Minne Cornelis

Origin

Minne Cornelis was from Hoorn according to depositions he gave before an Amsterdam notary in 1642 and 1650.[1] His Amsterdam marriage record indicated he was from Amsterdam.[2] He was probably born in Hoorn and had lived in Amsterdam for some time before his marriage. His name and origins identify him as Dutch.

Migration

Minne Cornelis visited New Netherland on at least two occasions.  In 1630 and 1631 he was in New Netherland, where he helped to collect timber for the ship Nieuw Nederland that was being built.[3] On 27 October 1648, he was enroute from Barbados to Germany when he was forced to moor at New Netherland after his ship was damaged in a storm. The New Netherland governor seized the ship as a prize in March 1649.[4] 

Settlement

Although Minne Cornelis stayed in New Netherland for months at a time, he lived in Amsterdam. On 21 November 1626, he lived at the Brouwersgracht [Brewer’s Canal].[5] He lived at the Middelstraat on 15 December 1641.[6] He probably lived there for the rest of his live, since his house at the Middelstraat was sold after his death.[7]

Biographical Details

Minne Cornelis was born, probably in Hoorn, around 1601–1604 (age about 28 in 1632, 32 in 1636, about 33 in 1636, and about 48 in 1649 and 1650).[8] He was baptized as an adult in the Oude Kerk Dutch Reformed Church in Amsterdam on 15 December 1641.[9] His baptismal record does not mention his parents. His father, whose first name would have been Cornelis based on Minne’s patronym, died before 21 November 1626.[10] Minne Cornelis died by 1 February 1667, when the house he left was sold.[11]

Marriage and Children

On 21 November 1626 Minne Cornelis and Brecht Alberts requested their marriage proclamations in the Dutch Reformed Church of Amsterdam. He worked as a sailor and no longer had a father. He brought Sitgie Reijnders as his witness. Minne lived at the Brouwersgracht [Brewers’ Canal] when he married. His bride Brecht Alberts was born on the island of Vlieland, age 28, and had no living parents. She brought her sister Trijntie Heijndrix. Brecht lived at the Paerdevelt in Amsterdam.[12] The different patronymics suggest that Trijntie Heijndrix was Brecht Alberts’s half or stepsister rather than a full sister.

Children:

1. Lijsbet Minnes, born about 1628, probably in Amsterdam, baptized in the Oude Kerk Dutch Reformed Church in Amsterdam as a 13-year-old child on 15 December 1641, at the same time her father was baptized as an adult.[13]

Education

Minne Cornelis signed with a mark when he requested his marriage proclamations in 1626.[14] He was able to sign his name on 29 October 1636, when he gave a deposition about the skipper of the St. Pieter.[15] 

Occupation

Minne Cornelis was a sailor when he married in 1626.[16] Amsterdam notarial records captured moments from his long career in Transatlantic shipping and trading.

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Early in his career, Minne Cornelis worked for the West India Company. Minne Cornelis served as chief boatswain (hoogbootsman) on the Eendracht on its journey to New Netherland in 1631. He was then assigned to serve as helmsman (stuurman) on the newly built ship Nieuw Nederland, on which he sailed back to Amsterdam. He still had not received his wages for either leg of the journey by 2 August 1632, when he filed a claim against the West India Company.[17] While ashore in New Netherland, Minne Cornelis and the rest of the crew fulfilled other tasks. In 1630 and 1630 they helped to collect timber, which was sawn in the mill of Franchoijs Vesaert, a millwright in New Amsterdam. The boards were used for the gangway and cable storage for the ship Nieuw Nederland. On 3 November 1632, Minne Cornelis and another crew member, gunner Stoffel Andriessen, gave a deposition about the functionality of Vesaert’s mill at the millwright’s request, declaring it was much better than the mill owned by the West India Company, and could operate with less wind.[18] This deposition supported Franchoijs Vesaert in a conflict with the West India Company about the quality of his mill.[19] 

By 1636, Minne Cornelis no longer worked for the West India Company, but served as helmsman on the privately-owned St. Pieter. On 28 August 1636, skipper Pieter Pietersz declared that Minne Cornelisz, former helmsman on the St. Pieter, had gone with him to the West Indies, and conducted himself in a decent, faithful, and sober manner during the voyage, as a loyal and good helmsman should. He denied having said anything to the detriment of Minne Cornelisz.[20] Minne was apparently at odds with the skipper of the ship, who had to retract some negative comments about Minne to avoid slander charges. On 29 October 1636, Minne gave a deposition at the request of merchant Wouter Wouters van Barrevelt that skipper Pieter Pietersz had stolen brandy and wine that he was hired to transport to Barbados. The skipper, who was habitually drunk, did not share the alcohol with the crew. Instead, he had the brandy and wine unloaded at various places in the West Indies, and brought some ashore to treat women. The crew prevented him from unloading more.[21]

As his experience and fortune grew, Minne Cornelis took on more responsibility. On 4 March 1637, he and five other charterers entered into a freight contract with Ariaen Jansz Los, skipper and owner of the ship De Swarte Raeven [the Black Raven], to sail to the West Indies. Their goal was to trade Amsterdam merchandise and purchase cargo to take back to the Netherlands. Minne Cornelis would serve as skipper and decide which ports to call at for trading, earning a wage of 280 guilders per month. Meanwhile, Ariaen Jansz Los, the ship’s owner, would sail as the head carpenter, with a wage of 28 guilders per month.[22] The discrepancy in pay reflects the value the charterers placed in Minne Cornelis’s expertise in profitable cargo and routes in the West Indies. Apparently, everything did not go as planned. On 29 May 1638, Minne Cornelisz and two other sailors jointly owed 550 guilders to Jacob Jacobsz, at an interest of 6.25%. The money had been claimed from Jacobsz by Wouter Wouters and the other charterers.[23] 

In 1638, Minne Cornelis was the skipper of the St. Pieter when he made another voyage to the West Indies.[24] About six months after departure, the Spanish captured their ship on the Amazon river in South America, and imprisoned Minne Cornelis and his crew in Parra. They managed to escape and board a ship from Hamburg, coincidentally also called the St. Pieter, with Pieter Wittegraeu as the skipper. When the governor of Parra discovered the absence of Minne Cornelis, he had him hauled from the ship while the rest of the crew was allowed to depart. Minne’s goods remained on board, and were sold before the mast, which yielded 170 guilders. Henrick Wittegraeu, the skipper’s brother, kept the money and promised to return that to Minne Cornelis’s wife.[25] Abandoned goods were sold to the highest bidder, to be of use during the voyage. 

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Minne’s wife still had not received the money by 31 January 1641, when she asked a sailor and cooper to testify about Minne’s capture and the sale of his goods.[26] Another sailor gave a similar deposition on 6 January 1642.[27] By that time, Minne Cornelis had returned to Amsterdam. On 11 January 1642, he gave a power of attorney to Henrick Wetheijn, a citizen of Hamburg, to collect the money from Hendrick Wittegraeu. Having lost his ship to the Spaniards, Minne Cornelis was temporarily working as a barge operator in Amsterdam.[28]

On 28 August 1648 captain Thieleman Willekens hired Minne Cornelis at Barbados to serve as senior helmsman on the Jonge Prins van Denemarcken [Young Prince of Denmark] and bring it to Luckstad [Glückstadt in the Kingdom of Denmark, now in Germany]. They sailed on 28 September 1648. According to a deposition by Minne Cornelis, the ship was damaged after a great storm and because of worms [marine shipworms], and started leaking. To save the crew and cargo, they were forced to anchor at New Netherland, where they arrived on 27 October 1648. New Netherland director Peter Stuijvesant seized the ship and cargo as a prize in the name of the West India Company at the end of March 1649. Minne Cornelisz was back in Amsterdam by 13 July 1649, when he gave a deposition about the events before an Amsterdam notary.[29] New Netherland records show the Jonge Prins van Denemarcken was seized on suspicion of smuggling. On 16 February 1650, the West India Company directors informed Stuijvesant that the ship’s owners were collecting evidence to dispute the seizure.[30] The deposition by Minne Cornelis must have been part of that evidence. 

An inventory of the goods of the Jonge Prins van Denemarcken at New Amsterdam shows the ship carried 341 elephant tusks and 23,361 pounds of sugar from Barbados. Fifteen cannon, nine muskets, five pistols, and twelve cutlasses protected the cargo. The ship was in poor condition: its main mast was unfit for use, the rigging was more than half torn, and a pair of shrouds had broken by their own weight. The haul had to be caulked anew and repaired from top to bottom.[31] 

According to Minne Cornelisz’s 2 June 1650 deposition, he was the helmsman of the St. Pieter, perhaps the same ship that had been taken from him by the Spaniards, or its successor. Together with the cook’s mate and the boatswain’s mate, he provided testimony about the hiring of the crew at the request of the skipper, Jan Pietersz Haeij. One of the ship’s owners, Jan van Baerle, had asked the skipper to hire more crew, especially fishermen and coopers, while the other owner, Jan Baptista Bensio, complained that he had not authorized the skipper to hire so many men.[32]

Minne Cornelisz served as skipper of the St. Pieter on 5 October 1650, when he vouched for a sailor on his ship who borrowed money against his future wages. Minne Cornelisz promised he would not give the sailor or his heirs any money until the debt was paid.[33]

Holdings and Estate

Minne Cornelis owned a house in the Middelstraat in Amsterdam, that was foreclosed on 1 February 1667, after his death. The house was located at the north side of the Middelstraat and had an annex at the back, with an alley toward the Mouthaensteeg, and sold for 2000 guilders.[34] Minne Cornelis had probably purchased the house before 15 December 1641, when he was already living at the Middelstraat. The house was called the “Vlieboot” [Vlie boat], probably a reference to his wife’s Vlieland origins.[35] 

Church Membership

Minne Cornelis was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church as an adult by confession of faith.[36] His apparent lack of childhood baptism suggests an Anabaptist upbringing. Minne married and had his daughter baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church.[37] 

Associations

Minne Cornelis is known to have associated with two New Netherland settlers: millwright Franchois Vesaert, on whose behalf he gave a deposition about the quality of his mill in 1632,[38] and director Pieter Stuyvesant, who seized his ship as a prize in 1649.[39] 

Wouter Wouters van Barrevelt was a repeat business associate of Minne Cornelis. He was the merchant whose wine and brandy were carried on board of the St. Pieter in 1636, on whose behalf Minne Cornelis testified about the skipper’s theft.[40] Van Barrevelt and Minne Cornelis were two of the charterers for the voyage of the Swarte Raeven in 1637 where Minne Cornelis was in charge of the ship and its trade.[41]

Additional Details

On 29 September 1644, Minne Cornelisz and Brecht Alberts, burghers of Amsterdam, gave power of attorney to Cornelis Huijbertsz to claim ten guilders from Abraham Jansz de Seeuw and his wife Maricken Uijl, living in Vlissingen. Abraham owed Minne Cornelis money for food, and owed an Amsterdam victualler another twenty guilders for room and rent.[42] Abraham Jansz had apparently lived with the victualler while Minne or his wife provided his food. Brecht Alberts may have sold food to supplement their income while Minne was away at sea.

Minne Cornelis and Brecht Alberts worked together to profit from his Transatlantic voyages. Minne Cornelis would send her goods from the West Indies to sell in Amsterdam. On 4 October 1651, Brecht Alberts gave power of attorney to Meijndert Tjeerts to handle her affairs in her absence, as she was about to go to Vlieland for a while. She asked him to continue selling the merchandise that her husband would send home from the West Indies.[43]

Citations

[1] Minne Cornelisz power of attorney to collect money from his sold gear, 11 January 1642, in Hendrick Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes and copies of attestations and other records, 1 January–20 October 1642, fol. 8v; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/bf5e983f-0f87-1790-82fc-cfc4a1c93c28), image 14 of 190; citing call no. 1285, Record Group (RG) 5075: Archief van de Notarissen ter Standplaats Amsterdam [Records of the Notaries Residing in Amsterdam], Stadsarchief Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Declaration by Minne Cornelisz van Hoorn and others about hiring a crew for the St. Pieter, 2 June 1650 in Hendrick Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes and copies of attestations and other records, 4 January–19 October 1650, fol. 138v–139r; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/125aacb0-4a8d-7172-96cb-2c1f063a5298), image 92–93 of 238; citing call no. 1298, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[2] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626, in Amsterdam, marriage intentions of the church, 1626–1627, p. 490; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/830b6376-a6de-492b-be35-782b97673ae8); citing call no. 431, RG 5001: Archief van de Burgerlijke Stand: doop-, trouw- en begraafboeken van Amsterdam (retroacta van de Burgerlijke Stand) [Archives of the Civil Registration: baptismal, marriage, and burial books of Amsterdam (predecessors of the civil registration)], Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[3] Minne Cornelis demands wages from West India Company, 2 August 1632, in Jan Warnaertz, notary (Amsterdam), bundle 25, 30 June–4 November 1632, fol. 27v; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/7c0df919-3cd0-ec71-857f-9b5ea21f79cf), image 264 of 706; citing call no. 667, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[4] Minne Cornelisz’s deposition about voyage from Barbados, 13 July 1649, in Jacob de Winter, notary (Amsterdam), minutes in protocol, 13 November 1648–21 April 1651, fol. 77r–v; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/b21a5c6e-293e-6a83-e053-b784100a6e32); citing call no. 2278, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[5] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626.

[6] Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641, in Oude Kerk Dutch Reformed Church (Amsterdam), baptismal register 1634–1643, p. 310; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/421d9cd1-6340-4151-9597-7484ed8fb759); citing call no. 7, RG 5001, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[7] Quitclaim for the sale of the house at the Achterstraet left by Minne Cornelisz, 30 November 1668, in  Aldermen’s court (Amsterdam), quitclaims of sold houses, 12 June 1660–23 May 1670, fol. 271v; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/e143f38d-be5c-43f8-9a00-53ee612e05f7); citing call no. 2170, RG 5061: Archieven van de Schout en Schepenen, van de Schepenen en van de Subalterne Rechtbanken [Records of the Magistrate and Aldermen, of the Aldermen, and of the Subordinate Courts], Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[8] Minne Cornelis deposition about New Amsterdam mill, 3 November 1632, in Arent Jansz Engel, notary (Amsterdam), notarial records, 7 December 1630–1632, document 656; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/a9eed563-65ec-32d3-594f-9f515c14391f), image 518 of 696; citing call no. 943, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam. Deposition about Minne Cornelisz’s conduct on voyage, 28 August 1636, in Hendrik Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes, 3 January–13 December 1636, fol. 269; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/b21a5c6e-293e-6a83-e053-b784100a6e32); citing call no. 2278, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam. Deposition about the skipper of the St. Pieter, 29 October 1636, in Isaac Henrixsen van Gieteren, notary (Amsterdam), minutes, 1634–1637, fol. 417–418; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/8fec3d68-b1c4-5bbd-9a27-531816916753), image 248–49 of 625; citing call no. 1261A, RG 5075 Stadsarchief Amsterdam. Minne Cornelisz’s deposition about voyage from Barbados, 13 July 1649. Declaration by Minne Cornelisz van Hoorn and others about hiring a crew for the St. Pieter, 2 June 1650.

[9] Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641.

[10] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626.

[11] Quitclaim for the sale of the house at the Achterstraet left by Minne Cornelisz, 30 November 1668.

[12] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626.

[13] Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641.

[14] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626.

[15] Deposition about the skipper of the St. Pieter, 29 October 1636.

[16] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626.

[17] Minne Cornelis demands wages from West India Company, 2 August 1632.

[18] Minne Cornelis deposition about New Amsterdam mill, 3 November 1632.

[19] Jaap Jacobs, Een Zegenrijk Gewest: Nieuw-Nederland in de Zeventiende Eeuw (Amsterdam, Netherlands: Prometheus-Bert Bakker, 1999), 115.

[20] Deposition about Minne Cornelisz’s conduct on voyage, 28 August 1636.

[21] Deposition about the skipper of the St. Pieter, 29 October 1636.

[22] Freight contract between Minne Cornelis and others and Ariaen Jansz Los, 4 March 1637, in Evert Willemsz Cocq, notary (Amsterdam), minutes, 1637, fol. 60–61; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/18c61283-c25b-d84e-8bb5-49bf39867623), images 89–90 of 608; citing call no. 487, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[23] Loan contract between Minne Cornelis and others, and Jacob Jacobsz, 29 May 1638, in Sebastiaen van Piet, notary (Amsterdam), minutes, 17 December 1637–30 December 1638, fol. 135–136; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/616926c9-bea3-f1c7-df2b-dfef45e88c23), images 70–71 of 247; citing call no. 1022, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[24] Deposition about capture of Minne Cornelisz, 31 January 1641, in Hendrik Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes and copies of attestations and other records, 2 January–15 August 1641, fol. 14v; imaged, “Indexen,” Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/indexen/deeds/9d6d21e0-2461-666d-e053-b784100a1840); citing call no. 1283, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[25] Deposition about capture of Minne Cornelisz, 31 January 1641.

[26] Deposition about capture of Minne Cornelisz, 31 January 1641.

[27] Deposition about capture of Minne Cornelissen, 6 January 1642 in Hendrick Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes and copies of attestations and other records, 1 January–20 October 1642, fol. 5r; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/bf5e983f-0f87-1790-82fc-cfc4a1c93c28), image 10 of 190; citing call no. 1285, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[28] Minne Cornelisz power of attorney to collect money from his sold gear, 11 January 1642.

[29] Minne Cornelisz’s deposition about voyage from Barbados, 13 July 1649.

[30] Correspondence between West India Company directors and Peter Stuijvesant, 16 February 1650, in New Netherland Council, administrative correspondence, 1646–1664, vol. 1, document 18; imaged, “Digital collections,” New York State Archives (https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/45085), identifier NYSA_A1810-78_V11_18; citing series A1810-78, New York State Archives, Albany. Also, Charles T. Gehring, ed., Correspondence, 1647–1653 (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2000), 78, 79. The original records have been damaged, making parts illegible. Gehring reconstructed the translation based on the surviving records and prior translations.

[31] Inventory of the ship of Tielman Wikkelens, 25 March 1649, in Provincial Secretary (New Netherland), register, vol. 3, 17 August 1648–1660, p. 31; imaged, New York State Archives (https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/19052), identifier NYSA_A0270-78_V3_031d; citing series A270-78, New York State Archives.

[32] Declaration by Minne Cornelisz van Hoorn and others about hiring a crew for the St. Pieter, 2 June 1650.

[33] Debt of a sailor in Minne Cornelisz’s crew, 4 and 5 October 1650, in Hendrick Schaef, notary (Amsterdam), minutes of transports, contracts, and other records, 3 January–30 December 1650, fol. 88v; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/0d64dfd1-e923-9e3f-2caa-68b965293521), image 94 of 121; citing call no. 1345, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[34] Quitclaim for the sale of the house at the Achterstraet left by Minne Cornelisz, 30 November 1668.

[35] Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641.

[36] Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641.

[37] Marriage intentions Minne Corneliss and Brecht Alberts, 21 November 1626. Baptism of Minne Cornelisz and Lijsbet Minnes, 15 December 1641.

[38] Minne Cornelis deposition about New Amsterdam mill, 3 November 1632.

[39] Minne Cornelisz’s deposition about voyage from Barbados, 13 July 1649.

[40] Deposition about the skipper of the St. Pieter, 29 October 1636.

[41] Freight contract between Minne Cornelis and others and Ariaen Jansz Los, 4 March 1637.

[42] Gerrit Hendricks and Minne Cornelisz power of attorney, 29 September 1644, in Jan de Vos, notary (Amsterdam), minutes, 1644, unpaginated; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/205f9ce7-8a70-3fef-867f-06b7bf08849c), image 92–93 of 384; citing call no. 1221A, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

[43] Power of attorney by Brecht Alberts, 4 October 1651, in Jacob de Winter, notary (Amsterdam), minutes in protocol, 1 May 1651–24 June 1652, p. 30–31; imaged, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/ef89a0f6-d3f1-29aa-0ddb-0b60c40cb04e), image 194 of 212; citing call no. 2279, RG 5075, Stadsarchief Amsterdam.

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