Individual Details

Thomas CHAMBERS

(Say 1620 - 8 Apr 1694)

Profile I wrote for Wikitree, Chambers-61, in February 2019:

Thomas Chambers was a remarkable man, beginning his adult life as a carpenter and ending it as the Lord of an extensive Manor. He was tall and lean with red hair. [1] He spoke English and Dutch and was able to converse with the native Americans of the tribes of Esopus, Mohawk, and Mohican. [2] He is generally credited as being the first white settler in what is now Ulster County, New York and, during his life, occupied almost every leadership position there.

Birth and Origin

Although the origins of Thomas Chambers are unknown, we can guess that he was English because of his name and his command of that language. We can estimate that he was born about 1615-1620. If he were more than a few years younger than that, he could not have accepted a contract in 1642. If he were more than a few years older than that he would have been an unsuitable partner for his first wife and would have been more than 80 years old upon his death.

Arrival

Chambers was a carpenter by trade [1] and his first recorded appearance in the New World was 16 May 1642, when he was contracted to build a house near Fort Orange. [3] Van Rensselaer's manuscripts say that: "He was nicknamed 'Clabbordt', a corruption of the English term clapboard, and may have introduced into the colony the method of weatherboarding houses with clapboards, which is not practiced in Holland." [4] Elsewhere, in addition to Chambers and Chamber, his surname is variously recorded as "Clapboard" [5] "Clabbort" [6] and "Siamber" [7] apparently a phonetic spelling of Chamber.

In 1646, he moved up the Hudson River to Rensselaerwyck. [6] He "appears first in the accounts in 1646, in connection with building a kitchen and chimney at the house of Domine Megapolensis. Sept. 7, 1646, he entered into an agreement about the lease of the land between the Wynants and Poesten Kills, in the southern part of the present city of Troy, for the term of five years, from Nov. 1, 1647. He occupied this land till July 1654 and shortly after moved to the Esopus." [4]

Apparently, he was already demonstrating leadership, because "Sept. 23, 1650, he was chosen to accompany Arent van Curler to the Maquaes [Mohawk Indian tribe] to renew the former covenant of friendship. " [4]

First Marriage

In December 1648, as Chambers married Margriet Hendrickse, the widow of Mathijs Jansz van Ceulen, who was pregnant with her first husband's fourth child. The marriage occurred sometime between 22 October 1648 (when she is described as a widow in a court case) and 16 December (when she is described as Chamber's wife in another court case). [8] He was a vigorous advocate in ensuring that the courts released the children's inheritances from guardianship, including those of the yet unmarried daughters. [9] Margriet died in 1675. [10]

A Contentious Person?

Chambers appears frequently in the Court Minutes of Fort Orange. This might not have been unusual. A reading of the minutes suggests that the residents took any sort of disagreement, no matter how trivial, to the court for resolution. The court met weekly or so to handle the case load. The Fort Orange Court appears to have had jurisdiction over much of New Netherland, but oddly, not Rensselaerwyck, which had its own court until the English ordered the two merged.

The minutes of the session of 7 November 1656 show that Chambers was the defendant in two cases before the court that day. The second of them tells something both about life in the community and about Chambers. An officer of the court accused Chambers of slander and insolence for abusive remarks about the court, the directors, the general director and the council. Chambers asked forgiveness saying that he was drunk and did not recall what he said. He promised not to do it again and said that he was willing to accept punishment. Apparently, his contrition was convincing because the minutes, in contrast to customary terseness, record it and the court's reaction at some length; "The court, observing the defendant's sorrow and his promises, and considering the condition he was in when he uttered the said abusive remarks, excuses him for the present from undergoing the merited punishment and, preferring leniency to rigor, condemn the defendant to pay a fine of one hundred, fifty guilders, to be paid within the space of six weeks." [11]

A note in the margin of the meetings states that Chambers defaulted on payment at least 3 times. However an entry made a year later lists his fine among those paid. [12]

Removal to Esopus and Indian Affairs

As mentioned above, Chambers removed to Esopus in 1652 or 1653. "Esopus" was the name of an Indian tribe of the Lenape (Delaware) inhabiting an area roughly similar to modern Ulster and Sullivan counties. [13] In today's terminology, Esopus is a town fronting the Hudson River in Ulster county, [14] but in 17th century terminology, we must regard it as a much larger area. On 5 June 1652, Chambers accepted an Indian deed for property in the Esopus. It's interesting that he closed the deal in Fort Orange, because that suggests that he had previously visited the land. [15] Schoonmaker and Sylvester say that the land, about 75 acres, was a gift of the Indians. Subsequently, Chambers received a patent for the land on 8 Nov 1653. Sylvester also says that his wife and her children, by her previous marriage, owned adjacent parcels of 52 and 44 acres. [16] [1] Chambers was the first European settler in what would soon be called "Wiltwyck." [17]

But why did he leave Rensselearwyck? Sylvester reports that Chambers had purchased land from the local Indians in the area now called Troy, but was subsequently dispossessed by the managers of Rensselaerwyck. [1] [18] Perhaps this confiscation fueled his desire to be the master of his own manor.

There were challenges to his new life in Esopus. A general uprising of the local Indian population in 1655 threatened all of the new settlers. [19] Nevertheless, settlement continued.

It appears that the area developed rapidly. In 1656, Chambers was granted a home plot near the center of modern-day Kingston. Shortly thereafter he constructed a home that he called "Fox Hall". [20] (Sylvester says that the name was a corruption of "Vauxhall".) [21] Anticipating continuing unrest with the Indians, the settlers built a stockade in 1658; Chambers was granted lot #1 inside the walls. [22] About the same time, Chambers built a brewery that was subsequently leased, and then sold, to Henry Palingh. [22] Information about the location of Lot #1 and the Chambers brewery can be found at [23] . A sketch of the stockade and a description of the area it covered can be found at [24]

In 1658, Chambers apparently triggered an Indian conflict. According to Sylvester: [6]

He had some Indians working on his farm. After their day's work was finished they asked him for a bottle of brandy. He weakly complied, although it was against the regulations of his village. One bottle of brandy only whetted their appetite for more, and they sent one of their number to the village for another bottle. This was secured and carried to the Indians in the bush. They now became hilarious and noisy, so that the good people became alarmed, and demanded that a squad of armed men should be sent out to quell the disturbance. They foolishly fired on the Indians, killing one and wounding others. The next day the Indians retaliated, and attacked a number of men going to the Strand [apparently, the bank of Rondout Creek], taking them prisoners, and afterwards killing them in cold blood.
Sylvester reports [25] that Chambers was captured by the Indians but managed to escape. In May of 1658, Chambers and eight other men signed a peace agreement with the local native American tribes. [26]

By 1661 or so, Chambers and his wife and step-children were living in a home in Wiltwyck located on the current Green Street of Kingston. [27] This home would have been a short walk to the church, 2-3 blocks (to use modern parlance). On Mar 4, 1661, he and 5 other men signed an agreement calling a minister to the church and guaranteeing his salary. [27] [28]

Although a peace agreement had been signed with the local natives, unrest continued. A "burgher guard" was formed on 30 May 1662 under the command of Chambers, with the rank of captain. [29] [30] [31] References to his later life sometimes refer to him as "major" or even "colonel."

On 7 June 1663, the fears of the European settlers were realized with a general attack, by both stealth and force, upon several villages, resulting of the death of several, the wounding of many, and the kidnapping of women and children. Fortunately, the kidnapped individuals were later recovered. Chambers was wounded in the attack but rallied with others to enter the palisade into which the Indians had infiltrated and repel the attack. [32] [33]

Arrival of the English

As the English threat to New Netherland became increasingly apparent, Chambers was one of two delegates sent to attend an assembly to assess the situation. [34] Nevertheless, when the English took the colony from the Dutch, Chambers was among the first to take an oath of allegiance to the new government. [6]

On 21 May 1667, the English government granted him the land upon which Foxhall stood. [35] It's unclear whether or not this was a routine bookkeeping transaction performed for all the settlers. On 27 June, he was granted a lot in Wiltwyck. [36] Again, it's unclear if this was merely a transaction by the new government to normalize the status quo.

In 1669, Wiltwyck was renamed as "Kingston" in honor of the ancestral home of Governor Lovelace's mother. [37] Chambers became a prominent citizen under English rule. In quick succession, during September, he was appointed to three important positions: to a commission, replacing the de facto government by the militia; [38] as one of two "overseers" of Kingston; [39] [40] and as surveyor-general of highways and roads. [41] [22] Two years later, 3 May 1671, he was made a justice of the peace and president of the local court of sessions. [42] [43] [22]

Lord of Foxhall

16 October of 1672, "in acknowledgment of the Services heretofore done," Governor Lovelace granted Chambers the privilege of "erecting" his Foxhall home to a "manor".

Brink writes: [44]

[Chambers] was ambitious. He had been with the van Rensselaers and their wide domains and landed estate had aroused his determination to become the possessor of a like relation to the development of the Esopus. Manorial rights and possessions gave the owner of them in England a position that was enviable. The miles of spreading farms placed van Rensselaer in similar relations up the Hudson. He would occupy that relation to the Esopus. Esopus had become the Egypt of the colony and was feeding it not only, but its corn and wheat were the provision of the West Indies. During this year of 5670 twenty-five thousand schepels of corn had been raised on the lowlands of the Esopus. On the 16th of October of this year his lands at the Esopus were erected into a manor by patent and he became Lord of the Manor of Fox Hall.

Brink continues:

The manor of Fox Hall lay to the north of the present city of Kingston and included the land latterly known as the Van Leuven and Kiersted farms. But its bounds were much greater than these. Chambers' tract extended to Rondout [Creek] where he was buried with his family.
Governor Thomas Dongan issued a new patent in 1686 confirming that of Governor Lovelace in which he detailed the manorial rights of Chambers and added one hundred acres to his domain. He then "allowed him one leet court and court baron." By the leet court, which was a court of record, and was held twice a year, he could try and punish misdemeanors. The court baron was for civil cases.
The new manor-holder was appointed by Governor Andros on 19 Jan 1675 to command the militia of Kingston. [45] Eight months later, 6 September 1675, Andros appointed Chambers as Justice of the Peace for Kingston, Hurley, Marbletown and their surrounding areas. [46] Later, 25 Oct 1682, he was commissioned as a "justice" for Esopus [47] and then, on 25 January 1684, after the creation of Ulster County, he was named its justice of the peace. [43]

In October of 1686, the Governor granted him a new patent, extending the bounds of Foxhall Manor and designating it as a "Lordship and Manor". [48] [49] [50]

Sylvester summarizes: [49]

Thus the plain carpenter of New Amsterdam and the farmer who fled from the exaction and oppressions of the manor of Rensselaerwyck, himself becomes the lord and oppressor of the tenants of the manor of Fox Hall.

The Coat of Arms

A transaction, publicly recorded, like a deed, and dated 28 Nov 1679 mentions a coat-of-arms. Apparently, upon the "erection" of Foxhall Manor, Chambers had adopted a coat-of-arms (visible at [51]). Still childless and nearing age 60, he apparently became worried that his life and his manor would end without legacy. (We will see this later in his will, also.) The Nov 1679 transaction granted a portion of his arms to his late wife's sons, Jan and Matthys Matthysen. [52] [53] [54]

Second Marriage

After six years as a widower, in 1681, Chambers took as his second wife, Laurentia Kellenaer, bringing three children to the family. [55] [49] Laurentia was the widow of Dominie Laurentius Van Gaasbeek, the same pastor who had responded to the 1661 call signed by Chambers. [56] She would survive him and later married Col. Wessel Ten Broeck.

Last Years

16 November 1690, "Major" Chambers was commanded to select 180 men for his majesty's service, presumably as militia. [57] About 1692, he moved his residence to a location beside Rondout Creek [58]

Incredibly, 31 years after pledging to pay the pastor's salary, on 10 November 1692, he became a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. [58] He wrote his will (more about that below) on 5 April 1694 and died three days later. [59] He was buried on his land beside Rondout Creek (now called the Strand), but his grave was moved in 1850 to Montropose Cemetery, Kingston, and his tombstone re-used in the foundation of the Jansen Hasbrouck house. [60] [61]

Will

Citing E. B. O'Callaghan, Sylvester [62] writes, "With all these temporal honors, Chambers' heart seemed unsatisfied."

Thomas Chambers had adopted, Abraham, the son of his second wife and had changed his surname to "Chambers."

Sylvester continues, summarizing the intent of the will:

Under the dread that his name should become extinct and his manor broken up, Thomas Chambers established by his last will a most intricate entail. For, in case Abraham Gaasbeck Chambers died without issue, the estate went to his sister Janetje, "on condition that she and her children should take the name of Chambers, as well as whosoever should marry her." Under like failure here, the manor passed to the next eldest sister, Maria Salisbury, on like conditions, whose eldest son was to inherit both the property and the name. But if he died without children, it was to go successively from the second to the tenth son, and if no sons survived, to her eldest daughter, on the conditions already mentioned. In all cases the manor was to be left entire.
It should be noted that the children of Abraham Gaasbeek Chambers, including the subsequent inheritor of the estate, reverted to the name "Van Gaasbeek," despite the intent of the will. [63]

Notes
1. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 31.
2. Dietz, Dutch Esopus/Wiltwyck/Kingston Memories, pp. 104-105.
3. Van Curen, 2016, p. 3.
4. Van Laer, p. 835.
5. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 39.
6. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 168.
7. Brink, "The Call to Domine Blom," pp. 16-17.
8. Van Curen, 2016, p. 3.
9. Van Curen, 2016, p. 4.
10. Van Curen, 1998, entry 1.
11. Gehring, pp. 263-264.
12. Gehring, p. 339.
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esopus_people
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esopus,_New_York
15. Brink, "The Indian Deeds and Treaties," pp. 161-2 and 224.
16. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, pp. 5-6.
17. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 11.
18. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, pp. 5-6.
19. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 6.
20. Van Curen, 2016, p. 4.
21. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, p. 175.
22. Dietz, Dutch Esopus/Wiltwyck/Kingston Memories, p. 107.
23. Dietz, Dutch Esopus/Wiltwyck/Kingston Memories, pp. 21-22.
24. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 35
25. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 39.
26. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 8.
27. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 44.
28. Brink, "The Call to Domine Blom," pp. 16-17, "Thomas Siamber (Chambers)".
29. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 30.
30. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 49.
31. Schoonmaker, "Lineage of the Schoonmaker Family," p. 82.
32. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 31.
33. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 168. Sylvester dates Chambers's wounding as 1673, but I believe this to be a typographical error.
34. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 44.
35. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 166.
36. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 29.
37. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston,_New_York
38. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, pp. 58-59.
39. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 60.
40. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 66.
41. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 59.
42. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 63.
43. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 68.
44. Brink, "The Erection of Foxhall Manor," pp. 102-4. It should be noted that the location of the Foxhall Manor residence is not definitely known although it is thought to have been north and east of the stockade at Wiltwyck.
45. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 68.
46. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 2, p. 7.
47. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 73.
48. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 64.
49. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 169.
50. Anjou, vol. 2, p. 108, notes.
51. http://www.angelfire.com/id/vancuren/album2/index.album/chambers-coat-of-arms?i=1&s=1
52. Van Curen, 2016, p. 4.
53. Brink, "The Horrors of the Revolution (appended item)," p. 140.
54. "New York: Albany County Deeds, 1630-1894," American Ancestors, vol. 8, p. 4347, Thomas Chambers and Jan & Mattys Matthysen, 1679 Nov. 28, referencing book 2, p. 265, "conveys a portion of his coat-of-arms".
55. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 492.
56. Reynolds, Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, pp. 207-208. Reynolds refers to "Major Chambers".
57. Schoonmaker, The History of Kingston, New York, p. 88.
58. Dietz, Dutch Esopus/Wiltwyck/Kingston Memories, p. 108.
59. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 307. The date of death was taken from a tombstone for Thomas Chambers.
60. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, Thomas Chambers, memorial ID # 34728424.
61. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 307. He was buried on his land at the Jansens [now called Strand St] on Rondout Creek.
62. Sylvester, History of Ulster County, New York, part 1, p. 169; citing O'Callaghan.
63. Reynolds, Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, p. 208.

Sources

* Anjou, Gustave, translator/abstractor. Ulster County, N. Y. Probate Records in the Office of the Surrogate, at Kingston, N. Y. in the Surrogate's Office, New York, and in the Library of Long Island Historical Society: A Careful Abstract and Translation of Dutch and English Wills, Letters of Administration after Intestates, and Inventories, with Genealogical and Historical Notes. Volume II. New York: self-published, 1906. Online page images. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/stream/ulstercountynyp00anjogoog : 2019.
* Brink, Benjamin Myer. "The Call to Domine Blom." Old Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 2 (1906). Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=aEw9AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Brink, Benjamin Myer. "The Erection of Foxhall Manor." Old Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 2 (April 1906) no. 4. Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=aEw9AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Brink, Benjamin Myer. "The Horrors of the Revolution", appended item, Old Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 2 (1906). Indexed online page images, Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=aEw9AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Brink, Benjamin Myer. "The Indian Deeds and Treaties." Old Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 2, no. 4 (June 1906). Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=aEw9AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Dietz, Theodore. Dutch Esopus/Wiltwyck/Kingston Memories. Pittsburgh, PA: Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc., 2012. Online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=NqQnutrs90MC : 2019.
* Gehring, Charles T. Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660. Vol. XVI, part 2, New Netherland Documents Series. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, undated. Online page images. New Netherland Institute. www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/files/5414/0284/1848/Fort_Orange_Court_Minutes_1652-1660.pdf : 2019.
* Reynolds, Cuyler, editor. Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: A Record of Achievements of the People of the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys in New York State, Included Within the Present Counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Washington, Saratoga, Montgomery, Fulton, Schenectady, Columbia and Greene. Vol. 1. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911. Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=b4k-AAAAYAAJ : 2019.
Schoonmaker, Marius. The History of Kingston, New York: From Its Early Settlement to the Year 1820. New York: Burr Printing House, 1888. Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=mlsjMujhHIcC&dq : 2019.
* Schoonmaker, Mrs. L. E. "Lineage of the Schoonmaker Family." Old Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 2 (1906). Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=aEw9AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett. History of Ulster County, New York: with illustration and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1880. Indexed online page images. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=ruI_AQAAMAAJ : 2019.
* Van Curen, D. G. RTF file on CD accompanying book, "Van Keulen/Van Keuren, Van Kuren/Van Curen," (Baltimore : Gateway Press, 1998).
* Van Curen, D. G. The Descendants of Mathijs Jansen van Ceulen: A history of the Van Steenberghs, Peersens, Jansens, Van Keurens and related families, from their beginnings in Kingston, Ulster County, New York. Chesterfield, MO: Mira Digital Publishing, 2016.
* Van Laer, A. J. F., translator/editor. Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts, being the letters of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, 1630-1643, and other documents relating to the colony of Rensselaerswyck. Albany, NY: University of the State of New York, 1908. Online page images. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/vanrensselaerbow01newy/page/n7 : 2019.
* "New York: Albany County Deeds, 1630-1894." Indexed database of page images. New England Historic Genealogical Society. American Ancestors. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB436/i/12401/138521984/0: 2019. This index lists many transactions by Thomas Chambers.
* "New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999." Database index with images. Ancestry.com. https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8800: 2019.
* Find A Grave, Inc. Find A Grave. Index and digital images. www.findagrave.com : 2019.

Events

Birth	Say 1620
Birth		England
Miscellaneous	6 May 1642	was constracted to build a house in New Amsterdam
Removed	Bef 7 Sep 1646	settling on a farm in the area now known as Troy - Rensselaerwyck, New Netherland
Property	7 Sep 1646	leased a farm in the area now called Troy - Rensselaerwyck, New Netherland
Marriage	Abt Dec 1648	Margriet HENDRICKSE
Property	5 Jun 1652	received an Indian deed for the Kingston lowlands - Fort Orange, New Netherland
Property	1653	was granted 75 acres of land - Esopus, New Netherland
Removed	1653	after a dispute regarding land title in Rensselaerwyck - Esopus, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	1653	was the first white settler of "Wildwyck" - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	1655	and other residents fled a general uprising of Indians resulting in the destruction of their homes
Property	1656	was granted a home plot near centre of modern Kingston - New Netherland
Miscellaneous	Abt 1656	was one of the founding families of Wiltwyck
Miscellaneous	7 Nov 1656	appeared before the court on a charge of slander - Fort Orange, New Netherland
Property	Aft 1656	constructed a home named Fox Hall - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	1658	caused the Indian conflict by giving brandy to his workers - Esopus, New Netherland
Property	1658	was granted Lot #1 inside the new stockade - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Property	Abt 1658	built a house and a brewery (later sold to Henry Palingh) - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	May 1658	and 8 others signed a peace agreement with the Indians (but conflict continued) - Esopus, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	Sep 1659	was captured by Indians but escaped - Esopus, New Netherland
Residence	Abt 1661	Green Street near the Lucas Turnpike, Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	4 Mar 1661	and 5 other men signed an agreement to pay a salary to get a minister - Esopus, New Netherland
Military	30 May 1662	as captain of the local "burgher guard" - Esopus, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	Jun 1663	was wounded in the ear during an Indian attack - Esopus, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	7 Jun 1663	was wounded in an Indian attack - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Miscellaneous	1664	was one of the first to take the oath of allegiance to the new English government
Election	31 Mar 1664	one of two delegates to attend an assembly to assess the English threat - Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Property	21 May 1667	was granted the land on which Foxhall stood - Wiltwyck, New York, British America
Property	27 Jun 1667	was granted a lot in Kingston - Wiltwyck, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	Abt Sep 1669	was appointed as one of two overseers - Kingston, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	9 Sep 1669	was appointed to a commission, replacing the militia as the local government - Esopus, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	23 Sep 1669	was appointed as surveyor-general of highways and roads - Wiltwyck, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	3 May 1671	was made a justice of the peace and president of the court of sessions - Kingston, New Netherland
Property	16 Oct 1672	was given a "priviledge", by Gov. Lovelace, "erecting" his home into a "manor" - Fox Hall, Esopus, New York, British America
Military	19 Jan 1675	was appointed by Gov. Andros to command the militia - Kingston, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	6 Sep 1675	was appointed by Gov. Andros as a justice of the peace for Kingston, Hurley, Marbletown and dependencies in Esopus - Albany, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	28 Nov 1679	granted a portion of his Chambers coat of arms to his stepsons, Jan and Matthys
Marriage	1681	Kingston, New York, British America - Laurentia KELLENAER ten Broek
Miscellaneous	25 Oct 1682	was commissioned as a justice - Esopus, New York, British America
Miscellaneous	25 Jan 1684	was recorded as a justice of the peace for "the county of Ulster" - Ulster, New York, British America
Property	Oct 1686	received a new patent for additional land and designating Foxhall as a "Lordship and Manor" - Foxhall Manor, Ulster, New York, British America
Military	24 Dec 1689	commissioned as a "major of foot" - Ulster, New York, British America
Military	16 Nov 1690	was commanded, as "Major", to select 180 men for His Majesty's service - Ulster, New York, British America
Removed	Abt 1692	Rondout Creek, Kingston, Ulster, New York, British America
Religion	10 Nov 1692	joined the Dutch Church - Kingston, Ulster, New York, British America
Will	5 Apr 1694	mentions - Foxhall Manor, Ulster, New York, British America
Death	8 Apr 1694	Kingston, Ulster, New York, British America
Burial	Aft 8 Apr 1694	Kingston, Ulster, New York, British America
Probate	23 May 1713	Ulster, New York, British America
Alt name		Thomas CLAPBOARD
Alt name		Thomas Clabbort
Alt name		Thomas SIAMBER
Alt name		Thomas CLABBORDT
Occupation		carpenter
Description		tall and lean with red hair
Miscellaneous		could read and write both Dutch and English and was able to converse with the Mohawk, Mohican and Esopus Indians.
Miscellaneous		made many land transactions which are not entered here. See the source

Families

Spouse

Margriet HENDRICKSE (1620 - 1675)

Spouse

Laurentia KELLENAER ten Broek ( - )

Notes

Property

From Old Ulster:

"He was ambitious. He had been with the van Rensselaers and their wide domains and landed estate had aroused his determination to become the possessor of a like relation to the development of the Esopus. Manorial rights and possessions gave the owner of them in England a position that was enviable. The miles of spreading farms placed van Rensselaer in similar relations up the Hudson. He would occupy that relation to the Esopus. Esopus had become the Egypt of the colony and was feeding it not only, but its corn and wheat were the provision of the West Indies. During this year of 5670 twenty-five thousand schepels of corn had been raised on the lowlands of the Esopus. On the 56th of October of this year his lands at the Esopus were erected into a manor by patent and he became Lord of the Manor of Fox Hall. His patent is thus worded:

'A Priviledge Granted to Capt Thomas Chambers, for Ye Erecting ffox Hall into a Mannor.
'Francis Lovelace Esqr &c: Whereas Capt. Thomas Chambers Justice of Peace at Esopus hath been an ancient Inhabitt, in those parts, where hee hath done signall & notable Service in the time of the warrs against the Indyans, & having by his Industry in the time of Peace acquired a considerable Estate, of which hee now stands possest, Amongst the rest having a Mansion house not farr from the Towne of Kingston commonly called ffox Hall, with a great Tract of Land thereunto belonging, wch said House is made defensible against any sudden Incursion of ye Indyans or others; In acknowledgmt of the Services heretofore done by by [sic] the Capt. Thomas Chambers, & in part of recompense thereof, I have thought fitt to Erect the said Mansion house called ffox Hall & Land belonging to it into a Mannor to be known by ye name of the Mannor of ffox Hall, the wch shall for the time to come bee held, deemed, reputed, taken, & bee, an entire infranchized Mannor of it selfe, and shall allways from time to time have, hold, & enjoy like & equall priviledges with other Mannors within the Govermt, & shall in noe manner or anywise bee under the Rule, Ordr or Direction of any Towne Court, but by the Generall Cort of Assizes, or as from time to time ye said Capt. Chambers shall receive Ordrs or Directions from ye Governr, & his Councell.

'Given under my hand & Seale at ffort James in New York this 16th day of Octobr, in ye 24th yeare of Maties Reigne, Annoque Domini 1672.'

"The manor of Fox Hall lay to the north of the present city of Kingston and included the land latterly known an the Van Leuven and Kiersted farms. But its bounds were much greater than these. Chambers' tract extended to Rondout where he was buried with his family.

"Governor Thomas Dongan issued a new patent in 1686 confirming this of Governor Lovelace in which he detailed the manorial rights of Chambers and added one hundred acres to his domain. He then 'allowed him one leet court and court baron.' By the leet court, which was a court of record, and was held twice a year, he could try and punish misdemeanors. The court baron was for civil cases. Having no children Thomas Chambers adopted a child of his wife, entailed the property and made him heir on condition he assumed his name. But the heirs of that son broke the entail, divided the estate and early in the last century it passed from the family. Fox Hall is but a memory today, the site of the manor house is in dispute, the Lord of the Manor lies in an unmarked grave, the records of the leet court are lost and the sterling services the laird rendered the infant settlement have to be searched for among the dusty documents of the past."

Individual Details

Thomas CHAMBERS

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Marriage

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Removed

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Miscellaneous

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Will

Endnotes