Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys
Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of
New York;
procured in Holland, England and France
by John Romeyn Broadhead, Esq., Agent,
UNDER AND BY VIRTUE OF AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE
ENTITLED "AN ACT TO APPOINT AN AGENT TO PROCURE AND TRANSCRIBE DOCUMENT
IN EUROPE RELATIVE TO THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE," PASSED MAY
2, 1839. VOLUME V., ALBANY;
Weed, Pasons and Company, Printers, 1855.
(Note the spelling is from the 18th Century)
Brigadier Hunter to Secretary Popple.
[ New-York Papers, Cc., 12.]
London y 26 July. 1720.
Sir
I have the honour of a Petition from. Wyser and ether Palatines with their
Lordp(s) commands relating to it.
Such of that people as were sober & industrious remain on the Lands where I settled them at first & which I was obliged to Purchase for them on Hudsons River for the ends proposed by those who sent them Viz(t) the manufacture of Naval Stores; these are well inabled to subsist themselves the rest have been wanderers. About forty Familys of them went and took possession of Lands granted to several persons at New York and Albany against repeated orders: In compassion to the innocent women and children I prevailed with the Proprietors of these Lands to make them an offer of the Lands free from all rent or acknowledgement for ten years & ever after at a very moderate Quit Rent. The Majority accepted of the conditions but durst not or could not execute the agreem1 for fear of the rest who had been tampering with the Indians who had resigned their claims to their Lands to the Crown, but I have some reason to beleive that in the mean time it is compleated or speedily will be so
Their Lordships know that all the Lands of any value were granted away before my Administration There is still a great Tract of Land but very remote on the Frontiers formerly graunted to Domine Dellius of Fifty miles square & resumed by Act of Assembly which may be graunted to them, if they are willing to transplant themselves thither In a body so as they may be secure from the attempts of the French Indians their nearest Neighbours, but their neighbourhood with our Indians has given much trouble & may give more. If their Lordships think fit to make them an offer of that settlement a letter to the present Governor for that purpose will do the thing & free their Lordships from further trouble if they are willing to accept of the offer but
Query how far such grant may avail them until his Majesty has
approved of the Naturalization Act or whether the Gov(t) can grant them letters
of Denization to enable them to hold Lands, there being no such powers mentioned
in his letters patent. I am with the greatest respect
Sir
Your most obedient
- humble Servant
Sg(t) RO HUNTER.
Petition of the New York Palatines to the Lords of Trade.
[New York Papers, Cc., 11.
The Case of the Palatines, and others Germans, in the Province of New York
in America sheweth.
That, In the year 1709. The Palatines, & other Germans, being invited to come into England about Four Thousand of them were sent into New York in America, of whom about 1700. Died on Board, or at their landing in that Province, by unavoidable sickness That before they went on Board, they were promised, those remaining alive should have forty acres of Land, & Five pounds sterling p(r) Head, besides Cloths, Tools, Utensils & other necessaries, to Husbandry to be given at their arrival in America
That on their landing their they were quartered in Tents, & divided into six companies, promise but having each a Captain of their own Nation, with a promise of an allowance of allowance fifteen Pounds per annum to each commander
That afterwards they were removed on Lands belonging to M(r) Livingstone, where they erected small Houses for shelter during the winter season
That in the Spring following they were ordered into the woods, to make Pitch & Tar, where they lived about two years; But the country not being fit to raise any considerable quantity of Naval Stores, They were commanded to Build, to clear, & improve the ground, belonging to a private person
That the Indians have yielded to Her late Ma(ty) of pious memory a small Tract of Land called Schorie for the use of the Palatines, they in fifteen days cleared a way of fifteen miles through the woods & settled fifty families therein
That in the following Spring the remainder of the said Palatines joined the said fifty families so settled therein Shorie
Bat that country being too small for their encreasing families, they were constrained to purchase some Neighbouring Land of the Indians for which they were to give Three hund(d) pieces of Eight
And having built small Houses, & Hutts there about one year after the said purchase some gentelmen of Albani, declared to the Palatines, that themselves having purchas(d) the said country of Schorie of the Gov(r) of New York they would not permit them to live there, unless an agreement were also made with those of Albany; But that the Palatines having refused to enter into such an agreement, A Sheriff & some officers were sent from Albany to seize one of their Captains, who being upon his Guard ; The Indians were animated against the Palatines; but these found means to appease the Savages by giving them what they would of their own substance.
That in the year 1717 the Governour of New York having summoned the Palatines to appear at Albani, some of them being deputed went thither accordingly, where they were told, that unless they did agree with the Gentlemen of Albany, the Governor expected an order from England to transport them to another place, And that he would send twelve men to view their works & improvements to appraise the same & then to give them the value thereof in money But this not being done the Palatines to the number of about three Thousand, have continued to manure & to sew the Land that they might not be starved for want of Corn & food
For which manuring the Gentlemen of Albani have put in prison one man and one woman, & will not release them, unless they have suffic(t) security of One Hundred Crowns for the former
Now in order that the Palatines may be preserved in the said Land of Schorie, which they have purchased of the Indians, or that they may be so settled in an adjoining Tract of Land, as to raise a necessary subsistance for themselves & their families, they have sent into England Three Persons one of whom is since dead humbly to lay their Case before His Maj(ty) not doubting but that in consideration of the Hardships they have suffered for want of a secure settlement, His Majestys Ministers and Council will compassionate those His faithful Subjects;
Who, in the first year after their arrival willingly and cheerfully sent Three Hundred men to the expedition against Canada, & afterwards to the Asistcince of Albani which was threatened by the French and Indians, for which service they have never received One Penny tho' they were upon the Establishment of New York or New Jersey nor had they received one Penny of the five pounds per head promised at, their going on board from England Neither have their commanders received anything of the allowance of fifteen pounds per Annum, and tho' the arms they had given them at the Canada expedition which were by special order from Her late Majesty, to be left in their possession, have been taken from them, yet they are still ready to fight against all the enemies of His Mat(y) & those countrys whenever there shall be occasion to shew their hearty endeav(rs) for the prosperity of their generous Benefactors in England as well as in America
Therefore they hope from the Justice of the Right Honble the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, to whom their Petition to their Excellencies the Lords Justices has Been referred That they shall be so supported by their Lordships Report, as to be represented fit objects to be secured in the Land they now do inhabit or in some near adjoining lands remaining int he right of the Crown in the said Province of New York
And they shall ever pray as in duty bound &c
2 Aug: 1720.
Minute of the Board of Trade respecting the Palatines.
[Journal, XXX., 3A1.]
Whitehall Tuesday 6th Sept(r)1780
At a meeting of His Majesty's Commiss(rs)for Trade & Plantations.
PRESENT- " Earl of Westmorland
M(r) Doeminique
Sir Charles Cooke
M(r)Bladen
New York. Gen(l) Nicholson attending as desir'd, as also M(r) Jeremy Long
who appears in behalf of the Palatines & other Germans at New York, whose
Petition & case, as also a letter from Brigadier Hunter on the same subject
are mention'd in the Minutes of the 21st of July and 2d of August last, the
said case and Letter were again read; And Gen(l) Nicholson being ask'd what
he knew of the Allegations set forth in behalf of the said Palatines; He said
that he understood the Number of the Palatines first sent over to New York,
was about 3200 ; -That he knew nothing of any promises made to them;-That
he had about 300 of the said Palatines with him in the expedition to Montreal,
who were subsisted during that Expedition, but that he knows of no Engagements
concerning their Pay;--That he is a stranger to their settlement at Schories-That
as to the Arms made use of in the Expedition, he knows of no direction for
leaving what the Palatines had in their possession, but that there was an
Order for leaving some of them in the Plantations as Stores for the Magazines
there-And M(r) Long above mentioned being unable to make proof of any of the
Particulars set forth in the said Case of the Palatines; he was acquainted
that Copies of the several Papers relating to their Petition, shou'd be transmitted
to M(r) Burnet Gov(r) of New York, and the settlement of such of them as desire
to remove to proper places, recommended to him, tho it was observ'd to M(r)
Long that it seem'd sev(l) of the said Palatines had behav'd themselves very
undutifully to His Majesty and his late Governor of that Province.
Charles Cooke
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