USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 2
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 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
The seat of government of New Netherland was located at Manhattan Island, now the site of the city of New York, and the superior local officer of the government was styled a Director. Shortly after the commencement of the administration of its affairs by the West India Company, this office was conferred on Peter Minuit or Minewit, of Wesel, kingdom of Westphalia, who arrived at Manhattan Island in one of two ships dispatched by the Am- sterdam department of the West India Company, in 1624. He was assisted in his government by a council of five members and a "Scout Fiscal," whose duties embraced those now usually performed by a sheriff and district at- torney. The authority vested in the Director and his council was ample, being executive, legislative and judicial, and extended to the South as well as the North river. The records of the government or of the company give very lit- tle information in respect to the administration of Minuit. It lasted till 1632, and is supposed to have been generally successful. It is distinguished by no remarkable event except the purchase of Manhattan Island from the Indians, in 1626. The title to this Island, now the site of the city of New York, and estimated to contain 22,000 acres, was acquired for the paltry sum of sixty guilders or $24. This purchase is important as probably indicating a period when the policy of the Dutch underwent a change: when from having been merely Indian traders, they began to contemplate a permanent settlement of the country.
The commencement of the directorship of Minuit is fixed by Wassenaer in his history of Europe (Amsterdam, 1621 to 1632,) in the year 1626, and he assigns him two predecessors in that office, viz : Willem Van Hulst, for the year 1625; and Cornelis Mey, for 1624. These men, in conjunction with Adriaen Joriz Tienpont, appear, however, to have been merely directors of an expedition, and it would seem that the government of the country, of which the territory embraced within the limits of our little county in the estimation of the Dutch constituted a part, commenced with the administration of Minuit.
It is a circumstance worthy of note that the party who erected Fort Nassau was accompanied by females. The fact is fully established by a deposition of Catelina Tricho, said to have been the first white woman at Albany, dated New York, February 14th, 1684-5. In another deposition of the same lady taken a few years afterwards (1688), she states that "two families and eight men" were sent to the Delaware. This effort at a settlement on the Delaware was soon abandoned-probably before the expiration of a single year ; as Wassa- naer, under date of 1625, says, "The fort at the South river is already vacated in order to strengthen the colony (at Manhattan.) For purposes of trade, only one yacht is sent there, in order to avoid expense." It is not remarkable
7
DELAWARE COUNTY
that this policy should have been adopted, as the whole colony at Manhattan at this period scarcely numbered two hundred souls. The fort was abandoned to the Indians, who did not fail to occupy it as their occasions required; and the country again passed into their possession as completely as it was on the day Hudson touched at the Capes.
Gustavus Adolphus, reigning monarch of Sweden, through whose wisdom and valor that nation had acquired an elevated standing among the govern- ments of Europe, now sought to confer still further benefits upon his country by extending its commerce. Chiefly with this view, a charter was granted by him for a Swedish West India Company. This company, which was to go into operation May 1, 1627, and to continue twelve years, had every necessary power conferred upon it for the establishment of a colony, with the promised aid of the government to a very liberal extent. William Usselinex, a native of the low countries, represented as having spent much time in seeking out new ports and as being "the inventor in Holland of the West India Company," had counselled and advised the adoption of the measure, and was to have a share in its management.
While these proceedings were in progress, the war in Germany, in which Gustavus became so largely engaged, postponed for a time the project of Swedish colonization in America; and his death in 1632 would have led to a total abandonment of the scheme but for the persevering energy of his re- nowned minister Oxenstiern.
Seventeen years had now elapsed since the discovery of the country by Hudson, and but little had been accomplished towards making it a permanent home for civilized man. The whole population of Manhattan at this period was 270 souls, consisting chiefly of the officers and servants of the company with their families. But few others resided elsewhere on the Hudson, and, as has been shown, no permanent establishment of any kind was maintained on the Delaware. The trade of the country was, however, by no means in- considerable, the Delaware contributing a fair proportion of it. The ship that carried to the Fatherland the news of the purchase of Manhattan from the In- dians, was freighted with 7246 beaver skins, 8531/2 otter skins, 81 mink skins, 36 wild cat skins, and 34 rat skins, besides a considerable quantity of oak and hickory timber. But this was chiefly Indian trade-a trade that must neces- sarily diminish in proportion to the vigor with which it was prosecuted. Fore- seeing this, and with the more prosperous colonies of the English on either side of them, the settlement of the country was determined upon by the Dutch as the only means by which it could be saved from passing into other hands, while its trade at the same time would be augmented.
With the view of promoting colonization, a plan not one step in advance of the prejudices of the times, was resolved upon. The privileged West In- dia Company adopted articles termed "Freedoms and Exemptions to all such as shall plant colonies in New Netherland." Under this scheme the feudal tenure of lands was to be introduced into America south of Canada, where settlements on an analagous plan had already commenced. The wealthy im-
8
DELAWARE COUNTY
migrant who could in four years plant a colony of fifty souls would be a "Pa- troon," becoming the absolute owner of a vast tract of land which if situated only on one side of a river, might have a front of sixteen miles, but if on both sides, one half that front, and extending "so far into the country as the situa- tion of the occupiers will permit." The Patroon could hold courts of justice, and when the amount in litigation did not exceed $20, there was no appeal from his judgment. The company also agreed to use their endeavors for a time, "to supply the colonists with as many blacks as they conveniently can, on conditions hereafter to be made." (Slaves were introduced into New Neth- erland as early as 1628. In a letter recently discovered dated at the Island of Manhattan, on the IIth of August of that year, from the Rev. Jonas Michael- ius, the writer says, "the Angola slaves are thievish, lazy and useless trash.")
Previous to the ratification of this document by the States General, or even by the West India Company, two of its Amsterdam directors, Samuel Godyn and Samuel Blomaert, by their agents in this country, had purchased a large tract of land at the mouth of Delaware bay. This grant was confirmed to the purchasers by Peter Minuit, the Director, and his council, on the "Island Manahatas" July 16, 1630-the savage grantors being then and there present. The land embraced in the grant thus confirmed was "situate on the south side of the aforesaid bay of the South river, extending in length from C. Hinlopen off into the mouth of the aforesaid South river, about eight leagues and half a league in breadth into the interior, extending to a certain marsh or valley through which these limits can be clearly enough distinguished." Samuel Godyn had previously given notice of his intention to make the above pur- chase, and to occupy the bay of the South river as Patroon, on the conditions set forth in the "Freedoms and Exemptions." Meeting with David Pieterszen DeVries, of Hoorn, "a bold and skilful seaman" who had been "a master of artillery in the service of the United Provinces," he made him acquainted with the design of himself and associates, of forming a colony. The bay of the South river was held up to De Vries as a point at which a whale fishery could be profitably established, as Godyn represented that there were many whales which kept before the bay, and the oil at sixty guilders a hogshead, he thought, would realize a good profit. DeVries declining to accept a subordinate position in connection with the colony, he was at once admitted, on perfect equality into a company of Patroons who associated themselves together October 16, 1630. Besides Godyn, Bloemaert and DeVries, the members composing this patroon- ship were Killian Van Rensselaer. Jan DeLaet, Matthys Van Keulen, Nicholas Van Sittorigh, Harnick Koeck and Heyndrick Hamel, being all directors of the West India Company except De Vries. All of the expected advantages were to be equalized ; and DeVries, who had charge of the establishment of the colony, dispatched from the Texel. December 12, 1630, a ship and a yacht for the South river. "with a number of people, and a large stock of cattle." the object being, "as well to carry on a whale fishery in that region, as to plant a colony for the cultivation of all sorts of grain, for which the country is very well adapted, and of tobacco."
9
DELAWARE COUNTY
De Vries did not accompany this expedition as has been supposed by most writers on the subject, but on the 20th of the month he learned that the yacht had been "taken by the Dunkirkers" before leaving the Texel, owing to the carelessness of the large ship which had sailed after the yacht. The large ship, which was commanded by a Captain Peter Heyes, of Edam, pro- ceeded on the voyage alone, but failing in an important object of it, "the dis- embarking of a lot of people at Tortugas," returned to Holland in September, 1631. The ship conveyed the colony to the "South river in New Netherland," but was unsuccessful in the whale fishery, the captain alleging "that he ar- rived there too late in the year," though he brought home a sample of oil "from a dead whale found on the shore."
"Swanendael" (Valley of Swans,) was the name given to the tract of land purchased for the accommodation of the colony, and had its greatest length parallel with the shore of the bay. The date of the arrival of Captain Heyes with his colonists is not known ; but allowing the usual time occupied in making a passage, from December 12, 1630, it may be arrived at with sufficient accuracy. On May 5, following, Skipper Heyes, (Heysen) and Gillis Hosset, Commissary of the ship "Walrus" (for that appears to have been the name of the ship that brought out the colony) purchased of the Indians, "the rightful owners," a tract of land sixteen English miles square at Cape May, and ex- tending sixteen miles on the bay. This purchase was made for Bodyn and Bloemaert, and was duly reported and recorded at Manhattan June 3rd fol- tending sixteen miles on the bay. This purchase was made for Godyn and Bloemaert, and was duly reported and recorded at Manhattan, June 3rd, fol- lowing. At the date of this writing, the "Walrus" was in the South river, but must have sailed very shortly afterwards, to arrive at Holland in September. A house "well beset with palisades in place of breastworks," had been erected on the north-west side of Hoornkil (Lewes creek,) a short distance from its mouth. It was called "Fort Optlandt," and appears to have served the colony, which consisted of thirty-two men, as a place of defence, a dwelling and a storehouse. This colony, the most unfortunate that settled on the bay or river, was left under the charge of Gillis Hosset or Osset.
On February 12, 1632, we are informed by De Vries than an agreement was again entered into "to equip a ship and a yacht for the whale fishery, in which much profit had not been realized." A second voyage was especially urged by Samuel Godyn, and, to render success more certain, it was resolved, says De Vries, "that I myself should go as patroon and as commander of the ship and yacht, and should endeavor to be there in December, in order to con- duct the whale fishery during the winter, as whales come in the winter and re- main till March." When this second whaling voyage had been determined upon, only the pecuniary disasters of the first were known to those concerned in it; but before sailing out of the Texel, the loss of their little fort and the destruction of the whole Colony was communicated to DeVries.
Leaving the Texel on May 24, and taking a very circuitous passage, De Vries did not enter the Delaware till December 5th. His first greeting was, "a
IO
DELAWARE COUNTY
whale near the ship!" which made him anticipate "royal work-the whales so numerous-and the land so fine for cultivation." The explorations of the next day in the boat revealed to them the melancholy spectacle of the house of the former colony "almost burnt up," with the skulls and bones of their people, and the heads of the horses and cows which they had brought with them lying here and there about it ; but no Indians were to be seen.
De Vries did not for a moment allow his presence of mind to forsake him. Being unable to punish the savages, he sought and obtained an interview with their chiefs, and at the cost of some duffels, bullets, hatchets and Nu- remburg trinkets, ratified a treaty of peace with them. Some preparations were also made for the prosecution of the contemplated whale fishing.
In furtherance of the object of his voyage. De Vries sailed up the Dela- ware on January Ist. 1633. to obtain beans from the Indians. He encountered a whale on the first day, at the mouth of the river, and "two large whales near the yacht" on the following day, which made him wish for the sloop and the harpooners which were lying at Swanendael. On the 5th of the month the yacht arrived before "the little fort named Nassau." The fort was unoccu- pied except by Indians, who were assembled there to barter furs, but De Vries "was in want of Turkish beans and had no goods to exchange for peltries." He was advised by the Indians to enter Timmer kill, but was cautioned by an Indian woman not to enter the kill entirely. This woman, after having been bribed by the present of a cloth garment, discovered the fact that the crew of an English sloop had been murdered, who had gone into Count Ernest's river, and the story was confirmed by the appearance of some of the Indians dressed in English jackets. Thus placed on his guard, and by making the Indians be- lieve that he had been made acquainted with their wicked designs through the agency of their own evil spirit. Manitoe. he was enabled to make a lasting peace with them, which was concluded with the usual Indian solemnities. Soon after this, some corn was obtained, and also some beavers.
On the 10th, at noon, they came to anchor at "Jaques Island," and on the day following. in the evening. "about half-a-mile above Minquas Kill." they saw a whale six or seven times, which surprised them, as it was "seven or eight miles (Dutch) into fresh water." On the 13th, they had arrived at the ship at Swanendael, where they were greeted by their friends, who in their absence had shot two whales which yielded but little oil.
On January 18, goods were placed in the yacht, which again sailed up the river, but was frozen up in Wyngaert's kill from January 19, till February 3rd. While here they shot wild turkeys weighing from thirty to thirty-six pounds! When they reached Fort Nassau they found no Indians, the fort being evacu- ated, but as it had commenced to freeze again, and being apprehensive of dan- ger, if frozen up where they were. they "hauled into a kill over against the fort," where they remained eight days before the ice broke. The Indians soon made their appearance in unusually large numbers, for it turned out that a war was raging between the "Minquas, who dwell among the English in Vir- ginia," and the tribes on this river, one of which DeVries calls Armewamen,
II
DELAWARE COUNTY
and another .Sankiekens. After having been subjected to very great danger from the Indians and floating ice, they returned again to the ship on the 20th, after an absence of a month. There was great rejoicing at their safe return by those left at Swanendael, as "they did not imagine that we had been frozen up in the river, as no pilot or astrologer could conceive, that in the latitude from the thirty-eighth and a half to the thirty-ninth, such rapid running rivers could freeze."
Still in pursuit of supplies, but partly to gratify a little vanity in being the first of his countrymen to visit that country, he set sail for Virginia on March 6th. Here he met with an exceedingly kind reception from the governor, but after informing his excellency that he came from South river, he was made acquainted with Lord Delaware's visit to the bay, and the English title thereto ; whereupon our worthy captain duly set forth the Dutch claim to the country, resting it on the establishment of Fort Nassau. "It was strange to the gover- nor that he should have such neighbours and never heard of them." The gov- ernor sent six goats by De Vries for the governor at Fort Amsterdam, and, after having purchased provisions, he returned to the whale fishery at Swan- endael.
During his absence but seven whales had been caught, and they very poor ones, yielding but thirty-two cartels of oil. Seventeen had been struck, which went to show that the bay was frequented by those creatures, but their poor- ness seemed to satisfy De Vries that the business would not be profitable. On April 14, he sailed for Fort Amsterdam (New York) on his return to Europe, leaving no colony behind him, and the whole bay and river free from any European settlement.
As we go along it will be necessary to note the changes in the govern- ment to which the country embracing the territory now occupied by our little county was subjected. Director Minuit having been recalled, was succeeded by Wouter Van Twiller, who arrived at Fort Amsterdam in the spring of 1633 in one of the company's ships, with 104 soldiers, the first military force ever detailed for New Netherland. He was a near relative to the patroon, Van Rensselaer.
On April 10, 1633, Chancellor Oxenstiern revived the interest which had formerly existed in Sweden in respect to colonies, in signing, by authority of the crown, the proclamation that had been left unsigned by Gustavus Adol- phus. The time for uniting with the company was extended to the first of the next year, and William Usselinex appointed the first Director. The trade in peltries at this time became very profitable, which induced the new Director to turn his attention to that species of trade on the Delaware. With the view of rendering it more secure to the West India Company, it is said he directed Arent Corsen, who had been appointed commissary at Fort Nassau, to pur- chase from the Indians a tract of land situated on the Schuylkill, which pur- chase was accordingly made during the year 1633. This is the first claim to land in our vicinity by virtue of a title acquired from the Indians.
The extreme jealousy of the West India Company lest any one should
12
DELAWARE COUNTY
share with them in the smallest degree the trade of New Netherland, led to fierce disputes with patroons still residing in Holland. The different interpre- tations put on the charter of the company, and on the privileges granted by them to the patroons, were well calculated to widen the breach between the parties. With the view of terminating these unpleasant quarrels, and it may have been partly on political considerations, the Directors of the company were authorized by the Assembly of XIX of the States General, to repurchase patroonships. Under this authority, the patroon owners of Swanendael, on February 7, 1635, retransferred all their right, title and interest in their lands on both sides of the bay, to the West India Company for the sum of 15,600 guilders, ($6,240.) All charters, maps and papers concerning the aforesaid colonies were to be delivered over to the purchasers. This transaction was well calculated to put an end to private enterprise on the Delaware river on Dutch account, and probably had that effect.
The British government never having recognized the claims of the Dutch to any part of North America, a party from the English colony on the Con- necticut river, consisting of George Holmes, his hired man Thomas Hall, and about a dozen others, attempted to effect a settlement on the Delaware in 1635. Hall deserted his master, and the others, failing in an attack upon Fort Nas- sau, were captured by the garrison and sent to Manhattan. These English- men were not punished, but were permitted to settle in the vicinity of Fort Amsterdam, and are said to be the first English settlers among the Dutch on Manhattan. This Thomas Hall became a man of some distinction, as his name frequently appears in the Dutch records. Although this attack on the Dutch fort was unsuccessful, the fact that it was made by so small a party is evidence of the weakness of the garrison and of the small establishment kept on the Delaware by the company at this time, to protect its trade ; nor is there any evidence that this force was kept there permanently.
Up to this period there is no reliable evidence that the Dutch had effected any permanent settlement on the Delaware; and, unless the unfortunate colon- ists at Swanendael be an exception, no one had adopted its shores as his home for life or as an abiding place for his posterity. From the period of the foray of Holmes and his Englishmen till about the time of the arrival of the Swedes in 1638, the doings of the Dutch on our river remain very much in the dark for want of authentic documents on the subject during that period. A report made to the States General in April of that year, "on the condition of the colony of New Netherland," furnishes rather conclusive evidence that noth- ing of the kind had been attempted. Even the present occupancy of the river is not claimed, as will be seen by the following question and answer extracted from that document :
"Are these limits, (limits including the Delaware,) in the possession, at the present time, of the West India Company, and the inhabitants of this country?" Answer: "We occupy Mauritius, or the North river; where there are two forts, Orange and Amster- dam; and there is moreover one house built by the company, and that is most of the population."
13
DELAWARE COUNTY
The house here spoken of, in the opinion of Dr. O'Callaghan, the very best authority on the subject, was the "House of Good Hope," built by the Dutch on the Connecticut river.
The charter of the Swedish West India Company having been completed it was printed in Hamburg in 1635. It was not, however, till 1637 that any active operations connected with the establishment of a colony on the Dela- ware were commenced. The name of William Usselinex, the projector not only of the Swedish Company but also that of the Dutch and who had been named in the proclamation of Oxenstiern as the "first director," no longer ap- pears.
Arrangements having been fully made for planting a Swedish colony (on the Delaware), the expedition for its establishment was placed under the charge of Peter Minuit, who had served the Dutch West India Company as their first Director, and who no doubt had a practical acquaintance with the river. The squadron consisted of but two ships the "Key of Kalmar," a man- of-war, and the "Griffin," a tender. They sailed from Gottenburg very late in 1637 or early in 1638, both vessels "being well stored with provisions, am- munition and goods proper for commerce with the Indians, and donations for them." The first notice of the arrival of the expedition on our coast is con- tained in a letter written from Jamestown, in Virginia, by Jerome Hawley, treasurer of that colony, dated May 8th, 1638. The date of arrival is not giv- en, but it was subsequent to March 20th, of that year, and at least ten days prior to date of his letter. Minuit refused to exhibit his commission to the authorities of Virginia except upon condition of free trade in tobacco to be carried to Sweden, which was refused as being "contrary to his Majesty's in- structions," but he freely proclaimed the fact that "he held it from the young queen of Sweden," and that "it was signed by eight of the chief lords" of that government. During the ten days the ship remained at Jamestown, to refresh with wood and water, Minuit also made known "that both himself and another ship of his company were bound for Delaware Bay," which, in the language of the letter, "is the confines of Virginia and New England, and there they pretend to make a plantation and to plant tobacco, which the Dutch do also already on the Hudson river, which is the very next river northward from Delaware bay."
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.