The Fulkerson Family Pages
Our Infamous Stepfather Jan Jansen Damen
In Mark Caldwell's book, New York Night: The Mystique and Its History, Chapter One, the author imagines the antics of Dirck's stepfather-in-law, the second husband of our great, great, great....grandmother, Adrienne Cuvelier Vigne. Jan Jansen Damen is portrayed becoming dangerously drunk at The Wooden Horse tavern, and the author goes into significant detail regarding a conflict between him and our grandfather Dirck in which our grandmother Christine was attacked by Damen, but Dirck gallantly and courageously (and, somewhat comically) came to her defense. Note: if you purchase the book, please, be aware, the book is dedicated to extolling the "glories" of New York night life, so there is some material which many may find inappropriate, disturbing, or objectionable.
Promisory note of Dirck Holgersen to Director Kieft.
"Before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, to me well known, who freely and deliberately acknowledged that he was indebted to the Hon. Mr. Willem Kieft, director here in New Netherland for the General Chartered West India Company, in the sum of seven hundred and twenty guilders, payable in three installments; the first instalment of fl. 300 Dirck Holgersen shall be bound to pay on the fairday of Amsterdam 1638; the second instalment of fl. 300 in like manner on the fairday of Amsterdam 1639; and the third and last instalment of fl. 120 on the fairday of Amsterdam anno 1640. He hereby promises to pay the aforesaid money honestly and honorably into the hands of the Hon Mr. Kieft, or his successor, free of costs and charges, without any gainsay, submitting to that end his person and property, real and personal, present and future, without any exception, to the control of all courts, judges and justices under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Court of Halland, and to all other courts, judges and justices, without any exception. In testimony and token of the honest truth, I have subscribed this with my own hand. Thus done in For Amsterdam in New Netherland, this first of May Ao. 1638. "This is the X mark of Dirck Holgertsen Noorman." [Footnote: "fairday of Amsterdam" – Sept. 22.]
Dirck could not move out fast enough for Jan Jansen Damen.
Barely two months later the conflict rose to the boiling point:
July 21, 1638: Jan Damen, plaintiff, vs. Abraham Isaacksen Planc and Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, defendants. The plaintiff requests to be master of his house and that the defendants be ordered to acknowledge him as such and to stay away from the plaintiff’s house. The defendants are ordered to keep away from the plaintiff’s house and to leave him master in his own house.
Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, plaintiff, vs. Jan Damen, defendant, for assault. Parties are ordered to submit testimony, the case being put over to the next court day.
July 22, 1638: Declaration of Mauritz Jansen and Pieter de Mey regarding an attempt of Jan Damen to throw Dirck Holgersen’s wife out of doors.
This day, the 22d of July 1638, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Mourits Jansen, assistant, aged 20 years, and Pieter de May, aged 24 years, and jointly declared by true Christian words in place and with promise of an oath, if necessary, that it is true and truthful that the wife of Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, being at the house of Jan Damen and said Jan Damen telling her that she must go out of the house, she refused and did not intend to leave the house, whereupon Jan Damen aforesaid pushed said Dirck Holgertsen’s wife out of the house, as she would not depart by fair words. Dirck Holgersen thereupon coming to defend his wife, Jan Damen, drawing a knife, made a cut at said Dirck Holgertsen, who took up a post and struck Jan Damen with it. This is all. They, the deponents, concluding herewith their declaration, etc.
Maurits Jansen. Pieter de Mey.
July 22, 1638: Declaration of surgeon Gerrit Schutt and Jan Pietersen respecting the above assault.
This day, the 22nd of July Ao. 1638, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, appeared Gerrit Schut and Jan Pietersen, alias Comrade Jan, at the request of Dirck Holgertsen, Noorman, and jointly declared by Christian words, in place and with promise of an oath if necessary, that it is true and truthful that they, the deponents, being some days ago at the house of Jan Damen, there saw and heard what follows:
First, Jan Damen dunning Dirck Volgertsen for payment of fl. 20, Dirck answered that he did not owe him anything. Jan Damen thereupon replied: ‘Begone out of the house!’ and forthwith threw Christina, Dirck Holgersen’s wife, out of doors and struck her. Furthermore, drawing a knife, he cut and thrust at said Dirck Hollegersen’s wife, as appears from the skirt which she then had on.
Further, Dirck Holgersen, seeking to defend his wife, threw a pewter can at Jan Damen, but missed him, whereupon Jan Damen made for him with a naked knife in his hand, cutting and thrusting at him and, as the said Dirck sought to defend his life, Dirck aforesaid took up a post to keep Jan Damen off.
As Dirck Holgerts was going toward the fort or elsewhere, said Jan Damen again beat Dirck Volgersen’s wife with his fists and tore the cap off her head and challenged Dirck, saying: ‘If you have the courage, draw your knife’.
But Dirck, being sober, would not do so and only defended himself with a post.
The deponents declare all this to be true. Done at Fort Amsterdam, the day and year aforesaid. Gerrit Schutt. This is the X mark of Jan Pietersen, nicknamed Comrade Jan.
Dirck could not move out fast enough for Jan Jansen DAMEN. Barely two months later the conflict rose to the boiling point:
NYHM: July 21, 1638: "Jan Damen, plaintiff, vs. Abraham Isaacksen Planc and Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, defendants. The plaintiff requests to be master of his house and that the defendants be ordered to acknowledge him as such and to stay away from the plaintiff’s house. The defendants are ordered to keep away from the plaintiff’s house and to leave him master in his own house."
"Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, plaintiff, vs. Jan Damen, defendant, for assault. Parties are ordered to submit testimony, the case being put over to the next court day."
July 22, 1638: " Declaration of Mauritz Jansen and Pieter de Mey regarding an attempt of Jan Damen to throw Dirck Holgersen’s wife out of doors. "This day, the 22d of July 1638, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Mourits Jansen, assistant, aged 20 years, and Pieter de May, aged 24 years, and jointly declared by true Christian words in place and with promise of an oath, if necessary, that it is true and truthful that the wife of Dirck Holgersen, Noorman, being at the house of Jan Damen and said Jan Damen telling her that she must go out of the house, she refused and did not intend to leave the house, whereupon Jan Damen aforesaid pushed said Dirck Holgertsen’s wife out of the house, as she would not depart by fair words. Dirck Holgersen thereupon coming to defend his wife, Jan Damen, drawing a knife, made a cut at said Dirck Holgertsen, who took up a post and struck Jan Damen with it. This is all. They, the deponents, concluding herewith their declaration, etc. Maurits Jansen. Pieter de Mey."
July 22, 1638: "Declaration of surgeon Gerrit Schutt and Jan Pietersen respecting the above assault.. " This day, the 22nd of July Ao. 1638, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, appeared Gerrit Schut and Jan Pietersen, alias Comrade Jan, at the request of Dirck Holgertsen, Noorman, and jointly declared by Christian words, in place and with promise of an oath if necessary, that it is true and truthful that they, the deponents, being some days ago at the house of Jan Damen, there saw and heard what follows. "First, Jan Damen dunning Dirck Volgertsen for payment of fl. 20, Dirck answered that he did not owe him anything. Jan Damen thereupon replied: ‘Begone out of the house!’ and forthwith threw Christina, Dirck Holgersen’s wife, out of doors and struck her. Furthermore, drawing a knife, he cut and thrust at said Dirck Hollegersen’s wife, as appears from the skirt which she then had on. "Further, Dirck Holgersen, seeking to defend his wife, threw a pewter can at Jan Damen, but missed him, whereupon Jan Damen made for him with a naked knife in his hand, cutting and thrusting at him and, as the said Dirck sought to defend his life, Dirck aforesaid took up a post to keep Jan Damen off. As Dirck Holgerts was going toward the fort or elsewhere, said Jan Damen again beat Dirck Volgersen’s wife with his fists and tore the cap off her head and challenged Dirck, saying: ‘If you have the courage, draw your knife’. But Dirck, being sober, would not do so and only defended himself with a post. The deponents declare all this to be true. Done at Fort Amsterdam, the day and year aforesaid. Gerrit Schutt. This is the X mark of Jan Pietersen, nicknamed Comrade Jan."
Ariantje married Jan Jansen Damen on May 7, 1638. Damen, sometimes referred to as "Old Jan," was a warden of the Dutch Reformed Church and also had a sizable tract of land west of the Vigne's.
City records note (HNN., 1:434-5):
Jan Jansen Dam (or Damen) married Ariantje Cuvel. He removed subsequently to New Amsterdam [where his name appears on the records as early as April 19, 1638 (CDM:1)]; He was elected one of the Twelve Men and also of the Eight men (NNR. 52,54). He amassed a considerable wealth and was one of the owners of the privateer La Garce ("The Wench") from about 1643 to 1646.
Dirck Volgersen Noorman and Ariaentje Cevelyn, his wife's mother, came before us in order to enter into an agreement with her children whom she has borne by her lawful husband Willem Vienje, settling on Maria Vienje and Christina Vienje, both married persons, on each the sum of two hundred guilders ... and on Resel Vienje and Jan Vienje, both minor children, also as their portion of their father's estate, on each the sum of three hundred guilders; with this provision that she and her future lawful husband, Jan Jansen Damen, shall be bound to bring up the above named two children until they attain their majority, and be bound to clothe and rear the aforesaid children, to keep them at school and to give them a good trade, as parents ought to do." This agreement was dated "the last of April 1632," but was not recorded until 7 May 1638. [New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Volume 1, ed. and trans. by Arnold J. F. Van Laer. Baltimore, 1974, The editor, Van Laer, was of the opinion that the year 1632, given as the date of the document, is probably wrong and should be 1635 or later. The document was certified by William Wyman, blacksmith, and Jan Thomaisen Groen, and witnessed by Jacob Albertsen Planck who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1634 on the "Eendracht.
Consolidated Wealth
The Vignes had established their Manhattan farm north of what is now Wall Street, along the East River.
The marriage of Jan and Adrienne combined their previously-held properties, giving them ownership of a very large bouwerie [farm]. They continued to acquire property on Manhattan.
In 1642 Jan and Adrienne Damen purchased a tract in Smit's Vly, "occupied by Hendrick Jansen Snyder," from Maryn Adriansen. In 1644 they took possession of "land on Manhattan Island, near the land of Tymen Jensen." In 1646 they bought 20 morgens of land at "Calck Hoek" [Chalk Hook] from Governor Kieft. By that time their holdings extended from Pine Street north to Maiden Lane, and from the East River to the Hudson River. (Maiden Lane, which still exists, was presumably named after the three maidens whose family originally owned the land: Christina, Maria and Rachel VIGNE.) [Innes].
Hundreds of years later the family's farmland would be occupied by New York's Financial District, and transformed into Soho, Tribeca, and the site of the World Trade Center. "
Jan Damen and our grandmother Adrienne Cuvellier Vigne Damen might have earned an honored place in American history and become a celebrated personae in New York City, were it not for Damen's key role in Cornelius Van Tienhoven's and Director William Kieft's treacherous Pavonia Massacre of Native Americans living in two nearby villages which united the Algonquin peoples against the Dutch settlers and ignited a two-year-long conflict named after the Director, Kieft's War.
In 1641 Damen and Ver Planck were members of the 12-man council assembled by Director Willem Kieft to "advise" him on Indian affairs. Kieft despised the natives and sought to drum up popular support for his plans to eliminate them. In the following year Kieft disbanded the council because it had disagreed with his military ambitions. Abraham Ver Planck had such a falling out with the Director that he was threatened with banishment if he continued to insult the Company's officers.
In February 1643, Jan Damen hosted a dinner at which the alcohol flowed freely. The attendees were Maryn Adriansen, another former member of the council of 12, and step-sons-in-law Abraham Ver Planck and Cornelis Van Tienhoven. At a ripe moment Van Tienhoven pulled out a petition and had the others sign it. It was a petition to Kieft, urging him to attack a neighboring Indian tribe. Van Tienhoven took the signed petition to Kieft and then personally led the attack on the Indian village. That action led other tribes to retaliate and burn New Amsterdam. Abraham later denied knowledge of the incident, and Adriansen even tried to kill Kieft. [He had to pay a fine and was banished for 3 months.] Kieft appointed Damen to an 8-man council in 1644, but the other council members refused to accept him.
It has been said of Adrienne Cuvellier Damen, that when one of her sons-in-law returned from the massacre of the Pavonia Indians in February, 1643, with thirty prisoners and several of their detached heads, she, 'forgetful of those finer feelings that do honor to her sex, amused herself in kicking about the heads of the dead men which had been brought in as bloody trophies of the midnight slaughter.'"
For the most part, New Amsterdammers had opposed this conflict with the Indians. Many who witnessed Adrienne Damen's behavior saw it as disgusting....and also directly blamed her family for the war. ["Cuvellier-Cuvilje" Herbert F. Seversmith, 21 May 1947]
Dirck married Christina VIGNE in 1630/31, daughter of Guillaume VIGNE and Adrienne CUVELIER The Vignes were among the first 30 French Walloon families the Dutch West India Company imported to establish the New Netherlands colony in 1624. [By the way, Peter MINUIT was not Dutch...he was a French Walloon like the Vignes.] Dirck and Christina lived on her parents' farm, at the south end of Broadway, until 1638. Christina's father died in 1632, and Dirck and his mother-in-law were named executors of the will, as recorded below:
NYHM: "We the undersigned, Willem Weyman, smith and Jan Tomasen Groen, as referees, do by this instrument attest and certify for the real truth that Dirck Volgersen Noorman and Ariaentje Cevelyn, his wife’s mother, came before us in order to enter into an agreement with her her children whom she has borne by her lawful husband [Willem Vienje], settling on Maria Vienje and Christina [Vienje], both married persons, on each the sum of two hundred guilders as their portion of their father’s estate, and on Resel Vienje and [Jan] Vienje, both minor children, also as their portion of their father’s estate,
on each the sum of three hundred guilders; with this provision that she and her future lawful husband, Jan Jansen Damen, shall out of the remainder of the property be bound to bring up the above named two children until they attain their majority, without using more than the interest, and be bound to clothe and rear the aforesaid children as children ought to be [clothed and reared], to keep them at school and to give them a good trade, as parents ought to do. Thus is done in New Netherland on the island of Manhattan and in Fort Amsterdam, the last of April 1632. In confirmation of which this was signed by Jacob Planck, the writer of this instrument; also with this sort of mark X, after which was written: This is the mark of Dirck Volckertsen Noorman; Jan Tomasen Groen, and This is the X mark of Willem Weyman. "The preceding agreement is recorded here with a view that if lost an authentic copy may again be obtained here, [the record] having been found by me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary, to agree with the original. Done this 7th of May 1638, at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland."
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, VISIT AGAIN SOON
Piet Pieterszoon Hein was a famous Dutch Privateer who lived and pillaged shortly before the adventures of Jan Damsen. While no relation or known connection to our family, his portrait is shown here, as some other artwork from the era has been on this site, to help provide some context of what people would have worn and how they might have looked. An odd coincidence is that this portrait happens to be a 1629 copy (after a lost 1625 original) painted by have been painted by by artist Jan Daemen Cool.
A 'privateer' was a pirate ship that flew a national flag instead of a skull and crossbones. The other owner of Jan Damen's privateer was reported to have been Jan Labaddie, a carpenter from France, who was Commissary of the Patroon up the Hudson River at Rensselaerwyck.]
The La Garce, with six cannons, a crew of fifty, captained by Willem Blauvelt, had the blessings of the Dutch West India Company to cruise the Caribbean and seize Spanish ships.
Blauvelt brought her back to New Amsterdam in April 1645 with two Spanish ships carrying tobacco, wine, sugar and ebony wood. It returned in 1646 with the St. Antonio of Havana, with a cargo of sugar and tobacco, taken in the Bay of Campeche off the Mexican coast and subsequently sold at New Amsterdam.
The ship's owners sold it to the company of Christiaen Petersen Rams late in 1646, but it continued to sail under Blauvelt and prey upon Spanish ships and raid Spanish Caribbean ports until 1651.
In 1652 the La Garce began privateering under a commission by a French Caribbean governor. Interestingly, a www.google.com translation of a French web page about the ship translated the ship's name as "The Bitchy Girl".
Agreement:
Dirck Volgersen Noorman and Ariaentje Cevelyn, his wife's mother, came before us in order to enter into an agreement with her children whom she has borne by her lawful husband Willem Vienje, settling on Maria Vienje and Christina Vienje, both married persons, on each the sum of two hundred guilders ... and on Resel Vienje and Jan Vienje, both minor children, also as their portion of their father's estate, on each the sum of three hundred guilders; with this provision that she and her future lawful husband, Jan Jansen Damen, shall be bound to bring up the above named two children until they attain their majority, and be bound to clothe and rear the aforesaid children, to keep them at school and to give them a good trade, as parents ought to do.
This agreement was dated "the last of April 1632," but was not recorded until 7 May 1638. [New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Volume 1, ed. and trans. by Arnold J. F. Van Laer. Baltimore, 1974, The editor, Van Laer, was of the opinion that the year 1632, given as the date of the document, is probably wrong and should be 1635 or later. The document was certified by William Wyman, blacksmith, and Jan Thomaisen Groen, and witnessed by Jacob Albertsen Planck who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1634 on the "Eendracht."]
