Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-29
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
THE ANTI BENT WAR

bany son of a Scotch clergyman, began to acquire a landed estate by purchases from the Indians, soon after his arrival in America. which was about 1874. The Mohegan tribes on the east side of the Hudson had become reduced to a few old Indians and sQuaws who were ready to sell the lands of which they claimed the ownership Livingstons position as clerk of Indian affairs gave him excep- tional opportunities to select and to pur- chase the best lands in desirable local ities
 In TOP, Lord Bellomont (then governor of New York; writes: q am told Liv- ingston has op his great grant of six teen miles long and twenty broad but four or five cottages, occupied by men too poor to be farmers but are his vas- sals." After the close of the war Queen Annes War), Livingston made more rap i'd progress in his improvements. He erected flour and timber mills, and a new manor house. In 1715 Livingston obtained from Governor Hunter a con firmatory patent under an exact and careful survey of his estate. Although it does not give the number the survey computes the area of the manor to con- tain 16o,240 acres. It was now believed to be secure against attack.
 Philip. the second proprietor, was not disturbed as to the title or limits. He was merchant, and resided in New York, spending his summers at the manor house. His Ron, Robert succeeded him as the third proprietor but he had hard ly come into possession before he began to be harassed by his eastern neighbors the people of Massachusetts.
 Massachusetts, by her charter claimed the lying west of her eastern boundary to the Pacific ocean. She had long sought to make settlement within the province of New York Now as her population l increased she pushed them westward and gradually encroached on lands within the limits of sister province. In April, 1752, Livingston wrote to Govern or Clinton and entered complaint against the trespassers from Massachusetts. | long correspondence between the govern ors of the two proveinces followed, but settled nothing. The trouble continued for number of years and frequent riots were incident to t, in which several men were killed At length the bound ary between New York and Massachu- sets was finally settled, and the claim ants ceased their annoyance.
 The revolution was approaching ana the public mind was occupied with pol. itics.
 Land titles ceased to be topics of dis lcussion. The proprietors of the old ma nor, and all bearing their name with . few unirnportant exceptions, took a de cided stand in favor of independence During the war that followed and fol
 some years after it's close, their til, and possession of their broad acres wert
 undisputed. But in 1795 another effor
 was made to dispcssess them. The olt methods of riots and arrests were aban
 doned The title was now attacked b!
 the tenants, melted and encouraged b!
 the envious and disatected. A petition
 numberously signed by the tenants o
 the manor was sent to the legislature.
 The committee to which the petition
 was referred reported adversely and thi
 was approved by the house on March 23 i1795.
 After the failure of 1795 to break tn
 title, there was a season of comparativ
 quiet continued for nearly forty years
 Then a combination was formed by tn
 tenants of the old manorial estates, in
 cluding those of large landed proprietor
 in other parts of the State, terme
 anti-renters." It was a civil aSsocia
 ton with a military organization. l
 was their purpose to resist the pay ment of rents. The tenants of the Va
 Rensselaer, and the Livingston Manors being the most numerous, were tn
 projectors and leaders, giving laws an directions.
 Landlords and officers were intimi dated by bands disguised as Indian! 7 and some property was destroyed. Tn
 anti-renters carried their grievance
 into politics, throwing their votes fo the party which would give them tn most favorable legislation. In 1S4 , they petitioned the Legislature to se aside as defective the Van Rensselae ; titIA and put the tenants in legal pos session of the farms they occupie, The petition was referred to the ju
 dietary committee of the Assembl
 the late Judge William Allen bein chairman. Anti-renters of known abi , ity were on the committee. and favorable report was anticipated. a But after a long and thorough ir , vestigation of the title, the commit
 tee unanimously reported against u prayer of the petition. This put a end to the combination, and to tt I anti-rent war, although resistance 1 : the collection of rents in isolated cast
 was continued.
 ' Up to within recent years the lanG 1 lords, however, particularly the LiN l ingstones, were tired of the Strif - They adopted measures of comprC
 mise, selling to their tenants the lanC e they occupied at reduced valuation
 Only small portions of the old mant d now remain in the hands of Robe [. Livingstone's. decendants.
 e (Tomorrow-0ur First Railroad)