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Roelof Jansen

Roelof was born in 1602 in Marstrand, Sweden.

Birth Notes
- Maesterland (Marstrand) was on the island of the same name, Goteburg Och Bohus, Sweden --- but in Bohuslan, Norway until 1658).
  
  Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer p. 1158: Marstrand [57.53N 11.34E] Och Bohus, Sweden. 18 miles northwest of Goteborg. Founded 1225, 14th century church, 17th century fortress. (Known as Maesterland, Marstrand was a Dutch commercial out-post in Hanseatic League days.)

General Notes
- He came over on the ship de Eendracht which sailed from Texel on 21 March 1630 and arrived in New Amsterdam 24 May 1630. He was assisted by Jan Gerritsz, his nephew and resided 3 1/2 years at the St. Tunis gate.
  
  At Rensselaerswyck Roelof farmed the de Laets Burg farm on the east bank of the Hudson, near Mill Creek [Normans Kill] in the present city of Rensselaer. While living there Roelof was appointed a schepen [magistrate] by van Rensselaer, but he and the others so appointed were not sworn in and never served. In April 1634, Roelof was replaced as farmer by Gerrit Theunisz. de Reux under uncertain circumstances. He and his men had served most, if not all, of their regular period of employment and did not “desert” van Rensselaer as claimed by most writers. Roelof had not been a successful farmer and was in debt to van Rensselaer when replaced. In 1637 van Rensselaer said that he had canceled the debt “long ago” (VRBM pssim).
  
  When Roelof left the farm in Rensselaerswyck apparently he, his family, and his mother-in-law moved down river to New Amsterdam, where he became an employee of the West India Company. Roelof probably farmed one of the company bouweries, and likely continued to do so until his death in 1636. He did not go to Brazil during this two year period, as has been suggested.

Click here for details of Roelof's family with Anneke Jans