Document: Will of Antony Crol

In the year after the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, one thousand six hundred and forty-six, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Antony Crol, from Amsterdam, who declared that reflecting on the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the hour thereof, and therefore being desirous to anticipate such uncertainty of death by certain testamentary disposition of last will, he, the testator, first commending his soul when it shall have left his body into the hands of Almighty God and his body to a Christian burial, he, Antony Crol, declares that he revokes all former testaments, codicils, donations and other instruments of last will which may have been made by him, the testator, before the date hereof. He, the testator, then coming to the disposal of the means and effects which Almighty God has given him in this world, he, Antony Crol, above named, gives and bequeaths to Philip Jansen Ringo, his partner, in recompense for the fidelity and friendship received from him, all the means and effects and cash which the above mentioned Philip Jansen has of his, the testator’s, in New Netherland, as more fully appears from the agreement thereof, signed the 17th of October last past. Furthermore, Antony Crol gives and bequeaths to his above mentioned partner the sum of three hundred guilders which are due to him, the testator, by Piter Willemsen, in the “Olyffbergh,” on Corte Lely street, at Amsterdam. The testator expressly stipulates that after his death his partner shall turn over to the poor the sum of one hundred guilders. The testator requests that this his testament and last will may after his death take effect before all lords, courts, tribunals and judges. In witness whereof this is signed by Antony Crol and the witnesses, the 17th of October anno 1646, in Fort Amsterdam, New Netherland.

Antoni Crol
Adriaen van Tienhoven
Jacob Hendricksz Kip