Email:  markrputnam@putmanfamily.org

Johannes [Victorse] Pootman and Cornelia Arentse Bradt

            The Dutch-American Putman family of early Schenectady, New York, descends from Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Arentse Bradt.

            Johannes was sixteen years of age in 1661 when he signed an apprenticeship with Philip Henderickse Brower.  Johannes was then about 16, born about 1645, presumably in Holland.  Johannes' first son was named Arent after his wife's father, Arent Andres Bradt, and Johannes' second son was named Victor, which was an uncommon name at the time.  

            There was, however, a Victor Pootman, who was a teacher in Aalburg, North Brabant, about this time who may have been Johannes Pootman's father.

            The record of apprenticeship in Fort Orange, now Albany, New York, was the first real record we have of Johannes,  It shows Johannes was bound out by Jan Hendrickse Van Bael to work for Philip Hendrickse Brouwer a brewer.  

            The Bal Van Ryswyck family of Amsterdam, North Holland, has a coat of arms that is similar to the Putman coat of arms.  Whether it is connected with Johannes Pootman or to Jan Hendrickse Van Bael is uncertain:

            Johannes Pootman married in Schenectady, New York, Cornelia Arentse Bradt.  Her mother was Catherine Andreas De Vos, and her father was Arent Andres Bradt, who was a tobacco farmer and brewer.  

            Three signatures of Johannes Poutman appear below:

September 28, 1661

September 28, 1661

September 12, 1678

            The children of Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Bradt were Arent, Victor, David, Cornelius, Maria, and Catherine.

            Arent was named after Cornelia Bradt's father while Catherine was named after Cornelia Bradt's mother Catherine De Vos.  According to the traditional Dutch naming pattern Victor was named after Johannes Pootman's father and Maria would have been named for Johannes Pootman's mother.  So, it would seem that Johannes Pootman's parents were Victor and Maria Pootman presumably of Holland or possibly born in Germany as the Pootman name was common to the are of the Land of Kleves.

            Johannes Pootman and his wife Cornelia Bradt died in the Schenectady Massacre of 1689.

Johannes Pootman

      Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Bradt, or Bratt, were the first generation ancestors of the Dutch-American Putman family.  They lived in Schenectady, New York, in the Mohawk River Valley, and early people often referred to their descendants as "The Mohawk Valley Putman’s".  

        Cornelia Bradt’s ancestry is much clearer than that of Johannes.  Her father was Arent Andres Bradt, who came to America from Frederickstadt, Norway, in 1637.  

        Johannes Potman was born, reportedly in Leyden, South Holland, about 1645.  Since this was the place where many people were baptized, he may have been baptized there but lived elsewhere or perhaps more true the tradition might be wrong.

        Johannes Pootman seems to have had a very good education as a child because in his indenture contract in 1661 in Albany, New York, he signed his signature with “a beautiful hand.”

        The Dutch word "poot' means paw of hand; however, it seems the family name means a porter or poortman.

        Wendell Putman in “Memoirs,” 1975, said Johannes was a son of a Dominee, or minister, and during his youth served on board an ship as a cabin boy.   According to Wendell, in 1661, Johannes Pootman “jumped ship” in New Amsterdam, now New York City, because at that time Holland and England were at war and the high seas were becoming very treacherous.  Johannes not wanting to pay the consequences of jumping ship made his way to Fort Orange, now Albany, on the Upper Hudson River, and then Schenectady where he made a life for himself.  This was the tradition about Johannes Potman that has been passed down and found in many 19th century stories about the family.

        The earliest document concerning Johannes in the New World is his “Agreement of Indenture” with Philip Henderickse Brouwer, which Johannes signed at the age of about sixteen.  He was a witness for other documents written about the same time.

          Johannes Potman signed an indenture to work for Phillip Henderickse Brower, whose last name meant the brewer, in Beverwyck or Fort Orange, September 14, 1661.  

            It would seems that since Brower's name meant "the brewer" that Johannes Pootman was involved with the work of a brewer.  Some have said that Johannes might have been a merchant.  It is my guess that he was both a brewer and a merchant.  Many people in the 1600s had many different jobs such a Jellis Fonda who was a gunsmith, innkeeper, and distiller.  All those occupations actually went together.  

            Johannes Pootman's son Arent was a weaver and an Indian interpreter who his second son Victor was known to have had a trading post at Tribes Hill.  Johannes Pootman's youngest son Cornelius Janse Pootman, or Poortman, was associated with the Van Eps family, which was closely connected with the Indian or fur trade, and it seems Cornelius supplied rum as a trade item.  So, it is a good guess that Johannes Pootman was involved, at least part time in the Indian trade, which was a common occupation of those of Schenectady and Albany although Albany forbade Schenectady to be involved in the trade.

        The contracts between Johannes and Philip Brouwer were originally in Dutch; however, Johnathan Pearson, translated them and published them in Early Records of the City and County of Albany and Colony of Renselaerswyk.

    The Contract of Indenture reads:

Indenture of Apprenticeship

Of Johannes Pootman

To Philip Hendricksen Brouwer

On this day, the 14^th of September 1661, Mr. Jan Hendricsz Van Bael has bound out and Phillip Hendricxsz Brouwer has engaged Johannes Potman, a young man, at present about sixteen years of age, to serve him, Phillip Hendricxsz, faithfully in all his business and affairs so far as they are lawful and just for the term of three successive years commencing on the date hereof; for which, Phillip Hendricsz shall let him, Potman, have lodging, board, clothing, washing and all that appertains thereto and at the end of the service fit him out with a decent suit of clothes.  In good faith, this is subscribed in Beverwyck in N: Netherland on the date above written.

Jan Hendericks Van Bael

Johannes Pootman

Pfilip Henricksen Brouwer

          It seems that before the contract, Johannes was in the care, under contract or bond, with Jan Hendrickse Van Bael, who owned land along Norman's Kill, which was named for the Norwegian Bratt family.  Norman's Kill was also known as Sawmill Creek.  The name Bradt seems to be Scandinavian and seems to mean "Board or Plank Maker". 

          About two weeks later, Johannes an Brouwere changed the contract to read:

             Philip Hendricksen Brouwer

             And Johannes Pootman

            On this day, the 28^th of September 1661, with the knowledge of Jan Cornelisz Van Der Heyde, Phillip Hendricxsz Brouwer and Johannes Potman have covenanted and agreed with each other that in fulfillment of the contract made this 14^th day of the month of September, he, Pootman, in the place of clothing and outfit stipulated in said contract, shall receive each year the sum of eighty guilders in good whole beavers reckoned at eight guilders apiece.  The other terms of said contract remaining intact.

Signed by them in good faith in Beverwyck on the date above written.

        Philip Hendricksen

        Johannes Pootman

        Jan Cornelisz Van Der Heyden

          In the final agreement, Philip Henderickse paid Johannes 10 beaver skins a year in addition to lodging and board instead of the equivalent in Guilders.  A guilder was Dutch currency.  In today’s money, it would be worth about 28 cents.  So, Johannes received about $21 a year—along with room and board.  Philip Brouwer as  his name implied was a brewer and merchant.  It seems that Philip Brouwer as a brother of William Henderickse Brouwer of Albany and later Schenectady who was likewise connected with the early Pootman family.

It seems that Johannes may become a brewer and merchant.  

In 1662, when Schenectady was founded, Philip Henderickse removed there and was one of its first patentees.  Johannes likely went along.  Schenectady was 20 miles west of Albany and was composed of a  tract of land 6 miles long and 8 miles wide.  Phillip Henderickse Brouwer died in 1664, and his wife took over the management of Philip's estate as did many Dutch women at the time; however, it wasn't long before the mill and brewery was ended up in the hands of Jan Dirckse Van Eps whose family was originally shoemakers, or cordwainers, and tanners.  The Van Eps and Pootman families were very close and intermarried.   They were also involved in the Indian Trade. 

In 1664, The Netherlands relinquished control over New York, or New Netherlands, giving it up to England; however, for many years afterward, the Dutch in Albany and Schenectady continued to practice their customs and traditions and continued to speak the Dutch language.

About 1676, Johannes Pootman married Cornelia Bratt.  

During September of 1686, Johannes Pootman was listed on the church accounts kept by Deacon Johannes Sanderse Glen, which indicated that Johannes Pootman was given 25 guilders for eleven days work on the church.  This was considerable time and energy so Johannes must of had considerable skill in working on a building.  This seems to indicated that Johannes, along with other skills, was a carpenter.  Adam Vrooman was also listed in the church accounts, which only extant for two months in 1686

In October 1686, Johannes Pootman was a witness to the will of Pieter Jacobse Borsboom, who was known as the "Stein Baker" or brick maker.  Pieter's children after his death in April 1687 were under the care of Adam Vrooman and Joris Aerts Van Der Baast [Voert].   Adam was a millwright and built a mill on Sand Creek.  The Dutch word "boom" mean beam.

The Bradts and the De Vos' were carpenter's, so it seem that Johannes Pootman was likewise as carpenter or timmerman.

The above is a picture of the Bradt Saw Mill, which was built along Norman's Kill.

Perhaps, Johannes Pootman was a millwright, brewer, and trader.

Cornelia Bratt

Cornelia Arentse Bratt was the daughter of Arent Andries Bradt, a tobacco planter, millwright, an brewer.  His brother was the founder of a saw mill on Norman's Kill.  This was Albert Andres Bradt.  Arent was reportedly born in Frederikstad, Norway, and reportedly came to the New World with his brother Albert Andrsen on the ship “Rensselaerwyck,” which sailed from Texel, North Holland, October 8, 1636, and arrived in New Amsterdam, or New York City, March 4, 1637.

Arent acquired a plantation, and his tobacco was said to have been  “extraordinary” according to Killian Van Rensselaer the patroon whom he served. Between 1638 and 1640, Arent Andries Bratt was credited with furnishing tobacco to Superintendent Van Corlear and Anthony De Hooges.

Schenectady was then called by the local Mohawk Indians Corlear's.  Van Corlear was a brewer originally.

          About 1649, Arent Bratt married Catalyntje de Vos.  Catherine was a daughter of Andries De Vos and his wife Eva.  Andries De Vos was very influential and once served as Vice-Governor of the Patroon of Rensselaerwyck.

            April 23, 1652, Arent Andriese received a lot in Bewerwyck (Albany), and May 1, 1658, he obtained a lease from Jan Baptiste Van Rensselaer for all the tilled land on the Island opposite the Village of Bewerwyck, or Albany, and also on all the land he could obtain from the natives.  Rent on the land was 100 guilders a year, besides tithes and two fowls as “toepacht,” [lease] to be paid in good wheat and oats at four guilders a “muddle.”  His lease expired May 1, 1662.

Arent Bratt became one of the first White Men to settle Schenectady where he became a proprietor.  However, he soon died, about 1662, leaving a widow and six children—Aeffie, Ariantje, Andries, Cornelia, Samuel, and Dirk.  The children were 13, 11, 9, 7, 3, and 1 years old, respectively, when Arent Andriese died.

The first daughter Eva, or Aeffie, was named for Arent Andres Bradt's wife who was Eva Kinetis.  Much has been said about Eve that she might have been a Mohawk lady, and it is interesting to note the like the word Kentuky, which means it seems, level land or meadow land, the name Eva and Kinetis may mean even or level . . . one in English the other in the Mohawk language.  Plain or prairie in Iroquois is "kehnata".   In German, level is "eben" meaning even.   Schenectady means "Pine Plain", which is another similar word.

      Catalyntje de Vos, Arent’s wife, married twice more.  In 1664, Catalyntje married for her second husband Barent Jansen Van Ditmars.  Her ante-nuptial contract with the “Orphan Masters,” for the protection of the interests of her infant children, bears the date November 12, 1664.  It binds Catalyntje, their mother, to pay to the children their patrimonial estate of 1,000 guilders at majority.  Barent Jansen Van Ditmars died in 1690 in the French and Indian Massacre of Schenectady, New York.

      In 1691, Catalyntje married for her third husband Claas Janse Van Bockhoven.  By their ante-nuptial contract, made February 27, 1691, they agreed that on the death of both their property would go to their children.

      Claas Janse Van Bockhoven died in 1707.  Catalyntje Vos died in 1712.

    About 1676, Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Arentse Bratt married.  They lived in Schenectady on the north corner lot of today's Union Street and Church Streets.  Their lot had 100 ft., frontage, on Union Street.

    Later, Johannes and Cornelia purchased the lot next to the west from Jan Roeloffse the son of  the celebrated Anneke Janse.  That lot also contained 100 ft.  of frontage on Union Street.

    Johannes Pootman owned a number of lots in and outside of Schenectady and was very active as an  Orphan Master and Deacon for the Dutch Reformed Church of Schenectady.  He hired the Minister and would serve as Justice of the Peace for Schenectady starting in January 1690 during the Leislear Administration but he died before serving.  

    The name Pootman was reported in a Bradt genealogy work to mean "postman", which may mean a person who stands guard at a post or gate meaning a porter.

     A daughter of Arent Andres Bradt married Helmer Otten who was from Essen, Germany.  Helmer was a baker.  Another daughter married a Van Petten, whose family were brewers.  Two daughters married into the Van Slyck family, who were tavern keepers, and a daughter married into the Van Eps family, which were Indian traders, tanners, and probably brewers.  It would seem that Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Bradt would have also followed the trades of brewing and distilling.

    The Bradt family in Schenectady was famous as brewers.

Burning of Schenectady

The people who lived in Schenectady were oppose in general to rules imposed by Albany, and in general, the government of New York—particularly the law that required those in Schenectady not to trade with the Indians for pelts or furs.  Though the trading of pelts with Indians was forbidden, it was a major source of income for the people of Schenectady.

During the war between France and England—King William’s War—the French and their Indian Allies, Algonquin's, burned Schenectady and killed many of its inhabitants.  In early February of 1690, these Canadian's entered the Mohawk Valley hoping to attack Albany.  At the last minute just north of Albany, they decided to attack the smaller village of Schenectady to the west of Albany, which was more vulnerable.  About 25 militiamen from Connecticut and about 150 Dutch then occupied the village of Schenectady.  They had enclosed the village with wooden pickets, and according to legend, in defiance of the authorities at Albany, they left the gates of the stockade open and unguarded except for two snowmen.  The attack started on the night of February 8, 1690--and lasted two hours.

The French and Indians killed 60 of the villagers and set the settlement ablaze.  Sixty-three homes burned, which included the Dutch Reformed Church and its records.  Only one Frenchman and one Indian died.

    Walter Wilie from Albany described the tragic events later in a ballad, which was printed in the History of the County of Schenectady. 

     “The Ballad,” set forth the “Horrid Cruelties displayed by the French and Indians of Canada on the Night of the 8^th of February 1690.”  Wilie composed it in the space of one hour on June 12, 1690.

BALLAD

God prosper long our King and Queen,

Our lives & safeties all.

A sad misfortune once there did

Schenectady befall

From Forth the woods of Canada

The Frenchmen tooke their way

The people of Schenectady

To captivate and slay.

They march’d for two & twenty dais

All tro’ the deepest snow;

And on a dismal Winter Night

They strucke the cruel Blow.

The lightsome sun that rules the Day

Had gone down in the West;

And eke the drowsy Villagers

Had sought and found their reste.

They thought They were in Saftie all,

And dreampt not of the Foe;

But att Midnight They all awoke,

In Wonderment & Woe.

For They were in their plesant Beddes,

And sounde lie sleeping, when

Each door was suden open broke

By six or seven Men.

The Men and Women, Younge & Olde,

And eke the Girls and Boys,

All started up in great Affright,

Att the alarming Noise.

They then were murthr’d in their Beds,

Without shame or remorse;

And soon the Floores and Streets were Strew’d

With many a bleeding corpse.

The Village soon began to Blaze,

Which shew’d the horrid sight; -

But, O’ I scarce can Beare to Tell

The Mis’ries of that Night

They threw the Infants in the Fire,

The Men they did not spare;

But killed All which they could find

Tho’ Aged or tho’ Fair.

O’ Christe!  In the still Midnight air,

It sounded dismally,

The Women’s Prayers, and the loud screams

Of their great Agony.

Me thinks as if I hear them now

All ringing in my ear;

The Shrieks and Groanes and Woefull Sighs,

They utter’d in their Fear.

But some ran off to Albany,

And told the dolefull Tale:

Yett, tho’ We gave our cheerful aid,

It did not much avail.

And we were horribly afraid,

And shook with Terror, when

They told us that the French were

More than a Thousand Men.

The news came on the Sabbath morn

Just att the Break of Day,

And with a companie of Horse

I galloped away.

But soone We found the French were gone

With all their great Bootye;

And then their Trail We did pursue

As was our true Dutye.

The Mohaques joynd our brave Partye,

And followed in the chase

Till we came upp with the Frenchmen

Att a most likelye Place.

Our soldiers fell upon their Reare,

And killed twenty-five,

Our Young Men were so much enrag’d

They took scarce One alive.

Dailebout Then did commande,

Which were but Theevish Rogues,

Else why did they consent and goe

With Bloodye Indian Dogges?

And Here I end the long Ballad

The Which you just have redde:

I wish that it may stay on earth,

Long after I am dead.

Walter Wilie Albany, 12^th of June, 1690.

During the Massacre of Schenectady, Johannes and Cornelia Pootman were killed, and her scalp was taken.  Also, among those slain were Johannes and Cornelia’s neighbors--Rolf Janse and his wife.

After the alarm passed according to tradition, friends and family buried Johannes and Cornelia under a boulder in what is now the Old Cobblestone Church Yard in Rotterdam a bit southwest of the picket walls of Schenectady.

Johannes and Cornelia Potman left six children:  Maria, Arent, David, Victor, Cornelius, and Catalyntje.  No record of who took charge of the care of them is known.  Perhaps, their grandmother, Catalyntje De Vos, became their caregiver, or perhaps the family was separated and placed in different homes.  Since the Johannes Mingal family were the Orphan Masters and the name Mingal was on baptismal records, the Pootman children may have been left to the care of the Mingal family, who were also Albany fur traders.

    Goods were sent from New York to assist those at Schenectady who had escaped.  On the List of Recipients, who received linen for clothing, were the Pootman children:

LIST OF OSENBURG LINEN

Johannes Pootman’s children . . . 70 ells.

The Pootman children received 70 ells of cloth, which was equivalently to about 88 yards.  Wendel Putman in “Memoirs” said:

The Putman boys were now orphans and wards of Fort Orange . . ..  Without parents to teach them, any formal education was discontinued.  The sons were given some original Dutch, or Indian territory, in the vicinity of the present Putman Road [on Poentic Kill], with a land grant form Queen Anne of England . . ..

In 1705, Queen Anne of England granted the orphans a good-size parcel of Dutch and Indian wilderness along the Poentic Kill and the present Putman Road area.  When old enough to work, Johannes [probably Johannes Arentse Pootman] and Arent [Arent Johannes Pootman] worked the grant, but Victor [Victor Johannes Pootman] built a fort near the Mohawk River at the foot of Tribes Hill, to engage in trade.  In spite of the English grants, it was all Indian country.  This section of Montgomery County was Sir William Johnson’s country, controlled with Indian gifts, as well told in John Vrooman’s book, Clarissa Putman of Tribes Hill.  Later, before the Revolution against the English presence, Joseph Brandt’s English Indians, on a raid into the Mohawk Valley, scalped Victor [this was a later Victor]  The incident was regarded a grave mistake by Brandt, who knew the Putman’s as friends, but big war parties were hard to control. 

    Of the children of Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Bradt, it seems that Victor Johannes Pootman was a possible a farmer, miller operator, and trader, who may have also have owned a brewery.  

    During this period, primogeniture was common law in New York, so the right to Johannes and Cornelia Pootman’s estate fell to the eldest son, Arent, when he was of age.  Arent’s inheritance included the home lot in Schenectady and other lands.  Arent Janse Potman conveyed part of his inherited land to his brother Victor April 6, 1709.

    Arent Pootman was known to be a weaver and interpreter of the Mohawk Language, which would seem to mean he was an Indian trader.

      David Pootman seems to have used the Patman or possibly Pateman.  David Pootman daughter Cornelia D. Pootman married into the Traphegan family, which was originally a baking family.

      The two daughters Maria and Catherine married a Bedeut and a Post.  A  son-in-law of Catherine Elias Post was a gunsmith associated with the Indian trade family of Johannes Baptist Van Eps.

    Catalyntje De Vos, grandmother of the Potman Children, made her will January 11, 1699, and lived until 1712.  Her third husband, Claes Jansen Van Bockhoven, predeceased her.

    The heirs of Catherine De Vos and Claes Van Bockhoven made an agreement on the division of their estate August 29, 1712.  

    The will left property to their children:  Arent Bratt; Samuel Bratt; Dirk Bratt; Class Van Petten and Eva, his wife; Reyer Schermerhorn and Arienetie, his wife; and Arent Pootman in behalf of Victor Pootman, David Potman, Marie Pootman—wife of Steven Cofooy, and Catalyntje Pootman—wife of Cornelius Post.

    April 9, 1713, the Potman children shared in their portion of the inheritance.  Together they inherited 1/6 of the farm at Canastagione, or Niskayuna [Plains of Corn], on the north side of the Mohawk River and 1/6 of all the other land there.

There is a romantic tradition in the Bradt family that says that the  ancestor of the Bradt family married into the Mohawk nation, or had a Mohawk maiden as a a wife.   This would mean that the Pootman's might have Mohawk blood in their veins.  Johannes Pootman and Cornelia's two sons Victor and Cornelius Pootman married into the Mabie and Viele families.  The Schenectady Mabie family descending from Pieter Mabie and Anne Borsboom by Anne are also part Mohawk.   Many of Arent Andres Bradt's son-in-laws were part Mohawk those of the Van Slyck family.

A view of the homestead is at Pootman or Putman Homestead

And, Johannes Pootman's signatures and those of his children are at Signatures

Children:

1.  Arent. 

2.  Victor.

3.  Maria.

4.  David.  Born in 1784 and died in 1761 in New Jerey

5.  Cornelius

Send mail to markrputnam@putmanfamily.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: June 25, 2008