Land Papers, Vols. GG, HH, II, 1630-1664

Land Papers: Volumes GG, HH & II, in the series New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, is transcribed and edited by Charles T. Gehring. It was published by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, in 1980. The volume can be purchased directly from the New Netherland Institute's website.

A brief description can be found on the NNI website. The volume also has an introduction that is a valuable source of background information for the records within. It is suggested that the time be taken to read it. The published book is available as a free PDF via the link provided at the bottom the page at the NNI website.

Land Papers: Vols. GG, HH & II

There are two mentions of Adam Brouwer in this volume. They are found at pages 48 and 124.

At page 48 is a translation and transcription of the patent granted to Adam Bouwer on 7 February 1647, by Willem Kieft, then the General-Director of New Netherland. The patent is identified as GG 167, and the published version reads as follows:

     "We, Willem Kieft, etc... have given and granted to Adam Brouwer a certain lot for a house and garden out of the lot of Hendrick Jansz which was laid out by the surveyor on 2 June 1644; it estends in front along the road from the east and 9 rods, 2 feet, 2 inches and 7 grains; on the west side 6 rods to the rear of the house along a fence; further on as the fence runs 2 rods, 9 feet, 2 inches; on the west side the length to the rear of the lot is 5 rods, 6 inches; the breadth in the rear or on the north side is 3 rods, 8 feet, one inch and 2 grains; on the east side in length next to the lot of Willem Bredenbent 9 rods, 7 feet, 3 inches and one grain; amounting in all to 61 rods, 5 feet, 8 inches and 3 grains, with the express conditions etc...

     Done at Fort New Amsterdam, 7 February 1647. It is excepted that Hendrick Smith shall have the privilege of passing over the land of Adam Brouwer until the aforesaid Adam shall build on the road and no longer."

The patent mentions two others by name. Willem Bredenbent, Adam's immediate neighbor, was married to Aeltje Braconie in New Amsterdam on 4 September 1644. Aeltje Braconie was the mother of Maria Badie, and the grandmother of Adam Brouwer's wife, Magdalena Verdon. The marriage of Willem Bredenbent and Altje Braconie, as recorded in the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church register, reads as follows: 

"Wilhem Bredenbent, j.m. Van Ceulen, en Aeltje Braconie Wede Van Corn. Lamberts"

From this record we can see that like Adam Brouwer, Willem Bredenbent was born at "Ceulen," which is Cologne, a city in present day Germany. Aeltje Braconie was the widow of Cornelis Lambertsen (Cool). The father of Maria Badie was Thomas Badie, who had been Aeltje's husband previous to Cornelis Lambertsen. Willem Bredenbent was (at least) Aeltje's third husband. This was Willem's first marriage.

The second individual named is mentioned first as "Hendrick Jansz," and later as "Hendrick Smith." They are one and the same. Hendrick Jansen was a locksmith, and the records of New Amsterdam record him variously as Hendrick Jansen (Jansz), as Hendrick Jansen Smit (Smith), as Hendrick Smit (Smith) and as Hendrick Jansen van Jeveren. Adam Brouwer purchased is lot from Hendrick Jansen on 21 February 1645, less than a month before he (Adam) married Magdalena Verdon. We will have more on Hendrick Jansen Smit (Smith) van Jeveren, in a future post.

Adam Brouwer's name appears a second time at page 124. This is a conveyance from Adriaen Keyser to Abram Pieterse Molenaer (a molenaer or molenaar is a miller. Did Adam Brouwer, later a miller himself, learn this trade from Abram Pieterse?). The conveyance states that Adriaen Keyser, former commissary of the West India Company, sold by virtue of his power of attorney, to Abram Pieterse, two houses located on Broadway, "heretofore purchased from Abram Pieterse by Paulus Leendertsen when he was quartermaster for the Company, and thereafter sold by the aforesaid Keyser to the highest bidder for the Company's account; located between Jan Jansen Cuyper and Gerret Molenaer; it is in breadth on the street 4 rods, 4 feet; in the rear along Adam Brouwer's lot 4 rods; in length on the north side 7 rods; on the south side 5 rods, 4 feet, 3 inches, etc." The conveyance is dated 15 October 1653. It is identified as II 54. It appears that Adam Brouwer's property backed up to the property described in this conveyance, and that Adam was still living on Manhattan Island in 1653.

PDF version of this post 

BGB 485