The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-04-09
Letter from q wheeling Boy
Attending the Albany Law
school.

-nHa
school.
ALBANY, N. Y, Aprll4, 1878.
Editors intelligence:
Americans, being SO accustomed to
praiee Thar Zee Institutions, are both 70
believe that any yeshge Of ~aristocraiic
system exists In this country. Because
the colonies were primitive, and our gov.
ernment Is 4 democracy, We are led 70
think that the degrading principle Of
cate never gained ioothold on our soil.
Possessed with this idea / was surprised
10 fnd at the capital Of the Empire State,
the relics Of almost as perfect q feudal
system as ever existed In the middle ages.
A brief sketch Of what this was and It's
remains may NOT be uninteresting.
About 1880 {twenty.one years alter the
discovery Of the Hudson) one killiAn
Van Rensellaer obtained from the Stats
General Of Holland, q charter Of land
extending twenty.four miles along the
Hudson, and twenty:four miles back
from either side thereof, Of which terri.
tory Albany, then Fort Orange, 10 the
geographical centre. he also bought the
same laud from the Indians. When Fog.
land obtained possession OF the New
Netherlands this title was confirmed ~
special charter and still later Il was de-
clared valid by the Legislature Of New
York. In 1910 Mr.. Van Rensselaer, sent
over q colony, the members Of which set
tied as tenants on his "manor." de was
their lord, @p%atroop,n and the. were his
~yassala. They took an oath oil iealty 70
him and he promised them protection.
They accepted deeds upon such condi'
t;ons Y. IAN annual rental oil, q days ser.
vice. four fat fowl, and three skeppels"
iabout one bushei) "ot wheat to every
nine acres, and also o%ne-tourtn o. inc
purchase money upon each resale, - 70
Be reserved to the patron, his HERS M
assigns forever" What Is remarkable,
by lar the larger part Of this territory
yemained under the control Of this family.
until Is49, when occurred the death Of
Stephen Van Rensselaer,, the last and
weslthiest Of the @patrons.n he lett one.
half OF the manor,-Rensellaer county,
on the east aide Of the lludson-to Q son
William, from whom II passed into other
hands. The portion on this aide Of the
riyer--Albany county-was given 70 a
son Stephen. This Stephen died in 1858,
leaving six children, all bat n oil whom
are females. The son, Eugene Van Ken
s%ellaer, lives at Berkeley Springs, W,est
Virginia. The estate Is managed BY q
superintendent for the benefit OF these
six HERS. The reservation otone-tonrth
OF the purchase money upon successive
sales was long ago declared contrary to
the spirit Of our laws, but the annual
rental Is still collected from q large mum.
Der OF the farmers Of this county.
In 1874 t~ranspired what was known a
the arent war;" The tenants banded to-
gether to resist the payment OF the rent,
and several officers attempting to sell on
executions were killed. The courts de-
cided that the Van Rensellaers. were n
titled 10 the reserved rent, and now 1t 10
collected without difficulty. The tenants
obtain releases from this rent, by paying
a sum-, OF which the value OF the annual
rental is the interest at six per cent.
There are three or four Van Rensselaer,
houses. One Of these 1t Ia claimed was
built as early as 1916. It's portfolios bear
testinany to It's age. But the principal
Imanor house, was built in 1875.
This is q large mansion, situated in q
little grove OF stately elms on the west
bank Of the Hudson. It's main hall is
fifty feet long by twenty-seyen feet wide,
and the rooms are Of corresponding Dis
mensions. Most Of the furniture was
brought over from Holland and is very
fine, though, Of course, out Of date. The
carving on one bedroom set is especially
elaborate. The attic ia stored with curl,
osities. Indeed the whole house would
be a treat for an antiquarian.
But particularly Interestingly to me we're
the deeds, charters, records, &C., which
the very courteous and obliging Superin-
tendent volunteered to show me. The
variety Of the forms and contents Of the
deeds 10 Indians and settlers was curious
and entertaining. Isaw deeds that were
real "indentures," and / was presented
with a piece Of the Great Seal attached
to the charter OF Queen Anne, which l
esteem as quite q souvenir.
The "manor house." which has not been
occupied for nearly three years, will
probably be torn down and the land sold
for manufacturing purposes.
B. s. ALLISON.