Pierre Cresson was another worthy refugee, and whose family seat, as is believed, was at Menil la Cresson, or Cresson Manor, a little northeast of Abbeville, in Picardy, though he was no doubt allied to the Cressons of Burgundy, of whom were several Reformed ministers. Such change of residence was common during the long Burgundian rule in Picardy. Pierre, whose character for piety is well attested, fled with some of his kin to the noted refuge, Sluis, in Flanders, but soon moved farther north, and in 1640 is found (with Nicolas and Venant Cresson, both married) among the refugees at Leyden. The large number of these emigrating to New Netherland had doubtless an effect upon Pierre, though, with a vigor and activity, which indeed he retained till old age (but at this date scarce more than thirty), he supported himself in Holland for about seventeen years, living parts of that time at Ryswyk and Delft. Employed as gardener to the Prince of Orange, he was ever after known as Pierre Le Gardin- ier. But Cresson was at last taken with the favorable offers of the City of Amsterdam to those who would go to their new colony on the Delaware; and it seeming a good opportunity for him and his growing family, he gathered up his little means, and with wife Rachel Cloos and children, embarked, in 1657, a^ Amsterdam, for New Amstel. The next year Governor Stuyvesant, visiting the Delaware, engaged Cresson "for his service" at the Manhattans, "with the proposition that what he owed the city (Amsterdam) should be settled." Soon after Cresson made a trip to Holland, returning in company with several other French agriculturists in the ship Beaver, which sailed April 25th, 1659, reaching its destination after a quick passage of six weeks. Each passing year thus added to the roll of worthy fugitives, who, led by an unseen but mighty hand out of oppression into the atmosphere of freedom, were perforce of their common nationality and sympathies to find a common home beyond the Atlantic.*
Revised History of Harlem (City of ... - Google Book Search
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