Early Dutch Settlers

Early Dutch Settlers. . , The Dutch came to the New World in the early 1600s in search of riches, and quickly saw the vast potential of the fur and timber trades. Only after the need arose for a steady food supply did they realize the agricultural possibilities of the Hudson River Valley. At Kinderhook. Dutch settlers from Beverwyck (later renamed Albany) set up trading posts, sawmills, a small settlement and farms, like this one belonging to the Van Alen family., Generations of Farmers , Lourens Van Alen was one of the early Dutch settlers at Kinderhook. In the 1600's, Lourens and his business partners began acquiring land from the native Mohican Indians. His Son Luykas built this sturdy and spacious house in 1737, and cultivated a farm that eventually grew to 500 acres. His descendants occupied the house for the next 200 years. By the 1930s, the farm had been reduced to just 33 acres. The last Van Alens to live in the house sold it to a distant cousin who later gave the house, land and funds sufficient for restoration to the Columbia County Historical Society., Life at the Van Alen Farm , Over the years, as many as twenty people lived in this three room house at one time. Family members resided on the ground floor, while the upper half-story was used for storing grains, weaving on a large loom, and as a sleeping space for hired hands or enslaved people. Slavery was widely practiced in the Dutch settlements of the Hudson Valley. Working side-by-side with Dutch householders, male slaves shouldered duties ranging from field and husbandry work to carpentry and blacksmithing. Enslaved women were given domestic tasks, and shared in the care of children and the elderly., (photos and illustrations, from top right going clockwise) , Maria Muldor Van Alen (1683-c.1737) and Stephenus Van Alen (c.1800 - 1738/43) were the sister-in-law and brother of Luykas Van Alen. These oil paintings, dating to 1721 and attributed to Nehermiah Partridge, are among the earliest portraits of European settlers in the area that came to be known as Columbia County. Private Collection, The Van Alens kept important documents and precious items, including the family bible, in this keepsake box. Wrapped in beaver fur, the box exemplifies the trade relations between Dutch settlers and native Mohicans during the colonial period. CCHS Collection, Children were especially cherished in colonial Dutch culture. This c. 18th century baby walker, made in New York, is typical of an early style of walker made in the Netherlands known as a loopwagen, designed to give toddlers secure mobility CCHS Collection, This Van Alen family bible, printed in Dutch and dating to 1741, represents the family’s adherence to the Dutch Reformed Church and continued use of the Dutch language at home/ As a register of births and deaths. It was also a repository of family history. CCHS Collection, This detail view from an 18" century serving tray depicts a Dutch-American family celebrating the birth of twins with their extended family and neighbors. CCHS Collection