THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 58 1 



Van der Donck, also appears to have been one of the commissioners 

 who repaired to Holland for a redress of grievances. For in May 13, 1652, 

 occurs the memorial of Adriaen Van der Donck to the committee of the 

 States General, stating his intended return to the New Netherlands." 



Again May 30, 1652, a second memorial from Adriaen Van der Donck 

 to the same body, " respecting various matters connected with his visit 

 to Holland on behalf of Gemeente at New Netherlands." 6 



During the Patroon's stay in Holland, he had shipped for Colen 

 Donck seven persons, four of whom had cruelly deserted and betrayed 

 him. Upon this we find him again petitioning the Directors of the 

 Dutch West India Company's department, Amsterdam: — 



"Remonstrates reverently, Adriaen Van der Donck, residing in New Netherlands 

 that to the supplicant was granted by the Director General and Council in New 

 Netherlands, the accommodations the Saw Kill with the adjacent lands to erect 

 there saw and grist mills, and plantations and boweries according to his means 

 and ability, which grant was chiefly obtained because the supplicant had contri- 

 buted a vast deal by his services as mediator, to negotiate and conclude a peace 

 between the director Kieft from the one side and the Indians from the other side, 

 not without great sacrifice from his side, as it was the first part of the year T .vhen 

 his presence was wanted at home, and all this at his own expense so that he might 

 assert without boasting that he contributed at least as much to its consolidation 

 than any otber person whatever, so that at length peace was concluded when the 

 supplicant advanced the principal part of the money, as the Director General was 

 at that period not well provided with it to procure seawant, c which was wanted 

 for presents in confirmation of the peace which God be praised, remains yet 

 uninterrupted. After I attained this grant in the year 1646, I resolved to reside 

 here, erected a saw mill and laid out a farm and plantation, and was actually 

 resolved to continue on this spot, when I further with consent of the Director 

 General, purchased a part of said land from the Indians the original proprietors, 

 who reclaimed it as belonging to them, but the suppliant observing that near the 

 saw kill were valleys used as commons which by enclosure might be properly 

 adapted for hay lands, so was he permitted by the Director General to purchase 

 these valleys from the Indians, on the best possible terms. This induced the 

 the supplicant to follow his plan, having obtained as I already mentioned the con. 

 sent and approbation of the Director General and Council, and included said val- 

 leys in his purchase, as he did not possess other low lands. This valley contained 

 about 30 or 40 morgen,« with another handsome vale bordering on said, on the 

 back part of the Island of Manhattans, and stretching as far as Paprinemin called 

 by our people, "In Spite of the Dyvel," where the supplicant was determined to fix 

 his residence as soon as he should have finished all his concerns at the saw kill ; 

 and which yet remains his firm determination as soon as he shall have returned 



a Holl. Doc. xxxii. 130. iv. 



b Holl. Doc. xxxviL, 141. 



e Indian name for shell money. 



a A Dutch morgen contained a little over 2 acres English ; 7 morgen containing 15 acres. 



