The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-09-29

NEW YoRK,s FIRST CHILD.
Aceording 20 the LaBndist Visitors
II Was dean vigne, Born fin
tho Year 1o14.

The first child born on Manhattan
island was Jean Vigne, according to a
writer in the New York Tribune He
was the son Of Guleyn Vigne and his
wife, Adrienne Cuvilje The proof a.
this appears from the following When
Henry G. Murphy was the American
minister at The Hague he discovered a
manuscript containing the Journal Of
a Voyage to New York in 167g-S0," by
bankers and sluyter of Friesland.
These were representatives OF a re-
ligious community known rs the
Iabadists, from their founder, Jean de
Labadies. who were sent to this country
from Holland for the purpose Of In
yestigating the country and It's governs
ment and selecting a place for col
ony for their community Mr. Murphy
translated this document from the
Dutch and sent it to the Long Island
Historical society. which published II
in 1867 with an introduction and notes
by Mr. Murphy. aided by DR. p. p.
OCallaghan.
This Is very interesting work and
contains extensive references TO many
Of the residents Of the city and other
places which they visited Under
date OF Sunday. September "a, 1879,
they gave an account Of visiting GER
tain persons. and then say: while
In their company we conyersed with
the first male born Of Europeans in
New NetherIand. named Jean yigne
His parents were from Valciennes and
he was now about 65 years Of age
He waa a brewer and neighbor Of
our old people" Three days later they
saw vigne. and stated: we visited
Jean Vigne. in order--as he was one
OF the oldest inhahltants-to obtain
from him various matters relating to
the country" A note written by Mr.
Murphy on this statement Of the
LabadIsts Is as follows: This IS an
interesting statement which may not
only be compared with that hitherto
received. attrihuting to Sarah de
Rapalje. who was born on June 3.
1925. tho honor Of having been the
first born ChristiaR child IN New
Nethorland. but II Is 10 be considered
in other respects. According to the
data given BY our travellers. who.
writing In 1879. make Jean vigne 65
years Old at that time. he must have
been born IN the year 1914. IL years
before Sarah de Rapajc. and at the
very earliest period compatible with
the sojourn OF any Hollanders
I'm America Jean Vigne belonged TO
the class Of great burghers in New
Amsterdam. and was one OF the
schepens Of the city in the years 1856.
1856. 1861 and 1868. IN this person Of
European parentage born in New
Netherland there are some notable
points. The FIRST trading voyages to
Hudson's river were made by the
Dutch in 16l3-1i and the first winter
ing or inhabitation there was in 1914
Is. There must have beeen. therefore.
one European woman at least in the
country at that early period"
Some writer's have been disposed to
question the accuracy Of the statement
BY the Labadists. but we see no good
reason for disputing It. Jean Yigne
was at that time as well known Ia
New York as Abram s. Hewitt or An
drew H. Green is In our day. He had
been a prominent citizen and Office
holder. One Of his sisters married
Abraham Yer Plancls. the ancestor Of
many OF our distinguished citizens
Another sister married Cornelius Van
Tienhoven. the well-known secretary
Of New Netherland. His mother
after the death OF Guleyn vigne, had
married Jan Jansen Damen. one Of
the largest real-estate owners Of the
city. She was A woman of remarlS-
able ability and force Of character and
lived 10 within a score Of years OF the
visit OF the Labadists. and It would
appear almost incredible that these
men. whose journal indicates that they
were intelligent; and painstaking in
vestieators. should have been misin-
formed upon this point. which con-
cerned such prominent people, and /
which they write Of MS though il was
a weli-known fact. Guleyn Vigne was 4
an Indian trader His son Jean was
born in 1914. and that date would in
dicate that the parents were on Man
haitian island at the time the Tiger |
was burned and possibly that they
came on that vessel The ship Tiger
was commanded by Capt Adrian
Block and was burned in the harbor
OF New York in November. 1913 Block
and his crew built a yacht Of less than
20 tons. the first vessel constructed "a
island. which was called
the Onrust. and with which in the fol-
lowing year ne made voyages Of dis
covery through the sound and up the
coast Of Massachusetts,. He discov-
cred the island just east Of Long Is.
land. which has ever since been called
bv his name. Black island.