USA > New York > The history of New York from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 4
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53
THE PURITANS.
1620.]
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ruption. At first they thought of settling in Guiana, but preferring a country where their own language was spoken, they sent Robert Cushman and John Carver to England to treat with the Virginia Company for a place of settlement. Failing to obtain from the king a guarantee of protection in their religious principles, the ne- gotiation languished. It was, however, subse- quently renewed, and in 1619 a patent was obtained in the name of John Wincob for the northern parts of Virginia; but owing to the de- tention of the latter in England, this patent was never used.
The establishment of a colony in America hav- ing been decided upon, a part of the Leyden con- gregation, under the guidance of Elder Brewster, left Delfthaven, in a small vessel called the Speedwell, toward the close of June, 1620, and crossing over to Southampton, were there joined by the Mayflower, an English ship freighted with their provisions and outfit. When the passengers had been distributed between the two ships, they set sail on the 5th of August, but had not pro- ceeded far on their voyage before the Speedwell was found to leak so badly that they were obliged to return to port and refit.
On the 21st of August, the anchors were again weighed; but the Speedwell proving leaky a second time, they put back into Plymouth, and abandoned the vessel as unseaworthy. The re- 5*
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54
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1621.
maining vessel not being sufficiently large to accommodate the whole of the company, a portion of them were now left behind. The others em- barked on board the Mayflower, and on the 6th of September the voyage was resumed.
After a rough and tedious passage, which lasted nine weeks, the Mayflower entered, on the 9th of November, the harbour of Cape Cod. Finding they had arrived at a part of the continent which was not embraced within the limits of their patent, they concluded before landing to form themselves into a government distinct from that of Virginia. When they had drawn up and signed a written contract, by which they mutually agreed to yield obedience to all just laws and ordinances as should be thought most proper and convenient for the general good of the colony, they chose John Car- ver for their first governor, and immediately afterward sent out exploring parties to examine the face of the country, and to select a fit place to establish a settlement.
After coasting about for nearly five weeks, they at length fell in with the harbour of Plymouth; and on the 11th of December, 1621, Governor Carver went ashore, attended by several of the principal immigrants. Finding the situation bet- ter suited to their purposes than any they had yet seen, the whole of the company, one hundred and one in number, were disembarked, and commenced erecting soon after, of timbers hewn from the
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55
TWO NEW FORTS BUILT.
1623.]
living trees of the adjacent forest, the first houses built in the town of New Plymouth.
While this little colony was struggling with privations under which one-half of their number prematurely perished, a great change was taking place in the commercial relations of the Dutch with the North American continent. The Am- sterdam licensed trading company, which had hitherto enjoyed a monopoly of this lucrative traffic, was superseded by a great national asso- ciation, which, under the title of the Dutch West India Company, was incorporated with exclusive privileges of trade and settlement.
To that portion of the continent embraced be- tween the Delaware Bay and Cape Cod, was now given the name of New Netherland. In 1623, the first ship sent out by the new company ar- rived in the North River, and during the same year two new forts were built; one called Fort Nassau, on the Delaware River, and the other Fort Orange, on the west bank of the Hudson, where the town of Albany now stands.
In 1624, Peter Minuits arrived at Manhattan Island, as Director or Commercial Governor of New Netherland. He brought with him in two vessels a number of Walloons, or French Protest- ants, so called from their ancestors having fled from religious intolerance in their own country, - and settled upon the banks of the river Waal, in Guelderland. These Walloons, the first perma-
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56
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1624.
nent colonists of New Netherland, established themselves on Long Island, at Walle-Bocht, or Foreigners' Bay, now called Wallabout.
During the six years that Minuits was gover- nor of New Netherland, he was actively engaged in extending the commercial operations of the company ; but although the territory over which he claimed jurisdiction was recognised as a "de- lightful land, full of fine trees and vines," its colonization proceeded slowly, until some of the directors, among the most prominent of whom were John De Laet and Kilian Van Renselaer, formed an association for that especial purpose.
In the mean time, the quantity of furs exported by the vessels of the company had been doubled within the first four years. The trade with the natives extended northward to Quebec, Fort Orange constituting the chief mart for the interior of the province. A coasting trade was also car- ried on by small vessels, which gradually extended itself from Cape May to Cape Malabar.
Six years after the settlement of New Ply- mouth, Governor Minuits attempted, for the first time, to open commercial relations with that co- lony. Letters were accordingly written to the people of New Plymouth, congratulating them upon the success which had attended their efforts to establish a plantation in the wilderness, and offering to supply them with any wares they should be pleased to deal for. The answer being friendly,
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57
EMBASSY TO PLYMOUTH.
1627.]
Isaac de Razier, secretary of New Netherland, "a person of a plain and genteel behaviour," embarked with great formality on board a small vessel called the Nassau, attended by a body- guard of soldiers and trumpeters, to support the dignity of his mission. Landing on the north side of Cape Cod, he crossed over to the southern shore, where he met with a boat despatched to receive him and his retinue, and crossing the bay, entered Fort Plymouth, "honourably attended by a noise of trumpeters."
Meeting with a welcome reception, he remained several days, but failed in his efforts to arrange a treaty of peace and commerce, as Governor Bradford and his council doubted the claim of the Dutch to the country they occupied, and recommended that so important a treaty should be agreed upon between their respective nations. This expression of opinion did not, however, mar in the least degree the good feeling existing be- tween De Razier and his Puritan friends. With considerate kindness he offered them the assist- ance of the New Netherland troops against the · French, if it should at any time be required, and urged them to abandon the barren soil of I'ly- mouth for the more fertile banks of the Connec- ticut.
When he took his departure, he was accom- panied to his vessel by a number of the colonists, who purchased from him some articles of mer-
58
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
- [1629.
chandise for their own use, and a quantity of seawan, or Indian shell money, to exchange with the natives for peltry and provisions.
In 1629, a scheme of colonization was drawn up by the directors of the Dutch West India Company, and ratified soon after by the States General. Under this charter of liberties and ex- emptions, any person who within the space of four years established in New Netherland, at his own expense, a colony of fifty persons, acquired the right to purchase from the Indians an extent of territory stretching sixteen miles along one side of a navigable river, or eight miles on, each bank, running as far inland as he thought proper. The land thus bought and settled, he was entitled to hold as absolute proprietor, with the honourable appellation of Patroon, or Lord of the Manor. All other persons willing to emigrate on their own account, were at liberty to take up as much land as they had the ability properly to improve. The company reserved to itself the trade in furs, and the possession of the island of Manhattan, promising to complete the fort without delay, and to supply the colonists with negro slaves; but binding themselves to do so no longer than the traffic might be found convenient or lucrative.
This charter of privileges was no sooner pro- mulgated, than several of the directors of the company bestirred themselves to take advantage of its provisions. Two of them, Godyn and
59
RENSELAERWYK AND PAVONIA.
1630.]
Bloemart, in anticipation of its passage, had already commissioned their agents in America to purchase from the natives the tract of land ex- tending from Cape Henlopen to the mouth of the Delaware, a distance of thirty-two miles. In May, 1630, they made a second purchase of the country around and including Cape May, sixteen miles in length, and the same in breadth, from the Indian owners of that territory. These two tracts received the name of Swanandael, or the Valley of Swans.
In April, the agent of Kilian Van Renselaer, in consideration of certain cargoes or parcels of goods, purchased the lands on both sides of the Hudson River, above and below Fort Orange, subsequently known as Renselaerwyk. This territory, with additions made a few years afterward, was twenty-four miles in length and forty-eight in breadth, and included the present counties of Albany and Renselaer, with a part of Columbia. During the months of June and July of this year, Pauw, another of the directors, ob- tained in a similar manner a grant of Hoboken and Staten Island, to which he gave the name of Pavonia.
Companies were soon after formed for the speedy settlement of these manors. De Vries, one of the owners under Godyn's patent, established & colony of thirty persons at Swanandael, or Val- ley of Swans, a short distance from Cape Hen-
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60
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1631.
lopen, at a place called Hoarkill, now known as Lewistown. A number of emigrants, sufficient to make good the titles of the patroons, were also settled at Pavonia and Renselaerwyk.
After remaining a year in the country, De Vries returned to Holland for supplies, leaving his colonists to the care of Gillis Osset, a rash and ignorant man, who, instead of endeavouring to conciliate the affection of the surrounding In- dians, quarrelled with them because one of their chiefs had innocently appropriated to his own use a tin-plate stamped with the arms of Holland, which had been affixed to a post in Swanandael, as a sign of sovereignty. Finding the offence regarded as serious, the Indians cut off the head of the chief who had committed it, and brought a token of the deed to Osset.
Grieved that his intemperate speech should have led to so sanguinary a result, the Dutch commander told the messenger they had done wrong, and that a simple reprimand would have been all-sufficient. The friends of the murdered chief, attributing his death to the clamour raised by Osset, now concerted together to avenge them- selves upon all the colonists. While the latter, thirty-two in number, were engaged in the fields attending to the cultivation of their tobacco and grain, the commander Osset and a single sentinel remained in charge of the palisaded fort, where the settlers all lived together. Accordingly,
1632.]
SUDDEN MASSACRE. 61
the Indians, having assembled to carry out their purpose, sent three of their warriors to the fort, as if for purposes of trade. Bearing in their . arms parcels of beaver skins, they passed the sentinel, and cautiously avoiding a large bull-dog which was chained outside of the house, they ap- proached the commander, who stood near the door, and with smiling countenances offered to barter their furs for merchandise. A bargain having been struck, Osset proceeded to the garret where the public stores were deposited, for the purpose of obtaining the commodities agreed upon. While he was absent, the Indians stationed themselves near the staircase, and awaited im- patiently his reappearance. The moment he descended, one of them cleft his head with a tomahawk, and he fell dead on the floor. The sentinel and the dog were next despatched; the latter, of whom they stood in great terror, being shot at from a distance, until he was pierced through and through with more than a score of arrows. Possession of the fort having been thus obtained, they now arranged their plans for the murder of the colonists at work in the fields. Collecting together into one body, they advanced leisurely toward their victims, whom they ap- proached with an air of idle curiosity, as if desirous of witnessing them at their labours. Watching their opportunity, they fell upon the workmen suddenly, and, by a simultaneous movement, mas-
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62
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1632.
sacred the whole of them. The fort was imme- diately destroyed, the palisades torn up, and the southern shore of the Delaware Bay was once more in complete possession of the natives.
On returning from Holland with additional immigrants in December, De Vries, entering the bay where he had left in peaceful security his in- dustrious settlers, found nothing but silence and desolation. Ascending the creek in his boat, he found the valley beyond strewed with the remains of his murdered countrymen. A few Indians making their appearance at a distance, he greeted them with words of peace, but it was not without hesitancy that they advanced to meet him. De- sirous of recovering their friendship, De Vries distributed some presents among them, and formed a treaty of peace and reconciliation. Disembark- ing the few settlers he had brought with him, he sailed up the river to trade with the natives for supplies. Fort Nassau, built upon Timber Creek, near Camden, which had been some time before deserted by its garrison, he found filled with In- dians, of whose sanguinary intentions he was providentially forewarned. A large number of them entered his boat, some playing on reeds, . and others bearing beaver skins for sale. Af- ter startling them by avowing his knowledge of their intentions, he compelled them to return to shore, under threats of being fired on if they resisted. When they had reluctantly obeyed his
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63
1633.] WOUTER VAN TWILLER.
orders, sixteen of their chiefs formed a circle on the bank, and declared themselves disposed to be friendly. From motives of policy he concluded a treaty of peace with them, and accepting at their hands the presents customary on such occa- sious, offered them others in return. These, how- ever, they refused to take, stating coldly that they did not bestow gifts for the purpose of receiving others.
Failing to obtain on the banks of the Delaware the provisions he required, he sailed to Virginia, where he was not only furnished with supplies, but received from the governor six goats, which he took with him to New Amsterdam. They constituted the first live stock owned by the colo- nists of Manhattan.
The administration of Governor Minuits not proving satisfactory to the Dutch West India Company, he was removed from his office in the spring of 1633, and Wouter Van Twiller appoint- ed director-general in his place. This new officer had just arrived, and by him De Vries was wel- comed to the fort, and hospitably entertained during the remainder of his stay.
Under the government of Van Twiller, new trading-posts were established, to meet the in- creasing traffic with the Indians. A profitable trade in furs springing up with the Pequods and their neighbours upon the Connecticut River, led to the purchase of land from the former, and the
64
HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
[1634.
erection of a fortified post called the House of Good Hope, not far from the present city of Hartford.
In the mean time, the colony of Plymouth having received large accessions of immigrants from abroad, a commercial rivalry between the latter and the Dutch was gradually undermining the good feeling which had hitherto existed be- tween them. Winthrop, the governor of the new colony settled in Massachusetts Bay, protested against the occupation of the Connecticut by the Dutch, on the ground that the King of England had already granted it to certain of his subjects. Van Twiller, in reply, deprecated any contention about " a little part or portion of these heathenish countries," and proposed to refer the dispute for settlement to their respective governments.
The colony of New Plymouth now took up the matter, and proceeded to assert a right to the territory in question by building a trading-house at Windsor, a short distance above the post erected a few months previous by Van Twiller.
Indignant at this contemptuous defiance of his authority, the latter immediately despatched a force of seventy soldiers to break up the English establishment; but as the Puritans evinced a sturdy determination to defend their new posses- sion, the Dutch commander very prudently re- called his troops, and contented himself with issuing a vigorous protest.
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IMPROVEMENTS.
1634.]
Finding his English neighbours obstinately bent on appropriating to themselves the rich meadows of the Connecticut, Van Twiller busied himself in strengthening and improving New Amsterdam. During the year 1634, he rebuilt the fort, erected barracks for the accommodation of the garrison, constructed a church and par- sonage-house, together with various windmills and dwellings for the use of the colonists, and opened several farms, or boweries, in the interior of the island. But this sudden display of energy soon subsided, and, while seeking to aggrandize himself, he gradually suffered the affairs of the company to fall into neglect.
In the mean time, a quarrel had been progress- ing between the Dutch West India Company and the patroons, or large proprietaries; the former contending for a monopoly of the fur trade, while the latter claimed the exclusive right of traffic within the limits of their own territories. The company finally put an end to the dispute by re- purchasing the Swanandael lands balonging to De Vries and others, and by resuming their au- thority over Hoboken and Staten Island. The manors of Pavonia and Swanandael being thus abolished, that of Renselaerwyk alone remained.
But while the Dutch were thus busily employed with their commercial adventures, large numbers of immigrants were flocking into the New Eng- land colonies, and encroaching upon the territory
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66
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1638.
of New Netherland. The trading-post established by Van Twiller on the Connecticut still remained in the charge of his officers; but the country around it was fast settling by the English. In 1634, the latter built a fort at the mouth of the river; and the following year the congregation of Mr. Hooper, one hundred in number, settled upon its western bank, and in the vicinity of Van Twiller's house of Good Hope, founded the town of Hartford.
The administration of Van Twiller not proving satisfactory to the company, he was superseded in 1638 by William Keift, who immediately went to work with great energy to remedy the disorder into which the affairs of the province had fallen.
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GOVERNOR KIEFT.
1638.]
CHAPTER V.
Difficulties of Governor Kieft-Delaware settled by the Swedes -Arrival of Minuits-Fort built on Christiana Creek -- Ac- tion of Dutch West India Company-Occupation of Long Island by the Puritans -- Fort Nassau reoccupied-Indian disturbances-A retaliatory murder -- Kieft demands the fu- gitive-Preparations for war-Failure of the first expedition against the Raritans-Trouble with the Hackensacks-Two Hollanders murdered-Indemnity offered and refused-Mas- sacre of the Raritans and Hackensacks-Confederation of the river tribes-Indian war-Deplorable condition of the Dutch -Long Island and Manhattan devastated-Unpopularity of Kieft-Attempt upon his life-Negotiations for peace- Speech of an Indian chief-Renewal of the war-Expedi- tions of Underhill-Destruction of Indians at Tappan and on Long Island-Interposition of the Mohawks-Treaty of peace.
KIEFT had scarcely assumed the government of New Netherland before he found himself in- volved in a perfect network of difficulties. While the encroachments of the English at the north were rapidly contracting the limits of the Dutch claims in that direction, the Swedes had made their appearance on the Delaware, and were ex- ercising an independent authority over that re- gion.
This new colony owed its existence to Minuits. Indignant at having been superseded by Van Twiller, Minuits sailed to Sweden, and proposed
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68
HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1638.
to Oxensteirn, the celebrated minister of Queen Christina, the settlement of a colony on the shores of the Delaware. His services were promptly accepted. Two vessels, the Key of Calmar and the Griffin, were placed under his orders. Leaving Sweden toward the close of the year 1637, he touched at Virginia for wood and water, and then proceeding to the Delaware, sailed up the river, purchased from the Indians the lands on the western shore of the bay, from the southern cape to the falls near Trenton, and, building a fort near the mouth of Christiana Creek, there planted his little colony early in the spring of 1638. Keift immediately issued a series of sharp pro- tests against the occupation of the territory by the Swedes ; but as Minuits paid no heed to his remonstrances, he hesitated to resort to forcible measures, until he had first advised with his em- ployers.
But the Dutch West India Company had the sagacity to foresee that a state of hostilities with the English and the Swedes was by no means calculated to benefit their American trade, and that the only way whereby they could hope to compete with their new rivals was to encourage the growth of New Netherland by offering addi- tional advantages to actual settlers. This was done; and under the more liberal provisions of the new charter of privileges, a large number of immigrants arrived at New Amsterdam. The
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69
PURITAN ENCROACHMENTS.
1642.]
colony was further increased by persons from Virginia and New England. .
In the mean time, the English had settled New Haven, and farms were springing up all about the Dutch trading-post on the Connecticut, until the lands around it were restricted to thirty acres. Long Island was also occupied under a grant from Lord Stirling; the arms of the Dutch torn down from the tree to which they had been affixed, and, in bravado, a roughly-carved fool's-head was set up in their place.
But this insult was too flagrant to be suffered to pass without punishment. The intruders were taken prisoners by a party of Dutch troops, and were not released until they had humbly apolo- gized for their offence, and promised to quit the territory. They did not, however, leave the island, but, retiring to its eastern end, founded the town of Southampton. Another company of Puritans landed on the island in 16-41, and settled the vil- lage of Southold. Against these encroachments, Kieft, a passionate, headstrong man, complained bitterly, but failed of obtaining any redress. In despite of all his protests, settlers from Connec- ticut spread themselves more and more over the territory of New Netherland during the year 1642; while, at the same time, numerous families of Swedes and Fins established themselves along the shores of the Delaware. But though the Dutch asserted their right to the country by re-
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK. [1642.
occupying Fort Nassau, Printz, the new Swedish governor, garrisoned a similar work on Tinicum Island, a few miles below, as a place of residence for himself, and a protection to the settlers in its vicinity.
At any other period, it is possible that the possession of either shore of the Delaware might have been disputed by the Dutch governor of New Netherland ; but when those settlements took place, Kieft was too busily engaged in another quarter, to show his resentment in any manner more forcible than words. Indian disturbances had broken out. An Indian of the Raritan tribe, having witnessed during his boyhood the rob- bery and murder of his uncle by one of the ser- vants of Minuits, had nursed a desire to revenge his kinsman's death as soon as he was grown up. In 1641, he fulfilled his vow of retaliation by killing an old Dutchman. Kieft immediately de- manded that the assassin should be given up; but his people refused to surrender him, and justified the act.
In this emergency, Kieft summoned a meeting of the principal citizens and farmers, to take the subject into consideration. They chose twelve of their number to advise with the governor; but as the board, thus popularly appointed, com- menced an active inquiry into existing abuses, Kieft speedily dissolved it, as infringing upon his authority. A detachment of eighty men was sent
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الصولة
71
INDIAN TROUBLES.
1642.]
against the Raritans ; but the guide lost his way, and the expedition came to nothing. De Vries: and other moderate men counselled a more pa- cific policy; and the Indians themselves, finding they were threatened with hostilities, evinced a disposition to conciliate matters, by offering to surrender the murderer. Unfortunately; while the adjustment of this affair was pending, a Hackensack Indian, the son of a chief of that tribe, who had been made drunk and then robbed by the Dutch, revenged himself by shooting down the first two white men he chanced to meet.
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