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On this day, the 23d of September of this current year 1651, Mr. Jochom Pietersen Kuyter, free merchant, of the first part, and the Honorable Petrus Stuyvesant, director general of New Netherland, Curacao and the dependencies thereof, Luycas Roodenborgh, governor of Curacao, and Cornelis de Potter, also a free merchant, of the second part, have in all love and friendship agreed and contracted with each other about a certain tract of land lying on the Island of Manhatans, belonging to the aforesaid Jochom Pietersen Kuyter, called Zegendael, in the Indian tongue Schorrakyn, adjoining to the south Willem Beeckman, lieutenant of the burgher guard here, at the end of Mr. Johannes la Montagne's hollow to the first cliff, stretching northward to the great kill, having to the west on the North river a hay meadow, containing about three or four morgens, the aforesaid land being about two hundred morgens in extent, of which the correct survey is still to be made, and this in the form and manner hereinafter written, to wit:

He, Jochom Pietersen Kuyter, shall cede, transfer and convey, as being truly and duly sold, to the aforesaid Messrs. Stuyvesant, Roodeborgh and Corn. de Potter the just three fourth parts of his land, being one fourth part to or for each of them, in such a way that he, Jochom Pietersz, aforesaid remains in possession or keeps for himself the remaining fourth part, provided that he, Jochom Pietersen, for the cession and conveyance of the said land shall receive from the aforesaid gentlemen a sum of one thousand Carolus guilders of 20 stivers, once and no more; of which each of the grantees shall pay one third part, with this reservation that the said one thousand guilders shall first and above all be employed and spent for the cultivation of the aforesaid land, which shall be kept together, without any division or separation being made therein, directly or indirectly, until and before the same shall be approved by a plurality of votes, during which period of undivided possession the aforesaid Jochom Pietersen shall be bound to remain and to continue as administrator or farm manager to cultivate the said lands for the joint profit and best advantage (as far as possible to him) of the contracting parties respectively and to use the profits resulting therefrom, whether in grain, cattle or whatever else it may be, for proper distribution and division among the contracting parties aforesaid, provided that Jochom Pietersen's wife shall be entitled to keep some hens and ducks for her private use. He, Jochom Pietersen, shall receive for his services as farm manager one hundred and fifty Carolus guilders a year, to wit, from each of the aforesaid co-partners fifty like guilders In order in God's name to make a start and beginning of everything there shall at the common expense of the joint contracting parties be built on the said land a suitable dwelling house for the farm manager, Jochom Pietersen, and a barn, with whatever else shall appertain thereto, with the understanding, however, that the house and everything shall remain in common with the land, of which expense and other expenditures to be made hereafter he, Jochom Pietersen, shall be held to keep accurate accounts and memoranda, in order, when required, to render a proper account, proof and surplus to the contracting parties; it being hereby likewise expressed that as soon as any distribution of profits takes place or the land shall be divided by the contracting parties, that then the said Jochom Pietersen shall first of all receive the aforesaid one thousand guilders for the surrender and cession of the aforesaid land; also, that when the division and the allotment of each one's share shall take place, that then the same shall take place by the drawing of lots, without any one being given any preference in the matter.

It is also stipulated that in the absence of one contracting party or other, another will have to be substituted in his place.

Secondly, that in case of death of the farm manager another shall be substituted in his place without the knowledge of the other participants

Thirdly, that the widows of the deceased contracting parties may themselves continue, or otherwise transfer their interest to one of the partners.

And in order that this contract may take effect, he, Jochom Pietersen, hereby, in the manner aforesaid, transfers and conveys his aforesaid land to and for the behoof of the above mentioned contracting parties, considering himself fully paid and satisfied therefor by the receipt of the stipulated money and for the fulfilment hereof they, the contracting parties, bind their respective persons and property, real and personal, present and future, submitting themselves to that end to all lords, courts and judges. In testimony whereof these presents are signed by the honorable contracting parties respectively, on the date above written, in New Amsterdam in New Netherland.

References

Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 3, Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1648-1660 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.