USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. I pt 1 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
156
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
Indians from prevailed with the Indians to consent to come back Canada. from Canada on condition that I procure for them a piece of land called Serachtague lying upon Hudson's River about 40 miles above Albany @ there furnish them with priests
Thereupon and'upon a petition of the people of Albany to mee setting forth the reasonableness and conveniency of granting to the Indians there requests I have procured the land for them, altho it has been formerly patented to people at Albany @ have promised the Indians that they shall have priests and that I will build them a church @ have assured the people of Albany that I would address to his Maty as to your Lo'ps that care may bee taken to send over by the first five or six it being a matter of great consequence.
These Indians have about 10 or 12 castles (as they term them) @ those at a great distance one from another, soe that there is an absolute necessity of having soe many priests, that there bee three always travelling from castle to castle, @ the rest to live with those that are Christians, By that means the French Priests will be obliged to retire to Canada, whereby the French will be divested of their pretence to ye Country @ then wee shall enjoy that trade without any fear of being diverted,
I find a very small matter will serue the French for a pretence of right. About 30 years ago 6 or 700 of them taking advantage of the Indians being abroad soe farr as Cape Florida at warr came down @ burnt a castle of the Maquaes wherein there were none but old men women @ children which the rest of the Indians hearing pursued the French to a place called Sconectade about 20 miles above Albany where they had every man been cut off had not one Corlarr (a Dutchman so beloved of the Indians that in memory of him they call all Governors by that name) interposed
However from that time they have fancied to themselves that they have a right to the country so farr as that place
The great difference between us is about the Beaver trade and in truth they have the advantage of us in it @ that by noe other meanes than by their industry in making discoveries in the coun- try before us ·
Before my coming hither noe man of our Governmt ever went
157
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
beyond the Sinicaes country, Last year some of our people went a trading among the farr Indians called the Ottowais inhabiting about three months journey to the West @ W. N. W. of Albany from whence they brought a good many Beavers. They found their people more inclined to trade with them than the French the French not being able to protect them from the arms of our Indians, with whom they have had a continued warr, soe that our Indians brought away this very last year, a great many pri- soners,
Last week I sent for some of our Indians to New York where when they came I obtained a promise from them that some of themselves would goe along with such of our people as goe from Albany & Esopus to there far nations @ carry with them the cap- tives they haue prisoners in order to the restoring them to their liberty @ bury their hatchetts with those of their enemys by which means a path may be opened for these farr Indians to come with safety to trade at Albany, and our people goe thither without any let or disturbance
I hear the French have built a Wooden Fort or two in the Way thither @ that there are two officers with men in them to obstruct our passage, I am sending a Scotch Gent called McGre- ger (that served formerly in France) along with our people, hee has orders not to disturb or meddle with the French and I hope they will not meddle with him, Ever since my coming hither it has been no small trouble to keep the Sinicaes from making warr upon the French, Monsieur De la Barr was very hot upon it @ brought a great many men to a place called Cadaraque lying on the lake with intent to fall on the Indians, who hearing of it came to me for leave to enter Canade with fire @ sword, which I refused to permit but immediately I wrot to La Barr @ let him know that those Indians were his Matys of Great Britain's sub- jects @ that he must not molest them @ that if the Indians had done the Governmt of Canada any injury, upon his making the same appear, I would cause that hee should have satisfaction as also I sent the arms of his Royal Highness now his Majesty to bee put up in each castle as far as Oneigra which was accordingly
158
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
done, @ thereupon De la Barr retired without doing any thing after having been at a vast expense and all to no purpose
The new Governor Monsr de Nonville has written mee that hee desires to have a very good correspondence with this Govermt @ I hope hee will bee as good as his word, notwithstanding he put a great deal of provisions into @ keeps four or five hundred men in Cadaraque
Last spring he sent one De la Croa with fifty soldiers @ one hundred young men of Canada to the North West passage where as I am certainly informed from Canada they have taken three forts. About two years since there came a thousand men from France to Canada with the new Govr @ three hundred came the year after. But the most part of them as I hear are since dead the country proving too cold for them. Wee need not feare them soe long as the Indians continue to bee our friends @ the less if wee can prevail with the Indians that are Christians to come from them to us, they being generally the youngest @ .ustiest men.
The num- Last year there was a list brought into the new Govr of ber of French in 17000 French Inhabitants in Canada, men women @ Canada children of which 3000 fit to bear arms
It will be very necessary for us to encourage our young men to goe a Beaver Hunting as the French doe
I send a Map by Mr Spragg whereby your LoPs may see the several Govermts &c how they lye where the Beaver hunting is @ where it will bee necessary to erect our Country Forts for the securing of beaver trade @ keeping the Indians in community with us
Alsoe it points out where theres a great river discovered by one Lassal a Frenchman from Canada who thereupon went into France @ and as its reported brought two or three vessels with people to settle there which (if true) will prove not only very inconve- nient to us but to the Spanish alsoe (the river running all along from our lakes by the back of Virginia @ Carolina into the Bay Mexico) @ its beleeved Nova Mexico can not bee far from the mountains adjoining to it that place being in 36d North Latitude if your Lops thought it fit I could send a sloop or two from this piace to discover that river
159
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
In answer to the Fifth
"The sting. 1 «This query is for the most part answered in the prece-
of our dent what is not answered followeth here
neighbors
Connecticut according to the nearest conjecture I can make may have about 3000 men able to bear arms
In it there are but few Indians having been generally destroyed or removed into this government in the time of the last warrs
They have but a small trade, what they have is to the West- Indies Boston and this place.
They have not above a Ketch or two and about 6 or 7 sloops belonging to the place.
The country is very good accommodated with several good har- bors @ two considerable rivers New London is @ very good harbor for shipping where they may ride secure from all winds As for their timber its the same as ours here
To the Sixth
The Correspondence wee hold with our neighbors is very ami- cable @ good wee on all occasions doing to each other all the offices of Friendship @ Service wee can : which has soe much endeared them to us that they desire nothing more than to be a part of this Govermt those of Connecticut choosing farr rather to come under this Govermt than that of Boston for the reasons afore mentioned and the Jerseys wishing the like as having once been a part of us. And seeing that in this separation they are not soe easy nor safe, as they might expect to bee, were they re- united to us
To the Seventh
What
It is answered in the answer to the Fourth armes &c
To the Eighth
What are For the longitude latitude and contents of this Govermt the boun- daries lon- I refer yor Lops to the aforementioned Map wherein you gitude &
latitude will see in what narrow bounds we are cooped up
& c
The land of this Goverment is generally barren rocky land ex- cept the land wee have right to on the Susquehanna river @ up into the country amongst our Indians where there are great quantities very good
What was good @ did lye convenient and near the sea for ye
-
160
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
most part is taken from us by Connecticut East and West Jersey
What is left is pretty well settled, as your Lops will perceive by the list of patents Mr. Sprag has with him
When I came to the Goverment, I found very little quit-rent reserved to his Maty however I have got the people with their own consent to the payment of a certainty as yor Lops may per- ceive by the afore mentioned list of patents. Such as pay noe quit-rents I bring into the aforementioned court for his Matys rents @ revenues where in a short time they are easily induced to doe it, @ I hope his Maty will have considerable revenue by it
To the Ninth
What are The principal towns within the Govermt are New York the princi- pal towns &c. Albany @ Kingston at Esopus All the rest are country villages the buildings in New-York @ Albany are gene- rally of stone @ brick. In the country the houses are mostly new built, having two or three rooms on a floor The Dutch are great improvers of land New York @ Albany live wholly upon trade with the Indians England and the West Indies. The re- turns for England are generally Beaver Peltry Oile @ Tobacco when we can have it. To the West Indies we send Flower, Bread Pease pork @ sometimes horses ; the return from thence for the most part is rumm which pays the King a considerable excise @ some molasses which serves the people to make drink @ pays noe custom
Ships & There are about nine of ten three mast vessels of about
vessels. 80 or 100 tons burthen two or three ketches @ Barks of about 40 Tun : and about twenty sloops of about twenty or five @ twenty Tunn belonging to the Govermt All of which trade for England Holland @ the West Indies except six or seven sloops that use the river trade to Albany @ that way
How many The Tenth is answered in the answers to the four @ parishes Precinis & a twentieth
To the Eleventh
What rivers A thousand ships may ride here safe from winds @ narbors or
roads &c weather, I send herewith to your Lodp a Map from the coming in of Sandy Hook to the northermost end of this Island
161
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
wherein the Soundings are markt by which youil perceive the coming in @ conveniency of this harbor
Quit along the north side of Long-Island are very good har- bors @ roads but on the south side none at all
To the Twelfth
What como -. What account I can at present give of this is for the dity &c most part contained in my answer to the fourth of your Lops Queries
To the Thirteenth
What timber Both our neighbors and wee have conveniency suffi- mast & other materials &c cient either for transporting timber or building And for tryal if. your Lodp think fit, I will send over boards of what di- mensions you please the three inch planks I have for the Batteries cost me fifteen shillings the hundred foot
To the Fourteenth
Whether Salt I can give ye Lo " noe account at present but by the Petre &c next I may. I will make a diligent enquiry about it @ when I have got any thing worthy of your Lops knowledge I will acquaint you with it
To the Fifteenth
What number Concerning the number of the Inhabitants merchant of Inhabitants
English @ Forreigners, Servants Slaves @ how many able to bear arms it is not possible to give an exact account but in order to my being certainly informed I have issued forth seve- ral warrants to the Sheriffs within this goverment requiring them to make an inquiry thereof @ to return the same to mee on which returns I shall not fail to give your Lodps the account required
To the Sixteenth
of English Scotch Irish
What number I believe for these 7 years last past, there has not come over into this province twenty English Scotch or
· or Forreigners have come to inhabit &c Irish familys. But on the contrary on Long Island the people encrease soe fast that they complain for want of land @ many remove from thence into the neighboring province. But of French there have since my coming here several familys come both from St. Christophers & England @ a great many more are expected as alsoe from Holland are come several Dutch familys which is another great argument of the necessity of adding to
11
162
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
this Govermt the neighbouring English Colonys, that a more equal ballance may bee kept here between his Matys naturall born sub- jects and foreigners which latter are the most prevailing part of this Government
I send herewith a petition of the new come naturalized French For Answer to the Seventeenth & Eighteenth
17 & 18 What I must refer your Lops to my next by which time I
number of
Marriages Christentngs doubt not but to be able to give ye desired account & c What num- ber of people having to that end issued forth the like warrant to the dyed & c Sheriff as aforesaid
To the Nineteenth
What number As concerning ye vessels belonging to this place it is
of Ships trade
&c already answered in the answer to yr Lops ninth Querie @ for others they are but few which are either from England New England or the West Indies
To the Twentieth
What Obstruc What obstructions do you find to the improvement tions &c
of trade &c
Ans. a great obstruction to our trade is the hindring the im- porting Tobacco from the three lower Countys in Delaware as I have already given your Lops an account in answer to the fifth of your queries
It is likewise a great hindrance to our trade here @ an incon- veniency to the ships that come out of England and the fishery that his Maty keeps not an officer at Newfoundland for formerly there went every year Sloops with provisions thither @ gave the provisions in exchange for their fish who again sold them to the Shipps for Bills of Exchange to England which made good re- turns from this place procuring back from England English goods which paid his Maty custom there
For the regulation of our trade we have made several rules among ourselves, the chief of which is that noe goods of the product of Europe or West Indies bee imported into this province unless it were directly from England or such part of the West Indies where such commoditys were produced, without paying as a custom to his Maty 10 pr cent
163
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
What advan-
To the one and Twentieth
tages or im- provements may be gained to your trade answers
This querie is sufficiently answered in the foregoing
To the two and Twentieth concerning the Revenue
What rates I shall give your Lops as exact an answer to this
and dutys
& c querie as its possible for me, and wherein I am defi- cient I shall acquaint your Lops with the true causes of it
The Revenue except that of the Quit-Rents has been settled upon his Maty then his Royal Highness @ his heirs by act of As- sembly payable in manner following vizt
For every Gallon of Rum Brandy @ distilled liquors to bee imported into the province @ its dependencys fou pence currant money of the province
For every pipe of Madera, Fyal St George Canary Malaga Sherry @ all sweet wines the summ of forty shillings currant money aforesaid
Upon all other merchandizes imported into the province @ de- pendencys the summ of forty shillings currant money aforesaid for every hundred pounds valued at the prime cost except those hereafter specified vizt
Salt, Brick, Pan-tyles, Coals, Fish, Sugar Molasses, Cotton- wool Ginger, Logwood, brasalette, ffustyk west-India hydes, To- bacco bullion @ Plate
Upon all merchandize commonly called Indian Goods as Duf- fels, Strouds, Blanketts, plains, half-thicks, Woolen Stokins, White Ozenbriggs, kettles, hatchets, hoes, Red Lead, vermilion, Cotton, Red Kersey, Knives, Indian Haberdashery @ other Indian goods the summ of ten pounds currant money aforesaid for every hundred pounds value prime cost carried up Hudsons river in any vessel sloops boats or canoes or any other way
Upon every baril of powder twelve shillings
Upon every lb. weight of lead six shillings
For every Gun or Gun-Baril with a lock six shillings
For every Gall'. of Rum, Brandy or distilld .Liquors that shall bee carried up Hudsons river aforesaid four pence currant money aforesaid
And likewise by the said act is settled upon his Maty, his heirs
164
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
@ successors an excise upon all liquors (beer and cyder excepted) retailed under five gallons the sum of twelve pence currant money, aforesaid within ye city @ county of New York per gallon as alsoe the excise of twelve pence currant money aforesaid upon each gallon of liquor carried up Hudsons river. And also an excise of twelve pence on liquors retailed throughout the whole province @ Dependencies (beer and cyder only excepted)
As alsoe the custom @ duty upon every beaver skin commonly called a whole Beaver, nine pence
And that all other furs @ peltry bee valued accordingly that is for two half beavers nine pence for four lapps nine pence three drillings one shilling sixpence ten ratoons ninepence four foxes ninepence, four fishers ninepence, five catts ninepence, four @ twenty mees-catts ninepence, ten mallers nine pence, twenty-four pounds of Moose @ Deer Skin ninepence. And all other Peltry to be valued equivalent to the whole beaver exported out of this Province (bull @ cowhides excepted)
And alsoe that all Indian traders throughout the whole province @ dependencies doe pay for the value of each hundred pounds prime cost they traffick with the Indians for, ten pounds money aforesaid
And for all Beer @ Sider retailed throughout the Province @ dependencies six shillings per baril, and for each baril of beer or sider that is sold to the Indians six shillings as if retailed Quit Rents As for the Quit Rents at my arrival they were very inconsiderable most made by Sr Edmond Andros, the greatest part whereof in Delaware River the most part of the patents granted by my predecessors were without any reservation of any Quit-Rents or acknowledgment to his Maty or very inconsidera- ble such as several of Sr Edmond Andros's grants to great town- ships reserving the Quit-rent of our Land only @ were but con- firmations of former grants @ Indian purchases, These people have renewed their Patents under a greater Quit-Rent as will ap- pear by the list sent herewith most of these patents granted by mee were confirmations alsoe
The methods that I took for the obliging them to this was find- ing several tracts of land in their townships not purchased of the
165
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
Indians and soe at his Matys disposal. They were willing rather to submit to a greater Quit Rent than have that unpurchased land disposed of to others than themselves
The persons that have had the collection receipt @ manage- ment of his Maty's revenue for these three years past @ upwards are Mr Lucas Santen by commission from his Maty then his Royal Highness, Collecter @ Receiver. John Smith one that he brought out of England was his deputy book-keeper @ surveyor for about three years @ one John Harlow a servant of his, waiter @ searcher Santon I gave order to Mr Santon that for the good manage- ment of this small revenue to ye best advantage hee should not make any journey into the country on pretence of the King's busi- ness whereby to put him to charge, but that when any thing oc- curred hee should acquaint mee with it that I might order the sheriffs or Jutices of the Peace of the Place to take care of it. And alsoe went up to Albany myself on purpose to settle his Maty: business there where I made one Robert Livingstone Collecter @ Receiver, with order to acct wth @ pay into Mr Santer wt money hee shod receive for which he was to have 1s per Pound of all such moneys as should pass through his hands, @ alsoe made him Clerk of the Town that both places together might afford him a competent maintenance
At Esopus one Thomas Garton was by Mr Santon made col- lecter @ receiver who as I find by Mr Santons account had not accounted with him for these three years past. Upon wch I was forct to send an order of Council for his coming hither with his accts who when hee came gave in a scrole of paper containing a confused acct of about £200. pretending that his accts together with a great deal of corn @ Peltry by him collected @ received for his Matys customs excise @ Quit-Rents were burnt in his house so that all the council @ I could get from him for three years @ on half past was a bond of £200.
Since that I have set the Excise of that country alone to Mr Pawling sheriff for £110.
As for the county of Richmond I have noe acct thereof, as your Lops will see by the audit.
And for the county of West Chester one Collins is Collecter @
166
GOV. DONGAN'S REPORT ON
Receiver there, whoe (as your Lops may likewise see by the au- dit) has not given any account-only this Mr Santen tells me that in Septr last hee took two bonds for money payable in March next which I look upon to bee nothing, @ all the Revenue of that County lost the man having hardly bread to put in his mouth
The first year there was £52. offered for the Excise of Long Island, but I thought it unreasonable it being the best peopled place in this Govermt @ wherein theres great consumption of Rumm @ and therefore I gave commission to Mr Nicolls @ Mr Vaughton to gather it with whom I made this agreement that out of it they should have forty pounds, @ that they should account with Mr Santon for the remainder.
Since that for these two years past one Henry Fillkin has been Collector @ for his pains has a salary of £30 per ann. What returns he makes I referr to the audit most part of the people of that Island especially towards the East end are of the same stamp with those of New-England, refractory @ very loath to have any commerce with this place to the great detrmt of his Matys revenue @ ruin of our merchants. To prevent which the aforementioned act of Assembly imposing 10 pr cent upon all such goods as should be imported from any colony where such goods were not produced passed, which was intended chiefly to hinder their carrying their oyle to Boston @ bringing goods from thence into this Govermt
They thought it a hardship to be obliged as formerly to come to this citty to enter @ clear @ on their application were allowed to have a port where I made Mr Arnold Collector @ Receiver, with order to be accomptable to Mr Santen-What returns he has given I likewise referr to the audit
I allowed him for 3 years @ half past but £52 with which hee was well satisfied having had some Pquisits by Entrys @ clearing there Notwithstanding the desire of theirs was readily granted they refused to take our merchants money or goods @ carried away their Oyle private to Boston @ brought back goods from thence as formerly. Therefore with the advice of the Council I made an order that all people before they goe there shall enter @ clear here and also I have bought a Bark that cruseth there with
167
THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
a master, two seamen a sergeant @ six soldiers from the Garrison for which the soldiers are allowed no more than their pay except a little provision more than their former allowance, the master @ two seamen I have listed in the Company alsoe @ allow them something more than soldiers pay
As for the Dukes county @ county of Cornwall I refer to ye audit. What acct Mr Santen gives @ Judge Palmer whom I sent thither last spring @ has made his returns to Mr Santen among which theres an account of the seizure of wines and oyl made in the county of Cornwall
The first year I left every thing to the care of Mr Santon @ what officers hee thought fit to put in, but afterwards finding things ill managed I spake to Mr Santon several times, advising him as a friend to look better to the trust reposed in him
What returns hee has made mee for my kindness I will pass by @ say noe more of them than I am obliged to doe for my own vindication having nothing of ill will against him
After the expiration of the year I desired him to bring in his accounts that they might bee audited which hee promised me from time to time but in such manner as was not fit for him for always when I spoke to him of moneys @ accompt he flew into a pas- sion
Upon which I ordered him that since hee had no better gover- ment of himself he should refrain from coming into my company () after I frequently sent to him by the Secy for his accompts who likewise met with the same dilatory answers. Upon which I had him brought before the council 3 or 4 times where he was often ordered to bring in his accts but all to noe purpose for up- wards of a year together as yr Lops may see by the time of the audit @ by the several orders of council herewith sent
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.