Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 11-12 October 1645

Holding Institution
Document ID
NYSA_A1809-78_V04_p237-238
Description

Court proceedings. Thomas Willet and Jeuriaen Blanck vs. Jochim Kierstede, for damages alleged to have been suffered through defendant's fault, on a voyage to Rhode island; referred to arbitration. [1645] (page 237);Court proceedings. Claes Jansen and Elbert Elbertsen (Stoothof) vs. William Bredenbent, husband of Cornelis Lambertsen Cool's widow; court decides that a will produced by defendant is invalid, and that a certain contract made by Aeltje Brackonje, Gerrit Wolphertsen (van Couwenhoven) and Claes Jansen, on 5th January, 1645, is in force; wherefore defendant is to pay the claim held against said Aeltje by Wolphertsen and Jansen aforesaid, as heirs of Cornelis L. Cool. Declaration of Jan Jansen from Ilpendam, respecting the disposition of certain goods at the South river. Fiscal vs. Jan Jansen van Ilpendam, for fraud; defendant superseded, and ordered to answer the charges against him. [1645] (page 237);Appointment. Andries Hudde to be commissary at Fort Nassau, on the South river. [1645] (page 237);Minute of the receipt of a few specimens of a mineral yielding gold and quicksilver. Resolution to send an officer and thirty soldiers to explore the mountain and to bring back a quantity of the mineral. [1645] (page 238)

Document Date
1645-10-11 to 1645-10-12
Document Date (Date Type)
1645-10-11
Document Type
Document Type Unlinked
Minutes
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Translation
Translation

On October 11, 1645

Tomas Willit and Jeuriaen Blanck, plaintiffs, vs. Jochim Kirstede, defendant, for damage which plaintiffs claim they suffered through the defendant on the voyage to Rhode Island.

Ordered that Jacob Wolphersen and Gysbert Opdyck act as arbitrators to reconcile the parties if possible, or, otherwise, to give us their opinion in writing.

October 12

Claes Jansen and Elbert Elbertsen, plaintiffs, vs. Willem Bredenbent, who married the widow of Cornelis Lembersz Cool, defendant.

Parties on both sides having been heard, both as to the complaint and the answer, and it being observed that the will which the defendant produoes is not legal, it is adjudged that the contract made by Aeltjen Brackoengne, Gerrit Wolphersen and Claes Jansen on January 5, 1645, shall remain intact and retain its full force. Therefore, he, Willem Bredenbent, is condemned to fulfil the aforesaid contract and to pay the money which the above named Aeltjen Brackoengne promised to the aforesaid Ferrit Wolpehersz and Claes Jansen as heirs of Cornelis Lambersz, deceased, and if defendant claim anything outside the contract, he may demand it.

Jan Jansen van Ilpendam, commissary at Fort Nassau, declares, in court that he took with him to the South some cloth, he does not know how much, belonging to Marritjen Tymens. He promises to tell tomorrow whether he delivered the cloth to Hendric Huygen, or sold it to some people elsewhere. He says that he received two hags of Haerlem cloth from Bogardus' wife, the same having been handed to him by Jochim Kirsteede, which bags were sold in his presence by Egbert van Borsum in the sloop Prins Willem for two beavers; also, that he did not trade or sell any goods for Jan Jeuriaensen,[1] when the latter was there.

The fiscal, plaintiff, vs. Jan Jansen Ilpendam, defendant.

Having seen the fiscal's complaint against Jan Jansen for fraud committed by him in his office, also his accounts of many years, the declaration of the witnesses and Jan Jansen's own defense, it is after mature consideration of the case ordered that Andries Hudden shall provisionally be sent to Fort Nassau to make further inquiries there among the Company's servants and others about the defendant's trade, to take an inventory of all his and the Company's effects and to send hither whatever is not required there, and furthermore to exercise command there as commissary until further order. The fiscal shall do the same here also and he, the defendant, shall bring in his answer to the points upon which he was questioned today.[2]

Whereas we have from time to time, after much trouble, expense and diligent inquiry received from the Indians a few specimens of a certain mineral which yielded gold and quicksilver; therefore, for the sake of the best interest and advantage of the Company we have thought it advisable to send thither thirty soldiers with an officer to examine the hill from which these specimens came and if possible to bring back a quantity of specimens.[3]

On November 3, 1645

Piter Jacobsen, plaintiff, vs. Claes Jansen, defendant, for payment of fl. 276:17. Plaintiff demands payment of the aforesaid sum. Defendant acknowledges the debt and says that it was agreed between plaintiff and him, the defendant, that he was not to pay until the arrival of ship of the Company from Holland, or plaintiff's departure.

Jacob Stoffelsen, plaintiff, vs. Cornelis Melyn, defendant, for payment of fl. 176. Defendant acknowledges the debt, wherefore Melyn is ordered to pay within one month from this date, which he, the defendant, promises to do.

Translation Superscripts
[1]: Jan Juriaensen Becker, afterwards a notary public at Albany. For a sketch of his career, see Early Records of Albany, 3:18-22.
[2]: Revised from Doc. Rel. Col. Hist. N. Y., 12:25.
[3]: Revised from Doc. Rel. Col. Hist. N. Y., 12:25.
References

From the collections of the New York State Archives, Albany, New York.  https://www.archives.nysed.gov/  

Translation link see: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=tei/A1809/NYSA_A1809-78_V04_p237-238.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4, Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.

Copyright to the published bound volume is held by the Holland Society of New York.
A complete copy of this publication is available on the
New Netherland Institute website.

A1809 Additional Party
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