Hans Hansen Bergen (abt. 1610 - 1654)

Born about 1610 in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway

Husband of Sarah Joris Rapalje — married 1639 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland

Descendants

Died 30 May 1654 at about age 44 in Brooklyn, New Netherland

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Biography

"Hans Hansen Bergen was one of the earliest settlers of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, and one of the few from Scandinavia. He was a native of Bergen, Norway." ^[1]He was a ship carpenter who moved from Norway to the Netherlands from which he emigrated arriving about April of 1633 in one of the ships of Wouton Van Twiller's fleet.^[2]

On March 30, 1647, Hans received a patent for 200 morgens (400 acres of land on Long Island, which was a portion of the purchase Governor Kieft made in 1638 from the Indian proprietors. It is described as lying "on the kil of Joris Rapalje," from whose house "it extends north by east till to Lambert Haybertsen's (Moll) plantation; further on to the kil of Jan de Sweede, according to the old marks, till to the kil of Mespaechtes (Newtown Creek), to and along the Cripplebush; further to the division line of Dirck volkertsen's land, which he purchased from Wilder and the division of Harry Satley."^[3]

Birth

In the Web: Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015, Hans' date of birth is given as 9 Jun 1619 ^[4]. The US Find A Grave Index also uses 1619 as the year of birth ^[5], and the American Genealogical Biographical Index gives the range of 1610-1619 ^[6]. He was born in Berge, Hordaland, Norway, the son of Hans Nilsen and Marta Jonassdotter . Wikipedia.com uses 1610 as his birth date, probably because his mother's death date is given as 1616 ^[1]

Arrival

• Hans Hansen was a ship's carpenter who removed from Norway to the Netherlands, and emigrated to the colonies arriving in New Netherlands about April of 1633 in one of the ships of Dutch East India Company.^[1][7][8]

Property

• Hans Hansen bought on 16 June 1637, from the "Kakapeteyno" and "Pewichaas" Indians, 335 acres called "Rinnegackonck". (In present Brooklyn near the US Hospital). Patented to him on 17 Jun 1643, by the Governor).^[9]
• Hans Hansen received a patent for 400 acres on Long Island from the Governor on 30 March 1647.^[7][9]

Marriage

• Hans Hansen Bergen married Sarah Jorissen Rapalje in New York in 1639 when he was 29 years old.^{[1][7][9][10]}

Death

• Hans Hansen Bergen died at Fort Orange, Albany, New York Colony, on May 30, 1654, when he was 44 years old.^[1][4].

Family

Hans Bergen married Sarah Joris Rapalje* (1625-1685) Hans and Sarah had 8 children:

1. Anneken Hansen Bergen; bap. July 22, 1640.
   • m1. Jan Clercq of Brazil on Jan17, 1661. He d. Nov. 15, 1661.
   • m2. Derck Janse Hooglandt from Maerseveen, Utrecht, Holland, on Oct. 8, 1662.
2. Breckje Hansen Bergen*; bap. July 27, 1642.
   • m. Aert Theuniszen Middagh*; b. before 1625 in Heicop (or Heykoop) Holland; d. in about 1687 in New York.
3. Jan Hansen Bergen; bap. Apr. 17, 1644.
   • m. Jannetje Teunis; bap. Dec. 22, 1641. She is the daughter of Teunis Denyse (or de Nyse) of Gowanus, who survived her husband and died before 1735.
4. Michael Hansen Bergen; bap. Nov. 4, 1646; d. c1732
   • m. Femmetje Denyse (or de Nyse); bap. Apr. 3, 1650, daughter of Teunis Denyse, and sister of Jannetje Teunis.
5. Joris Hansen Bergen; bap. July 18, 1649
   • m. Sara Strycker, daughter of Jan Strycker of Flatbush.
6. Maritje Hansen Bergen; bap. Oct. 8, 1661
   • m. Jacob Ruthzen (or Rutgersz)
7. Jacob Hansen Bergen; bap.Sep. 21, 1653
   • m. Elsje Frederiks of the Kreest, on July 8, 1677. She was bap. July 7, 1658. She is the daughter of Frederick Lubbertsen, b. 1609, a sailor, who arrived very early to America, and Tryntje Hendricks of Brooklyn.
8. Catalyn Hansen Bergen; bap. Nov. 30, 1653, a twin to Jacob, probably died young.

Church Records

Children's baptisms^[11]

1. 1640. 22 Jul. Anneken, Hans Noorman. Wit.: d'Hr. Willem Kieft, Teuntje Jeurgien.
2. 1642. 27 Jun. Brecktje, Hans Hanszen, Noorman. Wit.: Jan Montfoort, Sara Planck.
3. 1644 17 Apr. Jan, Hans Hanszen de Noorman. Wit.: Jan Montfoort, Jan Snyderken, Anneken Bogardus.
4. 1646 04 Nov. Michiel, Hans Hanszen, Noorman. Wit.: Michiel Pauluszen, Pieter Janszen Noorman, Janneken Rappalje.
5. 1649 18 Jul. Joris, Hans Hanszen. Wit.: Paulus Leendertszen, Marritie Lievens.
6. 1651 08 Oct. Marritje, Hans Hanszen. Wit.: Pieter Corneliszen, Judith Joris, Annetje Laurens.
7. 1653 21 Sep. Jacob, Hans Hansze. Wit.: Adriaen Blommart, Cathalyn Jorazy.
8. 1653 30 Nov. Catalyn, Hans Hanszen. Wit.: Aert Willemszen, en zyn huis vrouw.

Baptismal witness

• 1642. 1 June. Sijtie. Laurens Pieterszen Noorman. Witnesses: Hans Hanszen Noorman, Gijsbert Corneliszen, Cornelis Willemszen, Christina Vijnen. ^[12]

Research Notes

- Note: American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) about Hans Hansen Bergen [1]

- Note: Dutch Pilgrim Immigrant [2]

- Note N1Hans hansen Bergen was born in Bergen, Norway about 1620, moved to holland, and then to New Amsterdam (now NYC) He Married Sara rapalie when she was 14.

- There is a family tradition that while he was engaged, he was chased by Indians. He took refuge in a tree but they soon discovered him. he was blessed with a melodius voice, and began to sing 'In My Greatest Need, O Lord" his singing so charmed the indians that after listening for some time in delight, they left him, and he was free to go on his way.

- Much data can be found from the book "The Bergen Family" by Teunis G. Bergen, 1876

1. Brief Biography:
2. Hans Hansen Bergen*; b. in or near Bergen, Norway emigrated to Amsterdam, Holland in 1633, as a young man with training as a shipwright or ship's carpenter. In the same year, 1633, he hired on as a ship's carpenter for passage to America. He arrived in New Amsterdam in 1633.
3. There is a comprehensive genealogy of the American family of Hans Hansen Bergen, compiled by Teunis G. Bergen in 1876. The link above is to a pdf file that has the contents of this book pertaining to the first generation. It is a large file and will take awhile to download, but it is a valuable source document for many early New Amsterdam families.
4. Hans' date of birth is unknown. There are references that say he was born in 1627, but that is implausible because it is unlikely that he would have been hired at the age of 6 in 1633 to serve as a ship's carpenter, and that he would marry and sire his first child at the age of only 13. The latest date of his birth that would be believable is about 1617.
5. Very little is known about his family in Norway. The Bergen genealogy carefully explores all the variations in his name for hints of his ancestry. Clearly the surname, Bergen, is based on where he came from, and his middle name, Hansen, most probably means he is a "son of Hans". Several historical references refer to him as "De Bergen" or "Van Bergen", reinforcing the idea that his family is from Bergen, depending on whether one sees his name in Dutch ("Van" = from) or French ("De" = from). He was also known as "Hans De Noorman" or "Hans Van Noorman" ("Norman" = North Man) and its variants on certain documents, referring apparently to his homeland of Norway. The Bergen genealogy also found several references which identified him as the son of "Hans Boore*", which may or may not reflect an ancestral surname, perhaps an occupational name for a carpenter who can bore holes in wood.
6. Hans had very little, if any, formal education. His degree of literacy is questionable, because nothing has been found in his own writing, although he had testified as a witness in many court cases, where his verbal statements have been recorded by the meticulous Dutch wigged Magistrates of early New Amsterdam. As the owner of a tap-house, he was witness to many altercations and disputes. He signed documents with his "sign", which was the letter "H", laid on its side.
7. Evidently, he was a large, strong man, with a pleasant disposition, and liked to sing. The court records seem to show that he was a popular and highly trusted witness to many common disputes, many of which he could resolve by virtue of his bearing. Skilled as a carpenter, he would have been popular in the early colonial environment.
8. The circumstance of his early death in 1654 are unknown.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Wikipedia contributors, "Hans Hansen Bergen," Wikipedia.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Hansen_Bergen
2. ↑ William Swayer Bergen, p.A2
3. ↑ Henry R. Stiles, p. 88
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Web: Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015 https://https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/19597023:9289
5. ↑ US Find A Grave Index https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/182210054:60525
6. ↑ American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/924292:3599
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Stiles, Henry A. A History of the City of Brooklyn – Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick, and the Village and City of Williamsburgh. 2 Volumes.Published by Subscription; 1867. Reprinted by Forgotten Books; 2014. Vol 1, Page 88-90.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Bergen, Theunis G. The Bergen Family or the Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen – One of the Early Settlers of New York and Brooklyn L.I…..Joel Munsell; Albany, N.Y.; 1876. Page 21-25.
10. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Dutch Reformed Church Records from New York and New Jersey. Holland Society of New York, New York, New York.
11. ↑ Thomas Grier Evans. "Baptisms from 1639 to 1730 in the Reformed Dutch Church, New York." In Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Vol. II. New York: Printed for the Society, 1901.
12. ↑ Thomas Grier Evans. "Baptisms from 1639 to 1730 in the Reformed Dutch Church, New York." In Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Vol. II. New York: Printed for the Society, 1901. Page 13.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 July 2019), memorial page for Hans Hansen Bergen (1619–1654), Find A Grave Memorial no. 175183787; Maintained by Willora Glee Krapf (contributor 47029104) Body lost or destroyed, who reports a Buried someplace in Brooklyn, NY. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175183787/hans-hansen-bergen
• Evjen, John O. Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674: With Appendices on Scandinavians in Mexico and South America, 1532-1640, Scandinavians in Canada, 1619-1620, Some Scandinavians in New York in the Eighteenth Century, German Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674. 1916. p. 56-59
• GenealogieOnline. Coret Genealogie. https://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/from-castles-to-america/I50124.php: accessed 29 July 2019.
• GenealogieOnline. Coret Genealogie. https://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/stamboom-middag/I4602.php: Accessed 29 July 2019.
• Founders and Patriots of America Index; National Society of Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America; Genealogical Publishing Com, 1989 - 255 pages.
• Tepper, Michael, editor. "Immigrants to the Middle Colonies: A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists and Associated Data from "The New York Genealogical Biographical Record." Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore: 1978. 178p. Repr. 1979
• Van Norden, Theodore Langdon. The Van Norden Family Three Hundred Years in America 1623-1923. Lancaster, PA:1923, Page 57.
• HUGHES, THOMAS PATRICK. AMERICAN ANCESTRY: Giving the Name and Descent, in the Male Line of Americans Whose ... Ancestors Settled in the United States, Previous to... Joel Munsell's Sons, 1889. Multiple volumes. Digitized and reprinted by FORGOTTEN Books, 2016. Vol 6, Page 151.
• https://web.archive.org/web/20130831142927/http://www.concentric.net/~pvb/GEN/hhb.html