0.15 Appendixes  (Page 3/16)

Proceedings of Ecclesiastical Conventions, Synods, General Assemblies, Pres­byteries, and Societies of all denominations of Christians;

Narratives of Missionaries, and Proceedings of Missionary Societies;

Narratives of Indian Wars, Battles, and Exploits; of the Adventures and Suf­ferings of Captives, Voyagers, and Travellers;

Minutes and Proceedings of Societies for the Abolition of Slavery, and the Transactions of Societies for Political, Literary, and Scientific Purposes;

Accounts of Universities, Colleges, Academies, and Schools; their origin, progress, and present state;

Topographical Descriptions of Cities, Towns, Counties, and Districts, at var­ious periods, with Maps and whatever relates to the progressive Geography of the Country;

Statistical Tables—Tables of Diseases, Births and Deaths, and of Population; of Meteorological Observations, and Facts relating to Climate;

Accounts of Exports and Imports at various periods, and of the progress of Manufactures and Commerce;

Magazines, Reviews, Newspapers, and other Periodical Publications, partic­ularly such as appeared antecedent to the year 1783;

Biographical Memoirs and Anecdotes of eminent and remarkable Persons in America, or who have been connected with its settlement or history;

Original Essays and Disquisitions on the Natural, Civil, Literary, or Ecclesi­astical History of any State, City, Town, or District.

As the Society intend to form a Library and Cabinet, they will gratefully re­ceive specimens of the various productions of the American Continent and of the adjacent Islands, and such animal, vegetable, and mineral subjects as may be deemed worthy of preservation. Donations also of rare and useful books and pam­phlets relative to the above objects, will be thankfully accepted, and all commu­nications duly noticed in the publications of the Society.

Queries as to Those Points on Which the Society Requests Particular Information

• Can you give any information concerning the first settlement of your Town or District by white people, the number and condition of the first settlers—the names of the principal persons—the circumstances attending the settlement, and motives which led to it?
• Do you know any thing, more particularly, respecting the first settlement of New-York by the Dutch—the number of the settlers—the time of their arrival—their general character—their condition with respect to property—the authority and encouragements under which they came—or any other circumstances at­tending the first attempt at colonization?
• Can you communicate any documents which will throw light on the first organization of civil government in any part of the United States—or which will give authentic information concerning the names, general character powers, salaries,&c. of the principal civil officers appointed at different periods? Especially, when did the first regular organization of a colony in New-Netherlands take place? What was the nature of the government established? Who was the first Chief Mag­istrate, his title, powers, and character?
• Is there any thing known concerning Wouter Van Twiller or William Kieft, who preceded Governor Stuyvesant in the Chief Magistracy of New-Netherlands? How long did each remain in office? What stations or offices did they fill prior to their appointment here? Were they removed by death or resignation, or for ill behavior? If in either of the latter ways, how were they disposed of afterwards?
• In what years were the first Forts built at Albany (then called Fort Orange), and at New-York (then called New-Amsterdam?) Of what numbers did the respective garrisons consist, as well at first as at different periods afterwards? And who were the commanding officers in each previous to the arrival of the first Governor, or Director General?
• What proportion of the first settlers in New-Netherlands appear to have attached themselves to agriculture, and what proportion to trade? In what districts did these two classes chiefly reside? To what objects of cultivation did the for­mer chiefly devote themselves? And what were the principal objects of the trade in which the latter engaged?
• Can you communicate any facts which will throw light on the state of Commerce in any particular portion of our country, at different times, and espe­cially at early periods—the number of ships belonging to particular ports—the amount of exports and imports for a series of years—the principal articles ex­ported and imported, and from whence brought?
• At what period do the most common and simple Manufactures ap­pear to have been commenced in your district? And what facts can you furnish re­specting the progress of manufactures since that period?
• Can you give any information concerning the number of houses and inhabitants in your town, at different periods, since the first settlement?
• What information do you possess respecting the state of the Militia in your district, especially at the early periods of its history, particularly their num­bers, organization, mode of equipment,&c?
• Can you communicate any books, or other documents which will give authentic information concerning any of the numerous territorial disputes which have taken place between different portions of the United States, especially be­tween the Colony and State of New-York and the surrounding Colonies and States?
• Is it in your power to furnish any information concerning the Indian tribes which formerly inhabited your district, or which may now occupy any portion of it; concerning their numbers and condition when first visited by the whites, their trade disputes, wars and treaties, either among themselves or with the white people; their character, customs, and general history, together with their present numbers and state?
• What were the Indian names of the mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, springs, caverns, or other remarkable places in your neighborhood? And what do well informed people suppose to be the import of those names?
• Are you in the possession of any records which will tend to elucidate the ecclesiastical history of any portion of our country? Can you give any informa­tion concerning the erection of churches, and the establishment of congregationsin your district of every different denomination, from the earliest periods of set­tlement; the names of all the Ministers who have had pastoral charges, the dates of their settlement and removal, whether by death or otherwise; the changes,either progressive or retrograde, which congregations have undergone with re­spect to numbers, property,&c, ecclesiastical disputes, or any remarkable persons or events which pertain to ecclesiastical history?
• When were schools and other seminaries of learning first instituted in your town? What have been their numbers at different periods since that time? Can any information be had concerning their funds, number of scholars, and general character at different times from the first settlement to the present day?
• When was the first Printing-press established in your town, and by whom? When was the first book, pamphlet, or newspaper printed? Who was the first bookseller in your town? And what have been the number of printing pressesand book stores, at different periods, to the present time?
• Have you any public Libraries? If any, when were they first instituted, by whom, and what is the number of volumes in each?
• Can you furnish any information concerning the progress of luxury? Do you possess any records or anecdotes respecting the introduction of the most conspicuous articles of elegant indulgence, such as wheel-carriages,&c.&c?
• Can you give any information which will throw light on the state of morals in our country, at different periods, such as the comparative frequency of drunkenness, gaming, duelling, suicide, conjugal infidelity, prostitution,&c,&c?
• What remarkable laws, customs, or usages, either local or general, at early periods of our colonial establishments, have come within your knowledge?
• Can you furnish descriptions, drawings, or other communications con­cerning mines, mineral springs, ancient fortifications, caverns, mountains, rivers, lakes, or any other natural curiosities, together with minute information concerning the dates of their discovery, or of other remarkable events respecting them, and in general every fact which may throw light on their origin and history?
• What information can you give concerning the dates and progress of the various improvements which have taken place in the departments of politics, commerce, manufactures, agriculture, literature, or humanity?
• Do you possess any records concerning seasons remarkable for the ex­tremes either of heat or cold, scarcity or plenty, sickness or health? Can you com­municate bills of mortality, histories of epidemic diseases,&c?