Henri de Forest (b. March 07, 1605/06, d. July 26, 1637)
Henri de Forest (son of Jesse deForest and Marie duCloux) was born March 07, 1605/06 in Sedan, France, and died July 26, 1637 in New Amsterdam. He married Gertrude Bornstra on July 01, 1636 in Amsterdam.
Notes for Henri de Forest: Henri had gone to sea in 1631, first in the employ of the patroons in Amsterdam, and then (having not been paid for ten months) for the West Indies Company, where he made a name for himself as a mariner. On 1 July 1636, in a double wedding, Henri was married in Amsterdam to Gertrude Bornstra of a Friesland family, while his cousinCrispin, son of his uncle Gerard, married Gertrude's sister. On 26 September 1636 th ship "Rensselaerswyck" sailed from Amsterdam. Six of the deForest family were on board as passengers while Henri sailed as mate and trader. Gertrude remained in Amsterdam. Henri also had two laborers who were indentured to him for three years. After a long, rough voy age, with an eight week enforced layover at Ilfracombe, Devonshire, England the ship anchored off Manhatten on 5 March 1637. Henri obtained a grant of about 200 acres of fertile land between what is now 109th street and 124th street on the east side of the island, and immediateluy started clearing crop land and building a combined farm house and barn in the Dutch style. Meanwhile the ship had gone on to van Renselaer's, settlement near Fort Orange (Albany), returning in three months. Henri, as mate and trader, had to sail in her for for the English colonies in Virginia, leaving his bother-in-law LaMontaigne in charge of his property. The ship arrived on 29 June at Smith's Island near Cape Charles, Virginia. Henri went ashore to attend to his trading duties. This area was very unhealthy during the summer months and Henri contracted an epidemical disease. He survived the return voyage to New Amsterdam, reaching there on 16 July, but he died on 26 July 1637 and was buried there the next day.
More About Henri de Forest and Gertrude Bornstra: Marriage: July 01, 1636, Amsterdam.
Children of Henri de Forest and Gertrude Bornstra are:
Henri de Forest (b. March 07, 1605/06, d. July 26, 1637)
Notes for Henri de Forest: