This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ...into a new register from the " old book," the names of one hundred and forty-two members, as then living. Of these eighty-nine white persons and fourteen colored persons were still on the island, and thirty-nine had just been dismissed by certificate, mainly to join the new colony in St. Croix. The names of the officers of the church, recorded at the same time, were Lazaer Zugareth and Johannes De Windt, elders, and Abraham Rogiers and Lucas De "Windt, deacons. Before or about the settlement of this pastor, the congregation had, for some reason, abandoned their old building, and had erected another on the south side of the central hill upon which the town is built. This continued the place of worship for many years. The Rev. Paldamus was succeeded, after a ministry of eight years, by Rev. John A. Monteneag, in 1752. Hitherto the expenses of the Dutch Church had been supported entirely by voluntary contributions on the part of the members of the congregation. It was also by this means that they had erected the substantial building in which they now worshipped. They were now about to be relieved, in part at least, from these contributions. In the year 1759, a benevolent lady, Mrs. Catharine De "Windt, widow of Jahns Jahnsen De Windt, bequeathed, at her death, which occurred on the 3d December of that year, the estate Catharinaberg. This estate reached down into the town; and although at the time it was bequeathed it was only available as an estate, its town lots after 1792 became exceedingly valuable. Unfortunately the whole had been sold prior to that time to the Rev. Francis Verboom, who realized from the sale of town lots over $100,000. He had paid only $38,400 for the entire estate. Seven thousand six hundred The...