g Rensselaerswijck: Century Land isition on the East 31 f the River Shirley WV.Dunn CZrails State Histmk Site

n 1660 Jeremiasvan Rensselaerwrote, “I bought the Van Rensselaers still claimed under Kiliaen van flat opposite Bethlehem, on the main land, from the Rensselaer’soriginal purchaseon the west side. After the Indians and have promised Pieter de Flamingh and English takeover, those claims were renewed. The city Carsten de Noorman that they may dwell there. . .“t In was deemed too important to the province by British this casualway, much of the land in Rensselaerswijckon Governors Andros and Dongan to turn over to a single the east side of the river was acquired piece by piece family, even though the ’sposition was during the seventeenthcentury. conceded to be valid.3 The east and west boundaries twenty-four miles distant from the river awardedin 1685 Some writers have assumed that Kiliaen van reflected not theoriginal boundsbut the expansion which Rensselaer, when he established Rensselaerswijck, had occurred in over 50 years, as well as the need for a bought an extensive rectangle of land stretching from political boundary with neighboring jurisdictions, at present-day Coeymans north to the particularly Massachusettsto the cast. Cohoes Falls near the mouth of the Mohawk River, having equal length on both sides of the river, and What were the limitations of the early purchasesof extending back into the interior 24 miles. This imaginary Kiliaen van Rensselaer?How did his agentsand descen- tract, reported asencompassing more than 700,000acres, dants manageexpansion of the Van Rensselaerholdings is a misunderstandingperpetrated over the years.2In his on the eastside of the , prior to 1685?Who lifetime, Kiliaen van Rensselaernever owned all the land else obtained land within the proposed bounds of the described above. Although he had acquired land on the domain? These questions are worth investigating, since, west side of the river between the above north and south with persistence and flexibility, the Van Rensselaers bounds, he at first obtained only one limited parcel on maintained long-term control of the lands so acquired, the east side. This was followed by a secondparcel on operating what might be termed their family business the east shore about six years later. The area north and into the middle of the nineteenth century. The early land south of thcsc two grants remained in Indian hands and ownership patterns had a far-reaching effect on the was not acquired by Kiliaen van Rensselaer.Moreover, developmentof a four-county areaand servedas a major the interior boundaries for all his early properties were focus for maintiining Dutch ethnic influence in the non-specific, making any accurate computation of Hudson Valley. acreageimpossible in his day. The registration of Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his The reasonfor the confusion about the fist ’s associatesfor their colony in 1629 specified they were holdings is that in 1685,long after his deathin 1643,Van choosing land “above and below Fort Orange on both Rensselaer’sdescendants were awarded a patent by the sidesof the. . . River. . .“4 Although this was merely an English for a very large tract of land on both sidesof the early statementof intention to form a colony, Kiliaen van river. This patent contained the land commonly Rensselaerhad expressedhis goals. Those which he did attributed to the first Patroon.The English patent of 1685 not achieve, despite his persistent efforts, became the expanded the boundaries of Rensselaerswijck, par- goals of his family and officers of the colony in the years ticularly on the east side, to the limits requestedby the to come. Van Rensselaers,as part of a compromise settling Van Rensselaerclaims of many years’ standing. Granting the The patroonshipsin New boundaries requested by the family was intended to Netherland were to be governed by the “Charter of compensatethem for the loss of the City of Albany and Freedoms and Exemptions,” ratified in June, 1629, to a tract to the west of it, as well as for the loss of certain regulate and encourage these “colonies.” Article V of $ivileges and rights. The city had grown up on land the this charter specified: 43 14 SELECTED RENSSELAERSWIJCK SEMINAR PAPERS

The patrcms, by their agents, may, at the place where they wish The De Laet’s-Burch farm later became the Van to settle their colonies, (fix) their limits (so that the colony shall) Rensselaerfarm known as Crailo, appropriated by then extend four leagues along the coast on one side of a navigable river, Director Jeremiasvan Rensselaerfor his personal sup- or two leagues along both sides of a river and as far inland as the situation of the occupants will pennit.5 port. A comparison of De Laet’s-Burch on the map of 1632 with the farm of Johannes van Rensselaer, an The Dutch West India Company was to retain ownership inheritor of Crailo, on a 1788 map confirms the similar of lands betweencolonies but promised that no one else location of the two farms.‘* would be allowed to come within sevenor eight leagues of a patroonship without the owner’s consent, except in Having made his first acquisitions and begun settle- special circumstances. ment, Kiliaen van Rensselaer turned his attention to further purchasesfrom the Mahican Indians on the east Article XXVI of the charter presented Kiliaen van side of the river. In 1634 he wrote, “I wish that the Rensselaerand his successorswith an irresistible lure. remaining little islands and also the land that is on the Investors might “satisfy the Indians of that place for the east side of the river and belongs to the Mahycans, had land and may enlarge the limits of their colonies if they been bought also. Be pleased therein to do your best.” settle a proportionate number of colonists thereon.” Delays extended over three years until finally in 1637 a purchasewas made from the heirs of Papsickenakas,an Encouraged by this carte blanche, Kiliaen van Indian chief who had died after negotiations for his lands Rensselaer was prepared to acquire land beyond the had begun. Jacob Planck, Officer and Commissary of limits permitted by item V of the charter with his land Rensselaerswijck after 1634, finally concluded a acquisitions. His intentions were clear from the first. In purchase of the islands and mainland of Papsickenakas a letter of January 1630, Van Rensselaerhad urged his on April 23, 1637. This was actually about two weeks agent, BastiaenJanz Krol, to buy lands from the Indians. after settlers sent from Amsterdamin anticipation of the “The limits he shall extend as far as possible, as high acquisition had arrived to occupy their farms on the main above Fort Orange and as far inland as they will in any island.” The 1637 purchase encompassedthe large is- way cede,equally below Fort Orange,even if it were five land still known as PapscaneeIsland, with an accom- or more leaguesabove and as many below the samefort, panying small island (later known asCooper’s Island) on and as far inland as possible . . .7’6In 1630, land on the the west of Papscaneeas well as two other islands lying west shore stretching from below the present-dayNor- south of the large island. These latter on eighteenth and manskill to the CohoesFalls, “extending three leagues,” nineteenth century mapswere called PeghtalsIsland and and including also West Island (now the site of the Port Winne’s (or Campbell’s) Island. In addition, “all the of Albany) waspurchased. The estimateof three leagues, main and broken land situate on the eastside of the River a little over nine miles, was considerably short of the real aforesaid,and landward asfar as their rig;htsextend” was distance. One parcel on the east shore from opposite included. This purchase, supposed to end “almost op- West Island to opposite Fort Orange was also obtained. posite Smack’s Island,” extended to below present By May, 1631, Van Rensselaer’s representative had Castleton village.12 bought from theIndiansadditional land on the west shore between Beeren Island and Smack’s Island. The interior A letter written by Kiliaen van Rensselaer in 1634 extent of this 1631 parcel was described as “two days’ recites his acquisitions of 1630 and 1631 and clearly journey inland.“77Of the first purchases,Van Rensselaer locates them on their respective sides of the river, clear- wrote in 1634 that the lands on the west shore extended ing up any confusion which might have,been causedby inland “indefinitely.“* For the Semezeeckparcel on the the vague wording of the deeds.The letter indicates he eastshore, neither the letter of 1634nor the deedof 1630 believed he owned all the land from Beeren Island to the specified a distance inland. CohoesFalls on the west side of the river. This letter also expresseshis expectation to add to Semezeeckon the east A new farm was to be establishedon the Semezeeck shore the islands of the Indian sachem,Papsickenakas, purchaseon the east side. Van Rensselaernamed it “De with the adjacentmainland.‘3 Van Rensselaerspeculated Laet’s-Burch” after one of his associates.On a map in 1634 that the acreagehe had acquired amounted to drawn about 16329De Laet’s-Burch extendednorth and 17,200morgens of land, or about 35,OOlOacres. By 1636 south of a mill stream,now Red Mill Creek, and included he was suggestingto a partner that they had obtained over the large island adjacentto the north end of the property. 300,000 acres of land. Both guesses fell short of the ENLARGING RENSSELAERSWIJCK 15

fortheori inallands butalsotopreventconflictamong subsequent estimated manor acreagegiven by Cadwallader Colden lb in 1762as 1,132,OOOacrest” Colden was hostile to large settlers. landowners and possibly exaggerated the size of The Indian deeds became valuable pieces of parch- Rensselaerswijck. ment, to be produced whenever a challenge arose. In general,tracts were purchasedfrom the Mahican Indians By the time of the Patroon’s death, which occurred and then assignedto a Dutch miller or farmer. Sometimes severalyears later in 1643,both the southernportion and the private individual took the initiative in making the the entire northern half of the future manor on the east Indian purchase, on behalf of the Patroon and with the side of the river had not been acquired either by patent assistanceof the colony’s officials. On other occasions, from Dutch authorities or by deeds from the Mahican the land was obtained by the Director or the officers of Indians. Rensselaerswijck with a promise of occupancy to a certain farmer or miller already arranged. Over the years after Kiliaen van Rensselaer’sdeath, many additional purchasesof land from the local Indians This wasprobably the casewith the first addition made were made by various representativeson behalf of the north of Semezeeck.A choice farm site was obtained for new Patroon, Kiliaen’s son, Johannes,and later heirs. A Thomas Chambers by the officers of the colony about few outsiders also obtained land within the future limits 1646 in the area of present south Troy. This plot was of Rensselaerswijck. Since the outside buyers’ rights known as “the farm between the two creeks;” the creeks were contested by the Van Rensselaersin these con- were today’s Wynantskill, on the south, and Poestenkill, troversial transactions,the formality of a legal document on the north. Chambers’ occupancy of the farm began proving purchaseof the land from the Indians either by about 1647, although an Indian deed for the property is the Van Rensselaersor by the outsiders was of impor- dated 1652. in January, 1651, the Commissioners of tance in settling the issue. The requisite document Rensselaerswijck bought from the Indians the describing the property, with Indian signaturesand wit- Wynantskill, a creek south of Chambers’ farm, with the nesses,and often listing the goodsgiven in payment,was surrounding woodland, the plot extendedsouth to a point never neglected.On a few occasions,the Indian deedwas acrossthe river from presentMenands. The south line of signed after occupation of the land by a Butch farmer. this plot probably did not connect with the northern Having a tenant on the land was an additionally neces- boundary of Semezeeck.Indian deedsof 1678 granted sary proof of ownership, both to keep it from being land to outsidersDirck Wesselseand Cornelius van Dyck reoccupied by the Indians and to keep it from being in this unoccupied space, over the objections of Maria coveted by outsiders. van Rensselaer,serving asadministrator of the colony of Rensselaerswijck, who claimed it was “purchased The earliest Van Rensselaer land purchases were land.“‘7 In 1659, land along the Poestenkill, north of registered before the Dutch West India Company Chambers’farm, waspurchased for Rensselaerswijckby authorities at ,but later additions were Jan Barents Wemp. Wemp’s boundary was to be north not. Kiliaen van Rensselaer,perhaps preferring that the of the creek about “Sixty-six paces” into a meadow, full extent of his acquisitions remain unscrutinized, where trees were marked. This location left the area of wrote: “Henceforth it will not be necessaryfor the gran- present North Troy and Lansingburgh outside Van tors (Indians) to appearbefore the director and council Rensselaerhands. As late as 1684, a piece north of the of , but it will bc sufficient that they Poestenkill extending to the PiscawenKill was acquired appear before the officer and council of the colony of “with the approbation of Mrs. Van Rensselaer” for the Rensselaerswijckto make the transfer, making the same colony.‘* declaration as is put in former deeds.” In another letter The first Patroon, Kiliaen van Rensselaer,had never referring to the lands of Papsickenakashe said, “If the come to New Netherland. The secondPatroon, who was savagesmake a sale, let the transfer be madebefore my not active on behalf of the colony, also remainedabroad. officer and the court of Rensselaerswijck,using the form As a result, while the original land purchaseshad been that Mr Paauw is now sending over. , .“15 This failure to managedby the first Patroon from overseas,through his notify authorities has been pointed out by Nissenson: representativeshere, after his death the land acquisitions The charter, in permitting extension of the domain limits, made no were arrangedon site in Rensselaerswijckby officers of provision for additional registration, but surely some form of the colony, as the needsof the colony or of individuals notice would be requisite, not only to conform to the regulations dictated. Fig. 2. “Mannor of RensselaerswyckMap,” believed to have been drafted in 1757 by Samuel Holland and basedon a 1726 map by Cadwallader Colden. Reproducedby permission of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California ENLARGING RENSSELAERSWIJCK 47

As the years passed, some lands earlier purchased to buy one of the small islands south of PapscaneeIsland from the Mahicans but not occupied by farms or mills against the wishes of the colony of Rensselaerswijck. had to be repurchasedfrom later membersof the tribe. This small island was later known as Winne’s or There are many examples. In 1660, Jeremias van Campbell’s Island.** Rensselaer,Director of Rensselaerswijck,obtained a flat near present Castleton from the Indians. This land Another outsider who obtained land on the east side probably had been included in the 1637 Papscaneepur- of the river was Robert Sanders, who, in 1668, with chase, but to avoid claims, it was purchasedagain. An Harme Vedder, obtained a farm and island north of earlier Director, Brant Aertz van Slichtenhorst, wrote, presentTroy from the Indians; Sandersin 1678 addeda parcel to the south of his farm, extending it to the “If the lands are not occupied immediately at the payment, then gifts must be presented as often as one comes, especially as other PiscawenKill. While Sanders’initial purchasewas made Christians have an eye to the land.“19 with the knowledge of the Colony of Rensselaerswijck, he later procured English patentsfor his lands. The 1685 Lands on the west shore, within the bounds of the English patent obtained by the Van Rensselaersestab- original patents as Kiliaen van Rensselaerhad under- lishing Rensselaerswijck as a manor did not include stood them, were repurchasedfrom the Mahicans in the Sanders’ property (subsequently sold by him and later 165Os,1660s and 1670s.Some of the duplicated Indian known as Stone Arabia) which lay across the manor’s purchases went on well into the eighteenth century, north bounds.23Land to the south of the early Semezeeck particularly in lower RensselaerCounty. Various islands and Papscaneeparcels was also obtained piecemealby in the river, particularly north of (Albany) the Directors of the Colony of Rensselaerswijckand by were purchased individually by the Van Rensselaer.% outsiders. These fertile and readily arable lands were coveted by Bevetwijck and Rensselaerswijckresidents. When chal- lenged about ownership, the Van Rensselaerswere able As early as 1640, Kiliaen van Rensselaerhad been to provide Indian deedsto retain them. informed that the fur trade near Fort Orange was declin- ing. Furs were being siphoned off by the English. IIe The situation with other islands near the east shore speculatedin a letter that the trouble might be the care- became more complex. The Van Rensselaers’ vague lessnessof his settlersand the traders.The result was boundaries on the east side left desirable properties vul- 6.* . . that the English on the Fresh (Connecticut) River. by nerable.Early in 1654,Director Stuyvesanthad declared corresponding with the Mahicans lying about two leagues below that the Van Rensselaer’s“domain lands” were not to be Fort Orange and through thesee,” turn with the Mohawks, draw disturbed until the boundary question was settled.*’ everything away from us . . . Despite this, by the following October, Stuyvesant had These Mahican Indians were located in Schodack,near grantedto Andries HarpertsConstapel the right to obtain the south boundary of the Papscaneepurchase. from natives the island opposite Fort Orange, although this island had been acquired by the Van Rensselaers with the Semezeeckpurchase and much later it was It was not surprising that a new Director of clearly a part of Johannesvan Rensselaer’sfarm in the Rensselaerswijck,Brant Aertz van Slichtenhorst, moved eighteenth century. However, in the 165Os,the Van to close this gap, and by September,1648, had approved Rensselaertenant had left the island becauseof obstruc- a purchaseof a creek close to the Indians’ location, This tion by the Indians. Stuyvesant’srationale was that stream,with twin waterfalls, was known to the Indians as Paponicocck, to the Dutch as the SchodackCreek or 44 . . . it was decided to grant the petitioner’s request because the the Goyer’s Kill, and is today’s Muitzeskill. The pur- island in question has been used as a thieves’ den by the Indians . chase included some adjoining land. A miller, Jacob . . to the great prejudice of the inhabitants of Fort Orange and the Janse (Gardenier), obtained the stream from the village of Beverwijck.“*21 Mahicans for the Patroon. Jacob Janse, also known as Court casesbear out his concern. Sales of liquor to Flodder, very quickly built and operated mills there. theseIndians and thefts from the fort led to his decision. Besides acquiring a prime mill site, the colony had The Indians, a mixed group who had taken the island obtained greater control of the Indian trade in the area. from the Mahicans, were reluctant to sell. They continued tocausetroubleon the island. In 1660,Andries A purchaseof some related Schodack lands from the Harperts Constapeland Rutger Jacobsenwere permitted Indians was also made in spring, 1650, by Jercmiasvan 18 SELECTED RENSSELAERSWIJCK SEMINAR PAPERS

Rensselaer, Director of Rensselaerswijck, again in 1663,paid for “a copy of the contract of sale of Schotack association with Jacob Janse.In this sale of March 13, bought by Volckertt Janz.“*s By fall, Stuyvesant had 1650, Jacob Janse purchased from a Mahican chief issuedthe patent. In January, 1664,however, the Council named Wanemanheetacreage on Schodack Island and of Rensselaerswijckpassed a resolution annulling the the adjacent mainland described as “a piece of land on purchaseof land from the Indians at Schodack,made by the large island, also called by the Dutch Aepjes Island, Volkert Jansenand Jan Tomassen“without the consent with a small piece of land on the eastside of the little kill, of the Colony. ” “When notice of this resolution was for which I [Wanemanheet] have asked 4% pieces of servedon them, they produceda patent from Stuyvesant, cloth, two handfuls of powder, one axe, and 23/4more.” dated Nov. 3, 1663.“29 Three Indian deeds had been This “large island” lay south of the Muitzeskill and close obtained by Jan Tomassenand Volkert Jansen in 1663 to the present-day hamlet of Schodack Landing. and another wasprocured in 1664.The last included land Historian A.J.F. van Laer wrote that a Dutchman named on the mainland near the island. Hans Jans Eencluys “in the spring of 1650 acted as interpreter for JacobJanse Flodder in buying land from On April 25, 1664, Jeremiasvan Rensselaerwrote of the Indians.“*’ The 1648purchase of the Muitzeskill two this grant in a letter to Holland: yearsearlier did not specify any land on SchodackIsland ,I and had dependedon Aepje, an Indian chief, as broker, . . . we have again suffered great inroads, as you will see from the deeds of purchase of Volckert Jansz and Jan Thomasz for the indicating the two were entirely separatetransactions. land on the east side and the large Mahikan island, for which they An item confirming the 1650 purchaseof the upper end already have a patent and which they have already leased to several of Schodack Island is an entry in the account book of people, although I had protested against it . . . Furthermore, we Jeremiasvan Rensselaermade in September,1665. “To wrote at length about the boundaries of the colony, showing that Hans Eencluys for his trouble in coming here to testify it extends from Beeren Island to one half-mile beyond the farm of before Mr. Nicolles regarding Shotack.“26 “Mr. Jan Barentz Wemp . . .” Nicolles” was ’s first English Governor, Earlier in April, Jeremiashad appearedat the General Richard Nicolls, and Eencluys was the interpreter Assembly at New Amsterdam, where these and other mentioned above. mattershad been brought up. But no attention was paid to his remarks and, he said, This 1650 purchase from the Mahicans was used in 1‘ 1664 by the Van Rensselaersto justify their claim to the . . . I had to submit to it for the time being and had to listen to many derogatory remarks from them as to what hselonged to our whole island, for which they lacked any Dutch patentand colony or where our boundary line was. ..30 for which they did not have complete Indian deeds.In making this claim they were not successfulat the time, On April 25,1664, a letter was sent to Jan Tomassen despite Hans Eencluys’ testimony. and Volkert Jansen from the Director and Council of Rensselaerswijck,notifying them to abstain from settling The mills on the Muitzeskill had been establishedfor on the land “until the limits of Rensselaerswijck be a decade, and the 1650 purchase had been made by determined.” This directive the new owners ignored, and Jeremiasvan Rensselaer,as well, when rumors came to sent a tenant farmer to Schodack Island immediately. the Van Rensselaersthat two prosperousfarmer-traders Becausethe land had been cleared by the Indians, the from PapscaneeIsland and Beverwijck, well known to farmer was able “to plow and sow without the Van Rensselaerfamily, were intending to acquire preliminaries.” To halt this activity, Jeremias van SchodackIsland. Jeremiasvan Rensselaernoted in 1659 Rensselaerin personcame to Schodackon May 12,1664. that, on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, Direc- He landed angrily on the island with the officer (schout) tor Stuyvesantwas giving consentto somefarmers to buy and the Secretary of Rensselaerswijck to prevent the from the Indians islands that lay within the claimed island from being cultivated by the tenant farmer. Afraid jurisdiction of the Van Rensselaer’scolony, “under the to proceed, the farmer soon appealed to the Court to pretext that the islands belong to the Company.“27 releasehim from his obligation.31

In March, 1661, Jan TomassenWitbeck and Volkert With the arrival of English rule over New Netherland Jansen Douw formally petitioned Stuyvesant in New in August, 1664, the Schodack Island controversy took Amsterdam for permission to buy Apje’s (Schodack) on new aspects.While the Van Rensselaersanxiously Island. An unhappy in May, pressedfor a determination of their status as holders of -.-. ENLARGING RENSSELAERSWIJCK 19

Rensselaerswijck,the new English governors confirmed parcel from Governor Andros dated 1677. The land ran the grants of outsiders such as Jan Tomassen,Volkert on the east side of the river from a point opposite the Janssen, Robert Sanders and others within Rensse- south end of SchodackIsland south to “a streamflowing laerswijck’s possible limits. The Van Rensselaers, in between Beeren and Sheeter’s Islands,” at moreover, recognized that their claims at the north and approximately the present-dayColumbia and Rensselaer south ends of Rensselaerswijckon the east side of the county line. Undoubtedly because of the continuing river were without legal documentation. In 1684, boundary controversy with the Van Rensselaers,Barent Richard van Rensselaerwrote from Holland to his sister- Mynderse’ grant was returned to the English governor. in-law, “I do not doubt, however, but your brother The date of the patent is given as September29, 1677, Stephanusvan Cortland will be able to bring about this while the purchasefrom the Indians was dated Sept. 2, much through the present governor, Colonel Thomas 1675, according to a county history book?5 Neither of Dongan, that the boundaries of the colony may be the purchasedocuments has been located, but the return extended.” Maria wrote back, “And as to my brother is on file: Steeven’s . . . obtaining something from the governor On this 5th day of August, Barent Myndertse, shoemaker, con- with reference to the limits of the colony, brother says veyed and made over to his honor, Sir Edmond Andross governor that the governor will write about it to the Duke . . .‘y32 general, a certain parcel of land lying on the east side of Hudson’s The Van Rensselaerscould do nothing until their own river, near Shotax island, being a square piece, of one hundred and patent was granted, and that was not forthcoming until fifty rods square, containing thirty-seven morgen and three rods, 1685.Meanwhile, other outsiders obtained the rest of the as per patent thereof granted by his honor on the 29th of September land claimed by the Van Rensselaersat the south end of 1677, all of which he now releases, acknowledging himself to be fully paid and satisfied for all his right and title to said lands, the the domain on the east side of the river, in the present first penny with the last, by the hand of the Receiver Robt town of Schodack. Livingston. Done in Albany, the 5th of August 1679.36

Lower SchodackIsland, also known asMosernan’s or During the Dutch period and through the years when Moesimus Island, was purchased from the Indians in the Crown was being importuned to confirm the Van 1670 by Jonas Vohcertse(Douw) son of Volkert Janse, Rensselaerrights first granted by the Dutch “Charter of part owner of Schodack Island. A deed for Moseman’s Privileges and Exemptions,” the authorities were Island, lying acrossfrom Beeren Island and present-day reluctant to accedeto the land acquisitions being made Coeymans, reads in part “. . . a certain Indian called by the Van Rensselaers and their representatives. Wisquemeet owner of a certain Island called by the However, the attitude towards large land holders wasone Indians Cachtanaquickand by the Christians Moosmans of respect, and the Van Rensselaer family members’ Island did by deed27 June 1670 transport said island to patience and political connections proved effective. ’ JonasVolkertse, lying on the eastside of HudsonsRiver over against [opposite] Barne [Beeren] Island containing In the course of their negotiations, they at various about 100 acres, which said John Volkertse did after- times presented proofs of their rights to the lands in wards transfer said Island to his brother in law Gerrit question. One such memorial presentedin 1678 lists the Teunise.‘B3Captain Gerrit Teunis van Vechten, to whom lands bought by Kiliaen van Rensselaer in 1630 and the land was transferred,was a widely known soldier and 1631,including the parcels listed previously on the west politician who owned a farm near the presentSchodack- shore as well as Semezeeckon the east side. Also in- East Greenbush line. He had the support of the English cluded are the purchase of Papscaneemade by Jacob governor and his island was not included in the 1685 Plan& and the 1648 acquisition of the Muitzeskill. patent to the Van Rensselaers.Instead, he received his Purchasesat Claverack in present-dayColumbia County own patent confirming his ownership on August 28, and at Catskill in Greene County, made in 1648 and 1685, about two months before the Van Rensselaer 1649, are also recited. It must have been perfectly clear patent. to the reader that the original title to the land on the east side did not extend to the boundaries requestedby the After 1687, the island was included in Rensse- family. However, at the sametime, the memorial restated laerswijck?4 In 1675, Barent Mynderse, an Albany a long-held claim that the “fort formerly called Orange shoemaker,received a tract of the Schodack mainland Fort lyes within the Limits of the Petitioners said containing about seventy-four acres from the Mahican Colony” and reminds the counsel to the Duke of York Indians. This purchase was followed by a patent for the that the village “afterward called Beverwijck” was 20 SELECTED RENSSELAERSWIJCK SEMINAR PAPERS

unjustly wrenched away from the Van Rensselaersin English patent, the lords of the domain of 1652 by Dutch Director Petrus Stuyvesant.37 Rensselaerswijck encountered boundary problems on the south line of the manor, along the north line in The claim of the Van Rensselaersto the land on which RensselaerCounty, on the Massachusettsborder, and now stood the village of Albany served to leverage their even along the Normanskill. demandsto extend the boundaries of the domain, and in 1685 they were granted the long-delayed patent. This It is clear from this study that the acquisition of the exempted “the towne of Albany” but confirmed to two huge rectangle of land incorrectly attributed to Kiliaen of the original patroon’s grandsons: van Rensselaerwas not a simple matter of a few pur- chasesin his lifetime. Years of gradual and controversial “All that and those tract and tracts of land called Ransselaerswijck lyeing and being on and upon the banks of Hudsons River in the additions by meansof Indian purchasesmade in the name County of Albany in the province of New York Aforesaid . . . of the Colony of Rensselaerswijck followed the beginning att the south end or parte of Berrent Island on Hudsons Patroon’s death. Although Indian deeds for these pur- River and extending northwards up Along both sides of the said chasesserved to strengthen the Van Rensselaerclaims, Hudsons River unto A place heretofore Called the Kahoos or the some outsiders obtained lands the Van Rensselaers Great Falls of the said River extending itselfe east and west all desired to include in their domain. It was not until the along from each side of the said river backwards into the woods twenty fouer english miles... ~38 final compromisesand concessionsoutlined in the Patent of 1685 that the boundaries of Rensselaerswijck were Finally, long after the first Patroon’s death, the Van finally extended to contain the lands on both sides of the Rensselaershad acquired the huge tract of 700,000 or river, from Beeren Island to the Cohoes Falls, reaching more acreswhich is often erroneously attributed to him. inland from the river 24 miles on each side. The Van Rensselaer claim to Claverack in Columbia County was also upheld. Even after they received their ENLARGING RENSSELAERSWIJCK 21

otes

‘A.J.F. van Laer, trans. and ed., Correspondence of *lVan Rensselaer Manor Papers, New York State Jeremias van Rensselaer (Albany: The University of the Library, Box 34, Folder 12; New York Historical Stateof New York, 1932), 27. Manuscripis: Dutch, Vol. V: Council Minutes 1652- *See E.B. O’Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 2 1654,196. In 1660,these Indians, led by Stichtigeri, “the Vols. (New York: D. Appleton 8t Company, 1848), 124. Owl,” tried to get back this island. See Correspondence For other examples, see Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, ; Jeremias van Rensselaer, 225. Dutch Houses in the Hudson Valley before 1776 (Ivew 4Y CD, XIV, 296; JonathanPearson, trans. and ed., Early York-Dover Publications, Inc., 1965), 49, and Thomas Records of the City and County of Albany and Colony of Elliot Norton, The Fur Trade in Colonial New York Rensselaerswyck, Vol. 2 (Albany: University of the State 1686-7776 (Madison: The University of Wisconsin ofNew York, 1916),70-71; hereaftcrreferred to asERA. Press, 1974), 4. 23~, Vol. 2, 27 The intrusion of this patent into 3Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State Rensselaerswijckis shown on a map of 1829 by David of New York, (Albany: Weed, Parsons& Co, 1853), m: Burr, titled “Map of the County of Rensselaer,” (Ithaca: 410-11; hereafter referred to as NYCD. See also S.G. Stowe and Clark, Publishers). Nissenson, The Patroon’s Domain (New York: Colum- 24VRBM, 483-84. bia University Press, 1937), 304. 25B. Fernow, Documents Relating to the Colonial 4A.J.F. van Laer, trans. and ed., Van Rensselaer Bowier History of the State ofNew York (Albany: Weed,Parsons Manuscripts (Albany: University of the State of New and Company, 1881), XIIX 26. VRBM, 825. York, 1908), 157; hereafterreferred to as VRBM. *%his account book can be found at the New York State ‘The “Charter of Freedomsand Exemptions” is printed Library in Manuscripts and Special Collections. in lhe VRBM, 137-53. 27Correspondence of Jeremias van Rensselaer, 172. ‘VRBM, 158-59. *‘Ibid., 172; Account Book of Jeremiasvan Rensselaer, 7VRBM, 166,181. New York StateLibrary. ’ VRBM, 306-7. 29VRBM, 826. ‘This map is at the New York State Library in 30Correspondence of Jeremias van Rensselaer, 353. Manuscripts and Special Collections and is reprinted in 3t”New York Colonial Manuscripts,” Vol. 10, Part 3, the VRBM. It is probably the same map discussed by 195-200, 219; Jonathan Pearson, trans. and ed., ERA, Kiliaen van Rensselaerin VRBM, pages217 and 218. 353. “John E. van Alen, “Map 6,” Van RensselaerPapers, 32Correspondence of Maria van Rensselaer, 146,169. New York State Library, Manuscripts and Special 33New York State Secretary of State, Patents, Book 5, Collections, Albany. 203 in New York State Archives, Albany. Courtesy of “VRBM, 283. Set Indian deed #15, McKinney Library, Paul R. Huey. Albany Institute of History and Art. Seealso VRBM, 181, 34Correspondence of Maria van Rensselaer, 181. 376. 35Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, History of Rensselaer I2 Indian deed #15, McKinney Library. County, New York (Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 13VRBM, 307. 1880), 398. 14~~~, 334, and “Map of the Province of New York,” 36ElRA, vol. 2,59. by Cadwallader Colden, at the Huntington Library, San 37Nissenson,The Patroon’s Domain, 381. This docu- Marino, CA. ment is titled “The Case of the Colony of Rensse- “VRBM, 283,415. laerswyck, Apri1’27, 1678.” Required to produce more ‘%issenson, The Patroon’s Domain, 245. documentation, Jan Baptist van Rensselaer (the 17~~~~, 755-56; Indian deeds#2,4, McKinney Library; Patroon’s son) was himself confused about the early see also A.J.F. van Laer, Correspondence of Maria van deeds. See E.B. O’Callaghan, History of New Nether- Rensselaer (Albany: The University of the Stateof New land, Vol. 1, 124-25, in which O’Callaghan also York, 1935), 22. becomesconfused. “Indian deed#l 1, McKinney Library. 3sNissenson,The Patroon’sDomain, 381, “Patent of the t9Nissenson,The Patroon’s Domain, 35. Manor of Rensselaerswyck,Dated November 4,1685.” “Ibid., 247.