History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 6

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 6

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HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

mandant and other officers were to retain their private property, the muskets belonging to the crown were to be held until sent for, and finally the fort was to be surrendered, with all the cannon, ammunition, materials and other goods belonging to the West India Company. The Dutch entered the fort at noon with all the formality and glorious circumstance of war, and Dominie Megap- olensis, Chaplain of the expedition, preached a sermon of thanksgiving on the following Sunday in honor of the great triumph.

While these signal events were transpiring at Casimir, Gov. Rysing, at his royal residence on Tinicum, was in utter ignorance that he was being despoiled of his power. A detachment of nine men had been sent by the Governor to Casimir to re-enforce the garrison, which came unawares upon the Dutch lines, and after a brief skirmish all but two were captured. Upon learning that the fort was invested, Factor Ellswyck was sent with a flag to inquire of the in- vaders the purpose of their coming. The answer was returned "To recover and retain our property." Rysingh then communicated the hope that they would therewith rest content, and not encroach further upon Swedish territory, having, doubtless, ascertained by this time that the Dutch were too strong for him to make any effectual resistance. Stuyvesant returned an evasive answer, but made ready to march upon Fort Christina. It will be remembered that by the terms of the modified orders given for the reduction of the Swedes, Fort Christina was not to be disturbed. But the Dutch Governor's blood was now up, and he determined to make clean work while the means were in his hands. Discovering that the Dutch were advancing, Rysingh spent the whole night in strengthening the defenses and putting the garrison in position to make a stout resistance. Early on the following day the invaders made their appearance on the opposite bank of Christina Creek, where they threw up de- fenses and planted their cannon. Forces were landed above the fort, and the place was soon invested on all sides, the vessels, in the meantime, having beon brought into the mouth of the creek, their cannon planted west of the fort and on Timber Island. Having thus securely shut up the Governor and his garri- son, Stuyvesant summmoned him to surrender. Rysingh could not in honor tamely submit, and at a council of war it was resolved to make a defense and

"leave the consequence to be redressed by our gracious superiors." But their supply of powder barely sufficed for one round, and his force consisted of only

thirty men. In the meantime, the Dutch soldiery made free with the property of the Swedes without the fort, killing their cattle and invading their homes. "At length the Swedish garrison itself showed symptoms of mutiny. The men were harassed with constant watching, provisions began to fail, many were sick, several had deserted, and Stuyvesant threatened, that, if they held out much longer, to give no quarter." A conference was held which ended by the return of Rysingh to the fort more resolute than ever for defense. Finally Stuyvesant sent in his ultimatum and gave twenty-four hours for a final answer, the generous extent of time for consideration evincing the humane disposition of the commander of the invading army, or what is perhaps more probable his own lack of stomach for carnage. Before the expiration of the time allowed, the garrison capitulated, "after a siege of fourteen days, dur- ing which, very fortunately, there was a great deal more talking than cannon- ading, and no blood shed, except those of the goats, poultry and swine, which the Dutch troops laid their hands on. The twenty or thirty Swedes then marched out with their arms; colors flying, matches lighted, drums beating, and fifes playing, and the Dutch took possession of the fort, hauled down the Swedish flag and hoisted their own."

By the terms of capitulation, the Swedes, who wished to remain in the

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country, were permitted to do so, on taking the oath of allegiance, and rights of property were to be respected under the sway of Dutch law. Gov. Ry. singh, and all others who desired to return to Europe, were furnished passage, and by a secret provision, a loan of £300 Flemish was made to Rysingh, to be refunded on his arrival in Sweden, the cannon and other property belonging to the crown remaining in the hands of the Dutch until the loan was paid. Before withdrawing Stuyvesant offered to deliver over Fort Christina and the lands immediately about it to Rysingh, but this offer was declined with dig- nity, as the matter had now passed for arbitrament to the courts of the two na- tions.

The terms of the capitulation were honorable and liberal enough, but the Dutch authorities seem to have exercised little care in carrying out its provis- ione, or else the discipline in the service must have been very lax. For Ry- singh had no sooner arrived at Manhattan, than he entered most vigorous pro- tests against the violations of the provisions of the capitulation to Gov. Stuy- vesant. He asserted that the property belonging to the Swedish crown had been left without guard or protection from pillage, and that he himself had not been assigned quarters suited to his dignity. He accused the Dutch with having broken open the church, and taken away all the cordage and sails of a new vessel, with having plundered the villages, Tinnakong, Uplandt, Fin- land, Printzdorp and other places. "In Christina, the women were violently torn from their houses; whole buildings were destroyed; yea, oxen, cows, hogs and other creatures were butchered day after day; even the horses were not spared, but wantonly shot; the plantations destroyed, and the whole country so desolated that scarce any means were left for the subsistence of the inhab- itants." "Your men carried off even my own property," said Rysingh, "with that of my family, and we were left like sheep doomed to the knife, without means of defense against the wild barbarians."

Thus the colony of Swedes and Fins on the South River, which had been planned by and had been the object of solicitnde to the great monarch himself, and had received the fostering care of the Swedish Government, came to an end after an existence of a little more than seventeen years-1638-1655. But though it no longer existed as a colony under the government of the crown of Sweden, many of the colonists remained and became the most intelligent and law-abiding citizens, and constituted a vigorous element in the future growth of the State. Some of the best blood of Europe at this period flowed in the veins of the Swedes. "A love for Sweden," says Bancroft, "their dear mother country, the abiding sentiment of loyalty toward its sovereign, con- tinued to distinguish the little band. At Stockholm, they remained for a century the objects of disinterested and generous regard; affection united them in the New World; and a part of their descendants still preserve their altar and their dwellings around the graves of their fathers."

This campaign of Stuyvesant, for the dispossessing of the Swedes of terri- tory upon the Delaware, furnishes Washington Irving subject for some of the most inimitable chapters of broad humor, in his Knickerbocker's New York, to be found in the English language. And yet, in the midst of his side-splitting paragraphs, he indulges in a reflection which is worthy of remembrance. "He who reads attentively will discover the threads of gold which run throughout the web of history, and are invisible to the dull eye of ignorance. * *

* By the treacherous surprisal of Fort Casimir, then, did the crafty Swedes enjoy a transient triumph, but drew upon their heads the vengeance of Peier Stuyvesant, who wrested all New Sweden from their hands. By the conquest of New Sweden, Peter Stuyvesant aroused the claims of Lord Balti-

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

more, who appealed to the cabinet of Great Britain, who subdued the whole province of New Netherlands. By this great achievement, the whole extent of North America, from Nova Scotia to the Floridas, was rendered one entire dependency upon the British crown. But mark the consequence: The hith- erto scattered colonies being thus consolidated and having no rival colonies to check or keep them in awe, waxed great and powerful, and finally becoming too strong for the mother country. were enabled to shake off its bonds. But the chain of effects stopped not here; the successful revolution in America pro- duced the sanguinary revolution in France, which produced the puissant Bonaparte, who produced the French despotism."

In March, 1656, the ship "Mercury," with 130 emigrants, arrived, the government at Stockholm having had no intimation of the Dutch conquest. An attempt was made to prevent a landing, and the vessel was ordered to report to Stuyvesant at Manhattan, but the order was disregarded and the col- onists debarked and acquired lands. The Swedish Government was not dis- posed to submit to these high-handed proceedings of the Dutch, and the min- isters of the two courts maintained a heated discussion of their differences. Finding the Dutch disposed to hold by force their conquests, the government of Sweden allowed the claim to rest until 1664. In that year, vigorous meas- ures were planned to regain its claims upon the Delaware, and a fleet bearing a military force was dispatched for the purpose. But, having been obliged to put back on account of stress of weather, the enterprise was abandoned.

CHAPTER III.

JOHN PAUL JACQUET, 1655-57-JACOB ALRICHS, 1657-59-GOERAN VAN DYCK, 1657 -58-WILLIAM BEEKMAN, 1658-63-ALEXANDER D'HINOYOSSA, 1659-64.

THE colonies upon the Delaware being now under exclusive control of the Dutch, John Paul Jaquet was appointed in November, 1655, as Vice Director, Derck Smidt having exercised authority after the departure of Stuy- vesant. The expense of fitting out the expedition for the reduction of the Swedes was sorely felt by the West India Company, which had been obliged to borrow money for the purpose of the city of Amsterdam. In payment of this loan, the company sold to the city all the lands upon the south bank of the Delaware, from the ocean to Christina Creek, reaching back to the lands of the Minquas, which was designated Nieur Amstel. Again was there di- vided authority upon the Delaware. The government of the new possession was vested in a commission of forty residents of Amsterdam, who appointed Jacob Alrichs as Director, and sent him with a force of forty soldiers and 150 colonists, in three vessels, to assume the government, whereupon Jaquet relin- quished authority over this portion of his territory. The company in commu- nicating with Stuyvesant upon the subject of his course in dispossessing the Swedes, after duly considering all the complaints and remonstrances of the Swedish government, approved his conduct, "though they would not have been displeased had such a formal capitulation not taken place," adding as a paren- thetical explanation of the word formal " what is written is too long preserved, and may be produced when not desired, whereas words not recorded are, in the lapse of time, forgotten, or may be explained away."

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Stuyvesant still remained in supreme control over both the colony of the city and the colony of the company, to the immediate governorship of the lat- ter of which, Goeran Van Dyck was appointed. But though settlements in the management of affairs were frequently made, they would not remain set- tled. There was conflict of authority between Alrichs and Van Dyck. The companies soon found that a grievous system of smuggling had sprung up. After a searching examination into the irregularities by Stuyvesant, who vis- ited the Delaware for the purpose, he recommended the appointment of one general agent who should have charge of all the revenues of both colonies, and William Beekman was accordingly appointed. The company of the city seems not to have been satisfied with the profits of their investment, and ac- cordingly made new regulations to govern settlement, by which larger returns would accrue. This action created discontent among the settlers, and many who were meditating the purchase of lands and the acquisition of homes, de- termined to go over into Maryland where Lord Baltimore was offering far more liberal terms of settlement. To add to the discomforts of the settlers, "the miasms which the low alluvial soil and the rank and decomposed vegetation of a new country engenders," produced wasting sicknesses. When the planting was completed, and the new soil, for ages undisturbed, had been thoroughly stirred, the rains set in which descended almost continuously, producing fever and ague and dysentery. Scarcely a family escaped the epidemic. Six in the family of Director Alrichs were attacked, and his wife died. New colo- nists came without provisions, which only added to the distress. "Scarcity of provisions," says O'Calaghan, " naturally followed the failure of the crops; 900 schepels of grain had been sown in the spring. They produced scarcely 600 at harvest. Rye rose to three guilders the bushel; peas to eight guilders the sack; salt was twelve guilders the bushel at New Amsterdam; cheese and butter were not to be had, and when a man journeys he can get nothing but dry bread, or he must take a pot or kettle along with him to cook his victuals." " The place had now got so bad a name that the whole river could not wash it clean." The exactions of the city company upon its colony, not only did not bring increased revenue, but by dispersing the honest colonists, served to notify Lord Baltimore-who had laid claim to the lands upon Delaware, on account of original discovery by Lord De la War, from whom the river takes its name, and from subsequent charter of the British crown, covering territory from the 38th to the 40th degree of latitude-of the weakness of the colonies, and persuade him that now was a favorable opportunity to enforce his claims. Accordingly, Col. Utie, with a number of delegates, was dispatched to demand that the Dutch should quit the place, or declare themselves subjects of Lord Baltimore, adding, " that if they hesitated, they should be responsible for whatever innocent blood might be shed."

Excited discussions ensued between the Dutch authorities and the agents of the Maryland government, and it was finally agreed to refer the matter to Gov. Stuyvesant, who immediately sent Commissioners to the Chesapeake to settle differences, and enter into treaty regulations for the mutual return of fugitives, and dispatched sixty soldiers to the Delaware to assist in preserving order, and resisting the English, should an attempt be made to dispossess the Dutch.

Upon the death of Alrichs, which occurred in 1659, Alexander D'Hinoyossa was appointed Governor of the city colony. The new Governor was a mnan of good business capacity, and sought to administer the affairs of his colony for the best interests of the settlers, and for increasing the revenues of the com- pany. To further the general prosperity, the company negotiated a new loan

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

with which to strengthen and improve its resources. This liberal policy had the desired effect. The Swedes, who had settled above on the river, moved down, and acquired homes on the lands of the city colony. The Fins and dis- contented Dutch, who had gone to Maryland, returned and brought with them some of the English settlers.

Discouraged by the harassing conflicts of authority which seemed inter- minable, the West India Company transferred all its interests on the east side of the river to the colony of the city, and upon the vieit of D'Hinoyossa to Holland in 1663, he secured for himself the entire and exclusive government of the colonies upon the Delaware, being no longer subject to the authority of Stuyvesant.

Encouraged by liberal terms of settlement, and there being now a prospect of stable government, emigrants were attracted thither. A Mennonite commu- nity came in a body. " Clergymen were not allowed to join them, nor any ' intractable people such as those in communion with the Roman See, usurious Jews, English stiff-necked Quakers, Puritans, foolhardy believers in the mil- lennium, and obstinate modern pretenders to revelation.'" They were obliged to take an oath never to seek for an office; Magistrates were to receive no com- pensation, " not even astiver." The soil and climate were regarded as excel- lent, and when sufficiently peopled, the country would be the "finest on the face of the globe."

CHAPTER IV.

RICHARD NICHOLS, 1664-67-ROBERT NEEDHAM, 1664-68-FRANCIS LOVELACE, 1667-73-JOHN CARR, 1668-73-ANTHONY COLVE, 1673-74-PETER ALRICAS, 1673-74.

A FFAIRS were scarcely arranged upon the Delaware, and the dawning of a better day for the colonists ushered in, before new complications began to threaten the subversion of the whole Dutch power in America. The English had always claimed the entire Atlantic seaboard. Under Cromwell, the Navigation act was aimed at Dutch interests in the New World. Captain John Scott, who had been an officer in the army of Charles I, having obtained some show of authority from the Governor of Connecticut, had visited the towns upon the west end of Long Island, where was a mixed population of Dutch and English, and where he claimed to have purchased large tracts of land, and had persuaded them to unite under his authority in setting up a government of their own. He visited England and "petitioned the King to be invested with the government of Long Island, or that the people thereof be allowed to choose yearly a Governor and Assistants." By his representation, an inquiry was instituted by the King's council, "as to his majesty's title to the premises; the intrusions of the Dutch; their deportment; management of the country; strength, trade and government; and lastly, of the means necessary to induce or force them to acknowledge the King, or if necessary, to expel them together from the country." The visit of Scott, and his prayer to the King for a grant of Long Island, was the occasion of inaugurating a policy, which resulted in the overthrow of Dutch rule in America. But the attention of English statesmen had for some time been turned to the importance of the territory which the Dutch colonies had occupied, and a belief that Dutch trade in the New World was yielding great returns, stimulated inquiry. James,

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Duke of York, brother of the King, who afterward himself became King, was probably at this time the power behind the throne that was urging on action looking to the dispossession of the Dutch. The motive which seemed to actuate him was the acquisition of personal wealth and power. He saw, as he thought, a company of merchants in Amsterdam accumulating great wealth out of these colonies, and he meditated the transfer of this wealth to himself. He was seconded in this project by the powerful influence of Sir George Downing, who had been Envoy at The Hague, under Cromwell, and was now under Charles II. "Keen, bold, subtle, active, and observant, but imperious and unscrupulous, disliking and distrusting the Dutch," he had watched every movement of the company's granted privileges by the States General, and had reported every- thing to his superiors at home. "The whole bent," says O'Calaghan," of this man's mind was constantly to hold up before the eyes of his countrymen the growing power of Holland and her commercial companies, their immense wealth and ambition, and the danger to England of permitting these to pro- gress onward unchecked."

After giving his testimony before the council, Scott returned to America with a letter from the King recommending his interests to the co-operation and protection of the New England colonies. On arriving in Connecticut, he was commissioned by the Governor of that colony to incorporate Long Island under Connecticut jurisdiction. But the Baptists, Quakers and Mennonites, who formed a considerable part of the population, " dreaded falling into the hands of the Puritans." In a quaint document commencing, "In the behalte of sum hun- dreds of English here planted on the west end of Long Island wee address," etc.," they besought Scott to come and settle their difficulties. On his arrival he acquainted them with the fact, till then unknown, that King Charles had granted the island to the Duke of York, who would soon assert his rights. Whereupon the towns of Hemstede, Newwarke, Crafford, Hastings, Folestone and Gravesend, entered into a "combination" as they termed it, resolved to elect deputies to draw up laws, choose magistrates, and empowered Scott to act as their President; in short set up the first independent State in America. Scott immediately set out at the head of 150 men, horse and foot, to subdue the island.

On the 22d of March, 1664, Charles II made a grant of the whole of Long Island, and all the adjoining country at the time in possession of the Dutch, to the Duke of York.' Borrowing four men-of-war of the king, James sent them in command of Col. Richard Nicholls, an old officer, with whom was as- sociated Sir Robert Carr, Sir George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, Esq., and a force of 450 men, to dispossess the Dutch. To insure the success of the expedition, letters were addressed to each of the Governors of the New England colonies, enjoining upon them to unite in giving aid by men and material to Nicholls. The fleet sailed directly for Boston, where it was expected, and whence, through one Lord, the Dutch were notified of its coming. The great- est consternation was aroused upon the receipt of this intelligence, and the most active preparations were making for defense. But in the midst of these preparations, notice was received from the Chambers at Amsterdam, doubtless inspired by the English, that " no apprehension of any public enemy or dan- ger from England need be entertained. That the King was only desirous to reduce the colonies to uniformity in church and state, and with this view was dispatching some Commissioners with two or three frigates to New England to introduce Episcopacy in that quarter." Thrown completely off his guard by this announcement, the Director General, Stuyvesant abandoned all preparations for resistance, and indulged in no anticipations of a hostile visitation. Thus

HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

were three full weeks lost in which the colonies might have been put in a very good state of defense.

Nicholls on arriving in American waters, touched at Boston and Connecti- cut, where some aid was received, and then hastened foward to Manhattan. Stuyvesant had but a day or two before learned of the arrival, and of the hos- tile intent. Scarcely had he issued orders for bringing out his forces and for fortifying before Nicholls scattered proclamations through the colony promis- ing to protect all who submitted to his Brittanic majesty in the undisturbed possession of their property, and made a formal summons upon Stuyvesant to surrender the country to the King of Great Britain. The Director found that he had an entirely different enemy to treat with from Rysingh, and a few half- armed Swedes and Fins upon the Delaware. Wordy war ensued between the Commissioners and the Director, and the English Governor finding that Stuy- vesant not in the temper to yield, landed a body of his soldiers upon the lower end of the island, and ordered Hyde, the commander of the fleet, to lay the frigates broadside before the city. It was a critical moment. Stuyvesant was etand- ing on one of the points of the fort when he saw the frigates approaching. The gunner stood by with burning match, prepared to fire on the fleet, and Stuyvesant seemed on the point of giving the order. But he was restrained, and a further communication was sent to Nicholls, who would listen to nothing short of the full execution of his mission. Still Stuyvesant held out. The inhabitants implored, but rather than surrender " he would be carried a corpse to his grave." The town was, however, in no condition to stand a siege. The powder at the fort would only suffice for one day of active operations. Pro- visione were scarce. The inhabitants were not disposed to be sacrificed, and the disaffection among them spread to the soldiers. They were overheard mut- tering, "Now we hope to pepper those devilish traders who have so long salted us; we know where booty is to be found, and where the young women live who wear gold chains."

The Rev. Jannes Myapoleuses seems to have been active in negotiations and opposed to the shedding of blood. A remonstrance drawn by him was finally adopted and signed by the principal men, and presented to the Director Gen- eral, in which the utter hopelessness of resistance was set forth, and Stuyve- sant finally consented to capitulate. Favorable terms were arranged, and Nicholls promised that if it should be finally agreed between the English and Dutch governments that the province should be given over to Dutch rule, he would peacefully yield his authority. Thus without a gun being fired, the En- glish made conquest of the Manhattoes.

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History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 6

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280