Came to America with parents in March 1652
Was appointed first Sheriff of Wiltwyck (Kingston)
Will dated 30 March 1714

pg 178: Listed on the passenger list of De Bonte Koe (The Spotted Cow), Captain Pieter Lucasz, April 15, 1160: Roeloff Swartwout, farmer. [On his return to New Netherland, where he had previously resided.]191

In Indian fight June 7, 1663; member of General Leisler’s Council of War with France.

Roeloff Swartout, son of Tomys and Hendrickjen Otsen Swartwout, was born in Amsterdam , Holland and baptized there 6/1/1634. He came to America with his parents in March 1652. In 1656, Roeloff paid a visit to Beverswijch, by which name the present city of Albany was legally known until 1664. On account of the crescent form of the bank of the river at this point this hamlet was called the Fuyck or Beversfuych, and it was Fuyck by the Dutch for many years after it had passed into the hands of the British. Here it is related, he met Eva Albertse Bratt, widow of Antoine de Hooges and mother of several children and on finding himself enamored with the attractive widow, he married her. His father, Tomys, attended the wedding on August 13, 1657.

Having decided to become a resident of Esopus, near Kingston, Roeloff made a voyage to Holland to buy Agricultural instruments. He sold and mortgaged about all he owned to raise the necessary money. He returned from Holland on De Bonte Koe (The Spotted Cow), Captain Pieter Lucasz. With him he brought in his employ, Cornelius Jacobez Van Leenwen; Arent Mertensz and Ariaen Huijbertsz from Guilderland. While in Holland, he made efforts to obtain a local Court of Justice and pastor for Esopus. While in Amsterdam he asked the lords of the West India Company to appoint him sheriff (Schout) of the settlement. He received the appointment and when he returned to America, the Director General was very angry over the appointment because he had not been consulted and wrote to Holland objecting. He received a letter back from the lords of the West India Company giving him a severe reprimand for his criticism of the appointment. This appointment completed the organization of the first Court of Justice in the County of Ulster.

Elsewhere in Swartwout Chronicles, we are told that Roeloff was an “enterprising and respectable young man.” He must also have had some temper for in 1663 he was suspended from office for writing “an insulting letter” but he must also have had strength to ackowledge a fault for he apologized to his superiors.

Roeloff Swartwout, Warnaer Hoornbeeck and Eva Alberts witnessed/sponsored the 27 Apr 1679 baptism of Claertie de Hoges, daughter of Johannes de Hoges and Margriet Post in Kingston, Ulster Co, NY.

From 1689-90 he held the position of Justice of the peace and Collector of Grand Excise of Ulster County.

His second objective in visiting Holland had been to obtain a settled pastor for Esopus, and it was apparently accomplished for we are told “On March 4, 1661, Thomas Chambers, Cornelius Barentsen Slecht, Gertruy Andries, Roeloff Swartwout, Alaerdt Heymensen Rose and Juriaen Westvael agreed in writing to give Blom (the Dutch pastor) as salary for the first year, to commence 9/5/1660, the sum of 700 guilders in corn, at beaver valuation in case his farm should fail, we promise further to put the farm in good order according to contract as soon as the land has been allotted and raise that sum at the latest for the coming farming season.

Having rented a bouwerij (farm), embracing 43 morgens (or about 86 acres) belonging to Jacob Janse Stoi’s widow, whose husband had been killed by the Indians at Esopus in October, 1659, Roeloff Swartwout occupied it shortly after his return from Holland.

The first Lord’s Supper was held 12/28/1660 at which both Roeloff and wife, Eva, were among the 17 participating.

The town of Hurley, Ulster Co., which was to be the home of Roeloff Swartwout for the remainder of his life is described in “History of Ulster Co., NY” as lying on the west of the territory and as being bounded on the north by Woodstock, on the east by Kingston, on the south by Rosendale and marbletown and on the west by Marbletown and Olive. The settlement of the town dates back to about 1662 when several patents were granted upon the territory of Nicuro Corp. Fifty years later, we find the name of Barnardus Swartwout among the members of the corporation. In 1674, we find a complaint was filed against Roeloff Swartwout by a magistrate, Louis DuBois, charging him with settling in the Flat Land contrary to Governor’s orders.

What follows was copied from O’Callahan’s “Documentary History of New York”: “Captain Milborn — Friends and Brothers — After cordial salutation, yours of 5 April is shown to me. I have got as much maize as I could find which I send up to your Honor with Theunis Pieterson’s Yacht. I am busy getting as much money from the Kinn’s revenue as will satisfy the people from whom I had the corn. The number will appearby the list in the letter. touching the election of two delegates from our country, it shall be done on the 15th inst. I was put off until your Honor’s arrival here. I feared a contest about it, I admit. It ought to be a free election for all classes, but I would be loath to allow those to vote or to be voted for who have refused to this day to take their oath, lest so much leaven might taint that which is sweet of our hed men, from Pieter d’laney. There is yet no further news from sea. I expect quick progress and good success against the French, our enemies both by water and by land. I shall expect to see your Honor’s arrival here in the yacht coming soon. Finally I commend your Honor to God’s protection and remain, your Honor’s servant to command... signed Roeloff Swartwout.

The life of Roeloff and wife seems to have been an ideal one for those times. They were evidently prosperous, public spirited, and religious, while living through all the vicissitudes of life in the new world. About the year 1689, Eva died. Two years later, Roeloff married, in the city of New York, Francijntje Andries, widow of Abraham Lubbertszen. Surviving his second wife, he died in Hurley in May 1715.

From “The Early History of Kingston and Ulster Co., NY” published by the Ulster County Historical Society, Marbletown, Kingston, NY, 1975: “Circumstances surrounding appointment of roeloff Swartwout as the first schout (sheriff) of Wiltwyck (Kingston) are of interest. On 15 apr 1660, the directors in Holland informed Stuyvesant that “One Roeloff Swartwout, who now comes over with some other men and farmers, to settle at the Esopus and engage in agriculture, has petitioned us here for the office of sheriff at the place, and although it is premature in our opinion, we have granted the aforesaid request to encourage the man and promote justice.” Swartwout was the son of Tomas [sic] Swartwout of Fort Orange (Albany). Roleoff had left Fort Orange, made a trip to the Netherlands and was now about to return to Niew Netherlands and settle at Esopus. It is presumed that Swartwout may have secured the office through influence of his wife’s connections. She was the widow of Anthony de Hooges who had served as secretary of the colony of Rensselaerwyck.

What follows is from the “New York Historical Manuscripts-Dutch Kingston Papers,” Vols. I and II (1661-1667): On January 3, 1671/2, Roeloff Swardwoudt informs the honorable court that he, Warnaer Hoorenbeecz, Johannes de Hoogens and Daniel Pruine, while returning from marbletown, between Hurley and Marbletown, found a fire on a wood path and near it 4 savages busy cooking something and judging from their language they were southern savages which they themselves acknowledged. They asked Swardwoudt and the whole company whence they came and Johannes De Hoogens answered, “froz Waeewaersink” and the aforesaid savages said they also intended to go to Waewaersink and after much talk they said to the savages, “Go with us to the Dutch houses,” whereupon the savages said, “We shall follow you.” And for the purpose of making the savages follow them, they took one of their rifles. And they, seeing that the savages did not follow them, returned right away to the spot and found the savages gone. They could see by the burning of the fire that the savages had departed shortly after them and maintain that the savages are planning mischief and therefore informed the honorable court. Captain Chambers proposes the necessity of keeping watch. The honorable court orders a watch of 4 men until further orders because the messenger remains away beyond the time. Capt. Chambers proposes the necessity of having the village closed as per the decree.204

SWARTWOUT, Roeloff, a resident and freeholder of Beverwyck, until 1660, when he was appointed first sheriff of wiltwyck, at the Esopus; 1663, suspended from office on account of an insolent letter, on making an apology restored; 1689-90 appointed justice and collector of the grand excise of Ulster county. He married Eva Albertse, daughter of Albert Andriese Bratt, and widow of Antony de Hooges, of Beverwyck.193, pg 170

“No. The bans of the following have been published for three Sundays, and as no objections have been raised, they have been married on date and in the years as follows:

104. 1691 Nov 22. Roelof Swartwout (wid. of Eva Albers) and Franyntie Andries (wid. of Ab. Lubbers), with certificate from Do. Selyns, were married by R. Van Giesen.”211