Indian Wars on the Border (Page 281).
To his Excelly Benjamin ffletcher Captain Generall and comandr in chiefe of the Province of New York, &c.
The humble petition of Capt Kilian Van Ranslaer
Sheweth
That yor Excell petitioner is Proprietor of the colony of Ranslaerwick in the county of Albany.
That the settlements & Plantations in the said colony are deserted by * * being a frontier place so that it brings no rent nor profite to yor Excells petitioner but a charge & trouble.
That by his Patent there is a considerable quitrent reserved payable to his Maty.
Yor Excell petitioner therefor humbly prays * * yor petitioner yor * * of his arrearages of quit rent * * the time of warr & for such time as the warr may continue & yor Excell petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c.
K. V. Rensselaer,
June 10, 1697.
Population in 1714 (See page 287.)
- "In ye Township of Schinectady."
- White males above 60 years 12
- White males 16 to 60 years 110
- White males less than 16 years 154
- White females above 60 years 13
- White females 16 to 60 years 107
- White females less than 16 years 151
- Slaves male over 16 years 7
- Slaves male under 16 years 10
- Slaves female over 16 years 19
- Slaves female under 16 years 8
- 591
It will be seen from the above official census that there were only 110 white males of from 16 to 60 years and as the two foot companies of that year (see pages 286-287) numbered 116, it followed that every able bodied male was in the active militia of the place, the additional 6 being either over or under "age."
Indian Fortifications (Page 304.)
The Indian town * * "Nothing was visible but its encircling palisades. They were of trunks of trees, set in a triple row. The outer and inner ranges inclined until they met and crossed near the summit while the upright row between them aided by transverse braces gave to the whole an abundant strength. Within were galleries for the defenders * * * It was a mode of fortification practiced by all the tribes speaking dialects of the Iroquois language." — Pioneers of France, Parkman.
Dutch Church (Page 335.)
"The parish reader (vorleser van de plaats) [Schenectady] who is son of minister Schaets came to visit my comrade, and said he had heard of us and had been desirous to converse with us. He was a little conceited, but my comrade having heard he was the voorlezer, gave him a good lesson at which he was not badly content and with which he went away." — Danker and Sluyter's Journal [i.e., Jasper Danker and Peter Sluyter, Journal of a Voyage to New York], 1679.
Marriage (Note page 366.)
"Marriage in the colony [at Albany] was always early, very often happy and very seldom interested.
"When a man had [a] son there was nothing to be expected with a daughter but a well brought up female slave, and the furniture of the best bed chamber. At the death of her father she obtained another division of his effects such as he thought she needed, or deserved, for there was no rule in these cases." — Mrs. Grant, Memoirs.
Bundling or Queesten (Note, page 367.)
"Those who in earnest do intend to be married together are in so much haste, that, commonly, enjoyment precedes the marriage, to which they seldom come till * * * * * they must either submit to that, or to shame and disgrace which they avoid by marrying; ante-nuptial fornication, when that succeeds, being not looked upon as any scandal or sin at all." — Rev. John Miller's account of the Province of New York, 1695.
Mr. Miller was alien to the people and their customs and doubtless greatly overstates the condition of affairs. It is probable that his observation of the life of some of the ruder people about the trading posts has colored his judgment and he has confused queesten or bundling with the crime he speaks of. He evidently did not understand that the custom was European and was in most instances perfectly honorable.
(1658). Albany. Before the magistrate's court a young woman's reputation having been assailed, the principal witness testified "when we were visiting together," "we slept together in the garret," also that the lady was perfectly virtuous," as doubtless she was in her day and generation.
Cost of Military and Indian Supplies — (See pp. 409-425).
The Comrs Dr To Sundrys Deliverd Cap Helling at Saraghtoge Vizt:
- To 512 lb brod £2 14 9
- " 514 " beef at 2 1/2 £5 7 11
- " 487 " Do " 3 6 1 9
- " 46 " poork " 4 1/2 0 17 3
- " 76 " Vensen " 2 1/2 0 15 10
- " 3 1/2 schepll peas " 3s 6d 012 3
- " 1/2 " salt 0 2 0
- " 3 " petades 0 8 0
- " 9 lb flower 0 1 6
- " 8 " nayls 0 8 0
- " 23 " poork 0 8 7 1/2
- " 8 Days Work for a Negro & 2 horses 3 12 0
- £21 09 10 1/2
Errrs Excepd
per John Schuyler, Willaim Helling. [William?]
(The following items are extracted from sundry accounts against the province of New York rendered by inhabitants of Albany in the year 1698.
6 gall. Rom to ye Indians at 5s 9d yt is 4s 6d at n. york 4d ye Custome at n. York 3d to ye Towne of albany, Loyr Charges besides ye Excyse, £2-12.
To John Pruyn for making 3 French prisoners coats 6s.
To 200 loavs bread delivered to ye Indians of ye five nations a spr lukas ye bakers acct £1-10.
To a Barl Syder at ye propositions, 1 pound.
To 8 ps strouds att £12-10.
To 8 ps Duffels 386 yards att 7s 6d pr yard.
Aug. 4. To Jean Rosie for ye pasturage of his Excellencys Coach horses while at Albany, £3-6.
By order of Coll. Schuyler given to ye French Indians when they were here 6 fyn shirts ye linning amounts to 12s apiece is wth making & threed, £3-18.
Schenectady. (Page 438.)
Cornplanter, the great Seneca chief, made a speech at the council, at Fort Harmar, of the Six Nations, Wyandots, Shawanese, Delawares, Munsees, Ojibways, Ottawas, Pottowatomies and Sauks in which he said "when the Americans first dropped on this Island, they found the Six Nations very powerful and willing to assist them, taking them by ye hand" etc., mentioning the treaty of Schenectady. * * * *
"Taking up up ye Great Belt he offered one end to ye governor and said he and his Brothers of all ye nations held ye other — this contained ye Treaties of Schenectady" (454-1) etc., meaning doubtless that the first treaty with the whites, made at the village on the Hudson's River at the mouth of Norman's Kil, was the first link in the covenant chain and that he held it unbroken.
Notes
(454-1) Mag. of Am. History, April, 1883.