Brewers and Browers in the Montgomery County, New York Probate Records

Some years ago, before the time when the Family History Library digitized and placed online images of their vast collection of filmed documents, I hauled myself to the local Family History Center, ordered the film for the General Index to Wills and Proceedings for Montgomery County, New York, viewed the film, wrote down all the entries for Brewers and Browers, and then ordered more films covering the specific probate books that interested me, waited a few weeks (sometimes months) then hauled myself back to view those films. I also placed online a copy of those index entries. Maybe it's time to get back to looking at them. Images of the probate records of Montgomery County, New York can be accessed here. Links for the individuals will take you to their profile on the Brouwer Genealogy Database (BGD) where sources for statements cited below can be found.

- Administration on the Estate of Peter Brewer, of Amsterdam, Montgomery County is found in Letters of Administration, vol. 3, p. 106. Peter Brewer, having died intestate (without a will), administration of his estate was granted to William Rob of the town of Amsterdam. Dated 19 December 1826. No other persons named BREWER are mentioned in the record. I believe this record would belong to Peter Brewer, son of William Brewer and Annetje DeLong, who are first found in Amsterdam, NY in 1807. They had previously lived at Platts Borough (Plattsburgh), Clinton Co., New York and went to Copley, Summit Co., Ohio by 1840. William Brewer's ancestry is not known, but he was born in 1770 in New York and died in 1856, aged 86 years. William was married twice, had thirteen children, eleven of them daughters. The two sons were Peter (b.1793), and Lawrence D. Brewer (b.1801).

- Administration on the Estate of Peter Brower, of the Town of Mohawk (LOA 4:103) died intestate, granted to David Brower and Harmen De Wandelaer of Mohawk. Dated 23 November 1838. I believe this record would belong to Peter Brower, born 12 November 1798, son of Johannes Brouwer and Engelge Sealie. He would be a descendant of Willem Brouwer of Beverwijck, through their (believed) son, Willem Brouwer and his wife Rebecca Vedder. Peter is buried at Tribes Hill which is (largely) in the Town of Mohawk. He had a brother named David (b. 26 November 1806) and a sister Elizabeth who married Herman De Wandelaer.

- Administration on the Estate of David Brewer, "previous to his death an inhabitant of the County of Montgomery," granted to Peter I. Enders, of the Town of Florida, Montgomery County (LOA 4:316-17). The date appears to be 11 October 1847. I believe that David, would be the David Brower, brother to Peter Brower who estate he (David) was given administration in 1838. Peter's wife was Henrietta Enders. David Brower/Brewer, son of Johannes Brouwer and Engelge Sealie was born 26 November 1806. [December 23, 2018: It appears that Peter Brower's brother, David Brower, lived long past 1847, and died in Mohawk, Montgomery Co., New York in 1879. The idea that the David Brewer of this record is Peter's brother, is incorrect].

- Administration on the Estate of Jacob I. (or J.) Brower, of Montgomery County, died intestate, granted to Peter Reas (LOA 4:461-62). Dated 17 October 1851. This may be Jacob Brouwer (b. 29 April 1809 at Palatine, New York) son of Cornelis Brouwer and Elizabeth Staller. He is the only Jacob Brower that I find in Montgomery on the 1850 U. S. census. A bit more research is needed here. If correct, Jacob, too is a descendant of Willem Brouwer and Rebecca Vedder.

- Administration on the Estate of John Brower Junior, of Johnstown, Montgomery County, died intestate, granted to Abraham G. Brower of Johnstown (LOA 3:22). Dated 15 May 1822. John Brower was born 23 May 1795 and was baptized at the Schraalenburgh Reformed Dutch Church in Bergen County, New Jersey. He was a son of Johannes Brouwer and Phebe Godwin who relocated to Johnstown, New York by 1810. Abraham G. Brower was John's brother. He is a descendant of Adam Brouwer of Gowanus, L. I. There are a few Bergen County, New Jersey Brouwer families who relocated to Montgomery County, New York in the very early years of the 19th century.

- The Will of Arendt Brower, of Stone Arabia. Wills vol. 1, p. 90.  I briefly mentioned his will in the November 29, 2011 post. Arendt/Arent/Aaron is a son of Willem Brouwer and Rebecca Vedder. Never married and no children of his own. The will mentions nephews and nieces. A valuable document for reconstructing this family. Dated 10 July 1793.

- The Will of William Brower. Wills vol. 2, pp. 417-18. Dated 19 December 1814. This is one of those frustrating wills that leaves out many details. William does not tell us where he is of. His wife is named as Polly. He mentions children, but does not provide names. Executors are Jacob Cole and David P. Demarest. Witnesses are Nicholas Demarest, Jacob D. Demarest and David D. Demarest, and therein are the best clues. William is very probably the William who was born 10 October 1788 in Bergen County, New Jersey. He was baptized at the Hackensack Reformed Dutch Church. His parents are Jacob Brouwer and Margitta Triet. His wife was Maria (Polly) Demarest, born 1 January 1792, a daughter of Petrus Demarest and Sara Demarest who were cousins. Her brother Nicholas Demarest married William's sister, Jannetje Brouwer. William had brothers named Jacob, Abraham and David. Known children are three daughters, Sally (Sara), Margaret and Cordelia. Jacob, Abraham and David all came to Montgomery County and settled at Broadalbin which is now in Fulton County which was formed in 1838. My write ups and wording on the Brouwer Genealogy Database of members of this family is a bit cautious as to their identification. That was some time ago now, and over the years I have found nothing to indicate that they might be some family other than the sons of Jacob Brouwer and Margitta Triet. Jacob Brouwer was born 19 October 1760 and was a 3-great grandson of Adam Brouwer of Gowanus, L. I. The family was in Albany County prior to coming to Montgomery County. Son, David was baptized at Guilderland in 1799. Jacob would have been born too late to be the father of the Daniel Brewer, born about 1771, whose ancestry we are seeking.

- Will of John Brower, of Johnstown. Wills, vol. 4, p. 281. Mentions wife Catherine; sons Harman (and his Angelica), John, Peter (and his John Henry) and David; daughter Elizabeth; brother Wilhelmus. Executors: son Harman, nephew Harman W. Witnesses: A, Haring, R.S. Clute, I. Matthews. Dated 25 March 1829, proved 12 October 1829. John (Johannes) Brower was a son of Harmanus Brouwer/Brower and Margariet Ekker. He is a grandson of Willem Brouwer and Rebecca Vedder. He is the father of Peter Brower and David Brower mentioned above. His first wife was Engelge (Angelica) Sealie. His wife Catherine, mentioned in the will, was a second wife. John makes provision for the assets she brought to their marriage. He was baptized on 1 January 1759 at the Schenectady Reformed Dutch Church.

- Will of Cornelius Brower, of Palatine. Wills, vol. 5, pp.439-442. Dated 20 August 1835, proved 3 October 1835. Cornelius Brower of Palatine, Montgomery County. "Lying sick in bed in the same place and being weak in body but of sound mind." Names his beloved wife Elizabeth (all real and personal estate during her natural life). Son, Jacob (southerly part of farm where I now dwell, after death of wife. Describes boundaries). Two sons, John and Aaron (to divide the said property left to Jacob should Jacob die without heirs). Son William Henry (a good liberal education to be provided by heirs of my estate). Daughter, Dorothy, wife of Frederick Moore. Daughter, Betsy, wife of George H. Shults. Daughter Rebecca, wife of Benjamin Getman. Daughter, Nancy, wife of James Getman. Appoints son Jacob Brower and David Saltsman executors, and wife Elizabeth executrix. This is a long will. Also describes a mill property. Cornelius Brower (Cornelis Brouwer in the BGD) is also a son of Harmanus Brower and Margriet Ekker. He was baptized 22 April 1770 at the Stone Arabia Reformed Church. His wife was Elizabeth Staller. His profile on the BGD is incomplete. It is missing this will, and the son John is not shown among Cornelius' children, but I strongly suspect that he is the John C. Brower, b. about 1816, who married Catharine Eliza Crouse and is at St. Johnsville, Montgomery County in 1850. The son named Arndt would be Aaron mentioned in the will.

- Will of Wilhelmus Brower. Wills, vol. 7, p. 74. Dated 3 March 1838, proved 20 December 1843. Wilhelmus Brower of the Town of Mohawk, Montgomery County. Son, Harmon W. Brower, all personal property and real estate, and appoints him as executor. Wilhelmus, or William Brower is another son of Harmanus Brower and Margriet Ekker. He was married twice. Two known children, including Harmon W. Brower mentioned in the will were children of his first wife, Elisabeth Gray. On 22 December 1793 he married Sarah Van Epps. His profile on the BGD does not include this will.

- Will of Harmon Brower. Wills, vol. 6, pp. 431-35. Dated 11 January 1839, proved 21 February 1842. Harmon's will is also found among the "Brower Papers." See the post of January 24, 2017, number 15 there. And please refer to Harmon's profile on the Brouwer Genealogy Database site for an abstract of the will. This is a long will. Harmon is yet another son of Harmanus Brower and Margriet Ekker. His wife was Magdalena Docksdater, and they had thirteen children, eleven of whom reached adulthood and married.

- Will of Harmon W. Brower. Wills, vol. 7, p. 378. Dated 4 June 1846, proved 6 July 1846. Harmon W. Brower of the Town of Mohawk, Montgomery County. Son, Henry T. E. (homestead farm lying in Hanson's Patent; land formerly owned by William Garretson; farm formerly owned by John I. Brower lying in said patent). So, William H. Brower (six acres in Hansen's Patent occupied by Jesse Fisher, also land in Butler's Patent and in Collins Patent). Personal effects to son Henry T. E. Residue to two sons Henry T. E. and Willam H. Money held in the Montgomery County Bank for Rosa Wemple, a colored woman, to be given to her. Delia Sherman, "who has lived now a number of years in my family as a member and employed as a domestic, to be maintained by one of my sons. Appoints son Henry T. E. as executor. Harmon W. Brower is the son of the Wilhelmus Brower mentioned above and his first wife Elisabeth Gray. The will is not included in his profile on the BGD. His wife was Maria Ten Eyck who is not mentioned in the will. She had died 21 April 1833. They had four sons, two died in infancy.

The will and letters of administration abstracted and commented on above are only those found in Montgomery County up to about 1850 or so. There are more on the list with dates later in the 1800s. We may come back to look at those in a future post. You should be able to find digital images of all of them on the FamilySearch.org website in the collection, New York Probate Records, 1629-1971, Montgomery County.

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The Brower Papers, 1734-1872, Part II

This continues the post of January 21, 2017. Below are links to documents numbered 10 to 17 of The Brower Papers, 1734-1872. The set, compiled by Muriel D. Schuman and Cleo Stuhlman were borrowed from William B. Bogardus in 2008.

NOTE: The links below are broken. For replacement links please see the post of July 22, 2024

No. 10. Indenture dated 5 March 1803 between Harme Brower of Palatine in Montgomery County and Margaret his wife, and Harme Brower, Jr., of the same place. The deed is for 47 acres of land in Palatine, New York.

No. 11. Indenture dated 5 March 1803 between Cornelius Brower of Palatine, Montgomery County and Elizabeth his wife, and Harme Brower, Jr., of the same place. This is a deed for lot number 22 in the Patent of Stone Arabia, Montgomery County.

No. 12. The will of Harme Brower of Stone Arabia, dated 14 March 1803. The testator names his son Wilhelmus, son Harme Brower, Jr., "farming utensils to be divided among my five sons," daughter Deborah Brower, three daughters Rebecca Van Deusen, Sarah Docksteder and Deborah Brower. Following the will is a receipt from John B. Jno. Van Eps, dated 1 October 1808 for the legacy left his wife Deborah by her father Harmen Brower.

No. 13. At the top of this page is a Bill of Money received from Benjamin Smith by Mr. Harmen Brower, dated 5 March 1794. The remainder of the page includes receipts from Jacob N. Doxstedder and Arindh Smith.

No. 14. Eight pages. Page 1 is an order for Arent Brower to appear before the Superior Court of Common Pleas in a matter of Hermanus Brower, plaintiff, v. Philip P. Empey. The remainder of the documents consists of varied minutes recorded in the courts (presumably Montgomery County) involving Harmen Brower. Dates are from the 1790s.

No. 15. The will of Herman Brower of the Town of Palatine, Montgomery County. Dated 11 January 1839. Names his wife, Magdalene, and sons and daughters. Signs with his mark. This is a fourteen page document and includes the probate record.

No. 16. Indenture dated 3 March 1848 between Herman H. Brower and Margaret his wife of the Town of Palatine, Montgomery County, and Frederick Brower of the same town and county. This is a deed for a woodlot in Palatine.

No. 17. Five pages of receipts and other varied court records involving Browers in Montgomery County. In at least one instance the surname is recorded as Brewer.

This concludes the links for PDFs of The Brower Papers, 1734-1872.

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The Brower Papers, 1734-1872

"The Brower Papers, 1734-1872," are a set of transcriptions of indentures and wills and a few miscellaneous items pertaining to some descendants of William Brouwer and Rebecca Vedder of Schenectady and later of Stone Arabia, New York. For some background and thoughts on William Brouwer see the post of April 21, 2012.

"The Brower Papers, 1734-1872," were obtained from William B. Bogardus in late 2008 as a part of his large collection of Brouwer research. The papers themselves were compiled by Muriel D. Schuman and Cleo Stuhlman and were obtained by Bill from the Montgomery County Department of History and Archives in Fonda, New York. The transcripts are not dated (I do not know when the compilers did this work) but they are typed and in very good condition. I have split them into 17 separate documents, scanned them to PDFs and have placed them online. Fifteen of the documents are housed on RootsWeb's Free Pages, while two the documents (nos. 6 and 15) because of their size are available through a Google Drive account. The following list is a brief description of each and a link to the corresponding file.

NOTE: The links below are broken. For replacement links please see the post of July 22, 2024

No. 1. Indenture dated 1 September 1734 between Barhanardus Van diere of Bergen Co., New Jersey and numerous others all of Albany Co., New York and William Brower of "Schonaghton" for lots of woodland lying north of the Mohawk in Stone Arabia, Albany County.

No. 2. Deed for a wood lot in Stone Arabia from Hendreck Walrath to Hendreck Schremling dated 9 October 1739.

No. 3.  Deed from Hendreck Schremling to William Brower for six lots on the north side of the Mohawk, dated 10 December 1739.

No. 4. Bond of Cornelis Feele, Clas Feele and John Feele unto Margaret Acker, daughter of John Acker, dated 2 July 1743. "Margaret Acker" also known as Margariet Ekker or Ecker, was a daughter of Jan Ekker/Ecker/Ekkerson and Margrietje Vile, daughter of "Cornelis Feele" as his name is rendered in the bond. I have not worked out the genealogy but I would suspect that the three bondsman named "Feele" are Margaret's brothers. Margariet Ekker, baptized 21 July 1734 at Schenectady, married Harmanous Brouwer, 8 February 1755. Harmanous is a son of William Brouwer and Rebecca Vedder.

No. 5. The will of William Brower of "Stone Raby In the County of Albany on the Mohawks River yeoman," dated 10 February 1757. He is described as "Being Verry well in Good helth and Sound Perfect Mind and Memory." If born by 1669, which he would have had to have been if he is a son of William Brouwer who died in August 1668 and Lysbeth Drinkvelt, then William Brower of Stone Arabia would have been 86 or 87 years old in early 1757. The will was proved 15 February 1765, which again if born by 1669, would mean that William Brower may have lived to the age of 95 or 96.

No. 6. Indenture dated 2 June 1775 between Arent Brower and Harmen Brower, both of Stone Arabia.

No. 7. Indenture dated 22 May 1793 between Jacob Ekker, Abraham Coopman and Jacob G. Klock, Commissioners for Montgomery County, of the first part and Harmen Brower of the Town of Palatine, Montgomery County, of the second part. The parcels being sold to Harmen Brower appear to be lots that were confiscated from prior owners.

No. 8. Indenture dated 27 February 1798 between Cornelius Brower and Harme Brower, both of the Town of Palatine. The deed is for land that had been bequeathed in the will of William Brower to his sons Arent Brower and Harme Brower.

No. 9. The will of "John B. Jno. Van Eps" of the City of Schenectady, dated 25 March 1799. This would be Jan Baptist Van Eps, baptized 17 June 1752 at Schenectady, the son of Jan Baptist Van Eps and Maria Truax. In his will he names his wife Debora. Jan B. Van Eps married, as his second wife, Debora Brower on 26 January 1799. Debora is a daughter of Harmanus Brower and Margariet Ekker. The rather lengthy will of the elder Jan Baptist Van Eps can be found in Albany County Wills, vol. 3, pp. 241-246. It was dated 13 March 1800, followed by a codicil dated 24 May 1802 and an additional codicil dated 21 June 1805, proved 16 September 1805. The younger Jan Baptist Van Eps is said to have died 28 October 1821. His sister, Sarah Van Eps, married Wilhelmus Brower, a brother of Debora Brouwer.

The remaining eight documents and links will be presented in a following post.

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Brower Family Circle, Volume 8

Volume 8 of The Brower Family Circle consists of four issues bearing the dates April, July and October 1983 and January 1984. Links to the individual issues can be found on The Brower Family Circle page of this website.

No. 1, April 1983 (53 pages): Lineage of Lorena (Collier) Brower (pages 1-2. I have a different account of the ancestors of Jacob Mott Brower which can be viewed online at the Brouwer Genealogy Database webiste by locating Jacob M. BROUWER, b. ca. 1847 in the index. He is a son of Jacob Brouwer, born 13 September 1821 and Mary Fowler, born ca. 1820). Lineage of Gail (Cope) Fogelbach whose grandmother was Flossie Jane Brower, 1891-1975 (pages 2-3). A query from L. L. Hill who states that his ancestors were Henry Brauer (Brewer) who first married Barbara Zinn and then Christiana Flick (page 2. The Henry Brauer being referred to here would be Henry Brewer of Bedford Co., Pennsylvania). Query into John Brower, 1824-1904 of Hempstead, Long Island (page 3. This John Brower is most likely a descendant of Jan Brouwer of Flatlands, L. I., and more info on him can be located on the BGD website. Use the index). Notes and information received from James S. Ruoff regarding Harme (sic) Brower and Magdalena Dockstader (pages 4-52. Harmen Brouwer, born 20 August 1768, died 28 November 1841 was a great-grandson of Willem Brouwer of Beverwijck. There is a lot of information here and I have not had the time nor the inclination to work through it. Use it to seek out the original documents yourself. What I do know of Harmen Brouwer is found on the BGD website. Use the index to locate him).

No. 2, July 1983 (12 pages): Christian Brower of Coventry Twp., Chester County, Pa., by Jay H. Brower (pages 1-3). Henry Brower, 1720-1784, of Chester Co., Pennsylvania (page 4). John Brower, "another son of Hubert and Ann" (pages 5-6. My own opinion is that this account of John Brower is partially incorrect). John Brower, son of Christian Brower (page 6). Jacob Brower, son of John Brower (page 7). Joseph Brower, son of Jacob Brower (pages 8-9). Elijah Brower, son of Joseph Brower (page 10). A query into Alfred D. Brewer, born 16 January 1830, died 1881 in Columbus, Wisconsin, married Marrietta Rogers in Eaton Rapids, Michigan in 1862 (page 11. What I have on Alfred D. Brewer's ancestry can be found on the BGD website, use the index to look up Alfred D. Brewer, b. bt 1824-1830, d. 2 Jun 1881). Some notes on Hubert Brower (page 11. For more on the "Pass" please see the post of November 1, 2016).

No. 3, October 1983 (7 pages): A lineage from a Jacob Brower, born ca. 1809, died ca. 1855, married Magdalena (___), lived in Elkhart Co., Indiana (pages 1-5. The line is from one of Jacob Brower's daughters and so few Browers are found on these pages). Lineage of Alvaretta F. Brower, born 30 December 1866, Oceanport (sic), New Jersey, died 23 March 1958, Wappingers Falls, New York (pages 5-6. The birth date and ancestry given for Cornelius Brower on page 6 is incorrect. The Cornelis Brouwer who married Mary Archer was born 9 November 1730 and is a son of Nazareth Brouwer and Anne Rozell).

No. 4, January 1984 (5 pages): A lineage from Abraham Brower and Philotha Webster (page 1). Martha Brewer, born ca. 1796, married Adam Stone (page 1. Martha Brewer was a daughter of Jeremiah Brower/Brewer and Hannah Thomas). A lineage from Willis Brewer "born ca. 1774 in New York" (pages 1-2. We now know through Y-DNA testing of a direct male descendant of this Willis Brewer that he was a descendant of George Brewer of Brunswick Co., Virginia and was probably born in Virginia or North Carolina, and certainly not in New York). A query from a great-granddaughter of Berend B. Brauwer, born in 1850 in Germany, immigrated to the U. S. (page 2). Some contributed info and a question on Eve Brenneman who married as her second husband, Christian Brower (pages 2-4. To my knowledge the parents and ancestry of Eve Brenneman has not been satisfactorily resolved). A query regarding Edmond Turner who married Hannah Brower. Their daughter Mary Turner married Joseph Gee (page 4. Hannah is a descendant of Adam Brouwer). Seek info on Joseph Brower, born 20 Jan 1842 in Saratoga Co., New York, married Rebecca James, died in Phelps Co., Missouri (page 4). Seek info on Jeremiah and Kazia Brower, parents of Henry H. Brower, born March 1842 in Saratoga or Troy, New York, died 26 Aug 1916 at the home of his brother Albert Brower in Chandler, Minnesota (page 4).

As always a reminder to use the information and data found in the issues of The Brower Family Circle with care.

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The Records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674 Anno Domini

The Records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674 Anno Domini is a seven volume series edited by Berthold Fernow. The volumes were published under the authority of the City of New York, by Knickerbocker Press in 1897. Each volume is titled, Minutes of the Court of Burgomasters and Schepens, followed by a date range that the volume covers. Volume seven also includes Administrative Minutes, March 8, 1657, to Jan. 28, 1661, Inclusive, and the Index for the entire seven volume series.* Digital versions can be accessed online. Quick links can be found on the PDF page "Links to Published Sources Available Online," which can be downloaded. The abbreviation, RNA, is used for Records of New Amsterdam on this page.

The Court of Burgomasters and Schepens was essentially the municipal government of New Amsterdam. It consisted of two burgomasters, five schepens and a schout. It regulated affairs and was the court for both civil and criminal cases. For more on this court please see this 1909 write up by Henry Wilson Scott, placed online by the Historical Society of the New York Courts. It also includes links to the digitized versions. The courts existence began in 1653, lasting through the Dutch period of rule and through the first period of English rule and the short second period of Dutch rule in 1674. It ended when the English regained control of New Netherland in late 1674.

There are a handful of entries for the surname Brouwer in the index.

Volume 1, page 371 is a tax list dated 12 October 1655. On the list is Willem Brouwer "was excused." On the same tax list is Jan Gerritsen Brouwer "voluntary" - fl. 12. At page 392 of volume 1 is a suit by Willem Brouwer, plaintiff, against Isaac Mense, defendant, in which Willem Brouwer says that he sold the defendant 50 ps. of dry merchantable hides for fl. 700 in good Zeawan (seawant, or wampum), on condition that whoever should go back on the bargain should forfiet a "tun of beer." Isaac Mense, the defendant says that at the time the bargain was made he was drunk, and thought the deal was for 100 hides for gl. 700. Witnesses state that the bargain was to pay 700 gl. for 50 hides, but afterwards Isaac Mense said he was mistaken. The court voided the deal and fined Isaac Mense fl. 25 "for the behoof of the poor with costs incurred herein." The court date for this hearing was 8 November 1655.

Both Jan Gerritsen Brouwer and Willem Brouwer are found in Volume 2. At page 67 we find, Thomas Appelgat, plaintiff, vs. Willem Brouwer, defendant. Defendant's first default (he was not present). "Plaintiff at his request was allowed to sue out an arrest." The nature of the suit is not stated. The court date was 20 March 1656.
At page 26, Jan Gerritsen Brouwer is listed among those voted for, for the position of Schepen, by Allard Anthony. The vote totals are on page 27. Jan Gerritsen Brouwer received just this one vote. The vote was conducted on 31 January 1656. Schepen is a Dutch term for a municipal office holder. In an English municipal government it would most closely correspond to the position of an alderman or councilman. On page 113, Jan Gerritsen Brouwer, plaintiff, vs. Pieter Van der Linde, defendant, with the defendant in default. The case involves a hogshead of tobacco. The court date was 19 June 1656. The case is resumed on 26 June 1656 (page 123). Pieter Van der Linde was an inspector who first marked a certain hogshead of tobacco as "good," but then later marked it as "not good." Since the inspector (Pieter Van der Linde) is appointed by the Director General and his Council, the matter is referred to them.

The only entry in Volume 3 is for Willem Brouwer, or more specifically his wife, whose name is not recorded (page 237). The court date is 9 November 1660. "Burgomaster Allard Anthony, arrestant and pltf. vs. Willem Brouwer's wife, arrested and deft. Deft. in default. Pltf. requests that the arrest be decalared valid. The Court declare the arrest valid." The nature of the case is not stated. This is the last entry that we find for Willem Brouwer in the New Amsterdam city records.

Volume 4 includes one entry for Adam Brouwer. At page 21, court date of 31 January 1662, "Hans Stein, arrestant and pltf. vs. Adam Brouwer, arrested and deft. Pltf. demands from deft. a balance of five skepels of winter wheat according to particulars of a/c" (account). The defendant (Adam Brouwer) states that he sent it off and he requests in writing two arbitrators. The court refers the matter to Joannes de Peister (Johannes de Peyster) and Jacob Strycker, "both old Schepens of this City," to decide the case and reconcile the parties, and if that is not possible to render a report of their verdict to the Court. The case does not reappear in the court records, so the problem was probably resolved.

The last entry for a Brouwer is found in Volume 5 at page 188. The court date is 14 February 1665. Here, Asser Levy (Asher Levy, an early Jewish resident of New Amsterdam), states that he sent a legal letter to the Court of Amersfoort (Flatlands on Long Island) notifying "Aucke Jans that he must obey the order of this Court dated 17th January last, and says, he has not obtained any result therefrom." Asser Levy wants further instructions from the court on what to do next. He also states that "he has attached the monies of Aucke Jans in the hands of Jan Brouwer, which attachment he prays may be declared valid," which the Court does. This Jan Brouwer, would no doubt be Jan Brouwer of Flatlands, L. I.

The surname, Brouwer, is not found in either volume 6 or volume 7.

*Howard Swain has pointed out to me that the Administrative Minutes section of volume 7 is not well covered by the index. It does appear that not all mentions of persons found in the Administrative Minutes are indexed. 


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Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York

The complete title of this series is Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York; Procured in Holland, England and France, by John Romeyn Brodhead, Esq., Agent, Under and by Virtue of an Act of the Legislature, Entitled "An Act to Appoint an Agent to Procure and Transcribe Documents in Europe Relative to the Colonial History of the State," Passed May 2, 1839, edited by E. B. O'Callaghan (Albany: Weed, Parsons and Company, Printers, 1853-1861). This is an eleven volume series, with ten volumes of records and an eleventh volume that serves as the index to the ten. Although the Dutch and French documents were translated by E. B. O'Callaghan, they are not included in his Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N. Y. (since they were not found there we would not expect them to be)+.

There is a long introduction written by John Romeyn Brodhead beginning at page v. of volume one, which is worth reading so as to place these records in context. Of particular interest is the statement in the second paragraph informing us that records from the early administrations in New Netherland of Peter Minuit (1626-1632) and Wouter van Twiller (1633-1638) largely do not survive. So, knowledge of the happenings during the first fourteen years of settlement in New Netherland is very much limited. One glimpse into this early period is found at page xxxix of the Introduction. Here is a translation of a letter dated November 5, 1626, from P. Schagen, Deputy of the States-General to the Dutch Government. It tells of the arrival of a ship, the Arms of Amsterdam, from New Netherland, and provides some very brief insight into the situation on Manhattan Island.

All eleven volumes of this series have been made available in digital formats and can be found online through the Internet Archives website. I have created a page, "Links to Published Sources Available Online," where you will find convenient links to many of the published sources that have been featured in the posts of the past month or so. [This page is a PDF, feel free to download it]. Included here are the eleven volumes of this series, and of the continuation of the series which consists of volumes 12-15, edited by Berthold Fernow. They will be covered in a subsequent post. Meanwhile, in the first ten volumes there are three mentions of persons named Brouwer.

In Volume 1, (published 1856) at page 11, we find the first, and to my knowledge, only mention of the name, Pieter Clementssen Brouwer. He is found on a document titled, Grant of Exclusive Trade to New Netherland [From the Minute on a half sheet of paper, in the Royal Archives in the Hague; File: Loopende]. It is a petition from a list of men including, "Pieter Clementssen Brouwer, Jan Clementssen Kies, and Cornelis Volkertssen, Merchants of the City of Hoorn, owners of the Ship named the Fortuyn, whereof Cornelis Jacobssen May was skipper," petitioning the States General of the United Netherlands for an exclusive (although limited) right to access to lands in America between New France and Virginia, "between the fortieth and fort fifth degrees of Latitude, now named New Netherland..."* It is dated 11 October 1614. The exclusive right is allowed for four voyages and three years. Those who have made an effort to research the ancestry of Adam Brouwer, of Gowanus, L. I., have run across the name Pieter Clementssen Brouwer. Amateur genealogists (and here the description, genealogists, should be used loosely) from the early 20th century, arbitrarily and without evidence or reason, assigned Pieter Clementssen Brouwer as the father of Adam Brouwer. This incorrect assignment is apparently based solely upon the observation that the two (Pieter and Adam) had the same surname, Brouwer. No evidence, not even circumstantial evidence has been found to support this claim. All that is known of Pieter Clementssen Brouwer comes from this one document. In 1614 he was a merchant residing in Hoorn (in Noord-Holland, Netherlands) and that he was part owner of a ship called the Fortuyn, which had made a voyage to America under the skipper, Cornelis Jacobssen May. Adam Brouwer, on the other hand, was born in Cologne, Germany (see "New Insight into the Origins of Adam Brouwer").

In Volume 2 (1858), page 249, the name of Jan Brouwer is found on a petition, bearing the date 5 September 1664. This the time when the English took control of New Netherland from the Dutch. The petition is under the title, Remonstrance of the People of New Netherland to the Director-General and Council [From the Copy in the Royal Archives at the Hague; File, West Indie]. It is a petition signed by many of the male inhabitants of New Amsterdam, directed to Director-General Stuyvesant and his Council, describing the hopeless situation in attempting to defend New Amsterdam against an English invasion, and of the dire consequences should they even attempt a defense. They ask Stuyvesant and the Council to accept the "generous" terms of surrender offered by the English. As we all know, Stuyvesant complied with the request. By my count there are 94 men signing the petition. Among them is a Jan Brouwer. The signer may be one of two men named Jan Brouwer. The first is Jan Brouwer, of Flatlands, L. I., who may well have first lived on Manhattan Island prior to settling at Flatlands. He had four children baptized in the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church between 1658 and 1665, including sons (both named Hendrick) on 14 November 1663 and 14 January 1665, ten months prior to and four months after the date of this petition. The second could be Jan Gerritsz Brouwer, who had a daughter Lucretia baptized at the New Amsterdam church on 2 April 1656, about seven and a half years prior to the date of this petition. We know that Jan Gerritsz Brouwer was back in Amsterdam on 17 November 1666 when he had a son baptized in the Reformed South Church of Amsterdam. But when he actually left New Amsterdam for (old) Amsterdam is not certain.

In Volume 9 (1855), covering documents in Paris, in a footnote on page 1019, is mention of "Jacob Brouwer, an Indian trader," who was "barbarously murdered at the falls on the Oswego River, in the spring of 1730, by an Onondaga Indian." The footnote cites "N. Y. Council Minutes, XVL, 28." The footnote is to a letter of 10 October 1730 from M. de Beauharnois to Count de Maurepas, which includes "intelligence respecting what passed at Orange, between the English and the Iroquois." Specifically there is reference to "the death of an English or Dutch man who had been killed at Chouaguen, last Spring." This Jacob Brouwer was a son of Hendrick Brouwer and Marritje Borsboom, and a grandson of Willem Brouwer and Lysbeth Drinkvelt.

*The 40th north latitude runs through Trenton, New Jersey, and the 45th north latitude runs through northern New York State just south of the boarder with Canada.

+Correction (Sept. 28, 2015) some documents are also found in O'Callaghan's Calendar, and do appear in other published volumes in the New York Historical Manuscripts Series.

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Books of General Entries of the Colony of New York, 1664-1673

New York Historical Manuscripts English: Books of General Entries of the Colony of New York, 1664-1673, edited by Peter R. Christoph and Florence A. Christoph, was first published in 1982 by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore. Physical copies can be purchased online through the New Netherland Institute's online store, or through other online retailers (see links provided by Google Books). As of this writing the former option is the cheaper of the two.

The note at the beginning of the volume informs us that while the other volumes in the published, New York Historical Manuscripts series, are arranged based upon O'Callaghan's Calendar of Historical Manuscripts, and have been assigned volume numbers, the Books of General Entries... was "assembled from several series of New York colonial archives. They are contemporary with the records in Administrative Papers of Governors Richard Nicholls and Francis Lovelace, 1664-1673 (NYHM, Vol. XXII), but have no equivalent volume number."

Found in the index are entries for three men named Brower (without the u between the o and w). Adam Brower is found at pages 188, 300, 332, 370, 378, and 385. Arnould Brower is found at page 255. Lambert Brower is found at page 255.

Starting with Lambert and Arnould Brower. This entry takes place, "At Fort James in New Yorke on the Island Manhatans in America this 22th day of May in the 21th yeare of his Majesties Raigne Annoque Domini 1669." Then the initials "Fr. L." (Francis Lovelace, at the time Governor of New York). Followed by "There were like passes given to those underwritten, onely the Clause (to return againe) excepted" [note: for "onely" read only]. This is followed by sixteen entries including Lambert Brower and Arnould Brower. Here is the entire list, as printed in the volume:

1.   Cornelis Hendricks for himselfe, his wife and 5 children
2.   Goose Vigne
3.   Maritje Peters
4.   Mr. Peter Claerhout and his daughter
5.   Johannes Baker
6.   Peter Jansen Boer with his wife and 3 children
7.   Peter Jansen
8.   Denis Isaacsen with his wife and 3 children
9.   Neeltje Janssen and 2 children
10. Theunis Jacobsen
11. Lambert Brower
12. Arnould Brower
13. Henry Cousturier
[  ] Reyert Jacobsen
[  ] Cornelia Schelluyne and 5 children
[  ] John Tysen Goes

The persons listed here are being granted passports to travel from the port at New York to Holland. There are others who are granted passports as well, however, those on the list above are not being granted passes to return. Those who are granted passports, with a "return clause" are Henry Ramming, Mr. Christoffee Hooghland, and Mr. Francis Boone.

The Lambert Brower and Arnould Brower on this list are children of Willem Brouwer and Lysbeth Drinkvelt. Both were baptized in the Netherlands and would have been two of the three children who came with their parents to New Netherland in 1655 (see the post of Sept. 20, 2015). The third would have had to have been Hendrick, baptized in 1652, and who we know remained at Albany where he died in 1707. A daughter, Eva, baptized in 1649, most probably died prior to her family's emigration in 1655. Lambert Brower and Arnould Brower were baptized in 1653 and 1649 respectively, and would have been aged 15 and 19 in May 1669. Thus far I have found no further record of either in New York. As their passes did not include the "return clause" it is likely that they remained in the Netherlands (or perhaps ventured elsewhere). It may be that both established themselves as adults in the Netherlands, and perhaps had families. In other words, there may be descendants of Willem Brouwer and Lysbeth Drinkvelt, early settlers at Beverwijck (Albany, New York), found in the Netherlands or elsewhere. Perhaps some are living today. So here is something for Willem Brouwer researchers to follow up on. It may prove to be an interesting search.

Adam Brouwer (spelled Brower) is found on six pages (188, 300, 332, 370, 378, 385). At page 188 is "An Order for Adam Brower of Breucklyn do grinde for all persons without Exception or distinction." The date is 16 November 1668. The order is in response to a complaint by the Constable and Overseers of the Town of Breuckelen (Brooklyn) as well as some inhabitants, that Adam Brower, the owner and operator of the grist mill, was not grinding corn for some based upon "very frivolous pretences." It appears that Adam Brouwer could be petty when he wanted to be. The matter had first been taken up at the court at Gravesend, who apparently wanted to revoke Adam Brouwer's right to operate a grist mill. Governor Lovelace refers the case back to the Gravesend court, orders Adam Brower to grind for those on a first come first serve basis, and instructs the constable and overseers to report back to him if the problem continues.

At page 300, "An order for levying a fine of five hundred guilders on Adam Brouwer's estate." There are no further details here. What was the reason for the fine? There is no date. It is found following an entry dated 11 September 1669, but is followed by an entry dated 15 July 1669 (so, not in chronological order). The source given is "O2:537 from mss index." The abbreviation "O2" refers to "General Entries, 1665-1669. A manuscript volume, known also as "Orders, Warrants, Letters," Vol. 2, at the New York State Archives" (see page xvi). Again, the reason for the fine is not known (perhaps it had to do with the order of 16 November 1668 (above). Five hundred guilders was not a small sum in 1669.

At page 332 is, "Execution against the estate of Adam Brouwer." Again, no further description or explanation. No date, but it is in sequence (based on source description) between items dated 15 April 1670 and 21 April 1670. The source given is "A:508 from mss index." The abbreviation "A" refers to "General Entries, 1669-1671, in the manuscript volume, Court of Assizes Records at the New York State Archives." I would think that this was the execution of the order given previously on page 300.

At page 370, with the date of 18 August 1670, is "A passe for Jan Jansen de Jones to Goe for England and Holland in Mr. Cousseaus ship." This is a pass for Jan Jansen to travel "in the Ship Fort Albany of New Yorke whereof is Merchant and Owner Jaques Cousseau bound for England and Amsterdam in Holland." Then follows, "The like Passe was Graunted to theise persons," with the list:

Cornelys Jansen van Zeland with his wife and 2 children
Teunis Hillebrant van Dickhuysen with his wife and sonne
John Misrol his wife and Child
Adam Brower
Barent Reynertsen
Monsieur Gabriell Minielle
Mr. Frans Boone
Gerrit Gybertsen
Gerrit Cornelyssen
Rupert Roeloffsen
Hartman Wessells
Gabriel Herbin
Isaack Staets
Nellety Williams

The source is "A:586." Then at page 378 is, (A:602) "List of persons aboard the ship Fort Albany"with the notation, "partly from A:586." This is the same list as above, but with some added info regarding Monsieur Gabriell Minivielle and Mr. Francis Boone. Adam Brower is on this list but there is no date. The previous document (A:601) is dated 24 October 1670.

Whether or not Adam Brouwer actually made a trip to Europe is not certain. The entry found on page 385 (source given as A:616) provides us with some doubt, as this entry is dated 19 November 1670. It is described as "Declaration that the assigned payments for damages by Adam Brouwer and Gerrit Croosen cancel each other out." Adam Brouwer and Gerrit Croosen apparently had some type of disagreement/confrontation that involved physical assaults. There are a few gaps (missing words) in the published transcription, and of course the "legalize" of that day is not always that easy to "translate." But it appears that Gerrit Croosen had assaulted Adam Brouwer's wife (Magdalena Verdon, although her name is not recorded here). Adam Brouwer was awarded ten pounds as compensation. The assault occurred in 1669 (complete date missing) and the sum Gerrit was to pay had been suspended for one year. In the meantime, Adam appears to have committed trespass and caused damages to Gerrit Croosen, and for this Gerrit was awarded ten pounds from Adam. And so, the two fines canceled each other out.

The question then is, was Adam Brouwer present in New York when this declaration by the Governor was rendered on November 19, 1670? If so, then he could not have been on the ship Fort Albany which appears to have sailed for Europe on or about October 24, 1670. We can add to this the fact that Adam's son Nicholas was baptized on 16 April 1672 at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. Assuming he was baptized within a few weeks of his birth, as was customary at the time, Nicholas would have had to have been conceived probably in July of 1671. If Adam Brouwer did make a trip to Europe, leaving at the end of October in 1670, he would have had to have been back in New York by July 1671. The jury is still out on whether or not Adam Brouwer ever made a trip to Europe.

"View of New Amsterdam (now New York) ca. 1670" via Heritage Newfoundland & Labrador From Frank C. Bowen, The Sea: It's History and Romance to 1697, vol. I (London: B.F. Stevens & Brown, 1924-1926) 269. Original in Arnoldus Montanus, De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld, of Beschrijving van America (Amsterdam: 1671).

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Calendar of Historical Manuscripts, Part I, Dutch Manuscripts, 1630-1664

The complete title is Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N. Y. It is the work of E. B. (Edmund Bailey) O'Callaghan, and was published in 1865 and 1866, in two parts. Part I, published in 1865, is a calendar of manuscripts from New York's Dutch period of 1630 to 1664. Part II, published in 1866, is a calendar of manuscripts from the English period, covering the years 1664 to 1776. The work is often referenced simply as Calendar. This post focuses on Part I. Digital versions can be found online at Internet Archives.

Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N.Y.

Part I, Dutch Manuscripts, 1630-1664

E. B. O'Callaghan was the archivist for the State of New York when, in about 1850, it took up the task of organizing and assuring the preservation of the records and papers found in the Secretary of State's office in Albany. In essence what he did was gather the records together, reorganize them, and bind them in new volumes. His reorganization and the titles bestowed upon the volumes he created are the framework for the later complete translations by A. J. F. van Laer, Charles T. Gehring, and others, published in series under the titles "New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch," "New York Historical Manuscripts: English," and "New Netherland Documents". Part of O'Callaghan's effort was the creation of a calendar of the documents which serves us today as a convenient, "one stop," place to search for documents relating to any one specific person or event from the New Netherland period. For details on just what O'Callaghan did, how he went about doing it, and the history of the records and papers, it is suggested that you consult Arnold J. F. van Laer's, Translation and Publication of the Manuscript Dutch Records of New Netherland, With an Account of Previous Attempts at Translation (1910); Charles T. Gehring's Introduction (2010?) to the New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch and New Netherland Documents series, and to the introduction in Laws and Writs of Appeal (New Netherland Document Series, Vol. 16), translated and edited by Charles T. Gehring (1991), starting at page xix.

Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan (1797-1880) (Wikimedia Commons via IHM)

The Calendar is indexed and there are entries for four different men named Brouwer found there. 

Entries for Adam Brouwer can be found at pages 32 (twice), 34, 94, 245 and 372. The entries on pages 32, and 34 are found in their entirety in Register of the Provincial Secretary, New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 2. The entry at page 94 is found in Council Minutes, 1638-1649, New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4.

The entry for Adam Brouwer found at page 245 is from Volume 10, Council Minutes, 1661-1665, which has not yet been translated and published by the New Netherland Research Center (see page III of Introduction). This is a petition by "William Williamsen Bennet, Thomas Verdon, Adam Brouwer and Adriaen Willemsen, coheirs of Thomas Vardon (sic) praying that Paulus van der Beeq, husband of said Vardon's widow, may be obliged to account for their paternal estate." The widow being spoken of here is of course Maria Badie, who was first married to Jacob Verdon (not Thomas Vardon), secondly to Willem Adriaensen, and thirdly to Paulus van der Beeck. The "coheirs" here are Thomas Verdon and Adam Brouwer, the husband of Magdalena Verdon, children of Maria Badie's first husband, and William Willemsz Bennet and Adriaen Willemsen (Bennet) children of Maria's second husband. They are asking Maria's third husband for their share of the inheritance attributed to her first husband. The entry here is listed with the date 1 March 1663. As mentioned, we do not yet have a modern translation of this entire petition in print.  In The Minutes of the Orphanmasters of New Amsterdam, 1655 to 1663, by Berthold Fernow (digital editions online at Internet Archives), pages 229-230, with a date of 8 February 1663, is "Adam Brouwer, Tomas Verdon and Arien Willemsen appearing produce an extract from the Record or Resolutions of the Court of Breuckelen, dated January 24, 1663, and having been referred by said Court to this Board, as the extract shows, they request that Master Paulus be ordered to let them have their fathers property..."The Orphanmasters decision is that the persons and property involved are not within their jurisdiction and the petitioners are told to take the matter to the Director General and Council of New Netherland. Also relating to this matter is a deposition of Maritie Tomas (this being Maria Badie recorded with her patronymic) dated 15 February 1663. An annotated transcription by Wilson V. Ledley can be found in his series on the Bennet family, "Willem Adriaense Bennet of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Some of His Descendants," New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, vol. 93, no. 4 (Oct. 1962), pages 196-197. Space prevents a complete transcription here, but the deposition is interesting in that Maria states that her house was burned and destroyed "in the war with the savages about 19 years ago." That would be about 1644, the year Adam Brouwer likely came to New Amsterdam. Maria describes her remaining estate after the destruction, and this includes a "Bouwery (farm) and valley at Gouwanes, and a lot and a house on Beaver Street in New Amsterdam, also a "handmill" with belongings sold by her husband Paulus van der Beeck to Albert Pietersen Molenaer (miller), and so on. The deposition was taken by Wal van der Veen. The author, Wilson V. Ledley, gives is source as "OM:II:33-34." This would be Berthold Fernow's The Minutes of the Orphanmasters of New Amsterdam, 1655 to 1663 (Vol. II, 1907) which includes Minutes of the Executive Boards of the Burgomasters of New Amsterdam and The Records of Walewyn Van Der Veen, Notary Public, 1662-1664. Digital versions can be found online at Internet Archive. See pages 33-34 for the translation transcribed by Ledley. Maria Badie's deposition is not cataloged in O'Callaghan's Calendar.

The entry for Adam Brouwer found on page 372 is the patent he received for his lot on Manhattan Island. It is dated 8 February 1647, and the full translation is found in Land Papers, New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vols. GG, HH & II.

There is an entry for Jan Brouwer at page 67. This is the court case (19 May 1639) in which Jan Brouwer sued George Homs (Holmes) for a debt. It is found in Council Minutes, NYHM:Dutch, Vol. 4.

Philip Hendricks Brouwer is found on page 304. Philip Hendricksen Brouwer lived at Beverwijck (now Albany) and was mistakenly presumed to be a brother of Willem Brouwer (below) by Jonathan Pearson. Philip Hendricks Brouwer's is known for having accidentally killed Claes Cornelissen Swits. This entry dated 15 November 1663, is a letter from Vice-Director La Montagne (Jean de la Montagne) to Director Stuyvesant, in which a request is made to the "magistrates to pronounce judgement on Philip Hendricksen Brouwer, for the murder of Claes Cornellissen Swits." This letter is found in Correspondence, 1663-1664, Vol. 15, which has not yet been translated or published (see page III of Introduction).

Entries for William Brouwer can be found at pages 175, 185, 281, 322, 323 and 324. The entries on pages 175 and 185 are found in Council Minutes, volume 8, which has not been translated and published. At page 175, with a date of 27 Sep 1656, is an order, on a complaint by the fiscal, for William Brouwer, shoemaker, to "pay duty on Russia leather, etc., imported by him, and to make a pair of shoes for the fiscal." (A "fiscal" would be equivalent to a treasurer). At page 185, date of 20 April 1657, is "Proceedings and judgment in the city court, in the case of William Brouwer, attorney for Jan le Febre vs. Adriaen Vincent. We won't know the particulars of this case until a complete translation is published.

The entry at page 281 is found in Correspondence, 1654-1658, New Netherland Document Series, Volume 12, translated by Charles T. Gehring and published in 2003. A PDF version has been placed online by the New Netherland Institute. Here we find the full translation at page 62. In the post script of a letter from the Directors of the West India Company to Petrus Stuyvesant, dated 26 May 1655, is "We have here given permission to Willem Brouwer, to go over with his wife and three children without paying passage money, on condition he act as reader or comforter of the sick on board the Waegh, until arrival there, but no longer." This is the record that gives us the date of Willem Brouwer's emigration to New Netherland. It tells us that his wife and three of his children came with him, and we can infer from the letter, that Willem Brouwer was literate.

The entries found in the Calendar at pages 322, 323 and 324, are all found in Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660, New Netherland Documents Series, Volume 16, part two, translated and edited by Charles T. Gehring, published by Syracuse University Press in 1990 (PDF version online courtesy of the New Netherland Institute). The three entries for William Brouwer were organized by O'Callaghan in his Volume 16, part 3, and they pertain to a petition signed by a number of men, including William Brouwer, regarding the regulating of trade with the Indians; a complaint against William Brouwer, Volkert Jansen and Jan van Aken for employing an Indian to "bring other Indians to sell their furs to them"; and a complaint against a number of men, including William Brouwer, "for going to the woods or employing Dutchman as brokers to trade there with Indians." Along with these three entries there are other records involving Willem Brouwer in Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660, and they will be covered in a future post.

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An Earlier Marriage for Lysbeth Drinckvelt? Another Child for Lysbeth and Willem Brouwer

Back on March 27, 2012, the post "Willem Brouwer, Lysbeth Drinckvelt: Further Update," brought attention to the date and location of the marriage of Willem Brouwer and Lysbeth Drinckvelt, and provided links leading to the online source. Yesterday, March 27, 2015, a comment was added to this post by Barbara Boram alerting us to the record of an earlier marriage for Lysbeth.

To locate the record discovered by Barbara, first go to the website Digital Resources Netherlands and Belgium. In the column on the left of the page scroll down to Noord-Brabant and select the "internet" option to arrive at this page. Here, scroll down (or use your web browser's search tool) to "Breda - church books:" where you will find a list of a number of indexes with links. Go to the eleventh selection down from the top - Breda, index cath. baptisms 1582-1755 (Brugstraat), 1649-1742 (Nieuwstraat), 1648-1747 (Waterstraat), wal. baptisms 1708-1793 (dragoons), 1748-1796 (grenadiers), luth. baptisms 1649-1810, ref. marriages 1691-1710 and (mixed marriages) 1750-1794, cath. marriages 1713-1810 (Waterstraat), marriages before aldermen 1592-1622, wal. marriages 1707-1793 (dragoons) and 1748-1795 (grenadiers) [SEARCH+], which will take you to a page at the Brabants Historich Informatie Centrum (BHIC) site called "Stamboom" (Family Tree in English). Here I searched using just the surname, Drinckvelt, and was given these results. The seventeenth entry down from the top is for Lisebet Aertsen Drinckvelt.

This is an index entry for the record of the marriage banns of Lisebet Aertsen Drinckvelt to Adriaens van Breda dated 30-11-1641 (30 November 1641) at Dinteloord.

Scroll down to the last entry among the results and you will see Lijsebeth Drinckvelt recorded as the mother in a baptism record of Lambrecht Brouwer, with Willem Brouwer recorded as the father. The date is 8-10-1653 (8 October 1653), the location is Roosendaal, and the church, as with the above marriage, is "Nederduits Gereformeerd," or Low German (i.e. Dutch) Reformed. This record gives us a previously unknown son for Willem Brouwer and Lysbeth Drinckvelt.

Dinteloord is a village in the province of Noord Brabant and can be seen on this Google map. It is only a few miles north, and slightly west, of Roosendaal. Breda is about ten miles east of Roosendaal.

The index entry for the marriage record of Elisabeth Aertsen Drinckvelt and Willem Brouwer is found in a search in the records of the Grote Kerk (Great Church). This record (fourteenth down from top) states that Elisabeth (Lysbeth) was a widow of Cornelis van Hal when she married Willem Brouwer. Assuming that we are referring to only one Elisabeth/Lysbeth Aertsen Drinckvelt in all of the above records, we now have (perhaps) four marriages for Lysbeth. Three of the marriages are confirmed.

Lysbeth's marriage banns to Adriaens van Breda is dated 30 November 1641 at Dinteloord (but see the caveat below).

Lysbeth was married to Cornelis van Hal as stated in the record of her third marriage to Willem Brouwer, which was in November 1648 at Breda. An entry for the marriage of Lysbeth and Cornelis van Hal, has not been found. However, there is an entry for Lijsbeth Aertsen van Drincvelt and Cornelis van Mol, marriage banns 21-06-1642 (21 June 1642) at Dinteloord. I suspect that Cornelis van Hal and Cornelis van Mol are one and the same, and this is our Lysbeth Drinckvelt. There may have been an error in the transcription of the record used to create the index, and the original complete records should be examined.

Lysbeth next married Willem Brouwer, with banns dated 2 November 1648, according to this record, at Dinteloord. (The post of March 27, 2012 states that their marriage took place at the Grote Kerk in Breda, which was incorrect. The marriage banns are recorded in the register there, but the marriage did not take place there).

Lysbeth's final marriage was to Jan Rinckhout and it most likely took place at Beverwijck (now Albany, New York) sometime after 1668, probably in the early 1670s. She was received as a member of the New York Reformed Dutch Church on 4 September 1697, with the record, "Elisabeth Brinckfelt, h.v. Jan Rinckout, met Attestaite van N. Albanien." ("Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in the City of New York - Church Members List," New York Genealogical and Biographical Record vol. 59, p. 162).

Caveat: A search for burial records for both Adriaens van Breda and Cornelis van Mol/van Hal has come up empty. While it is certain that Lysbeth and Cornelis did follow through on their banns and married, and that Cornelis died prior to her marriage to Willem Brouwer, the same cannot be said for Lysbeth and Adriaens. The publication of marriage banns does not guarantee that a marriage took place. Sometimes the marriage does not take place. We like to see a second record confirming the actual marriage. For example, in this case, a baptism record for a child of Adriaens van Breda and Lysbeth Drinckvelt (thus far none has been found) would show that the couple did in fact marry. In light of the fact that Lysbeth's banns to Cornelis are dated only seven months after her banns to Adriaens, we might assume that Adriaens and Lysbeth did not have a child, and therefore we would like to see a burial record for Adriaens dated prior to Lysbeth's banns with Cornelis (none has yet been found). Lacking the burial record, perhaps if the complete original record of the marriage banns for Lysbeth and Cornelis can be examined, it will tell us whether or not she was a widow when the banns were published (it may also give her deceased husband's name). Until a confirming record can be located we will have to leave the question mark, included in the title to this post, in place.

The book on Lysbeth Drinckvelt remains open and anyone acquiring additional info, such as copies of the original church records, is welcome to contact me or leave a comment below.

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The Hendrick Brouwer House in Albany

Here is a copy of an article by Dr. Susan Jane Staffa, "A New Old House Reveals an Older Oldest House in Schenectady," as it appeared in the Dutch Settlers Society of Albany Yearbook, 1984-1987, Vol. 49, pp. 25-27. Apparently it had originally been published in "The Stockade Spy," a publication of the Stockade Association of Schenectady. This copy is from the William B. Bogardus Collection.

LAN SS-196 Hendrick Brouwer House

Hendrick Brouwer, baptized in 1652 in Amsterdam, was a son of Willem Brouwer who lived at Beverwijck (later Albany, New York) until his death in 1668. Hendrick, who was married to Marritie Pieterse Borsboom, died in very late 1706 or early 1707. Hendrick lived in Schenectady, and his house on the east side of Church Street, is well known and has been written about previously.

This article is the most interesting account I have yet read on the subject of Hendrick Brouwer's house. The reasoning used by the author to arrive at certain conclusions are in themselves valuable techniques that may be new to many family genealogists and historians.

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Follow Up on Marytje Brouwer and John Munro

In a follow up to the post of January 14, 2013, "Some Unexpected Descendants of Willem Brouwer of Beverwijck," Carole Leishman sent me a bit more information regarding Marytje Brouwer, John Munro and their children. Carole states that the following was found in the Brouwer File at the Schenectady Historical Society in June, 2006. "A Letter from a Loyalist Wife," was deposited with the Schenectady Historical Society (possibly in 1976) by Richard and Elizabeth Hubert*. Richard was a descendant of Marytje Brouwer and John Munro through their daughter Marie Charlotte Munro.

"Addressed: John Munro Esz. Montreal

My dear John

I hope when you receive these few lines they may find you in good health. Your Dear Childern are all well, as for myself I am in a poor state of health and very much distresst. I must leave my house in a very short time, and God knows where I shall get a place to put my head on, for my own relations are my greatest enemy's, the mills they have had a long time in their possession -- likewise all your tenents houses and lands--They have distressed me beyond expression. I have scarcly a mouthfull of bread for myself or Childr for heavens sake my dear Mr. Munro send me some relief by the first safe hand. Is their no possibility of your sending for us, if their is no method fallen upon we shall all perish, for you can have no idea of our sufferings here, let me once more intreat you to try every method to save your family - my heart is so full it is ready to break--adew my Dearest John may God Almighty bless preserve and protect you, that we may live to see each other is the constant prayers of

Your affectionate tho afflicted Wife

Mary Munro

P.S. The Childer send love to You

A.L.S."

ff 32-33 Blank PUBLIC ARCHIVES CANADA

fo 33 MG 21, volume B214, Page 35)

Along with the letter the Huberts sent a brief biography, which among other things, states that Mary (Marytje) and her children were permitted to join John Munro in Montreal, Canada in October 1778. They list the sons of John Munro and Mary Brouwer as Hugh, Cornelius, Henry, John, and William Johnson, and the daughters as Cornelia Pat(t)erson, Christine Mount, and Charlotte deLotbiniere. The Huberts also mention that the gravestones of John and Mary Munro were relocated to the United Empire Loyalist Shrine in the yard of Trinity Anglican Church in Riverside Heights, Morrisburg, west of Cornwall and just west of the Upper Canada village. "Their earthly remains lie under the newly created St. Lawrence seaway."

With respect to the fate of Loyalist wives who remained at home while their husbands were away during the Revolutionary War, those interested in further reading might try Janice Potter-MacKinnon, While the Women Only Wept: Loyalist Refugee Women in Eastern Ontario (McGill-Queen's Press, 1995)

Thanks to Carole Leishman for passing this along.  

*Update March 27, 2014 - John Gearing, author of the forthcoming, Schenectady Genesis, Vol. 2, 1760-1798, by e-mail, informs me that the Huberts did not deposit the original letter of Mary (Brouwer) Munro with the Schenectady Historical Society. The Huberts had submitted a transcript of the letter to a "Connecticut genealogy society several decades ago," who in turn published the transcript in an issue of their newsletter. It was a copy of the Hubert's published transcript that was found in the Brouwer File at the Schenectady Historical Society. The original letter is located in the British Archives, and a microfilmed copy of the original is found in the Canadian Archives. The Schenectady Historical Society now has a photocopy of the microfilmed copy from the Canadian Archives which was provided by John Gearing. Thank you to John Gearing for the clarification.  

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Some Unexpected Descendants of Willem Brouwer of Beverwijck

Willem Brouwer and his wife, Lysbeth Drinkvelt, came to New Netherland in 1655. They were first at New Amsterdam but soon relocated to the settlement of Beverwijck which later became Albany, New York. Hendrick, their eldest son for whom descendants are known, was baptized in 1652 at Amsterdam and died early in 1707 at Schenectady, New York. Hendrick's son Cornelis, baptized in 1704 at Schenectady, left a will dated 13 August 1765, which was proved on 3 December 1767. In his will he mentions his daughter Marytje, and her husband, John Munro, a merchant of Albany.

Until just a couple of weeks back I had not spent any time researching the family or descendants of Marytje Brouwer and John Munro. As of then, the only child I had identified for the couple was a son Cornelius, who was baptized on 16 October 1768 at the Schenectady Reformed Church, sponsors being Hendrick Brouwer and Cornelia Brouwer (brother of Marytje and her mother, Cornelia Barheit). Then I received an e-mail from Janko Pavsic who pointed out to me that among the descendants of Marytje Brouwer and John Munro were some prominent members of Quebec politics and society during the 19th century, including a Prime Minister and some Mayors. Janko provided me with a chart that he placed online - Van den Bergh, Albany, New York, which features two of John Munro and Marytje Brouwer's children, and a few descendants of note. This provided a start, and Janko was helpful with other leads and translations. Over the past two weeks I've learned of the interesting story of John Munro and Marytje Brouwer and of some of their descendants. Much of this may not be new to anyone who has had an interest in the family, as much of it can be found in published accounts online and in print. In all cases, however, the correct ancestry of Marytje Brouwer, seemed to be unknown, or was not considered.

"John Monro of Scotland and Maria Brouwer of Schdy, were married with license," at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady, New York on 6 April 1760. It is believed that he was born in 1728, the son of Hugh Munro of Fyrish Fowlis in Alness, Scotland, and his wife, Christiana Munro. He came to the American colonies in 1756 and served during the Seven Years War (French and Indian War in North America). He is stated to have married first, in 1758, Jane Caldwell, and had a son, Hugh (there is a marriage license in New York, though I have found no record of Hugh's birth). The Schenectady church record does not refer to John as a widower at the time he married Marytje (as Dutch church records usually do). Therefore it is possible that this marriage may belong to a different man named John Munro.

After the Seven Years War, John received large grants of land and amassed over 11,000 acres in the Albany area. He was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Albany and served as Justice of the Peace for the City and County of Albany. Soon he received additional land in Shaftsbury, Vermont. Beginning in the 1740s, the colonial provinces of New York and New Hampshire had both laid claim to, and issued grants for land, in what later would become the State of Vermont. John Munro, as a "Yorker," would become personally involved in disputes with his New Hampshire neighbors. The conflicts came to a head in the early 1770s when the New York Supreme Court declared the New Hampshire land grants invalid. In response, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys began attacks against the "Yorkers" in an attempt to drive them out. John Munro was certainly among the targets, and he was leader of the party that attempted to capture the Green Mountain Boy, Remember Baker, in 1771, an episode that has been widely written about, and in which John Munro nearly lost his life. (The issue of the Vermont lands was not completely settled until Vermont was admitted as a State in 1791).

When the Revolutionary War broke out, John Munro declared himself a Loyalist and was appointed Captain of the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment in New York. By 1781 he was stationed in Montreal, placed in charge of providing for Loyalist refugees. After the Revolutionary War his family joined him in Canada, his Vermont properties were confiscated, and he later received a partial compensation from the British Government. The family settled at Matilda Twp. in Upper Canada. It was a destination for many Loyalist families who previously lived in the Mohawk River Valley region of New York. John Munro become known as "Hon. Capt. John Munro."

There appears to be some myth and (probably later day) fabrication around Marytje Brouwer. Some (undocumented) online accounts have referred to her as "of a prominent Dutch family descended from Admiral Hendrick Brouwer." Of course this is incorrect and completely unsubstantiated. Hendrick Brouwer (1581-1643) was a Dutch navigator and explorer and an administrator for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He never came to North America. His travels took him primarily to the East Indies and to Chile in South America. Baptism records and probate records prove beyond a doubt that Marytje was a daughter of Cornelis Brouwer and a great-granddaughter of the immigrant, Willem Brouwer. During his life, Willem was a shoe-maker and a sometimes trader, although, apparently an unsuccessful one. He died insolvent in 1668 at Beverwijck. There is no evidence of any maritime interest or activity on the part of Willem Brouwer, something you might expect if he were in fact the son of an important Admiral and figure in the VOC. Willem has nothing in common with the fabled Admiral Hendrick Brouwer, with the exception that they both possess the same surname.
A second curiosity regarding Marytje are accounts in which she is called, "Marie Talbot Gilbert Bruère. Her baptism record of 15 October 1738, simply calls her, "Marytje" (Kelly, Schenectady Reformed Church Baptisms, 1694-1811 [Rhinebeck, NY: Arthur C. M. Kelly, 1987]. page 57, no. 1258). Of course, anyone familiar with colonial Dutch families knows well that Dutch parents did not give their children middle names. As will be seen, Marytje's daughter married into a prominent French Quebec family, one in which multiple "middle names" was common. It appears to me that later day descendants, possibly starting with her daughter, Marie-Charlotte Munro (in her marriage record) bestowed this more elaborate name "Marie Talbot Gilbert Bruère" upon Marytje. Where the name, Gilbert, comes from is evident. Marytje's mother, Cornelia Barheit, was a daughter of Johannes Barheit and Catherine Gilbert. However, the choice of the name,"Talbot," has thus far eluded explanation. Perhaps Marie Charlotte Munro was unsure of the identity of her mother's father, and, for some reason, believed his surname was Talbot. It of course, was not.

Marytje Brouwer and John Munro have been stated to be the parents of six children. With some help from Janko, I have thus far found five. The previously known son Cornelius, as mentioned above, was baptized in 1768. He, along with his brother Henry, were granted lots in Matilda Twp., Upper Canada, in 1797. A daughter Christian Munro, married Philip Mount in 1786 at St. Gabriel's Presbyterian Church in Montreal. A son John Munro is found on lists of Loyalists who served with the New York Royal Rangers, where is is listed as "a son of Capt. John Munro."
Daughter Marie Charlotte Munro was probably born in the decade of the 1770s, either in Albany County, New York, or at Shaftsbury, Vermont. In 1802, as the widow of Paul Denis, she married Michel-Eustache-Gaspard-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière, the 2nd Marquis de Lotbinière. He was the Seigneur of Vaudreuil, Lotbinière and Rigaud, all in the present day Province of Quebec. The couple had six children, five daughters and one son. Three daughters reached adulthood and left descendants.
The eldest, Marie-Louise-Josephte (b. 1803) inherited the Seigneury of Vaudreuil and married Robert Unwin Harwood. They were the parents of ten children. He served in the legislatures of Lower Canada and of the Province of Canada. Two sons served as Mayors of Vaudreuil and a grandson as Mayor of Rigaud.
Daughter, Marie-Charlotte (b. 1805) inherited the Seigeury of Rigaud and married William Bingham, the son of William Bingham (1752-1804) of Philadelphia, a delegate from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, and a U. S. Senator from 1795 to 1801. The city of Binghamton, New York, is named for the elder William Bingham. Marie-Charlotte and her husband lived in Montreal before moving to Paris, France where they divorced. She died in London in 1866 and of her five children, three daughters married French Counts.
Julie-Christine (b. 1810) inherited the Seigneury of Lotbinière, and married Gaspard-Pierre-Gustave Joly in1828 at Christ Church in Montreal. The couple lived at Lotbinière. Born in Switzerland, his family settled at Épernay in Champagne province of France. He was a businessman and an early amateur daguerreotypist and often traveled to France and the Middle East. He is credited with being the first person to photograph the Acropolis at Athens, and other ancient monuments. They had three children, among them, Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1829-1908) who became the fourth Premier of Quebec in March 1878. He was later the seventh Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

(Much of the info above began with a web search of John Munro which led to his Wikipedia entry and continued using source links provided there both to other websites and other Wikipedia entries. A search at Google Books and at Heritage Quest led to info on the sons of John Munro. Janko Pavsic provided some additional vital data translated and transcribed from records in his possession. I have been able to confirm some, and find others, with searches at Ancestry.com, especially in their "Quebec Vital Records and Church (Drouin Collection)" database which has links for images of the original records. Source citations will be included on the next update of the Brouwer Genealogy Database. Although the families of the children of Marytje Brouwer and John Munro are not complete, it will offer a start from which anyone interested can further extend the research).

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