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 the Norman. After 1670 he became known as Albert Andriesz Bradt. Whether he was related to the Bratts of Norwegian nobility, cannot 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 Gudbrandscalen, 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.

1630: Albert Andriessen Bradt, “de Noorman,” married Annetje Barents, by whom he had eight children, viz., Barent; Eva (who m. Roleloff Swartwout); Storm, Engeltje (who m. Teunis Slingerland, of Onisquathaw); Gisseltje (who m. Jan Van Eechelen); Andries, Jan, and Dirck.191

Albert Andriesie Bradt was born in 1607 in Fredricksdtad, Norway. He emigrated in 1636/37 from Amsterdam with Annatje (wife) and his brother Arent. They sailed from Texel, October 8, 1636 on the Rensellaerswyck and arrived at New Amsterdam, March 4, 1637. He died on 7 Jun 1686 in Albany, New York. He was also known as Albert Andriessen De Noorman, known by his patrionimic of “de Noorman” meaning “the Norwegian” in the records of Rensellaerswyck and Albany. The surname Bratt/Bradt did not come into use until his children began using it much later in life (except, of course, his son Storm took the surname Vanderzee). “Albert was one of three men (the other two were Pieter Cornelisz and Claes Jansz) who signed a contract with Kiliaen van Rensselaer on 26 Aug 1636 to be partners in a saw mill in the new colony of Rensellaerswyck in the New World. In this agreement he is given as tobacco planter, 29 years of age.

From May 4, 1652 to May 4, 1672, he is charged with an annual rent of f250 for two mills and land on the Normans Kill. Annetje Barents dired before June 5, 1662, leaving him eight children of whom the eldest was born on the Rensselaerswyck and named Storm. This son later adopted the name of van der Zee. 219

Albert settled at Rensselaerswyck but soon left and established himself at Norman’s Kill (stream near Albany) which took its name from him (The Norwegian’s Creek).

He had three wives: Annatje Barentse, Pietertje Jans, and Gertrude Pieterse Coeymans. Albert spent his last days with his son, Dirck, in Albany. His father’s name was Anders or Andries, the Dutch form of the Norwegian Anders. His mother’s name was probably Eva or Aeffie since both Albert and his brother, Arent, named their firstborn daughters Eva. It is not known when Albert moved to Amsterdam but he was there at least by 1632.

There are references in Dutch records to his brother, Arent, his uncle, Lourens Pieters, and a godmother. At the time of his marriage in Amsterdam in 1632 he was listed as Albert Andriessz from Frerickstadt, 24 years old, a sailor in the merchant marine, living on the Romboutsteegh (Rombout Alley). In the absence of his parents, he was assisted by his uncle, Lourens Pieters, presumably his mother’s brother. This gives us a possible name for Albert’s mother: Aeffie/Eva Pieterse. It is not known what education Albert received as a child but he could read and write. He was married to Annetie Barentse Van Rottmer on 11 Apr 1632. Oedekerk Dutch Reformed Church Records.193

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.

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, 1636, the following interesting entries which are given in facsimile in the "Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts", 360 f.:

"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 min. 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 Bnnetie Baerents. 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, Dirck.

Eva was married in October, 1647, to Anthony De Hooges, since 1642 superintendent of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and later on August 13, 1657, at Fort Orange, to Roeloff Swartwout, who on January 27, 1661, was made sheriff, thus completing the organization of the first council of justice in the present colony of Ulster.220, Vol. I, Article "Bratt" 221 222, pg. 676 203, Vol. 11, pg. 437

BRATT. Two brothers of this name, Arent Andriese, and Albert Andriese, were among the early settlers of Albany. The former settled in Schenectady with his family in 1662, and became the progenitor of the families of that name in that city and vicinity; the latter remained in Albany. [Note. some of the Bratts belonged to the Lutheran Church of Albany, whose ancient records are lost. Such children as were christened there, will not be found here.]

Bratt, Albert Andriese, de Noorman, had a farm and mill on the Norman’s kil, which took its name from him. In 1672, his son Barent succeeded him in the occupation of the mill, and in 1677 Teunis Slingerland, his son-in-law, succeeded to the lease of his farm. He died, according to Dr. O’Callaghan, the 7th June, 1686, “een van de oudsteen eerste in woonders der Colonie Rensselaerswyck.” His first wife was Annetje Barentse Van Rotmers, who was deceased in 1662. On the 24th Oct., 1670, the governor gave an order for the separation of Albert Andriese and Geertruy Vosburgh because “strife and difference hath arisen between them.” His children, all by his first wife probably, were Barent; Eva, the wife first of Antony de Hooges, and second of Roeloff Swartwout of Esopus; Storm alias Storm Albertse Vanderzee; Engeltie, wife of Teunis Slingerland of Onbsquathaw; Gisseltie, wife of Jan Van Ecchcien; Andrica; Jan; Dirk.193