Wilford, Have I said Thank You lately for you generosity in sharing your time and research? If not here is a big thank you http://www.list-us.com/kissed/ . Carolyn Woolsey Wilkerson On Sat, 28 Oct 2000 14:44:43 -0600 "Wilford Whitaker" <mwdiet@home.com> writes: > To any interested Woolsey researcher: > > One never knows where one's research efforts will lead. It appears > that our Immigrant Ancestor George Woolsey was an active participant > in one of New York's ship master's first attempt to bribe a public > official. > > I haven't determined which of the two Thomas Willets made this > bribe. It was probably the first one below. ?? > > 1. Thomas Willet who became a mayor of New York and lived for some > time. Not related to George Woolsey. > > 2. Thomas Willet, the soldier, who was George Woolsey's > brother-in-law, who had married Rebecca Cornell Woolsey's sister, > Sarah Cornell, and died quite young. > JORSE WOLSEY > > and The Bribery of A Customs' Official > > The 31 May 1646 may be the date of the first attempted effort of a > sea captain, Thomas Willet, to bribe the Nieu Amsterdam Customs > Official, Fiscal van Dyck. Our Immigrant Ancestor was a witness and > here we have the deposition that he stated as to what he had > witnessed, and done. [Not sure that this Thomas Willet is George's > brother-in-law.] > > 1646 31 May 1646. The fiscal, plaintiff, vs. Jorse Wolsy, defendant. > Plaintiff, having seized some powder which was not entered, demands > its confiscation. Defendant says that it belongs to Allerton, his > master, and requests delay until his master shall have come back > from New England, which is granted him. [IBID. p. 255] [Artwork ] > > Whereas for some years past all free traders here in New Netherland > have duty on all peltries purchased and bartered by them here and > exported to the fatherland by every opportunity of ships, the > council have therefore considered it highly necessary to established > a fixed duty, in order that each person may know what impost he has > to pay. Therefore, it is resolved that the duty shall be computed as > follows; On every exported merchantable beaver skin shall be paid 15 > stivers, two halves being counted as one whole and three drielings > as two whole beavers; on each other and bear skin 15 stivers; on > each elk hide 15 stivers, and on the other furs of less value > according to circumstances. Thus done in Council. Present: The > honorable Dir Willem Kieft, late director; Mr. Dincklagen, Mr. La > Mongagne, Lt. Nuton, Paulus Leenersz, commissary of naval stores & > Jan Claesz Bol. 23 Jul 1847. Jan Dollinghj from Bristol, aged about > 32 years, being legally summoned to court, declares that whe! > n Mr. BrattonŽs bark a short time ago was about to sail, it was > found that Mr. Bratton aforesaid must pay 50 Carolus guilders duty > on the goods which were sold by him here. Fiscal van Dyck came and > demanded the aforesaid duty and said to Mr. Bratton: "Fifty guilders > is too much for the honorable Company; give the Company 30 guilders > and me ten guilders." The deponent declares that he paid the said > ten guilders to the fiscal in seawan in the Great Tavern and handed > him a note for 30 guilders for the Company in payment of the duty. > The deponent declares that he heard from Joris Wolsey and Ritchert > Clof that Mr. Tomas Willet made the above named fiscal a present of > a veaver on condition that he should not inspect his bark. Thus done > in council in Fort Amsterdam, dated as above. > > Richard Clof from Manchester, aged 40 years, being legally summoned > to court, declares that he heard Mr. Willet say that the honorable > fiscal came to inspect the bark of the said Willet. The aforesaid > Willet said in the deponentŽs presence in the house of Isaack > Allerton that he said to Fiscal van Dyck when he came on board to > make his inspection that it was too much trouble to open the hold > and to overhaul things and that in doing so he would lose much time. > He promised to give Fiscal van Dyck a beaver if he would not > inspect. Deponent further declares that Gorge Wolsey carried a > veaver. The deponent asked where he was going with it. Wolsey > answered, he was going to take the beaver to Fiscal van Dyck. [IBID, > p., 320.] > > 1647 23 July Declaration of George Woolsey that Fiscal van Dyck > accepted a bribe from Thomas Willett to let his bark sail without > inspection. [160d] At the request of the Honorable Director General > Petrus Stuyvesant and the council of New Netherland Gorge Wolsey, > aged about twenty-six years, from Yarmouth in Old England, attests, > testifies and declares in the presence of Captain Lieutenant Nuton > (Captain Bryan Newton) and Jan Claessen Bol, captain of the ship De > Princes, in place and with promise of a solemn oath if need be, that > on the Saturday last Fiscal van Dyck came on board Mr. Tomas > WillitŽs bark to inspect it and [he, the deponent,] heard the above > mentioned Mr. Willit say at Mr. Isaac AllertonŽs house that because > he must be away he had presented the above named Fiscal van Dyck > with a beaver, in order that he would not lose his time by clearing > things away and in order that the fiscal would be content to let him > sail unhindered; which beaver he, Gorge Wolsey, placed! > in the hands of the said fiscal himself. The deponent, in the > presence of the aforesaid councilors, declares this to be true and > offers to confirm the same on oath. Done in Fort Amsterdam in New > Netherland, the 23d of July A . 1647. [signed] Joris Wolsy. > Acknowledged before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, Secretary. > > Has anyone made a study of the Dutch currency? > > Is it revealing to learn that these people were human, too? And > only points up that old adage "That there is nothing new under the > sun!" > > I don't have the dates at hand but it was about this time that > George Woolsey was chosen as one of the "chimney inspectors" (first > firemen in New York) and had the power to levy fines, pull down > chimneys and in other ways try to make the town safer. > > Sincerely, > > Wilford W. Whitaker > > Carolyn Woolsey Wilkerson carolynw46@juno.com To all genealogy researchers: Remember, it's fun to find out where you came from, but it is infinitely more important to know where you are going when you leave here.