30 The Story of The Bronx 



except a granddaughter, who was carried into captivity, but 

 who was afterwards restored ; her two years' captivity among 

 the savages had converted her into one. 



In September, 1642, John Throckmorton, or Throgmorton, 

 with thirty-five families applied to the Dutch authorities 

 for permission to occupy the Vriedelandt, or "land of peace," 

 as it was called by the Dutch, on the shore of the Sound. 

 This permission having been granted, October, 1642, the 

 colonists settled on the long neck lying south of Eastchester 

 Bay, which, after the leader of the colonists, was called Throg- 

 morton's Neck, contracted into Throgg's Neck, and sometimes 

 Frog's Neck. Governor Kieft gave them a patent, or grond 

 brief, for the land in July, 1643. The colony was composed 

 of Quakers and other malcontents from the New England 

 colonies, who found the religious intolerance of those colonies 

 unbearable, and so sought freedom among the Dutch. Roger 

 Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, was a personal friend 

 of Throckmorton ; and it is known he was in New Amsterdam 

 in the winter of 1642- 1643, sailing from New Amsterdam for 

 Europe, whence he returned later with the famous charter 

 for his colonies in Rhode Island. It is more than likely that 

 he visited Throgg's Neck, as he was deeply interested in the 

 success of his friend Throckmorton and his colony in the 

 Vriedelandt. The colony thrived ; but the Indian raiders who 

 had destroyed the Hutchinson family attacked the Vriedelandt 

 colony and destroyed it. Eighteen persons were massacred; 

 but a passing boat fortunately landed at the neck at the time 

 of the attack, and the remainder of the settlers escaped in it. 

 Before the war ended, the whole section north of the Harlem 

 River, as well as Long Island, became a wilderness; as those 

 who escaped the tomahawk of the savage sought safety in the 

 fort at New Amsterdam. 



