Description:

New York Early

Early Dutch Settler in New York Transfers Land to His Son-in-Law

 

JACOB PERSE/PEARSE, Manuscript Document Signed, Deed, to Johannes Van Vrancke/Vranken, April 8, 1751, New York. 1 p., 13.5" x 16.25" Some tears at folds; tape repairs on some tears.

 

In this deed, Dutch settler of colonial New York Jacob Perse/Pearse grants land on the north side of the Mohawk River near modern Schenectady to his son-in-law Johannes Van Vrancke.

 

Excerpts

“To all Christian People to who this present wielling shall come Jacob Parce of Conistigone in the County of Albany Sendeth Greeting, Know Yee that the said Jacob Parce As well for and in consideration of the Love & affection I have and bear unto my Son in Law Johans Van Vraneke of Knistigone, Aforesd, as also for Divers other good Causes by these presents do give grant Release and Confirme unto the said Johannes Van Vrancke, all that Certain Tract of land Lying att Conistigone aforesd....”

 

“To Have and to hold the said Tract of land to gether with the house barn barracks thereon Erected and all and singular the [premises? unto the said Johans Van Vrancke his heirs and assigns to the sold and only proper use Benefit and behoof of him the said Johannes Van Vrancke his heirs and assigns for ever....”

 

“Be it Remembered that on the Twenty ninth day of August one Thousand seven hundred and ninety seven appeared before me Jeremiah Lansingh one of the Masters in Chancery for the State of New York Peter Ganswoort who being sworn saith that he saw Jacob Pearse sign seal and deliver the within Instrument for the purpose therein mentioned and that he this Deponent was well acquainted with the said Jacob and he this Deponent signed the same as a Witness....”

 

“Registered in the Clerks office of the County of Saratoga in Book of Deeds B, Pages one hundred thirty two and thirty three the fifteenth day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine.”

 

Historical Background

Albany County was one of the twelve original counties of colonial New York established in the late seventeenth century. Much of the county was part of the vast Van Rensselaer holdings based on purchases from American Indians and Dutch West India Company grants to the first patroon, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer (1586-1643), in 1630. Van Rensselaer was a diamond and pearl merchant from Amsterdam who became a founder and director of the Dutch West India Company. Van Rensselaer was a leading proponent of the Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions and the only patroon who was successful in establishing American settlements. (Patroonships were large tracts of land with manorial rights granted to individuals to encourage Dutch colonization and settlement in New Netherland.)

 

Over the course of the eighteenth century, several other counties were partitioned out of Albany County, including Saratoga County in 1791. Despite its reduced size, in 1774, Albany County was the most populous county in colonial New York with more than 42,000 settlers. As late as 1790, it had the largest population of any county in the state.

 

The site of this grant—Conistigione—was derived from the Mohawk language and roughly translates as “extensive corn flats,” as the Mohawk for centuries cultivated maize fields in the bottomlands along the Mohawk River. The related Mohawk word “Nistigowone,” here rendered as “Knistigone,” means the same and is the source of the name of the modern town of Niskayuna, New York.

 

 

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