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Mohawk

The Captive Boys of Rensselaerville: John and Robert Brice

February 8, 2022 by Peter Hess 2 Comments

painting of Dietz Massacre by James Dietz The following captivity narrative was related by Robert Brice and includes an account of the September 1781 “Dietz Massacre” that took place a few miles south of the Village of Berne, Albany County, NY.  This story was taken down from Robert Brice when he was still living by Josiah Priest and published in his Stories of the Revolution in 1836 as “The Captive Boys of Rensselaerville – John and Robert Brice.”  This version has been lightly edited for easier reading, but has retained much of the tone and style, including the use of disparaging terms to refer to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people who took part in these events. Additional details and background about this event can be found here. New York Almanack is presenting this story to illustrate historical attitudes about these events from a victim’s perspective.

The Brices had migrated from their native country of Scotland in the year 1774 and settled in a new place, southwest of the city of Albany. At this place, a few families had chosen a residence, which was then called Van Rensselaer’s Patent, but now Rensselaerville. Here the newcomers erected a few log houses. [Read more…] about The Captive Boys of Rensselaerville: John and Robert Brice

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany County, American Revolution, Berne, Buffalo, Catskill Creek, Fort Erie, German-American History, Mohawk, Mohawk River, Old Fort Niagara, Rensselaerswijck, Schoharie County, Schoharie Valley

The Albany Congress of 1754: Native People, Colonists & the Monarchy

January 26, 2022 by Peter Hess 1 Comment

Dec 1754 Map of the English Colonies (LOC)William Shirley was the Royal Governor of Massachusetts, appointed by the King of England. Shirley had been a British official in England serving on negotiating committees with French officials determining boundaries. This had led Shirley to a thorough dislike of the French.

He was very aggressive and had been a stalwart advocate of invading Canada and driving the French out of North America. Shirley had written a strong criticism of the New York Congress for its resistance to an invasion of Canada in 1748. He was upset when New Jersey and Rhode Island refused to cooperate in the invasion because they were not threatened. [Read more…] about The Albany Congress of 1754: Native People, Colonists & the Monarchy

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Mohawk Valley, Western NY Tagged With: Albany, Albany Plan of Union, American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Canajoharie, Colonial History, Connecticut, French And Indian War, French History, George Clinton, Haudenosaunee, Hendrick Theyanoguin, Indigenous History, James DeLancey, Kayaderosseras Creek, Lenape, Maryland, Massachusetts, Military History, Mohawk, Mohawk Valley, Mohican, New France, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Northwest Territory, Oswego, Pennsylvania, Political History, Rhode Island, Saratoga County, Schaghticoke, Stockbridge Indians, Virginia, West Canada Creek, William Johnson

Albany’s Role In Three Little-Remembered Colonial Wars in the Northeast

January 24, 2022 by Peter Hess 2 Comments

New-France_2_6_Map-of-New-Belgium-or-New-NetherlandFrom the time Henry Hudson sailed up the Hudson River in 1609, the area that is now Albany, NY was considered the focal point of trade with Indigenous People.  For over a hundred years, Albany was the trading post furthest west and most remote in the colonies. Most of the other colonies were English; New Netherland was Dutch and settled for the purpose of trade.

With a moderate climate, abundant rainfall, a lake and river system for good transportation and plentiful natural resources, New Netherland was well-positioned. The fur trade significantly raised the standard of living of many European settlers and Native People.  Arriving at Albany with a catch of furs, an native person could trade would usually trade with a representative of the Van Rensselaers, or one of his agents.

Thousands of pelts began to flow into Albany in return for Dutch, and later English, trade goods. News of the Dutch market spread and before long Native People from as far away as today’s Minnesota and Illinois were traveling across the Great Lakes and Mohawk River to Albany to obtain manufactured goods with animal pelts. [Read more…] about Albany’s Role In Three Little-Remembered Colonial Wars in the Northeast

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Albany, Albany Plan of Union, Burning of Saratoga, Catholicism, Connecticut, Dutch History, Fort Frederick, French History, George Clinton, Haudenosaunee, Hendrick Theyanoguin, Hudson River, Iroquois, King George’s War, King William’s War, Massachusetts, Military History, Mohawk, Mohawk River, New France, New Netherland, Pennsylvania, Political History, Queen Anne's War, Schoharie Valley, Stockbridge Indians, William Johnson

Colonial Conflict, Native People, Anti-Catholicism & The Burning of Schenectady

January 12, 2022 by Peter Hess 5 Comments

In 1652, New Netherland Director General Peter Stuyvesant declared that Fort Orange and everything around it, including the village outside the fort, often called Oranje after the fort, was independent of the ownership of the Van Rensselaer family. He named the small mostly Dutch village “Beverwyck.”

Possibly at the urging of the Van Rensselaers, their earlier manager Arendt Van Curler (Corlear) began planning the construction of a new village. [Read more…] about Colonial Conflict, Native People, Anti-Catholicism & The Burning of Schenectady

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City Tagged With: Abenaki, Albany, Albany County, Arendt Van Curler, Canada, Catholicism, Dutch History, Early American History, Esopus Wars, Fort Crailio, Fort Frederick, Fort Orange, fur trade, https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/tags/fort-frederick/, Hudson River, Indigenous History, Iroquois, Jacob Leisler, King Philips War, Massachusetts, Military History, Mohawk, Mohawk River, Mohican, New France, New Netherland, Peter Schuyler, Peter Stuyvesant, Political History, Religious History, Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, Schenectady, Schenectady County, Van Rensselaers

Father Isaac Jogues, Pastor Johannes Megapolensis & Native People

December 21, 2021 by Peter Hess 6 Comments

First Dutch Church at Albany as it appears in several of the works of James EightsBy 1642, the number of inhabitants of the van Rensselaer Manor Rensselaerswyck had grown and Patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer willingly complied with a requirement of the Dutch West India Company to secure a clergyman for a Dutch Church to conduct services for the settlers.

The Reverend Doctor Johannis Megapolensis, Jr., the dominie (pastor) of the congregation of Schorel and Berg, belonging to the classis of Alkmaar in Holland, was selected and accepted the call. He was to serve for six years at a salary of one thousand guilders (about $400) per year. He was also to receive a yearly donation of thirty schepels (22 ½ bushels) of wheat and two firkins of butter. [Read more…] about Father Isaac Jogues, Pastor Johannes Megapolensis & Native People

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Dutch History, Fort Orange, French History, Hendrick Theyanoguin, Indigenous History, Iroquois, Issac Jogues, Lenape, Lenape - Munsee - Delaware, Mohawk, New France, New Netherland, Religious History, Rensselaer County, Rensselaerswijck

The Southold Indian Museum (Podcast)

December 21, 2021 by Chris Kretz Leave a Comment

long island history project logoThe Long Island History Project is ending its podcasting year with a closer look at the Southold Indian Museum, an institution founded by archaeologically-minded residents of the North Fork of Long Island whose activities date back to the 1920s.

Jay Levenson, the museum’s incoming executive director, discusses the importance of Native American history on Long Island and how he hopes the institution can help others tell their story. He also discusses his own Mohawk ancestry and the interconnected native inhabitants along the east coast. [Read more…] about The Southold Indian Museum (Podcast)

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Indigenous History, Long Island, Mohawk, Podcasts

The Third Patroon & The English Take-Over of New York

December 6, 2021 by Peter Hess Leave a Comment

Van Rensselaer Stained GlassThe third patroon was Kiliaen Van Rensselaer II (1655-1687) son of Johannes, who was the first patroon to live at Rensselaerswyck, the van Rensselaer Patroonship in most of what is now Albany and Rensselaer Counties, along with parts of Columbia and Greene Counties.

Kiliaen II was only seven years old when his father died however, so his uncles continued to manage the colony. Jeremias was director in 1664 when the English seized New Netherland and renamed Beverwyck “Albany.”

Jeremias’ constant conflict with Stuyvesant and his possible establishment of overland fur trade with the English in Massachusetts, avoiding Peter Stuyvesant’s tax collections in New Amsterdam (New York City), may have facilitated the English take-over. [Read more…] about The Third Patroon & The English Take-Over of New York

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, New York City Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Dutch History, Fort Frederick, Fort Orange, Hudson River, Indigenous History, Livingston Manor, Military History, Mohawk, New Amsterdam, New Netherland, New York City, Peter Stuyvesant, Political History, Rensselaer County, Rensselaerswijck, Robert Livingston, Van Rensselaers

Rensselaerswyck, Beverwyck & Schenectady: The Stuyvesant, Van Rensselaer and Van Slichtenhorst Conflict

December 5, 2021 by Peter Hess 2 Comments

Fort Orange, 1635, L. F. TantilloIn spite of his involvement and investment, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer never visited his new patroonship Rensselaerswyck; it was managed by his agent, and cousin, Arendt van Curler, commissioner general of the colony of New Netherland.

The second patroon, Johannes Van Rensselaer (1625–1662) succeeded his father after his father’s death in 1643 but also never came to America. He governed through an agent, Brant van Slichtenhorst. [Read more…] about Rensselaerswyck, Beverwyck & Schenectady: The Stuyvesant, Van Rensselaer and Van Slichtenhorst Conflict

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Mohawk Valley Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Dutch History, Fort Orange, Hendrick Theyanoguin, Hudson River, Indigenous History, Mohawk, Mohawk River, Native American History, New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant, Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, Rensselaerswijck, Schenectady, Schenectady County, Van Rensselaers

Dutch, Mohawk & Mohican Fur Trade

November 29, 2021 by Peter Hess 1 Comment

Castle Island and Fort Orange 1629After a 1627 conflict, when the Dutch sided with the Mahicans against the Mohawks, the relationship between the first settlers and the Indigenous People was relatively peaceful and cooperative.

This was due in part to the fact that the Patroon had purchased the land from them and also due to the business relationship established between local Indigenous People and the fur traders. [Read more…] about Dutch, Mohawk & Mohican Fur Trade

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany, Dutch History, Fort Orange, fur trade, hunting, Indigenous History, Iroquois, Mohawk, Mohican, Native American History, New Netherland, Rensselaerswijck, trapping

Early Settlers at Albany: The Founding of Rensselaerswyck

November 23, 2021 by Peter Hess 1 Comment

New Netherland map published by Nicolaes Visscher II (1649–1702)In 1620, the English Puritans landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts and the following year the Dutch West India Company was chartered and given the exclusive right to conduct trade in New Netherland.

In 1624, eight families joined the Dutch traders at Albany arriving on the ship New Netherland captained by Cornelis May.

These settlers built homes and cultivated farms; they also constructed Fort Oranje (Fort Orange) on the west bank of the Hudson River. [Read more…] about Early Settlers at Albany: The Founding of Rensselaerswyck

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, Colonialism, Columbia County, Dutch History, Fort Orange, fur trade, Hudson River, Indigenous History, Mohawk, Mohican, New Netherland, Rensselaer County, Rensselaerswijck, Transportation History, Van Rensselaers

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