XI. - NOTEWORTHY ITEMS AND INCIDENTS

The account of a tax which was early laid by the provincial government shows the simplicity of the style of living, and how little it takes to make us comfortable when we have known nothing better. Each chimney and each stove was assessed. Solomon Du Bois gloried in two chimneys and two stoves; but in the houses of Jacob and David Du Bois one spacious hearth and stove served for all the cooking and warming of the entire family.

In 1718 the number of taxables in Paltz was 28, of whom all were French but five. But in a militia muster-roll of 1738, of the same town, only 30 names are French out of 94. The French language was still in use in 1712, as appears by a legal writing.

REFORMED DUTCH ITEM

The oldest church record in the possession of the consistory of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New Paltz is dated 1683, January 22. The record is in French manuscript, and is the entry of baptisms, but by whom performed is not stated. It embraces a period of seventeen years. Abraham Hasbrouck, Solomon Hasbrouck, Abraham Du Bois, Isaac Du Bois, and Hugo Frere appear on this record.

A marriage was performed by Rev. Mr. Daillie, on June 7, 1690, it being that of Hugue Frere to Maria Le Roy. A son of this couple, named Hugue Abraham Frere, was baptized by the same minister on Oct. 17, 1691.

SLAVERY IN NEW PALTZ

The practice of holding slaves was quite common in the days of the forefathers of the town. Indeed, it was almost universal, so that all persons of consequence were expected to be in possession of a greater or less number of slaves. The "act for the gradual abolition of slavery" was passed by the Legislature on March 29, 1799, and, in accordance with its provisions, it became necessary to record the birth of slave children in the records of the town. Some of these are quite unique. The following are samples of such entries:

"Sept. 19, 1799 - General Joseph Hasbrouck Delivered to me a Certyfacate that he had a Femail Negro Child Born, and Callís hir Name Jane. Recorded by

"Josiah Hasbrouck, T. Clk."

"One Thousand Eight Hundred & one, October the Twenty Secon. Col. Jos Hasbrouck, Farmer of the town of New Paltz, Did Deliver to me a note in writing; the purport of it was that he had on the Ninth Day of last July a black female Child born of my Winch Kingo and named (Dian). Recorded by me.

"Josiah Hasbrouck, T. Clk."

The following is a sample of the certificate, or notice in writing, which the owner of the slave was required to hand to the town clerk:

"Sir,-Agreable to the Laws of this state I hereby Request you to inter in the Records of the town the Birth of a female negro Child which is born of me Negro Woman Slave on the 27th February, 1806, which said Child is named Jin. I am yours,

"Josiah Eltinge.
"Newpaltz, Sept. 5th, 1806.
"To Jacob Hasbrouck,
"Town Clerk of the Town of Newpaltz."

Among those who thus had negro children "born to them," and of which a record is made in the town book, are the following: Gen. Joseph Hasbrouck, David Lockwood, John A. Le Fever, Nathaniel Deyo, Peter Freer, Daniel Du Bois, Benjamin Hasbrouck, William Ketchim, Nathaniel Le Fever, Solomon Eltinge, Jr., Johannis Le Fever, Daniel Regnan, Abraham J. Hardenbergh, Daniel Woolsey, Philip Deyo, Jacob Le Fever, Jonathan Deyo, Cornelius Du Bois, Daniel Johnson, Patrus Freer, Daniel Hasbrouck, Josiah R. Eltinge, Jacob Le Fever, John C. Low, Jacob Hardenbergh, Samuel Hasbrouck, Daniel Deyo, Davis Deyo, Elizabeth Vandemerken, William Kitchim, Wilhelmus Hasbrouck, Mary, widow of Charles Broadhead, Solomon Eltimnge, Tunis Venoliet, Charles Boradhead, Jr., Josiah R, Eltinge, Henry Eltinge, Josiah Hasbrouck, DanielJansen, Benjamin Freer, John Van Gorden, Mathusalem Du Bois, Griffin Ransom, AbrahamD. Deyo, Titus Ketchum, Zacharias Hasbrouck, Roeloff Eltinge, Jacob Wurtz, Simon L. Deyo, Esther Wurtz, and Matthew Le Fever.

The manumission of a number of slaves is recorded in the same book.

The following is a list of all the slaves, male and female, above the age of fourteen years, in the precinct of the New Paltz, in Ulster County; their number being set down in the columns opposite to their mastersí or mistressesí names:*