Document: Complaint of Jan Schaggen against Jan Paul Jacquet

Complaint of Jan Schaggen against commander Jacquet.[i]

Highly esteemed and very wise lords director general and councilors.

My lords.

I humbly make known that commandant Jacquet, after his arrival called upon me in regard to the land that I owned, claiming that the honorable general had given the same land to him and I should move off; and as I was sure that the lord general while here had allowed me to live on and cultivate the place, as likewise lord Sille while here also confirmed. As I did not want to give credence to the commandant’s pronouncements, but adhering to the promise [ of the honorable general ] [was not willing to abandon the land upon which I had expended my labor and sown 4 schepels of rye, but I desired to remain unmolested and had to make a contract with him] about planting tobacco, [ so that I ] should begin it for him, for which [ he would ] get me help and [ I should have ] my share under such conditions as he would be pleased to grant. While carrying this out, I was not properly assisted with laborers, whereby half the crop was lost to my great disadvantage in my poor circumstances, for I have thus lost over 1000 lbs. of tobacco, mostly because of the lack of room to store it, during which time the most help was needed. After the tobacco had been handled in this manner and thus brought under cover, as it was and I was busy sowing some rye together with 3 schepels for Jan Wijler, the owner of the land, whom I am awaiting, the commandant again told me to leave and that the land was his; I referred him again to the lord general and lord Silla and told him that he had no order to run me off.

He answered [ that ] he cared the devil for Stuyvesant and Silla and that he was now here; with sword in hand he then drove me three times from my work into my house, so that I was compelled to suspend the work that I had begun and sorrowfully had to leave the land. I therefore called on Hudde to survey for me a piece of land thereabouts, [ situated about there in the bush, when not more than 20 rods’ breadth along the river were allotted to me, and as I have nobody living near me to whom it would have been disadvantageous if I had asked ] for 100, even 1000 rods, [ ] was able to work it, I asked the commandant to grant me 20 rods’ breadth more, as I needed more land to plant tobacco and sow grain. He refused and would not allow it. It is therefore my humble request and prayer that your honorable lords will please to take pity on my needy circumstances and through thick and thin will let me enjoy satisfaction for the injuries suffered and add to the breadth of 20 rods another 20 rods [ of land ] and provide me with a title thereof. I shall ever remain, as I now am (lower stood) Very honorable lords, your esteemed honors’ humble servant (signed) John Schaggen. Dated South River, 20th of March, anno 1657.