This letter from Peter Schaghen, written in 1626, makes the earliest known reference to the company’s purchase of Manhattan Island from the Lenape Indians for 60 guilders. Schaghen was the liaison between the Dutch government and the Dutch West India Company. In the letter, Schaghen reports the arrival of the ship Wapen van Amsterdam from the New Netherland colony. The original of this document is held by the Rijksarchief in The Hague, but is on display in New York City at the South Street Seaport Museum from September 2009 through January 2010. Read a translation.
High and Mighty Lords,
Yesterday the ship the Arms of Amsterdam arrived here. It sailed from New Netherland out of the River Mauritius on the 23d of September. They report that our people are in good spirit and live in peace. The women also have borne some children there. They have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders. It is 11,000 morgens in size [about 22,000 acres]. They had all their grain sowed by the middle of May, and reaped by the middle of August They sent samples of these summer grains: wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, canary seed, beans and flax. The cargo of the aforesaid ship is:7246 Beaver skins
178½ Otter skins
675 Otter skins
48 Mink skins
36 Lynx skins
33 Minks
34 Muskrat skinsMany oak timbers and nut wood. Herewith, High and Mighty Lords, be commended to the mercy of the Almighty,
In Amsterdam, the 5th of November anno 1626.
Your High and Mightinesses’ obedient, P. Schaghen
It looks like a morgen is the same size as a hectare. (100 meters by 100 meters or 10,000 square meters.)
the island of manhatten is back in the hands of the indigenous peoples aboriginal to the land,has been exported on to atlan turtle island by the plenipotentiary of Atlan-Turtle Island Maku:Nanya-Shaabu:EL for:Nanya-Ahk:Heru:ELhttps://sites.google.com/site/authenticexport/9
I am Dutch and one thing I can say = at least it was bought from the indians not conquered or stolen. 60 guilders maybe isn’t much but in 1626 it had some value.
Yes, the Dutch treated the natives better than French, English and Spanish in order of rapacity by my historical lights. An interesting problem is to work the value of the money given at some interest rate to the present day value — which winds up equalling the present day value of Manhattan or close to it. I wish I could have seen the Island as it was then and walked around Long Island ..
I was told at an early age that the Van Horn (Van Hoorn) family was an owner of the Island of Manhattan. My father said there was a document in his monther’s bible, which disappeared after her death. Does anyone have any knowledge of the fact?
I was also told at a young age that our family was a early owner of manhatten,he also stated there was documentation,but did not know who had it.
There is no deed, bill of sale, or formal title to back up the legend of the sale of Manhattan. This 1626 letter only makes suggestion of this sale. IT IS NOT A DEED! Hmmm? If you had a letter that talked about your deed to property ownership, but you couldn’t produce a title signed by two parties, would it be legal? No it wouldn’t. So this brings up the question “Is this letter legal documentation for land ownership of what is now the great New York City?”
I have also been told from a young age a story that our family where early owners of Manhatten but the deeds where burnt in a fire.
My maternal grandmother was a geneologist in NY. She researched my maternal granfather (Claude Plank) lineage (Van Vlierdan I believe), and discovered that there were businessmen (investors)from Holland who engineered the purchase. They were referred to as “The Seven”. This is all I can recall from her discussion of topic, as I was a teenager at the time.
Peter Minuit purchased the island back in the 1600’s and from what I know the family was loyal to the King during the American Revolution and had to flee for their lives (to Canada) before returning back to America. The courts indefinetly postphoned the case and never came to be heard in a court of law. This is what was was told by my father. Peter Minuit is my 5th Great Grandfather.