The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-07
AN HISTORIC LAND OFFICE.
n Picturesque and Vanishing Relic of Days
Whea Patroons Were Potent.

AN HISTORIC LAND OFFICE.
a Picturesque and Vanishing Relic of Days
When Patroons Were Potent.
There is more staid solidity than ar
dent public spirit in the Hoilanders,
whose ancestors started New York on
Its career as great city. The repre-
sentative men hereabouts meet once a
year at the public dinner of the St.
Nicholas society, but during the inter
vening three hundred and siXtyfour
days until the next dinner, they pur-
much reference to each other, or to the
fact that they are Dutchmen. Accord
ing to the federal census of 1890. there
were eight thousand three hundred
and sixty-six Hollanders resident in
the state of New York. more than ten
per cent of the whole Holland-born
populat ion of the United States. Just
among some of the HollanderS for a
public subscription limited to men of
Dutch nativity or ancestry, for the
preservat ion of the historic Dutch land
office at Batavia. n. Y, the main Of
fee of the Holland Trading Co, erected
ninety-three years ago.
As early as 1929 the West Indian
Trading Co, Dutch institution, issued
a,charter of privileges and exemptions
which provided that any member of
che company in good standing, who
should purchase of the Indians the
land for, and esta blish, in any part
OF New Netherlands so-called, except
Manhattan island, a colony of fifty or
more persons over fifteen years OF age,
should be acknowledged as the feudai
lord or PATRON of the territory of which
he shonld thus lawfully acquire posses
sion. The PATRON had power TO APP
point officers and magistrates in ali
towns and cities upon his lands: to hold
a immortal court from which, in cases
where the Judgment exceeded fifty
guilders. the defeated contesta ut might
appeal to the Encouragement and
council in Holland. and to establish
himself as baron. The PATRON not
merely owned the land over which his
jurisdiction extended. hut also nrac-
tically, every one on it. No man or
woman, man-servant or maid-Servant'
sould leave a PATRONS service, during
the time he or she had agreed to re-
main, except by his written consent,
under any pretext whatsoever. Under
authority Of law made in Holland,
freemen cultivating land ia New Meth
Strands were exempt from taxation for
period of ten years. 1t was requi-ea
that churches and schools should be
established by tho representatives of
the PATRON; the manufacture of cloth
goods was prohibited. The parent!
company retained for itself the profta-
bic fur trade with the Indians
This charter of rights granted by the
Dutch government was afterward mod
lied, amended. and, in part. rescinded,
but the title to the most vaa IA BILE farm
ing lands in New York state--farms in,
New York. on Long island, along the
Hudson river. and in the forest wilder
ness of the west end of tho state-re-
NAMED intact in the possession OF the
Dld Dutch fAmihes. They established
manors and leased out farms on shares
Tor cultivation. n was to the old Hol,
land land Office in Batavia (of which
town William Morgan, the good.
enough Nsrgan" of anti-masonic times,
WAS = resident) that all emigrants in
west New York, from the Onondapa
salt springs to Lake Erie, came FOR
their title deeds or to execute their
leases of tanning lands
The old Dutch Office at Batavia is
falling into decay. Unless the popular
Sn Inscription for its renovation il sue
,cssful it wall tumble down entirely.
Ii perpetuates the mild rule of the cid
in the days when there
we're no Disputes over real estate ten
ures. such as affected afterward those
residents in the Mohawk and upper
Hudson counties, and which led to
in the ''auti-renters' war
between the tenants on Dutch manors
and the agents of the PATRONS. The
western part of New York state
shows few evidences of its Dutch
settlement A few Dutch names
are retained in the vicinity of Genesee
Batavia. Holland Patent, Wende and
the iiks-but since the opening of the
Erie canal western New York has been
largely settled by New England emf. |
grants. and the Holland land office /
stands almost isolated as reminder of I
The past period OF Dutch domination. (
The town of Batavia is one of the ,
oldest OF New York towns. 1t was es-
"A hiished in 1902. Those in charge of
The fund for maintaining the Dutch
clio expect. they say, to secure five
thousand dollars for the restoration .
md maintenance OF the old building. 4
some efforts have been made. but TINS
ar unavailingly. to interest the Hol- (
and society in the project of restoring
The batavia land Office building. One
If the objects OF the society. as de-
'cribed in its constitution. is the col.
cction and preservation of informatio,
early Dutch colonies and
'olonists" 1t has erected bronze tab
cts in various parts of the county as
reminders of historical events in which
dolianders took part. but the RAISING
" fund for the repair of a building
It some distance from New York does
lot, some of the members claim. come
'trictiy within the powers OF the soci-
'ty.-N Y. sun.
-God has two dwellings: one =,
heaven, and the other in meek and
thankful heart-Izasls Walton.