January
Three Lutheran ministers, including Reverend Wilhelm Christoph
Berkenmeyer, travel to Rhinebeck and forcefully depose the confrontational
Reverend John Christopher Hartwick. He moves on to Pennsylvania.
February
John Cannon is awarded a water lot grant in Manhattan, with the
stipulation that he widen Water Street out to the East River.
** A party of French and Indians, including Ottawa chief
Pontiac, capture five English traders led by John Patton, agent
to George Croghan, en route to Pickawillany, Ohio. With the exception
of trader Edgar Bangen who escapes during the night, the prisoners
are taken by the French to Fort Niagara.
May 2
Major John André is born in London to a Swiss merchant
and his wife.
May 3
Trader Evert Wendell dies in Albany at the age of 69.
May 10
English-Iroquois go-between William Johnson writes to New York
governor George Clinton, to complain of the French governor, the
Marquis de la Joinquière, who is offering rewards for
the heads of traders George Croghan and Hugh Lowry.
Jun 18
De la Joinquière receives a letter from Clinton protesting
the French presence at the Niagara River portage and demanding
its removal.
Sep 20
Benjamin Franklin prints Swedish scientist Peter Kalm's account
of his visit to Niagara Falls in the Pennsylvania Gazette.
Dec 3
John Gay's The Beggar's Opera has its New York City debut.
Nearly 300 attend, paying 3 shillings for the gallery and 5 for
the pit. It will be given five performances, running into next
year.
Dec 17
William Johnson writes to Clinton, resigning his post as Indian
agent.
City
Peter Williamson, shanghaied in Aberdeen, Scotland, and sold into
slavery, escapes from New York, but is captured by Cherokee Indians.
** Population: 13,000; 2500 of the number blacks. **
John Watts builds a residence at Broadway and Battery Park,
adjoining that of Archibald Kennedy.
State
The approximate date Peoria is founded, in Albany County. **
A few German families settle the future Albany County town
of Bern. About this date some families begin moving into the western
end of Ulster County. ** The approximate date settlement
of the Cobleskill area begins.
England
George Montagu Dunk, earl of Halifax, president of the Board of
Trade, begins receiving reports from the governors of New York,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina, telling of threatening
moves by the French in the Ohio Valley.
Feb 25
The first performing monkey exhibited in America is shown in New
York City.
City
Immigrant Theophylact Bache arrives from England and forms a business
with an uncle by marriage and another partner.
Feb 21
Businessman Nathaniel Rochester is born in Westmoreland County,
Virginia.
City
Peter Williamson, having left the Cherokee, returns to the city
and secures passage to England.
State
Troy's first house is built.
New Hampshire
Syracuse, New York, co-founder Ephraim Webster is born in Hampstead.
England
William Murray, solicitor general to the king, grants the Vermont
area to New Hampshire, disappointing New York's claims.
City
A theater opens on Nassau Street, designed for the presentation
of ballad opera.
State
The French build a wagon road across the southern tier, along
the future path of Route 17. ** The maximum amount of land permitted
in an individual's grant is reduced from 2000 acres to 1000.
Jan 30
Future Albany mayor John Lansing is born there.
Jun 19
25 delegates from seven colonies, including Pennsylvania's Benjamin
Franklin, hold the Albany Congress to discus confederation. Other
representatives have come from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York and Maryland. Franklin advises the
formation of a series of land companies as a barrier against the
French.
Jul 10
The Plan of Union is tentatively adopted by the Albany Congress.
Jul 17
King's College (later Columbia University) opens in New York City.
Oct 31
A royal charter is granted to King's College.
State
Future governor Lewis Morgan is born to Francis York Morgan and
his wife Elizabeth Annesly Morgan. ** Scots-born Charleston, North
Carolina, doctor-botanist Alexander Garden moves to Coldengham,
New York, near the estate of his friend, politician Cadwalladar
Colden. Naturalist John Bartram, collecting in the Catskills,
visits the two men. ** Dutch settlers arrive in the Berlin area
of Albany County under the Van Rensselaer patroonship.
Pennsylvania
Surveyor Andrew Ellicott, brother of land agent Joseph Ellicott,
is born to a Quaker family in Bucks County.
Transportation
James Wells opens a stage and boat line, running twice a week
between New York City and Philadelphia.
© 2000 David Minor / Eagles Byte