Descendants of Hendrick Joachemsen Schoonmaker
of Hamburg HRE and Dutch America

Generation #1

Hendrick Joachemsen Schoonmaker of New Amsterdam

Hendrick, son of Joachem, was christened 11/29/1624 in Hamburg (die Grosse Hansea Stadt), Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Hendrick's parents are believed to have been Dutch merchants, living in the largest city of the Hanseatic League. But, was Hendrick Dutch, German, or even Danish. Reportedly, Hendrick's parents were married in Breestede, Duchy of Schleswig, then a Danish territory. Cursory examination of the spelling of names in the Schoonmaker family leads to appreciation of possible Danish origin.

In 1653 Hendrick immigrated to New Amsterdam. As the son of merchants, it was possible for Hendrick to have booked passage to the New World without having migrated to Holland. Evidently, Hendrick was recruited for military service for the Dutch West Indies Company with the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1653 at Fort Orange (Albany Dist.) NY, Hendrick married Elsje Janse Van Breestede b. c. 1623 Breestede, Duchy of Holstein. Hendrick and Elsje settled purchased property and settled initially at Ft. Orange where he operated an inn.

In 1659 when the Wiltwyck settlement south of Ft. Orange was threatened by Indians, Hendrick volunteered for service, eventually selling his holdings at Ft. Orange. On 3/28/1660, Hendrick appears as a soldier in the "Netherlandish service in the company of his Noble Honor, the Director General," then stationed at Esopus (Wiltwyck now Kingston). And, the Esopus volunteers were granted land as payment for service. In May of 1662 the Esopus militia was organized with Hendrick as Lieutenant. And, they would be needed.

On 7/7/1663 Hendrick was a central figure in what we know as the the Battle of the Wiltwyck Stockade. Without notice, the Esopus Indians had infiltrated the stockade by twos and threes. When on command, a general melee ensued. Hendrick, who had been standing at the gate, ran first to his house to protect his family. Being severely wounded, Hendrick and others continued the fight amongst the houses until reinforcements arrived.. In the end, with the aid of cannons, the savages were cleared from the stockade. But many of the residents of Esopus had been taken captive, including Hendrick's oldest son, Joachem Hendrick.

In the days and weeks immediately following, the Esopus Militia, in the company of additional reinforcements from New Amsterdam, scoured the countryside all the way up Rondout Kill to Wawarsink where they stormed the Indian fortifications and most of the hostages were freed. But most importantly, the military might of the Esopus Indians had been destroyed, and the survivors were scattered among the many Indian villages of the Hudson Valley.

In 1664 the Dutch colonies in North America were captured by a fleet sent by the Duke of York and were renamed New York. Eventually, the Dutch communities would come under English administrative control. But, this was not very popular with the folks at Esopus.

On 2/4/1667 the people of Kingston took up arms against the English in revolt against their abusive authority and in response to the imprisonment of Barent Slecht. Barent was severely beaten for defending himself and his family from a detachment of British soldiers who had entered his brewhouse and harassed his family. The Dutch burghers marched on the British garrison, demanding Cornelis' release and the court ordered his release, but Captain Brodhead, the English commander, defied them all, saying he would keep Cornelis "as long as he wished" and threatened violence should the matter be pressed. In April during hearings on the "Esopus Mutiny," Captain Broadhead admitted his actions and was suspended from his command for disobeying the orders issued by the British governor of New York forbidding harassment of Dutch citizens. 

Also, Albert Heymans, Roosa, and others were found guilty of a "rebellious and mutinous riot" and were taken to New York City for sentencing. On 5/3/1668 Albert Heymans was sentenced to be banished for life out of the lands of the New York colony and the others for shorter terms out of Esopus, Albany, and New York.

Eventually, the inhabitants of Kingston began to assimilate into the new English culture. But, leave town and head up the Old Mine Road toward the Delaware; and the folks of the hinterland didn't speak English for another 100+ years.

When not fighting Indians or taking shifts of guard duty, Hendrick was both an innkeeper and a farmer. Hendrick wrote his will on 3/4/1682 and died shortly thereafter in Kingston, Ulster Co NY.

• Christened 11/29/1624 in Hamburg, Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

• Immigrated 1653 to Ft. Orange (now Albany), Dutch America

• Married 10/14/1653 in Fort Orange (now Albany) Dutch America to Elsje Janse van Breestede b. c. 1623 Breestede, Duchy of Schleswig

• 1655 Lieutenant Hendrick Schoonmaker of the Burgher Company

• 1659 Enlisted for military service at Wiltwyck Stockade (now Kingston), Dutch America

• 1659 Settled at Esopus (now Kingston), Dutch America

• 1662 Esopus Settlement Tax List: Hendrick Schoonmaker

• 5/30/1662 Esopus Militia organized: Lt. Hendrick Schoonmaker

• 7/7/1663 Battle of Wiltwyck Stockade

• 1664 New Amsterdam captured by an English fleet sent by the Duke of York, renamed New York

• 2/4/1667 Esopus Mutiny

• 1669 Esopus and the Wiltwyck Stockade renamed Kingston

• Worked as an innkeeper and farmer at Kingston NY

• 1/5/1679 Witnessed Christening at Wiltwyck (Kingston) NY 

• Will written 3/4/1682 at Wiltwyck (Kingston) NY in Dutch

• Died 1682 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

    Children

    1. Joachem Hendrixsen Schoonmaker b. c. 1655 Ft. Orange (Albany) New Amsterdam

    2. Egbert Hendrixsen Schoonmaker

• Born 1658 Ft. Orange (Albany) Dutch America

• 1659 Relocated w/ family to Esopus, Dutch America

• 3/4/1682 Wiltwyck (Kingston) NY Probate

• 8/17/1683 Kingston, Ulster Co NY Baptism

• 1664 New Amsterdam captured by an English fleet sent by the Duke of York, renamed New York

• 1669 Esopus and the Wiltwyck Stockade renamed Kingston

• Married 10/13/1684 in Kingston, Ulster Co NY to Annetje Berry ch. 10/10/1663 New Amsterdam

• 1700 Cpt. Egbert Schoonmaker of the Ulster Co NY Cavalry

• 1717 Ulster Co NY Tax List, Corporation of Kingston: Egbert Shoonmaker £240 

• Died after 1717 Kingston, Ulster Co New York

    3. Engletje Hendricksze Schoonmaker

• Christened 3/18/1663 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New Amsterdam

• 1664 New Amsterdam captured by an English fleet sent by the Duke of York, renamed New York

• 1669 Esopus and the Wiltwyck Stockade renamed Kingston

• Married c. 1677 in Ulster Co NY to Nicholaes Anthony ch. 1/28/1657 New Amsterdam

• 3/4/1682 Wiltwyck (Kingston) NY Probate

• Married 1699 in Ulster Co NY to Stephen Gasherie b. c. 1660 Marne, France

• Died before 1717 Kingston, Ulster Co New York

• 1717 Ulster Co NY Tax List, Corporation of Kingston: House of Nicolaes Anthony £5 

    4. Hendrick Hendrickixsen Schoonmaker (Twin)

• Christened 5/17/1665 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

• 3/4/1682 Wiltwyck (Kingston) NY Probate

• 1664 New Amsterdam captured by an English fleet sent by the Duke of York, renamed New York

• 1669 Esopus and the Wiltwyck Stockade renamed Kingston

• Married 3/24/1688 Kingston, Ulster Co NY to Gertrude de Witt ch. 10/15/1668 Kingston, Ulster Co NY

• 1709 Kingston, Ulster Co NY Record

• Died 1712 Kingston, Ulster Co New York

• 1717 Ulster Co NY Tax List, Corporation of Kingston: Geertruy Schoonmaker £220 

    5. Volckerte Schoonmaker (Twin)

• Christened 5/17/1665 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

• Died 1666 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

    6. Hillitje Schoonmaker

• Christened 10/20/1669 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

• Died 1669 Wiltwyck (Kingston) New York

Generation #2