Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-12-12

Jersey I. Ny 49, IeasAs from sias chief: y
July al round Heboksn and Staten Island. in tie
same way. And in August, 1850, five Indian chiefs
sold the land ressd Fort Orange. from Albany to the
month Of the Mohawk to esbastian Oroll, the agent
though what the goods consisted OF, or whether
they were worth 800, $1,000 hath never appeared
This the first purchase by the Van RENSSELAER,
family, of land in North America
Soan after this this the purchase was extended
twelve mi e. TO the South. Both sides Of the river
and the intervening island were thus In the
name and behalf Of" Heer kilian Rensalaer through
the agency of Sebastian Croll the commissary, at
Fort Orange. The FIVE Indians who owned this land
had hitherto refused to sell it; their names were
Kettemack, Nawanemitt, Albantzena, Sagiskaw and
kanamack. The whole purchase extended as we
have said from Albany to tn Mohawk; the land call
ed Semisseeck the Troy side, belonged 10 Nawa.
nemtt alone. PetaRock owned the land from Mil
reek north to Negagonse, being three Dutch or
twelve English miles; Renselaers agent also bought
the land called Sanckhagag (Coeymans purchase),
extending from the ground opposite Smacks' Island,
10 point lite north of Beeren island Barren island,
twelve miles south of Albany ard two days travel
into the country. The ground opposite this on the
east side of the river, and as far no tn as the
ground opposite Castle island was bought afew years
afterwards. These were the limits OF the manor Q,
Renseaerwick, and were all bought for parcels OF
goods"
All these purchases, it is remembered, were con
frmed by the Dutch government at home, who IN
norable respectful, beloved Kilian Van Rensselaer,,
beng with his associates PATRON of colony in New
Netherlands, and merchant in Amsterdam" And
this will also go to show that Rensselaer, did not
come 10 America in 1853, as supposed. He came
over with Van Cortlandt. (who was carpenter)
and brought number Of low, poor people," in
dented servants and others, "for the purpose OF
planting colonies" as the Dutch records say Again
when the colony Of New Amsterdam surrendered TO
the British, nnder Colonel Richard Nichols, in the
articles of equalization, signed at Governor Stuyves
Dc. tko Drtf itch
consented that the West India Company and their
directors should freely enjoy all farms and houses
end the third clause says, all people shall still con
tnue free denizcns and shall enjoy Their lands houses
goods, wheresoever they in this country and dis
pose Of them they please Nichols RENAL Cd in N
Y but three years and his time wholly taken upn
confirming these Dutch grants and titles, he allowed
no courts OF justice His edicts were law, and were
executed by his sheriffs. When the Dutch retook
the colony in 1878, they never disturbed or ques
ioned these claims and when in 1914 the Dutch
ceded the colony Of New Amsterdam to the English
| for ever after the treaty stipulated that f" all
countries. islands, farms, lands sc. shall be re.
stored TO the former proprietor in good condition
Such is the history Of the Rensselaer, estate what
year the first PATRON Kian arrived, is not exactly
known; but IN 1853 he still absent for in that
year he shipped from Holland coonists It'll
farming stocks, implements, and necessaries. and
caused several houses to be erected at Rensselaer,
Wyck. The first large island, south Of Albany,
also cultivated by Brantz Pylon, one Of his men.
and on this Renssaaerburg afterwards the place Of
4
came over, il is thought, in 1875.
Van Rens TINS obtained his title these vast
estates. The States General claimed title 10 the soil
upon The principle adopted amongst European ma
| tions by common consent viz. = That discovery
gives title 10 the nation by whose ubject II is made
against all other European powers, and that posses
| sion consummates this right" And it was partly for
the purpose Of concentrating this right by posses
| sion that the Dutch West India Company was fern
| ed, which received an informal grant Of the New
Netherlands Yet colonization was not SO much an
commerce; for in 1928 the colony little better
than small trading establishment, where Indians,
from even the st. Lawrence, exchanged beaver skins
for European manufactures; and, in that year, the
| Spanish przes taken by Van Rensselaer's priva-
| teers 80 fold more valuable than the exports
| from the New Netherlands for the previous feur
years And at this period the permanent settle
ment of New York had existed five years; for the
cottages Of New Amsterdam began to cluster round
| the block honse after il bull, ia 1923.
The history Of the Van Rensselaer, movements
Dutch West India Company designed Nv its char
ter oi liberties to favor colonization, and yet retain
\ the trade Of the province; but under pretence Of
| forming settlements Van Rensselaer, and others had
seized all the important points where the natives
| came TO traffic. and thus checked colonization and
trade at the same time. Colonial jars the
suit; the agents quarrelled tho directors quarrel
led, the governor was sent home, and Van Rensse-
lear and the ieudal pessessors continually
| collision with the government in Holland At that
en- ly period objections were made to their titles;
charter fairly obtained, and then the States &C.
neral for the first time clearly recognized the exist
| ence Of New Netherlands.
Ii was soon after this settlement that Kilian Van
Rensselaer, came over; for shortly after we find
that he had quarrel with the Indians one Of the
| az grieved chiefs Of whom thus addressed him -
When you first came 10 shore You were often
| in want Of food we gave you our beans and corn,
and let you cat oysters and fish and now for
compcnse you kill our people. Tile put down
| stick 10 mark one point Of complaint) The men
whom you sent to barter goods for land,
| treated we would our eye balls !; yet they cheat
| ed us. We gave you our and our skins, and
daughters TO sleep with, and vet you ask for more,
and kill us because we have more to give. The
Great Spirit Judge who is right; we will not bury
the Ratchet"
Such IS the history Of the colony, OF the Van
Rens seacrs, and their title to their lands; little
more remains TO be added. Van Twer made
second governor In 1893; Van Rensselaer, came
in 1885; his bills of purchases from the Indians
dated 1880, 1881, 1857, l6is and 1919 The title TO
his patent Of the rs derived from several
| cessive grants by the government Of Holland, be-
ginning far back 1911, and later and confrma-
tory grants by the Kings Of England And on the
4th 81 March, 1856, the whole was confirmed by let.
tiers patent, by sp cia direction from the King, un
der the great seal Of the province OF New York, by
Thomas Dongan, Lieutenant Governor, and is the
most liberal In its provisions Of ell ever granted
In 1876, one Nicholas Rensselaer,, Dutch clergy
man clergyman. came here and claimed the manor Of
Rensselaerwick, but he was imprisoned for cen.
tam M eC he lcJ