Hendrick Thomasse van Dyke 1609 to 1687

From: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L89R-QCV

From: http://famousamericans.net/hendrickvandyke/

For a very thorough history, see: https://minerdescent.com/2010/08/08/hendrick-thomasse-van-dyke/

For “Schout Fiscal“, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schout

Hendrick Thomasse van Dyke was born in 1609 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. His parents were Thomas Janse van Dyke and Sytie Dirks.

He married Duvertje Cornelisse Botjagers in about 1635 in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Hendrick sailed from Amsterdam, 25 May 1640, in the ship “Waterhondt”, bearing a commission of ‘Ensign Commandant’ in the service of The Dutch West India Company, and accompanied by a company of foot-soldiers to reinforce the garrison of Fort Amsterdam.

Hendrick was also accompanied by his wife and his daughter, Ryckje.

Due to a disaffection arising between him and Director Kieft, Hendrick returned home with his family in 1644. The West India Company, in response to complaints of the New Netherland colonists, eventually recalled Director Kieft and reorganized the colonial government by appointing Petrus Stuyvesant, First Director; Lubbertus van Dincklagen, Vice Director; and Hendrick van Dyck, “Schout Fiscal”, (The “Schout Fiscal” or “Fiscall”, the chief legal officer, was a very important position, performing the functions of attorney-general, public prosecutor, chief magistrate, customs officer, and chief of police) a combination of Sheriff and District Attorney. Hendrick and his family, thus, returned to New Netherland on 11 May 1647.

Hendrick and Stuyvesant were instant enemies starting on the passage over. And when they reached New Amsterdam, the governor excluded him from the council and succeeded in depriving him of all his influence and dignities. In 1650 he made an earnest protest to the home government “against the excesses of Director Stuyvesant,” but the latter influenced his dismissal in March 1652.

In 1655, at a time when the citizens were entirely unprepared for an attack, the Indian tribes that surrounded New Amsterdam landed within the city limits with 500 warriors, broke into houses, abused the people, and among others wounded Van Dyke, who was seated peacefully in his garden. The citizens rushed to the fort, a struggle ensued, and three Indians were killed. The Indians took to their boats, but in revenge laid waste the farms on the New Jersey coast, killed 50 of the inhabitants of Staten Island and took 100 prisoners.

Hendrick was a prominent citizen of New Amsterdam. He received Patents for lots in New Amsterdam from the Dutch Government, one on May 11, 1654, and the other on December 12, 1657. His closing years were passed in retirement. He is described as a “thrifty man, dealing in real estate, and loaning money.”

After Duvertje died, Hendrick married Magdalena Jacobse Rysens (Magdalena Jacobse Rysens was born about 1640 and died in New Amsterdam before September 1679.) (widow of Jacob van Couwenhoven) on 30 May 1675 in New York City.

He married a third time to Neeltje Adriaens, widow of Jan Lauwrensz, of New Utrecht (now a part of Brooklyn), on September 07, 1679.

Hendrick Thomasse van Dyke died in 1687 in New York City. He is buried at Old St. Marks Cemetery in New York City.