USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 29
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 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
After the reception of the royal charter, the general court of Connecticut claimed ¿the legal jurisdiction over the English towns on Long Island which had put themselves under .her protection, and had become members of her association.
These towns were permitted to send deputies to the general court, and were liable to the same duties as the other towns. Each town was entitled to send one deputy to the general assembly, but were whollyfleft at liberty to send one or not as they chose.
The general court appointed such public officers in the several towns as were not permitted by the charter to be chosen by the people.
April 6th, 1663, the town of Huntington chose three men, whose names were to be sent to Hartford for the general court to elect , two out of the number, as magistrates for the town.
The general court ordered a contribution to be levied on the towns on the island, as well as on those on the main, towards the payment of the expense of the new charter, and it would seem that they were subject to taxes in the same manner as other towns with- in her jurisdiction.
In 1664 the town of Southampton appointed men to make the rate " both in respect to Hartford and this town."
Wood's Sketch of Long Island, p. 26.
334
HISTORY OF THE
May 12th, 1664, the general court proceeded to organize the courts on the island, on the plan of those of Connecticut. .
For this purpose they appointed the governor, and three others, to go to the island to settle the English plantation there under the government of Connecticut, to establish quarter courts, and other courts, for the administration of justice ; provided their judgments should not extend to life, limb, or banishment ; and directed capital cases to be tried at Fairfield, or Hartford.
These commissioners came upon the island in June, 1664, or- ganized courts, established rules for the collection of rates, and other matters ; but their arrangements were all frustrated before they could be carried into effect, by the conquest of the Dutch territories, and the annexation of Long Island to the government of the Duke of York.
Long Island was not comprised in the grant of any colony. It . had been granted by order of Charles I. to William, Earl of Stir- ling, but had been relinquished to the crown, or to the Duke of York, by his heirs, and left free to be made the subject of a new grant, or to be included in the patent to him.
.. March 12th, 1664, Charles II. by letters patent, granted the country occupied by the Dutch, together with Long Island, to his brother James, the Duke of York.
A few months after the date of his patent, the Duke of York pro- . cured a squadron with some land forces, to be fitted out for the re- duction of the territories comprised within his grant, under the com- mand of Colonel Richard Nicolls, whom he appointed to assume the government of the country as deputy governor under him, and with whom the king associated Colonel George Cartwright, Sir Robert Carr, and Samuel Maverick, esquires, as commissioners, with power to fix the boundaries between the several colonies, to adjust all difference between them, and to settle the country in peace.
The commissioners landed at Boston, on their way to New-York, and requested that that colony would raise two hundred men, and send them on to assist such troops as they had brought along with them in reducing the Dutch.
Wood's Sketch of Long Island, pp. 26, & 27.
.
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 335
The request of the commissioners was readily assented to, but subsequent events rendered the aid unnecessary before it could be furnished.
The commissioners landed at Gravesend, on the west end of Long Island, about the middle of August, 1664. They summoned the English on the island to attend them at that place, and gover- nor Winthrop, of Connecticut, met them there.
Colonel Nicolls exhibited to the governor, and such as were there assembled, the letters patent to the Duke of York, with his own commission.
Colonel Nicolls demanded a surrender of the country, promising life, liberty, and property, to the inhabitants on their submission. Governor Winthrop wrote to the Dutch governor, recommending a surrender on the terms offered, and after a few days had been spent in messages and letters between colonel Nicolls and the Dutch go- vernor, the place was surrendered to the commissioners the twen- ty-seventh of August, old style.
. Governor Winthrop, after seeing the letters patent to the Duke of York, informed the English on Long Island that Connecticut had no longer any claim to the island ; that what they had done was for · the welfare, peace, and quiet settlement of his Majesty's subjects, as they were the nearest organized government to them under his Majesty ; but now his Majesty's pleasure was fully signified by his letters patent, their jurisdiction ceased and became null.
It seems, however, that the colony of Connecticut was still desi- rous of retaining Long Island under her jurisdiction, and the several towns on the island which had been connected with that colony, were as anxious that the connection should be continued.
November 30, 1664, the commissioners met to settle the boun- dary between Connecticut and the Duke of York, and after hear- . ing the allegations of the deputies who attended from Long Island, as well as those who attended from Connecticut in favor of con- necting Long Island with that colony, they determined that the south boundary of Connecticut was the Sound, and that Long Island was to be under the government of his Royal Highness, the Duke of York.
Wood's Sketch of Long Island, pp. 27, & 28. '
1
-
- 336
-
HISTORY OF THE
OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL STATE OF THE SEVERAL TOWNS ON THE ISLAND.
1 Of the Dutch Towns.
The people of the Dutch towns professed the doctrines inculca- ted by the Synod, held at Dort, in Holland, in 1618, and were un- der the ecclesiastical government of the classis of Amsterdam, un- til 1772, when the Dutch church of this country established an in- : dependent classis and synods on the model of the church in Hol- land.
Each town had its own consistory, but the whole constituted but one church. Their ministers were colleagues, preached in turn in all the churches, and were supported by a common contribution.
The first house for public worship that was erected by the Dutch, was built in New-Amsterdam, 1642.
December 17, 1654, the governor, who seems to have exercised supreme power in ecclesiastical, as well as civil and military affairs, ordered a house for public worship to be erected at Flatbush, sixty , feet in length, thirty-eight in breadth, and fourteen feet in height below the beams.
February 9, 1655, the governor ordered the people of Brook- lyn and Amersfort, to assist the people of Midwout, or Flatbush, in cutting timber to build the house.
The next house for public worship was commenced at Flatlands, in 1663, and one at Brooklyn, in 1666.
October 13, 1656, the Reverend Joannes Theodorus Polhemus, was by the Dutch governor permitted to preach at Midwout and · Amersfort.
In March, 1656, to accommodate the four villages, Gravesend, - Amersfort, Midwout, and Brooklyn, the Dutch governor ordered Mr. Polhemus to preach every Sunday morning at Midwout, and in the afternoon alternately at Amersfort and Brooklyn.
Wood's Sketch of Long Island, pp. 28 8- 29."
€
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 1 337
Of the English Towns.
The original settlers of the several towns in Suffolk county, and the greater number of the first settlers of the English towns in the Dutch territory, were united in their religious opinions. They were uniform in their adherence to the doctrines contained in the confes- sion of faith, agreed on by the assembly of divines who met at Westminster in 1642. They also accorded with each other on the subject of church government. The constitution of the churches in the several towns was originally congregational, and' so continu- ed until 1747, when the greater number were prevailed on to ex- change the congregational form for that of the Presbyterian, which they were taught to believe to be better adapted to support purity of doctrine, and an efficient discipline.
In most of the towns in Suffolk county and in Hempstead, a min- ister accompanied the first settlers, and a church was organized among them, either before or soon after the commencement of their respective settlements.
A house for public worship was erected in Southampton, and probably in Southold, previous to the year 1645, and these were the first houses that were erected for public worship on the island.
A house for public worship was erected at Hempstead, probably before 1650, in East Hampton in 1651, in Jamaica in 1662, and in Huntington in 1665.
The first houses that were erected for public worship in the se- veral towns were not large. The difficulty of procuring materials limited them in the construction of the buildings to the accommoda- tion of the respective societies, at the time they were erected.
The house erected in Jamaica in 1662 was thirty-six feet in length, twenty-six in breadth, and seventeen feet high. The se- cond house erected in Hempstead in 1677 was forty feet in length, twenty-six in breadth, and twelve feet high. The one erected in Brookhaven, in 1671, was twenty-eight feet square.
At this early period the houses of public worship were without the accommodation of bells, and in several of the towns, if not in
Wood's Sketch of Long Island, pp. 31, & 32.
VOL. 11. 1
44
-
338
HISTORY OF THE
all, the people employed a person to beat a drum to apprize thera of the time of public worship.
In 1662, the town of Jamaica agreed to give a person thirty shil- lings a year for beating a drum on the Sabbath day.
The subject in relation to boundaries and other. matters between the Dutch and English, resumed.
No serious differences, however, arose between the Dutch and English planters before the 25th of April, 1640. On that day the constable of Hartford, with ten men, came upon the land where the servants of the company were at work, and forcibly drove them
away. They then seized the grounds which had been ploughed, and sowed them. During the months of May, June, July, and Au- gust, the English planters continued to throw impediments in the way of the Dutch planters, sometimes by hindering them in the cul- tivation of the ground, and at others by taking their cattle, grass, and corn. Osdicke, the company's agent, served a protest on Mr. Haines, the deputy governor, but it was unavailing .- See Haz- zard's col. of state papers.
In 1640 several planters were massacred at Staten Island, by bands of the Lenni Lenape .- See Wood's Sketch of L. I.
On the fifth of April, in the year 1641, the English planters at Good Hope (Hartford,) by force prevented the Dutch from plough- ing their land. . They beat the men and horses, and compelled them to withdraw. A complaint was made to Mr. Hopkins the go- vernor, but he paid no attention to it .- Hazzard's S. C. S. P.
On the 7th of May they cut the harness of the horses while the Dutch were ploughing. On the 26th of the same: month the Eng- lish obstructed the road leading from the village of Good Hope to the woods .- Hazzard's S. P.
The expedition against the English on Schuylkill was entrusted to Jan Jansen Alpendam. His instructions were dated May twen- ty-second 1642. The Dutch claimed the lands and trade of those parts. The English had a small stockade fort and a storehouse at Schuylkill, which he burnt.
It is asserted by some of the New England writers, but we think without proper proof, that the English planters on Connecticut river drove the Dutch garrison away from Good Hope in 1642, and pos- sessed themselves of it.
٠
.
339
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
1
This year the Dutch built a church at New Amsterdam. 'This was the first house for public worship which they erected in the co- lony.
In 1642, shortly after governor Kieft had broke up the settlement at Oysterbay, the English sent deputies to New Amsterdam for the accommodation of their disputes about limits, to whom the Dutch offered the following conditions :
" Conditiones a D. Directore gen. Senatus Novi Belgii, Dominis Weytingh atque Hill, Delegatis a nobili Senatu Hartfordiensi ob- latæ :
" Pro agro nostro Hartfordiensi, annuo persolvent præpotentiss. D. D. Ordinibus Fœd. Provinciarum Belgicarum aut corum vi- cariis, decimam partem reventus agrorum, tum aratro, tum ligone, aliove cultorum medio ; pomariis, hortisq ; oleribus dicatis, jugerum Hollandium non excedentibus exceptis ; aut decimarum loco, pre- tium nobile postea constituendum, tam diu quam diu possessores ejusdem agri futuri erunt. Actum in arce Amstelodamensi in novo Belgio, die Julii 9, anno Christi, 1642."
For the gratification of the reader we shall give the translation, which is as follows :
Conditions offered by the Director General and Senate of the New Netherlands, to Messrs. Whiting and Hill, delegates, sent by the noble Senate of Hartford :
It is proposed that you pay to their Mightinesses, or to their lieu- tenants, agreeable to the ordinances of the United Provinces of the Belgæ, the tenth part of the revenues of our lands at Hartford, as well those ploughed as those in wood, or otherwise under culture ; as also the tenth from the orchards and gardens, and all those things belonging to garden stuffs ; excepting the cider and garden stuffs if they do not exceed an acre Holland measure, or instead of the tenth which price is hereafter to be fixed according to custom so long as you are in possession of the lands. Given under our hand, at our fort at Amsterdam, in New Netherlands, the 9th day of July in the year of Christ 1642.
We have no account that the English acceded to these proposals, nor is it probable, considering their superior strength, that they ever did ; on the contrary, they daily extended their possessions. In
340
HISTORY OF THE
the year 1643 the colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts bay, Con- necticut, and New Haven, entered into a league both against the Dutch and the Indians, and grew so powerful as to meet shortly after upon a design of extirpating the former. The Massachusetts bay, however, declined this enterprise .-- See Smith's Hist. of N. Y.
Ever since the year 1636 the English had continued to encroach upon the Dutch possessions on Connecticut river, notwithstanding the frequent protestations of the latter. They built Hartford upon the company's grounds, about a good gun-shot distant from Good Hope, founded by the Netherlanders in the year 1623.
The lands along the river, except some ground around the fort and village of Good Hope, were not purchased from the natives till January, 1633. Then one Jacob Van Curlis, in the service of the States' General, and the West India company, bought them from the sachems of the Mohegans, &c.
In 1642, the Dutch still continued to complain of being inter- rupted in the tillage of the land, at, and around Good Hope. The same occurred in 1643.
In 1643, Mr. Kieft made a treaty with Tackapausha, the sachem of the Marsapeagues, and the chiefs of five other clans. All these resided on Long Island, at, and towards its west end. Wood's Sketches.
On the 26th of February, 1643, the Governor complained of the insolence of the savages, for two or three years past. That they came in droves of fifty in sight of the fort, and took horses, cows, hogs, geese, &c., and murdered severel persons : and that they re- fused to give up the murderers, and make restitution.
Governor Kieft in 1643, prohibited the sale of spirituous liquors to thein.
In 1644, a general war was commenced with the savages north of the Sound, and west of the English settlements in Connecticut, which lasted till the summer of 1646, and was terminated by a battle at Strickland's plain in Horse Neck, in which the Dutch with difficulty prevailed.
In 1645, the town of Southampton ordered one-half of their military to attend under arms on Sabbath at meeting. The Indians
341
.
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
sometimes committed depredations on the property of the whites. Wood's Sketch.
The Indians must have appeared in hostile attitudes, otherwise these measures would not have been resorted to.
In the years 1644, and 1645, there do not appear to have been differences of much moment between the infant settlements of the Dutch and English.
The Dutch and English dwelt in two villages, which were en- closed with pickets, in order to protect the people from the attacks of the natives. Watches, or centinels, were kept constantly on duty. We read of difficulties arising between some of the Dutch, and some of the English inhabitants, during the night, induced by the watches. In these times, every able bodied man had to per- form his tour of military duty .! The numbers of the natives, and their fickleness, made it necessary to observe all their movements, and be in constant readiness to repel them, in case of attacks. The cultivators labored in small bodies in the same field, or in different * fields. The joint produce was divided after harvest. A separation among the planters did not occur till after a lapse of some years, and before their numbers had become so considerable as to leave them unter few or no apprehensions. Then, and not till then, were considerable clearings made. 1
On the third of August, in the year 1646, William Kieft, the governor of the New Netherlands, sent a protest to the English government at New Haven. This place was then called by the Dutch " the Red Hills." In this he say's, "we give you notice, that for some years past, you have indirectly entered the limits of the New Netherlands, usurped divers places in them, and injured us, without making any satisfaction, although we have often requested it: And because, you, and your people have of late determined to settle near Mauritius in this province, and there not only disturb our trade, but draw it to yourselves : we are compelled to protest, and by these presents, we do protest against you as breakers of the peace, and disturbers of the public quiet. That if you do not re- store the places you have usurped, and repair the losses we have sustained, we shall by such means as God hath afforded us, man- fully recover them." Hazzard's S. P.
.
342
HISTORY OF THE
To this protest, a reply was made on the 12th of August, in the same year, to Mr. Kieft the governor. In the reply, the goverment of New Haven say, "we know no such river as Mauritius : nor do we know what you intend by that name, unless it be Hudson's river." " Nor have we at any time entered upon any place to which you had, or have title : nor have we in any other respect been injurious to you." " It is nevertheless true, that we have . lately built a small house within our own limits, upon Pawgusett river, which falls into the sea in the midst of the English planta- tions ; but it is far from the Manhattoes, where you have your trading-house, and from any port on Hudson's river." " We ex- pect little trade at it ; the natives being free to traffic with your people, or our people." We did not build a fort there before we had purchased a title from them-the native proprietors. What injuries and outrages we have received in our persons, and proper- ties at Manhattoes, Delaware river, and other places from you ; our former letters and protests, do both declare and prove, to all which you have hitherto given, very unsatisfactory answers." " But what- ever injuries and outrages we have received : we conceive that we have neither done, or returned any thing but what doth agree with the law of God ; the law of nations, and with that ancient con- federation and amity, between our and your superiors at home. We will readily refer all questions, and differences between you and us, to any due examination and judgment, either here or in Europe, &c." Hazzard's C. S. P.
On or about the seventh of September, of the same year, two other letters were addressed to Mr. Kieft. The one was from the government of Hartford, and the other, from that of New Haven. We shall not give the letters, but such extracts as seem to have a bearing on the subject.
" It is nearly three years since the governor of Massachusetts by the consent, and advice of the council of that colony, did pro- pound to your consideration, sundry injurious acts, done by your agent upon Fresh river, (Connecticut river,) and some of his family upon our brethren at Hartford, to all of which, you gave no satis- faction. Your agent and his company, have now grown to a strange and insufferable boldness. An Indian captive, liahin in
343
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
public punishment, fled from her master at Hartford, is entertained at your house at Good Hope; and though requested by the Magis- trate, is under the protection of your agent, who refuses to give her up. Such a servant is part of her master's estate, and a more considerable part than a beast. Your agent himself, in height of disorder, and contempt of authority, resists the watch at Hartford by night, draws and breaks his sword upon their weapons, and by flight escapes." See Hazzard's C. S. P.
From the foregoing, we learn that the colonists at a very early period, enslaved their captives, and that they held them in but little higher estimation than they did beasts of burden.
- The following extracts are taken from a letter of September 22nd, 1646, wrote by Mr. Kieft, to the commissioners of the con- federate English, at the Red Mount (New Haven,) in the New Netherlands, and are in answer to the preceding.
"The inhabitants of Hartford have deceived you with false ac- cusations, as were easy to be evidenced by us, were we disposed at this time to produce them ; but that we may not seem to evade you with vain words, we shall at this time present you with a few par- ticulars, in order that you may judge of them." And therefore, passing by the usurping by the people of Hartford of our jurisdic- tion, and our lands against possessions solemnly taken by us, not- withstanding our former protestations ; we do say, that the blood of our countrymen' shed by the inhabitants, and the selling of our domestic beasts by them : do sufficiently show the equity of our proceedings in the case of Whiting."
" So far as concerns the Indian hand-maid, although it be appre- hended by some, that she is no slave, but a free woman, and be- cause she was neither taken in war, nor bought with price, but was in former times placed with me by her parents for education : yet we will not suffer her to be wrongfully detained."
"Concerning the breaking in of our agent upon the watch at Hartford by night, we truly conceive that watches are appointed for the defence of towns against enemies, and not for the hindrance of friends while returning to their houses."
"Certainly. when we hear the inhabitants of Hartford complain- ing of us, we seem to hear Esop's wolf complaining of the lamb."
·
344
HISTORY OF THE
" To conclude, we protest against all your commissioners met at the Red Mount, as against breakers of the common league, and also as infringers of the rights of the lords the States our supe- riors, in that you have presumed without express permission, to hold your general meeting within the limits of the New Netherlands.' See Hazzard's C. S. P. -
Thus the parties had as yet done nothing beyond complaining of injuries, and grievances, and protesting. Both claimed the country which now constitutes the state of Connecticut. Both had formed establishments, and taken possession of parts. Neither would allow the claim of the other to be well founded.
Hitherto the Dutch and English had been cautious about furnish- ing the Indians with guns, hatchets, and other warlike instruments. Both governments had prohibited the traders from selling these weapons. The love of gain however, had tempted some to break over it.
In 1646, the Swedes built a church at New Gottenburgh, on the island of Tennacum, which was consecrated by Dr. John Campa- nius. Tennacum is three leagues east of Christiana, in the state of Delaware. The Swedes settled here in 1631, and erected a small fort. Their governors resided here. The natives called the island Tutae-ae-nungh-teniko. The Swedes named it New Gottenburgh. See History of Swedeland, in the Historical collections of New- York.
1
CHAPTER XIII.
William Kieft succeeded in the government of the New Netherlands by Peter Stuyvesant .- The disputes between the Dutch and English planterss on Connecticut river, and' other places, still continued .- Correspondence between Mr. Stuyvesant, the go- vernor, and the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England .- Conference between governor Stuyvesant and the Commissioners of New England, at Good Hope, (Hartford) .- Reference .- Report of the referees .- The Dutch after the report withdrew from Connecticut, and the eastern and middle parts of Long Island .- Disputes between the Dutch and English about the lands around Delaware bay .- Differences between the Dutch and Swedes, &c.
On the twenty-seventh of May, 1647, Peter Stuyvesant super- seded Mr. Kieft in the government of the New Netherlands. He found himself embroiled very soon after his arrival with the colonies of New England.
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.