby acquainted their Lordships with it and ordered Mr Guerin to present some of the printed copies to them. There is one line omitted in the Copy of the Petition that was sent to me wherein the description of the Land is thus, beginning at a certain brook which vents itself into the Mohawks. River known by the name of Canada Creek being the Western bounds of Lands heretofore granted to John Collins and company computed to be forty miles Westward from Hudsons River, thence coming from said River at the mouth of the said Brook northward in a di- rect line six miles into the woods, thence extending south to the said northwest Spring and from thence Easterly along the Banks of the said River terminating at Canada Creek aforeasaid Here I find but three lines which can neare make six miles square If, by the said Northwest Spring be meant the Northwest Spring of the Mohawks River the Tract petitioned for will be almost one hundred and thirty miles in length, and six miles Wide which will comprehend almost all the Lands granted in the Mohocks Country on the Northside of the River but that can't be so understood, because you say the Land the Petition for is about Six miles Square which must be six miles along the River from Canada Creek and six miles back into the woods it must be therefore some other Northwest Spring than that of the Mohawks River or the Petitioners would most grossly deceive the Crown
Since I begun to write this I received the enclosed let- ter from the Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council of Albany much to the same effect as the letter from the Commissioners of Indian affairs and two of the the Coun- cillors informed me that Mr Philip Livingston, the Peti- tioner Livingstons father) who is likewise one of the
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Commissioners of the Indian affairs being present when they wrote the letter to me declared to them that he would not for two or three thousand pounds that his son and Mr Storke should succeed and that he knew nothing of his Sons petitioning till the arrival of the last ships from London, but yet he would not sign the letter; with- out doubt he would not have made that Declaration had he not been sensible himself, and conscious that the Com- missioners evidently foresaw the perniceous consequences that must attend the Grant. Inclosed I send you Sir the Boundaries of a Tract of Land containing eight thousand acres which at first sight will evidently appear to be within the Petition I could send you the Boundaries of other Tracts likewise within the Petition but that I think this with the other Papers will be abundantly sufficient to satisfy their Lordships in what they expect to be in- formed
I am with all possible respect Sir
your most obedient Humble servant signed
GEO: CLARKE
COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN AFFAIRS TO LIEUTENANT-GOVER- NOR CLARKE.
[New York Papers, Gg., No. 21]
Albany 30 Aug: 1738
May it please your Honor: Sir Since our last of the 25 instant Captain Cornelius Cuyler returned from Can- ada, who informs us that he has heard that the french have a design to settle severall familyes on the Wood Creek about 10 miles from our settlement next spring; that the Governor of Canada has sent several farmers there among which was Ilber, to view the land last fall and this summer as far as fort Ann; and that he has heard a report that the land is granted to the said Ilber and others, which we believe to be true; which settle-
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ments we conceive to be of very bad consequence to this province in general and to this city and county in partic- cular; wherefore we earnestly entreat your honor to find out some proper expedient to prevent this encroachment of the french of Canada for we are perswaded if they be " suffered to proceed in this their intention they will soon erect a fort at the Wood Creek: We hope that more no- tice will be taken of what we now mention, than of what we informed about the erecting the french fort at Crown Point, which is made as strong as any in Europe. Some of the principal Sachims of the Sinneckes are gone to Quebeck, we fear to make over Tierondequat to Gover- nour Beauharnois, who no doubt will take the first op- portunity next spring to erect a strong building there, then we are inclosed on all sides, but we are yet in hopes that the french may be prevented in their designs. We heartily wish that the limitts between our Crown and that of france were settled which might prevent their continu- al encroachments on us. We are with respect
Your honors most humble Servants
PH: LIVINGSTON MYNDERT SCHUYLER RUTGER BLEECKER ABRAHAM CUYLER JOHN D'PEYSTER NICHOLAS BLEECKER
DIRICK TEN BRODILY
GOVERNOR CLINTON TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.
[New York Papers, (S. P. O.) X., 218.]
New York 23 May 1747
May it please Your Grace: Besides the other reasons for my paying some part of thelarrearages duc to the forces levied on the expedition designed against Canada, Mr Scuyler who (it is said) has a Commission from the Pres- ident of New Jersey to command the forces levied in that government, his giving out that he would pay the whole of the arrearages due to them under his command, made it absolutely necessary to do at least what I have done.
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As soon as I heard of the mutinous disposition among the forces at Albany I was at the same time informed that Mr Scuyler had given out that he was resolved to pay the troops (under his command) all of the arrearages due to them, I informed the President of Jersy of my resolution by the advice of His Majesty's Council of this Province to pay 40s per man in part of what was due to to the forces at Albany without distinction of what Col- ony they belonged to, and to continue to pay 20s per man monthly, till such time as His Majesty's pleasure should be signified to me.
I informed him likewise that it was not thought advis- ible to pay the men their whole pay at this time suppos- ing that money sufficient could be procured for that pur- pose, which however it is thought could not be obtained, because there would then be no tie to prevent their deser - tion.
The President and Council of the Jerseys approved of these reasons, and wrote a letter to Mr Scuyler, of which a copy was inclosed to me, wherein they required him to conform himself to such directions as he should receive from me. Notwithstanding this he has paid the forces under his command, the whole of their pay, and the offi- cers of the other forces there inform me that Mr Scuyler's paying the New Jersey troops in this manner is the prin- cipal reason why the greatest number of the other forces and chiefly those levied in this Province remain discon- tented and mutinous, and refuse to receive less than their whole pay.
Your Grace must likewise be sensible how contrary it is to the discipline of the' army for any Officer which is in my government (and undoubtedly while there, under my command) to act in direct contradiction to my di- rections, especially in a matter of such general concern, and likewise to the orders which he had received from his own government.
This must consequently introduce confusion, and I am informed speeches were given out by his men that they would receive no pay of the Governour of New York, be-
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cause if they did, then they would be under his command, which they were resolved not to be.
All these things, with many others of a different kind, show what danger this Province may be in from the ar- tifices of a prevailing faction at this time, and how pre- judicial it may be to his Majesty's service every where in North America.
It must weaken. exceedingly my administration if this money be paid, without Mr Scuylers making application to me, with an acknowledgment of his fault at least, and desiring my intercession in order to obtain it.
I must beg your Graces forgivness of all faults on ac- count of the hurry I am in. I am with the greatest re- spect
My Lord
Your Graces most obedient humble servant (signed) G. CLINTON, To His Grace the Duke of Newcastle.
GOVERNOR CLINTON TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. [New York, (S. P. O.) X., 275.]
My Lord: I am this day arrived from Albany and find our London ship upon sailing, but have prevailed with the Captain to stay two days for my dispatches, that I have not time to give your Grace any particular ac- count of my proceedings. I was in great hopes the 40s. advance, and 20s. a month each man, would have satis- fied them, as expected; but Coll Schuyler who commands the New Jersey forces, having paid his men their whole pay then due to them, and the people of Albany some out of a malicious spirit, others in hopes of the profit they would receive by the men receiving their pay while they remained at that place, instigated them to mutiny unless they had their whole pay; and for that purpose insinuated to them, that I, or their Officers had received money for their whole pay, and that they were defrauded of it. Upon this the mutiny became almost universal.
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As these troops had been kept on the frontiers for the defence of it, the Province must inevitably be exposed to the greatest dangers from the enemy if these troops should be suffered to disband, as well as to plundering and other mischiefs for mutinous soldiers; I applyed to the Assembly for assistance on this occasion : but what an indecent refusal I received from them will appear from their answer, a copy of which I beg leave to inclose to your Grace; I was then reduced to draw bills for the whole payment of the forces at Albany. By the minutes of Council and other papers inclosed, the absolute neces- sity of drawing these Bills I hope will evidently appear to Your Grace; for that reason I entreat the favour of their being paid, or that care be taken that I do not suffer in my fortune by my doing what I could not omit, without exposing many of his Majesty's subjects to cer- tain ruin.
The Bills I first drew for the 40s. per man were drawn on Pay Office, but as I began to doubt whether these troops be upon the establishment for the pay of the army, I thought it more advisible to draw on the Treasury, who may order (as I think) the payment of them in any manner that may be proper.
Coll Johnson who I have employ'd as Chief Manager of the Indian War and Colonel over all the Indians, by their own approbation, las sent several parties of Indians into Canada and brought back at several times prisoners and scalps, but the expedition being laid aside last year, the Indians were discouraged and began to entertain jeal- ousies, by which a new expense became necessary to re- move those jealousies and to bring them back to their former tempers ; but unless some enterprize be undertaken, which may keep up their spirits, we may again lose them. I intend to propose something to our Assembly for this purpose that they may give what is necessary for the ex- pense of it, but I almost dispair of any success with them when money is demanded.
I must likewise inform your Grace that by this last trip to Albany, I have got two Indian Nations to join
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with us, who are numerous and who were formerly all- ways in the French interest. They have actually fallen upon several French trading parties. They may be of singular use to distress the French trade and cut off all communication between the French in Missesipia river and Canada.
I hope to have the honor of receiving your Graces com- mands with my leave to come to England to settle my private affairs. I am with the greatest respect, My Lord Your Graces most obedient humble servant
New York 23 July 1747. G. CLINTON
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle.
PETITION OF INHABITANTS OF COXHAUKEE, COUNTY OF AL- BANY.
[New York Papers, Bundle Gg., No. 211.]
14. July 1747.
Sir: As by all your actions since the commencement of the present War, we are well satisfyed and convinced, that you have not only the Interest but the good and quiet of the people of our Country entirely at heart, We therefore beg leave to address you that you will be so good and speak in our behalf to his Excellency our Gov- ernor and Commander in chief (for whom we have the greatest regard) That his Excellency would be graciously pleased to appoint us Officers Freeholders residing in our own Ward. We take the liberty to set down the names of a few, out of which number be pleased to recommend two, the one to be second Lieutenant and the other En- sign; recommend which you please, any of them will be agreable to us, and we are ready for ever to do our duty, and to obey His Excellencys Commands on all occasions, under whose Government we enjoy all the happiness we can expect in this troublesome and Barbarous War, and that we shall ever acknowledge this singular favour, which if his Excellency will please to grant will make our whole company satisfied and contented .-
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ABRAHAM VAN FRANCKEIN
MATHIAS VANDERBERCK,
CASPER COYLER
PHILIP COMYNE
PHILIP BRANK Junr
JOACIM CAYLER CLAUS SEVERSE
HUCHBERTUS VAN VEGHTEN
LINDERT' COMYNE
CLAUS PARE
JAN BRENCK Junr
ISAAC PARE
PEIR HOGHTELING
JACOB C. HALENBEECK
ISAAC CAYLER
EPHRAIM HOES
. JAN BRENCK
CLAUS VAN SLOEN
PETER CONYNE
JAN HALENBECK
JOHN P. BRONCK.
JOHANNES PROVAST
JAN CASPER HALENBECK WM HALENBECK
ABRAHAM PROVAST SAMUEL PROVAST JACOB PROVAST ISAAC PROVAST
JOHANNES ARNYOCK RICHARD MARTIN CLAUS SPOOR, JOHANNES VAN LEN ARCHIBALD HOPKINS
JOHANNES SPOOR JURIE VAN LEN ROBERT LATERIGE
JOHN T. BRONCK
HENDRICK HOOGHTELINGH
WILLIAM VAN SLYCK
PIER VAN SLYCK JAN VAN DEN BERCK
ROBERT VAN DEN BERCK
JACOB HALENBEEK
HENDRICH HALENBEEK
ARENT VAN SCHAAK JUNR
HENDRICK VAN SLYCK GERRET VAN SLYCK TUNIS HOOGHTELINGH HENDRICK VAN DEN BERCK, NANNING HALENBEEK JACOB JOS HALENBEEK JENAS BRONK.
GOVERNOR CLINTON TO COLONEL ROBERTS.
[New York, (S. P. O.) X., 332.]
Copy of a Warrant to Colonel Roberts 14th Sep- tember 1847.
By His Excellency &c: You are hereby required and directed to order three of the Companies of the New Levies from the Camp at Green Bush into the City of Albany, to be quartered in the Blockhouses or such other quarters as the Mayor and Corporation shall provide for
ABRAHAM VOSBURGH
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them, who are also to find them in fire and candle (and ease and relieve the Militia) and there to remain till fur- ther orders. You are to give them strict charge how they are to behave themselves ; and for so doing this shall be your Warrant &c &c
To Coll Roberts
14th September 1747.
G. CLINTON
Copy of Col Roberts' letter in answer to above said Warrant.
.18 September 1747
Sir: According to your Excellency's orders I have applyed to the Mayor and Corporation for Quarters either in the Block-Houses or elsewhere for 130 men with their officers, with fire and candle, and that as soon as he would please to order billets for the men they should be ready to do duty in the town. He told me in answer that hearing the report of their being ordered in, he had proposed to some of the Burghers who were entirely averse to their being in town, and that he would not force them to it contrary to law, of which he had taken advice, much less find them in fire and candle, nor had he money in his hands to defray such an expense. He called a Common Council on Tuesday, when it was agreed since they could not carry their point in having three Albany Companies (as they term them) in the City, they will have none, and for fear the New Levies should take pos- session of the Block-houses, Major Collins ordered all to be locked up, which they still continue to be.
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