One of the DWIC freed slaves who was granted a larger parcel of land (20 morgens), part of a section of Manhattan that was once owned by DWIC Director Wouter Van Twiller Indeed, Simon most probably worked this land for Twiller at one time..

• manumission document of February 25, 1644 granted in New Amsterdam by Willem Kieft, Director of the DWIC.Simon witnessed the baptism of his grandson Simon in 1667....
  

Land granted to Simon Congo at the time of his partial freedom

(From I.N. Phelps-Stokes' work)
C. The grant to Simon Congo. "The most southerly tract, of 16 acres, was granted to Bastiaen Elyssen from Werckhoven, a wheelwright, often referred to as Bastiaen de rademacker. A 25 acre tract adjoining on the north was patented to Egbert Wooterse. This 41 acre farm became the well-known Brevoort farm in later days. It vested in John Hendricksen Brevoort in 1701. Both grants were from Stuyvesant. Without doubt they replaced earlier ground-briefs which had been abandoned, for the 45 acre parcel next further north†† had been patented to Simon Congo, a free negro, during Kieft's administration. The Dutch grants were laid out in methodical fashion; there would not have been a gap between Stoutenburgh's land and Simon Congo's. In later years this 45 acre parcel became the Spingler and Burling farms."

†† for an appreciation of what became of this land later, see https://www.geni.com/projects/Bowery-Hill-Mapping-17th-and-18th-centuries-Manhattan/4481652 . Read also: See this general account: A Slave Unto the Land by a geni.com vol. curator.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The brothers of this profile are not necessarily family. This 'artificial affiliation' was created to support the research into the particularly challenging genealogy of African immigration into New Netherland between 1609-1674.

For an explanation about the purpose of this artificial affiliation, please check the New Amsterdam - Origins: African Immigrants project.

Slave North

Please also check the New Amsterdam master project for the dimension on the settlement and development of New Amsterdam and the Dutch province of New Netherland.

a good study:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/185612418/Vol3-Historical-Perspectives-of...

New Amsterdam Baptism List

baptised: "1640 Jul 22; Jan van't fort Orangien; Maria; Simon Congoy, Isabel D'Angola (Negers) " interpretation: Date: 22 Jul Parents: Jan, van't fort-Orangien Child: Maria Witnesses: Simon Congoy, Isabel D'Angola, Negers

source:

http://longislandgenealogy.com/baptisms/baps.html

further down the same list (years later) we see:

• 1647 Mar 31; Emanuel Neger; Adam (twin); Simon Congoy Augustyn, Pallas and Ceceitia
• 1647 Mar 31; Emanuel Neger; Eva (twin); Simon Congoy Augustyn, Pallas and Ceceitia "

and what about this entry?:

• 1655 Feb 07; Anthony Matthys-Neger; Cecilia; Simon Conck, Christina d'Angola

Simon Congo once owned 45 acres of land. This property was the result of a grant by New Amsterdam Governor Kieft who managed the DWIC farms once known as Bowery1 and Bowery2. (see media for a screen shot of a map with Simon's name on it)

• Simon and others were once given the job of building the wall of Wall Street. • Simon and others were once charged with the death of another slave... One was chosen by lot, as a scapegoat, and hanged. Two nooses were put around his neck but the ropes broke during the execution. By popular acclaim Simon's co-slave was given a reprieve. • "The first blacks to arrive in New Amsterdam were Paul d' Angola, Simon Congo, Anthony Portuguese, John Francisco, and seven other males in 1626. Their names indicate that they may have been slaves on Portuguese or Spanish ships captured at sea. Three women were brought in from Angola in 1628. These fourteen blacks formed 5.2 percent of the 270‑person population of New Amsterdam in 1628. " ... "Marriage records for the Dutch Reformed Church at New Amsterdam survive for the years 1639 to 1866.20 The first recorded black marriages occurred on May 5, 1641, when two couples were married: Anthony Van Angola with Catalina Van Angola, and Lucie D'Angola with Laurens Van Angola. Altogether twenty‑six black marriages took place between 1641 and 1664 in the Dutch Reformed Church at New Amsterdam."

... "Black children were born as early as the 1630s in New Amsterdam; they began to be baptized in 1639 in the Dutch Reformed Church at New Amsterdam. In this early period, only children of confessing members were allowed to be baptized, indicating that several adult negroes were full members of the Church. The Dutch Reformed Church, however, had little overall success in attracting blacks. In order to become full communicants, blacks had to demonstrate a good understanding of the basic beliefs of the Dutch Reformed Church. A difficult process of catechetical study was required which, coupled with sophisticated, unemotional sermons, discouraged black enthusiasm and participation."

"... 'Fifty‑one blacks were baptized from 1639 to 1655' in the Dutch Reformed Church at New Amsterdam: one male adult, one female adult, twenty‑nine male children, and twenty female children. All of the forty‑nine children who appeared in the baptismal register were listed as the children of their parent or parents rather than as the servants of owners."

"... We, William Kieft and Council of New Netherland having considered the petition of the Negroes named Paulo Angola, Big Manuel, Little Manuel, Manuel de Gerrit de Reus, Simon Congo, Anthony Portugis, Gracia, Peter Santomee, Jan Francisco, Little Anthony, Jan Fort Orange, who have served the Company 18 or 19 years, to be liberated from their servitude . . . also that they are burthened with many children so that it is impossible for them to support their wives and children, as they have been accustomed to do, if they must continue in the Company's service . . . do release, for the term of their natural lives, the above named and their Wives from Slavery. The eleven petitioners had arrived in 1625 or 1626‑‑eighteen or nineteen years before their petition--and must have been the first eleven blacks imported into New Amsterdam. They had presumably married women imported between 1628 and 1644, including, perhaps the three Angola women or slaves from the La Garce shipment.

all from: BORN TO RUN: the slave family in early new york, 1626 to 1827 Dr. Vivienne L. Kruger. Ma. M. Phil., Ph.D. circa 1985

see also: http://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/files/7313/5067/3659/6.2.pdf

Before Simon Congo: The Wouter van Twiller plantation encompassed that general area on the west side of the Bowery... see The Dutch-American Farm

By David Steven Cohen

see:Bought Patents in speculation

speculation

Perhaps Manuel was also known as Emanuel ; and his father Simon Congo(y) stood as witness for the twins Adam And Eve.

1647 Mar 31; Emanuel Neger; Adam (twin); Simon Congoy Augustyn, Pallas and Ceceitia

1647 Mar 31; Emanuel Neger; Eva (twin); Simon Congoy Augustyn, Pallas and Ceceitia

This would require that the sodomy case against Manuel's attacker having been tried years after the crime.

more speculation: It is not impossible that the following person is a decendant: Sgt. (USA) George Congo