Document: Contract of sale from Jacobus van Curler to Wilhelm Beeckman of Corlaers Hoeck on Manhattan Island

On this day, the twenty-second of February anno 1652, before me, Andries Johannes Cristma[ n ], appointed by the honorable director general and council of New Netherland, appeared Jacobus van Corlaer, of the first part, and Mr. Willem Beeckman, of the second part, who in the presence of the undersigned witnesses acknowledged that they had agreed and contracted with each other about the purchase of a certain parcel of land, situated on the East river and called Corlaers Hoeck, with his plantation and hook lying on the island of Manhatans, called in the Indian tongue Nechttanck, adjoining the said plantation, with the perpetual rent charges thereon, for the sum of forty-five hundred guilders, as appears by the contract of sale, provided that the seller shall be bound to pay the rent charges which are now due. The seller hereby cedes his right and title to the aforesaid surveyed land to and for the behoof of Willem Beeckman or his successor from now on forever, promising to free the same from all trouble and claim which any one in the world may make thereto. The parties promise to hold this their contract of sale and conveyance firm and binding and to observe and carry out the same, all under binding obligation according to law. In testimony whereof this is signed in the record by the parties and the witnesses, on the day above written, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, anno 1652.

Jacobus van Curler
Wilh: Beeckman
F. Fijn
Adriaen Hegeman
Andries Jois Christman