Low Dutch, Petition of 1783

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Submitted by: Judy Cassidy "Jamescassidy22@cs.com"
March 22, 2000
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Again, they were living in Jefferson and perhaps Mercer Co, as well as Conowago, PA.

Papers of the Continental Congress
Item 41, Volume 5, folios 95-101-6.  This includes a 2 page letter and the Petition. 

To the Honorable President and Delagates of the Free United Staes of America in Congress 
Assembled.

Gentlemen: A Memorial and Petiton of a Number of Inhabitants of the Kentucky settlement of the 
Low Duch reformed Church Persusion on behalf of themselves and other Intended Settlers was 
brought to me bh one of those Petitioners desiring me in the Name of the rest to give a 
Testimonial of their Character to the Honourable Congress because I as personally acquainted 
with them.  Some have lived amongst us and belonged to my  Congregations.  They were a 
plain, honest peaceable sobber and industrious people remarkable for agriculture and by 
current reports we have of them they are all hearty friends to our Glorious Revolution and the 
Honorable Congress.  our humble Servent:

J.M. Van Harlingen, Minister of the Gospel and Sourlandt and New Shennick (NJ)

Petition: of a number of Low Dutch Inhabitants of Kentucky for a grand of land (In Kentucky) 
or on the North West Side of the Ohio.  Read: Sept 27, 1783.

To the Honorable President and Delagates of the  Free United States of America in congress 
Assembled.

(Because of its length I will shorten it somewhat)

In the spring of the year 1780, your peitioners moved to Kentucky with their families and 
effects with a view and expecting to procure a  Tract of Land to enable them to settle 
together so they might propogate the Gospel in their known Language.  When they arrived to 
their dissappointment they were thro' the dangerousness of the times by a cruel savage Enemy 
obliged to settle in Stations or Forts standing in such places where there was the most 
appearance of safety, not with standing.

Numbers of them suffered greatly in their  property, several killed and others captivated by 
the 'Enemy, living in such distressed confined way always in danger, frequently on Military 
Duty, it was impossible for them to do more than barely support their families with the 
necessaries of life, by whih means they are much reduced.  Contrary to their expectations 
before their arrival, since most of the tillable land has been located and monopolized by 
persons that had the advantage of our Memoiralists being strangers and confined aforesaid, 
being so reduced are rendered unable too purchase Land at the advanced price and especially in 
a body conveniently together agreeable to their wishes.  Whereas, Providence has been pleased 
to prosper and support the vitruous assistance of the United States in the glorious cause of 
Liberty,  which has enabled them to obtain an Honorable Peace, whereby they have  obtained a 
large exent of unappropropriated Territory and whereas it is currently and repeatedly reported 
amongst up that Congress has broke or made void Virginia's right or claim to Land in Kentucky 
Settlement;We pray that we will be granted a Tract or Territory of Land in the Kentucky 
Settlement, if the Virginia Claim should be made void.  or otherwise in the late ceded land on 
the NW side of the Ohio River; whereto there is not any prior legal claim, to enable them to 
settle in a body together on such reasonable terms as Congress in their wisdom shall see just 
and reasonable..

There were two groups of signatures: Inhabitants of Kentucky and Intended Friends who were yet 
to come and still in PA or NJ.

Among the signers besides Catharine Darling, widow, and her sons Lambert and John Inhabitants 
of Kentucky, and than as Intended Friends living in NJ were Garret Dorland and Lambert Dorland 
who had signed from Kentucky as Lambert Darling.  He was one of the men who returned to NJ for 
signatures of those who were to come. 

Surnames only, there are just too many of them for first names:

Banta, Bogart, Brinkerhoff, Brewer, Cossart, Cownover, Cosezine, Cozart, Debaen, Demaree, 
Durie, Hogeland, Hooghtelin, Krosen, Luce, Pursel, Saulter, Smock, Seabourn, VanArsdale, 
VanDyke, VanHorn, VanPelt, VanTine, Voorhees, Westerfield, Westervelt.

There were of course many other settlers who signed who were not members of this group.