Document: Letter from commissary Hendrick Huygen to vice-director Beeckman

Holding Institution
Document ID
NYSA_A1878-78_V19_0072
Description

Letter. Commissary Hendrick Huygen to "his cousin" vice-director Beeckman; state of affairs there and at Upland.

Document Date
1663-04-07
Document Date (Date Type)
1663-04-07
Document Type
Full Resolution Image

Translation
Translation

My Dear Cousin,[1] Greetings:

I hope to see you soon in good health since the bearer of this told me that you were on the road to recovery. Concerning La Grange: he requested to speak with me and Jacob Swenson, and laid before us his situation and plans of which I was already aware; therefore, I consulted with Jacob about what we should do, i.e., whether it was advisable to have him leave the place or to continue. Jacob answered that there was much to lose; and if he left, the people there must follow; and which one of us would advance the money to maintain it further; and whatever would be expected for past losses, would not be forthcoming from him afterwards; and we would probably not receive anything if we turned him out. Also, if neither of us intend to continue here any longer, he offers to go with one of us to Holland and give us satisfaction; he has never had thoughts of leaving the place and has requested to be given credit but was deceived by his friends. But I accept this for what it is worth. In sum, we agreed to let him continue and to use the land until we receive further news from Holland or Sweden, and thus it has remained. In the meanwhile, my cousin, I hope that you will come up to visit us.

According to a report by Jan Danielsen here at Oplant, the villainous Iver Fin planned and carried out a vicious attack on the peaceful Jurrien Snewit and beat him severely; he who has never even scolded a child. If he is not punished, it is possible that he will commit more vicious deeds, even murder, because I have known him for 20 years as a confirmed scoundrel; however, now he has more freedom than ever before. The bearer of this will give you more details.

In closing, I commend you and your family to God's protection,

Translation Superscripts
[1]: The relationship between Beeckman and Huygen is unclear. According to Philip L. White's Beeckmans of New York, the genealogy is uncertain whether Cornelis Beeckman who married Christiana Huygens was related to Willem Beeckman; if it is the case the terms of relationship such as cozyn and neef have been retained in this document.
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/A1878/NYSA_A1878-78_V19_0072.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translation: Gehring, C. trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vols. 18-19, Delaware Papers: Dutch Period, 1648-1664 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1981).

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.

Location
Modern Location
Locations (Unlinked)
Holland|Sweden|Oplant
To Party 1
To Party 1 Text Unlinked
William Beekman
Related Ancestors (Unlinked)
Hendrick Huygen|La Grange|Jan Danielsen|Dr. Jacob
Document Location