Albert Andriessen Bradt, 'de Noorman'

Albert Andriessen “de Noorman” Bradt was born Abt. 1607. He first married Gertury Coeymans. Second he married Annetje Barent Von Rotmers on April 11, 1632 in Hervormde Kerk, Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands. She was the daugher of Barent Van Rotmers and Geesje Barents. Several children were born to this union; Eva (Aeffie), Barent, Gisseltje, Stoerm Va Der Zee, Engeltje, Andries, Dirck, and Jan Albertssen.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6105610/albert-andriessen-bradt

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Norway's most competent genealogist Tore Vigerust says that there is no evidence that the Andries Bradt had anything to do with Norway:

• http://da2.uib.no/cgi-win/WebDebatt.exe?slag=listinnlegg&debatt=bru... ~• so: Evidently not born in Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway
  

Another important discussion thread about Andries Bratt who was Dutch/German:

http://da2.uib.no/cgi-win/WebDebatt.exe?slag=listinnlegg&debatt=bru...

The participants are leading genealogists.

They say that Andries Bradt who has thousands of descendants in the US is extremely unlikely to have any connection to Norway and the Norwegian Bratt-families.

The idea of a connection comes from this book: Scandinavian immigrants in New York 1630-1671 by John O. Evjen published 1916 - it seems to be pure guesswork ... The one reference to FamilySearch is (rightly) mocked as silly - anyone can post anything there and it should never be used as a source, only as ideas of where to search further.

Tore Hermundsson Vigerust, Oslo gamleby, 7.4.2009 00:19 (9) "De som hevder at Albert og Arent kom fra Fredrikstad / Norge har bevisbyrden. For min del vil jeg mene at når en ung mann gifter seg i byen Stade og oppgir å komme fra Fridrichstadt, skal byen identifiseres med den av samme navn som ligger litt nord for Stade. I samme område, så og si."

Translated: "Those who claim that Albert and Arents came from Fredreikstad in Norway must prove this (they have the burden of proof). In my opinion when a young man gets married in the town Stade (in Holland) and says he's form Fridrichstadt, then the city (of his birth) should be identified with the city just north of Stade. In the same area, so to speak."

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrichstadt
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• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Andriessen_Bradt

Albert Andriessen Bradt was born Fredrikstad, Østfold county, Norway. He moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands at a time when commerce between Norwegian and the Dutch merchants was well established.[1] In 1636, a group set off for New Netherlands arriving at New Amsterdam on March 4, 1637. Their destination was Rensselaerswyck. Bradt worked at a sawmill and a tobacco plantation. Bradt rented a sawmill on the Normans Kill at Lower Hollow from the patroon.[2] In the early records he is often called Albert the Norman. His location became known locally as the Norwegian’s Creek. The Dutch version was Noormans kil. Today it is known as Normans Kill, a stream that winds across south-central Albany County, New York. It empties into the Hudson River after flowing around the west side of Castle Island.[3]

[1] Karel Hansen Toll (Andreas Nilsen Rygg. Norwegian-American Historical Association. Volume XIV: Page 244)

[2] Albany County Timeline (Albany County, New York)

[3] Colonial Albany Social History Project (Stefan Bielinski, Project Director)

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THE NAME BRANDT WAS ADDED IN 1607 AND EVENTUALLY SPELLED AS BROTT

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Albert was a sailor, tobacco planter and a miller. He was a man of uncertain temper such that his third wife gained a separation due to "strife and difference".

Also: Albert De Noorman

• ______________
• 'The Lansing family. A genealogy of the descendants of Gerritt Frederickse Lansing who came to America from Hasselt, province of Overijssell, Holland, 1640. Eight generations
• http://www.archive.org/details/lansingfamilygen00muns
• http://www.archive.org/stream/lansingfamilygen00muns#page/n20/mode/1up
• 1. Gerrit Frederickse1 Lansing, son of Frederick Lansing, married Elizabeth Hendrickse.
  • 7. Hilletje Lansing, married Storm, son of 'Albert Andriese Brant Van der Zee'.
• ________________________
• 'Genealogical notes of New York and New England families
• http://www.archive.org/stream/genealogicalnote00talc#page/115/mode/1up
• 7.
• Hilletje, daughter of (I) Gerrit Frederick Lansing, was probably born in Hassel ; married Storm Van der Zee, son of 'Albert Andriese Bradt, " the Norman," and Annetie Barentse van Rotmer', and had . . . .
• 'The tradition is that one of Bradt's children was born on shipboard, on the passage out, in the midst of a heavy storm, in consequence of which he was called " Storm Van der Zee."
• _____________________________

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Albert Andriess Bradt de Norman (1607c.-1686) and Arent Andriesse Bradt, brothers, first emigrated as early as 1630, and were among the early settlers at Rensselaerswyck. They came from Fredrikstad, a town at the mouth of the Glommen, the largest river in Norway. Albert Andriess Bradt, known as "de Noorman," was a land owner and tobacco farmer at Bushwick, New York, 13 August 1630. He established himself a few miles south of Albany on a stream, "Norman's Kil," where he built a mill. He married first Annetje Barents von Rolmers (also called Annitje Alberts). They had children: Barent; Eva Bradt, married first, 1647, to Anthony de Hooges, and m. second, 1657, to Roeloff Swartwout; Storm (1636-c.1679) m. Hilletje Lansinck; Engeltje married Teunis Slingerlan of Onisquathaw; Gisseltje married Jan van Etten; Andries; Jan; and Dirck.

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Albert came to the US with the Dutch explorer Van Rensselaer to grow tobacco. He eventually became a logger and has a tributary to the Hudson river named after him: the Normanskill-runs under the NY State Thruway near the Thruway Authority. He was of Norwegian decent. He was one of 25 people who founded Rensselaer County NY.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Andriessen_Bradt

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HISTORY: “Contributions for the Gen of the First Settlers of the Ancient Co of Albany, 1630-1800” by Prof Jonathan Pearson, GPC 1978 lists families of Albert and Arent BRATT and many descendants P-24. Married “de Norman” in Oudekirk ODR Church in Beverwyck in 1630. From him Norman's Kill gets its name. Albert Andriese Braat “de Norman,” who was in Beverwyck in 1630. From him Norman's Kill gets it's name. Eva von Rotmer was the first wife of Braat and from these two are descended many of the Hornbecks in America. In Jonathan Pearson's “Genealogies of the First Settlers of Albany.” VanDer Zee, Storm, son of Albert Andries Bratt “de Norman” came to Rensselaerswyck in 1630. The tradition is that one of Bratt's children was born on shipboard on the passage out in the midst of a heavy storm, in consequence of which, he was called Storm Vanderzee. (“O'Callaghan's Hist. N. N.”) That Van Der Zee was an alias for Bratt in early times is certain; in an old deed Storm's son Wouter is called “Wouter Storm Bratt, alias Wouter Van Der Zee.” Storm Van Der Zee was a trader, and in 1661 was complained of for smuggling in New Amsterdam. He married Hilletje, dau. of Gerrit Lansing, and had at least two sons who lived to maturity ... Albert and Wouter. The Swartwout Chronicles 1338-1899 and The Ketelhuyn Chronicles 1451-1899, Chapter III, Roeloff, Swartwout, Schout of Esopus, 1634-1715, Barents Bratt, 1 Her father, known as the Norman (de Noorman), settled in Rensselaerswijck in 1630, and later held a mill-privilege on the creek flowing into the Hudson, about two miles south of Beverwijck, from whom the stream derived it's name, the Norman's Kill.

Sailed from Texel Holland 8 Oct 1636 and arrived in New Amsterdam, Ny 4 Mar 1637. His home was in Fredrickstad, Norway.

In August 1636, Bradt entered into an agreement with Pieter Cornelisz and Claes Jansz to build a mill in the colony. So, after his arrival in the colony, he left Pieter Cornelisz and established himself as a tobacco planter. His wife Annetje Barents died before 5 June 1662 and left Bradt with 8 children. He remarried 7 June 1686 to Geertruy Pietersz Vosburgh. _____________________________________________________________

SOURCE: “The Peters Family” URL: http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=speters&id=I2849

IGI: Source Richard W. Price 11/13/91

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source: http://njgsbc.org/files/BCFamilies/BCFam-Bradt.pdf
search on Bradt, Albert Andriesz (de Noorman)

According to the Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts, Albert Andriesz sailed on the Rensselaerswyck from the Texel 8 Oct 1636, arriving at New Amsterdam 4 Mar 1637. He was from Frederikstad, in the southeast of Norway, and is designated in early records as Noorman. After 1670, he became known as Albert Andriesz Bradt. His brother was said to be Arent Andriese Bradt who was among the early Dutch settlers at Schenectady, NY.

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Albert Andriese Bradt

New Amsterdam immigrant

• about - Albert Andriese Bradt & Annetje Baerents Van Rotmers

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GEDCOM Source

@R-1349453278@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=28047488&pid...

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GEDCOM Note

Source: Lorine Schulz See also her webpage for sources: http://olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/surnames/bradt.shtml

See also http://www.bradtfamilysociety.org/ for an extensive history of this family.

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GEDCOM Note

The name of Albert Andriessen occurs for the first time in a document bearing the date August 26, 1636, an agreement between him and millwright Pieter Cornelisen and carpenter Claes Jansen on the one hand, and the patroon of the colony ofRensselaerswyck, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, on the other to build and operate a saw mill. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have learnt the cultivating of tobacco in Holland, where tobacco was raised as early as 1616. In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, we, Pieter Cornelissen van munnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claesz jans van naerden, 33 years of age, house carpenter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt, 29 years of age, tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God’s name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc”Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our persons and property subject to all courts and justices for the fulfillment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August [1636]. ‘In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public . . “Kiliaen Van Rensselaer “Pieter Cornelissen “albert and riessen . . -. “Claes jansen. “J. Vande Ven, Notary.” Bradt’s Sawmill – Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652-04 May 1672. Most of the settlers who came to Rensselaerswyck in 1637 came on the vessel of the same name. Additionally a handful of settlers who first appeared in accounts of the colony are described as probably passengers on the vessel. The log of the voyage of the Rensselaerswyck was translated by Van Laer and included in The Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts. The journey was an unusually long one, beginning at Amsterdam 25 Sep 1636 It sailed from Texel on 8 Oct 1636, not arriving in Rensselaerwyck (Albany NY) until 7 Apr 1637. Difficult weather was invariably the culprit. When not beset by severe storms, still, calm, windless days made the ship drift for days at a time. For 17 days the ship was off course and near the coast of Spain when the captain at last decided they must head back because of limited supplies of food and because more and more people were growing ill daily. His goal was the south coast of England. There, at Ilfracombe, on 8 Dec, Cornelis Thomasz was stabbed by his helper, Hans van Sevenhuysen. Thonasz died the following day – a Tuesday – and the captain noted in his log how all the people in this neighborhood went to pray on account of the severe sickness which God is sending them. The Rensselaerswyck at last arrived at Manhattan on Wednesday, 4 Mar, but could not travel to Fort Orange because the Hudson River was still closed by ice. On Sunday, the 8th, two children born on board the vessel were baptised at the Manhattan church. On Sunday, the 22nd, the widow of the murdered Cornelis Thomasz, a smith, married Arent Steffeniers. Finally on March 26th, the vessel left for Fort Orange and arrived there Tuesday, April 7th. Since some of the passengers are first listed in accounts of April 3rd, these men evidently traveled to Fort Orange via yacht. The Rensselaerswyck left Fort Orange on 29 May. Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival he took the liberty of dissolving partnership and established himself as a tobacco planter. After about a year he and his brother began growing tobacco for the patroon and participating in the fur trade. Van Renssselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner of Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8, 1638, to Cornelisz he wrote: “Albert Andriessen separated from you, I hear that he is a strange character, and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you.” Nevertheless, Van Rensselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637, he wrote to Director William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the “Calmar Sleutel”, commanded byPieter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Aiidriessen “if he has good success,” otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced, it seems. One, Elbert Elbertz, from Nieukerck, eighteen years old, was a weaver; Claes Jansen, from the same place, seventeen years old, was a tailor; Gerrit Hendricksz, also from the same place, fifteen year old, was a shoemaker. Gerrit must have served Andriessen for a term of at least three years; for his first three years’ wages, from April 2, 1638 to April 2, 1641, are charged to Andriessen. In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andriessen that he had duly received his letter stating that the tobacco looked fine. But he was desirous to get full particulars as to how the crop had turned out, and to get a sample of the tobacco. He expressed dissatisfaction at Andriessen having separated from Pieter Cornelisz, and liked to know the cause of his dispute with the officer and commis Jacob Albertsz Planck and his son. He informed Andriessen that he was obliged to uphold his officers. and promised him to stand by him and cause him to be “provided with everything.” But he would not suffer bad behavior. He also informed him that it was apparent from the news he had received from several people that he was “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel” to his wife; he was to avoid this “and in all things have the fear of the Lord” before his eyes and not follow so much his own inclinations. But there was also another matter for which Van Rensselaer censured him: he had traded beaver furs with Dirck Corszen Stam contrary to contract, defrauded and cheated him. For seven pieces of duffel he had given him only the value of twenty-five merchantable beavers. Van Rensselaer also addressed a letter, of the same date, to Jacob Albertsz Planck informing him that he had written to Andriessen that he should have more respect for the officers. Planck was instructed to notify Andriessen and all others living in the colony not to engage in “such detrimental fur trade,” for he did not care to suffer in his colony those who had their eyes mainly on the fur trade.’ Notwithstanding, it was Dirck Corszen that was an unfaithful supercargo. And Van Rensselaer requested, in a letter of May 13, 1639, of Andriessen, that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owed Corszen. If he saw that Andriessen acted honestly herein, he would do all in his power to help him. Andriessen should go to the superintendent of the colony, Arent van Curler, and purchase necessaries for himself and his own people at an advance in price of 50 per cent. He should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 per cent. In return he was to furnish Van Curler with skins at such a price that he could make something on the transaction. Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that he would try to sell his tobacco at the highest price and furthermore give him 25 per cent more than his half of the net proceeds would amount to. He would moreover grant him 25 per cent discount on the grain which he bought. In fact, Van Rensselaer’s confidence in Andriessen seemed to be increasing. For he not only acknowledged that he had received several letters from him, but also wished to say to his credit that he had received returns from no one. but him. He complained, however, of the tobacco which had been sent to him in barrels. It was a great loss to both that the “tobacco was so poor and thin of leaf that it could not stand being rolled.” This. he thought, was likely due to Andriessen having left too many leaves on the plants. But not this alone: the weight was short. One barrel, put down at 292 lbs., weighed but 220 lbs. This was perhaps due to deception on the part of a certain Herman, a furrier. But anything like this should be avoided in the future. The tobacco amounted to 1,156 pounds net, which was sold for 8 st. (16 cents) a pound. Had it not been so bad and wretched, it could have been sold for twenty cents a pound. A higher price could be obtained if Andriessen would be more careful in the future and leave fewer leaves on the plants. He should try to grow “good stuff”, for the tobacco from St. Christopher, an island in the West Indies, was so plentiful in Netherland that it brought but 3 stivers a pound. Andriessen should also each year make out a complete account of all expenses and receipts from tobacco, so Van Rensselaer could see whether any progress was made. But Andriessen was a poor accountant. Neither Van Rensselaer nor his nephew, the former Director Van Twiller, could understand his accounts. Van Rensselaer therefore gave him directions to follow in making his entries and statements, claimingthat any other procedure would “leave everything confused and mixed up.” He complained that Andriessen laid certain transactions before the patroon, which should be laid before the commis. He expressed the sentiment that Andriessen was making him his servant when he wrote to him “about soap and other things.” He also complained that Andriessen caused great loss by making him hold the tobacco too high: it was safest to follow the market price in Netherland. Finally he censured him for buying unwisely – he had paid f. 200 for a heifer, “which is much too high.” is The patroon and Andriessen had several disagreements. Albert, with his brother Arent Andriessen, sent to the patroon sometime in 1642, 4,484 lbs. of tobacco. It was sold on an average of eight and one half st. a lb. Deducting 270 lbs. for stems, the net weight brought a sum of f. 1790:19. But the duty, freight charges, and convoy charges amounted to f. 629:15. The patroon said he would deduct only half of this if Andriessen compensated him according to his ordinance for his land on which the tobacco grew. But as long as he was in dispute with him he would deduct the whole sum. Andriessen did not suffer. Van Rensselaer complained in letter of March 16, 1643, to Arent van Curler that he did not know what privilege Albert Andriessen had received, since “his cows are not mentioned in the inventory sent him.” He stated he would not want any one, no matter who he was, to own any animals which were not subject to the right of preemption. Therefore, Curler should include Andriessen’s animals in the inventory, or make him leave the colony and pay for pasturing and hay during the past year. In September 5, 1643, the patroon stipulated the following with respect to Andriessen, whose term had long before expired without his having obtained a new lease or contract. He “shall . . . be continued for the present but shall not own live stock otherwise than according to the general rule of one half of the increase belonging to the patroon and of the right of preemption and, in case he does not accept this, his cattle shall immediately be sent back to the place whence they came, with the understanding, however, that half of the increase bred in the colony shall go to the patroon in consideration of the pasturage and hay which they have used; and as to his accounts he shall also be obliged to close, liquidate and settle the same; and as far as the conditions after the expiration of his lease are concerned, the patroon adopts for him as well as for all others this fixed rule, of which they must all be notified and if they do not wish to continue under it must immediately leave the colony, namely, that every freeman who has a house and garden of his own shall pay an annual rent of 5 stivers per Rhineland rod and for land used in raising tobacco, wheat or other fruits 20 guilders per Rhineland morgen, newly cleared land to be free for a number of years, more or less, according to the amount of labor required in such clearing. Andriessen not only cultivated tobacco. He operated “two large sawmills,” run by a “powerful waterfall,” worth as much as f. 1000 annual rent, but the patroon let him have them for f. 250 annual rent. 17 From May 4, 1652, to May 4, 1672, Andriessen is charged with the annual rent for these two mills and the land on Norman’s Kill. Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652 – 04 May 1672. Originally this Kill was called Tawasentha, meaning a place of the many dead. The Dutch appelative of Norman’s Kill is derived from Andriessen. The Vale of Tawasentha, referred to in Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, is now named Normans Kill after Albert Andriese Bradt. The Dutch word Norman means Norseman after Albert’s Norwegian origin. The Dutch word “kill” means creek. Normans Kill is the first tributary of the Hudson River south of the city of Albany. From the Vale of Tawasentha, From the Valley of Wyoming, From the groves of Tuscaloosa, From the far-off Rocky Mountains, From the Northern lakes and rivers All the tribes beheld the signal, Saw the distant smoke ascending, The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe. … “In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley, By the pleasant water-courses, Dwelt the singer Nawadaha. Round about the Indian village Spread the meadows and the corn-fields, And beyond them stood the forest, Stood the groves of singing pine-trees, Green in Summer, white in Winter, Every sighing, ever singing.

“And the pleasant water-courses, You could trace them through the valley, By the rushing in the Spring-time, By the alders in the Summer, By the white fog in the Autumn, By the black line in the Winter; And beside them dwelt the singer, In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley. “There he sang of Hiawatha, Sang the Song of Hiawatha, Sang his wondrous birth and being, How he prayed and how he fasted, How he lived, and toiled, and suffered, That the tribes of men might prosper, That he might advance his people!” Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain-shower and the snow-storm And the rushing of great rivers Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains, Whose innumerable echoes Flap like eagles in their eyries;– Listen to these wild traditions, To this Song of Hiawatha! Ye who love a nation’s legends, Love the ballads of a people, That like voices from afar off Call to us to pause and listen, Speak in tones so plain and childlike, Scarcely can the ear distinguish Whether they are sung or spoken; — Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha! Normans Kill Creek Whether known as Petanock, Tawasentha, Godyn’s Kil or Norman’s Kill (Norwegian’s Creek in Dutch), this meandering stream figures prominently in Bethlehem history. Though patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer contracted earlier to have mills built where the lower falls meet the Hudson, the first permanent settler on the mainland was Albert Andriesen (Bratt after 1670) of Norway. Albert came in 1637 and lived 49 years conducting a tobacco farm and mills along its shores. His neighbors were farmer and miller Pieter WINNE I (de Vlamingh, the Fleming) and fur trader Teunis C. Slingerland. Scot Archibald McCormack bought land in 1787 on both sides of the Normans Kill that reached to McCormack Road. The road’s hollow, where it drops down to the creek, was for a time called “Molasses Hollow” for the molasses that once spilled here. Barrels of the stuff rolled off a tipped over cart and broke on the way down the hill. People scurried to capture the precious sweetener in any way they could. The Normans Kill forms the northern border of the town. The Normanside Country Club covers a fair length of a creek and offers a glimpse of its once pastoral nature. In May of 2000 a landslide along its slippery clay slopes carried a produce stand down with it and prompted a major reshaping of the Delaware Avenue overpass area. Normansville was originally called Upper Hollow for the deep ravine carved by the Normans Kill that the unincorporated village sits in. In New Amsterdam he had acquired a house and lot from Hendrick Kip, August 29, 1651. It lay northeast of fort Amsterdam.” Under date of October 5, 1655, we find that he was taxed fl. 20 for this house and lot. In May, 1655, before the court of the Burgomasters and Schepens in New Amsterdam, Roeloff Jansen, a butcher, appeared and made a complaint against Christiaen Barentsen, attorney for Andriessen. Jansen had leased a house and some land belonging to Andriessen who was to give him some cows. But the house was not tight” and “not enclosed,” and the cows were missing. might still suffer. The defendant, as attorney for Andriessen, replied that it was not his fault that the demand had not been complied with according to the contract. He requested time to write to his principal about it. The Court granted him a month’s time in which to do this. In due time, however, the court ruled that Andriessen should make the necessary repairs. He had a reputation for a violent temper and cruelty to family members and quarrelsomeness with others. He was censured in a 10 May 1638 letter from Van Rensselaer for being “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel to his wife” and he was told to avoid this behavior. On 15 May 1658 Albert Andriesen Bradt and Wilem Martensen Hues advertised to sell to the highest bidder their “sloop as it rides at anchor and sails” (as is). Willem Martensen Hues was the highest bidder. After wife Annetje Barentse Van Rotmers died in 1661, widower Albert Andriesen Bradt sold the New Amsterdam property and lived at Norman’s Kill. He created a document dated 03 June 1662 whereby he paid all of his children for their shares in all of their mother’s estate: Eva (Roeloff) Swartwout, Barent Albertsen, Storm Albertsen, Engeltje (Teunis) Slingerlandt, Gisseltje (Jan) Van Echelen, Andreis Albertsen (minor), Jan Albertsen (minor), and Dirck Albertsen (minor). Albert Andriesen Bradt married second Pieterje Janse, widow of Albert Andriesen Bradt’s deceased partner in a sawmill venture, and she died in 1667. Albert Andriesen Brandt married third Geertruyt Pieterse Coeymans, widow of Abraham Pietersen Vosburgh, in 1668 and this marriage was unhappy. She filed a court petition for separation and alimony on 13 Janurary 1669 and after a long court battle they were legally separated “because of strife and differences that hath arisen between them” on 24 October 1670 and she received annual alimony of 80 schepels in apples and beavers. In 1672 Albert Andriesen Bradt turned the saw mills over to son Barent Albertsen Bradt. In his old age, Albert Andriesen Bradt’s behavior became even worse and his children were ordered to deal with him. Albert Andriesen Bradt lived his last few years with unmarried son Dirck Albertsen Bradt in Albany, NY.

GEDCOM Note

The name of Albert Andriessen occurs for the first time in a document bearing the date August 26, 1636, an agreement between him and millwright Pieter Cornelisen and carpenter Claes Jansen on the one hand, and the patroon of the colony ofRensselaerswyck, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, on the other to build and operate a saw mill. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have learnt the cultivating of tobacco in Holland, where tobacco was raised as early as 1616. In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, we, Pieter Cornelissen van munnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claesz jans van naerden, 33 years of age, house carpenter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt, 29 years of age, tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God’s name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc”Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our persons and property subject to all courts and justices for the fulfillment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August [1636]. ‘In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public . . “Kiliaen Van Rensselaer “Pieter Cornelissen “albert and riessen . . -. “Claes jansen. “J. Vande Ven, Notary.” Bradt’s Sawmill – Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652-04 May 1672. Most of the settlers who came to Rensselaerswyck in 1637 came on the vessel of the same name. Additionally a handful of settlers who first appeared in accounts of the colony are described as probably passengers on the vessel. The log of the voyage of the Rensselaerswyck was translated by Van Laer and included in The Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts. The journey was an unusually long one, beginning at Amsterdam 25 Sep 1636 It sailed from Texel on 8 Oct 1636, not arriving in Rensselaerwyck (Albany NY) until 7 Apr 1637. Difficult weather was invariably the culprit. When not beset by severe storms, still, calm, windless days made the ship drift for days at a time. For 17 days the ship was off course and near the coast of Spain when the captain at last decided they must head back because of limited supplies of food and because more and more people were growing ill daily. His goal was the south coast of England. There, at Ilfracombe, on 8 Dec, Cornelis Thomasz was stabbed by his helper, Hans van Sevenhuysen. Thonasz died the following day – a Tuesday – and the captain noted in his log how all the people in this neighborhood went to pray on account of the severe sickness which God is sending them. The Rensselaerswyck at last arrived at Manhattan on Wednesday, 4 Mar, but could not travel to Fort Orange because the Hudson River was still closed by ice. On Sunday, the 8th, two children born on board the vessel were baptised at the Manhattan church. On Sunday, the 22nd, the widow of the murdered Cornelis Thomasz, a smith, married Arent Steffeniers. Finally on March 26th, the vessel left for Fort Orange and arrived there Tuesday, April 7th. Since some of the passengers are first listed in accounts of April 3rd, these men evidently traveled to Fort Orange via yacht. The Rensselaerswyck left Fort Orange on 29 May. Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival he took the liberty of dissolving partnership and established himself as a tobacco planter. After about a year he and his brother began growing tobacco for the patroon and participating in the fur trade. Van Renssselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner of Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8, 1638, to Cornelisz he wrote: “Albert Andriessen separated from you, I hear that he is a strange character, and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you.” Nevertheless, Van Rensselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637, he wrote to Director William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the “Calmar Sleutel”, commanded byPieter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Aiidriessen “if he has good success,” otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced, it seems. One, Elbert Elbertz, from Nieukerck, eighteen years old, was a weaver; Claes Jansen, from the same place, seventeen years old, was a tailor; Gerrit Hendricksz, also from the same place, fifteen year old, was a shoemaker. Gerrit must have served Andriessen for a term of at least three years; for his first three years’ wages, from April 2, 1638 to April 2, 1641, are charged to Andriessen. In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andriessen that he had duly received his letter stating that the tobacco looked fine. But he was desirous to get full particulars as to how the crop had turned out, and to get a sample of the tobacco. He expressed dissatisfaction at Andriessen having separated from Pieter Cornelisz, and liked to know the cause of his dispute with the officer and commis Jacob Albertsz Planck and his son. He informed Andriessen that he was obliged to uphold his officers. and promised him to stand by him and cause him to be “provided with everything.” But he would not suffer bad behavior. He also informed him that it was apparent from the news he had received from several people that he was “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel” to his wife; he was to avoid this “and in all things have the fear of the Lord” before his eyes and not follow so much his own inclinations. But there was also another matter for which Van Rensselaer censured him: he had traded beaver furs with Dirck Corszen Stam contrary to contract, defrauded and cheated him. For seven pieces of duffel he had given him only the value of twenty-five merchantable beavers. Van Rensselaer also addressed a letter, of the same date, to Jacob Albertsz Planck informing him that he had written to Andriessen that he should have more respect for the officers. Planck was instructed to notify Andriessen and all others living in the colony not to engage in “such detrimental fur trade,” for he did not care to suffer in his colony those who had their eyes mainly on the fur trade.’ Notwithstanding, it was Dirck Corszen that was an unfaithful supercargo. And Van Rensselaer requested, in a letter of May 13, 1639, of Andriessen, that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owed Corszen. If he saw that Andriessen acted honestly herein, he would do all in his power to help him. Andriessen should go to the superintendent of the colony, Arent van Curler, and purchase necessaries for himself and his own people at an advance in price of 50 per cent. He should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 per cent. In return he was to furnish Van Curler with skins at such a price that he could make something on the transaction. Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that he would try to sell his tobacco at the highest price and furthermore give him 25 per cent more than his half of the net proceeds would amount to. He would moreover grant him 25 per cent discount on the grain which he bought. In fact, Van Rensselaer’s confidence in Andriessen seemed to be increasing. For he not only acknowledged that he had received several letters from him, but also wished to say to his credit that he had received returns from no one. but him. He complained, however, of the tobacco which had been sent to him in barrels. It was a great loss to both that the “tobacco was so poor and thin of leaf that it could not stand being rolled.” This. he thought, was likely due to Andriessen having left too many leaves on the plants. But not this alone: the weight was short. One barrel, put down at 292 lbs., weighed but 220 lbs. This was perhaps due to deception on the part of a certain Herman, a furrier. But anything like this should be avoided in the future. The tobacco amounted to 1,156 pounds net, which was sold for 8 st. (16 cents) a pound. Had it not been so bad and wretched, it could have been sold for twenty cents a pound. A higher price could be obtained if Andriessen would be more careful in the future and leave fewer leaves on the plants. He should try to grow “good stuff”, for the tobacco from St. Christopher, an island in the West Indies, was so plentiful in Netherland that it brought but 3 stivers a pound. Andriessen should also each year make out a complete account of all expenses and receipts from tobacco, so Van Rensselaer could see whether any progress was made. But Andriessen was a poor accountant. Neither Van Rensselaer nor his nephew, the former Director Van Twiller, could understand his accounts. Van Rensselaer therefore gave him directions to follow in making his entries and statements, claimingthat any other procedure would “leave everything confused and mixed up.” He complained that Andriessen laid certain transactions before the patroon, which should be laid before the commis. He expressed the sentiment that Andriessen was making him his servant when he wrote to him “about soap and other things.” He also complained that Andriessen caused great loss by making him hold the tobacco too high: it was safest to follow the market price in Netherland. Finally he censured him for buying unwisely – he had paid f. 200 for a heifer, “which is much too high.” is The patroon and Andriessen had several disagreements. Albert, with his brother Arent Andriessen, sent to the patroon sometime in 1642, 4,484 lbs. of tobacco. It was sold on an average of eight and one half st. a lb. Deducting 270 lbs. for stems, the net weight brought a sum of f. 1790:19. But the duty, freight charges, and convoy charges amounted to f. 629:15. The patroon said he would deduct only half of this if Andriessen compensated him according to his ordinance for his land on which the tobacco grew. But as long as he was in dispute with him he would deduct the whole sum. Andriessen did not suffer. Van Rensselaer complained in letter of March 16, 1643, to Arent van Curler that he did not know what privilege Albert Andriessen had received, since “his cows are not mentioned in the inventory sent him.” He stated he would not want any one, no matter who he was, to own any animals which were not subject to the right of preemption. Therefore, Curler should include Andriessen’s animals in the inventory, or make him leave the colony and pay for pasturing and hay during the past year. In September 5, 1643, the patroon stipulated the following with respect to Andriessen, whose term had long before expired without his having obtained a new lease or contract. He “shall . . . be continued for the present but shall not own live stock otherwise than according to the general rule of one half of the increase belonging to the patroon and of the right of preemption and, in case he does not accept this, his cattle shall immediately be sent back to the place whence they came, with the understanding, however, that half of the increase bred in the colony shall go to the patroon in consideration of the pasturage and hay which they have used; and as to his accounts he shall also be obliged to close, liquidate and settle the same; and as far as the conditions after the expiration of his lease are concerned, the patroon adopts for him as well as for all others this fixed rule, of which they must all be notified and if they do not wish to continue under it must immediately leave the colony, namely, that every freeman who has a house and garden of his own shall pay an annual rent of 5 stivers per Rhineland rod and for land used in raising tobacco, wheat or other fruits 20 guilders per Rhineland morgen, newly cleared land to be free for a number of years, more or less, according to the amount of labor required in such clearing. Andriessen not only cultivated tobacco. He operated “two large sawmills,” run by a “powerful waterfall,” worth as much as f. 1000 annual rent, but the patroon let him have them for f. 250 annual rent. 17 From May 4, 1652, to May 4, 1672, Andriessen is charged with the annual rent for these two mills and the land on Norman’s Kill. Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652 – 04 May 1672. Originally this Kill was called Tawasentha, meaning a place of the many dead. The Dutch appelative of Norman’s Kill is derived from Andriessen. The Vale of Tawasentha, referred to in Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, is now named Normans Kill after Albert Andriese Bradt. The Dutch word Norman means Norseman after Albert’s Norwegian origin. The Dutch word “kill” means creek. Normans Kill is the first tributary of the Hudson River south of the city of Albany. From the Vale of Tawasentha, From the Valley of Wyoming, From the groves of Tuscaloosa, From the far-off Rocky Mountains, From the Northern lakes and rivers All the tribes beheld the signal, Saw the distant smoke ascending, The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe. … “In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley, By the pleasant water-courses, Dwelt the singer Nawadaha. Round about the Indian village Spread the meadows and the corn-fields, And beyond them stood the forest, Stood the groves of singing pine-trees, Green in Summer, white in Winter, Every sighing, ever singing.

“And the pleasant water-courses, You could trace them through the valley, By the rushing in the Spring-time, By the alders in the Summer, By the white fog in the Autumn, By the black line in the Winter; And beside them dwelt the singer, In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley. “There he sang of Hiawatha, Sang the Song of Hiawatha, Sang his wondrous birth and being, How he prayed and how he fasted, How he lived, and toiled, and suffered, That the tribes of men might prosper, That he might advance his people!” Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain-shower and the snow-storm And the rushing of great rivers Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains, Whose innumerable echoes Flap like eagles in their eyries;– Listen to these wild traditions, To this Song of Hiawatha! Ye who love a nation’s legends, Love the ballads of a people, That like voices from afar off Call to us to pause and listen, Speak in tones so plain and childlike, Scarcely can the ear distinguish Whether they are sung or spoken; — Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha! Normans Kill Creek Whether known as Petanock, Tawasentha, Godyn’s Kil or Norman’s Kill (Norwegian’s Creek in Dutch), this meandering stream figures prominently in Bethlehem history. Though patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer contracted earlier to have mills built where the lower falls meet the Hudson, the first permanent settler on the mainland was Albert Andriesen (Bratt after 1670) of Norway. Albert came in 1637 and lived 49 years conducting a tobacco farm and mills along its shores. His neighbors were farmer and miller Pieter WINNE I (de Vlamingh, the Fleming) and fur trader Teunis C. Slingerland. Scot Archibald McCormack bought land in 1787 on both sides of the Normans Kill that reached to McCormack Road. The road’s hollow, where it drops down to the creek, was for a time called “Molasses Hollow” for the molasses that once spilled here. Barrels of the stuff rolled off a tipped over cart and broke on the way down the hill. People scurried to capture the precious sweetener in any way they could. The Normans Kill forms the northern border of the town. The Normanside Country Club covers a fair length of a creek and offers a glimpse of its once pastoral nature. In May of 2000 a landslide along its slippery clay slopes carried a produce stand down with it and prompted a major reshaping of the Delaware Avenue overpass area. Normansville was originally called Upper Hollow for the deep ravine carved by the Normans Kill that the unincorporated village sits in. In New Amsterdam he had acquired a house and lot from Hendrick Kip, August 29, 1651. It lay northeast of fort Amsterdam.” Under date of October 5, 1655, we find that he was taxed fl. 20 for this house and lot. In May, 1655, before the court of the Burgomasters and Schepens in New Amsterdam, Roeloff Jansen, a butcher, appeared and made a complaint against Christiaen Barentsen, attorney for Andriessen. Jansen had leased a house and some land belonging to Andriessen who was to give him some cows. But the house was not tight” and “not enclosed,” and the cows were missing. might still suffer. The defendant, as attorney for Andriessen, replied that it was not his fault that the demand had not been complied with according to the contract. He requested time to write to his principal about it. The Court granted him a month’s time in which to do this. In due time, however, the court ruled that Andriessen should make the necessary repairs. He had a reputation for a violent temper and cruelty to family members and quarrelsomeness with others. He was censured in a 10 May 1638 letter from Van Rensselaer for being “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel to his wife” and he was told to avoid this behavior. On 15 May 1658 Albert Andriesen Bradt and Wilem Martensen Hues advertised to sell to the highest bidder their “sloop as it rides at anchor and sails” (as is). Willem Martensen Hues was the highest bidder. After wife Annetje Barentse Van Rotmers died in 1661, widower Albert Andriesen Bradt sold the New Amsterdam property and lived at Norman’s Kill. He created a document dated 03 June 1662 whereby he paid all of his children for their shares in all of their mother’s estate: Eva (Roeloff) Swartwout, Barent Albertsen, Storm Albertsen, Engeltje (Teunis) Slingerlandt, Gisseltje (Jan) Van Echelen, Andreis Albertsen (minor), Jan Albertsen (minor), and Dirck Albertsen (minor). Albert Andriesen Bradt married second Pieterje Janse, widow of Albert Andriesen Bradt’s deceased partner in a sawmill venture, and she died in 1667. Albert Andriesen Brandt married third Geertruyt Pieterse Coeymans, widow of Abraham Pietersen Vosburgh, in 1668 and this marriage was unhappy. She filed a court petition for separation and alimony on 13 Janurary 1669 and after a long court battle they were legally separated “because of strife and differences that hath arisen between them” on 24 October 1670 and she received annual alimony of 80 schepels in apples and beavers. In 1672 Albert Andriesen Bradt turned the saw mills over to son Barent Albertsen Bradt. In his old age, Albert Andriesen Bradt’s behavior became even worse and his children were ordered to deal with him. Albert Andriesen Bradt lived his last few years with unmarried son Dirck Albertsen Bradt in Albany, NY.

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GEDCOM Note

The name of Albert Andriessen occurs for the first time in a document bearing the date August 26, 1636, an agreement between him and millwright Pieter Cornelisen and carpenter Claes Jansen on the one hand, and the patroon of the colony ofRensselaerswyck, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, on the other to build and operate a saw mill. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have learnt the cultivating of tobacco in Holland, where tobacco was raised as early as 1616. In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, we, Pieter Cornelissen van munnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claesz jans van naerden, 33 years of age, house carpenter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt, 29 years of age, tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God’s name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc”Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our persons and property subject to all courts and justices for the fulfillment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August [1636]. ‘In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public . . “Kiliaen Van Rensselaer “Pieter Cornelissen “albert and riessen . . -. “Claes jansen. “J. Vande Ven, Notary.” Bradt’s Sawmill – Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652-04 May 1672. Most of the settlers who came to Rensselaerswyck in 1637 came on the vessel of the same name. Additionally a handful of settlers who first appeared in accounts of the colony are described as probably passengers on the vessel. The log of the voyage of the Rensselaerswyck was translated by Van Laer and included in The Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts. The journey was an unusually long one, beginning at Amsterdam 25 Sep 1636 It sailed from Texel on 8 Oct 1636, not arriving in Rensselaerwyck (Albany NY) until 7 Apr 1637. Difficult weather was invariably the culprit. When not beset by severe storms, still, calm, windless days made the ship drift for days at a time. For 17 days the ship was off course and near the coast of Spain when the captain at last decided they must head back because of limited supplies of food and because more and more people were growing ill daily. His goal was the south coast of England. There, at Ilfracombe, on 8 Dec, Cornelis Thomasz was stabbed by his helper, Hans van Sevenhuysen. Thonasz died the following day – a Tuesday – and the captain noted in his log how all the people in this neighborhood went to pray on account of the severe sickness which God is sending them. The Rensselaerswyck at last arrived at Manhattan on Wednesday, 4 Mar, but could not travel to Fort Orange because the Hudson River was still closed by ice. On Sunday, the 8th, two children born on board the vessel were baptised at the Manhattan church. On Sunday, the 22nd, the widow of the murdered Cornelis Thomasz, a smith, married Arent Steffeniers. Finally on March 26th, the vessel left for Fort Orange and arrived there Tuesday, April 7th. Since some of the passengers are first listed in accounts of April 3rd, these men evidently traveled to Fort Orange via yacht. The Rensselaerswyck left Fort Orange on 29 May. Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival he took the liberty of dissolving partnership and established himself as a tobacco planter. After about a year he and his brother began growing tobacco for the patroon and participating in the fur trade. Van Renssselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner of Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8, 1638, to Cornelisz he wrote: “Albert Andriessen separated from you, I hear that he is a strange character, and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you.” Nevertheless, Van Rensselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637, he wrote to Director William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the “Calmar Sleutel”, commanded byPieter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Aiidriessen “if he has good success,” otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced, it seems. One, Elbert Elbertz, from Nieukerck, eighteen years old, was a weaver; Claes Jansen, from the same place, seventeen years old, was a tailor; Gerrit Hendricksz, also from the same place, fifteen year old, was a shoemaker. Gerrit must have served Andriessen for a term of at least three years; for his first three years’ wages, from April 2, 1638 to April 2, 1641, are charged to Andriessen. In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andriessen that he had duly received his letter stating that the tobacco looked fine. But he was desirous to get full particulars as to how the crop had turned out, and to get a sample of the tobacco. He expressed dissatisfaction at Andriessen having separated from Pieter Cornelisz, and liked to know the cause of his dispute with the officer and commis Jacob Albertsz Planck and his son. He informed Andriessen that he was obliged to uphold his officers. and promised him to stand by him and cause him to be “provided with everything.” But he would not suffer bad behavior. He also informed him that it was apparent from the news he had received from several people that he was “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel” to his wife; he was to avoid this “and in all things have the fear of the Lord” before his eyes and not follow so much his own inclinations. But there was also another matter for which Van Rensselaer censured him: he had traded beaver furs with Dirck Corszen Stam contrary to contract, defrauded and cheated him. For seven pieces of duffel he had given him only the value of twenty-five merchantable beavers. Van Rensselaer also addressed a letter, of the same date, to Jacob Albertsz Planck informing him that he had written to Andriessen that he should have more respect for the officers. Planck was instructed to notify Andriessen and all others living in the colony not to engage in “such detrimental fur trade,” for he did not care to suffer in his colony those who had their eyes mainly on the fur trade.’ Notwithstanding, it was Dirck Corszen that was an unfaithful supercargo. And Van Rensselaer requested, in a letter of May 13, 1639, of Andriessen, that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owed Corszen. If he saw that Andriessen acted honestly herein, he would do all in his power to help him. Andriessen should go to the superintendent of the colony, Arent van Curler, and purchase necessaries for himself and his own people at an advance in price of 50 per cent. He should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 per cent. In return he was to furnish Van Curler with skins at such a price that he could make something on the transaction. Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that he would try to sell his tobacco at the highest price and furthermore give him 25 per cent more than his half of the net proceeds would amount to. He would moreover grant him 25 per cent discount on the grain which he bought. In fact, Van Rensselaer’s confidence in Andriessen seemed to be increasing. For he not only acknowledged that he had received several letters from him, but also wished to say to his credit that he had received returns from no one. but him. He complained, however, of the tobacco which had been sent to him in barrels. It was a great loss to both that the “tobacco was so poor and thin of leaf that it could not stand being rolled.” This. he thought, was likely due to Andriessen having left too many leaves on the plants. But not this alone: the weight was short. One barrel, put down at 292 lbs., weighed but 220 lbs. This was perhaps due to deception on the part of a certain Herman, a furrier. But anything like this should be avoided in the future. The tobacco amounted to 1,156 pounds net, which was sold for 8 st. (16 cents) a pound. Had it not been so bad and wretched, it could have been sold for twenty cents a pound. A higher price could be obtained if Andriessen would be more careful in the future and leave fewer leaves on the plants. He should try to grow “good stuff”, for the tobacco from St. Christopher, an island in the West Indies, was so plentiful in Netherland that it brought but 3 stivers a pound. Andriessen should also each year make out a complete account of all expenses and receipts from tobacco, so Van Rensselaer could see whether any progress was made. But Andriessen was a poor accountant. Neither Van Rensselaer nor his nephew, the former Director Van Twiller, could understand his accounts. Van Rensselaer therefore gave him directions to follow in making his entries and statements, claimingthat any other procedure would “leave everything confused and mixed up.” He complained that Andriessen laid certain transactions before the patroon, which should be laid before the commis. He expressed the sentiment that Andriessen was making him his servant when he wrote to him “about soap and other things.” He also complained that Andriessen caused great loss by making him hold the tobacco too high: it was safest to follow the market price in Netherland. Finally he censured him for buying unwisely – he had paid f. 200 for a heifer, “which is much too high.” is The patroon and Andriessen had several disagreements. Albert, with his brother Arent Andriessen, sent to the patroon sometime in 1642, 4,484 lbs. of tobacco. It was sold on an average of eight and one half st. a lb. Deducting 270 lbs. for stems, the net weight brought a sum of f. 1790:19. But the duty, freight charges, and convoy charges amounted to f. 629:15. The patroon said he would deduct only half of this if Andriessen compensated him according to his ordinance for his land on which the tobacco grew. But as long as he was in dispute with him he would deduct the whole sum. Andriessen did not suffer. Van Rensselaer complained in letter of March 16, 1643, to Arent van Curler that he did not know what privilege Albert Andriessen had received, since “his cows are not mentioned in the inventory sent him.” He stated he would not want any one, no matter who he was, to own any animals which were not subject to the right of preemption. Therefore, Curler should include Andriessen’s animals in the inventory, or make him leave the colony and pay for pasturing and hay during the past year. In September 5, 1643, the patroon stipulated the following with respect to Andriessen, whose term had long before expired without his having obtained a new lease or contract. He “shall . . . be continued for the present but shall not own live stock otherwise than according to the general rule of one half of the increase belonging to the patroon and of the right of preemption and, in case he does not accept this, his cattle shall immediately be sent back to the place whence they came, with the understanding, however, that half of the increase bred in the colony shall go to the patroon in consideration of the pasturage and hay which they have used; and as to his accounts he shall also be obliged to close, liquidate and settle the same; and as far as the conditions after the expiration of his lease are concerned, the patroon adopts for him as well as for all others this fixed rule, of which they must all be notified and if they do not wish to continue under it must immediately leave the colony, namely, that every freeman who has a house and garden of his own shall pay an annual rent of 5 stivers per Rhineland rod and for land used in raising tobacco, wheat or other fruits 20 guilders per Rhineland morgen, newly cleared land to be free for a number of years, more or less, according to the amount of labor required in such clearing. Andriessen not only cultivated tobacco. He operated “two large sawmills,” run by a “powerful waterfall,” worth as much as f. 1000 annual rent, but the patroon let him have them for f. 250 annual rent. 17 From May 4, 1652, to May 4, 1672, Andriessen is charged with the annual rent for these two mills and the land on Norman’s Kill. Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652 – 04 May 1672. Originally this Kill was called Tawasentha, meaning a place of the many dead. The Dutch appelative of Norman’s Kill is derived from Andriessen. The Vale of Tawasentha, referred to in Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, is now named Normans Kill after Albert Andriese Bradt. The Dutch word Norman means Norseman after Albert’s Norwegian origin. The Dutch word “kill” means creek. Normans Kill is the first tributary of the Hudson River south of the city of Albany. From the Vale of Tawasentha, From the Valley of Wyoming, From the groves of Tuscaloosa, From the far-off Rocky Mountains, From the Northern lakes and rivers All the tribes beheld the signal, Saw the distant smoke ascending, The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe. … “In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley, By the pleasant water-courses, Dwelt the singer Nawadaha. Round about the Indian village Spread the meadows and the corn-fields, And beyond them stood the forest, Stood the groves of singing pine-trees, Green in Summer, white in Winter, Every sighing, ever singing.

“And the pleasant water-courses, You could trace them through the valley, By the rushing in the Spring-time, By the alders in the Summer, By the white fog in the Autumn, By the black line in the Winter; And beside them dwelt the singer, In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley. “There he sang of Hiawatha, Sang the Song of Hiawatha, Sang his wondrous birth and being, How he prayed and how he fasted, How he lived, and toiled, and suffered, That the tribes of men might prosper, That he might advance his people!” Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain-shower and the snow-storm And the rushing of great rivers Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains, Whose innumerable echoes Flap like eagles in their eyries;– Listen to these wild traditions, To this Song of Hiawatha! Ye who love a nation’s legends, Love the ballads of a people, That like voices from afar off Call to us to pause and listen, Speak in tones so plain and childlike, Scarcely can the ear distinguish Whether they are sung or spoken; — Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha! Normans Kill Creek Whether known as Petanock, Tawasentha, Godyn’s Kil or Norman’s Kill (Norwegian’s Creek in Dutch), this meandering stream figures prominently in Bethlehem history. Though patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer contracted earlier to have mills built where the lower falls meet the Hudson, the first permanent settler on the mainland was Albert Andriesen (Bratt after 1670) of Norway. Albert came in 1637 and lived 49 years conducting a tobacco farm and mills along its shores. His neighbors were farmer and miller Pieter WINNE I (de Vlamingh, the Fleming) and fur trader Teunis C. Slingerland. Scot Archibald McCormack bought land in 1787 on both sides of the Normans Kill that reached to McCormack Road. The road’s hollow, where it drops down to the creek, was for a time called “Molasses Hollow” for the molasses that once spilled here. Barrels of the stuff rolled off a tipped over cart and broke on the way down the hill. People scurried to capture the precious sweetener in any way they could. The Normans Kill forms the northern border of the town. The Normanside Country Club covers a fair length of a creek and offers a glimpse of its once pastoral nature. In May of 2000 a landslide along its slippery clay slopes carried a produce stand down with it and prompted a major reshaping of the Delaware Avenue overpass area. Normansville was originally called Upper Hollow for the deep ravine carved by the Normans Kill that the unincorporated village sits in. In New Amsterdam he had acquired a house and lot from Hendrick Kip, August 29, 1651. It lay northeast of fort Amsterdam.” Under date of October 5, 1655, we find that he was taxed fl. 20 for this house and lot. In May, 1655, before the court of the Burgomasters and Schepens in New Amsterdam, Roeloff Jansen, a butcher, appeared and made a complaint against Christiaen Barentsen, attorney for Andriessen. Jansen had leased a house and some land belonging to Andriessen who was to give him some cows. But the house was not tight” and “not enclosed,” and the cows were missing. might still suffer. The defendant, as attorney for Andriessen, replied that it was not his fault that the demand had not been complied with according to the contract. He requested time to write to his principal about it. The Court granted him a month’s time in which to do this. In due time, however, the court ruled that Andriessen should make the necessary repairs. He had a reputation for a violent temper and cruelty to family members and quarrelsomeness with others. He was censured in a 10 May 1638 letter from Van Rensselaer for being “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel to his wife” and he was told to avoid this behavior. On 15 May 1658 Albert Andriesen Bradt and Wilem Martensen Hues advertised to sell to the highest bidder their “sloop as it rides at anchor and sails” (as is). Willem Martensen Hues was the highest bidder. After wife Annetje Barentse Van Rotmers died in 1661, widower Albert Andriesen Bradt sold the New Amsterdam property and lived at Norman’s Kill. He created a document dated 03 June 1662 whereby he paid all of his children for their shares in all of their mother’s estate: Eva (Roeloff) Swartwout, Barent Albertsen, Storm Albertsen, Engeltje (Teunis) Slingerlandt, Gisseltje (Jan) Van Echelen, Andreis Albertsen (minor), Jan Albertsen (minor), and Dirck Albertsen (minor). Albert Andriesen Bradt married second Pieterje Janse, widow of Albert Andriesen Bradt’s deceased partner in a sawmill venture, and she died in 1667. Albert Andriesen Brandt married third Geertruyt Pieterse Coeymans, widow of Abraham Pietersen Vosburgh, in 1668 and this marriage was unhappy. She filed a court petition for separation and alimony on 13 Janurary 1669 and after a long court battle they were legally separated “because of strife and differences that hath arisen between them” on 24 October 1670 and she received annual alimony of 80 schepels in apples and beavers. In 1672 Albert Andriesen Bradt turned the saw mills over to son Barent Albertsen Bradt. In his old age, Albert Andriesen Bradt’s behavior became even worse and his children were ordered to deal with him. Albert Andriesen Bradt lived his last few years with unmarried son Dirck Albertsen Bradt in Albany, NY.

GEDCOM Note

The name of Albert Andriessen occurs for the first time in a document bearing the date August 26, 1636, an agreement between him and millwright Pieter Cornelisen and carpenter Claes Jansen on the one hand, and the patroon of the colony ofRensselaerswyck, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, on the other to build and operate a saw mill. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have learnt the cultivating of tobacco in Holland, where tobacco was raised as early as 1616. In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, we, Pieter Cornelissen van munnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claesz jans van naerden, 33 years of age, house carpenter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt, 29 years of age, tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God’s name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc”Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our persons and property subject to all courts and justices for the fulfillment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August [1636]. ‘In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public . . “Kiliaen Van Rensselaer “Pieter Cornelissen “albert and riessen . . -. “Claes jansen. “J. Vande Ven, Notary.” Bradt’s Sawmill – Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652-04 May 1672. Most of the settlers who came to Rensselaerswyck in 1637 came on the vessel of the same name. Additionally a handful of settlers who first appeared in accounts of the colony are described as probably passengers on the vessel. The log of the voyage of the Rensselaerswyck was translated by Van Laer and included in The Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts. The journey was an unusually long one, beginning at Amsterdam 25 Sep 1636 It sailed from Texel on 8 Oct 1636, not arriving in Rensselaerwyck (Albany NY) until 7 Apr 1637. Difficult weather was invariably the culprit. When not beset by severe storms, still, calm, windless days made the ship drift for days at a time. For 17 days the ship was off course and near the coast of Spain when the captain at last decided they must head back because of limited supplies of food and because more and more people were growing ill daily. His goal was the south coast of England. There, at Ilfracombe, on 8 Dec, Cornelis Thomasz was stabbed by his helper, Hans van Sevenhuysen. Thonasz died the following day – a Tuesday – and the captain noted in his log how all the people in this neighborhood went to pray on account of the severe sickness which God is sending them. The Rensselaerswyck at last arrived at Manhattan on Wednesday, 4 Mar, but could not travel to Fort Orange because the Hudson River was still closed by ice. On Sunday, the 8th, two children born on board the vessel were baptised at the Manhattan church. On Sunday, the 22nd, the widow of the murdered Cornelis Thomasz, a smith, married Arent Steffeniers. Finally on March 26th, the vessel left for Fort Orange and arrived there Tuesday, April 7th. Since some of the passengers are first listed in accounts of April 3rd, these men evidently traveled to Fort Orange via yacht. The Rensselaerswyck left Fort Orange on 29 May. Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival he took the liberty of dissolving partnership and established himself as a tobacco planter. After about a year he and his brother began growing tobacco for the patroon and participating in the fur trade. Van Renssselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner of Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8, 1638, to Cornelisz he wrote: “Albert Andriessen separated from you, I hear that he is a strange character, and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you.” Nevertheless, Van Rensselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637, he wrote to Director William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the “Calmar Sleutel”, commanded byPieter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Aiidriessen “if he has good success,” otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced, it seems. One, Elbert Elbertz, from Nieukerck, eighteen years old, was a weaver; Claes Jansen, from the same place, seventeen years old, was a tailor; Gerrit Hendricksz, also from the same place, fifteen year old, was a shoemaker. Gerrit must have served Andriessen for a term of at least three years; for his first three years’ wages, from April 2, 1638 to April 2, 1641, are charged to Andriessen. In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andriessen that he had duly received his letter stating that the tobacco looked fine. But he was desirous to get full particulars as to how the crop had turned out, and to get a sample of the tobacco. He expressed dissatisfaction at Andriessen having separated from Pieter Cornelisz, and liked to know the cause of his dispute with the officer and commis Jacob Albertsz Planck and his son. He informed Andriessen that he was obliged to uphold his officers. and promised him to stand by him and cause him to be “provided with everything.” But he would not suffer bad behavior. He also informed him that it was apparent from the news he had received from several people that he was “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel” to his wife; he was to avoid this “and in all things have the fear of the Lord” before his eyes and not follow so much his own inclinations. But there was also another matter for which Van Rensselaer censured him: he had traded beaver furs with Dirck Corszen Stam contrary to contract, defrauded and cheated him. For seven pieces of duffel he had given him only the value of twenty-five merchantable beavers. Van Rensselaer also addressed a letter, of the same date, to Jacob Albertsz Planck informing him that he had written to Andriessen that he should have more respect for the officers. Planck was instructed to notify Andriessen and all others living in the colony not to engage in “such detrimental fur trade,” for he did not care to suffer in his colony those who had their eyes mainly on the fur trade.’ Notwithstanding, it was Dirck Corszen that was an unfaithful supercargo. And Van Rensselaer requested, in a letter of May 13, 1639, of Andriessen, that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owed Corszen. If he saw that Andriessen acted honestly herein, he would do all in his power to help him. Andriessen should go to the superintendent of the colony, Arent van Curler, and purchase necessaries for himself and his own people at an advance in price of 50 per cent. He should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 per cent. In return he was to furnish Van Curler with skins at such a price that he could make something on the transaction. Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that he would try to sell his tobacco at the highest price and furthermore give him 25 per cent more than his half of the net proceeds would amount to. He would moreover grant him 25 per cent discount on the grain which he bought. In fact, Van Rensselaer’s confidence in Andriessen seemed to be increasing. For he not only acknowledged that he had received several letters from him, but also wished to say to his credit that he had received returns from no one. but him. He complained, however, of the tobacco which had been sent to him in barrels. It was a great loss to both that the “tobacco was so poor and thin of leaf that it could not stand being rolled.” This. he thought, was likely due to Andriessen having left too many leaves on the plants. But not this alone: the weight was short. One barrel, put down at 292 lbs., weighed but 220 lbs. This was perhaps due to deception on the part of a certain Herman, a furrier. But anything like this should be avoided in the future. The tobacco amounted to 1,156 pounds net, which was sold for 8 st. (16 cents) a pound. Had it not been so bad and wretched, it could have been sold for twenty cents a pound. A higher price could be obtained if Andriessen would be more careful in the future and leave fewer leaves on the plants. He should try to grow “good stuff”, for the tobacco from St. Christopher, an island in the West Indies, was so plentiful in Netherland that it brought but 3 stivers a pound. Andriessen should also each year make out a complete account of all expenses and receipts from tobacco, so Van Rensselaer could see whether any progress was made. But Andriessen was a poor accountant. Neither Van Rensselaer nor his nephew, the former Director Van Twiller, could understand his accounts. Van Rensselaer therefore gave him directions to follow in making his entries and statements, claimingthat any other procedure would “leave everything confused and mixed up.” He complained that Andriessen laid certain transactions before the patroon, which should be laid before the commis. He expressed the sentiment that Andriessen was making him his servant when he wrote to him “about soap and other things.” He also complained that Andriessen caused great loss by making him hold the tobacco too high: it was safest to follow the market price in Netherland. Finally he censured him for buying unwisely – he had paid f. 200 for a heifer, “which is much too high.” is The patroon and Andriessen had several disagreements. Albert, with his brother Arent Andriessen, sent to the patroon sometime in 1642, 4,484 lbs. of tobacco. It was sold on an average of eight and one half st. a lb. Deducting 270 lbs. for stems, the net weight brought a sum of f. 1790:19. But the duty, freight charges, and convoy charges amounted to f. 629:15. The patroon said he would deduct only half of this if Andriessen compensated him according to his ordinance for his land on which the tobacco grew. But as long as he was in dispute with him he would deduct the whole sum. Andriessen did not suffer. Van Rensselaer complained in letter of March 16, 1643, to Arent van Curler that he did not know what privilege Albert Andriessen had received, since “his cows are not mentioned in the inventory sent him.” He stated he would not want any one, no matter who he was, to own any animals which were not subject to the right of preemption. Therefore, Curler should include Andriessen’s animals in the inventory, or make him leave the colony and pay for pasturing and hay during the past year. In September 5, 1643, the patroon stipulated the following with respect to Andriessen, whose term had long before expired without his having obtained a new lease or contract. He “shall . . . be continued for the present but shall not own live stock otherwise than according to the general rule of one half of the increase belonging to the patroon and of the right of preemption and, in case he does not accept this, his cattle shall immediately be sent back to the place whence they came, with the understanding, however, that half of the increase bred in the colony shall go to the patroon in consideration of the pasturage and hay which they have used; and as to his accounts he shall also be obliged to close, liquidate and settle the same; and as far as the conditions after the expiration of his lease are concerned, the patroon adopts for him as well as for all others this fixed rule, of which they must all be notified and if they do not wish to continue under it must immediately leave the colony, namely, that every freeman who has a house and garden of his own shall pay an annual rent of 5 stivers per Rhineland rod and for land used in raising tobacco, wheat or other fruits 20 guilders per Rhineland morgen, newly cleared land to be free for a number of years, more or less, according to the amount of labor required in such clearing. Andriessen not only cultivated tobacco. He operated “two large sawmills,” run by a “powerful waterfall,” worth as much as f. 1000 annual rent, but the patroon let him have them for f. 250 annual rent. 17 From May 4, 1652, to May 4, 1672, Andriessen is charged with the annual rent for these two mills and the land on Norman’s Kill. Tawasentha was the site of a powerful waterfall where Albert Andriesen Bradt operated saw mills. It became known as Norman Kil after Albert Andriesen Bradt “de Noorman”. Albert Andriesen Bradt worked a farm and these two saw mills at Bushwyck a few miles south of Albany on land he leased from Van Rensselaer and there is a record that he paid f250 annual rent 04 May 1652 – 04 May 1672. Originally this Kill was called Tawasentha, meaning a place of the many dead. The Dutch appelative of Norman’s Kill is derived from Andriessen. The Vale of Tawasentha, referred to in Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, is now named Normans Kill after Albert Andriese Bradt. The Dutch word Norman means Norseman after Albert’s Norwegian origin. The Dutch word “kill” means creek. Normans Kill is the first tributary of the Hudson River south of the city of Albany. From the Vale of Tawasentha, From the Valley of Wyoming, From the groves of Tuscaloosa, From the far-off Rocky Mountains, From the Northern lakes and rivers All the tribes beheld the signal, Saw the distant smoke ascending, The Pukwana of the Peace-Pipe. … “In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley, By the pleasant water-courses, Dwelt the singer Nawadaha. Round about the Indian village Spread the meadows and the corn-fields, And beyond them stood the forest, Stood the groves of singing pine-trees, Green in Summer, white in Winter, Every sighing, ever singing.

“And the pleasant water-courses, You could trace them through the valley, By the rushing in the Spring-time, By the alders in the Summer, By the white fog in the Autumn, By the black line in the Winter; And beside them dwelt the singer, In the Vale of Tawasentha, In the green and silent valley. “There he sang of Hiawatha, Sang the Song of Hiawatha, Sang his wondrous birth and being, How he prayed and how he fasted, How he lived, and toiled, and suffered, That the tribes of men might prosper, That he might advance his people!” Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain-shower and the snow-storm And the rushing of great rivers Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains, Whose innumerable echoes Flap like eagles in their eyries;– Listen to these wild traditions, To this Song of Hiawatha! Ye who love a nation’s legends, Love the ballads of a people, That like voices from afar off Call to us to pause and listen, Speak in tones so plain and childlike, Scarcely can the ear distinguish Whether they are sung or spoken; — Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha! Normans Kill Creek Whether known as Petanock, Tawasentha, Godyn’s Kil or Norman’s Kill (Norwegian’s Creek in Dutch), this meandering stream figures prominently in Bethlehem history. Though patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer contracted earlier to have mills built where the lower falls meet the Hudson, the first permanent settler on the mainland was Albert Andriesen (Bratt after 1670) of Norway. Albert came in 1637 and lived 49 years conducting a tobacco farm and mills along its shores. His neighbors were farmer and miller Pieter WINNE I (de Vlamingh, the Fleming) and fur trader Teunis C. Slingerland. Scot Archibald McCormack bought land in 1787 on both sides of the Normans Kill that reached to McCormack Road. The road’s hollow, where it drops down to the creek, was for a time called “Molasses Hollow” for the molasses that once spilled here. Barrels of the stuff rolled off a tipped over cart and broke on the way down the hill. People scurried to capture the precious sweetener in any way they could. The Normans Kill forms the northern border of the town. The Normanside Country Club covers a fair length of a creek and offers a glimpse of its once pastoral nature. In May of 2000 a landslide along its slippery clay slopes carried a produce stand down with it and prompted a major reshaping of the Delaware Avenue overpass area. Normansville was originally called Upper Hollow for the deep ravine carved by the Normans Kill that the unincorporated village sits in. In New Amsterdam he had acquired a house and lot from Hendrick Kip, August 29, 1651. It lay northeast of fort Amsterdam.” Under date of October 5, 1655, we find that he was taxed fl. 20 for this house and lot. In May, 1655, before the court of the Burgomasters and Schepens in New Amsterdam, Roeloff Jansen, a butcher, appeared and made a complaint against Christiaen Barentsen, attorney for Andriessen. Jansen had leased a house and some land belonging to Andriessen who was to give him some cows. But the house was not tight” and “not enclosed,” and the cows were missing. might still suffer. The defendant, as attorney for Andriessen, replied that it was not his fault that the demand had not been complied with according to the contract. He requested time to write to his principal about it. The Court granted him a month’s time in which to do this. In due time, however, the court ruled that Andriessen should make the necessary repairs. He had a reputation for a violent temper and cruelty to family members and quarrelsomeness with others. He was censured in a 10 May 1638 letter from Van Rensselaer for being “very unmerciful to his children and very cruel to his wife” and he was told to avoid this behavior. On 15 May 1658 Albert Andriesen Bradt and Wilem Martensen Hues advertised to sell to the highest bidder their “sloop as it rides at anchor and sails” (as is). Willem Martensen Hues was the highest bidder. After wife Annetje Barentse Van Rotmers died in 1661, widower Albert Andriesen Bradt sold the New Amsterdam property and lived at Norman’s Kill. He created a document dated 03 June 1662 whereby he paid all of his children for their shares in all of their mother’s estate: Eva (Roeloff) Swartwout, Barent Albertsen, Storm Albertsen, Engeltje (Teunis) Slingerlandt, Gisseltje (Jan) Van Echelen, Andreis Albertsen (minor), Jan Albertsen (minor), and Dirck Albertsen (minor). Albert Andriesen Bradt married second Pieterje Janse, widow of Albert Andriesen Bradt’s deceased partner in a sawmill venture, and she died in 1667. Albert Andriesen Brandt married third Geertruyt Pieterse Coeymans, widow of Abraham Pietersen Vosburgh, in 1668 and this marriage was unhappy. She filed a court petition for separation and alimony on 13 Janurary 1669 and after a long court battle they were legally separated “because of strife and differences that hath arisen between them” on 24 October 1670 and she received annual alimony of 80 schepels in apples and beavers. In 1672 Albert Andriesen Bradt turned the saw mills over to son Barent Albertsen Bradt. In his old age, Albert Andriesen Bradt’s behavior became even worse and his children were ordered to deal with him. Albert Andriesen Bradt lived his last few years with unmarried son Dirck Albertsen Bradt in Albany, NY.

---

GEDCOM Note

Andriessen is also spelled Andriesse and even Andriesz.

Albert misspelled and 'Norman" added as alternate name CRBM: 826 - New York Genealogical and Biographical Records (Ref. see pages 4,5,6, Vol. 67) https://minerdescent.com/2012/01/17/andries-arentse-bradt/

GEDCOM Note

!B: Swartwout Chronicles A. J. Weise 189

!B: Swartwout Chronicles A. J. Weise 1899, p. 89, 91-137, 160, p. 581-3; A Norwegian Family in Colonial America, Peter R. Christopher, 3rd edit., 1994, p. 3, 5, 26, 32, 36-176; "Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts", edited by A. J. F. Van Laer, 1908p. 350-351, 407, 676-677, 809-811; "Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630 - 1674", by John O. Evjen, 1916, p. 19, 26; from: Fredrikstad (in S.E. Norway at the mouth of Glommen River), age 29 in 1636 M: ibid D: ibid, died at age 79y, died with son, Dirck B: Luthern cemetery Name Bradt used first in 1670. Albert was known as "The Norman" (de Noorman) & settled at Rensselaerwick in 1630. (Normanskill). In an agreement dated 26 Aug 1636, with Pieter Cornelissen Van Munnickendam. age 43y and Claes Jansen Van Naeden, age 33y, he is listed as "Albert Andriessen Van Fredrickstadt, age 29y. Tobacco Planter" He soiled from the TEXEL (Holland) 8 Oct 1636 with (Pieter on the ship, Rensselaerwyck, arrived at New Amsterdam 4 March 1637 with wife and 2 ? children, another (Storm) born at sea

GEDCOM Note

!BIR-MAR-DEATH: Cynthia BIASCA; BRADT B

!BIR-MAR-DEATH: Cynthia BIASCA; BRADT BOOK !Bratt / De Norman (from/of Normandy) !NYGENWEB *Albert was a sailor, tobacco planter and a miller. He wa s a man of uncertain temper such that his third wife gaine d a separation due to "strife and difference". *Also: Albert De Noorman

GEDCOM Note

From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 J

From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 January 1996.

GEDCOM Note

[SarahBrink.ged.FTW] !NOTES: Albert sai

[SarahBrink.ged.FTW] !NOTES: Albert sailed to America from Amsterdam with the Dutch 8 OCT 1636 on the "Rennsselarewyck". He had a brother, Arent Andriese Bratt, who lived in Schenectady. Albert was a tobacco planter and fur trader who owned a sawmill and farm on "Normans Kil". He had at least two wives. (l) Annetje Barentse Von Rolmers. Their children: Eva (RIN 916), Barent, Storm, Albertse, Vanderzee, Engeltje, Gisseltje, Andries, Jan, and Dirk Albert m. again after Annetje died. Apparently this m. (2) did not last long and produced no children. All that is known is that Albert was separated from Geertruy Vesburg on 24 OCT 1679 because "strife and difference hath arisen between them". It is also known that Albert once owned a house and lot in New Amsterdam (NYC). !BOOK: NEW WORLD IMMIGRANTS, Teppler, p. 22 (m. and children)

GEDCOM Note

! Records of Van Den Bergh Genealogy cop

! Records of Van Den Bergh Genealogy copied by Barbara Perricelli

GEDCOM Note

BIOGRAPHY: Had a farm and mill on the N

BIOGRAPHY: Had a farm and mill on the Norman's kil, which took its name from him. !Divorced third wife, Geertruij Pietersz Coeymans, 24 Oct 1670.

GEDCOM Note

Albert Andriessen married Annetie Barent

Albert Andriessen married Annetie Barents on Easter Sunday of 1632 in the Ouderkirke in Amsterdam, Holland. He was listed in the Dutch Reformed Church's Marriage Intentions for March 1632 as a sailor. Age 24, with no parents, assisted by an uncle, Lourens Peters. In the last few years of his long life, he lived in Albany with his unmarried son, Dirk. He died at the advanced age of 79.

GEDCOM Note

"DE NOORMAN, ALBERT, (or the Northman,)

"DE NOORMAN, ALBERT, (or the Northman,) owned land in Bu. at an early date. Possibly this may be Albert Andriessen Bradt de Noorman, for an account of whom see p. 433 of Vol. I. of O’Callaghan’s N. N. Louwerens, was plaintiff in a suit against Jan Tuenese Sept. 29, 1660, as per Lib. B of Flatbush court rec.". Pg 92. REGISTER IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, OF THE Early Settlers of Kings County, LONG ISLAND, N Y., FROM ITS First Settlement by Europeans to 1700; WITH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR BIOGRAPHIES AND GENEALOGIES, COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. By TEUNIS G. BERGEN, Author of Bergen, Van Brunt, and Lefferts Genealogies. NEW YORK: S. W. GREEN’S SON, PRINTER, ELECTROTYPER AND BINDER. 1881 "Albert Andriessen Bradt from Norway never appears as Albert Andersen, which is what one would expect of a Norwegian, but he spent several decades in and around Amsterdam before coming to America." Albert was a man of uncertain temper such that his third wife gained a separation due to "strife and difference". *Also: Albert De Noorman

GEDCOM Note

Albert Andriessen, or Albert Andriessen

Albert Andriessen, or Albert Andriessen Bradt [Bratt] was one of the earliest Norwegian settlers in New Netherland. He came from Fredrikstad, a town at the mouth of the Glommen, the largest river in Norway. In the early records he is often called Albert de Noorman (the Norwegian). After 1670 he became known as Albert Andriesz Bradt. Whether he was related to the Bratts of Norwegian nobility, can not be ascertained. The Bratt family lived in Bergen, Norway, before the early part of the fifteenth century, when it moved to the northern part of Gudbrandsdalen. It had a coat of arms until about the middle of the sixteenth century. Since that time the Bratts belong to the Norwegian peasantry. They have a number of large farms in Gudbrandsdalen, Hedemarken, Toten, and Land.' In the state of New York there are many families of the name of Bradt, descendants of the pioneer from Fredrikstad. The name of Albert Andriessen occurs for the first time in a document bearing the date August 26, 1636, an agreement between him and two others on the one hand, and the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, on the other. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have learnt the cultivating of tobacco in Holland, where tobacco was raised as early as 1616. " In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, we, Pieter Cornelissen van munnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claesz jans van naerden, 33 years of age, house carpenter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt, 29 years of age, tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God's name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc. "Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our persons and prope rty subject to all courts and justices for the fulfillment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August [1636]. 'In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public . . "Kiliaen Van Rensselaer "Pieter Cornelissen "albert and riessen . . -. "Claes jansen. "J. Vande Ven, Notary." As Andriessen was twenty-nine years of age when he made the agreement with Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, he must have been born about 1607. Pursuant to the stipulation in the agreement, he sailed, accompanied by his wife, Annetje Barents of "Rolmers," and as it would seem by two children, October 8, 1636, on the "Rensselaerswyck," which arrived at New Amsterdam March 4, 1637. On this voyage, which was very stormy, his wife gave birth to a son, who received the name of Storm and who in later records is frequently called Storm from the Sea. The log of the ship ("Rinselaers Wijck") contains under the date of November 1 and 2 [1636J, the following interesting entries which are given in facsimile in the "Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts," 360 f.: The translation is as follows: November Saturday 1. In the morning we veered toward the west and drifted north. The Wind S. W with rough weather and high seas. The past half day and entire night. Sunday: 2. Drifted 16 leagues N. E. by E.; the wind about west, the latitude by dead reckoning 41 degrees, 50 minutes with very high seas. That day the overhang above our rudder was knocked in by severe storm. This day a child was born on the ship, and named and baptized in England Stoerm; the mother is Asnetie Baernts. This day gone. Inasmuch as there were eight children born to Andriessen and his wife, Storm being the third, two of their children, Barent and Eva, were likely with their parents on this voyage. Five of their children were born in the new world: Engeltje, Gisseltje, Andries, Jan and Dirck Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival he took the l iberty of dissolving partnership and established himself as a tobacco planter. Van Renssselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner of Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8, 1638, to Cornelisz he wrote: "Albert Andriessen separated from you, I hear that he is a strange character, and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you."6 Nevertheless, Van Rensselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637, he wrote to Director William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the "Calmar Sleutel", commanded by Pieter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Aiidriessen "if he has good success," otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced, it seems. One, Elbert Elbertz, from Nieukerck, eighteen years old, was a weaver; Claes Jansen, from the same place, seventeen years old, was a tailor; Gerrit Hendricksz, also from the same place, fifteen year old, was a shoemaker. Gerrit must have served Andriessen for a term of at least three years; for his first three years' wages, from April 2, 1638 to April 2, 1641, are charged to Andriessen. In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andriessen that he had duly received his letter stating that the tobacco looked fine. But he was desirous to get full particulars as to how the crop had turned out, and to get a sample of the tobacco. He expressed dissatisfaction at Andriessen having separated from Pieter Cornelisz, and liked to know the cause of his dispute with the officer and commis Jacob Albertsz Planck and his son. He informed Andriessen that he was obliged to uphold his officers. and promised him to stand by him and cause him to be "provided with everything." But he would not suffer bad behavior. He also informed him that it was apparent from the news he had received fro m several people that he was "very unmerciful to his children and very cruel" to his wife; he was to avoid this "and in all things have the fear of the Lord" before his eyes and not follow so much his own inclinations. But there was also another matter for which Van Rensselaer censured him: he had traded beaver furs with Dirck Corszen Stam contrary to contract, defrauded and cheated him. For seven pieces of duffel he had given him only the value of twenty-five merchantable beavers. Van Rensselaer also addressed a letter, of the same date, to Jacob Albertsz Planck informing him that he had written to Andriessen that he should have more respect for the officers. Planck was instructed to notify Andriessen and all others living in the colony not to engage in "such detrimental fur trade," for he did not care to suffer in his colony those who had their eyes mainly on the fur trade.' Notwithstanding, it was Dirck Corszen that was an unfaithful supercargo. And Van Rensselaer requested, in a letter of May 13, 1639, of Andriessen, that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owed Corszen. If he saw that Andriessen acted honestly herein, he would do all in his power to help him. Andriessen should go to the superintendent of the colony, Arent van Curler, and purchase necessaries for himself and his own people at an advance in price of 50 per cent. He should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 per cent. In return he was to furnish Van Curler with skins at such a price that he could make something on the transaction. Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that he would try to sell his tobacco at the highest price and furthermore give him 25 per cent more than his half of the net proceeds would amount to. He would moreover grant him 25 per cent discount on the grain which he bought. In fact, Van Rensselaer's confidence in Andriessen seemed to be increasing. For he not only acknowledged that he had received several letters from hi m, but