Tomys Swartwout

Tomys is listed in the 'Holland Dames Ancestor List' of immigrants to New Amsterdam.

Tomys and Adrijetjen were married by Rev. Domine Johannes Cornelius Silvius.

He and Hendrickjen sailed for Mauritus (Hudson) River on 1 March 1652.

As early as 1629, Tomys, with his brothers Wybrandt and Herman, was in the wholesale tobacco business buying and selling in Netherlands the tobacco that was cultivated in Virginia and New Netherlands.

Tomys, son of Rolef and Catryna Swartwout, born in Groningen, Holland in 1607, was married by the Rev. Rudophus Petri, in the new Church (Nieuwe Kerk) in Amsterdam on April 7, 1630 to Adrijetjen, daughter of Sigmon and Catryna Grebbers Sijmons. She died in Amsterdam on 12/17/1630 giving birth to their son, Jan. Jan was baptized in January 1631.

It was Tomys Swartwout's good fortune to become acquainted with Hendrickjen, the amiable daughter of Barent Otsen, prominent book-publisher of the city of Amsterdam. They became engaged shortly thereafter and as required by law they subscribed their names to an attestatic for the publication of the banns of their intended marriage as recorded in the Kerkelijk Inteckening Bock of the Nieuwe-Kerk on 10th of May, 1631. On June 3, 1631, Tomys Sweartwout and Hendrickjen Otsen were married in the Nieuwe-Kerk (new Church) by Domine Johannes Cornelius Silvius.

The birth of their first child, Roeloff, was followed by his baptism in the Oude-Kerk (old church) on 6/1/1634. As was the custom, he was given the name of his father's father.

On 5/1/1645, Tomys Swartwout, as husband and guardian of Hendrickjen Otsen, sold for two thousand three hundred florins a house standing near the city walls (den sted vesten). On May 28, 1648, his wife sold her interest in a house in Saint Peter's cross street (Saint Pietrs dwarsstraat) for 318 florins.

Tomys and family sailed for Mauritus (Hudson) River on 3/1/1652. It would seem that the subject of coming to America was in the minds of Tomys and Hendrickjen Swartwout for some time for we read in the "Swartwout Chronicles:" "After many perplexing doubts and interchange of opinion regarding the advantages accruing to them and their children by becoming colonists of New Netherlands, Tomys Swartwout and his wife finally decided to dispose of their property in Amsterdam and engage in such preparations as were necessary for them to make before leaving Holland. At the beginning of the month of March 1652, on the day for the sailing of the ship in which they had taken passage for themselves and their children to Mauritus (Hudson) River), they sorrowfully parted from their kindred and acquaintances gathered on the wharf overlooking the Ij and embarked and were borne away from the seat of their first connubial home and early domestic joys.

Individually possessing qualities of heart and mind to attach them strongly one to another in lasting friendship, Jan Spedeker, Jan Struker and Tomys Swartwout solicited of Director-General Stuyvesant the right of settling together in the level reach of wild land (de vlacke bosch) or flat bush (Flat Bush, Long Island) adjacent to the outlying farms of Breukelen (Brooklyn) and Amersfoort. Through Tomys Swartwout's suggestion it would seem, the settlement was given the name of Midwout or Midwolde lying about 25 miles eastward of the city of Groningen, Holland, where certain of his ancestors had long resided.

Having brought with them from Holland certificates of church membership, Tomys Swartwout and his wife were formally admitted to the communion and fellowship of the church of New Amsterdam. As entered on page 506 of the book of members hereat since the year 1649, their names are severally the 280th and 281st, Thomas Swartwoudt, en Hendricke (Jui js v)

It would seem that Tomys (Thomas) Swartwout in 1658 intended to engage in a merchantile business in the city of New Amsterdam (New York) for on 2/28/1658, he solicited the board of Burgomasters and magistrate to grant him 'small burgher rights' and took the oath in court signing an obligation for 20 guilders, beavers payable for it. (Beaver skins were accepted in lieu of money.) Evidently in order to reside there with his family, he purchased in the following year a lot at the corner of Broad and Beaver Streets, which by miscarriage of other investments he was compelled shortly thereafter to sell to a creditor of the original owner.

On March 7, 1661, he came into legal possession of a farm of 116 acres. Intending to change his residence to Wiltwyck he sold, on March 15, 1661, 1/2 of his farm to his friend and neighbor, Jan Snedeker.

Tomys Swartwout's signature is found in the original record book of the Reformed Dutch Church of Wiltwyck, attesting the former membership; in Holland of a woman who became a member on the day of the church in that village, lying on Esopus Kill, Near Kingston, NY.

He is also named in baptismal register of the same church on 1/8/1662 for his son Roeloff's second son, Antoni. Tradition relates that he (Thomas) returned to Holland, perhaps after decease of his wife, where he died.

These quotations give, in meager outline, the story of Tomys' Swartwout who was the immigrant ancestor of all the Swartwouts, Swartouts, Swartwoudts, Swartwoods, and Swarthouts in this country. (Arthur James Weise, M.A., The Swartwout Chronicles 1338-1899 and The Ketelhuyn Chronicles 1451-1899, Two Directory, Printing and Bookbinding Co., 1899.)

Tomys Swartwout came from a very old family from Groingen in Holland. Their name means "Black Woods". He was a merchant in Amsterdam selling tobacco. He married Hendrickjen Otsen and had several more children. In 1652 the family came to New Netherland. They landed in Manhattan and then moved upstate.

Sex: M

Birth: 1607 in Bunne-Winde, Drenthe, Holland

Death: 1663 in Amsterdam, Holland

Christening: Oudekerk, Amsterdam, Holland

Rolef Swartwout b: ABT 1570 in Groningen, Holland

Mother: Trijntien "Catryna" b: ABT 1572 in Groningen, Holland

Marriage 1 Adrientje Symons b: 1608 in Amsterdam, Holland

Married: BEF 1630

Children

Jan Swartwolt b: 17 DEC 1630 in Amsterdam, Holland

Marriage 2 Hendrickjen Barent Otsen b: 1611 in Holland

Married: 1633 in Amsterdam, Holland

Children

Roeloff Swartwout b: 1634 in Amsterdam, Holland

Barent Swartwout b: ABT 1638 in Amsterdam, Holland
Tryntje Swartwout b: ABT 1639 in Amsterdam, Holland
Catryna Swartwout b: 1639 in Amsterdam, Holland
Jacomijntje Swartwout b: BET 1645 AND 1646 in Amsterdam, Holland

His siblings were Rolef, Wybrandt, Hermanus, and Aldert.

Tomys was the first American immigrant. He and his two younger brothers were the first to write the surname "Swartwolts" in the modern Dutch way of "Swartwout".

Tomys married 1st Adrijetjen Sumons on April 07,1630 in Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland. She died on Dec. 17, 1630 in Amsterdam while giving birth to their only child, Jan. He married 2nd Hendrickjen Barents Otsen on June 03,1631 in Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland. Their children were Roeloff, Barent, Tryntje (Catryn), and Jacomijntje.

Tradition relates that he returned to Holland were he died, but I also have his place of death as Ulster Co. NY.

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

Tomys Swartwout was born in Groningen, Holland, in 1607, and was son of Rolef and Catryna Swartwout. He arrived in New Amsterdam in April, 1652, and settled in Midwout, L. I., representing the latter place in the Convention called by Governor Stuyvesant in 1653. He subsequently returned to Holland and died in Groningen.

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

Tomys Swartwout was born in Groningen, Holland, in 1607, and was son of Rolef and Catryna Swartwout. He arrived in New Amsterdam in April, 1652, and settled in Midwout, L. I., representing the latter place in the Convention called by Governor Stuyvesant in 1653. He subsequently returned to Holland and died in Groningen.