Document: Contract of sale from Richard Smith, junior, to Gillis Pietersen of a house and lot on Manhattan Island

On this day, the 16th of August of the year 1651, before me, Jacob Kip, appointed clerk here, appeared Ritchert Smit, the younger, as agent of his father Ritchert Smit, at present in Connecticut, of the first part, and Gillis Pietersen, inhabitant here, of the second part, who in the presence of the hereinafter mentioned witnesses declared that in all love and friendship they had agreed and contracted with each other about the purchase of a certain house and lot, on the conditions hereinafter written, to wit:

Ritchert Smith sells to Gillis Pietersen, who also acknowledges that he bought a certain house and lot situated on the island of Manhatans on the East River, next to the lot of Carel van Bruggen, as large as appears from the patent thereof, the house with all that is fastened by earth and nail, as the same stands at present, for the sum of one hundred and forty-four good, merchantable beavers, to be paid in two terms, to wit, the just half, being seventy-two beavers, as soon as the delivery of the aforesaid house and lot shall take place, and the other half, consisting likewise of seventy-two merchantable beavers, in the next month of May anno 1652. The house shall be delivered as soon as Adam Modt returns from the South River, who must then vacate the same. Randel Huwit, who with his family occupies the east end of the house, has contracted for a year's lease of the same, which lease began about the beginning of July last, the rent for which the buyer will receive upon the expiration of the term, as the seller's father has agreed with him. The parties declare that they will hold this contract of sale as firm and binding and that they will observe the same, the buyer binding himself for the payment aforesaid and the seller for the free delivery, [ both of them ] binding their persons and property and especially the aforesaid house and lot, according to law. In testimony whereof this is signed by the parties and the witnesses on Manhatans in New Netherland, datum ut supra.

Richard Smith
Jells Pietersen
Jacob van Kouwenhoven
Geo: Baxter
Nich: Hart
Jacob Kip