Document: Petition of Jacob Stoffelsen to hire the company's farm at Hasimus [Copy of 8:313]

To the director general and councilors of N. Netherland.

Jacob Stoffels, an old inhabitant of this province, makes known with all due reverence that he, petitioner, was driven from the honorable Company’s lands at Hasimis [ Ahasimus ] [i] at two different times by Indiaenen attacks and was robbed and deprived of most all of his, petitioner’s, possessions; and whereas he, petitioner, now presently, because of his old age, and years not allowing him, petitioner, to make a living by other means than farming and the raising of livestock; and while he, petitioner, stayed on the aforesaid land this previous summer so that it wouldn’t grow wild and is inclined, at your honors’ pleasure, to continue to do so and to build a residence and barn on the aforesaid land in accordance with his, petitioner’s, meager resources, at his, petitioner’s, expense in order in due time to bring the same land back to a good state. Therefore, he, petitioner, has decided to turn to your honors with respectful [several lines lost] at Hasinnis of [ ] let use in [ ] for so many years [ ] rate that your honors shall concur with [ him ] and come to an agreement. Thus [ doing I ] remain, (lower was written)

Your esteemed honors’ humble subject and servant, was signed, X this is the mark of Jacob Stoffelsse made himself.

After deliberation it was decided: Director general and councilors persist with their published placard dated 18 January anno 1656 and the necessary [ ] demands that the separated residences be prevented; in the meanwhile the petitioner is granted to use the land at his own risk for his benefit and this for the coming year. Dated 21 December anno 1656.

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 8.