Andries Arents BRADT / Kinetis UNKNOWN

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[1237] 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 oft en called Albert the Norman. After 1670 he became known as Albert Andriessen Bradt. Whether he was related to the Bratts of Norwegian nobility can not be ascertained. The Bratt family lived in Bergan, 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 Bratt belong to the Norwegian peasantry. They have a large number of farms in Gudbrandsdalen, Hedemarken, 'Poten, 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 other s on the one hand and the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerwyck, Kilia envan Rensselaer, on the other. The agreement was made and signed in Amsterdam. It states that Andriessen was a tobacco planter. He may have l earned the cultivation of tobacco in Holland where tobacco was raised as early as 1616.

As Andriessen was 29 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, 16 36 on the Rensselaerwyck which arrived a 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 contains under the dates November 1 and 2 the following entries:

November Sa (turday) 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.

(1) John Eujen, Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630 - 1664 (Genea logical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1972).

(Sunday) 2. Drifted 16 leagues N.E. by E.; the wind about west, the latitude by dead reconing 41 degrees, 50 minutes with very high seas. The day was overhang above our rudder was knocked in by severe storm. This day a child was born on the ship, and named and baptised in England Stoerm ; the mother is Annetie Barents. This day is 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.

Eva was married in October, 1647 to Anthony de Hooges, since 1642 superintendent of the colony of Rensselaerwyck, 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 county of Ulster.

Engeltje was married to Teunis Slingerland of Onisquathaw. Gisseltje was married to Jan van "Eecheten"(?). Storm Albertse is mentioned in a list of settlers in Esopus. The list was prepared in 1662. His will, in which we learn the name of his wife, Hilletje Lansinck, probably Dutch, and which mentions that he had children, but does not give their names, is dated February 24, 1679.

Dirck or Hendrick is mentioned in a list of settlers in Esopus (1664).

Andriessen and his partners were to operate a mill. But not long after his arrival, he took the liberty of dissolving the partnership and establishing himself as a tobacco planter. Van Rensselaer had sent greetings to him in a letter dated September 21, 1637, (addressed to the partner o f Andriessen, Pieter Cornelisz, master millwright) but in a subsequent letter, of May 8r 1638r to Cornelisz he wrote: "Albert Andriessen separates 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 Rensesselaer entertained the hope that Albert Andriessen would succeed as a tobacco planter. On December 29, 1637; he wrote t o William Kieft that he should assign some of the young men on board the Calmar Sleutel commanded by Peter Minuit and sailing in the same month, to tobacco planting with Andriessen "if he has good success", otherwise they were to serve with the farmers. These young men were inexperienced it seems.

In a letter of May 10, 1638, Van Rensselaer advised Andrienssen 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.

Van Rensselaer also informed Andriessen that it was apparent from the news that 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 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 Andreissen that he should write him the truth of the matter and pay him what he still owes 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. H e should get merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of 75 percent. 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 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, 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 Ibs, weighed but 220 Ibs. This was perhaps due to deception on the part of a certain Herrman, 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 20 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. V n Rensselaer therefore gave him direction to follow in making his entries and statements, claiming that any other procedure would "leave everything confused and mixed up." He complained that Andriessen laid certain actions 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 was much too high."

The patroon and Andriessen had several disagreements. The latter with his brother Arent Andriessen, with whom we shall later get acquainted, sent to the patroon sometime in 1642; 4,484 lbs of tobacco. It was sold on an average of 8 and one-half st, per pound. Deducting 270 Ibs 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 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 a 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 to him." He stated that he would not want anyone, 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.

On 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 livestock 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 first all be notified, and if they do not wish to continue under it must immediately leave the colon y, namely, that every free man 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 Rhinel and 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. From May 41 1652 to May 4, 1672, Andriessen is charged with the annual rent for these two mills and the land on Merman's Kill. Originally this kill was called Tawasentha, meaning the place of many dead. The Dutch appellative of Norman's Kill is derived from Andriessen.

In New Amsterdam he had acquired a house and lot from Hendrick Kip on August 29, 1651. It lay northeast of Fort Amsterdam. Under date of October 5, 1655, we find he was taxed fl. 20 for this house and lot.

The acquirement of property is not seldom followed by litigation as is also seen in the case of Andriessen. 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. He claimed the interest and damage which he had suffered or 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.

Albert Andriessen was married twice. His first wife died before June 5, 1662. His second wife, Pieterie Jansen, died about the beginning of 156 7 in New Amsterdam, leaving an insolvent estate. Her son in-law was Ebert Benningh. Albert Andriessen died June 7, 1686.

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