Who is Adriaen Van der Donck?
My interest in Adraien Van der Donck began twenty-five years ago when I became pastor of St. Mary's Church on South Broadway. After reviewing the names of our first baptisms in 1848 I became intrigued by the first priests who administered the baptisms. They were Jesuits, (no surprise - they came from what is now Fordham University) but why were they from the Province of France and Canada and not America? This led me to a history of the Jesuits in this part of the New World and to the French Fr. Isaac Jogues. In 1643, with the encouragement of the Dutch settlers, Jogues had escaped from a Mohawk tribe and, while awaiting his eventual release by ransom, he met a man named Adraien Van der Donck. They shared information about the customs of the Native Americans and were very interested in the animal and plant life of the area ("the flora and fauna.") I soon learned that this was the man after whom Yonkers was named. He has a fascinating story and it is worth remembering. l must also mention that thirteen years later in this same area Kateri Tekakwitha, who will be canonized a saint in Rome next month, was born of a Mohawk father and Huron mother.
Adraien Van der Donck was a young man of twenty three who came to New Netherlands in 1641 to work for the Patroon, Kilean van Rensselear, a rich diamond merchant, on his land near present day Albany. He worked as a "Shout" a combination of Sheriff and District Attorney. As a graduate of the law school at the University of Leiden, he was the most educated man in New Netherlands and probably overqualified for his work. He soon disagreed with his absentee Lord of the Manor and with the system set up by the Dutch West Indian Company. The Patroon System was not attracting enough settlers nor did the Dutch West Indian Company understand how important strategically the settlement of New Amsterdam was going to be for world trade. He was also stymied in his efforts to obtain land for himself. His contract as Shout was not renewed when his term expired in 1644.
What was New Netherlands? It was a large area that included what is today's states of Delaware, New Jersey and New York. Only half of the settlers were ethnically Dutch. Many settlers were Walloons, French Huguenots, German, Scandinavians, and English from New England. Among the latter were the families of Anne Hutchinson and Thomas Cornell. Thomas Clapp Cornell, who was one of the founders of my church and after whom our new public school is named, was a direct descendent of this Thomas Cornell. The Dutch tended to be merchants and traders, not farmers. New Amsterdam was described in 1843 as settlement with a population of 800 with eighteen different languages. Trade with the local Native Americans, especially for animal skins, was lucrative for both sides.
An opportunity for Van der Donck arose when he was asked by the Director General of New Netherlands, Wilhem Keift, to help mediate an end to an ill advised bloody war against the local Native Americans. Called the Keift's War (1643-1645), it was a disaster. Hundreds of Native Americans and European settlers were killed, including Anne Hutchinson and her family (after which the Hutchinson River Parkway is named.) As the bloody war stretched into its third year Keift knew van der Donck had good relations with Native Americans and asked him to join him to end the war. With the help of gifts of wampum provided by Van der Donck, Kieft did achieve peace. As a result, in July of 1845, he was rewarded by the Dutch West India Co. with a very large land grant of 24,000 acres. This included all of the present City of Yonkers plus today's Riverdale, Kingsbridge, van Cortland Park and Moshoulu. It was initially called Colen Donck, then Jonkeers Colen Donck- "Jonkeers or Yonkeers" is a Dutch honorific title meaning something like" a young gentlemen of property." Eventually with the English conquest of the New Netherland the name was shortened to Yonkers and Adraien Van der Donck faded into history until now.
It must be said that Van der Donck was very respectful of the claims of the Native Americans and made treaties that were accepted by both sides. It is difficult today to pinpoint who these tribes were. The Mohicans were situated to the north of Yonkers and the Mohawk settlements were across the Hudson River near today’s Albany. The mural by Hass on the southwest corner of Riverdale Avenue and Main Street names many possible tribes. There is some thought today that most fell under the confederation of the Lenapi. At any rate where we stand today was certainly the settlement site of one of the tribes and where Van der Donck set up his first saw and grist mills.
Married in 1645 to Mary Doughty, daughter of an English minister, he probably never lived here. He may have lived near Spuyten Duyvil or in today's Van Cortlandt Park but we are not sure. This river, once called the Nepperhan (meaning "Rapid Waters") by the Native Americans, eventually was renamed the Saw Mill River.
End of story? Not by a long shot! Much of this later history was buried in the archives in Albany unable to be translated because no one knew the "Old Dutch" language. Thanks to who was able to translate these documents and to Russel Shorto' book "The Island in the Middle of the World" published in 2004 we now know a lot more about Van der Donck. He has been transformed from a footnote in history to an important historical figure.
In 1847 the ineffectual Keift was replaced by Peter Stuyvesant who proved to be a dominant, almost dictatorial leader. The Dutch colonists argued against Stuyvesant and wanted a more democratic local government. Eventually Stuyvesant agreed to the creation of a permanent advisory board, called the Board of Nine. Van der Donck was selected by the other eight as the "President of the Commonality" in 1648. Within days the Board of Nine declared itself independent of the Dutch West India Company. Stuyvesant accused Van der Donck of treason and threw him in jail. He was eventually released and representing the Board of Nine he was allowed to go to the Netherlands to present their case. He brought with him the now famous "Remonstrances" which was a list of meticulous grievances against the Dutch West India Company. It basically asked for more individual rights, economic freedom and a local municipal government like those in the Netherlands. "The Remonstrances" was more than likely written by Van der Donck. Some say that it had a direct influence on our own Bill of Rights.
Let’s pause for a second to look at the lager historical picture. France is extending its American territories as far west as Michigan. Sweden has set up a colony on lands along the Delaware River. New England is bursting with new settlers and they are encroaching on Dutch lands in Connecticut and Long Island. England itself is in the middle of a Civil War lead by Oliver Cromwell which ends in 1649 with beheading of their king, Charles II. Cromwell is also devastating Ireland driving Catholics off the fertile lands with his infamous order: "To Hell or to Connaught."
What is happening in the Netherlands? It is their Golden Age. No wonder they had a hard time convincing families to leave for the wilderness of the New World! After sixty years of struggle they had achieved their independence from Spain. With a population of only two million it had become the greatest maritime power in the world. It was the only Republic among the monarchies of Europe. Although its religion was Dutch Calvinist, it was known for its religious tolerance (up to a point). It excelled in art, science, literature and philosophy. It was the time of Rembrandt and Vermeer. Descartes and John Grotius had taught at the University of Leiden where Van der Donck had studied law. No doubt it had influenced his political thought.
Arriving in the Netherland in 1849 he had to wait two years for a judgment from the Estates General. His wife soon joined him. While in the Netherlands he again attended the University of Leiden where he achieved another degree in law. He published "The "Remonstrances" and "A Description of New Netherland." The latter, written by Van der Donck, is a beautiful, if slightly romantic, description of New Netherlands. It became very popular and enticed a growing number of people to emigrate, including Van der Donck's parents. Undoubtedly some settled here in Colen Donck. He also published an important map of New Netherlands, called the Jansson- Visscher map. It would remain the definite map of the region for a hundred years and was responsible for many of our places retaining their Dutch names.
In 1652 The Estates General ruled in favor of Van der Donck ordering the establishment of a municipal government and the recall of Peter Stuyvesant. Certainly Van der Donck would be a leading candidate for the new leader of New Netherlands.
Then disaster struck. On May 24, 1652 the first Anglo- Dutch War(1652-54) broke out. England and the Netherlands were rivals for the worldwide maritime trade. The Dutch wanted free enterprise. The English wanted a monopoly on all trade to England. There would be three more of these wars- all basically fought at sea.
The Netherlands now needed the arms ,ships and supplies of the Dutch West India Co. Peter Stuyvesant was now seen as a better leader for a war. Not only was the previous decision in favor of Van der Donck rescinded but also he was forbidden to return home. Pledging to retire from public life, he was allowed to return in May 1653. Once in New Netherlands, Stuyvesant exacted his revenge by forbidding him from practicing as a lawyer. Van der Donck now disappears from history. He probably died in 1655. Speculation has him being killed by Native Americans in the so- called "Peach Wars" but there have been a lot of questions about his death. It would make a good detective story. Although his last years were tragic, he should be remembered as an enthusiastic lover and promoter of America. He was an activist and writer whose ideas probably found their way into our own Bill of Rights.
Nine years later English ships sailed into the harbor of New Amsterdam and it was the beginning of the end of Dutch rule in New Netherlands. With the signing of the Treaty of Breda the Dutch traded New Amsterdam for Surinam, which at the time was a much more profitable enterprise. New Amsterdam was renamed New York. The name of "Yonkeers Colen Donck" was shortened to" Yonkers." Van der Donck's property was inherited by his wife, Mary Doughty. She transferred the property to her brother who, in 1672, sold it to three or four buyers. Most of the land of Yonkers was bought by Frederic Philipsen whose family built Philipse Manor located today just across the street. But that is another story in the history of Yonkers.
With the day lighting of the Nepaperhan River we honor the Native Americans who lived for centuries at this very location. With the naming of this beautiful park, Adriaen Van der Donck should now claim his rightful and honored place in the history of Yonkers and America.
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