USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. X > Part 14
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( 170 )
SCRAPS FROM THE DUTCH RECORDS.
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The fort at Albany, the first Fort Orange, was built in 1614 by Hendrik Christianse. There is a dispute where it was situated, although it is usually located on the Is- land at the lower end of the city.
Barent Van Slechtenhorst, agent for the patroon, hav- ing quarreled with Gov. Stuyvessant about a question of jurisdiction, was arrested in 1652 and confined at New Amsterdam several months.
There was a great mortality of cattle here in 1661.
Also very high water Oct. 11 of the same year.
Brick imported from Holland sold in 1661 for $4.16 a thousand, payable in beaver skins.
The small pox produced great mortality at this place in 1663.
In the oath of allegiance taken by the officers of gov- ernment, they swore to "maintain the reformed religion in conformity to the word of God and the decrees of the synod of Dordrecht."
As early as 1628 frequent mention is made of blacks owned as slaves in the colony.
The custom of sons adopting the Christian names of their fathers for their own surnames, came into use as early as 1638, and leads to a good deal of confusion. Thus Gerrit, the son of Wolfert Gerritsen, was known as Gerrit Wolfertsen-that is, Gerrit the son of Wolfert.
Seven morgens of land were equal to fifteen acres.
When two fought with knives, a custom of frequent occurrence at this time, the survivor was held guilty of murder if he stabbed his antagonist and death ensued; but only of manslaughter if he cut or slashed him. In 1642 fighting with knives was wholy prohibited.
A beaver skin was worth 2s 6d in 1641.
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An ordinance was passed in 1645 forbidding the sale of powder and ball to the Indians on pain of death.
The trial of an appeal from the court in Rensselaer- wyk was held before the governor and council in 1645.
The salary of the Rev. Gideon Schaats, minister at Fort Orange, was 1200 guilders, about $480.
Beaver skins were not to be sold at Boston, 1663. Claverack received its name in 1664.
About the same time a sloop was permitted to sail every Monday from New Amsterdam to Fort Orange, provided that not more than six passengers at a time be allowed to go in her.
Although the name Ten Broek occurs so frequently in the very entertaining history of New York by Knicker- bocker, yet no mention is made of such a family in the Dutch records. It is probable, therefore, that they emi- grated to this country after 1664. The name Harden- broek is found in the records.
( 172)
MACAULEY'S ACCOUNT OF ALBANY.
In the year 1610 the Dutch East India company sent hither one ship for the purpose of trading with the na- tives. Ships belonging to the same company visited New York bay and Hudson's river successively, in the years 1611, 1612, and 1613, but no attempt was made at settle- ment.
The States General of the Netherlands, in the early part of the year 1614, granted a patent to sundry mer- chants for an exclusive trade on Hudson's river. In the grant the country was styled New Netherlands. The company the same year built a fort and trading house on an island in the river, about half a mile below where the city of Albany now stands. Henry Christiaens was en- trusted with the command. This seems to have been the first establishment formed by the Dutch in the New Netherlands. It was judiciously selected for defence a- gainst savages. The island at present is called Dunn's island, and contains about seventy acres of land. It is near the west side of the river. It is alluvial and very fertile, being mostly subject to annual inundations. The land was cleared and under cultivation. The Mohawks every year planted it with corn. On this island they had a small village. Dunn's island now contains one house.
Towards the latter part of the same year the company erected another small fort and a trading house at the southerly end of Manhattan island. The fort occupied a part of the battery, and some of the grounds adjoining it on the north. To this establishment they gave the name of New Amsterdam. Both were enclosed with stockadoes and mounted with some small pieces of cannon. The Mohawks, Mohiccons, &c. gave to the Dutch a very friendly reception. They sold them furs and provisions, and treated them like brethren. They
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imagined that the residence of these strangers would be only temporary.
In 1615 the company constructed a small fort at the mouth of Norman's kill, about a mile and a half south- erly of the fort on Dunn's island. The place where the city of Albany stands and the adjoining parts, the Mo- hawks called Schaunaughtada, that is, a place beyond, on the other side, or over the plains. The designation was, in respect to Ohnowalagantle, on the river Mohawk or Canneogahakalononitade. At the time the Dutch ar- rived several small bands of Mohawks resided on the west bank of the Hudson, and on the islands in that stream. The eastern bank of that river was occupied by bands of the Moheakanneews. The river was the boundary between those hostile tribes. Violent disputes then existed between the members living on its banks in relation to the islands. The Hudson was called by the Mohawks Cahohatatea, and by the Lenni Lenape, Ma- hackaneghtuck. To Schaunaughtada the Dutch first be- stowed the appellation of Aurania, and then Beverwyck.
The company in 1618 built a redoubt at the Kingston landing, and established a post at Esopus, now Kingston, in the county of Ulster. This place is on the south side of Esopus creek, and two miles west of the landing. The banks of the Hudson below Catskill, and those of Walkill and Rondout rivers, and of Esopus creek, were inhabited by bands of the Mahiccons and Mohickanders, or Wabingas. The Mahiccons and Wabingas belonged to the confederacy of the Lenni Lenape, and were kin- dred tribes.
Between the years 1616 and 1620, about twenty per- sons belonging to the company went from the fort on Dunn's island, below Albany, to Ohnowalagantle, now Schenectady, where they entered into a compact with the Mohawks, from whom they bought some land on which they erected a trading house. This they surrounded with pickets and fortified. Then Ohnowalagantle was a considerable town, and contained several villages and hamlets. The principal village stood within the bounds
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of the present city. The rich and beautiful intervale lands on the Mohawk, around the city, were mostly clear- ed and cultivated. On these the Mohawks grew corn, beans, and squashes, which in part afforded them sub- sistence. According to tradition, the village of Ohno- walagantle occupied the site of Connughariegugharie, the ancient capital of the Mohawks. The same tradi- tion informs us that it was abandoned some ages ante- rior to the colonization, and that Icanderago, at the mouth of Schoharie creek, was selected for the new cap- ital. We have no certain information in respect to the number of the Mohawks residing at Ohnowalagantle when the Dutch came to it. According to some ac- counts there were eight hundred fighting men, and ac- cording to others less. The same accounts inform us that three hundred warriors lived upon the lands which have since been included in one farm. Without at- tempting to reconcile these jarring accounts, we may reasonably infer that the numbers were considerable.
The States General of the Netherlands, in the year 1621, made a grant of the whole country to the Dutch West India company. In 1623 this company built fort Orange on the west side of the Hudson, about half a mile above Dunn's island. A village soon rose in its vicinity. Fort Orange stood in the southeasterly quar- ter of the city of Albany.
When the Dutch arrived at Albany, violent controver- sies existed between the Moheakanneews and Mohawks, about the alluvial lands on the east side of the Hudson, and some of the islands in the river. To end these con- troversies, the commander of fort Orange invited the hostile chiefs into the fort, and persuaded them to bury the hatchet.
In the beginning of August, 1678, Colonel Dongan met the Agoneasean chiefs at Albany, and made a speech to them. He advised them not to treat with the French, without consulting him; not to kill their prisoners, but to exchange them for their own people ; to dispatch mes- sengers to the Indians, with whom they were then at
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war, and propose peace, and bury the tomahawk ; tell- ing them at the same time, that whatever things they wanted hereafter, the English would let them have, upon cheaper terms than the French.
Colonel Dongan, in his interview with the Aganuschi- onian chiefs at Albany, seems to have acted with an overheated zeal in rousing the passions of this ferocious people against the French. Probably not being much acquainted with the savage character, he did not foresee the consequences. The innocent inhabitants of Canada and New York soon became the sufferers.
De Callieres, who went to France in 1688, projected a scheme for the reduction of the province of New York, but the plan miscarried.
The force demanded for this enterprise was one thous- and three hundred regulars, and three hundred Cana- dians. Albany was said to contain only three hundred inhabitants, and to be fortified by an inclosure of stock- adoes, and a little fort with four bastions, and that it con- tained but one hundred and fifty soldiers. New York was represented to contain about four thousand persons.
In 1689, the count de Frontenac, the governor of Can- ada, proposed peace to the Aganuschioni who called a grand council at Onondaga. The chiefs, from the sev- eral tribes, convened to the number of eighty, about the 22d of January, 1690. The people of Albany were notified but did not attend. Sadekanaghtie an Onondaga chief, opened the conference. According to the French accounts, the whole was managed with great art and formality, and concluded in showing a disposition to make peace without perfecting it.
Among other measures to detach the Agoneaseah from the British interest, and to raise the depressed spirit of the Canadians, count de Frontenac thought proper to send out several parties against the English colonies. D'Aillebout, de Mantel and Le Moyne, commanded one against Schenectady, consisting of about two hundred French, and fifty Mohawks belonging to the Caughnawa- ga clan.
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The people at Schenectady, though they had been in- formed of the designs of the enemy, were in the greatest security ; imagining it impossible for any men to march several hundred miles in the midst of winter, through the snow, bearing their provisions on their backs.
After a march of twenty-two days, the enemy reached the vicinity of Schenectady, on the 8th of February, 1690, and were reduced to such straits that they thought of surrendering themselves prisoners of war. But their scouts, who were a day or two in the village, returned with such favorable accounts of the absolute security of the people, that they determined on the attack. They entered on Saturday night, about eleven o'clock, at the gates , which were found unshut; and that every house might be invested at the same time, divided themselves into small parties of six or seven men. The inhabitants were in a profound sleep, and unalarmed till their doors were broke open. Before they were risen from their beds the enemy entered and began the work of death. The whole village was instantly in a blaze. Sixty per- sons were killed, and twenty-seven carried into captiv- ity. The rest fled, naked, towards Albany, through a deep snow, which fell that night in a terrible storm; and twenty-five of these fugitives lost their limbs in the flight through the severity of the cold.
The news of this dreadful tragedy reached Albany a- bout break of day. A universal dread seized the in- habitants. A party of horse was immediately dispatched to Schenectady. The enemy, in the mean time, pillaged the town till noon the next day; and then went off with their plunder, and about forty of the best horses. The rest, with all the cattle they could find, lay slaughtered in the streets. Several women and children were releas- ed, at the instance of Capt. Glen, on the score of his wife's civilities to certain French captives, in the time of Col. Dongan.
A party of Albanians and Mohawks pursued the ene- my in his retreat and either killed or captivated five and twenty.
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The taking and burning of Schenectady had such an effect upon the people of Albany, that they were almost on the point of abandoning it.
In this state, bordering upon despair, several of the Mohawk chiefs arrived, and urged them to stay. They addressed them affectionately, recommended a union of the colonies, and a perseverance in the war. In their native simplicity they say, " The French have broken open our house at both ends; formerly in the Seneca country, and now here." This expression had reference to entering both ends of their country.
The French, in this expedition, set out from Cham- bly, on Sorel, and proceeded up lake Champlain to Wood creek, or the head of South bay, from whence they crossed over to the Hudson, at Sandy Hill, and then went down that river on the ice to Saratoga. Here they left it, and marched through the woods to Schenectady. Most of the way was on the ice. The advance went for- ward on snow shoes. The main followed their trail. Incredible were the hardships suffered by this veteran band.
This summer, 1691, Major Schuyler with some volun- teers, and a party of Mohawks, passed through lake: Champlain, and made an irruption into Canada, and de- vastated some of the French settlements on the Sorel .. M. de Callieres, the governor of Montreal, to oppose. him, collected a small army, and encamped at La Prai -- rie. Several skirmishes took place between the hostile: parties, and in these, it is said, that Schuyler slew about three hundred of the enemy, a number which exceeded: that of his own force, a thing not at all likely. Major- Schuyler's design in this incursion, was to reanimate the: Mohawks, and preserve their enmity against the French .. They accordingly, with the other members of the nation,- continued their hostilities, making numerous inroads into. Canada, and keeping the country in constant alarm.
Col. Benjamin Fletcher arrived with the commission of Governor, on the 29th of August, 1692.
[ Annals, x.] 16
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Fletcher was brave, active, passionate, bigoted, and avaricious, and withal of inconsiderable talents. In the autumn after his arrival he repaired to Albany, where he had an interview with the Agoneasean chiefs, and confirmed the old league.
While at Albany he became acquainted with Major Schuyler, a man of talents, enterprise and courage. No person then in the province, understood the state of our affairs with the Agoneaseah better than him. He had so great an influence over them that whatever he recom- mended or disapproved had the force of a law. This influence over them was supported, as it had been ob- tained, by repeated offices of kindness, and his singular bravery and activity in the defence of his country. These qualifications, so rarely to be found in a single in- dividual, rendered him singularly necessary, both to the province and the governor. Fletcher, who possessed some sagacity, perceived that such a man would be high- ly useful, not only for himself, as an adviser, but for the country, took him into confidence, and made him one of the council. Under the tutelage of Major Schuyler, the governor became daily more and more conversant with the Agoneasean concerns: his constant application to which procured and preserved him a reputation and in- fluence in the colony.
The indefatigable and gallant count de Frontenac, find- ing that all his measures for accomplishing a peace with the Agoneaseah had proved abortive, was now meditating a blow upon the Mohawks. He accordingly collected six or seven hundred French, Adirondacks, and Caughnawa- gas, and supplied them with every thing necessary for a winter's campaign. They set out from Montreal, on the 15th day of January, 1693, and proceeded by the way of lake Champlain ; and after a march attended with incred- ible hardships, they passed by Schenectady on the 6th of February, and that night took five men, and some women and children, at the first castle of the Mohawks. They met with the same success at the second castle, the Mo- hawks being in perfect security, and many of them at
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Schenectady. At the third they found about forty men engaged in a war dance, preparatory to going out on some enterprise the next day. Upon their entering the castle a conflict ensued in which the French lost some men. Three hundred of the Mohawks were made cap- tives in this expedition.
The Mohawks were greatly enraged at the people of Schenectady, because, they had not given them notice of the enemy's approach, nor any assistance. But this was atoned for by the succors from Albany. Colonel Schuy- ler upon hearing of their misfortunes, immediately put himself at the head of two hundred volunteers, and went out against the enemy. On the fifteenth of February, he was joined by three hundred Mohawks badly armed. With these forces, he went in pursuit of the enemy, whom he fell in with, on the seventeenth, when some skirmishes ensued. The French being apprehensive that colonel Schuyler would receive a reinforcement from Albany, continued their retreat on the eighteenth. In- deed this apprehension was well founded ; for captain Syms arrived the next day with eighty men. Colonel Schuyler then resumed the pursuit ; but did not think it advisable to provoke an attack. When the French had reached the north branch of Hudson's river, it is said, that a cake of ice served them to cross over, being open on both sides, and also above and below.
The frost was now extremely severe, and the Mohawks being fearful of an engagement, dissuaded Colonel Schuy- ler from pursuing them, and he returned.
On the tenth of April, 1693, six thousand pounds were voted for the payment of three hundred men, to be em- ployed in reinforcing the frontier posts, in the then coun- ty of Albany.
In 1701, the British crown gave two thousand pounds for the defence of Albany and Schenectady.
Great were the struggles, at the ensuing election, be- tween the Leislerians and the Anti-Leislerians, but the former prevailed.
Among the opposers of Leisler there was a Mr. Liv-
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ingston. The measures of the convention, at Albany, had been very much directed by his advice, and he was now obnoxious to his adversaries, not only on these ac- counts but because he was a man of sense and resolution, two qualifications rarely to be found united in one per- son at that day. His intimacy with the late earl had till that time been his defence against the rage of the party which he had formerly opposed. They were, therefore, now bent upon his destruction. Several charges were made against him which were false; and it was proposed to pass a law to confiscate his estate. One of the charges was his refusing to account for moneys re- ceived as commissioner of excise. He could not account because his opponents had, previous to making the charge, drawn out of his hands the books and vouchers, which they declined allowing him access to.
In 1709, a road was opened by the colonial troops from fort Anne to White Hall, near the head of lake Champlain.
The forces under general Winthrop, in 1690, had made a road from the uper part of Saratoga, to the place where fort Anne was built.
Colonel Schuyler was dispatched with five of the Ago- neasean chiefs to England, with an address. No man at this time was better calculated for this design, than col- onel Schuyler. He had been born and brought up at Al- bany, then the seat of the Indian trade, and influence. He was perfectly acquainted with the manners, customs, and character of the Indians. His influence with the Agoneaseah was greater than that of any other man. Whenever their chiefs came to Albany, he invited them to entertainments at his house. It was in this way, that he had acquired an ascendancy over them.
Colonel Schuyler's arrival in England with the Ago- neasean chiefs excited considerable notice. Wherever he went the people collected in crowds.
The peers, lords, and commons, desired to see them. The queen and her court were no less solicitous.
The court of St. James was then in mourning. The
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chiefs were therefore dressed in mourning, and had an audience with her majesty. Sir Charles Cotterel, master of the ceremonies, conducted them from their quarters to the court, where they were introduced by the lord Chamberlain, into the royal presence. Their speech on the 19th of April, 1710, is preserved by Oldmixon.
The legislature, on the twenty-fourth of June, 1719, voted a sum of money to construct a bridge over Kinder- hook creek, in the county of Albany. The place located for this bridge, was close by the village of Kinderhook in Columbia county.
In the same law, provision was made for altering some roads in the province. Claverack was settled about the same time that Kinderhook was. The first settlers at the latter place were a few Swedish families. The Dutch and English came afterwards.
William Burnet, Esq. superseded colonel Schuyler, the president, as governor of the province, on the 17th of September, 1720.
The year 1722 was remarkable for a congress of several governors and commissioners at Albany. The ancient friendship with the Agoneaseah was renewed at the same time. Mr. Burnet prevailed upon them to send a mes- sage to the Eastern Indians, threatening them with a war, unless they concluded a peace with the colonies of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which were greatly harrassed by their frequent irruptions.
Albany was at this time a great mart for fur. In July, 1723, the house appropriated a sum to defray the expense of two sheds, which had been erected for the accommo- dation of the Agoneaseah and other Indians, who came there to vend their skins.
In 1724, provision was made for fortifying Albany. In an act passed by the assembly, July 24th, Claverack is described as a precinct in the manor of Rensselaerwick. The Dutch then occupied the flats along Claverack creek.
From an act of the same date, it appears that Scho- harie was then called a precinct. The act provided for laying out, and opening a road therein. Schoharie was.
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settled in 1713, by the Germans. Some Dutch families seated themselves there soon afterwards.
In March, 1744, war broke out between England and France. Three thousand two hundred pounds were voted for placing the frontier posts in attitudes of defence ; be- sides an additional sum for the works at Albany.
The English ministry, in the early part of the year 1745, instructed the governor of New York, to carry the war into Canada.
Military sentinels were established in the city and county of Albany, in order to sound the alarm, in case the enemy should send marauding parties into the pro- vince. England and France were now preparing to prosecute the war with vigor. The colonies of both countries were also making preparations.
Intelligence had found its way into the province, that the French intended to invade it from Canada, with fifteen hundred veterans, and one hundred Indians. This occasioned considerable alarm. Colonel Schuyler, and Major Collins, who commanded a body of provincials then at Saratoga, were obliged to suspend the construc- tion of six block-houses, which they had begun to make, in consequence of the assaults of the Indians in the em- ployment of France, on their men. These parties in a measure intercepted the supplies of men and provisions, going to Saratoga.
Murders were often committed by the enemy, within a few miles of Albany. Two hundred men were drafted to increase and strengthen the garrisons at the latter place and Schenectady. These were drafted from the militia of Suffolk, Queens, Westchester, Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange. The settlements of Saratoga and Hoosack, were broken up, and the inhabitants retired either to Albany, or those parts near it. Most of the houses were burnt by the Indians, and the districts entirely devas- tated; and no inconsiderable number of the people were killed, or carried away into captivity.
The assembly, in the month of February, 1746, passed a law giving rewards for such scalps, and prisoners of
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the enemy, as should be taken. In palliation for the enactment of such a law, the framers alleged it was retaliatory, and made to induce the enemy to conduct the war with more humanity on their part.
In the early part of this year, the enemy and their In- dians had become so emboldened with success, that small marauding parties came frequently in the very vicinity of Albany, and there were not instances wanting of their entering the suburbs at night, and carrying off persons.
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