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No. 6, the first seat, was appropriated to the minister's wife; it had 4 seats. No. 7 had 5. Nos. 8 and 9 had 4. No. 10 had 3. Nos. 11 and 12 had 4. Then follow 8 new pews which seem to have been gained in different parts of the church; 1 of 5 seats behind the deacons; 1 of 5 behind the elders; 1 of 6 opposite Cornelius Cuyler; 1 of 5 between Nos. 54 and 56; one of 5 on the west side of the grand aisle, and 1 on the east side to which but 1 sitting is awarded, although it would seem that there was room for more; 1 of 6 seats between Nos. 85 and 86; and 1 of 5 in the south-east corner. The first change that took place in the sittings of these 8 new seats, was in 1766, by which we know that they were constructed before that year. Two seats were afterwards made, with 6 sittings each, opposite the seats of the elders, and 1 of 4 opposite the deacons, which were to be vacated four times during the year for the purpose of making room for the celebration of the Lord's supper. The whole number of sittings for females was 611.

The men who occupied seats on the ground floor, were the magnates of the city. They sat on the bench along the wall. No. 1, 3 seats, behind the elders, was occupied by the Schuylers. No. 2 had 4 seats. No. 3, occupied by the Livingstons, 4 seats. No. 4 had 15 seats. No. 5 had 8. No. 6 had 9. No. 7, 9. No. 8, 8. No. 9, 6. No. 10, 6. No. 11, 7, occupied by the Van Rensselaers. In all 79 seats. Those who could not procure seats below, and especially the young men and boys, were accommodated with seats in the gallery. The young men succeeded their fathers in the seats below, as the latter were removed by death or emigration. The following seats were on the west side, and seem to have been first occupied in 1754. No. 1, 5 seats. No. 2, 4 seats. No. 3 and 4 blank. Nos. 5 and 6, each 5 seats. Nos. 7 and 8 blank. Nos. 9 and 10, each 5. No. 11, 4. No. 12, 5. No. 13, blank. No. 14, 2, No. 15, 1. On the south side, No. 16, 5. No. 17, 6. Nos. 18 and 19 vacant. Nos. 20, 21, 22, 23, each 6. No. 24 vacant. No. 25, 2. Nos. 26 and 27, each 6. Nos. 28, 29, 30, 31 vacant. No. 32, 3. No. 33 and 34, each 6. No. 35, 4. No. 36 vacant. Nos. 37, 38 and 39, each 6. Total in these two galleries 130. 79 below. In all 209 men

611 women

820.

We have nothing to indicate a gallery on the east side, except the great number of seats represented as being on the south side. The eastern gallery may have been first constructed and appropriated to the black people, of whom there was a great gumber. The women were many of them attended by negro servants, particularly in the winter, when they carried foot stoves, containing coals for the purpose of keeping their feet warm. As these coals expired, they were renewed from the stoves which heated the church. The latter were placed on each side of the church, over the side aisles, just beneath and projecting beyond the galleries. They were elevated about 8 feet from the floor, upon 4 upright posts. The koster having finished ringing the bell, standing under the cupola in the middle aisle, wound the end of the rope around a high post standing there for the purpose, and went into the gallery to inspect his fires. The

stoves were approached by climbing over the gallery, on each side. The last sexton was Cornelius Van Schaick. He is represented as having had an exalted appreciation of the dignity of his calling. He did not allow himself to be jostled by any one who passed him while engaged in ringing the bell, without resenting it. He always carried a switch of some kind when he passed through the galleries, and cut right and left with it among the boys. The stove doors were always closed by him with a tremendous bang.

All the aisles but the middle one were narrow. The men below sat upon elevated benches around the wall, with their hats on, and were accustomed to smoke their pipes during sermon time. Those who occupied the first tier of seats in the gallery hung their hats upon nails which studded the whole front of the galleries, presenting a novelty which was rendered more curious by the variety of their style, color and condition. The roof was ceiled with boards upon the rafters, from the walls to the cupola. The entrance was through a porch on the south side, and the entrance to the galleries was made by ascending several steps on the east side of the porch. In this porch the sexton kept his graveyard tools; and there seems to have been an interior door for his use connected with the galleries.

Minutes of the Consistory.

1718. March 20. Present, Jacob Staats, Johannes Schuyler, Johannes Cuyler, Johannes Roseboom, elders; Stephanes Groesbeek, Barent Staats, Rutger Bleecker, Volkert Van Veghten, deacons.

Whereas, at a previous meeting of consistory, held on the 5th of December, 1716, to inspect the order of the seats occupied by the women in the church, it was ordained, among other things, that on the death or removal of the occupant of a seat, such seat should fall to her next of kin, upon the payment of two pieces of eight and the customary contribution to the minister's salary; in default of which payments, during a period of two years, the seats would revert to the elders, to be disposed of by them, in manner therein provided; in consideration whereof, it is

Resolved, That instead of an allowance of two years time in which to make payments as aforesaid, there shall be allowed but half a year to those who reside within the city, and one year to those who reside in the country, after due service of notice of the same.

Resolved, That no one whomsoever be allowed to make or cause to be made, any alteration whatever in the seats, without due permission of the consistory.

List of the women's and girls' seats in the new Dutch Reformed Church in this city, and to whom they have from time to time been transferred, agreeably to resolution.

1747

No. 1.

1 Geertruy Roseboom. 1764 transferred to Geertruy, daughter of Jacob Roseboom, jr.

1757 2 Annatje Staats, da. of Isaac Staats.

1749 3 Elisabeth Simns. Nov. 29, 1762, to Annatie Van Alen, wife

of V. P. Van Alen.

4 Scharlotta Coeymans. 1762 to Scharlotta da. of Andries Ten Eyck.

1752 5 Elisabeth wife of Peter Lansing.

No. 2.

1 Elisabeth Sanders. 1763 to Debora da. of Robert Sanders.

2 Alyda Pruyn.

3 Elsie Roseboom, junior.

4 Sara Vischer. 1764 to Sarah da. of Harmen Vischer.

5 Eghbertje Van Der Heijden. 1767 to Rachell Visgher.

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1758 3 Maria Groesbeck.

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1747 4 Cathalyntje da. of Jan Van Ness. 1754 5 Elisabeth da. of Gerardus Groesbeeck.

No. 5.

1747 1 Antje wife of Seybrant Van Schajck.
2 Maragricta Bleecker.

3 Geertruy da. of Johannes Roseboom.
4 Maria wife of Isaac Staats.

1753 5 Sara da. of Seybrant Gerardus Van Schajck

No. 6.

1743 1 Anna Cathariena da. of Sybrant Van Schajck.

2 Elisabeth A. Van Schajck. 1762 to Catrena da. of Wessel Van Schajck.

1750 3 Elisabeth Nicolls.

4 Maria Nicolls. June 10, 1761, to her sister Elisabeth Nicolls. 1749 5 Maria wife of Wessel van Schajck.

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2 Alyda Van Schajck.

3 Antje Van Wie. 1760 to Annatje wife of Hendrik H. Van Wie.

4 Barber G. Marselus.

1770 to Maria Gysb. Marselus.

5 Alyda Schuyler. 1761 Marietje wife of Jan Van Deusen.

1 Debora Van Schajck.

No. 9.

1747 2 Geertruy D. Van Der Heyden. 1764 to Anna da. of John

Yates.

1752 3 Eva wife of Johannes M. Roseboom. To Maria da. of Johan

nes Marselus.

1749 4 Arejantie P. Wendell. 1770 to Maria wife of David Schott. 5 Margrieta Lydius.

No. 10.

1 Elisabeth Vinhagen van Oothout.

2 Engeltje Wendell. 1770 to Elisabeth wife of Barent Stats. 1759 3 Sara wife of Jacobus Perks Van Benthuyse.

4 Arejantie Ver Planck. 1769 to Elisabeth her daughter. 1770 to Arejantie da. of William Ver Plank.

5 Rycke Roseboom. 1760 to Catriena wife of Johannes Lansing.

No. 11.

1 Ragel De Peyster, now Ten Eyk.

2 Geertruy Lansingh.

1747 3 Arejaentie Lansingh. 1770 to Geertruy da. of John Jo. Lan

sing

1754 4 Anna da. Barent Albertse Bratt. 1760 to Arejaentie wife of

Cornelius Van Santfort.

5 Anna Van Der Heyden. To Annetie da. of Thos. Williams.

1 Grietje Ten Eyck,

No. 12.

2 Jannetje Glen. 1761 to Elsje wife of Barent Ten Eyck.

3 Ragel Bleecker. 1767 to Maragrita H. Ten Eyck.

1748 4 Elsie J. Cuyler, now Ten Eyck. 1764 to Lidia wife of Jacob

Cuyler.

1757 5 Alida wife of Isaac De Freest.

No. 13.

1 Gerretje Ten Eyck. 1766 to Maria wife of Peter Gansevoort.

2 Gerretje Ten Eyck, junior.

3 Cathariena Coeymans.

4 Anna Margrieta Van Schajck. 1763 to Gerretie da. of Peter Gansevoort.

5 Elisabeth daughter of Gerrit Bratt.

No. 14.

1747 1 Reyke da. of Sybrant Gosen Van Schajck.

1754 2 Anna Quackenboss. 1760 to Cattriene wife of Da' Holenbeek.

1749 3 Eva, da. of Johannes Beeckman,

4 Maria, da. of Ruben Van Veghten.

5 Anna, da. of Harmanus Wendell.

No. 15.

1 Hendericke Bogart. 1764, to Catharina, wife of Gerritt Van

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2 Susanna Vischer. 1761, to Geertruy, da. of Isaac Swits.

3 Willempie Douws Bogart.

4 Susanna Van Schoonhoven. 1760, to Maria wife of Abraham Fonda.

1758 5 Ragel Vischer. 1767, to Alieda Fonda, da. of Abraham Fonda, on condition of its reverting to Ahaswer Roseboom, when he has an heir.

No. 17.

1 Cathariena Hd. Cuyler. 1767, to Maragreta, da. of H. Bleecker. 1751 2 Geertje Jacoba Ten Eyck.

1758 3 Geertry, da. of Gerarduss Lansing. 1770, to her mother Maria Lansing.

4 Hester Slingerlandt.

5 Engeltje Witbeeck. 1763, to Janneke Van Hosen.

1747 6 Angenietje G. Van Den Burgh.

No. 18.

1 Amielia Pruyn. 1760 to Amielia Kip.

2 Alida Pruyn.

3 Annatje Cloet.

1747 4 Sara Van Alstien.

1759 5 Majeke da. of Harmen Hunn.

1751 6 Ragel wife of Cornelius Van Den Bergh. 1762 to Antie, wife

of Abram Wemp.

1751 1 Anna Dennolsoon.

No. 19.

1760, Dirke da. of Witt Winne. 1770, to

Elisabeth Jns. Knikkerbaker, junior.

2 Margrieta Matus Van Der Heyden. 1763, to Angenietje da. Barent Bradt.

3 Elisabeth Bratt.

1757 4 Neeltje Bradt.

1751 5 Elisabeth wife of Abraham Lansing.

1769 6 Abiegail Ver Planck, now Lansing by consent.

No. 20.

1 Maria Hansen da. of Benj". Bratt.

1759 2 Elisabeth Williams, da. of Thos. Williams, oude. 3 Engeltje R. Van Veghten.

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