"Hunc over de" clubs, NY 1736?

[Joel S. Berson]

What can this learned list tell me about the "hunc over de" club of
New York in the 1730s, and especially about the name?

One book treats it as a real women's club ("Social New York Under the
Georges", Esther Singleton (1902), pp. 383-4).  Another treats it as
a political men's club ("Progress of New York in a Century,
1776-1876. An Address ...", by John Austin Stevens, New-York
Historical Society (1876), pp. 30-31). Stevens notes "frequent
mention" in the two NY newspapers of the period, which supported
different political factions.

But a newspaper article, included as humor by W. Howland Kenney
(Laughter in the Wilderness: Early American Humor to 1783, pp. 185-6)
-- which article made its way into the "Manual of the corporation of
the city of new york"! -- certainly seems to have sexual connotations.

Perhaps there was a real "hunc over de" club (of men), and the
newspaper article is a scurrilous political satire on its purpose?

I quote some portions of the 25 Feb. 1736 (NS) New York Weekly Journal article:

[The male author writes that he found himself ,at the house of a
female acquaintance, in the company of a large number of women
between the ages of 15 and 50.  He was asked to become their
secretary, and took notes of their queries to the editor of the newspaper.]

"Mrs. --- a Maiden Lady, of middle Age, says She hears there is a
Meeting ... every Tuesday, at four certain Houses in this City, which
is called the HUNC OVER DE Club, but having ever been cautious of her
Character, and not knowing what is meant by the Game of HUNC OVER DE,
for she understands it is a sport [asks for advice as to her conduct].

"Mrs. ---, a Widow of about Five and Thirty, says ... that, as it is
described to her, there is no Difficultly in their Sport but what may
be soon acquired, that she conceives she understands it well, and
proposes another Society of Hunc over de's to be established by the
Company present, with a competent Number of Males, but submits it to
your Advice, and the Opinion of the younger Ladies, for the Elder she
thinks are less interested in the Matter.

"Mrs. ---, an English Lady of full Age, says she has been acquainted
with many People ... and has played at most Games with them, that she
never heard of any by the Name of Hunc Over De ...

"Miss. ---, a young Lady of agreeable Person, who thinks by a ...
piece of Caprice she has been excluded from being one of the Hunc
over De's already established, desires to return Thanks for her lucky
Escape, but she at the same Time declares she is ready in an Orthodox
Manner to be as merry as any Body, and hopes you will advices the
young Gentlemen of the Town, to think more of their Belles and less
of their Bottles."

Joel

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