General Notes: One unknown marriage in Netherlands as he had a daughter baptized in 1629. Then there was 15 years until the birth of the next child. He married again probably in Brazil about 1643 to Catherine Van Der Werven who died in Flatbush about 1702 Minister of the Reformed Church of Holland. Johannes was the progenitor of all the families of that name in this country. When he arrived in this country, he accepted a call from the church of Flatbush N Y, where he labored from 1654 to 1665. Afterward he labored in the church at Brooklyn until his death, June 9, 1676. On 25 Oct 1636 he sailed from Amsterdam & Texel Harbor and landed 23 Jan 1637 on Recif of Pemambuco, Brazil. The following from "Historical Handbook of the Van Voorhees Family in the Netherlands and America" - Published 1935.
Quote -
"We come now to consider briefly the earliest Dutch churches on Long Island. Before 1654 the people had to come over to New Amsterdam for regular preaching and communion. In 1654 came Dominie Johannes Theodorus Polhemus from Brazil, now about 56 years old, to serve the churches then formed to Midwout and Amersfoort, continuing here till his death on June 8, (9) 1676; and serving also at Breuckelen (Brooklyn) 1656 to 1660 and again from 1664 till his death at the age of about 78 years." "Polhemus was, indeed, Johann Theodore Polheim, probably of German-Swiss origin, whose earlier pastorates seem to have been in the Palatinate; then at Meppel in the provence of Overyssel, Netherlands; again in the Palatinate, until 1635; and from 1637 to 1654, in successive ministries at Olinda and at Itamarcas, both in Brazil. We have already shown that from Brazil he came to Amersfoort as the first Dominie of this historic parish. Polhemus was the first regularly stationed minister of the Dutch on Long Island. He came to New Netherland at the evacuation of Brazil by the Dutch, upon the surrender of that country to Portuguese domination. It is said that Polhemus preached in French and Portuguese while in Brazil, and undoubtedly, in dutch. He of course, knew Latin and German, and probably other languages. When he came here, his wife did not accompany him. She went to Holland to seek collection of the arrears owing to him by the Dutch West India Company. His transfer to Long Island was ratified by the classis in 1656, and arrangements were made to aid Mevrouw Polhemus to come to Long Island to join her husband. Classis characterized her thus: "She is a very worthy matron, has great desire to be her husband, and has struggled along here in poverty and great straits, always conducting herself modestly and piously."
End of Quote.
Johannes married Catharina Van Der Werven, daughter of Peter Van Der Werven and Elizabeth (?) Van Der Werven, about 1643 in Probably In Itamarca, Brazil 1. Catharina was born about 1612 1,2 and died about 1702 in Flatbush, Kings County, Long Island, NY.
Their children were:
+ 2 F i. Adrianna Polhemus was born about 1644 in Prob. On The Island Of Itamarca, Brazil 1 and died before 1702 in Bergen, NJ 1.
+ 3 M ii. Theodorus Polhemus was born about 1646 in Island Of Itamarca, Pernambuco, Brazil 3 and died on 2 May 1722 in Jamaica, Long Island, NY 4.
4 F iii. Lammetje Polhemus was born about 1648 in Prob. On The Island Of Itamarca, Brazil 1.
General Notes: Both Lammetje and Johannes were alive in 1702, but no record has been found of any children.
Lammetje married Johannes Willemse. Johannes was born in Prob. On The Island Of Itamarca, Brazil.
+ 5 F iv. Anna Polhemus was born about 1649 in Prob. On The Island Of Itamarca, Brazil 1 and died after 1702 1.
+ 6 F v. Maragrietje Polhemus was born about 1660 in Probably In Midwout 5 and died before 1702 in Flatbush, Kings County, NY 5.
7 F vi. Elizabeth Polhemus was born about 1661 in Probably In Midwout 5 and died before 1685 5.
Elizabeth married Denyse Nyssen, son of Teunis Denyse Nyssen and Femmetje Jans Seals, on 22 Oct 1682 in Flatbush Dutch Church, Long Island, NY 5. Denyse was born on 16 Apr 1654 in New Amsterdam? 6, baptized on 12 Apr 1654 in New York Dutch Church 5 and died in 1703 in The Narrows, Long Island, NY 6.
+ 8 M vii. Capt. Daniel Polhemus was born about 1662 in Flatbush, Kings County, NY 5 and died about 1730 in Flatbush, Kings County, NY 4.
9 F viii. Catrina Polhemus was born in Probably In New Amsterdam.
Johannes next married Metge (Mevrouw) (?) Polhemius in The Netherlands. 1.
Their children were:
10 F i. Christina Polhemus .
General Notes: No further record.
Noted events in her life were:
• Baptism: 7 Oct 1629, Meppel, The Netherlands 5.
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