510 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



he purchased a large estate, and shortly became one of the wealthiest 

 merchants of New Amsterdam. On the 9th of February, 1658, Gov- 

 ernor Stuyvesant granted certain lots within the city of New Amsterdam 

 to Frederick Philipse, which were subsequently confirmed to him by the 

 Governor on the 12th of April, 1667. On the 21st of October, 1664 

 he took the oath of allegiance as a British subject. In the general tax 

 list of 1674, raised by the Dutch, on their re-conquest of the city and 

 province, we find the estate of Frederick Philipse assessed at 80,000 

 guilders, " an amount large in those days and yet small compared with 

 his subsequent wealth."" He became the largest trader with the five 

 nations at Albany, sent ships to both East and West Indies, imported 

 slaves from Africa and engaged, as it was with good reason alleged, in 

 trade with the pirates of Madagascar. His gains and profits were much 

 enhanced, it was believed, by his intimacy with the governors, by which 

 he obtained immunities not granted to others. He was a member of 

 the Council under all the Governors, from Andros to Bellamont, embrac- 

 ing an uninterrupted period of twenty years, with the exception of the 

 brief usurpation of Leisler. When the latter event occurred he was, in 

 conjunction with Stephen Van Cortlandt, left in charge of the govern- 

 ment by Lieutentant-Governor Nicholson. After resisting for a few 

 days the proceedings of Leisler, as became his position, he wisely, when 

 the public sentiment pronounced itself in favor of them, submitted to 

 them as the acts of the government de facto, much to the chagrin of 

 Bayard and his associates. He was subsequently clothed by Governor 

 Sloughter/ with similar powers, in conjunction with Nicholas Bayard 

 during the absence of that Governor at Albany. He had the ear of 

 Fletcher, who bestowed upon him and his son, Adolphus, extravagant 

 grants of land. When the Leisler party came into power under Bella- 

 mont in 1698, he resigned his seat in the Council, in consequence, as 

 he alleged, of his advanced age, which was the seventy -second, though 

 in reality it would seem, to avoid, if possible, the blow which was already 

 given in an order for his removal by the home government, on account 

 of his practices with the pirates, an order which occurred a few weeks 

 after his resignation." In 1680, he acquired, as we have already seen, 

 a piece of land lying on both sides of the Pocantico or Mill River, from 

 the Indian sachem Ghoharius and others, the tittle to which was con- 

 firmed by Royal Patent the same year from Governor Andros. Upon 

 the west bank of the Pocantico, Philipse subsequently erected his first 



a Mem. of Long Island Hist., Soc, vol. I, as above. 



b Upon the arrival of Henry Sloughter as governor of the province, on the 19th of March, 

 1891, we find the following momb"".-', present at a council meeting, holden the same day, viz., 

 Joseph Dudley, Frederick Philipse, Stephen van Cortlandt, Gabriel Monville, Chudley Brooke, 

 Thomas Willet, and William Pinhorne. 



