Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-05-22

celany; reliable commercial reports.
H G. TINsLEY,
A. S. MORTON.
FRIDAY MORNING. MAY. %. 1885
4 LITTLE WOMAN FULL OF Law
SUITS.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, there
came ashore at New York, bright. round
bodied. strong, and pretty little Dutch
woman, who with her husband had come
to the Dutch settlement Of New Amster-
dam to try their fortunes. 1t was Anneke
Jansen, and from her was to spring the
largest number of litigants, and from her
estate, the largest suit that ever one little
woman brought about in the world. Her
descendants are scattered all over this
country at this day. and in Augusta coun-
ty alone she has score of them in the
Bumgardners-our venerable countyman,
James Bumgardner, ST., Capt. James
Bumgardner, Jr., the Chairman of the
Democratic County Committee, Col. VIM.
L. Bumgardner of the I'd Virginia regi-
ment. and many more, who if the golden
realized would be large sharers. Roeleff
Jansen, her husband, the stout little
Dutchman who landed with her, and who
had been a Bureomaster in his native
town, soon secured another official posi-
ton under the Dutch government of New
York, then called New Amsterdam. and
from the governor received a patent for
sixty-two acres of farm land which is now
situated in the centre of the business por-
ton of New Y ork city, and out of which
the remarkable suits which have involved
the principles of government and even the
validity Of religious creeds have sprung.
The locality of the land in New York
bears the same relation to the business
centre of that city, as we may suppose that
on Beverley and Augusta streets does to
the business of Staunton.
The happiness of the little Dutch woman
did not last long, for eight years after she
reached this country her husband died
leaving her with five children. She was
prudent, busness-like little body. and
went on attending to her farming aud
making money as we'll as her husband had
done, and when she married again, as
was inevitable with such pretty woman,
she exercised that prudence to the extent
of having all the property settled or her.
self and children. Her new husband, who
was Domino Everardus Bogardus, Luth-
eran minister of notably fine personal ap-
pearance, was so anxious to get her that
he rot only consented to that. but further
bound himself in the settlement ito bring
up her children with the help of God de-
Gently. provide their necessary clothing
ard food, keep them at school and let
them learn reading, writing and good
trade" The Domino was the established
minister from Holland, and as such had
great authority, an auth orlty which the
little widow he had gotten for wife nm
dertook, at least in social relations, to ex-
ercise. So it came to pass that the Domino
who was an able, outspoken prea cher, was
often at war with the colonial govern
ment, while Lis wife was at war with such
members Of society as did not euit her.
She, though vivacious little woman, I'm
dertook to reg ulate socety with severi-
~ which partook of prudery and which
the good natured phlegmatic Dutch socie-
ty Of that day did not relish. 1t was a
disposition that made a good deal of hot
water for the Domino who, however
did not seem averso to it. In paying
a social visit one day. the Domines wife
found at tie house Frau Grielzs ReiHiers
van Salee, of whose reputation she had Il
poor opinion, aud Immediately gather ed
up her skirts and left the house. But that
was not to be submitted to in silence, and
Frau van Salee soon gave it out in til,
nejghborhOod that Anneke was too ccquet-
ish for d minister's wife, and had bsen seer:
in passing the blacksmith shop to ''expose
her ankles more than was necessary TO
avoid the mud" This was an artful al I'd
well considered assault. Of most of the
ponderous Dutch ladies of that day The
charge wonld have fallen fiat, but the fact
that the Domine's wife had pretty ankles
and knew it, gave color and currency to
the charge and brought On law suits that
disturbed the peace OF the settlement. The
Domino sued van Salee for SANDER, ard
produced witnesses to prove that the pet
ticoats were not 1ourished higher than
was proper for minister's wife or any
other body, nor the length of an inch higher
than the mud absolutely required. Frau
YAH Salee'S husband was fined three gull
ders and made to declare in open court
that he had nothing to say against the
Dumine's wife OR her skirts, to rerract
all that had been said, and to promise
never to offend again. Little Mrs. Domino
lived after this event nineteen years, when
she lost the Domino at sea. She then
gathered all her children about her and
leaving New York went up the river to
her friends in the country. where she
continued to be the same business like,
energetic little woman until her DEATH
She left four children by her first, and five
by her last marriage, and in her will she
provided for all handsomely. And here
commences the series of great law SUITS of
which we read Il sketch in the last Harpers
"Magazine."
1t would be interminable to even at
tempt condensation of the history of
these suits. for even the widow Anneke her,
self was suing, eleven years after the death
of the Domino and three years before her
own death in 1868, to collectrent from the
property now in suit. The government of