Wikimedia Summary: English: Director-General Peter Stuyvesant's deed for a part of Manhattan, 1654. It is now the Financial District, steps away from Wall St. & NYSE. Co-signed on the rear side by land grantee and secretary of the New Netherland Council Cornelis van Ruijven.
A document summary provided by the Parke-Bernet Galleries March 1-2, 1960 catalog listing describes this document in part: "The deed conveys a tract of land bounded by the present-day Broad Street to William Street, and Beaver Street to Exchange Plac'" A glossary of the same document retrieved from Charles T. Gehring, trans. and ed., "New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Volumes GG, HH, & II, Land Papers" (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1980, p. 67) provides us with more detailed information. In part: "Petrus Stuyvesant, on behalf of their High Mightinesses, etc' has given and granted unto Cornelis van Ruyven a lot lying on the island of Manhattan in the Sheep Pasture; on the south side along the division line of Albert Pietersz Trompeter its breadth is 7 rods; on the north side its breadth extends into the Sheep Pasture 7 rods; in length on the east side along the division line of Mr. La Montaigne's land it is 10 rods, 1/2 foot; in length on the west side it is 10 rods, 1/2 foot; but if there should be a bulwark or street laid out along the said lot, then the same shall serve as a boundary, with the express conditions, etc'" We had a professional translator review key portions of the text of our document, and we can confirm that it is the same one summarized above.
How much land was granted to Cornelis van Ruijven in this land deed? A Dutch colonial-era rod was smaller than the traditional English rod, and varied from place to place according to usage. In general, it ranged between 11 feet and 18 feet during this era, and can be safely calculated at 12 feet on average per one Dutch rod. With these parameters, then, we know that Cornelius van Ruijven's new freehold was an area of sheep pasture measuring 7 Dutch rods by 10 Dutch rods and 1/2 feet, or a square area of 84' x 120' or 10,080 square feet.
Description on Invaluable: A 1p manuscript document in Dutch signed by Peter Stuyvesant (1592-1672), the last Dutch Director-General of the New Netherland colony, as "p stuyvesant" at lower right. April 16, 1654 (written as "xvi april @ d: [Anno Domini] 1654.") Fort Amsterdam, New Netherland [New York, New York]. The document is neatly secretarially inscribed on vellum and consists of approximately 575 words front and back. Co-signed by land grantee and secretary of the New Netherland Council Cornelis van Ruijven (also spelled van Ruyven) (1630, Amsterdam - ?). With several dockets and endorsements verso dated April 25, 1654, May 27, 1656, and January 27, 1663. A narrow strip of braided vellum, with a red waxy residue, extends from a cut-out near the center. Expected wear including folds and wrinkles. Two small holes located near the center, and a neat isolated closed tear and sheared off corner at lower right. Even toning and scattered stains. Else near fine and quite legible considering its age. 11.25" x 11.5."
Ex-Charles Sigety; ex-Parke Bernet Galleries, "Historical, Musical & Literary Autograph Letters, MSS and Documents From Various Owners Including Property of George C. Richards, Jr. and Mrs. Alice Grailcourt," March 1-2, 1960, Lot 336. Accompanied by extensive background research including summaries translated from the Dutch.
The value of this document cannot be overstated, both because Peter Stuyvesant signatures are rare, but also because the land in question corresponds to real estate found in the present-day Financial District of lower Manhattan. The allotment of land measured over 10,000 square feet (in modern English conversions from Dutch rods) and is situated somewhere near present-day 55 Beaver Street.
