Jonas Bronck (abt. 1600 - 1643)

Born about 1600 in Sävsjö, Jönköpings län, Småland, Sverige

Husband of Teuntje Jeurians Slaghboom — married 6 Jul 1638 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland

Died 1643 at about age 43 in Bronkland, New Netherland

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Biography

Jonas Bronck is Notable.

Jonas Jonasson Bronck, or Brunck, was born in Jönköping County, Småland, Sweden.^[1] The municipality of Sävsjö claims the honor of his birth in the nearby hamlet of Komstad, Norra Ljunga socken.^[2] He was about 40 at the time of his marriage, born around the year 1600.^[1]

Marriage

Jonas Jonass Brůck and Teůntje Jůriaens were married 6 July 1638 in Amsterdam.^[3] The marriage banns were issued 18 June 1638 between Jonas Jonass brunck and Teuntje Joriaens at Huwelijksintekeningen van de Kerk (Church).^[4] Teuntie was the daughter of Jeuriaen Reyndersz of Korte Boomdwarsstraat.^[1] Jonas, occupation Captain,^[1] signed his name:

Jonas Bronck Signature 1638

Immigration

Jonas and his wife sailed from the Hoorn aboard the "Brant van Troyen" ("Fire of Troy") after April 1639. They arrived in New Amsterdam before 16 June 1639. On board with Jonas were Peter Andriessen and Lourens Duyts, who leased land from Jonas, as well as Clara Matthys, a housemaid who later eloped with Gerrit Jansen.^[5] The ship also carried cattle.^[6]

Bronck's Land

In 1637, prior to his marriage and his emigration, Jonas Bronck acquired a patent from the Dutch Government for "The Ranaque tract, north of Haerlem."^[7] He would also purchase the same land, at 40°48′13″N 73°55′33″W between the Harlem River and the Aquahung (later called the Bronx River) from the natives.^[8]

“The invisible hand of the Almighty Father surely guided me to this beautiful country, a land covered with virgin forest and unlimited opportunities. It is a veritable paradise and needs but the industrious hand man to make it the finest and most beautiful region in all the world.” ^[9]

Here in this beautiful country, Jonas built a house of stone with a tile roof. He had a barn, and a tobacco house and a hay barracks, horses and pigs. Besides growing tobacco and other crops, he must have sold milk. Five milk cows are more than one small family needs for their own consumption. He had farm implements, including 23 new axes. He also had amenities, that indicated his wealth and education. He had silver spoons and a silver cup and other items of silver. Besides his guns he had a rapier and a japanese cutlas. He owned a black satin suit and a gold signet ring. He also owned many books in several languages. Most of the books were religious in nature.^[10] Jonas called his home Emaus, from the biblical location where the risen Jesus met two followers and talked with them.^[11]

Nieuw Nederland records for Jonas Bronck

18 July 1639 at Fort Amsterdam. ("Receipt of Andries Hudde...") Andries Hudden acknowledges debt of 200 Carolus Guilders to Mr. Jonas Bronk ^[12]

21 July 1639: “Mr. Jonas Bronck, plaintiff, vs. Clara Matthys, defendant. Plaintiff Plaintiff demands that the defendant fulfill the contract made with her, or that she forfeit [her wages] and be made to pay according to the contract.

“Having examined the contract made between Clara Matthys and Mr. Bronck, signed by the notary and witnesses, the aforesaid Clara, or in her place Gerrit Jansen from Oldenborch, inasmuch as they intend to marry each other, is condemned to pay to Mr. Bronc whatever he may claim according to the contract.”^[13]

21 July 1639, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Bond of Gerrit Jansen van Oldenborch (from Oldenburg) to Jonas Bronk" Gerrit acknowledges a debt of 100 Carolus Guilders, arising from an agreement between Mr. Bronck and Clara Matthys at the city of Amsterdam. ^[14]

21 July 1639: at Fort Amsterdam. Lease for “... a parcel of land belonging to him, situated on the main land opposite the flat land of the Manhates, on which said land they shall be at liberty to plant tobacco and maize, on the express condition that every two years they shall be bound to clear new pieces of land for the planting of tobacco or maize and, on changing the place, the land which they had previously planted shall remain at the disposal of the above named Mr Bronck. Moreover, the land which they shall each time abandon, they shall be bound to deliver fit to be plowed and to be sowed with grain. The land aforesaid they may occupy and use for the term of three consecutive years, for which Mr. Bronck shall have nothing to claim but the land which shall have been cleared through the diligence of Pieter Andriessen and Lourens Duyts,...”

Pieter and Lourens Duyts also acknowledge a debt for “what Mr Bronck has disbursed for them for board on the ship De Brant van Troven amounting to the sum of one hundred and twenty-one guilders, 16 stivers, of which Pieter Andrlessen must pay fl. 81:4 and Lourens Duyts fl. 49:12. Which sum aforesaid they promise to pay ...” ^[15]

15 August 1639: Marriage contract of Jan Jacobsen from Vreelant and Marritje Pieters from Copenhagen" - Teuntje Jeuriaens from Amsterdam and Jonas Bronc her husband are named as heirs of Marritje Pieters. In subtext in the page, A.J.F. van Laer discusses that it is suspected that Anthonia Jeuriaens Slachboom or Slaghboom was probably Danish but that she is described as being from Amsterdam, leaving doubt. ^[16]

1642 Treaty signing by J W Dunsmore

15 August 1639. Document 154 - "Lease of a farm from Jonas Bronck to Cornelis Jacobsen Stille and his brother Jan Jacobsen" ^[17]

In 1642, Bronk's house was used to sign a treaty between Dutch officials and local natives, the Wecquaesgeek, a part of the Lenape Indians.^[18] pictured in the painting by John Ward Dunsmore

Children

Jonas Bronck had no known children. It was believed for many years that Pieter Bronck, was the son of Jonas. For various reasons this has been called into question. Among these is the 1643 will of Pieter who left his estate to Engeltje Mans because “his father, mother and other friends are far from here,” implying that his parents were alive but Jonas had been dead for about 6 months.^[19][1]

Death

Jonas died probably in 1643 in Bronk's land, Nieuw-Nederland (now The Bronx, New York). An inventory of Jonas' estate was taken 6 May 1643, by Teuntjen Jeuriaens and Pieter Bronck, in the presence of Everardus Bogardus, minister, and Mr. Jochim Pletersen Kuyter, who were guardians of Teuntjen.^[20][10]

Legacy

Each of New York City's five boroughs is also a separate County. The Bronx, the only borough attached to the mainland of the North American continent, is named in Jonas Bronck's honor.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Mattice, Shelby. "Jonas and Pieter Bronck." Originally published in the Greene County Historical Society’s newsletter “The Messenger.” Spring 2011 [http://www.registerstar.com/columnists/windows_through_time/article_5c493629-a57f-51d7-93bb-284956a574cb.html Register-Star online. January 18, 2012. Hudson, New York.
2. ↑ Roberts Sam. "A Bronck in the Bronx Gives a Swedish Town a Reason to Cheer." The New York Times Aug 19, 2014.
3. ↑ "Netherlands, Noord-Holland Province, Church Records, 1523-1948," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-31159-21848-31?cc=2037985 : 21 August 2014), Nederlands Hervormde > Amsterdam > Trouwen 1635-1682 > image 43 of 502; Nederlands Rijksarchiefdienst, Den Haag (Netherlands National Archives, The Hague). right-hand page, first column, 8th entry
4. ↑

   Index record:

   registration date: 18-06-1638

   name of groom: Bronch, Jonas Jonassen

   name of groom: Brunck, Jonas Jonass

   name of bride: Joriaens, Teuntje

   source reference: DTB 449, p.118

   comments: Huwelijksintekeningen van de KERK.

   Image of marriage bann: "Netherlands, Noord-Holland Province, Church Records, 1523-1948," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-31158-15945-60?cc=2037985 : 21 August 2014), Nederlands Hervormde > Amsterdam > Huwelijksaangiften, Trouwen 1637-1638 > image 314 of 553; Nederlands Rijksarchiefdienst, Den Haag (Netherlands National Archives, The Hague).

5. ↑ Olive Tree Genealogy Ships Passenger Lists Brant van Troyen (Fire of Troy). Cites Notarial documents 26, 28 and 30 April 1639 NewNetherland Connections. 4:67 and Register of Provincial Secretary 21 July 1639 in CHM, and Council Minutes 21 July 1639.
6. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 154, Book Page 215-216
7. ↑ O'Callaghan, Edmund Bailey. History of New Netherland; or New York Under the Dutch" Volume II. p. 581 New York G. S. Appleton, 1848
8. ↑ Jenkins, Stephen. The story of the Bronx, from the purchase made by the Dutch from the Indians in 1639 to the present day. New York, G.P. Putnam, 1912 p.26
9. ↑ Evjen: "Letter from Jonas Bronck to Pieter Van Alst", Page 167-181
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Register: Transcription of Jonas Bronck's inventory, Vol. 2, Document 54, Book Page 121-125
11. ↑ Luke 24. vs 13-15. Bible Gateway
12. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 139, Book Page 193
13. ↑ Council Minutes, p. 53.
14. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 140, Book Page 194-195
15. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 141, Book Page 196-197
16. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 153, Book Page 213
17. ↑ Register: Vol. 1, Document 154, Book Page 215-216
18. ↑ Wikipedia Article Jonas Bronck
19. ↑ Register: Transcription of Pieter Bronck's will, Vol. 2, Document 88a, Book Page 76
20. ↑ Images of the inventory of the estate of Jonas Bronck New York State Archives Digital Collections

• Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (scanned book images) Document transcriptions. Fourth volume of the Dutch Colonial Manuscripts at the New York State Archives. New Netherland Institute.

• Evjen, John Oluf. Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674 (K.C. Holter, Minneapolis, Minn., 1916)

• Van Laer A. J. F, Kenneth Scott, Kenn Stryker-Rodda, and Charles T. Gehring.. Register of the Provincial Secretary (Baltimore, 1974)

• Wikipedia contributors, "Jonas Bronck," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonas_Bronck&oldid=723970320 (accessed June 8, 2016).

• This WikiTree profile is referenced from Wikidata: Item Q1702920, en:Wikipedia
• https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Jonson_Brunk