Colonel Martinus Hoffman

  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration, 1657. I came to New Amsterdam about 1657 and going up the North river to Esopus settled there.

• Reprimanded, 1658. In 1658, when the Indians became threatening in the vicinity of Esopus and the garrison of soldiers stationed there had orders not to attack the Indians except in defense of the fort, I led the settlers against the Indians driving them away. For this action the officials reprimanded me, but the people living about Esopus praised me for my actions.

• Moved, 1661. I Esopus moving instead to New Amsterdam where in 1661, I lived at De Heere Straat (now Broadway).

• Moved, 1672. In 1672, we were living in a house conveyed to us in Fort Orange (Albany). The house is referred to in deeds as a bowrey. In December 1676, we sold this property to Cornelis Van De Hoeven and bought another house and lot in Fort Orange.

• Occupation. I supported my family as a saddler. I performed as an auctioneer and I owned a small vessel.

• Moved, 6 Feb 1688. We returned to Esopus and settled in Kingston where I was granted land from the Crown, which was duly recorded in the County Clerk's office in Kingston..

• Oath of Allegiance, 1689. In 1689, I took the oath of allegiance: In “A rool of the names and surnames of those who have taken the oath of allegiance in ye County of Ulster, by order of his excely. Ye Governor ye first day of September Anno Qc. Domini 1689, are found the names of Martin Hoffman, Terrick Claes De Witt whose sister he married, and Anthony Crispell who married his daughter."

• Assisted. ⁴¹¹ I assisted my brother-in-law Tjerck to recover some property in Ezen Ostenbenzie, Holland.

• Politically. ^412,413 I was involved with trying to resolve the conflicts with the Indian tribes. I found that I was quoted as saying, “Brothers there are two methods of settling this accident, one according to the white peoples customs, the other according to the Indians; which of them will ou chuse? If you will go according to the Indian manners, the man who shot the Indian may live. If this man's life is spared and at any time hereafter an Indian should kill a white man, and you desire it, his life shall also be spared. Brother there are two Indians in jail at Albany accused of killing a man, and we beg you they may be released. All we that are here present among whom are some of their nations, are all much dejected and uneasy upon this affair, and do entreat that these people may be let free which will give us all the highest satisfaction”.

Martinus married Emmerentie Dewitt, daughter of Dr. Nicholas Claes Dewitt and Taatje Cornelisz Van Leuven, on 16 May 1664 in New Amsterdam. (Emmerentie Dewitt was born about 1643 in Groatholdt, East Friesland and died in 1682 in New York.)