Domine Johannes Megapolensis

Johannes, clergyman, born in Koedyck, Holland, in 1603; died in New York city, 14 January, 1670. The original form of the family name, Van Mecklenburg, was Hellenized into Megapolensis by his father, who was settled as a minister in Egmont-aan-Zee

By 1630, he had married Machteld Willems Steengen. The marriage produced at least four children - all born in Europe.

In 1642, he brought his family to New Netherland - first to New Amsterdam, and then to Rensselaerswyck and Fort Orange where he served until 1649. He doubled as a missionary to the Indians and preached in the Mohawk language. He produced A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, their Country, Language, Figure, Costume, Religion, and Government, which was published in Amsterdam in 1651. He also has been credited with saving the life of the French missionary, Father Isaac Jogues.

Although employed by the Van Rensselaers, he lived in "his own house" on the east side of the Hudson at Greenbush. He preached there until the Patroon's storehouse located near Fort Orange was adopted for use as a church.

At the end of his mission, he re-located to New Amsterdam where he served as Dominie of the Dutch church. He was among those who counselled Governor Stuyvesant in the surrender of New Netherland to the English in 1664. Like many successful Dutch colonists, he subsequently took the oath of allegiance to the Duke of York.

In 1668, he returned to Holland. But he soon came back to New York where Dominie Johannes Megapolensis, died in January 1670.

He owned property at Nos 7,9, & 11 Broadway

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/e/e/Phillip-D-Deere/WE...

Includes NotesNotes for Evardus Bogardus: Some names are disguised in a Latin dress. The practice prevailed at the time of the emigration to our country of changing the names of those who had gone through the university and received a degree from plain Dutch into sonorous Roman. The names of all our early ministers were thus altered. Johannes or Jan Mecklenburg became Johannes Megapolensis; Evert Willemse Bogaert became Everardus Bogardus; Jan Doris Polheem became Johannes Theodorus Polhemius. The last was the founder of the Polhemus family of Brooklyn. The records here show that he was a minister at Meppel in the province of Drenthe, and in 1637 went as such to Brazil under the auspices of the West India Company, whence he went to Long Island. Samuel Dries, who by the way was an Englishman, but who graduated at Leyden, was named Samuel Drisius. It may, therefore, be set down as a general rule that the names of Dutch families ending in us have thus been Latinized. Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol VII

Johannes Megapolensis by Stefan Bielinski

According to traditional sources, Johannes Megapolensis was born in North Holland 1603. He was the son of Dominie Johannes Megapolensis - thus making him Johannes "Jr." as he was sometimes known.

By 1630, he had married Mathilde Willems. The marriage produced at least four children - all born in Europe.

In 1642, he brought his family to New Netherland - first to New Amsterdam, and then to Rensselaerswyck and Fort Orange where he served until 1649. He doubled as a missionary to the Indians and preached in the Mohawk language. He produced A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, their Country, Language, Figure, Costume, Religion, and Government, which was published in Amsterdam in 1651. He also has been credited with saving the life of the French missionary, Father Isaac Jogues.

Although employed by the Van Rensselaers, he lived in "his own house" on the east side of the Hudson at Greenbush. He preached there until the Patroon's storehouse located near Fort Orange was adopted for use as a church.

At the end of his mission, he re-located to New Amsterdam where he served as Dominie of the Dutch church. He was among those who counselled Governor Stuyvesant in the surrender of New Netherland to the English in 1664. Like many successful Dutch colonists, he subsequently took the oath of allegiance to the Duke of York.

In 1668, he returned to Holland. But he soon came back to New York where Dominie Johannes Megapolensis, Jr. died in January 1670.

http://www.ngv.nl/genealogie/getperson.php?personID=I10094&tree=G08... zoon van een dominee in Egmond aan Zee die de familienaam Van Mecklenburg liet wijzigen in Megapolensis; Johannes kwam in 1643 met gezin in Nieuw Nederland als predikant en dominee van de Nederlands Hervormde Gemeente, eerst in Fort Oranje (salaris 1000 gulden) en vanaf 1649 in Nieuw Amsterdam (salaris 1200 gulden); hij leerde de Mohawk taal en predikte onder de indianen; hij bleef aldaar ook na de overgave aan de Engelsen en legde in 1664 de eed van trouw af aan de Engelse Koning.