Dutchman Imprisoned in New France — Denys Hegeman

B. 1658 in Flatbush, New Netherland
M. about 1680 in Maine
Wife: Grace Dollen
D. about 1702 in New York

The 17th-century in America included some interaction between European settlements, and by virtue of where Denys Hegeman was living, he found himself involved in three different colonies. Denys was born in about 1658 in Flatbush, New Netherland. His parents, Adrian Hegeman and Catharina Margetts, had migrated from Holland in about 1650. Denys had six brothers and one sister. Adrian became one of the early leaders in Flatbush, and was the area’s first teacher. 

In 1673, Denys was a private in Captain Stemnek's company of the Reformed Dutch Church in Flatbush. He moved to Pemaquid, Maine, possibly having been sent there as a member of the militia, and in about 1680, married Grace Dollen, a woman born to English settlers there. In a valuation made October 14, 1687, Denys had an estate in the town of Jamestown, Maine. Another undated document, supposedly about 1688, mention is made of "a Certaine Tract of upland lying upon ye westwards side of Pemaquid River between ye lotts of Henry Hedger & Denise Higaman."

Denys and Grace had four children born in Pemaquid between 1681 and 1688. Then on August 2, 1689, Pemaquid was assaulted by a band of Abenaki Indians, and among the inhabitants taken prisoner were Denys' wife Grace and their daughter Jane. It’s unknown what became of the child, but Grace was held captive by the Indians for three years. She was moved from place to place, then she was taken to New France and sold to the French, who held her in Quebec City for another two and a half years.

The fort at Pemaquid in 1691.

Meanwhile Denys Hegeman returned to New York, probably with the rest of their children; his name is on a document from April 16, 1690 regarding his mother's estate. In 1691, he obtained permission from New York's governor Henry Sloughter to make a trip to Pemaquid to see if he could make contact with Grace again. Soon after, Governor Sloughter arranged for a small ship to take Denys to Pemaquid. The intention was to find a way to deal with the Indians who took Grace. When he arrived, though, he was taken prisoner by a Frenchman and transported to Quebec City.

While Denys was in Quebec City, he was joined by Grace, and on March 4, 1693, their son Joseph was born. Denys was then moved to France, leaving his wife and son behind in New France. Later he wrote, in a petition to authorities to get Grace released, "I have been a prisoner in all said place about three years to the great hardship durance & damage of your petitioner who is a lame man having but one arm." It is not known when he lost his arm.

Denys was released from captivity in about 1694 and returned to Flatbush. Grace left Quebec City on September 4th, spent the winter in Port-Royal, Acadia, and made it to Boston in May 1695. She returned to Denys in Flatbush where they had a son Jacobus born in 1699. The family was listed in the census consisting of one man, one woman and five children.

Denys' signature on a 1699 document.

It is believed that Denys died in about August of 1702 because there is a record showing that money was paid for his shroud. Grace had a child born the following year and she named him Denys. On April 13, 1703, she filed a petition asking for money as a reward for the years of service of her late husband. Grace lived as widow for many years, and died in 1734. 

Children:
1. Dollens Hegeman — B. about 1681, Pemaquid, Maine; D. before 20 May 1760, (probably) Middlesex, New Jersey; M. Geertruy Bergen, 1703, Middlesex County, New Jersey

2. Adrian Hegeman — B. about 1683, Pemaquid, Maine; D. Aug 1762, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. (1) Elizabeth Van Wyck (?-1720), 15 Dec 1706, Flatbush, New York; (2) Sarah ______, before 1719

3. Catharina Hegeman — B. about 1688, Pemequid, Maine; M. (1) Hendrick Vonck (1681-bef 1735), 12 May 1706, Flatbush, New York; M. (2) Anke Lefferts Haughwot, 30 July 1735

4. Jane Hegeman — B. about 1687, Pemaquid, Maine; D. about 1699, (probably) Maine

5. Joseph Hegeman — B. 4 Mar 1693, Quebec City, New France; D. 31 Mar 1748, Flatbush, New York; M. Alida Andriesz (1699-?), 4 Jun 1714, Flatbush, New York

6. Jacobus Hegeman — B. 18 Jan 1699, Jamaica, New York; D. 25 Sep 1736, Hillsborough, New Jersey; M. Jannetje Van Vegten (1701-1778), 13 May 1721

7. Denys Hegeman — B. before 29 Jun 1703, (probably) Jamaica, New York; D. after 1762

Sources:
"The Tribulations of Denys Hegeman," Richard W. Cook, Genealogies of New Jersey Families: A-Z, pre-American notes on New Netherland families, 1996
Register of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N.Y., Teunis G. Bergen
Genealogy website of John Blythe Dobson, which cites many sources