John Pell's Involvement in the Settlement of the 1683 Border Dispute Between the Province of New York and the Colony of Connecticut

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In 1683, a new Governor arrived in the Province of New York.  He was Thomas Dongan.  One of Governor Dongan’s early official acts was to try to settle the decades-old border dispute with Connecticut – again.  It was during this time that John Pell of the Manor of Pelham, a member of the General Court of Assizes, became involved. 

During the autumn of 1683, likely at the urging of new Governor Thomas Dongan, Justice John Pell issued a warrant requiring constables of Rye, Greenwich, and Stamford to appear before the General Court of Assizes in New York on October 1 to be called to account for the border dispute.  The move was a rather transparent effort to invoke the jurisdiction of a Court in the Province of New York over officials physically located in the Colony of Connecticut as part of the ongoing border dispute between the two governments.  Indeed, during the October court session, Governor Dongan pled to the court that Connecticut had violated a 1664 agreement intended to settle the ongoing dispute. He also issued a letter to Governor Robert Treat of the Colony of Connecticut warning that “If you do not submitt to let us have all the land within twenty miles of Hudson’s River, I must claime as far as the Duke’s Pattent goes; which is to the River Connecticut. There is land enough for us all, and I love not to do my neighbors ill offices.”

I have written before about John Pell's involvement in the settlement of this dispute in 1683.  See Mon., Jul. 11, 2016:  John Pell of the Manor of Pelham Helped Settle the 1683 Border Dispute Between the Province of New York and the Colony of Connecticut.  In that article I provided the full text of the report prepared by commissioners, including John Pell, reporting on the proposed settlement that the parties eventually reached.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of two letters relating to the dispute exchanged between Connecticut authorities and Governor Dongan of New York.  The letters provide a fascinating glimpse of the nastiness of the long-running dispute and provide a little insight on John Pell's involvement on behalf of New York.

On October 5, 1683, the Secretary of the Council of Connecticut, John Allyn, wrote on behalf of the Governor and Council of Connecticut to the new Governor of New York, Thomas Dongan, complaining that John Pell had issued warrants "requireing the constables of Ry, Greenwich and Standford severally to appeare at N. Yorke on the 1st Wednesday in October instant, to make presentment at your grand assizes."  

The letter made indirect reference to a previous "settlement" of the border dispute in December 1664.  At that time, New York Governor Richard Nicolls led a group of royal commissioners to “end unneighborly and unbrotherly contentions” regarding the border between New York and Connecticut.  The Commissioners met with the then-Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, John Winthrop, and a group of Connecticut commissioners.  In December, 1664, colonial authorities announced an agreement to place the boundary line running north-northwest at the mouth of the Mamaroneck River.  Long Island, however, was placed entirely within the Province of New York.  The new line on the mainland, however, was well west of the line that would have been established by the Treaty of Hartford had that treaty been ratified by English royal authorities.

Governor Dongan responded by letter dated October 9, 1683.  Clearly piqued by the fact that the letter on behalf of the Governor and Council of the Colony of Connecticut was written and signed by the Secretary of the Council and not the Governor of Connecticut (Robert Treat), Dongan began his letter criticizing the failure of the Governor to sign the letter noting, irritably, that "Itt is the usuall way, when one Government writes to another, for the Chief and Principall to signe it, but since the Gentlemen have not, tis to you, Sr, that I addresse this Answer."

Dongan launched into a tirade that rehashed the entire border dispute, saying that his predecessors had been "kinder to you than some think you deserved" and made clear that he was not "obliged" to confirm practices of Connecticut settlers that may previously have been allowed.  He further made clear that he did not view Connecticut as living up to the 1664 settlement agreement and, therefore, that he would make claim to all lands to the Connecticut River.  He wrote, rather scathingly, as follows:

"you have hindred the people which belong to this Goverment from comeing hither; and not that only, but some of your Colony have come to settle within six or 8 miles of Hudson's River, and that without ny leave of this province I am informed.

"If it be so, I take it to be my Master's opinion that you have abused the former contract, if any such was, and therefore you cannot blame me to take notice of it, and make claime to the whole from Connecticut River.  

"Your pretence to Virginia, this place, and all other of the King's dominions as far as the South Sea, would be as good as the other."

Eventually, as I previously have written, Commissioners from the two colonies settled the dispute and a border roughly similar to that existing today between New York and Connecticut was the result.  John Pell of Pelham Manor played an important role in the establishment of the border that exists between these two states today.

Portrait of John Pell.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Diagram Depicting New York and Connecticut Border Disputes

Between 1636 and 1776. Source: “Border Disputes Between

New York and Connecticut” in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia

(visited Jan. 15, 2017).  NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Below is a transcription of the text of the two letters that form the basis of today's article.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.  All spelling in quotes used above and in the letters below is as shown in the published text.

"APPENDIX.

NO. XLIX.
THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL TO GOVERNOR DONGAN.
[Colon. Boundaries, II. 42.]

Hartford, Octobr 5th, 1683.

Honble Sr.  This being the first opportunity we have had since your arrivall of meeting in councill, we could doe no less than congratulate your safe comeing into these western parts of the world and entrance into the Govermt of his Royall Highness Territories, wishing you all prosperity and happyness therein, assureing you that we shall endeavoure amicably to deport ourselves towards yourselfe and goverment; and if any thing should happen otherwise, upon the first intimation we shall endeavour a right understanding between us.

And by the way, we can doe no less than give your Honour advice of that which transiently is come to our cognizance, viz. a warrant sd to be granted by Mr. John Pell, requireing the constables of Ry, Greenwich and Standford severally to appeare at N. Yorke on the 1st Wednesday in October instant, to make presentment at your grand assizes; nowthstanind the sd Townes are indubitably within the precincts and bounds of this his Ma ties Colony of Connecticutt, not onely by his Ma ties gracious Charter grant but by agreement and settlement of bownds between his Royall Highness' province and this Collony, as your Hon ble predecessors well knew; at which time and before, those Townes peaceably were, and ever since have continued, under this his Ma ties Goverment; the which, for the mutuall weale and safety of all his Ma ties good subjects concerned, we heartily desire may not be interupted or molested by any such injunctions or impositions from any of or good neighbours.

Hon ble Sr, we beg your pardon for this trouble, which, wth our best respects to your Honor, is all at present from any of or good neighbours.

Hon ble Sr, we beg your pardon for this trouble, which, wth our best respects to your Honor, is all at present from, Sr, 

Your affectionate neighbours & humble servants,

The Govr & Councill of his Ma ties Colony of Connecticutt,

p their order signed,

p. JOHN ALLYN, Secry.

For the Hon ble Col. Tho. Dongan Esqr.,
Govr of his Royall Highness Territories,
at Fort James, in N. York, this dd.

The Govr & Councill ordered the above written letter."

Source:  Trumbull, J. Hamond, ed., The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, May, 1678-June, 1689 With Notes and an Appendix Comprising Such Documents From the State Archives, and Other Sources, As Illustrate the History of the Colony During The Administration of Sir Edmund Andros:  Transcribed and Edited, In Accordance with a Resolution of the General Assembly, APPENDIX No. XLIX, p. 326 (Hartford, CT:  Press of Case, Lockwood & Co., 1859).

"APPENDIX.

NO. L.
GOV. DONGAN TO SECRETARY ALLYN.
[Colon. Boundaries, II. 43.  Holograph.]

New York, Octobr ye 9th, 1683.

Sr. I am much obliged to your Governor and Councill for the complements they made me, and do really desire that a firm friendship may be established, assureing you that if there be not, it shall be none of my fault.

Itt is the usuall way, when one Government writes to another, for the Chief and Principall to signe it, but since the Gentlemen have not, tis to you, Sr, that I addresse this Answer.

Tis well known that his Rll Highness has a patent for all the lands on this side of Hudson's River, and if my predecessors, as you hint, haveing power to be kinder to you than some think you deserved, were pleased to quitt the rest of the lands within twenty miles of Hudson's River, I am not, as I think, obliged to confirm it.

For, instead of being contented with that, you have hindred the people which belong to this Goverment from comeing hither; and not that only, but some of your Colony have come to settle within six or 8 miles of Hudson's River, and that without ny leave of this province I am informed.

If it be so, I take it to be my Master's opinion that you have abused the former contract, if any such was, and therefore you cannot blame me to take notice of it, and make claime to the whole from Connecticut River.  

Your pretence to Virginia, this place, and all other of the King's dominions as far as the South Sea, would be as good as the other.

I am obliged in his R. H. name to wish you to find out some course to make an end of this difference, whereby a foundation may be laid for a good correspondence, and I will not fail to acquaint the Duke with your resolutions.

Wishing your Governor and Councell all prosperity and happinesse, I do assure you that none shall endeavour to deport himself more amicably with them than, Sr, 

Your servant,

THO. DONGAN.

For Mr. John Allyn, 
Secretary of Connecticut."

Source:  Source:  Trumbull, J. Hamond, ed., The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, May, 1678-June, 1689 With Notes and an Appendix Comprising Such Documents From the State Archives, and Other Sources, As Illustrate the History of the Colony During The Administration of Sir Edmund Andros:  Transcribed and Edited, In Accordance with a Resolution of the General Assembly, APPENDIX No. L, p. 327 (Hartford, CT:  Press of Case, Lockwood & Co., 1859).

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Although I previously have provided the complete text of the report prepared by John Pell and other Commissioners from the two colonies appointed to propose a settlement of the dispute, another transcription of the report may be found here:

Source: Source: Trumbull, J. Hamond, ed., The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, May, 1678-June, 1689 With Notes and an Appendix Comprising Such Documents From the State Archives, and Other Sources, As Illustrate the History of the Colony During The Administration of Sir Edmund Andros: Transcribed and Edited, In Accordance with a Resolution of the General Assembly, APPENDIX No. LVI, pp. 337-38 (Hartford, CT: Press of Case, Lockwood & Co., 1859).

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