Godfridius Dellius
Encyclopedia
Godfridius Dellius was a clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church
active in and around New Holland
during the late 17th century, and perhaps the early 18th century. He came to the New World
as a missionary
to the Mohawk people.
about 1680 and ordained by the classis of Amsterdam
in 1682. In 1683 he emigrated to North America, and settled at Albany
as assistant to Gideon Schaats, pastor of the Reformed Church there, and preached also at Schenectady
. He continued in this service about sixteen years.
In common with all the Reform clergy, he refused to recognize Jacob Leisler
's usurpation
in 1689, and the latter, among other accusations, charged Dellius with being a principal actor in the French and English difficulties
, and an enemy to the Prince of Orange
, who had succeeded King James
. Dellius was commanded to appear in New York to answer Leisler's accusations, but he hid in New Jersey
and Long Island
. Later he fled to Boston
. He wrote to England
describing his perception of Leisler's character.
After the execution of Leisler, in May 1691, Gov. Sloughter
recalled Dellius, who was on the point of embarking for Europe
, and he soon returned to Albany. The government paid Dellius £60 for teaching Indians, and in 1693 he had three Indian boys boarding with him. He greatly restrained the Indians in their hostilities toward their French prisoners. On the conclusion of peace between England and France
, Dellius and Peter Schuyler were sent as agents, in April 1698, to Count de Frontenac
, in Canada
, to announce the peace, and bring to an end the provincial hostilities. Acting under the authority of Bellomont
, they took with them nineteen French prisoners, and obtained the delivery of British colonists held as prisoners by the French.
Soon after Dellius' return from this mission, two Christian Indians declared on oath that Dellius, Peter Schuyler, Evert Banker, and Dirck Wessels had, in 1696, fraudulently obtained a deed for a large tract of land from the Indians. This land, the deed of which was confirmed by Gov. Fletcher
, was on the eastern side of the Hudson, above Albany, and was seventy miles in length and twelve in breadth. Dellius also obtained a tract of land in the valley of the Mohawk
, fifty miles by four.
The Indians, at an appointed interview, told Bellomont all the circumstances of the conveyance of the deed, and the latter, in the spring of 1699, secured a bill to vacate the lands, and also a vote to suspend Dellius from ministerial duty in Albany county. The classis of Amsterdam complained to the bishop of London of Bellomont's conduct, and Albany and New York contributed £700 to enable Dellius to go to England and oppose the vacating bill before it received the king's signature. The Indians who had sworn against him afterward took counter-oaths, and, just before his departure, asked Dellius to forgive them. But, as they were his converts, and he was known to have great power over them, this circumstance loses its apparent force.
Some accounts say that he returned to North America and was a missionary
among the Indians from the Episcopal Church
1705-1710.
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
active in and around New Holland
Dutch Occupation of Acadia
The Dutch Occupation of Acadia began when the Dutch naval captain Jurriaen Aernoutsz seized several settlements of Acadia, a part of the French colonial empire in northeastern North America, in 1674. Areas briefly occupied included coastal towns along the shores of Maine and New Brunswick, two...
during the late 17th century, and perhaps the early 18th century. He came to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to the Mohawk people.
Biography
He entered Leyden University in 1672 to study philosophy and was licenced by the classis of WykWyk
Wyk is a village in Poland.Wyk or WYK may also refer to:* Wyk auf Föhr, the largest town on the German island of Föhr, Schleswig-Holstein* Wah Yan College, Kowloon, a boys-only Roman Catholic secondary school in Hong Kong...
about 1680 and ordained by the classis of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1682. In 1683 he emigrated to North America, and settled at Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
as assistant to Gideon Schaats, pastor of the Reformed Church there, and preached also at Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. He continued in this service about sixteen years.
In common with all the Reform clergy, he refused to recognize Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler was a German-born American colonist. He helped create the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle in 1688 and later served as the acting Lieutenant Governor of New York...
's usurpation
Leisler's Rebellion
Leisler's Rebellion was an uprising in late 17th century colonial New York, in which German American merchant and militia captain Jacob Leisler seized control of the colony's south and ruled it from 1689 to 1691. The uprising took place in the aftermath of Britain's Glorious Revolution and the...
in 1689, and the latter, among other accusations, charged Dellius with being a principal actor in the French and English difficulties
King William's War
The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William's War was the name used in the English colonies in America to refer to the North American theater of the Nine Years' War...
, and an enemy to the Prince of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, who had succeeded King James
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. Dellius was commanded to appear in New York to answer Leisler's accusations, but he hid in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Later he fled to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He wrote to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
describing his perception of Leisler's character.
After the execution of Leisler, in May 1691, Gov. Sloughter
Henry Sloughter
Henry Sloughter was briefly colonial governor of New York in 1691. Sloughter was the governor who put down Leisler's Rebellion, which had installed Jacob Leisler as de facto governor in 1689. Lieutenant Governor Richard Ingoldesby, who had served against Leisler's rebels, took over after...
recalled Dellius, who was on the point of embarking for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and he soon returned to Albany. The government paid Dellius £60 for teaching Indians, and in 1693 he had three Indian boys boarding with him. He greatly restrained the Indians in their hostilities toward their French prisoners. On the conclusion of peace between England and France
Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
, Dellius and Peter Schuyler were sent as agents, in April 1698, to Count de Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to announce the peace, and bring to an end the provincial hostilities. Acting under the authority of Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont
Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont , known as The Lord Coote between 1683 and 1689, was a member of the English Parliament and a colonial governor...
, they took with them nineteen French prisoners, and obtained the delivery of British colonists held as prisoners by the French.
Soon after Dellius' return from this mission, two Christian Indians declared on oath that Dellius, Peter Schuyler, Evert Banker, and Dirck Wessels had, in 1696, fraudulently obtained a deed for a large tract of land from the Indians. This land, the deed of which was confirmed by Gov. Fletcher
Benjamin Fletcher
Benjamin Fletcher was colonial governor of New York from 1692 to 1697.Fletcher was known for the Ministry Act, which secured the place of Anglicans in New York. He was succeeded as colonial governor of New York by Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont.-References:*...
, was on the eastern side of the Hudson, above Albany, and was seventy miles in length and twelve in breadth. Dellius also obtained a tract of land in the valley of the Mohawk
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
, fifty miles by four.
The Indians, at an appointed interview, told Bellomont all the circumstances of the conveyance of the deed, and the latter, in the spring of 1699, secured a bill to vacate the lands, and also a vote to suspend Dellius from ministerial duty in Albany county. The classis of Amsterdam complained to the bishop of London of Bellomont's conduct, and Albany and New York contributed £700 to enable Dellius to go to England and oppose the vacating bill before it received the king's signature. The Indians who had sworn against him afterward took counter-oaths, and, just before his departure, asked Dellius to forgive them. But, as they were his converts, and he was known to have great power over them, this circumstance loses its apparent force.
Some accounts say that he returned to North America and was a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
among the Indians from the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church
An episcopal church has bishops in its organisational structure which is calledEpiscopal polityEpiscopal Church may refer to:Anglican Communion:...
1705-1710.