Deeds of Albany, NY - Cliff Lamere

To all Christian People To whom this present writing shall come Evert Bancker of the Mannor of Ranslaers Wyck in the County of Albany in the Province of New York Gen^t whereas the Mayor Alderman and Commonality of the city of Albany by a certain Deed of Conveyance did grant and confirm unto the said Evert Banker his heirs and asigneys for Even a certain Lott of ground Situated lyeing and being upon the plain lying to the westward of Hendrick Bries garden being the Lott [?] 32, is bounded on the East by Hendrick Bries on the South the Lane that goes from the South Gate Towards the plain, on the West the plain itself and on the North the Lane that goes round the City Stockadoes without [containing?] in length seven Rodds in breadth towards the West End four Rodd keeping the same breadth on the East side as Hendrick Bries his garden as in and by the said Deed of conveyances bearing date the fifteen day of June 1689 relation thereunto being had it may more fully and at large appear. Now know ye that the sd Evert Bancker for Divers good cause and considerations him thereunto [moving?] But more and especially for and in consideration of the Sume of Forty pounds current money of the said Province to him in name paid at and before the Ensealing and Delivery hereof by Mathew Flensburgh, Turner, and Johannis van Santen , Weaver, both of the City of Albany aforesaid , the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and therewith to be fully fortified and contented and thereof and there from and of every part and parcell [of?] doth clearly freely acquitt Exonerate and discharge the sd Matthews Flensburgh and Johannis van Santen their heirs Executors and administrators and assigns and every of them for ever by these present, Hath granted bargained sold aliened release and confirmed and by these present doth grant bargain sell alien released and confirm unto the sd Mathew Flansburgh and Johannis van Santen their heirs and assigns “for ever all that the above mentioned and [recited?] lott of Ground with all the profitts commoditys and appartenances whatsoever to the said lott of ground or any part or parcell thereof belonging or in any wise appertaining or to or with the same now or at any time heretofore belonging or in any wise appertaining, used , occupyed or enjoyed , as part parcell or member thereof, To have and to hold the said Lott of ground and all and singular other the premisses to the said Mathew Flansburgh & Johannis van Santen their heirs and assigns to the only proper use benefitt and behoof of them the said Matthews Flansburgh and Johannis van Santen their heirs and assigns for Ever and in their quiet and peaceable posessions and seizin against all [persons?] to warrent and for ever by these present defend. In Testimony whereof the said Evert Bancker hath hereunto sett his hand and seal this fourteenth day of March and in the third year of his majesty’s Reign Anno-Domini 1716/7.

Signed sealed and delivered was Signed

in the presence of

Gosse van Schaick Evert Bancker SS

Rutger Bleeker

Daniel Hogan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

City of Albany to Mathews Flensburgh

4 April 1721

Transcribed by Darin Flansburg

This Indenture made and conducted this fourth Day of april in the Seaventh year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord George by the grace of God of Great Brittain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith and in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seaven hundred and Twenty one Between Myndert Schuyler Esq^r : Mayor Johannis Cuyler Esq^r Recorder Hendrick Hanssen. - Harmanus Wendell Goose van Schaick Johannis Pruyn Hendrick Roseboom Barent Sanders Esq^r Aldermen Johannis Hansen, Johannis TenBroeck David Schuyler David van Dyck Gerrit Lansingh and Hendrick Roseboom Junr [?] Together Mayor Alderman and Commonality of this City of Albany of the one part and Mathews Flensburgh of the City of Albany Turner of the other part Witnesseth that the said Mayor Aldermen and Commonality for and in consideration of the Sume of four pounds ten shilings Current money of the Colony of New York to them in hand paid at and before the Ensealing and Delivery hereof by the said Mathews Flensburgh the Receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and therewith to be fully paid contented and satisfyed do therefore fully Clearly and absolutely acquit Exonerate and discharge the said Mathews Flensburgh his heirs Executors and administrators forever have Given granted Release and Confirmed and by those present do fully clearly & absolutely give grant Release and confirm unto the said Mathews Flensburgh a certain piece of ground [Situated] Lying and being on the south of the City of Albany having on the East the lott of the heirs of anthony Bries, on the South the lott of the said Mathews Flensburgh on the west the lotts of Thomas Williams and Johannis van Sante and on the north the ground of Peter Ryckman - Containing on the South three Rodd and one half on the east one Rodd three foot and two inches on the west one Rod and two foot, and on the north three Rodd and two foot and And one half foot all Rynland measure. Together with all and singular the Profitts Comedities and [appertainces?] to the said above granted Lott of ground is belonging or in any wise appertaining Reserving unto the said mayor Aldermen and Commonality and their successors for the time being in time of war when they shall require so much ground as by them shall be thought [?] and convenient for [passage?] or batteries / To have and to hold the above recited Peice of ground and other the premisses (Except what is above referred unto the said Mathews Flensburgh his heirs and asigns to the Sole and only proper [ ? ] and behoof of the said Mathews Flensburgh his heirs and asigns forever in testimony whereof the parties to these present have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals (to [will?] ) the mayor of the said City in behalf of the Commonality of the said City by [vertice?] of Resolution entered in the minutes of the Common Council bearing date even with those present and have caused the seale of the said City to be hereunto [affixed?] and those present to be Entered on the Publick Records the day and year first above written was signed Myndert Schuyler signd seald and Deliverd in the Presence of Philip Livingston Jn. De Peyster.

[Imagine, with me, that the wealthy land owner at the left has been out for a walk,

inspecting the borders of his property. He stops to rest on the rock wall that his ancestors

had constructed long ago, but is now fallen down and overgrown with weeds. Hardly a

rock is visible any longer. The ancient glacier of ice which once covered Albany, NY to a

depth of about two miles left a rocky soil across the entire northern US when it melted

away. To make plowing easier, farmers had to do something each year with all of the

"field stones" that they removed from their fields. The rocks were carried out of the way

to the edge of the property, and rock fences were constructed with them. Robert Frost,

the New England poet, observed that there are forces at work to bring the wall down, and

that it should perhaps remain down. But, the owner of the adjoining property has a

different view. He believes that "Good fences make good neighbors".

Excerpts from "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends a frozen-ground-swell under it
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.

[I believe that Frost refers to frost, or the forces of nature.]

The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they would have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.

I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
"Stay where you are until our backs are turned!"
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:

There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, "Good fences make good neighbors."]

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