Evening star., 1909-06-24
BRAVE BUT UAC0UTH
Early Dutch Settlers Who
Populated Manhattan.
RIGHTS OF THE PATROONS
How the Land Was Held Which Was
Bought From Indians.
OLDEST REAL ESTATE TITLE
Ancestry of Some of the Proud
Families of the Hudson
Valley Traced.
RIGHTS OF THE PATROONS
OLDEST REAL ESTATE TITLE
BY WILLIAM r. RTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.


Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
NEW YORK. June 23, 1893
Hendrix Hudson entered New York bay
September II, 1909, and explored the
river called by one tribe "Shatemuk. =
and by another "Cocahohateta." both
meaning "the river of mountains" to the
mouth of the Mohawk. The native name
was changed to "Mauritius,' in honor of
Maurice, Prince of Orange. during the
Dutch period, and afterward to North
river by the English to distinguish it
from the South or Delaware river. Hud-
sons name first appeared on the map in
1ti>2. and displaced the others after the
English occupation, except that the term
North river is usually still applied to the
lower portion opposite the city of New
York in distinction to East river. which
connects it with Long Island sound
Hudson's discovery was Immediately
followed by companies of Dutch traders.
who were sent out from Holland to take
advantage of the very valuable fur
trade, and they established forts at AL
bany and on Manhattan Island. and
trading posts at intervals between them.
Other Adventures soon took up and col
oniZed large tracts of land along the
banks of the river because it was very
fertile and attractive. ard they were far
sighted. The first permanent settlements
were made on Manhattan Island in 1876
and at Albany in 1924. In 1920 the Puri-
tan refugees from English religious per-
secutions at Delft and other places in
Holland asked permission to settle on
North river and. although that privi-
Iege was refused by the Dutch East India
Company. the Mayfiower actually set
out for New York and was compelled to
take refuge inside of Cape Cod. where
the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock
instead of Manhattan Island.
From 1915 the colony on the Hudson
grew steadily, and when the New Neither
lands was captured by the English in
1G,ii the people were doing large trade.
The Dutch recovered possession in 1853;
but the English dispossessed them again
the next year and held the colony until
American independence.
Stamp Left by the Dutch.
During the fifty years that the Dutch
controlled the valley of the Hudson they
succeeded In stamping their character
upon it permanently. They were like
the Beers in South Africa. They showed
the same energy, industry. thrift and
courage; they endured hardships as cheer
fully and made the best of everything
with as great success and pecuniary
profit as any other colonists in the world.
The first houses were built of earth and
sod and rooted with bark and reeds, but
more substantial dwellings were sub
Stituted as soon as the occupants had
time to build them: but luxuries were the
last things they thought of. and they
denied themselves comforts for genera
tions in order that their posterity might
be rich. The rules for their government
were made in Holland, but with their
consent, and they were wise and far
sighted They were mostly illiterate
men. rude of manner. but genuine of
spirit. They were thoroughly practical
in business, in domestic affairs and in
religion. They believed in the stern doc
trines OF John Calvin. but were not dis
turbed thereby, and never tried to force
their theology upon their neighbOrS. while
the Pilbrims in Massachusetts. as some
one has said, wore their creed as an
ascetic wears his hair shirt. and tried to
make everybody else do the same.
The original patentees of the lands along
the Hudson were called PATRONS. That
term has come to have the same weight
as a title of nobility, although it was
never intended to have such significance.
We accustomed to accept the preten-
tions of the descendants of the PATRONS
without question: We accord them the
inestimable superiority enjoyed by the
aristocracy of Europe; but, although the
PATRONS lived in manner similar to
the feudal lords of Europe, and had juris-
diciion over unlimited areas of wilder
ness upon which their colonists raised
corn and children in continual danger of
massacre by the Indians their patents
TO the land did not imply either birth or
breeding. rank, wealth. previous power or
prestige.
Obligations of the PATRONS
The PATRONS of New York correspond
precisely with the planters" of Ireland,
and patroonships could be purchased for
money just the same house or ship
or suit of clothes. But they carried
with them certain obligations. Every pa
troon was required TO settle upon his
grant a certain number of families. The
bill of freedoms and exemptions grant
ed in 1910 provides that:
For PATRONS and feudatories of New
Netherlands shall be acknowledged all
such shall ship hence and plant there
a coionie of fifty souls, above fifteen
years of age, within a space of three
years after having made declaration
and given notice thereof, to some cham
Der of the company here or to the gov
ernor or council there: namely, one third
part within the year. and so forth from
year TO year until the number be COM
pieted, on pain of losing. through noto-
rious neglect the obtained freedoms and
cattle But they shall be warned that
the company reserves the Island Man
The PATRONS shall forever possess all
the lands situate within their limits, to-
gether with the produce. supertces, min
erals, rivers and fountains thereof with
high, low and middle jurisdiction, hunt
ing, fishing, fowling and milling the
lands remaining allodial but the juris-
dlction as of perpetual hereditary fief
deNolvable by death well To females as
10 males. and fealty and homage for
which Is To- be rendered % the company
on each of such occasions, with a pair OF
iron gauntletS, redeemable by twenty
guilders within year and six weeks at
the assembly of the NIX here or be-
fore the governor there; with this under
standing, that in case of division of said
fief or jurisdiction. be Il high middle or
low, the parts shall be and remain of the
same nature as was originally conferred
on the whole. and fcalty and homage
must be rendered for each art thereof
by "A pair of iron gauntlets. redeemable
by twenty guilders, aforesaid"
Land Held by the Colonists.
The cotorists held their land from the
PATRONS upon leases, beaver pelts and
other skins being accepted for rent in
stead of cash. which was very scarce
s. little money was there in the country
indeed, that a law Was passed at an early
day making wampum-the Indian cur
rency-leSai tender among the settlers
Among other regulations for the gov
ernment OF the PATRONS IL was provided
that each tenant should be supplied with
one yoke OF oxen, two cows. two soWs
and number of sheep and chickens and
n