Mar 14
Builder Derex Van Burg(h) petitions royal governor Benjamin Fletcher
and his council for back pay due him for erecting the King's Chapel
at the foot of Manhattan.
City
William Merritt is appointed mayor, annually through 1698.
** An attempt is made to repeal a 1683 law granting the city
a flour monopoly.
State
All remaining Renssalaerwyck grants revert to Killian van Renssalaer,
son of Jeremiah. ** The colony's exports near 200,000 pounds
sterling, just about equalling imports. ** Louis de Buade
de Frontenac et de Palluau, governor of New France, invades Onondaga
Territory, retreats after burning a few Indian villages.
Mar 19
New York governor Benjamin Fletcher grants a petition by Church
of England congregants on Manhattan to build a church (the first,
downtown Trinity Church), between the "Kings Garden and the
burying Place" at Wall Street..
Jun 25
The Kakiate Patent, part of the future Rockland County, is issued
to Daniel Honan and Michael Hawdon.
May
England's King William grants New York City's Collegiate Church
a Royal Charter - the oldest corporation in the U. S. today.
Jun 26
£3,000 is voted by the corporation of New York City to erect
a city hall at the corner of Nassau and Wall Streets.
Jul 23
Governor Fletcher licenses Trinity Church members to solicit contributions
for building costs.
September
William Kidd leaves New York City in the Adventure Galley,
with a royal commission to capture pirates.
City
A Quaker meeting house is built on Green Street (Liberty Place).
** Captain Teunis de Kay petitions for permission to construct
a cart path from Broad Street to the street where the "pye-woman"
lives (Nassau Street), keeping the excavated soil for himself.
** The colony faces a scarcity of bread.
Albany
Dutch Reformed Church minister the Reverend Dellius obtains a
patent for 537,600 acres of land from Governor Fletcher, including
the site of today's Fort Edward.
May 6
Trustees of Trinity Church petition Fletcher to grant them a charter,
which will be done.
June
The Earl of Belamont is named to succeed Fletcher as Royal Governor
of New York. He will not arrive in American until the following
April.
Nov 23
The New York City board of aldermen call for all homeowners to
hang lights at night in windows that front the street.
Dec 2
New York's board of alderman require every seventh home to hang
a lantern out at night, the cost to be borne by all seven households.
** Fletcher orders Trinity Church trustees Stephan van Cortlandt,
Peter Jacobs Mariuss, Dr. John Kerbyle, and Johannes Kipp to report
on funds raised under license to redeem captives of the Barbary
pirates. One captive, Bartholomew Rouston has been moved into
the African interior, one has escaped, the others have died. Remaining
funds are to be turned over to Church wardens Thomas Wenham and
Robert Lurting for the church's building fund. If Rouston is recovered
the church will be responsible for his ransom.
City
Paid appointed firemen are used - the first in the colonies.
** Population: 4,302. ** Trinity Church is built and
Church Street is laid out. Governor Fletcher installs the Reverend
William Vesey, a Long Island dissenter, as pastor of Trinity.
** A four-man city watch is created. ** Pro-Leisler
members of the Reformed Church consistory now outnumber Anti-Leislerians
four to two.
State
The Earl of Belamont is given instructions to end the pirate trade
in New York.
Connecticut
A settlement is formed at Bedford, which will eventually becomes
a New York State town in Westchester County.
Mar 13
The Reverend Mr. Vesey conducts the first services in Trinity
Church.
Apr 26
New York Royal governor Benjamin Fletcher, recalled to England,
donates his family pew in Trinity Church back to the church, to
be used for any person of quality needing a pew at any time.
Oct 20
The disinterred bodies of Jacob Leisler and Jacob Milborne are
reburied at Manhattan's Dutch church.
November
Leislerians accuse Dominie Selyns of mishandling consistory meetings
and elections. Eleven anti-Leislerians come to his defense.
Nov 9
New York City mayor De Peyster names Enoch Hill the city's first
marshal.
City
De Peyster is appointed mayor. A ritual is inaugurated, and carried
on until the Revolution, whereby the mayor-elect and his party
proceed from City Hall to Trinity Church and attend services,
call on the governor at Fort William Henry, and return to City
Hall for the swearing in. ** An election dispute in the
Dutch Reformed Church splits the consistory evenly between pro-
and anti-Leisler members. Leislerians claim they are the true
Dutch church, point to the anti-Leislerians' cooperation with
the English authorities. ** The families of executed rebellion
leaders Jacob Leisler and Jacob Milborne ask and receive grudging
permission to exhume the bodies and rebury them in the Garden
Street Dutch Church yard.
State
Approximately 1230 Senecas remain in the colony, down from nearly
twice the number nine year ago, due to war and disease. **
Lord Bellemont is named Royal governor.
England
The Board of Trade recommends that no grants be made for under
6p/6s per acre, and that the grantee will forfeit his grant if
he fails to improve the property within a three year period.
Jul 6
William Kidd, having turned himself in to authorities, is charged
with piracy.
Aug 9
New York City begins fining peddlers twenty shillings for selling
on the streets, but encourages them to set up a permanent market
at Countess's Key (later called Coentes Slip).
Sep 6
New York's mayor is ordered to provide a hospital for the poor.
And the village of Harlem is given permission to erect one mill.
Oct 16
A shipyard is established on New York City's East River.
City
Merchant John Rodman purchases the decaying State House at public
sale for £920. The English build a new city hall, at Wall
and Nassau Streets. The wall along the former is demolished to
allow room for expansion. ** David Provost is appointed
mayor. ** Population: 6,000. ** The city's monopoly
of the flour trade is repealed. ** Pro Leisler forces in
the Dutch Reformed Church consistory now lead the anti-Leisler
members six to one. Minister Selyns will be the sole member of
the latter for the next two years.
State
Kingston settler Johannis Hardenbergh marries Catherine Rutsen,
of Ulster County.
© 2001 David Minor / Eagles Byte