Published Accounts of Catalina Trico

Published Accounts of Catalina Trico

History leaves us two published accounts about Catalina Trico, sometimes referred to as the "mother of New York." Jasper Danckaerts, a Labdist missionary wrote in his diary on Thursday, 30 May 1680: "M. de la Grange came with his wife to invite me to accompany them in their boat to the Wale Bocht, a place situated on Long Island, almost an hour's distance below the city, directly opposite Correlaers Hoeck...He had an old aunt and other friends living there...This aunt of de La Grange is an old Walloon woman from Valenciennes, seventy-four years old. She is worldly minded, with mere bonte, living with her whole heart, as well as body, among her progeny, which now number 145 and soon will reach 150. Nevertheless she lives alone by herself, a little apart from the others, having her little garden, and other conveniences, with which she helped herself..."

On 17 Oct 1688 Justice of the Peace William Morris signed the following disposition that Catalina Trico gave the year prior to her demise. Abbreviations have been made for easier reading.

"Catelyn Trico aged about 83 years born in Paris doth Testify and Declare that in the year 1623 she came into this county with a ship called the Unity whereof was Commander Arien Jorise belonging to the West India Company being the first ship that came her for the said Company; as soon as they came to Mannatans now called New york they sent Two families and six men to Harford River and Two families and 8 men to Delaware River and 8 men they left at New York to take Possession and the Rest of the Passengers went with the Ship up as farr as Albany which they then Called Fort Orange. When as the Ship came as farr as Sopus which is 1/2 way to Albanie; they lightened the Ship with some boats that were left there by the Dutch that had been there the year before a trading with the Indians upont there oune accompts and gone back again to Holland and so brought the vessel up; there were about 18 families aboard who settled themselves att Albany and made a small fort; and as soon as they had built themselves some hutt of Bark: the Mahikanders or river Indians, the Maquase: Oneydes: Onnondages Cayougas and Sinnekes, with the Mahawawa or Ottawawaes Indians came and made Covenants of friendship with the said Arien Jorise there Commander Bringing him great Presents ofBever or other Peltry and desyred that they might come and have a Constant free Trade with them which was concluded upon and the said nations came daily with great multitus of Bever and traded them with the Christians. There said commander Ariend Joris staid with them all winter and sent his sonne home with the ship; the said deponent lived in Albany three years all which time the said Indians were all as quiet as lambs and came and Traded with all the Freedom imaginable. In the year 1626 the deponent came from Albany and settled at New York where she lived afterwards for many years and then came to Long Island where she now lives. The said Catelyn Trico made oath of the said Deposition before me at her house on Long Island in the Wale Bought this 17th day of October 1688. William Morris, Justice of the Peace." "Catalina Trico from Namur (1605-1689 and Her Nephew, Arnoldus de la Grange by Dorothy A. Koenig with Pim Nieuwenhuis, p. 56