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The Esopus War, the Indian Trouobles at Wiltwyck and the Mutiny Against the English
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(1026) Cornelius Barentsen Sleight was in Esopus, now Ulster Co., NY, in 1655. He was Seargent of a Military Company and signed an agreement 31 May 1658 with Gov. Stuyvesant to build a stockade and to make peace with the Indians. His son ((1027iii) Jan Cornelis?) was captured, 1659, and tortured to death. SRC: Colonial Families of the United States, pp. 472-73.
On the night of September 20, 1659, eight Esopus Indians who had been harvesting corn for farmer Thomas Chambers were rewarded with some brandy. When Chambers refused to give them more than the one bottle, they obtained more brandy from a soldier who had escorted them on the work detail. Soon things got out of hand and they fired a musket. The town's garrison commander sent a patrol to investigate, but they found it was a case of harmless celebrating and decided not to interfere. However, several neighboring farmers and soldiers waited until the eight cornhuskers fell asleep, and then attacked them. They killed one Indian and captured another, but the rest got away to tell the Esopus tribe about the attack.
The Indians took their revenge early the next day, attacking the settlers, who were outnumbered ten to one. (1106) Harmans Rosenkrans went down the Hudson River with seventeen other settlers to get reinforcements. They accomplished their mission, but were ambushed on the way back. (1106) Harmans was captured and escaped after eight days, having been stripped and staked out in the sun. -- http://wave.park.wy.us/~fulker/1-angel.html
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Esopus was made Wiltwyck in 1661, and (1026) Cornelis Barentsen Slecht and (1036) Albert Heymans Roosa were appointed to the board of three Commissioners to enclose the new village, also called Hurley. (1024) Hendrick Jochemsz came from Fort Orange to assist in the building of the stockade. The company disbanded there after the trouble was settled. Gov Stuyvesant offered the soldiers grants of land to settle there, and Hendrickaccepted, settling on OCT 24 1661. He sold his property at Rensselaerwyck & Beaverwyck gradually. The Roosas also settled there. In 1662, Hendrick opened a Tavern at the mouth of Esopus Creek. Slecht, who had been a distiller and brandy wine maker in the Netherlands, was named as the village brewer.
(1024) Hendrick Jochemsz was named lieutenant in the new Burgher guard under Capt. Thomas Chambers on MAY 30 1662. On JUN 7 1663, the Indians made a surprise attack on the Wiltwyck & Hurly settlements. Hurley and part of Kingston were burned by Indians, many inhabitants killed and many women and children carried away captives. (1026) Cornelis Slecht's daughter was captured and made to marry an Indian. SRC: Colonial Families of the United States, pp. 472-73)
(1024) Hendrick was severly wounded in the attack by two shots at the gate towards the river. His nine-year-old son, (512) Jochem, was on his way to visit his maternal uncle, Volckert Jansen Douw, when he was captured by a Wappinger Indian named Wamassaun. The boy was held by the Indians for about 3 mos. Two children of (1036) Albert Heymans Roosa were also among the 44 taken captive.
Within three months, however, the captives were all restored. Some had been ransomed or exchanged, while others were rescued by Captain Martin Krieger in a sudden attack upon the savages, who, in their excitement, did not take time to murder the captives.The story of their rescue is one of the most interesting of the episodes in the history of early New York.
Many traditions are still extant as to the treatment of the captives by the Indians. Many captives reported that they had not been subjected to any greater hardships than the Indians themselves had been compelled to undergo. The Indians amused themselves by throwing buring coals and ashes from their pipes upon th head of (512) Jochem Hendricksz, however, scarring it in many places so it became his practice always thereafter to wear a red stocking cap. Just before the rescue, Catharine Du Bois was placed upon a pile of wood preparatory to burning her, and she delayed their purpose by singing the 137th Psalm until the moment of the attack, in which she was rescued by her husband and Capt. Krieger's men. (REF: http://intermid.com/DoutBerg/genealog.y/books/mcmartin/10dubnew.htm).
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Following the massacre of Wiltwyck, a military dictatorship descended upon the town. On September 18, 1663 (1024) Hendrick Jochemsz was among the 26 fined for being out in the fields without permission and a convoy: `Defendant admits he was at the bridge as a sentry as he, with others present had to repair the bridge, but being unable to work because of a lame hand, therefore stood sentry for the repairers.' On October 10, 1663 he compalined to the court that his home was being used as a guardhouse for the militia.
In September 1665 soon after New Netherlands had become a province of Great Britain, the English Governor Richard Nicholls visited Kingston and placed Captain Daniel Brodhead in command at that place. Owing to that officer's tyrannical conduct, and the many acts of oppression and cruelty by the English soldiers under his command, the inhabitants rose in open hostility in 1667. The Esopus Meeting was a demonstration against the English which had been precipitated by the arrest and imprisonment of (1026) Cornelis Sleght, a good friend of (1024) Hendrick Jochemsz. (1024) Hendrick played a leading role in the demonstration.
One of the items listed in their petition for redress was "(1036) Albert Heymans Roos , going with his plouw yron toward the Smits, was assaulted by five souldrs, whoe wounded him very much." Governor Nicholls on April 16, 1667 appointed a Commission to enquire into their troubles and in his letter of instructions says: Albert Heymans and Anthony D. Elba have spoken most malicious words, and I look upon them as great incendiaries and disaffected persons; if their words be proved they shall not be suffered to live in this government; if they have been actors in the late riot, pitch upon them two for ringleaders, and give orders to inventory and secure their estates by the Schout and Commissioners".
The Commission sat at Esopus for three days. Captain Brodhead, admitting the truth of the charges against him was suspended from his command and he died three months afterwards on July 14, 1667 at Esopus. Albert Heymans Roosa and others "were found guilty of a rebellious and mutinous riot and were taken to New York for sentence. Nicholls, by advice of his council on May 3, sentenced Albert Heymans to be banished for life out of the government and the others for shorter terms out of Esopus, Albany, and New York.
Wiltwyck became Kingston in 1669, and (1026) Slecht was a Member of the Court of Sessions, 1676. In 1683 he was arrested with his son, (1027v) Matthys, son-in-law (1027iv[3]) Jan Eltinge and Matheu Blanchan, for signing a petition to Gov. Dongan asking liberty to choose their own officers to the town courts and to transport their own produce. SRC: Colonial Families of the United States, pp. 472-73.
(SRC: DUTCH SETTLER'S SOCIETY OF ALBANY, 1952-4 YEARBOOK, etc.)
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1030. Lieut. Jan Broersen Decker
BEF 1772 of Walpack, Sussex, NJ
2062. (Jacob/) Rutger (Jacobus/) Jacobs