History of Delaware County - Ashmead, Ch. II, (Page 13)

Chapter II

die he placed his hands on his eyes and said, "Kill me." The other savage, not his friend, thereupon shot two bullets into his breast. The body was taken to Wiccaco and delivered to the whites, who transported it to New Castle, where it was hung in chains. The other murderer escaped by flight. The sachems faithfully notified the tribes that any of their people who should murder a white person would be similarly dealt with, and with this annunciation the cloud drifted by, greatly to the satisfaction of the magistrates on the Delaware, who were opposed to the war, because among other things they proposed to " make towns at Passayvncke, Tinnaconck, Upland, Verdrieties Hoocks, whereto to out plantacious" must retire in the event of a struggle.¹
The proscription on trade, which prevented vessels from ascending the Delaware River beyond the fort at New Castle, remained in force until the latter part of the year 1672, after which date no record remains, so far as known, of special licenses being given to trade above that point. On Sept. 29, 1671, Governor Lovelace authorized Capt. Thomas Lewis, of the sloop "Royal Oak," "to trade and Trafic, as the said masters occasion shall require," on the Delaware above Newcastle, and no other vessel was permitted there to ship corn or provisions for exportation.² But previous to this Capt. Martin Crieger, who seems to have run a packet-sloop regularly from New York to New Castle, had license to go to the latter point, and Mrs. Susanna Garland was authorized to trade between those places.³ In about three weeks subsequent to the issuing of this license, permission was given the wife of Lawrence Holst to go in Capt. Martin Crieger's sloop to New Castle, and "from thence to go up in the River in some boat or Canoe to the Sweeds Plantations with shoes & such other of her Husband's Trade, & to return again without any maner of Lett, hinderence or molestation whatever."⁴ March 20, 1672, John Schouten, in the sloop "Hope," was authorized to trade at New Castle and parts adjacent, while the same day John Garland, of New York, and Susanna, his wife, were licensed to "Traffick with the Indyans" on the river above New Castle.⁵ Mr. Christoph Hoogland, Sept. 28, 1672, was licensed to go on Crieger' sloop to New Castle, with the privilege to trade on the river. Capt. Crieger, who was a "Dutchman," seems to have run the packet between the two places named for more than ten years, for in July, 1682, Deputy Governor Markham complained that Capt. Crieger at New Castle had permitted Lord Baltimore the use of astronomical instruments, which were shipped by Markham at New York and intended only for him.⁶
War having been declared in 1672 by England and France against the United Belgic Provinces, on the 30th of July, 1673, the colony of New York, with its dependencies on the Delaware River settlements, was recaptured by the Dutch fleet under Admiral Evertsen, and Capt. Anthony Colve was commissioned Governor-General of "New Netherlands with all its Appendencies." Peter Alricks was appointed commander on the Delaware, with instructions that the right of private property should not be disturbed, nor should that belonging to persons holding office under the Duke of York be confiscated where the party took the oath of allegiance to the Dutch government. Freedom of conscience was assured to those who were followers of the true Christian religion according to the Synod of Dordrecht, but the new commander was instructed not to permit "any other sects attempting anything contrary thereto."⁷ By the terms of the treaty of peace, Feb. 9, 1674, the province reverted to the Duke of York, and English authority was established on Oct. 1, 1674, when Maj. Edmund Androsse, as governor, received possession of Fort James at New York, and appointed Capt. Edmund Carr commander on the Delaware. On Sept. 25, 1676, the Duke of York's laws were promulgated as the rule of conduct on the Delaware River, and courts in conformity therewith were established; one of which was "above att Uplands," where quarterly sessions were directed to be held on the second Tuesday of the month.
Early in the year 1675, the first member of the Society of Friends known to have resided within the boundaries of Delaware County purchased an estate at Upland. Robert Wade, on March 21, 1675, bought the tract of ground known as Printzdorp from "Justina Armguard, alias vpo Papegay," for eighty pounds sterling,⁸ whereon he subsequently erected the famous "Essex House."
¹ Ib., vol. vii. p. 736
² Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. pp. 605-607.
³ Ib., pp. 611, 612.
⁴ Ib., p. 613.
⁵ Ib., p. 628.
⁶ Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vi. p. 429.
⁷ Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 636.
⁸ Recital in Deed from Jonathan Dickinson Sargeant and William Rotch Wister, trustees under the will of Albanus C. Logan, deceased, to John M. Broomall, Deed Book E, No. 2, page 673, etc., Recorder's office, Media, Pa. The date of the conveyance to Wade is of record, 1673, but that there is a clerical error is evident from the following letter, which is published in "A Further Account of New Jersey, in an Abstract of Letters written from thence by Several Inhabitants there Resident. London, Printed in the year 1676," pages 6 and 7:
"Dear and Loving Wife
"Having now an opportunity to let thee understand of my welfare, through the great mercy of God &c, and as to the other place it is as good or healthful place as man can desire to live in, and here is plenty enough of all provisions, and good English Wheat and Mault, plenty of Fish and Foul; Indeed here is no want of anything, but honest people to Inhabit it; there is land enough purchased of the Indians for ten times so many as we were and these Indians here are very quiet and Peacable Indians; In New England they are at Wars with the Indians. and the news is, they have cut off a great many of them; but in this place, the Lord is making way to exalt his name and truth; for it os said by those that live here abouts, that within these few years, here were five Indians for one now, and these that be are very willing to sell their land to the English; and had John Fenwick done wisely, we had not been disperst, but I hope it may all work for the best; And dear Wife, I hope thou will be well satisfied to come and live here, where we may live very quietly and Peacably, where we shall have no vexation, nor tearing nor rending what we have from us; I have bought a plantation by the advice and consent of some Friends, upon which there is a very good house, a great deal of Out-housing. Orchards, and Gardens ready planted, and well-fenced; I do intend (if God permit) after the Harvest is gotten in, to come to England for thee, and I hope thou wilt be willing to come, seeing here are several of thy Neighbours whom thou knowest well, as Richard Guy and his Wife and William Hancock and his Wife, and many others; and here is an honest Friend with me, that would have a fourth part of the Land &c., And so hoping these lines may find you in good health, as through the great mercy and goodness of God I have never been better in health.
"My love to Richard Green, he desired me to send him some account of the Country, which to the best of my knowledge I will do; as to Buildings here is little until more People come over, for the Inhabitants that were here did generally Build their own homes, though after a mean manner, for they fell down Trees, and split them in Parts, and so make up a sorry House, &c. But here is Earth enough that will make very good Bricks, and Stone enough of severall sorts, as four that will stoke fire, which may make millstones, or what a man will put them to; they make their Lime of oyster shells; here is good Land and a Healthful and Plentiful Country, here is no Tanner in all the River, but some Tann their Hides themselves, after their own manner. Here is good Oak enough, here is Hemp and Flax, good Water, and the Ground will bear anything that Groweth in England, and with less Pains and trouble; with my dear Love to thee I rest thy loving Husband.
"Robert Wade.
"Delaware River, the place called
Upland, the 2d of the 2d month,
1675."

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Chapter II

	die he placed his hands on his eyes and said, "Kill me." The other savage, not his friend, thereupon shot two bullets into his breast. The body was taken to Wiccaco and delivered to the whites, who transported it to New Castle, where it was hung in chains. The other murderer escaped by flight. The sachems faithfully notified the tribes that any of their people who should murder a white person would be similarly dealt with, and with this annunciation the cloud drifted by, greatly to the satisfaction of the magistrates on the Delaware, who were opposed to the war, because among other things they proposed to " make towns at Passayvncke, Tinnaconck, Upland, Verdrieties Hoocks, whereto to out plantacious" must retire in the event of a struggle.¹ The proscription on trade, which prevented vessels from ascending the Delaware River beyond the fort at New Castle, remained in force until the latter part of the year 1672, after which date no record remains, so far as known, of special licenses being given to trade above that point. On Sept. 29, 1671, Governor Lovelace authorized Capt. Thomas Lewis, of the sloop "Royal Oak," "to trade and Trafic, as the said masters occasion shall require," on the Delaware above Newcastle, and no other vessel was permitted there to ship corn or provisions for exportation.² But previous to this Capt. Martin Crieger, who seems to have run a packet-sloop regularly from New York to New Castle, had license to go to the latter point, and Mrs. Susanna Garland was authorized to trade between those places.³ In about three weeks subsequent to the issuing of this license, permission was given the wife of Lawrence Holst to go in Capt. Martin Crieger's sloop to New Castle, and "from thence to go up in the River in some boat or Canoe to the Sweeds Plantations with shoes & such other of her Husband's Trade, & to return again without any maner of Lett, hinderence or molestation whatever."⁴ March 20, 1672, John Schouten, in the sloop "Hope," was authorized to trade at New Castle and parts adjacent, while the same day John Garland, of New York, and Susanna, his wife, were licensed to "Traffick with the Indyans" on the river above New Castle.⁵ Mr. Christoph Hoogland, Sept. 28, 1672, was licensed to go on Crieger' sloop to New Castle, with the privilege to trade on the river. Capt. Crieger, who was a "Dutchman," seems to have run the packet between the two places named for more than ten years, for in July, 1682, Deputy Governor Markham complained that Capt. Crieger at New Castle had permitted Lord Baltimore the use of astronomical instruments, which were shipped by Markham at New York and intended only for him.⁶ War having been declared in 1672 by England and France against the United Belgic Provinces, on the 30th of July, 1673, the colony of New York, with its dependencies on the Delaware River settlements, was recaptured by the Dutch fleet under Admiral Evertsen, and Capt. Anthony Colve was commissioned Governor-General of "New Netherlands with all its Appendencies." Peter Alricks was appointed commander on the Delaware, with instructions that the right of private property should not be disturbed, nor should that belonging to persons holding office under the Duke of York be confiscated where the party took the oath of allegiance to the Dutch government. Freedom of conscience was assured to those who were followers of the true Christian religion according to the Synod of Dordrecht, but the new commander was instructed not to permit "any other sects attempting anything contrary thereto."⁷ By the terms of the treaty of peace, Feb. 9, 1674, the province reverted to the Duke of York, and English authority was established on Oct. 1, 1674, when Maj. Edmund Androsse, as governor, received possession of Fort James at New York, and appointed Capt. Edmund Carr commander on the Delaware. On Sept. 25, 1676, the Duke of York's laws were promulgated as the rule of conduct on the Delaware River, and courts in conformity therewith were established; one of which was "above att Uplands," where quarterly sessions were directed to be held on the second Tuesday of the month. Early in the year 1675, the first member of the Society of Friends known to have resided within the boundaries of Delaware County purchased an estate at Upland. Robert Wade, on March 21, 1675, bought the tract of ground known as Printzdorp from "Justina Armguard, alias vpo Papegay," for eighty pounds sterling,⁸ whereon he subsequently erected the famous "Essex House."	¹ Ib., vol. vii. p. 736 ² Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. pp. 605-607. ³ Ib., pp. 611, 612. ⁴ Ib., p. 613. ⁵ Ib., p. 628. ⁶ Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vi. p. 429. ⁷ Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. v. p. 636. ⁸ Recital in Deed from Jonathan Dickinson Sargeant and William Rotch Wister, trustees under the will of Albanus C. Logan, deceased, to John M. Broomall, Deed Book E, No. 2, page 673, etc., Recorder's office, Media, Pa. The date of the conveyance to Wade is of record, 1673, but that there is a clerical error is evident from the following letter, which is published in "A Further Account of New Jersey, in an Abstract of Letters written from thence by Several Inhabitants there Resident. London, Printed in the year 1676," pages 6 and 7: "Dear and Loving Wife "Having now an opportunity to let thee understand of my welfare, through the great mercy of God &c, and as to the other place it is as good or healthful place as man can desire to live in, and here is plenty enough of all provisions, and good English Wheat and Mault, plenty of Fish and Foul; Indeed here is no want of anything, but honest people to Inhabit it; there is land enough purchased of the Indians for ten times so many as we were and these Indians here are very quiet and Peacable Indians; In New England they are at Wars with the Indians. and the news is, they have cut off a great many of them; but in this place, the Lord is making way to exalt his name and truth; for it os said by those that live here abouts, that within these few years, here were five Indians for one now, and these that be are very willing to sell their land to the English; and had John Fenwick done wisely, we had not been disperst, but I hope it may all work for the best; And dear Wife, I hope thou will be well satisfied to come and live here, where we may live very quietly and Peacably, where we shall have no vexation, nor tearing nor rending what we have from us; I have bought a plantation by the advice and consent of some Friends, upon which there is a very good house, a great deal of Out-housing. Orchards, and Gardens ready planted, and well-fenced; I do intend (if God permit) after the Harvest is gotten in, to come to England for thee, and I hope thou wilt be willing to come, seeing here are several of thy Neighbours whom thou knowest well, as Richard Guy and his Wife and William Hancock and his Wife, and many others; and here is an honest Friend with me, that would have a fourth part of the Land &c., And so hoping these lines may find you in good health, as through the great mercy and goodness of God I have never been better in health. "My love to Richard Green, he desired me to send him some account of the Country, which to the best of my knowledge I will do; as to Buildings here is little until more People come over, for the Inhabitants that were here did generally Build their own homes, though after a mean manner, for they fell down Trees, and split them in Parts, and so make up a sorry House, &c. But here is Earth enough that will make very good Bricks, and Stone enough of severall sorts, as four that will stoke fire, which may make millstones, or what a man will put them to; they make their Lime of oyster shells; here is good Land and a Healthful and Plentiful Country, here is no Tanner in all the River, but some Tann their Hides themselves, after their own manner. Here is good Oak enough, here is Hemp and Flax, good Water, and the Ground will bear anything that Groweth in England, and with less Pains and trouble; with my dear Love to thee I rest thy loving Husband. "Robert Wade. "Delaware River, the place called Upland, the 2d of the 2d month, 1675."
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