Introduction
Our cast of characters came by ship from Holland to America, from Amsterdam to Fort Orange, up the Hudson River. They had signed on for four years as indentured farmers and laborers, to work for the wealthy Dutchman, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, lord of the manor, in a settlement called Rensselaerswyck.
The story could be titled - What becomes of an old sea captain? And it goes something like this.
Being a blasphemer, a street-scold, a murderer, a contemner of laws and justice, and disturber of the peace, the bakker, Willem Juriaensz is hereby banished, to leave by the first vessel ...
The Baker, Willem Juriaensz
Our first character is Willem Juriaensz (Jeuriaens), commonly called Willem the Baker (Bakker). Once upon a time, Capitaijn, sea captain in 1646 and again in 1650, and likely before. Arriving in the colony in 1638, he worked for Lord Van Rensselaer as a baker, but miscreant that he was, beginning in 1644, sentenced to banishment for misdeeds and then reprieved.
The Chicken Keeper, Jochem Becker
In 1644, Jochem Becker accused the old captain of stealing his hens.The Witness, Jacob Willemz
Jacob Willemz took up the captain's side in this story, saying,"What do you mean? They are the old captain's hens!"
This he said from the safety of his house. Becker called to Willemz to come out. Willemz wisely refused; Becker rushed in, giving him a sound beating, and grabbing him by the throat, calling him an "old dog".
Defending himself as best that an old dog could, Willemz fought back and called Becker "a dog and a son of a bitch".
The question of whether anyone stole the Becker's chickens, was not, at this time, a question for the court. Nor do we know the outcome of this case, or how the court dealt with the baker.
Once more
In 1647, the old captain was sentenced to banishment to "the Manhattans" for attacking with a knife and murdering one, de Hooges (Antony de Hooges, business manager of Rensselaer's colony.).
Enter the picture Jan Franz Van Husum, aka Jan Van Hoesen
Reprieved, the captain struck up a relationship with Jan van Hoesen, who saw the merit in learning the skill of the baker. So, they entered into a contract dated January 30, 1650 allowing the old captain to live on Van Hoesen's property in exchange for lessons in baking, and a donut or two.
A captain takes no orders.
By November of 1651, the old captain (now 72 years of age) refused to bake, and in consequence, the court gave Jan van Hoesen "permission to occupy the erf" (lot, or bakery) on the condition that the Old Man could live in the adjoining house "ofte de gelegenheijt," as long as he lived.
We must assume that Jan and his wife Volkje had learned the trade by now, and were busy selling bread and donuts to the other settlers and to the Indians in trade for beaver pelts.
Presumably, Jan and Volkje tolerated the old captain since we do not see Captain Willem Juriaensz appearing in court again. And Jan and Volkje profited from the captain, earning money enough from the bakery to purchase land from the Indians, but that is another story.
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