M. about 1639 in New Netherland
Wife: Sarah Jorise Rapalje
D. 30 May 1654 in Brooklyn, New Netherland
Hans Hansen Bergen was an early immigrant to New Netherland, who was involved in the colony's short-lived period of tobacco farming.
Born in Bergen, Norway in about 1610, Hans had been trained as a ship builder. He left his native country and made his way to the Netherlands, where in 1633, he signed up to be a carpenter on a ship bound for America. The ship was believed to be the Zoutburg, which also carried Wouter Van Twiller, New Netherland’s newly appointed director-general. Van Twiller took over after Peter Minuit was recalled by the Dutch West Indies Company. The Zoutburg was said to be the first war ship to arrive in New Amsterdam; it transported over 100 soldiers “wearing steel corsets, leather jackets, and carrying half pikes and wheel-lock muskets.”
As a Norwegian, Hans fit right into the cosmopolitan community of New Amsterdam. He was sometimes called “Hans Hansen Noorman” in records; other times he was referred to as Hans Hansen Boer because “boer” was Dutch for farmer, his new livelihood. He signed his name with just an initial “H,” suggesting he was probably illiterate.
By 1638, Hans was working as an overseer on a tobacco plantation located in Manhattan near the East River. Director-General Van Twiller had encouraged the development of tobacco farms, and by 1639, there were up to 27 of them in the colony. Hans also partnered with two other men to cultivate a tobacco plantation located in what is now Greenwich Village. Harvesting tobacco required special barns that were larger than normal, and perhaps Hans’ skills as a carpenter were useful in building such structures. He also had a house in New Amsterdam located on what would one-day become Pearl Street.
1640s illustration depicting tobacco growing in New Amsterdam.
In about 1639, Hans married Sarah Rapalje, who was known as the first European child born in New Netherland. She was only 14-years-old when they got married, and she gave birth to their first child the following year. Between 1640 and 1653, they had 8 children, with the youngest dying as an infant.
In 1647, Hans was granted land in Wallabout Bay, which is a part of present-day Brooklyn, and he moved his family there. His property had 400 acres and was adjacent to his father-in-law, Joris Rapalje. There was a story handed down in the Bergen Family, told by descendant Teunis Bergen in an 1876 book. It was said that when Hans was clearing his land, he was chased up a tree by some Indians. Out of fear, he began to sing, and the natives were so charmed by his voice, they let him go without harming him. It’s not known if there’s any truth to this at all.
Hans died at his farm on May 30, 1654, leaving his widow Sarah with seven underage children. Later that year, she married a second husband, Teunis Bogaert, and had another eight children. Sarah died in 1675.
Hans’ name lives on today in Brooklyn with Bergen Street and Bergen Beach. Some also think that Bergen County in New Jersey was named for Hans and his family, but this is not proven. He was also the ancestor of James Spader.
Children:
1. Anneken Hansen Bergen — B. 12 Jul 1640, Flatlands, New Netherland; D. 1677, Long Island, New York; M. (1) Jan Clerq (~1641-1661), 8 Jan 1661, Flatbush, New Netherland; (2) Derck Jansen Hooglandt (~1635-1728), 8 Oct 1662, Flatbush, New Netherlands
2. Brecktje Hansen Bergen — B. before 27 Jul 1642, New Netherland; M. Aert Theuniszen Middagh (~1635-~1687), 1662, Brooklyn, New Netherland
3. Jan Hansen Bergen — B. before 17 Apr 1644, New Netherland; M. Jannetje Teunis (1648-?)
4. Michiel Hansen Bergen — B. before 4 Nov 1646, New Netherland; D. 22 Jan 1731; M. Femmetje Denyse (1650-1734)
5. Joris Hansen Bergen — B. before 18 Jul 1649, (probably) Brooklyn, New Netherland D. 22 Jan 1731, Brooklyn, New York; M. Sara Stryker (1649-1736), 11 Aug 1678, New York
6. Maritje Hansen Bergen — B. before 8 Oct 1651, (probably) Brooklyn, New Netherland D. 9 Sep 1722, Brooklyn, New York; M. Jacob Rutsen (1651-1730), Ulster, New York
7. Jacob Hansen Bergen — B. before 21 Sep 1653, Brooklyn, New Netherland; M. Elsje Frederiks (1658-1720), 8 Jul 1677, Brooklyn, New York
8. Catalyntje Hansen Bergen — B. before 21 Sep 1653, Brooklyn, New Netherland; D. 20 Nov 1653, Brooklyn, New Netherland
Sources:
The Bergen Family: The Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen, Teunis G. Bergen, 1876
The Colony of New Netherland: A Dutch Settlement in Seventeenth century America, Jaap Jacobs, 2009
Hans Hansen Bergen (Wikipedia article)
