Colonial New York : Philip Schuyler and his family

Preface

Eight years ago the genealogy of my family first arrested my attention, and I began its study. Gradually my researches took a wider range, and inspired the hope that I might do something more than simply make a catalogue of names. I found that members of the first four generations had occupied more than ordinary positions in the communities in which they lived, and had rendered important services in the early history of the colony and the State. In view of these facts, I resolved to attempt brief biographical sketches of the more prominent persons of the family, and of those connected with it. But in doing so it would be necessary to write portions of the history of their times, which would require time and patience for the examination of the early records, and perhaps involve the necessity of an extended course of reading. At my age this seemed difficult of accomplishment, but, as I was favorably situated for the examination of the records contained in the public offices of the State, and of the City and County of Albany, I resolved to employ my leisure in procuring all the information possible, and, if need be, leave my notes to be digested by another.

After three years spent among the manuscript archives, I turned to the printed documents procured by the State from Holland, England, and France. After these were

IV PREFACE.

thoroughly studied, I read the publications of the New- York Historical Society, the Massachusetts Historical Collections, the early records of Connecticut, the archives of Pennsylvania, and of New Jersey, and the early standard histories of New York, New Jersey, and the New England States. I then arranged my notes, and, after putting aside a large mass of them, I began to write, with no expectation of doing more than enough for a thin octavo volume ; the present volumes are the outcome of my eight years' work. Without any claim to be an historian, I have written some fragments of the history of colonial times, which I have striven to make accurate and trustworthy. Portions of it differ from the accepted versions, but in all such instances the early records have been studiously followed as authority. Having no theories to establish, I have had no temptation to misinterpret facts. I have rejected traditions and " old mens' fables " as untrustworthy and illusory, confining myself to the plain meaning of the "written word." After all, I am conscious that the work is far from perfect ; but it may be of service to some one, who may be inspired to do what has not yet been done — to write a full and faithful history of New York during the colonial period.

Since I have drawn most of my material from the archives of the State, it may not be uninteresting to glance at their history. As the Dutch were always careful to record their transactions, it is fair to presume that the early directors of New Netherland kept records of their administrations, written, as in succeeding administrations, on unbound sheets of paper, and filed in appropriate compartments of their office. But if so, they are lost, except a few landpatents. The records of the colony, as preserved by the State, begin with the year 1638, when Director Kieft assumed control oyer the affairs of New Netherland. Dur-

PREFACE. V

ing his government, and that of Director Stuyvesant, from 1638 to 1664, the records are apparently full and minute, all written in Dutch. After 1664, for more than a hundred years, the documents are voluminous, and full of interest to the student of history. We miss, however, the letters of the English Government addressed to the colonial governors. Unlike Director Stuyvesant, these English governors believed such communications to be their own property, and did not place them in the archives.

In view of the danger of loss and destruction through which these records li.ivc passed, it is remarkable that so many of them have been preserved in such good condition. When Director-General Stuyvesant surrendered to the English forces, in 1664, he made it one of the articles of capitulation, that " all public writings and records which concern inheritances of any people, or the reglement of the church, or poor, or orphans, shall be carefully kept."

Nine years afterward the Dutch recaptured the city. Without doubt they were as careful to preserve the old records, as well the new, when in their own hands, as they were to provide for their safe-keeping when under the control of their enemies. But more than thirty years subsequently Lieutenant-Governor Ingoldesby wrote, "When the Dutch took this place (New York) several books of patents and other things were lost."

In i688. New York, New Jersey, and all New England were consolidated into one government, with Boston as the capital, to which place Governor Sir Edmund Andros removed the provincial records of New York. The next year, however, the democracy of Massachusetts deposed and imprisoned him, and after a time shipped him off to England. The consolidated dominion fell to pieces, each colony resuming its former independent position. The

VI PREFACE.

records of New York were not promptly returned, as they should have been. Perhaps the Bostonians, being curious, were holding them for examination with reference to the vexed boundary questions. It is fair to presume that those in Dutch did not give them much satisfaction. Notwithstanding the repeated demands for the surrender of the archives, they were held for about three years ; nothing short of the king's command was effectual. Governor Bradstreet, of Massachusetts, reported to Lord Nottingham, in May, 1691 : "We have caused the records to be delivered, according to his majesty's command."

In March, 1741, a fire occurred in the fort at New York, which consumed the governor's house, in which the records were kept. A month afterward Lieutenant-Governor Clarke reported, " Most of the records were saved, and I hope very few were lost."

At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Governor Tryon, becoming nervous for his own personal safety, took refuge on board the ship Duchess of Gordon, lying in the harbor, and took the records with him. An effort was made by the city authorities to recover them, but Tryon refused to give them up, pledging his honor that "they should be kept in perfect security." How well he kept his word of honor we shall see presently.

Tryon's fears mastered his judgment, and, lest the rebels should attack the Duchess of Gordon, a merchant-ship, he placed the archives on board the Asia, a man-of-war. When some months afterward she was about to sail for England, he ordered them to be put on another man-of-war, the Eagle. "Since which time," he wrote to Lord George Germaine, three years after, " I have never heard what was actually done with them." The truth is that they were carried to England, and it became the duty of Lord George Germaine to look them up. He succeeded in

PREFACE. Vii

finding them, and sent them back. At the close of the war they were lodged with the secretary of State at Albany, and deposited without much order or care in temporary quarters. It was not until the present State House afforded them room that they were safe from the elements. It would not be singular, if, during these several removals, some of them should have been lost.

For many years they were strangely neglected ; their value was not appreciated, and they were left without proper care. This, perhaps, was owing in part to the frequent changes of the State officers, a thing that could not be avoided. It was not until the administration of Governor DeWitt Clinton that they began to be valued as sources of history. By his appointment. Dr. Van der Kemp, a learned Hollander, translated the Dutch documents, which were bound into volumes and made accessible to English readers. But the interest awakened at this time did not seem to be permanent.

The late Dr. O'Callaghan informed me, that, when he was appointed keeper of the document-room, he found the records in great confusion ; some of them packed in boxes and stored in inconvenient places, while others were in heaps on the floor. He said, " that some papers had been taken from the files and used by the clerks for packing books and kindling fires." Perhaps it was in this way that at some former time the records of Minuit's and* Van Twiller's administrations were lost. Written in " Black Dutch," to use the words on the cover of a book of Dutch records in the county clerk's office, the text seemed like birds' tracks to the learned clerks, and of no special use, except as waste paper.

Dr. O'Callaghan's learning enabled him to understand the value of his trust. He began his work methodically, assorting and arranging the documents by their dates.

Vlll PREFACE.

placing the bound volumes on shelves, and pasting the loose papers in books prepared for the purpose. Students of our early history are infinitely indebted to him for his appreciative care ; and to the various secretaries of state for keeping him so many years in that department. After his retirement, some others who had charge were not so watchful, and suffered autograph-hunters to abstract many valuable papers.

The present custodian, Mr. Berthold Fernow, is admirably fitted by education and taste for his responsible office. Fond of history and antiquarian lore, he soon formed a high estimate of the records in his charge. Acquainted with several languages, including the Dutch, he is well fitted to render quick and sure assistance to those who visit "his rooms for information.

Two years ago the Legislature wisely transferred these records from fhe State department to the State library ; and the regents quite as wisely caused their keeper to follow them. In fire-proof rooms, and in charge of competent men, there need be no fear hereafter of losses and abstractions.

The early records of Albany City and County are written in Dutch, and contained in two distinct offices, the one public and ,the other private. Those in the county clerk's office are bound in volumes, and are in a fair state of preservation. Besides deeds, mortgages, contracts, wills, and notarial papers, there are the miscellaneous records of the village of Fort Orange under the Dutch regime, and afterward under the English. Although important in tracing land-titles, and for other purposes, they have never been translated by the city. The late Joel Munsell had many of them, as also records .of the Dutch Church, rendered into English, and published them at his own expense. These translations are chiefly contained in Munsell's

PREFACE. ix

"Collections on the History of Albany," and Munsell's "Annals of Albany." Because the Dutch language was in common use for more than half a century after the English occupation, these books contain many papers of date subsequent to that period. Notwithstanding Mr. Munsell's efforts, there is a large mass of matter remaining in a little known language.

When Dr. O'Callaghan wrote his " History of New Nctherland," the papers and books belonging to the Manor of Rensselaerwyck were freely offered for his inspection. As these contained the earliest records of Albany, he found them very useful. His history contains a large amount of interesting matter found in those ancient archives.

The genealogical tables in these volumes were prepared with care. Personal interviews, an extensive correspondence, family records contained chiefly in old Dutch Bibles, scores of old wills in the public offices of Albany and New York, the records of the Dutch churches of Albany and New York, — the latter as published in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, — and deeds recorded in the office of the secretary of state, are the chief sources of authority. Professor Pearson's " Genealogies of the First Settlers of Albany, and of Schenectady," although containing errors which were perhaps unavoidable on account of the frequent recurrence of the same names, have given much assistance ; as also Winfield's " History of Hudson County, N. J.," Bolton's " History of Westchester County, N. Y.," and Valentine's " Manual of the Common Council of New York City.'! There are doubtless some omissions and errors, but in the main the tables may be relied upon as accurate.

The matter contained in the biographical and historical sketches was procured mainly from the records and documents in manuscript and print, retained in the office of

X PREFACE.

the secretary of the State of New York, and in the countyclerk's office of Albany, of which many original papers were translated for my use. Besides these sources, I have derived much valuable information from the publications of the New York Historical Society, Munsell's " Collections on the History of Albany," Munsell's "Annals of Albany," the "Massachusetts Historical Collections," " Colonial Records of Connecticut," '" Pennsylvania Archives," Corwin's " Manual of the Reformed (Dutch) Church," O'Callaghan's " History of New Netherland," Brodhead's " History of New York," and Smith's "History of New York.''

Mr. Fernow, keeper of the historical records and documents, rendered the most important assistance, without which it would have been difficult for me to proceed with my work. He procured and translated several sheets of transcripts from the church records, a large number of legal papers from the county clerk's office, and many articles from the records in his own office. I am deeply indebted to him, not only for his helpfulness, but for his sympathy and encouragement. For the sake of other delvers among the muniments of the olden time, it is to be hoped he will long be retained as chief of the manuscript department of the State library.

GEORGE W. SCHUYLER.

Ithaca, N. Y., February 2, 1885.

ABBREVIATIONS, b. for bom. d. y. died young.

bp. baptized. d. s. p. died without posterity, or childless,

m. married. g. grand, or great,

m. 1. marriage license. dau. daughter,

d. died.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

INTRODUCTION : ,A8»

L Nbw Nktherland and the Patroons, ... I

IL The Colonies on the Delaware, . . . • 33

IIL New Netherland and New England, . . .65

L PHILIP SCHUYLER : 99

The New Village at Esopus, 120

The Half Moon, 152

HUWiU 162

Margareta Van Slichtenhorst, . . . . ' . 167 Brant Arentse Van Slichtenhorst, . . . .171 Philip Schuyler's Family Record, .... 180

Genealogical Table : Philip Schuyler's Childeen, . 185

The Van Cortlandt Family, 187

The Van Rensselaer Family ao6

The Livingston Family 243

The Vbrplanck Family . . 292

John Collins, 296

IL PETER SCHUYLER . 302

I. New Netherland And The Patroons

After the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492, England and France sent out exploring ships in charge of experienced navigators to make further discoveries, but for more than a hundred years neither country made any systematic efforts to colonize the newly found countries. Spain was left almost unmolested to pursue her conquests, and to continue the subjugation of the West India Islands, Mexico, and parts of South America, Near the middle of the sixteenth century, the French made some attempts at settlement in Canada and in Florida, but nothing effectual was accomplished, on account of the rigor of the climate on the one hand, and the interference of enemies on the other. In 1603 Champlain made his first voyage to the river St Lawrence, and the next year, after his return to France, organized a company for the purpose of settling the countries he had explored. The adventurers were a motley crowd, made up of noblemen, merchants, priests, laborers, and good-for-nothings. They sailed in two ships, which touched on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, rounded Cape Sable, penetrated the Bay of Fundy, and finally moored at an island in the mouth of the river St. Croix, where the emigrants landed and built their huts. The next spring they abandoned this spot and removed to

2 EARLY COLONIES.

Annapolis. The venture was not a great success, but it was the beginning of a system of colonization which was prosecuted under many adverse circumstances for a hundred and fifty years.

In 1497 England had sent an expedition in charge of the Cabots — Venetians by birth — to discover a northwest passage to the East Indies. Not succeeding in their search, the Cabots sailed down along the coast from Newfoundland to Florida, and then returned to England. On this voyage the English founded their claim to all North America. It was held in abeyance for nearly a century. No effort was made to effect a settlement or to plant a colony until 1583, when Sir Humphrey Gilbert with a small fleet took possession of Newfoundland for the British crown ; but tlie colony he attempted to found was soon abandoned. Two years later Sir Walter Raleigh, under a patent of the queen, sent out some emigrants, who started a settlement on the coast of North Carolina, which, however, was broken up and dispersed the year after.

Captain Bartholomew Gosnal, with a company of adventurers visited the coast of New England in 1602, and landing on one of the Elizabeth Islands, made some arrangements for permanent occupancy, which proved to be useless, for when the ship was about to sail on lier homeward voyage, the embryo colonists were seized with home sickness, and re-embarked with their companions.

In 1606 King James of England, like Pope Alexander VI., who divided the New World between Spain and Portugal, gave the country which the Cabots had seen from the decks of their ships, to two great commercial companies, the London and the Plymouth ; to the first, the coimtry south of the Potomac ; to the second, the territory north of the Hudson, graciously leaving the lauds between in possession of their native owners.

PLYMOUTH. 3

The next year the London Company commenced operations, and sent out a colony of one hundred and five souls, who established themselves on the James River in Virginia. They succeeded, after many trials and vicissitudes, in retaining their position, and laying the foundation of a great State.

In the same year (1607) the Plymouth Company attempted to establish a colony at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine. Owing to the severity of the climate, the hostility of the savages, and their own want of pluck, the colonists returned home the next year. Other efforts were made in succeeding years with a similar result. It remained for a handful of religious enthusiasts, without money or patronage, to solve the problem of colonization in New England. Driven from England by persecution they had found a refuge in Holland. During their ten years' residence in that free country they had learned many useful lessons, which were of infinite service to them in after years. They were, however, not contented with their situation there, and after mature deliberation resolved to remove to America. Detained longer than they had expected, having had to land in England to perfect their arrangements, after a long and tedious passage over the Atlantic they finally reached their destination, and erected their altars at Plymouth, in December, 1620. They had left their old homes for conscience' sake in search of a place where they could worship God unawed by popes and bishops. They were the pioneers of thousands of their co-religionists, many of whom, like themselves, had sought refuge in Holland to escape the persecutions of their own countrymen, and thence followed them to the western wilderness. They were the fathers and mothers of New England.

The United Provinces of the Netherlands had thrown

4 HUDSON.

off the Spanish yoke after a war of forty years, and had taken their place as one of the nations of Europe. Their territory was small, and their population did not exceed two and a half millions. The situation of their country, and the necessity of fighting their battles for freedom to a large degree on the ocean, made them a maritime people, fearless and enterprising. They had sailed on every sea, and had fought their enemies in all quarters of the globe. Their seamen had been in American waters, and had some knowledge of that country. Their merchants traded in China and other Eastern countries, and they desired a shorter route than that around the southern cape of Africa to transport their rich cargoes of spices and other Eastern products. They believed, as did others, that through or around the continent of North America such a route existed and could be found.

Henry Hudson, an Englishman, who had made two voyages, under the patronage of English merchants, in search of the northwest passage, now offered his services to the Dutch East India Company, convinced some of its members that such a passage really existed, and persuaded them to make another trial to find it.

Hudson in the ship Half-Moon arriving on the coast of America in northern latitudes, and finding his progress impeded by ice, turned to the south. When he reached the Chesapeake Bay, he again turned to the north. Sailing near the shore he discovered the Delaware Bay and sounded its waters. Not satisfied with its indications he again put to sea and entered the lower bay of New York September, 1609. Here he lingered several days while his boats explored the inner bay and adjacent waters. He then passed the Narrows and entered the mouth of the great river which now bears his name. Hoping to find the northwest passage he proceeded up the river to the

HUDSON. 5

vicinity of Albany, when becoming convinced that the channel he had followed was only a river, and not a watercourse from ocean to ocean, he turned his prow to the Atlantic. He was not altogether fortunate in his intercourse with the natives, which might have resulted iu disaster to those who came after him, had they practised less prudence and discretion. Wiiile lying in the lower bay on his first arrival, a sailor on one of his boats returning from an exploring tour was shot in the throat with an arrow and died. On his return down the river near Manhattan Island, one of the natives was caught stealing from the ship, and was shot while making his escape. Others, who made hostile demonstrations, were shot on the shore. The Indians above the Highlands were friendly, visiting the ship, receiving visits in their cabins on the land, and showing in various ways their kindly feelings toward the strangers.

Hudson on his homeward voyage landed in England, and sent the report of his discoveries to his principals in Holland.'

Holland was too much occupied with her own a£Eairs to avail herself for the time being of this important discovery. She had just secured an acknowledgment of her independence, but had not effected a permanent peace, merely a cessation of hostilities for the term of twelve years,

' There are few historical facts better authenticated than this, yet there are some writers, both Ki^lish and American, who tell us, in an off-hand manner, that Hudson made this voyage under an English commission, and sold his discoveries to the Dutch. Their only authority is an anonymous writer, who published his essay forty years after Hudson's voyage. Sir Edward Ploeyden, an Englishman, having been refused a patent for land in America by the king, procured one from the Viceroy of Ireland, which was void on its face, as the Viceroy had no authority to grant lands in America. His claim under the document was not recognized by the Dutch, nor by his own government He is supposed to be the author of this essay, which is not rec(^nized by respectable historians as good authority.

6 DUTCH POLICY.

Spain reserving the right to renew the war at the expira-, tion of the truce. The Dutch knew quite well that they must be prepared for another struggle, unless it could be averted by a prudent administration and a wise conduct in regard to foreign affairs. As Spain claimed all North America by right of discovery and the gift of the Pope, she was sensitive to the interference of others, and above all to the encroachments on the part of the revolted provinces. The government of Holland, guided by the wise counsels of Olden Barneveldt, determined to give no cause of offence, and abstained from taking any steps that might provoke a collision. Besides this, Barneveldt saw the necessity in time of peace of making preparations to meet a possible and even a probable war. He thought it unwise to diminish their small population or their scanty revenues in schemes of colonizing a wild and barbarous country which would demand many men and a large amount of money. Again, the Dutch were attached to the country for which they had fought so many years, and beneath whose soil were buried their friends, the martyrs of liberty. They could go aboard their ships in thousands, and sail on long voyages to gather up the treasures of distant lands with which to enrich their own, hoping for a happy return. It was quite another thing to expatriate themselves for the purpose of making new homes in unknown regions, among an uncivilized people, and far from kindred. Therefore it was that the government refused to incorporate any companies for trade and colonization in the newly discovered countries, but permitted the merchants, who had been at the expense of Hudson's voyage, to send out ships to traffic with the natives.

As other merchants wished to participate in the trade, and as their interference would materially diminish the profits, the States-General, in 1614, granted a charter to

BLOCK. 7

the former, giving to tliem, but for three years only, the exclusive right of sending ships to the newly discovered lands in America within certain limits, then fust named New Netlierland. The new company being secure from ' competition for a time, now toolc the first step in the direction of a permanent occupation. They built a small fort on an island in the Hudson, not far below the present city of Albany, and occupied it with their servants and agents who were trading with the Indians. As thu number of ships visiting the waters of New York had greatly increased, it became necessary to keep men employed during the winter in gathering up the furs and skins and preparing them for shipment. In the fall of the preceding year, two ships, belonging to Amsterdam merchants, were in New York harbor, and having procured their lading were making their final preparations for their return voyage, when one of them was unfortunately burned. Her captain, Adriaen Block, unable with his crew to return to Holland on the other ship, resolved to make the best of the situation, and to build another vessel during his enforced stay. He put up some cabins for his winter quarters, but whether on Manhattan or Long Island does not clearly appear, and began to collect materials for a new vessel, while the Indians, who were friendly, supplied him with provisions. From want of timber the vessel he built was too small to attempt crossing the ocean, although it was well fitted for a coaster. Block therefore determined to use her for purposes of exploration, until the annual ships from Holland should arrive, and named her the Restless. With her he spent the summer and early autumn in exploring the waters of Long Island Sound and a long stretch of sea-coast. He visited the harbors on both sides of the Sound, determined the insular form of Long Island, ascended the Connecticut River to the head

8 NEW NETHERLAND.

of navigation, explored the Narragansett and Buzzard Bays, rounded Cape Cod, and landed at several points in Massachusetts Bay. He was the first European to visit these parts of the New World, and, as was his privilege, he gave to the various islands, rivers, bays, and capes that he found on his voyage, names, some of which are still retained. His own survives in Block Island. On his return to his winter quarters^ he met at sea the ship which was with him when his own was burned the fall before. During his absence she had returned, taken in another cargo, and was now on her way again to Holland. Captain Block placed the Restless in charge of another commander, and embarked on the homeward-bound ship, to I'eport his new discoveries. The Restless, true to her name, was not idle. The new captain sailed to the south, and was the first to explore the country lying on the Delaware Bay and River, up to the Schuylkill. The regions thus discovered by Hudson and the Dutch traders were named New Netherland, and recognized as. the legal dependency of Holland.

Again an effort was made to secure from the government a charter for a company, which should develop these territories by trade and colonization, but in vain. The arguments against such a project in the first instance were still valid. The trade was tolerated so long as Spain made no protests or complaints, and the merchants of Amsterdam were allowed to traffic with the natives of the country discovered by their agents, but a company, such as was contemplated, with its own war-ships, and delegated power, could not be tolerated.

The little fort, or trading-house, near Albany, was swept away by a flood in the spring of 1617. Another was built on the west shore of the river, and in the summer a treaty was made with the Sachems of the Mohawk and kindred

AGITATION IN HOLLAND. 9

tribes, by which an alliance was formed between the Dutch and the Five Nations, made powerful thereby, which lasted until the English took possession of the province, and which was continued with them.

Meantime there was nn unusual agitation in Holland, ostensibly on religious questions, but underlying which were grave questions of State. The people were divided into two great parties, the one with Olden Barneveldt, the great statesman, as their leader, the other with Maurice, the Prince of Nassau, at their head. The twelve years of truce were about to expire, and it was Barneveldt's policy to procure a permanent peace without again involving his country in war. He was now seventy years old, and had spent most of his life in the service of his country. He had been the trusted adviser of William the Silent, and after his death had directed the councils of the government He had controlled its policy, which had resulted in an acknowledgment of its independence. Prince Maurice, after the death of his father, had become the military leader of its armies, and had acquired great renown as the greatest general of his age. War was his element, and he cared not how often he was called to lead his battalions against the enemy. More than this, he aspired to make the republic a kingdom, and himself a king. Barneveldt stood in the way of his ambition, and had to be removed. In religion Maurice was an Arminian. The Gomarists, or orthodox Protestants, were largely in the majority, and Maurice, although himself an Arminian, took up the Gomarist cause from motives of policy. Barneveldt was accused of heresy by the orthodox, and of treason to the State by Maurice. When the occasion was presented for seizing him with impunity, he was thrown into prison, and soon after tried by a court composed of his enemies. The charges were false and frivolous, but he was convicted lO THE WEST INDIA COMPANY.