| Quantity: | 1 box; 1 folio-size folder (0.25 cubic ft.) |
|---|---|
| Access: | Open to research |
| Acquisition: | Gift: Estelle De Peyster Hosmer, June 1940 |
| Processed By: | Manuscripts and Special Collections, May 2016 |
The De Peyster family papers are the product of marriages between several prominent colonial families, including the Watts, Delancey, Johnson, and Warren families. The central figure in the papers is John Watts, Jr. His sister married Sir John Johnson and his daughter married into the De Peyster family. His descendants donated these papers to the New York State Library.
This collection of papers consists of diverse record types but all the records are related to the Watts, DePeyster and Johnson families. Among the papers are a list of 58 persons banished from New York State in 1779 for their loyalist sympathies; several deeds regarding lands of the estate of Sir Peter Warren; letters to John Watts, Jr., from his brother-in-law, John Johnson; and an affidavit to Johannes De Peyster regarding the navigability of Wood Creek, dated March 4, 1725.
This repository also includes a series of account books related primarily to the financial transactions of Abraham De Peyster (1796-1767), New York City merchant and Treasurer of the Province of New York during the period of English colonial rule. See unpublished finding aid for collection SC21246.
| Box | Folder | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | License by Chancellor Robert R. Livingston to John Watts, Jr., to practice in the Court of Chancery of New York State. D.S. 1p. April 21, 1786. |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | List of 58 persons "banished" in 1779 from the State of New York. October 22, 1779. A.D. 1p. 58 names of prominent Tories, including 3 women: Margaret Inglis, wife of Charles Inglis; Susannah Robinson, wife of Beverly Robinson; and Mary Morris, wife of Roger Morris. Printed p. 104 of De Peyster and Watts Genealogical Reference. New York State Library call number: MA/FF,929.373,G326,86-24269,G2792 |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | New York State Legislative joint committee to canvass votes at last election for governor, lieutenant governor, and state senators. June 4, 1789. D.S. 2p. Signed by Samuel Jones, Christ[ophe]r Tappen, John Watts, Jr., Gilbert Livingston, John Bay, John Smith, Ja[me]s Duane, Lewis Morris, Isaac Roosevelt, John Vanderbilt, Samuel Townsend. Elected: George Clinton, governor; Pierre Van Cortlandt,lieutenant governor; and, as senators: Philip Livingston, John Cantine, James Carpenter, Volkert P. Douw, Philip Schuyler, Alexander Webster, Edward Savage. |
| 1 | 4 | 4 & 5 | Thomas Gage. Warrant on Frederick De Peyster, treasurer of the colony of New York to pay John De Peyster, Jr., for furnishing necessaries for troops quartered within the colony and for reimbursing Capt. Philip Martin for losses he sustained in the house of Major James, November 1, 1765, December 4, 1767. D.S. 1(4)p., and similar warrant dated October 5, 1767 with De Peyster's receipt. |
| 1 | 5 | 6 | Christopher Bancker, Jr. Letter to Robert Leake, commissary general for provisions and stores for His Majesty's forces at Albany, N.Y., September 4, 1757. A.L.S. 2(4)p. With postscript dated September 7, 1757. Discusses troop movements and summarizes events thus: "… The Duke killed. Braddock defeated. Oswego cut off. Fort W[ilia]m Henry surrendered. Our eastern forces disappointed. And the loss of Pr[ivate] Mahon. The thoughts enough to make every welwisher [sic] to Britain shudder …" |
| 1 | 6 | 7 | Johannis DePeyster. Affidavit of Johannis Lansingh, cooper, 31 years old, resident of Albany, that he found Wood Creek navigable for canoes from Oneida Lake to the landing place which leads over to the Mohawk River, except at the head of the creek, that he found the road along Wood Creek to Canada Creek sufficient to pass and repass with wagons or carts. Albany, [N.Y.], March 4, 1725/6. A.D.S. 1p. |
| 1 | 7 | 8 | Albany County Court of Common Pleas. Warrant for Arent Wemple to appear and answer charges of Thomas McMurray. January 24, 1772. D.S. by Stephen DeLancey, clerk. 1p. On verso is receipt of Charles Morison that his debt was paid at Schenectady, [N.Y.], March 17, 1772. |
| 1 | 8 | 9 | Broadside. New York, March 13, 1771/Advertisement/To be sold at public/vendue (auction)/ at the house of Richard Cartwright in the city/of Albany, on Tuesday the 14th day of May next by the/Executors of Elizabeth Hamilton deceased/The following lots of land, lying near/Anthony's Nose, on the Mohawk's/river, being parts of a tract granted to/Harmen Van Slyck, by letters patent, dated/the first day of September, 1716 … |
| 1 | 9 | 10-13 | John Johnson. Letters to John Watts. Montreal, Canada, April 2, 1797; October 19, 1798; August 27, October 24, 1816. A.L.S. 4 letters. |
| 1 | 10 | 14 | Patent to George Klock, William Nellis and others for 160,000 acres in Albany County on the north side of the Mohawk River. December 18, 1754. D.S. by James De Lancey, Archibald Kennedy, Cadwallader Colden, Alexander Colden. Parchment. |
| 1 | 11 | 15 | Willoughby, Earl of Abingdon. Lease for a year to John Watts, of part of the estate of Sir Peter Warren, his father-in-law, in Warrenbergh, Montgomery County (London, Eng.) November 27, 1789. D.S. Parchment. Oversize. |
| 1 | 12 | 16-17 | Elizabeth Colden De Lancey. Letters to Cadwallader Colden, Esq., and Mrs. Cadwallader Colden. April 13, 1745, January 6, 1747/8. A.L.S. 2 letters. |
| EL | 13 | 18 | Lease: Willoughby, the earl of Abingdon, and Charlotte, the countess of Abingdon, to Samuel Estwick of part of lands of estate of Sir Peter Warren in the province of New York and New Jersey. September 4, 1785. D.S. 1p. Parchment. Oversize |
| EL | 13 | 19 | Release: Willoughby, the earl of Abingdon, and Charlotte, the countess of Abingdon, to Samuel Estwick for lands in America in province of New York and New Jersey to which Charlotte fell heir through her father, Sir Peter Warren. September 5, 1785. D.S. 2p. Parchment. Seals in wax. (Above listed lease was originally attached.) |
| EL | 13 | 19a | Seal from Memorandum attached to the aforementioned lease and release, September 5, 1785. |
| EL | [13a] | 20-21 | Affidavits before Lord Mayor of London and Lord Mayor of Maidstone, Kent relative to the deed of September 5, 1785. D.S. with seal, September 12, October 1, 1785 (2 items) |
| 1 | 14 | 22 | John DePeyster. Certificate to the commissary or commanding officer at Oswego, [N.Y.], that Isaac Truex of the township of Schenectady has entered with his strouds [i.e., coarse woolen cloth] and rum for Oswego. May 24, 1706. A.D.S. 1p. |
| 1 | 15 | 23 | Thomas Carleton. Message "to the chiefs and warriors of the Indian Nation on the River Saint John," warning them that "some of your people use the inhabitants about Maductic very ill … Let me warn you before it is too late. Unless you behave friendly to the white people in your neighbourhood, you cannot stay there but if they do you wrong, I will punish them for I will protect you so long as you show yourselves friends …", Maduxnekich, December 18, 1786. D.S. 2(4)p. |
| 1 | 16 | 24 | Gov. James De Lancey. Letter to Major (William) Johnson. New York, July 6, 1755. A.L.S. 1(4)p. Writes that "the Assembly broke up yesterday"; wishes Johnson success on his expedition; congratulates Johnson on taking of [Fort] Beauséjour and the victory of Admiral Boscawen over the French. |