USA > New York > New York City > The minutes of the Orphanmasters of New Amsterdam, 1655 to 1663 > Part 9
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To the Honourable, Worshipful Burgomasters of the City of Amsterdam in N. N.
Respectfully show the Orphanmasters of the City, that frequently there are brought before them the estates of deceased persons and others, for the settle- ment of which we have to appoint administrators and whereas these often have their own business, but nevertheless do their best to settle the estates, while they receive nothing for their work and such men are paid in the Fatherland the fortieth penny, therefore some reward ought to be given them for their labours and we request, your Honours will please to authorize us, to make them the same allowance or as much, as you may consider fair. Awaiting hereupon your favorable answer we remain Your Honours' affectionate friends
The Orphanmasters of this City
Amsterdam in N. N. August 10, 1660.
By their Order: JOANNES NEVIUS, Secretary.
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Marginal reply : The Orphanmasters are hereby authorized, to allow administrators one stiver of each florin or as much, as fairness admits. Amster- dam in N. N. Aug. 11, 1660. By Order of the Burgomasters Joannes Nevius, Secretary.
Friday, August 13, 1660, at the City Hall present as before.
Reintje Pieters van Bolsart appearing before the Board is asked, whether he has the means to pay, and says No, offering to pay the beavers in wampum at beaver price. Asked, how many beavers he can pay, he says, Pieter Bronck has promised to give him 20 beavers and he intends to go up the river, which the Orphanmasters allowed him to do, recommending him to bring as many beavers, as he can and to pay the balance in wampum at beaver price, as now going.
Abraham de la Noy comes before the Board and is told, to close the account of Bartelt Barteltsen, as a power of attorney has come with Joannes de Decker.
Tuesday, August 17, 1660, at the City Hall pres- ent as before.
The Honble Joannes de Decker, Councillor of N. N., coming in, all the documents and papers with the wampum and beavers, belonging to the estate of Bartelt Barteltsen, are handed to him :
To-day, the 19th of December, 1659, appeared before me, Hendrick Schaaf, Notary Public, admitted by the Court of Holland and residing at Amsterdam,
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and before the below named witnesses, the worthy Styntje Pieters, widow of Bartelt Barteltsen, late mason at Amsterdam in N. N., to me well known, who in optima forma constitutes and empowers, as she hereby does, Mr. Joannes de Decker, on behalf of the W. I. Company, Member of the Council of New Netherland, to promote in her name and behalf her business, concerning the estate and goods, left by her deceased husband there, to assist the adminis- trators of said estate, appointed by the Orphan- masters of said City, and to do all, he may consider advisable for her benefit, with or without said administrators, to examine their accounts, and see to the proper sending over of the values, to demand from Hermen Reidersen of New Amstel, mason, accounts, proof and reliqua with payment of what he owes, to compel him and other debtors of her late husband, employing if necessary legal means and legally do everything required, as if she, the con- stituent, being herself present, might or should do, even if an ampler authority were necessary, than herein contained and further in omnibus et contra omnes ad lites, cum potestate substituendi (in every- thing and against all in lawsuits with power of substitution), promising to ratify whatever her attorney or his substitute may do according to law. Done at Amsterdam in the presence of Jan Teunis- sen, shoemaker, and Marten Harbertsen, basket maker, both called in as witnesses. Beneath stood : Which I attest, signed H. Schaaf, Notary Public.
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I, the undersigned Joannes de Decker, attorney for Styntje Pieters, widow of Bartelt Barteltsen, late mason in New Netherland, herewith declare and acknowledge, that by virtue of my power, exe- cuted before Notary Hendrick Schaaf and witnesses, December 19, 1659, I have received from the Orphanmasters of the City of Amsterdam in N. N. the sum of fl. 155. 9 s. in wampum, the proceeds of divers goods, sold by Vendu master Joannes Nevius, as proved by the account thereof, given to me, further 7 beavers and fl. 29.4 in light money, also proceeds of some goods, sold by said Nevius, accord- ing to account, and finally all papers, including the inventory of said goods, and others. By virtue of abovesaid power of attorney I discharge them from all claims, which might be made against said estate and subscribe this in witness thereof at Amsterdam in N. N., August 17, 1660. J. DE DECKER.
Friday, August 20, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leenderzen van der Grift, Olof Stevenzen Cortlant and Joannes de Peister.
Before the Board appeared Raghel van Tienhoven asking for the appointment of two administrators, to settle her estate,24 and proposing Sieur Daniel van Donck, Sieur Joannes van Brugh, Master Jacob Hendricksen Varrevangen and Joannes van der Meulen, whereupon the messenger was ordered to call Joannes van Brugh and Daniel van Donck.
24 Her husband, Cornelis van Tienhoven, had absconded.
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Geertje Hendricks and Lambert Huyberzen Mol coming in, Geertje is asked, pursuant to order of August 9th last, whether she has the proofs; she requests time, until Symon Jansen shall have re- turned, which was granted.
Daniel van Donck appearing, the request of Raghel van Tienhoven is communicated to him. He excuses himself saying, he had no time before the sailing of the ships and could not take care of it before winter, as after the ships had sailed he in- tends to go to Fort Orange, but after having been urged he finally accepts the charge and Joannes van Brugh was joined to him; the Secretary was then ordered to write the order, with which, when read to her, Raghel van Tienhoven said, she was satisfied.
Order.
Whereas Raghel van Tienhoven has appeared at the session of the Orphanmasters of this City, re- questing that two administrators be appointed for the settlement of her estate, and choosing as such Sieur Joannes van Brugh, Old Schepen of this City, and Sieur Daniel van Donck, Burgher here, there- fore the Orphanmasters, having considered this request, herewith appoint and authorize said Joannes van Brugh and Daniel van Donck as administrators of the estate of said Raghel van Tienhoven, to settle it as quickly as possible and report the condi- tion of it to this Board. Done etc. etc.
Jan de Pre comes in with Adriaen Vincent and
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Adriaen is informed of the settlement upon Jan de Pre's child; he is also asked, whether cattle has been sold for that settlement, to which he answers Yes and is then told, it had been done without the order of this Board. Jan de Pre is told, the Orphan- masters had decided, that the money for the settle- ment upon his child of the maternal inheritance, secured by mortgage on the house, should remain so, but he shall be allowed to draw the interest for the bringing up of said child, agreeably to the con- tract made before Secretary Nevius December 31, 1659 with Pieter van Couwenhoven, late Schepen, and Adriaen Vincent, as guardians appointed by the Orphanmasters ; and if he requires the capital, he is allowed to take it on giving sufficient security.
Monday, September 6, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leenderzen van der Grift and Joannes de Peister.
Geertje Hendricks appearing produces a written statement by Symon Jansen Romeyn, according to which he has helped to settle the account between Geertje Hendricks and Jacob Coppe dec'd., to divide the goods, to count the wampum, of which he gave each his share, which they took; he has counted out to Jacob Coppe 50 fl., mentioned in the account as due to him, as well as 14 beavers, of which he gave Coppe two. Geertje Hendricks is informed, that she must swear, first, that the horse, sold to Thomas Hall, belonged to her alone, that she had
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given 100 fl. to Jacob Coppe for her private account, that she has paid Jacob Coppe six beavers on the fourteen, which she owed. She says: "I do not intend to do it and shall not do it, now nor never." As Geertje refuses to confirm under oath, that she had given for her own account 100 fl. to Jacob Coppe, going to Fort Orange, she is forbidden by the Orphanmasters to draw them from Jacob Coppe's estate and ordered, on pain of execution, to pay over within six weeks 150 fl. for the horse, 150 fl. for the yacht, 12 beavers to close the account with Jacob Coppe and 12 beavers more for the yacht, alto- gether 300 fl. and 24 beavers.
The Orphanmasters resolved to give a power of attorney to Dirck van Schelluyne for collecting at Fort Orange the debts due and the goods belonging to the estate of Jacob Coppe dec'd. according to a list, which shall be given to him and for constrain- ing those, who are not willing, to pay, but he is not to make any agreement with them. People, who say, they have paid, what they owe, shall swear to it.
Power of Attorney.
We, the Orphanmasters of the City of Amster- dam in N. N., herewith constitute and empower Sieur Dirck van Schelluyne, Secretary of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck near Fort Orange in N. N., to demand and receive in the name and on behalf of the Orphans Court of this City all such outstanding debts, as Jacob Coppe dec'd. has left uncollected at
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his death at Fort Orange according to the list, shown to us and now handed over to our said attorney, to call for payment, to attend all sessions of Court for this purpose, until judgment is given and execution ordered, to compel the debtors to pay and if necessary to seize persons and goods, to have debtors confirm under oath, what they have to say about the debt or a payment thereof, to give acquittance for payments, but not to make agree- ments with anybody, and to do all, what his good judgment shall advise for the benefit of the estate of said Jacob Coppe dec'd., even though herein it may not be expressly stated ;- we promising to ratify, what this our attorney shall have done, provided that when called upon, he will give an account of his actions. Done etc September 6, 1660.
Tuesday, September 17, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leenderzen van der Grift, Olof Stevenzen Cortlant and Joannes de Peister.
Before the Board appeared Reintje Pieters, who on being asked, whether he could pay, answered with the promise to bring his arrears in wampum in two or four days and said, that Arien Symonsen must pay 20 beavers. The Orphanmasters order Reintje Pieters to satisfy them in four days and not to leave before. The Board further resolve, that he must pay for each beaver, which he owes, 14 fl. in wampum, excepting the 20 beavers, promised by him. This resolution having been communicated to Reintje, he
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says, it is too much and offers 12 fl, hoping to pay in four days 400 fl. and complaining, that it is hard to get money from people. But as it has been resolved, that he is to pay 14 fl. for the beaver, he is told, it must remain so; the interest shall however be taken into con- sideration and instead of 10 he may pay only 7 p. c.
Pieter Jacobzen Marius hands in the account of the estate of Anna Cornelis dec'd., which, it was resolved, should be recorded.
Claas van Elslant, the younger, is ordered, to bring a list of the estates.
Nicolaas Boot is asked by the Board, whether he will keep the boy of Nicolaas Velthuysen in his ser- vice. He says Yes and asked, how much he is to earn, he answers, the boy should live with him for three years and serve him for board and clothing ; he also promises, to give him at the expiration of three years, if he goes to Holland, 150 fl. Holland currency, if he does not go, two ordinary hogsheads of tobacco, weighing net at least 600 lbs., on condi- tion, that the boy serve out his time. The boy of Nicolaas Velthuysen was called in and asked, whether he will serve N. Boot. He answers Yes and is told, that he must behave well and take care, that no complaints are made.
Copy of the Contract between Nicolaas Boot and the Orphanmasters.
To-day, the 17th of September, 1660, appeared at the session of the Orphanmasters Sieur Nicolaas Boot, Burgher and inhabitant here, who made with
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the Orphanmasters an agreement about the hiring of one Hendrick de Graaff, son of Jaunctie Willems, wife of Nicolaas Velthuysen, by her first husband, for three consecutive years from the date hereof, during which time and for which services Nicolaas Boot promises to give the boy board and clothing and at the end of his term 150 fl. Holland currency, if said Nicolaas Boot should, within this time, go to Hol- land, if not, he promises to give him here two hhds. of good, choice Virginia leaf tobacco, each hogshead weighing at least 300 lbs. net. It is further specially agreed, that, if Boot lets said Hendrick de Graaff go during said term of three years, if he should die or leave for other reasons, he, said Boot shall neverthe- less be bound to pay said 150 fl. Holland currency or two hhds. of tobacco to said Hendrick de Graaff and he is hereby requested, to take good care of Hendrick, so that he may not run away or behave badly and for this purpose full power and authority is given to Nicolaas Boot, as guardian and master, to insist upon obedience to his orders and to instruct and direct the boy, as a faithful guardian and master is in duty bound to do. For the carrying out of this agreement Nicolaas Boot binds his person and prop- erty, real and personal, present and future, nothing excepted, placing the same at the disposal of all laws and courts, especially the Orphans Court of this City. In witness whereof he has signed the original of this copy, on file in this Court, at Amsterdam in N. N. the 4th of October, 1660.
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Friday, October 8, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leenderzen van der Grift and Olof Stevenzen Cortlant.
Commission.
Jan Gillisen Koeck is hereby authorized by the Orphanmasters of this City, to speak to the below- named persons for payment of their debts according to annexed accounts within three times 24 hours, under pain of execution. He is also to make note of their default.
Arent Lauwerenzen Al. Tielman van Vleeck fl. .
Gerrit Pietersen fl.
Jan Gillis de Jongh requests payment of 200 Al. from the estate of N. Velthuysen and is informed, that he must wait, until the estate is settled, when he will come in concurrence with other creditors.
Simon Janzen Romein and Gerrit van Tright are, by the following commission, appointed administra- tors of the estate of Jan Barensen dec'd.
Commission.
As Jan Barensen has died at the house of Aart Willemsen's widow on the 5th of October a. c., leav- ing there some property, it is necessary, that admin- istrators of this property should be appointed and therefore the Orphanmasters authorize and qualify as such Master Gerrit van Tright and Symon Jansen
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Romeyn, to make as soon as possible an inventory of the goods and report it to this Board for further dis- posal. Done etc. October 8, 1660.
Wednesday, November 17, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leendersen van der Grift, Olof Steven Cortlant and Joannes de Peister.
The Orphanmasters received the papers, that is the inventory of and other documents relating to the estate of Joannes de Hulter dec'd. and Mrs. Joanna de Laat,25 appearing before the Board, is asked, as she has been in Holland, how it is with the estate. She answers, that pursuant to the testa- ment she has given security in Holland and offers, to give proof thereof at the next meeting, which she is ordered to do.
François de Bruyn informs the Board, that he has sold half an aam26 of French wine for the funeral of Jacob Coppe for 5 beavers and requests payment.
The bill of Pieter Lauwerensen amounting to 110 fl., which he is to have out of the estate of Jacob Coppe dec'd., he is ordered to inform thereof the administrators.
Cornelis Aarzen is asked, what shall be done to collect from his wife's sister the money, due to the estate of Jacob Coppe and whether execution shall
25 Widow of the historian, who owned part of Rensselaerwyck. After the death of her second husband, Joannes de Hulter, she married Jeronimus Ebbinck.
26 A cask holding 40 gallons.
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be ordered. He asks for delay until the next session, so that he may speak with Jan van der Bilt.
The Board resolved to order, that Gerrit Pieter- sen shall pay the 27 fl. 10 st. promptly and not leave the Manhatans, before he has paid. This order having been written, it is given to Reynout Reynoutsen and Gerrit Fullewever, administrators of the estate of Cornelis Jansen Cloppenburgh dec'd., for information and they are reimbursed by ac- counts and otherwise for the proceeds from the sale of said Coppenburgh's property.
Nicolaas Backer is asked, what means he has to pay his debt to the estate of Anna Cornelis dec'd. He answers, he does not know, he owes 38 beavers and has given a note for it, now in the hands of Claas Bordingh and Pieter Jacobsen Marius. He is told, to come again to the next session, to see, how it is with the note or whether Joannes van Brugh, who has power of attorney from Lauwerens Jansen, will accept it.
Master Gerrit van Tright and Simon Jansen Romein state to Board, that a black cloak, belong- ing to Jan Barensen dec'd., has been found, which must be added to the inventory, and that the boy, whom Jan Barensen brought into the country and who is related to him, ought to have some of the tools and should be clothed out of the estate. This is conceded by the Orphanmasters on condition, that what is done for the boy be noted. It is further ordered to give power of attorney to Master
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Abraham 27 for collection of what is due to the estate up the river and the administrators are directed first to clothe the boy, then to sell the property, taking note of how much it brings and how far it will go and to report.
Jan Ariaanzen informs the Board, that he has bought a house from Jan de Pre, who cannot give conveyance of it, as it is mortgaged to the Orphans Chamber. He is told, the mortgage must be paid, but he may keep the money and give himself a mort- gage on the house to the Orphanmasters, so that the child of Jan de Pre may not lose anything of the maternal inheritance.
Commission for the Administrators of the Estate of Jan Jansen Hagenaar.
As Jan Jansen Hagenaar was unfortunately drowned in the East River on the 22ª of November a. c. and Orphanmasters consider it necessary, to appoint administrators of his estate, therefore they hereby authorize and qualify Sieur Isaack Greveraat and Hendrick Hendricksen Obe as such adminis- trators and order them, to make as soon as possible an inventory of said estate of Jan Jansen and report it to this Board for further disposal. Done etc. November 23, 1660.
Friday, November 26, 1660, at the City Hall present Messrs. Paulus Leenderzen van der Grift and Olof Stevensen Cortlant.
97 Probably Surgeon Abraham Staats of Fort Orange.
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Annetje Dircks, widow of Pieter Kock, is informed by the Board, that, as it has pleased the Lord to take away her husband, it is necessary that she make a statement of her late husband's estate to the Board and that two guardians be appointed for the child. Answering, she promises to do so and re- quests as guardians Daniel Litsco and Master Jacob Hendricksen Varrevanger.
Commission.
Whereas Pieter Kock has lately died, leaving be- sides the widow a minor child, as whose guardians and administrators of whose inheritance the Orphan- masters have at the request of the widow appointed Daniel Litsco and Master Jacob Hendricksen Varre- vanger, therefore, considering, that a proper inven- tory of the estate of the deceased ought to be made, so that neither the child nor the widow may be pre- judiced in their rights and inheritance, the Orphan- masters herewith authorize and direct said guardians, to make as soon as possible an inventory of the furni- ture and values, as well as of other real and personal property, debts and credits in this country, of the de- ceased, and to agree with the widow about a settle- ment upon the child of its paternal inheritance, as they shall think best, reporting the same to this Board. Done etc.
Jeronimus Ebbinck produces before the Board the testament, made by his wife Joanna de Laat and her former husband, Joannes de Hulter dec'd. After
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the same with the settlement upon and the payment to the children, left by said de Hulter, had been ex- amined by the Orphanmasters, they order to make a record thereof.
Claas Bordingh and Pieter Jacobzen Marius ap- pearing, the statement of the estate, left by Anna Cornelis dec'd, is examined. As it was found, that this estate has to claim 98 fl. in beavers from the estate of Nicolaas Velthuysen, it is ordered, that Tielman van Vleck and Pieter Rudolfus, the admin- istrators of Velthuysen's, insolvent estate, should be notified and as they were outside, they were called in and informed of the claim.
Joannes van Brugge, coming in with Nicolaas Backer, is informed, that Nicolaas still owes to the estate of Anna Cornelis, dec'd, 56 beavers and as he has power of attorney from Louwcrens Jansen, Anna Cornelis' husband, he is asked, whether he will take the note in deduction of the debt and credit it on the account. He says, he cannot do it, as the note has been paid. As Joannes van Brugge will not agree to credit the note on the account against Backer, the Orphanmasters order, that Backer shall pay the interest on the note from this date until pay- ment of the whole.
Order.
Jeremias Janzen is hereby ordered by the Orphan- masters, to make an inventory of the property, left by his father, Jan Jansen Hagenaar and to hand it
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to Joannes Nevius, Secretary of the Orphans Chamber, within three times 24 hours. Done etc.
Copy.
In the Name of the Lord, Amen. Know ye, all and everybody, whom it concerns, by the contents of this instrument, that to-day, the 26th of Febru- ary, aº 1652, at about 6 o. c. in the evening, before me, Willem van Vredenburgh, admitted Notary Pub- lic by the Provincial Court of Holland upon the nomination by their Honours of the Court of the City of Leyden, and residing in said city, and before the witnesses, named below, personally appeared the Honble Johan de Hulter and the worthy Mrs. Joanna de Laat, husband and wife, living in this city on the Rapenburgh, opposite to the Prince's quarters, to me, the Notary, well known, being sound in body and mind, in possession of their reason and memory, who declared, that considering the frailty and shortness of human life on this earth, perishable like a shadow and always liable to pay the debts of nature by death, of which nothing is more uncertain than the day and hour, they had resolved to anticipate this uncertainty by testamentary dispositions and not leave this world without having disposed of the worldly goods, given them by God's grace. They do this, as they openly declared, inasmuch as by God's blessing they have the power to do it by their own, free will, without being instigated or misled by anybody, first commending their immortal souls to the gracious and merciful
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hands of God Almighty, their Creator and Saviour, and their dead bodies to an honest burial, revoking and annulling hereby specially the marriage con- tract, made between them before the wedding and further all testaments, codicils and similar instru- ments, which they may have made and executed heretofore, not desiring that the contents of these instruments or of any of them may be observed or carried out in any respect or manner and making now new dispositions, the said testators declare, that the first dying appoints and constitutes the survivor, known only to God Almighty, sole and general heir or heiress of all property, nothing excepted, which they hold together and which the first dying leaves ; the survivor to enter upon, use, hold and do with such property, as he or she might do with own, free possessions, under the condition and direction, that the survivor shall be bound and held, honestly to bring up the child or children, procreated among them and left behind by the first dying, to provide it or them with meat, drink, and clothing, as the condi- tion of the estate demands, to give a good and God fearing education, instruction for a life of study, for commercial life or any other honest profession, suit- able to the child's or children's capacity, to take care of them in sickness and health, as a good father or mother is bound to do, during their minority and until said children have come to the full age of 25 years or have entered into matrimony or any other approved condition, when and not before the sur-
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