USA > Pennsylvania > The German Pietists of provincial Pennsylvania : 1694-1708 > Part 31
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From letters and docu- William Penn, &c. ments in the Lawrence col- Chunbr ten Frenheten und ter SRacht / fo zu beidriget quteu Regierung Derfelten netig/ ubergeben morbens lection of the Historical So- ciety of Pennsylvania it ap- Bum Unterricht Derer / Coctroon bereits besorgen/ ober noch ' plichten bewogen werden/ bund fies felbien barbin In begeben/ oder eforce Debleatt una Bellabe pears that in later years there was a well-grounded Uur Dem in London geruchten und altar ben Benjamin Clarck Fund gethan wird. cause for dissatisfaction on Buchhändlernin George- Yard Lombard Street befindlichen Englischen &berger Ber. Mittel berge föglein ehemaligen in 1675 Jahr gebruturm exercidaites oberichten Will. Penns. the part of Furly as to Penn's agents in Pennsylvania, not- Je Mmflerbain , gebruch ben Chriftoff Cuardes, withstanding Penn's per- FAC-SIMILE OF GERMAN TITLE-PAGE. 473 sonal efforts in his favor. For this reason Furly gave to Reynier Jants (Jansen), to whom he had previously sold some land,474 a power of attorney to act for him in Pennsyl- vania upon his arrival.
472 An English version of this rare work was printed in the "Penna. Mag.," vol. vi, p. 321.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
This document was subsequently revoked in favor of a similar one granted to the brothers Daniel and Justus Falkner, prior to their departure for America in 1700.
William Penn's personal interest in the protection of Benjamin Furly's claims is shown by his letter of instruc- tion to James Logan prior to his departure from Pennsyl- vania in 1701, wherein he commands him to prepare a warrant for four thousand acres of land for Benjamin Furly. It appears in the record of a session of the Commissioners held at Philadelphia the 12th of 11th month, 1701.475
Subsequent action of the Commissioners appears as follows, the 16th of 12th month, 1701 :
"Signed a Warrant of Resurvey and Survey of 5000 acres to Ben. Furly, Ordered 12th Ult."
Two days later, 18th of 12th month, 1701, it was resolved :
"Daniel and Justus Falkner's, attorneys to Benja. Furly, claim the Common proportion of Lib'ty Land in Right of his Purchase of 5000 acres, Mentioned pa. 59, But that being none of the First hundred purchasers it cannot be now granted, Yet they insisting on it as his certain Right, 'tis Ordered that they have Liberty to pitch upon Some Convenient Tract of a Sufficient Number of acres within the Liberties, which shall be reserved, and in Case the said Benjamin, in 18 Months, make good his Claim from the Proprietary, it may be granted ; Ordered also in their Request a New Warrant for the said Benjamin's Lott already Survey'd to him."
473 " Prefatory note to the German edition .- The translator to the indul- gent reader .- How difficult, I will not say almost impossible, it is to ren- der the actual meaning and certain expressions which appear in the old Laws and usages of a foreign Land, and its language into High German, so as to translate them intelligently, has been fully experienced in the present instance.
" Therefore I have here, not to be incommodious, conceived the plan to add in several instances the English words, with a short explanation, in the hope that the indulgent reader will not chide me, but rather accept them in the same spirit as by me intended."
474 Deed July 17, 1685. Acknowledged before a notary in Holland. Minute-Book "HI," "Pennsylvania Archives," Second Series, vol. xix, P. 598.
475 " Pennsylvania Archives," Second Series, vol. xix, p. 219.
THE PIETISTS OF PROVINCIAL PENNSYLVANIA.
WILLIAM PENN.
PORTRAIT BY GODFREY VON KNELLER.
449
Thomas Lawrence.
Ist and 2d 12th, month, 1702,-
" Ordered a Patent to Benj. Furly on 1000 Acres in Bucks, and Patents on 2900 Acres More in Philadelphia County."
5th and 6th, 2d month, 1703,-
" Dan'l and Justus Falkner Producing D. Powell's return of a Warrant for 50 a's Lib. Land Surveyed to Benj. Furly. Ordered a Patent tliere- upon when examined in the Office together with an High Street Lott of 132 foot as it fell in the Draught."
8th month, 22d, 1705,-
"Dan'1 Falkner, by Order of Benjamin Furly, Informs that by the said Benjamin's Letter he finds thie Prop'ry liad Promised him 2 lotts in the City Philad'a, for his 2 sons, Jno. and Arent Furly, and gave him an Ex- pectation that he had wrote to the Sec'ry about it, y'rfore, by his Petition, Requests the said lotts, but the Sec'ry nor any Other Person haveing Rec'd any Orders about them 'tis referred till Such Orders arrive."
IIth month, 20th, 1708,-
" There haveing been a tract of 1000 a's Surv'd To Benj'n Furly in the Welch tract, which has been granted since to D. Lloyd, and Is. Norris, in behalf of Thomas Lloyd's Estate, Jno. Henry Sproegle, to whom Dan'l Falkener, as attorney To said Benjamin, by Virtue of a power, dat. 23d Apr., 1700, recorded in Philad'a, Book D., 2, Vol. 5, pa. 17, &c., Granted his right to all the said Land, as also grant'd 1000 acres more in Bucks, and 50 a's more untaken up, of the whole 5000 a's, by Deed dat. 30, 6 mno., 1708, req'ts a warrant to take up the s'd 1000 acres. Granted."
A number of letters from Furly, addressed to Justus and Daniel Falkner, have also been found among the Lawrence papers before mentioned ; #76 the latter was for a time the mercantile correspondent of Furly in America, and of the sons Benjohan and John after their father's death.
In some of these letters Furly expresses his unbounded confidence in the integrity of the two Falkner brothers, in others he characterizes a prominent person in Pennsylvania
476 Thomas Lawrence was elected mayor of the city of Philadelphia by the Common Council, October 1, 1728.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
as a forger and embezzler, and charges him with defrauding him out of his lands in Pennsylvania.
With the exception of a tract of land sold to Jacobus Van de Walle, the deed for which is recorded in Deed Book E, 2, pp. 80-82, it does not appear that Furly ever derived any profit from his lands within the Province, as for some reason the claim became a matter of litigation, which ended in an almost total loss to him, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts made by his attorneys, Daniel and Justus Falkner, to maintain his claim, as has been shown in previous pages of this work. 477
He appears even to have had some trouble with his mer- cantile correspondents in Philadelphia, as is shown by the letter of attorney, recorded in Deed Book E, 2, p. 277, under date of 12th, 5th ino., 1694 :
"Know all men by these presents, That I, Benjamin Furly of Rotter- dam in the province of Holland Merch't, have made Constituted & Ap- pointed and by these prs'ts doe make Constitute and app't Thos. Lloyd of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania, Gentleman, Samuel Carpenter & John Delavall of ye same place Mch't my true & Lawfull Attorneys, giving them or either of them jointly or severally full power & authority for & in my name to aske & demand of ye heirs Executors or Adın'rs of James Claypool late of ye same place Mch't all such debts, dues, sum or Sums of Money as were due unto mne the Sd Benjamin Furly at the time of the decease of the S'd James Claypool for any goods or mer- chandize by him Sold for My aco't, an acco of Sales to demand the same, to examine & debate or approve & acquiece in all goods that may be yet unsold to receive & of the same to dispose for my use the moneys received for what was sold to receive acquittances in due forme of Law to give for all sums of money or goods which they shall receive. And further all other Acts Deeds & things to doe w'ch I myself if I were there personally ye ... or could doe in the Premisis. Promising by these p'sents to ap- prove, ratify & confirm all w'soever my said Attorney or Attorneys shall lawfully doe or cause to be done in the premisis.
"In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & Seal this 16th Sbr in Rotterdam Anno Domini 1693.
"Signed, Sealed & Delivered in the p'sence of us
"PETER SOUMANS,
"JOSEPH LACY.
BENJAMIN FFURLY."
451
Correspondence with John Locke.
But little has thus far been written or published of the private life and character of Benjamin Furly, who was so important a factor in organizing the German immigration to Pennsylvania, and in procuring for the immigrants the necessary transportation,478 except that he was an eccentric person of peculiar religious views. His correspondence, however, with Locke, Sidney, Lord Shaftesbury and others, whose letters to him were privately printed some fifty years ago,479 shows that Benjamin Furly was a man whose literary attainments were of 110 mean order, and that he was upon intimate terms with many of the leading scholars and states-
477 Among the list of purchasers known as the " Old Rights" appear the following parcels of land in the name of Benjamin Furly :
"No. 775, Furley, Benjamin, return, 1900 acres.
" No. 776, Furlow Benjamin, return, 1000 acres.
"No. 779, Furly, Benjamin, warrant, 1000 acres, 19th 10 mo., 1684.
" No. 777, Furly, Benjamin, warrant, 6th 9th mo., 1685.
"No. 778, Furly, Benjamin, war't resur'y, on all his lands, 16th 12 mo. 1701.
"No. 780, Furly Benjamin, 2 returns, 967 and 501 acres, see II Philad'a W, 23 December, 1735 and 5th March, 1735-6.
" No. 781, Furley, Benjamin, warrant, 1000 acres, 19th roth mo. 1684.
"No. 782, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 1000 acres, 3d 12th Mon., 1684.
" No. 783, Furlow, Benjamin, resurvey, 1000 acres.
" No. 784, Furlow, Benjamin, warrant, city lott, 3d 12 mo., 1684. "No. 785, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 1048 acres, 25th 4 mo., 1703.
"No. 786, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 1900 acres, 18th 12 mo., 1702.
" No. 858, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 50 acres, L. Land, 22d I no., 1703. " No. 859, Furlow, Benjamin, return, Res., 1000 acres, 16th 12 1110., 1703.
"No. S60, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 1900 acres, ISth 12 1110., 1703.
" No. 861, Furlow, Benjamin, warrant, 50 acres L. L., 26th II mo., 1702.
" No. 862, Furlow, Benjamin, return, 50 acres L. L., 5th 2 mo., 1703."- " Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, vol. ii, p. 704, et seq.
478 A notable instance of his liberality is shown in the case of Kelpius and his band of German Pietists, who left Rotterdam in 1693. Vide Croese, " Historia Quakeriana," pp. 539 et seq .; also pp. 44-46, supra.
479 " Original Letters of John Locke, Algernon Sidney and Lord Shaftes- bury," London, 1847.
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The Pictists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
men of the period who labored incessantly to establish civil and religious liberty in Europe.
It further appears that Locke spent much of his time at Furly's house, and as he was particularly fond of children, one of his chief amusements while there was playing with the young folks. 480
Although usually classed among the leading Quakers of that period on the Continent, and notwithstanding his purse and pen were at their disposal and used in their interests, it appears that his connection with them was not one of unin- terrupted harmony. Croese, 481 states that " Benjamin Furly was an English Merchant, first at Amsterdam, then at Rot- terdam, who, together with his merchandize, had addicted himself to the study of learning, and in his favor of these men [Quakers] wrote several little Tracts in Divers Lan- guages. But yet refrained himself from exercising the office of a Teacher or Minister amongst them, alledging this reason for it, that he could safely enough be taught at all times, but could scarce be a Teacher himself without danger. Altho' as time and age teach Men many things, this same inan afterwards found fault with and went off from many things in the doctrine and Manners of the Quakers." Just what these differences between Furly and the Quakers were, and when they took place, is unknown to the writer. Joseph Smith, in his catalogue, classes him among such as were disunited, and returned, but are believed to have again left the Society.
In later years lie is credited with being the author of the following works :
" Ene Wonderlike voorsegginge tot Rome," etc. (Dutch.) Folio, 1689.
480 " Original Letters," etc., Preface, p. 74.
4*] English edition, Book III, p. 208.
453
Bibliography.
"Copie Van een oude prophetie," etc. (Dutch.) Folio, 1689.
" Anwysinge tot de ware Kirke Gods, met Annotatien door." B. Furly (1690).
"A Prophecy of St. Thomas the Martyr" (from MSS. of Algernon Sidney). 1709.
"Discernement des Ténèbres d'avec la Lumière." (French.) 8vo, 1710.
"Éclair de Lumière decendent," etc. (French.) 8vo, I7II.
" The Approaching Judgments of God upon the Roman Empire," etc. Translated out of high Dutch by B. Furly. 8vo, 17II.
"Spiegel der Leevaren, om zig te kennen, of zy ware Herders der Zielen zyn of niet, uyt het Frans vertaalt door." B. Furly 1713. 8vo.
" The divine Remedy for all Evils, both Soule and body." Written in French by Moses Caron and Englished by B. Furly. 4to. 482
It can matter but little whether or not Benjamin Furly lived continuously and died within the fold of the Society of Friends, 483 but it cannot be denied that to hiin more than any other person is due the credit of materializing tlie dream of Penn, so far as the German element is concerned, for he not only encouraged them with advice and counsel, but with more substantial means in the shape of concessions of land, transportation and loans of money.
The only trustworthy personal description of Benjamin Furly and his peculiarities that lias come down to us is tlie interesting account given in the Memoirs of Zacharias von
482 " Biblotheca Furliana," p. 324, No. 33.
483 From the fact of his burial within the walls of the chief orthodox church at Rotterdam, it would appear that he had renounced Quakerism prior to his death.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
Uffenbach,48+ who visited Rotterdam in the year 1710; he had been a classmate, at Halle, of Justus Falkner, one of the early German Pietists in Pennsylvania, and later was an attorney for Furly. 485 He writes :-
"On the morning of November 21, we went Op-Te Haar- ing Vliet, to visit Benjamin Furly, an English Merchant, who was the chief of the Quakers in Holland, and posesses a curious stock of Books, mainly suspecte fidei. He lives in a very fine house, and is a man of about seventy years of age, and of peculiar actions. [Sonderbarem wesen. ]
"We were ushered into his comptoir as it was called, but this appeared more like a library or Museum than a mer- cantile counting house, as the walls were shelved and cov- ered with books, to the number of at least four thousand. They were mostly on theological subjects, of the suspectæ fidei order, and appear to be well suited to Mr. Benjamin Furly's taste, who is a paradoxial and peculiar man, who soon gave us to understand that he adhered to no special religion.
" Unfortunately we were not permitted to examine any of his books except the original manuscript of the ‘Libri In- quisitionis Tolonsanæ,'486 edited by Limborch,487 and this work only after earnest and repeated solicitation.
484 Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach, born at Frankfort, February 22, 1683. From his youth he was known as a lover and collector of books. He first attended the University at Strasburg, later at Halle, where he graduated, after which he made a tour through Northern Europe, Holland, and England in search of rare imprints and manuscripts. He thus ac- cumulated one of the most valuable private libaries in Germany, which contained many works on early American history.
His Memoirs were published at Ulin, in 1753, and contain many notices of books and persons not to be found elsewhere. A partial printed catalogue of this library may be seen at the Philadelphia Library : " Bibliotheca Uffenbachiana," etc.
485 Vide supra.
455
Bibliotheca Furliana.
" It proved to be a Codex membranaceus in folio constans foliis 203, and was neatly and plainly written.
" This was indeed a great curiosity, especially as it was found in the possession of a non-Catholic. This was further instanced by the actions of the former Bishop of Utrecht, who upon that account doubted its authenticity, and sent a clerical to compare Limborch's edition with this original. Mr. Furly would not permit this examination until the above clerical assured him that if he found the two works to agree, he would so certify to the fact officially over his hand and seal, which was done, and it is now pasted on the cover of the volume.
"Mr. Furly complained that Limborch failed to mention that he had obtained the original Codex from him.
486 The Latin title of this work is given in the catalogue of the " Bib- liotheca Furliana." Translated it reads as follows : "Book of Maxims ; beautifully written on parchment, and bound between two wooden leaves; the autograph itself is written; and everywhere it is sub- scribed in the land of the clerks of the Inquisition ; beginning only with the year of Christ, 1607, [and going] as far as 1622 ; and by un- doubted indications it is agreed to be the original manuscript, derived from the archives of the Inquisition of Toulouse. The Maxims them- selves, as far as can be gathered from the resemblance of the hand- writing, are written in the hand of Peter of Clav . . . down to the eighth discourse, which begins fol. 97. The remainder of the book, down to the end, is in the hand of William Julian ; James Marquette has written beneath the Maxims almost throughout; [it is] the rarest book of all rarest ones, and of the highest possible price."
The original manuscript was bought in by John Furly at the sale of his father's library, and afterward sold to Archbishop Secker, who pre- sented it to the British Museum, where it now remains. It was trans- lated into English and published by Samuel Chandler, London, 1731. A copy of this translation can be seen at the Ridgway branch of the Philadelphia Library.
467 Philippus Limborch was a learned divine, born at Amsterdam, 1633. He embraced the tenets of the " Remonstrants," and first appeared as a public preacher at Haarlem in 1655. He was an able annotator and an esteemed writer, as is shown by the tributes paid him by Locke and Tillot- son. He died in 1711.
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
"This," continues Uffenbach, " seemed the more strange to mne as it would have added to the value of Limborch's edition if he had made mention where the original of this curious work could be seen, as the Catholics, in time, would throw doubt upon the facts, as it was a thorn in their eyes and a bitter conviction of their spiritual tyranny. As we began to touch upon this subject, Furly complained that the same spiritual tyranny was also still in vogue among the Protestant denominations.
" When I reminded him that in Holland religious liberty prevailed, he denied emphatically that this assumption was true, and he became quite excited over the procedure of the local magistrates against the so-called English New-prophets.
" He admitted that he not only harbored their tenets and had printed their writings with a preface of his own, but had defended them as well before the Magistrates, and en- deavored to shield and protect them, yet, notwithstanding all his efforts, these innocent people had been expelled from the country.
" He related all that had happened to these people, here as well as at the Hague. This he did not only in a general way, but he read to us, word for word, a long relation of the facts, that he had just written to Herr Gronovium. This lasted for over two hours.
"I thought that I should die from impatience, and although I repeatedly referred to the subject of his books, and begged him to show us some of the rarest and most curious of the collection, the man was so excited that he failed to notice my request.
" Thus he continued to complain, over and over again, how badly these people were treated, especially Herr Facio, whom he characterized not only as a devout man, endowed with many gifts of the Spirit, but also as a learned man and an excellent mathematician.
PIETISTS OF PROVINCIAL PENNSYLVANIA.
-
.
SACHSF-1885
A SCENE IN OLD ROTTERDAM.
NEGATIVE BY J F. SACHSE,
AUGUST, 1895.
457
Personal Appearance.
" He declared that they were pious and innocent persons ; against whom 10 accusations could be truly brought, except that their prophecy of a personal return of Christ at a specified time had not been fulfilled.
" He stated that the clericals had used the following quotations of Scripture, viz. : Deuteronomy xviii, v, 21, 22, against them, and had attempted to convict them as false prophets and deceivers.
" We were astounded that this man, a merchant, should be so well versed in Latin, Hebrew, &c., the more so as lie formerly had no means at his disposal, and had only ac- quired them here of late. We complained that on account of lis extended discourse we had failed to obtain an insight to his literary treasures, but even this liint failed and proved of no avail.
"As we were leaving, the honest patriarch led us into a kind of a Cabinet, that gave us an unsurpassed view of the river Mass. One of the most conspicuous objects on the walls of this room was a large framed map of Pennsylvania."
At the subsequent sale of Furly's effects this map was described as follows :
" Enn seer nette Landkaard van Pensylvania met alle den Rivieren, Bayed &c. Konstig met die Pen op Parkement getrokken, en fraai ofgesezt, in een Swarte Lyst."
According to the memorandum by Benjohan Furly it was bought at the sale for four florins by Fritsch & Bohm the Dutch printers.
"In his personal appearance," continues Uffenbach, "Benjamin Furly is, as we had pictured him to be, an old, tall, lean, serious man who, although it was already cold and chilly, went about in a thin, threadbare gray coat ; around his head he wore a band of black velvet, as he stated for the purpose of keeping his hairs from coming in his face when writing."
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The Pietists of Provincial Pennsylvania.
After the death of Benjamin Furly, his great library was catalogued and sold at auction October 22, 1714. The following is the title of the catalogue :
" Bibliotheca Furliana sive Catalogus Librorum, Hon- oratiss. & Doctriss. Viri Benjamin Furly, inter quos excel- lunt Bibliorum Editiones Mystici, Libri proprii cujuscum- que Sectæ Christianæ, & Manuscriptii Membranei. Auctio fiet die 22 Octobris 1714, in Ædibus Defuncti in Platea Vulgo dicta. Haringvliet. Roterodami, Apud Fritsch et Bolımı. 8vo, 1714." 488
Benjamin Furly's two elder sons succeeded their father after his death as merchants and shippers at Rotterdam, and also for a time pressed claims for lands in Pennsyl- vania.489 Benjohan, the eldest son, married Martha Wright,490 a young woman from London, who died in 1713. She was buried September 18th ; a few weeks later, October gtlı, hier babe was laid by lier side. Twenty-five years afterwards, August 7, 1738, Benjohan Furly was buried in the family vault in the St. Laurentian Kerk, beside his wife, child and parents. Of John Furly nothing is known, except that he became a leading merchant of Rotterdam and London, and left a family.
Arent Furly, the youngest son, who was a great favorite of Locke and Lord Shaftesbury, entered the military service of England, and went with Charles, Earl of Peterborough, to the West Indies in 1702-03, and in 1705, as liis secretary, to Spain, where his patron was General and Commander-in- Chief of Her Majesty's forces. Several of the orders dated
488 Benjohan Furly's priced and named copy of this catalogue is now in the British Museum. It is catalogued No. 11901, AII.
459 " Pennsylvania Archives," Second Series, vol. xix.
490 From the fact that this marriage was also consummated at the Stadt- huis it would appear that Benjohan was also either a Quaker or Separatist.
459
Tomb of Furly.
in the camp before Barcelona in 1705 are countersigned by Arent Furly. According to a letter from Lord Shaftes- bury to Benjamin Furly, he died during this expedition, early in the year 1712. 491 He was unmarried.
Benjamin Furly's daughter Dorothy, born July, 1710, married Thomas Forster, of Walthamstow, England, and it was his grandson, Thomas Ignatius Maria Forster, who published the volume of letters of Locke, Sidney and Shaftesbury so frequently quoted in this sketch.
There are but few of the hundreds of American tourists that annually visit the Groote Kerk in Rotterdam, and wander through its broad aisles, who know that in the centre aisle in the nave rest the remains of Benjamin Furly and his kin, the man who was so instrumental in bringing about the first German immigration to America and in securing for the immigrants equal rights and privileges.
491 "Original Letters," etc., p. 205
MAGISTER JOHANN JACOB ZIMMERMANN.
AGISTER JOHANN Jacob Zimmermann, whose name figures so frequently upon the preceding pages, and who was one of the chief instigators of the Theo- sophical experiment on the Wis- sahickon, was a native of the Duchy of Würtemberg, born in the year 1644, in the little han- ARMS OF WURTEMBERG, A.D. 1689. let of Vaihingen on the Entz. From early childhood he evinced a remarkable talent for learning, and at the age of seventeen he was taken into the Ducal service.492 He was subsequently sent to the university at Tübingen, where he graduated in 1664 with the title of Magister der Philosophie. He was at once appointed instructor of mental arithmetic (Wiederholungs- lehrer).
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