Richard Currey

Hi, I am Richard Currey one of the first to arrive to the middle colony of New York. I came to seek more opportunities. I am a very proudly dutch, and I'm glad I can bring my religion to this colony. I sailed here with my friends back in 1626. This is basically my diary <3

[livinlikebubby]

Friday, April 14th, 1757 Morning

I was on my way to work as usual, and I was just thinking about the stories my father was telling me when I was younger. He told me about when he and my grandparents first came here in Philadelphia. Philadelphia was only filled with Quakers, and it wasn’t as diverse as it is now. The leader of the Quakers was William Penn. Religion was the reason why they came here, everyone was religious and still is, my family and I still go to church every Sunday Morning. #SundayFunday

It was pretty cool when my father told me those stories, he said one story to me as he tucked me into bed everyday. Ah, I miss those days, they were just perfect, now I barely have energy to do anything after the tiring day at work. I was a little early to work, so I stopped by at the Fire Company to help out a bit. #FireCompaniesAreCool

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Hey Bubby I totally get you, life used to be so much more peaceful when we were younger and didn't have to worry about providing for our families. It's nice to know that your father tucked you into bed everyday and told you stories. My father was so into getting food he didn't have time or care about telling me. Church on Sundays is a practice we here in New York follow as well! Sounds like life isn't going too bad for you, thats good! I'll have to come visit sometime :) --Richard  #bffs  #wecangoshopping

[livingmylifeasaslave]

In 1739, a group of us gathered and made a very important decision. We were going to take stand against these cruel whites. They were treating us as if we were dogs and gave no respect to us even though we did everything for them. We were going to show these whites that we are more than just...

I thought it was really cool of you to step up for yourself like that, good for you! You shouldn't be treated like 'dogs' just because you're African. Even though 44 Africans died because they all stoop up for themselves, its not as bad due to how they died standing up for who they are. Good Luck with your freedom, and nice escape ;) --Richard

[newenglanders101-deactivated201]

When my father and I first arrived to New England, I was given an elementary education. Our town consisted of fifty six families therefore we were required an elementary education. I was taught how to read and write, throughout the years I taught my father to read and write as well since he...

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Hey Andrew, I'm so glad you got accepted to attend Harvard. That's a great school, and I wish I was as bright as you. You're right, it will be a great experience for you. But this just goes to show that going through all the hard work in life does pay off. I'm just hoping I also get a great opportunity like you did! It's also inspiring that you helped and taught your father how to read and write. Good Luck in life dude, I got your back!

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Although it was hard for me to leave everything back home to come to New York, I'm glad I did. I was one of the first in this colony, and it's so weird to see how it changed. I am very proud to say that New York the colony turned into New York the state on July 26, 1788. One of the reasons I really liked New York was the religious freedom. Some of the most popular religions here are Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jewish and others. Everyone I meet here after I got off the boat were so nice and different. They all came from mixed places, all with that determination for the same goal which I admire. But I think it's time for me to go back home where I came from now. New York hasn't been bad to me, but it's time for my wife and I to reunite with our families. 

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

More about the War that I went through.. 

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Worst Years :(

Some of the worst years of my life is when 'The Seven Years War' had happen, here in New York. 1754-1763, these years made New York go downhill. Which was also known as the French and Indian war. I remember that day very clearly; it all started when they came to the middle colonies; New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and attacked us. Great Britain and France actually already had a conflict and this just made it worse. All my friends and I were panicking. Years later, it finally ended with the Treaty of Paris. The colonists also than realized that after fighting in this war, they don't need the British anymore. By the end of this war, people came to New York searching for more freedom! That's when we could sleep in peace, and not fear what would happen to us and our love ones. And today there are lots of museums and historic sites in New York that represent the French and Indian War. I would never go back to see those things, because I don't want to remember all those bad times in my life. I really didn't appreciate being in a safe environment, until I wasn't in one anymore. My wife and I were terrified and weren't sure what was going to happen to our belongings, were we lived or even us. Even though all the years while the war was going on, it wasn't all in New York. I never knew when they would come back or where they going to attack next. It's a scary thing, not feeling safe. I'm glad its over, and I never wish to experience it again. 

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Making a Living in New York!

Daily life in the colony of New York was not easy. It started with everyone waking up early to tend to their chores and jobs. Many families mainly farmed., because they really didn't have much of an option. A while after I came to the New York colony, that's what I did as well, I grew food on a farm with my buddies that I came with. As I did that, my wife helped at home. Little boys helped plant, harvest crops and learned printing, shoemaking, while little girls did housework, cooked, sewed and learned to weave clothes for their family. Parents usually make their kids practice chores right when they were able too, the sooner was considered the better. The reason why so many families farm crop is because the soil and climate in the middle colonies are perfect for planting. Also there wasn't many options back than, and food is something that everyone needed so it got the most attention. Families sold what they grew as well, owing to the fact that they grew more than enough for their own families. They shipped their food and livestock in the rivers between other Middle colonies. Once it arrived where it needed to is was bought and sold to others or used for their own families. You were expected to do whatever you could to keep your family alive, the officials didn't quite assign "jobs", but almost everyone farmed because that had the most success.

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

Farming, Government, and Climate

Most of us were unknown of the environment of New York. We didn't know the type of people there, or the weather, or the government or anything at all. It was like going to a place you didn't have knowledge on. Well let me tell you, we figured our way around once we got there. By 1775, New York was governed as a Royal Colony. That meant that it was ruled by a royal governor and council that was appointed by the British Crown. All of the other middle colonies had a propriety government, New York was the only exception. For me, I had to follow the instructions that were given but sometimes I had a choice for what I wanted to do. Although in 1646, Peter Stuyvesant became dutch governor. It was cool to have someone from where I was from have such high authority, even though I didn't. Anyways, when I arrived the climate was rather mild, with warm summers and mild winters that were suited for farming and agriculture. The reason for founding this colony is for profit and trade, which plays in the weather and farming. That's usually what I have been doing, farming. The farms in New York were nothing like I've seen. They were huge, about 50 to 150 acres and had houses, barns, enormous fields. So the middle colonies (new york and its neighbors) invented the flax and hemp farms which helped make textiles like clothes for us to sell. New York also produced food and livestock such as corn, wheat, beef and pork. Actually it was known as the breadbasket colony because it grew so many crops, mostly wheat. Which was ground into flour than shipped to England.

[newyorkmiddlecolony]

This is my favorite photograph from arriving to this colony. My friends and I looking out at this unknown place we were about to call home, whether we liked it or not. Some worried, scared, and even excited. 

There I was, on a boat to somewhere I didn't know. All I knew is I wanted to do something with my life with new opportunities, help people, help my family. Days later I arrived to the New Netherlands or New Amsterdam as others called it, which is now called the New York Colony. You see, my name is Richard Currey and I am Dutch, as well as one of the first immigrants to arrive in the colony of New York. A lot of people that are Dutch and from the Netherlands were the first people here. We started the population in this colony, without even knowing it. This colony was founded not long ago in 1626 by some guy named Peter Minuit (Duke of York), whom I don't personally know. The Duke of York also granted some land much after, which was later known as New Jersey. I've never been to New Jersey, but I always wanted to visit. I wondered if it would be anything like New York and its people. Although New York did not just have one founder, but Minuit was the first. The major towns that we knew about were New York City and Albany. I didn't quite know much other than that right when I came. But that's how it all started and it's been crazy ever since. As well as different from the Netherlands...