flicted on the actual murderers, peace was made with the Wickwaskeot 

 tribe, at the house of the burgher whose widow Antonia afterwards 

 became Van Curler's wife. They were married in the autumn of 1646, 

 and settled down in one of the best houses of the settlement of Rens- 

 selaerwyck, for she was deserving of it, being as her husband states, 

 ■ "a good housekeeper." 



Having now the prospect of domestic happiness, desirous also of 

 possessing a farm, the affairs of the colony withal being settled, Van 

 Curler leaving his bride behind him, visited Patria (Holland) to report 

 to his lord the patroon, and get a lease for his " bowerie " which was 



The patroon Kilian Van Rensselaer died in 1646, leaving the colony 

 in the hands of his son Johannes. 



Van Curler returning to America went to live on his farm, and there 

 enjoyed the pleasures of unofficial life. Yet his days were far from 

 inactive. He seized every opportunity to educate and benefit the In- 

 dians, rescue Christian captives, and cement the bonds of friendship 

 with the red men. Van Curler owned a brewery in Rensselaerwyek 

 and believed that beer was good for Christian and savage; but the use 

 of brandy, rum, whiskey, and the various concoctions of " fire-water " 

 he condemned. He attempted, in vain, however, to influence the In- 

 dians against drunkenness, and to prevent the traders from selling 

 strong liquors. At one time, when, on account of troubles largely 

 occasioned by liquor, the relations of the settlers and the Mohawks 

 were strained, we find Van Curler leading twenty-five of the chief men 

 of the settlement and proceeding to Caughnawaga. There on the 

 17th of September, 1659, after the calumet had been smoked with the 

 sachems Van Curler made a forcible speech, pointing out firewater as 



