The petition of Philipp and Dego Dequa, negroes, suing for their freedom being read, ordered that his Mistress appear on this day seven night. [Council Minutes, 1683-1688, Vol. V., p. 207.] II. Councill held at Ffort James, Saturday, ye 8th of October, 1687: Present His Excelly. the Governor. The Governor being informed that several Spaniards and ffree people are detained as slaves in this Province, proposes that some means may be used for their Release. Referred to another sitting of the Council, and ordered that in the meantime no person do send away or convey any such Spaniards or ffree person without leave of this Board but that they have them in the way to appear before this Board when they shall be sent for, and further that no agreement either by writing and hand and seal or otherwise hereafter to be made between such persons and ye Masters or mistresses whome they serve shall be of any effect till they be first heard upon this bord. [Council Minutes, Province of New York, Vol. V., p. 210.] III. At a Councill held at Fort James, Tuesday, ye 11th day of October, 1687. Present His Excy. the Govern'. Major Anthony Brockholls Major Stephanus Van Cortlandt Major Ffredryk fflypsen Coll. Nicholas Bayard Resolved by his Excy. that all the Christian Indyans and children of Christian Parents brought from the Towns of Campeach, and Lavere Cruise and sold as Slaves in this Province shall be free. [Council Minutes, Vol. V., p. 238.] IV. Councill held July 30, 1688: Present His Excellency the Governor [Dongan] Major Brockholls Major Baxter Major Philips Major Cortlandt Coll. Nich Bayard Order that all Indian Slaves within this Province, subjects to the King of Spain that can give an account of their Christian faith and say the Lord's prayer be fortwith sett at liberty and sent home at the first Conveniency and likewise them that shall hereafter come to this Province. [Council Minutes, Vol. V., p. 207.] THE EARLIEST BAPTISMAL REGISTER OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH, NEW YORK CITY. BY REV. JAMES H. MCGEAN. V. DURING the years 1797 and 1798 there were in St. Peter's ninety-nine baptisms. For about two-fifths of these names indicate French parentage; the rest were of different nationalities, mostly Irish. Many of the baptisms, it will be seen, occurred months and even years after the dates of birth. Sometimes two and more children of the same parents were baptized on the same day, though their birthdays were far apart. While we may attribute this fact in some cases to the indifference of parents, we may readily believe, particularly in those cases where the parents were Irish, that distance from the city and the difficulties that must have made travelling infrequent and expensive were the causes of the great delay in this important Christian duty. MEGRON DU PONT, Henry, born Jan. 1, 1797, of Francis Valen tine Megron du Pont and Mary Frances Artier; the sponsors were Francis Megron and Mary Teresa Antier. FARRELL, Catharine, born Jan. 8, 1797, of William Farrell and Isabella Bowling; sponsor, William Carroll. KELLY, James, born Nov. 9, 1796, of Patrick Kelly and Ann McDowall; sponsors, Bartholomew Reeves and Mary McNaughton. SHEERER, Catharine, born Nov. 12, 1796, of James Sheerer and Mary Gallenagh; sponsors, James Tiernan and Jane Nixon. EGAN, Ann, born Jan. 19, 1797, of Lawrence Egan and Catharine Mynan; sponsors, James Byrne and Bridget Byrne. EGAN, Mary, born Jan. 19, 1797, of Lawrence Egan and Catharine Mynan; sponsors, John Mynan and Charlotte Bell. SEMILIER, George Louis, born Dec. 22, 1796, of George Semilier and Sarah Chin; sponsors, Louis Bonaventure Lydet and Mary (widow) Olive. FLEURY, Mary Magdalen Rose, born Jan. 27, 1797, of James Renatus Fleury and Barbara Rose Adelaide Dieudonnée; sponsors, John Martha Dieudonnée and Mary Frances Elizabeth Fleury. KELLEHER, Nicholas Goix Matthew, born Jan. 22, 1797, of Hugh Louis Kelleher and Mary Jane Bailly; sponsors, Nicholas Goix and Ellen Kelleher. GANTZ, Ann Mary, born Jan. 1, 1797, of Otho Gantz and Eliza beth Gantz; sponsors, Luke Streitz and Mary Greeves. WALSER, Margaret, born Jan. 2, 1797, of Andrew Liborius Walser and Elizabeth Catharine Fine; sponsors, John Isenbourgh and Margaret Ridden. BARRY, James, born Jan. 30, 1797, of Edmund Barry and Catharine Barry; sponsor, Edmund Neille. MCCORMICK, Mary, born Dec. 22, 1796, of James McCormick and Ann Stewart; sponsors, John Waters and Ann Johnston. BAILLY, John Adrian Peter, born Dec. 15, 1796, of Peter Bailly and Ellen Koops; sponsors, John Hoffman and Catharine Hoffman. DUROUSSAU DE FERRIERE, Alexander Henry Armand, born Dec. 19, 1796, of Alexander John Conrad Durousseau de Ferriere, Knight of St. Louis, and Ann Mary Elizabeth Couraud; sponsors, John Baptist Armand Roux and Ann Margaret Duchon Verger. VERGER, Augustus Eugene, born May 1, 1795, of John Baptist Verger and Ann Margaret Duchon; sponsors, Augustus Lachataignerais and Ann Mary Elizabeth Couraud Durousseau de Ferriere. DUFFY, Eugene, born Feb. 1, 1797, of Hugh Duffy and Ann Sweeny; sponsors, Denis Sweeny and Margaret Sweeny. DOYLE, Edmund Louis, born Oct. 27, 1796, of Thomas Doyle and Margaret Kelly; sponsor, William O'Brien. BONAGH, Frances, born Jan. 26, 1797, of Nicholas Bonagh and Jane Stewart; sponsors, Patrick Mieghan and Eleanor Dogherty. SMYTH, John, born July 15, 1796, of John Smyth and Mary Seery; sponsors, Patrick Kelly and Rachel McIntosh. WARD, Joseph, born March 4, 1797, of Thomas Ward and Margaret Tobin; sponsors, John Murphy and Catharine Humber. HIGGINS, Catharine, born March 11, 1797, of Edward Higgins and Honora Farrell; sponsors, James Fitzgerald and Martha Roat. MCCOLGAN, James, born April 14, 1797, of Michael McColgan and Bridget Dogherty; sponsor, Alexander McMullen. CURRAN, Lucy, born Dec. 3, 1796, of John Curran and Elizabeth Rogers; sponsors, Neal Gallagher and Elizabeth Ball. KIRWAN, John, born April 22, 1797, of Lawrence Kirwan and Ann Sinclair; sponsors, Patrick Dillon and Mary James. CALLINGER, William, born March 26, 1797, of Maurice Callinger and Mary Cassenbery; sponsors, Joseph Idley and Mary Idley. HIGGINS, James, born May 6, 1797, of Lawrence Higgins and Margaret Scott; sponsors, James Tremble and Sarah Tremble. SLOOT, William, born Feb. 11, 1797, of Isbrand Sloot and Ann Wallum; sponsors, Andrew Matthew Birche and Magdalen Birche. HURLY, Honora, born Nov. 28, 1796, of James Hurly and Frances Moore; sponsors, Isbrand Sloot and Ann McCarty. LA MAGDALENE, John Peter, born April 14, 1797, of Louis La Magdalene and Mary Charlotte Richard; sponsors, John Peter Calbye and Mary Teresa Borrelly. LE DROICT BUSSY, Cecilia Esther Louisa, born March 23, 1797, of Claudius John Baptist le Droict Bussy and Mary Clarke; sponsors, Louis Renatus Lambert and Esther André. CURRAN, Henry, born May 10, 1797, of Henry Curran and Ann Mount; sponsor, Henry Molloy. LAVALCIARE, Mary Catharine, born May 23, 1791, natural |