60 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

1638, when Director VAN TWILLER petitioned for its use, which was granted to him on condition that he should relinquish it whenever the Company wanted it.1 Van Twiller had previously become possessed of "Nutten" or Governor'.s Island, several islands in the East River, near Hell-gate, and lands at Catskill and on Long Island, amounting in all to between three thousand and three thousand seven hundred and fifty acres. These, as wen as similar purchases made by other officials, were disapproved by the authorities at home,—who very justly complained that “the whole land might thus be taken up, yet be a desert,”—and finally, in 1652, were declared null and void, and the lands consequently reverted to the Company.2

The title of Red Hook being thus vested in the Government, was conveyed and granted to the town of Breuckelen, in 1657, by Governor Stuyvesant, and was subsequently confirmed by Governors Nicolls, and Dongan.3 It was sold, on the 10th of August, 1695, by the patentees and freeholders of the town, to Colonel Stephanus Van Cortlandt. In their deed, which recites the original grant by Stuyvesant, etc., the property is described as

“A neck of land called Red Hook,” estimated as containing fifty acres, more or less, of upland, then in possession of Peter Winants,4 “together with all the land and meadow thereunto belonging, to the westward of Fred. Lubbertsen’s patent, bounded between the Salt Water River and said patent.”

To this was added, by deed from Peter Winants, “son and heir of Winants Peterson,” in November following, twenty-four acres, “bounded east by the land heretofore belonging to one Frederic

1 He afterwards (June 22, 1643) took out a patent for the same. Patents, G. G. 66, Sec’y State’s office.

2 Brodhead, I. 265, 267, 276, 536.

3 Furman, 11.

4 Sept. 30, 1678, Wynant Pieters had received a patent for “a piece of upland at the Red Hook, or point over against Nutten Island, within the jurisdiction or limits of Brookland on Long Island, beginning from a creek next Frederick Lubberts’ land lying west from the high hook or point, and so on to the river; thence going along the river to the bay of the Gouwanes, south-southeast, and running again from the add bay easterly to Frederick Lubbertse’s land. It contains about 24 acres of land.” In N. Y. Col. MSS., XXVIII. 165, 166, date Dec. 13, 1679, mention is made of a charge against Wynant-Pieters, of having, by means of false information, obtained a patent from the Governor for Red Hook,