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Phase 1 (c.1661-1669) Upstairs
John Street
Running eastward from Green Street to Clinton Avenue, John Street served as the southern border of the original stockade. The border was expanded three times over its lifespan with its final southern edge being (what is now) Main Street.
John Street is most likely named for Jan (John) Crooke who was born in Kingston on April 8, 1711 and lived on the corner of John and Wall Streets where the Clermont Building now stands. According to late City of Kingston Historian Edwin M. Ford, “He became a lawyer and served as Ulster County Clerk from 1746 until his death in 1759. While wishing to honor him with a street name, no merchant or businessman would consider doing business on “Crook” Street, so they settled on the name John Street.”
Additional Resources
- Book: Street Whys: Anecdotes and Lore about the Streets of Kingston, New York by Edwin Millard Ford. Round Top, NY: Ford Printing, 2010. (Available in hardcopy to view in the Archives Reference Library.)
Shoes in the Attic
These shoes, discovered in a large wooden box during renovations to the house in 2000, are just one example of a larger phenomenon of old shoes being found in unexpected places in old homes. Such concealed shoes often share similar characteristics: they are worn, often taking on the shape of the owner's foot; they are predominantly for children, with fewer shoes for women and men; and usually only one shoe is found. The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities has records of over 100 shoes found in old homes in the New England area alone [Williamson, 2008].
While the reason for concealing shoes is not fully understood, folklore suggests that it was a way to bring good luck and good fortune to the house and its occupants. The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in the U.K. has compiled a "Concealed Shoe Index" with over 1,900 examples from around the world, including the U.K., North America, France, Spain, and Poland. We may never know who wore these shoes or why they were hidden away, but they offer a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived and worked in this house, and a connection to a centuries-old tradition of mysterious shoe concealment.
Additional Resources
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Williamson, Ken. "If These Walls Could Talk: Concealed Shoes at Sycamores." Sycamores House. South Hadley Historical Society, 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
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"Concealed Shoes." Northampton Museum & Art Gallery. www.northamptonmuseums.com. 19 June 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
1807 Will of Matthewis Persen
Transcription of the document featured on the panel in Phase 1 upstairs.
The following is a transcription of the above four pages:
{Pg. 318} In the name of God Amen I Mathew Persen of the Town of Kingston in the County of Ulster and State of New York calling to mind the frailty of Man, the mutability of all Earthly things, and that is ordained for all flesh once to die being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind, memory and understanding blessed be God for the same do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following towit. Imprimis, I order and direct that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid & satisfied by my Executors herein after named as soon as may be after my death – Item – I give and bequeath to Catharina Swart daughter of my Sister Jannetje the sum of Sixty two dollars and fifty Cents – Item. I give and bequeath unto Mathew Persen TenEyck son of Richard TenEyck the sum of Two hundred dollars – Item – I give and bequeath unto Catharine DeWitt wife of Gerrit DeWitt the sum of Twenty five dollars and also six large new silver Table spoons – Item I give and bequeath unto Mathew Persen Van Gaasbeck son of Abraham W Van Gaasbeck six large new silver Table spoons – Which said several sums of money and Legacies above mentioned I order and direct to be paid and given to the said respective Legatees by my Executors herein after named out of my personal Estate within six months after my decease – Item – “I give and bequeath unto Caty Jansen Daughter of Cornelius Jansen deceased one bedstead bed and bedding covering new Curtains and other furniture thereunto belonging the said bed stead here ment now standing in my Northwest Corner room. also the window Curtains and Carpet heretofore used in the said room.” Also one pair of brass andirons tongs and shovel also one other pair of andirons with brass heads now used in the Franklin, my large Cupboard, my large Looking glass, also one smaller looking glass now used in the Franklin room – one set of blue Callico Curtains also used in the said Franklin room Also the one half or moity of all my linen sheets pillow cases towels, and Table Cloths Also one silver sugar pot and silver milk pot those now in use, also two tea tables - also my black girl named Sare, also I give and bequeath unto the said Caty Jansen the sum of Five hundred dollars to be paid to her out of my personal Estate within six months after my decease by {Pg. 319} my Executors herein after named – Item – I give and bequeath unto John C Jansen the sum of Two hundred dollars to be paid to him out of my personal Estate by my Executors herein after named within six months after my decease. Also I give and bequeath unto the said John C Jansen my Negro servant named Bob – Item – I give and bequeath unto the said John C Jansen and Caty Jansen the one half or moiety of all my horned Cattle to be divided between them share and share alike – Item, I give and bequeath unto my Niece Peggy Persen Daughter of my brother Cornelius Persen one bed stead together with the bedding covering and furniture thereunto belonging the said bedstead here meant now standing in the room above the kitchen. Item – I give and bequeath unto my brother Cornelius Persen all my wearing apparel whatsoever the same may be. Also I give and devise unto my said brother Cornelius Persen all & singular my present dwelling house barn and lot of ground lying and being in the town of Kingston aforesaid whereor I now dwell together with the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining – To have and to hold the same to the said Cornelius Persen his heirs and assigns forever – Item – I give and devise unto Teunis Swart Jun’ son of my Sister Jannatje deceased all that certain lot of lowland situate lying and being at or near the fording place in the Esopus Creek in the said Town of Kingston as the same is now by me owned and possed – To have and to hold the same to him the said Teunis Swart Jun. his heirs and assigns forever – Item I give devise and bequeath all and singular the rest residue and remainder of all my real & personal Estate whosever not herein before given devised or bequeathed to my said brother Cornelius Persen and my Nephew Teunis Swart Jun’ to be equally divided between them share and share alike. To have and to hold the same to them the said Cornelius Persen & Teunis Swart Jun. their and each of their heirs and assigns forever – and lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my said brother Cornelius Persen Teunis Swart Jun. and Cornelius Van Beuren Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made – In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and seven – 1807 – Signed, sealed, published & declared by the above named Mathew Persen to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator Conrad T Elmendorf Mathew Persen Henry Jansen John Hasbrouck {Pg. 320} Ulster County Ss: Be it remembered that on the Twenty seventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and ten personally came and appeared before me Peter Marius Groen Surrogate of the said County Conrad T Elmendorf and being duly sworn declared that he did see Mathew Persen sign and seal the within written Instrument purporting to be the will of the said Mathew Persen bearing date the nineteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and seven and heard him publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament. that at the time thereof he the said Mathew Persen was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best of the knowledge and belief of him the deponent, and that Henry Jansen and Jonathan Hasbrouck together with the deponent subscribed the said will as witnesses thereto in the Testators presence – and that Cornelius Persen Teunis Swart Jr. and Cornelius Van Beuren Executors named in the within written will likewise appeared before me and were duly sworn to the true Execution and performance of the said within will by taking the usual oath of an Executor Peter Marius Groen Surrogate The People of the State of New York by the Grace of God Free & Independent – To all to whom these presents shall come or may concern send Greeting. Know ye that at Ulster County on the twenty seventh day of December one thousand Eight hundred and ten before Peter Marius Groen Esquir Surrogate of our said County the last will and Testament of Mathew Persen deceased ( a copy whereof is hereunto annexed ) was proved and is now approved and allowed of by us, and the said deceased having whilst he lived and at the time of his death goods chattles or credits within this state by means whereof the proving & registering the said will and the granting administration of all and singular the said goods chattles and credits and also the auditing allowing and final discharging the account thereof doth belong unto us - the administration of all and singular the goods chattles & credits of the said deceased and any way concerning his will is granted unto Cornelius Persen, Teunis Swart Jun. and Cornelius Van Beuren Executors in the said will named and being first duly sworn well and faithfully to administer the same and to make & exhibit a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the said goods chattles and credits and also to tender a just and true account thereof when thereunto required. In Testimony whereof we have caused the seal of office of our said Surrogate to be hereunto affixed – Witness Peter Marius Groen Esq. Surrogate {Pg. 321} of the said County at Kingston the Twenty seventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and ten and of our Independence the thirty fifth – Peter Marius Groen Surrogate The Preceding is a true copy of the original will of Mathew Persen deceased also of the Letters Testamentary and of the Certificate of the proof thereof – Peter Marius Groen Surrogate
