Key Facts

Snapshot:	skipper knew Lenape language(s), and translated during an important transaction between Indians and Swedish settlers wounded in the face by an Indian with a pistol
Parents:	unknown
Born:	circa 1595 location unknown
Last known record:	4 November 1648 Fort Beversreede, New Netherland
Buried:	unknown

15588Andries Luycaszen was born circa 1595.1

On 26 September 1648, 15588Andries signed a document that described him as 53 years old. Full page.1

15588Andries is best known for his work aboard the Kalmar Nyckel in 1638. Familiar with the local Indian language, 15588Andries acted as translator when Swedish representative Peter Minuit purchased land from the local Indians, thereby establishing New Sweden, whose territory included the land on which Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware now lie. Below are translated excerpts from an affidavit by four men who were on board the ship during the expedition,2 followed by a small excerpt image of the original document.3

[...] have lately served on the ship called the Key of Calmar, and have come with her from West India to this country. And the testimony was produced [...] that the abovementioned mate, together with the director Peter Minuit, the skipper Johan von de Water and the former upper boatswain Andress Lucassen and still other officers of the ship's-council, were on this ship, [...] in this now ending year, sailed on the abovementioned ship so far into the South River that they came to and by another river, the Minquas Kil [now called Christina River], which they also in like manner sailed into. And they made their presence known with all kinds of signs, both by the firing of cannon and otherwise, and also sailed several miles into the same [Minquas] river, and went into the country, but neither found nor observed any sign or vestige of Christian people. Neither did they meet nor see any Christian people; whereupon the abovementioned Director Peter Minuit requested and caused the nations or people to whom the land really belonged to come before him, whom he then asked, if they wished to sell the river, with all the land lying about there, as many days' journeys as he would request. This they agreed to with the common consent of the nations. The parties were therefore agreed with one another, and thereupon, on the twenty-ninth of March of the above year, appeared and presented themselves before the abovementioned ship's council, in the name of their nations or people, five Sachems or princes, by the name of Mattahorn, Mitot Schemingh, Eru Packen, Mahamen, and Chiton, some being present [on behalf] of the Ermewormahi, the others on behalf of the Mante and Minqua nations. And these sachems or princes, at the same time and place, in the presence of the whole ship's council and hence also of the two first-named witnesses, ceded, transported, and transferred all the land, as many days' journeys on all places and parts of the river as they requested; upwards and on both sides. Because, however, they did not understand our language, the abovementioned Andress Lucassen, who had before this lived long in the country and who knew their language, translated the same into their speech. Thereupon they all unanimously with one another declared in what manner they transported, ceded, and transferred the said land with all its jurisdiction, sovereignty, and rights to the Swedish Florida Company [...]. At the same time they acknowledged that they, to their satisfaction, were paid and fully compensated for it by good and proper merchandise, which was delivered and given to them in the personal presence of the abovementioned witnesses and of others of the [ship's] council. [...].2

An excerpt from a facsimile of the original affidavit about the voyage of the Kalmar Nyckel. Highlighted is the first of two mentions of 15588Andries. Full page.3

A modern replica of the Kalmar Nyckel4

Details are lacking, but 15588Andries seems to have married 15589Jannetje Sebÿns, since there is evidence that 15588Andries was the father of 7794Lucas Andrieszen, and (separately) evidence that 15589Jannetje was the mother of 7794Lucas. (See 7794Lucas' profile for a discussion of that evidence since it won't be repeated here.)

A 1644 list of the inhabitants of Fort Christina (map) mentions "Skepperen [15588]Andress," who was "appointed to be on the sloop continually" (translated).5

In October and November or 1647, he sailed "along the north coast from New Amsterdam to Pakeketock, Crommegou and New Haven" (translated). Using modern names, this would mean sailing from Manhattan, along the north coast of Long Island, then across Long Island Sound to New Haven, Connecticut. 15588Andries was in New Amsterdam on 28 September 1648, when he signed a document about this aforementioned expedition. His "signature" was an interesting-looking mark:1

15588Andries' mark to "sign" a document about his 1647 expedition. Full page.1

On 19 July 1648, 15588Andries witnessed the baptism of Jannetie, presumably in New Amsterdam.6 (This was his granddaughter, although a description of the evidence thereof is somewhat beyond the scope of this article.)

Also in 1648, an Indian sachem wounded 15588Andries in the face using a pistol, as mentioned in a letter written by Director Peter Stuyvesant.7

Excerpt from a letter that mentions 15588Andries' being wounded by an Indian with a pistol. To see the full image, go here, then choose image 11.7

On 4 November 1648, 15588Andries was at Fort Beversreede, where he signed a document stating that a Swedish lieutenant had orders to block any attempt by Dutch representatives to claim or settle the land. 15588Andries' signature here is the last known record of him.8

15588Andries' signature on a document about being impeded by Swedes. Dated 4 November 1648, this document is the last known record pertaining to 15588Andries. Full page.8

Sources Cited:

1: A deposition dated 28 September 1648 and signed by Andries Lucassen and others that in the fall of 1647 they sailed with Govert Loockermans and that during said voyage Loockermans did not sell any arms or ammunition to the Indians. New York State Archives' Digital Collections, <https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/19025>, accessed 14 June 2021. The source citation provided by the New York State Archives is: "New York State Archives. New York (Colony). Secretary of the Province. Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1642-1660. Series A0270-78. Volume 3, documents 20a-b, side 2." You can read a translation of the document.

2: Albert Cook Myers, Narratives of Early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey, and Delaware, 1630-1707, pages 85-89. This is a printed translation of the affidavit.

3: Amandus Johnson, The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware, Volume I (Philadelphia Swedish Colonial Society, 1911), several un-numbered inset pages between pages 184 and 185. Johnson notes, "Original preserved in N. S. I. (K. A.), Stockholm," but I don't understand what his abbreviations mean. This a fascimile copy of the affidavit itself.

4: Wikimedia user Enricokamasa, "Kalmar Nyckel Chesapeake Bay" (online image, 2008). Wikimedia Commons, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalmar_Nyckel_Chesapeake_Bay.jpg>, accessed 17 June 2021.

5: Amandus Johnson, The Swedish Settlements on the Delaware, Volume II (Philadelphia Swedish Colonial Society, 1911), page 701. An English translation is on the following page.

6: The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume V (1874), page 91, entry dated 19 July 1648 for the baptism of Jannetie.

7: One of several letters from Petrus Stuyvesant to Andries Hudde concerning the South River. New York State Archives' Digital Collections, <https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/50696>, image 11 of 26 (labeled on the image itself as "18:10(6)"), accessed 15 June 2021. The source citation provided by the New York State Archives for this overall collection of letters is: "New York State Archives. New Netherland Council. Dutch Delaware River Settlement Administrative Records, 1646-1664. Series A1878. Volume 18." You can read a translation of excerpts from the letters; the translation for the particular letter that mentions 15588Andries is fortunately at the top of the translation page.

8: Declaration dated 4 November 1648 from Andries Lucassen and others at Fort Beversreede that the Swedish lieutenant had orders to prevent the setting of any stake/post in the ground on the Schuykil. New York State Archives' Digital Collections, <https://digitalcollections.archives.nysed.gov/index.php/Detail/objects/50690>, accessed 14 June 2021. The source citation provided by the New York State Archives is: "New York State Archives. New Netherland Council. Dutch Delaware River Settlement Administrative Records, 1646-1664. Series A1878. Volume 18." You can read a translation of the document.