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BIOGRAPHY OF
MATTHEW J. BOGERT
MATTHEW J. BOGERT. The Bougaerdts were a numerous and influential
family in Holland, where they filled many important military
and civic positions, and attained lasting fame in the arts, sciences,
and literature centuries before the advent of any of them in
America. Guilliaem Bougaert was Schout of the City of Dordrecht
in 1423. His son Adam became first Professor of Music and Rector
of the Academy at Leyden, where he died in 1482. He is buried
in St. Peter's Church in Leyden, beneath a stone surmounted with
a copper plate on which is an inscription setting forth his fame.
This church was built in 1315 as a monument to Boerhave, the
great physician, and contains the remains of the most distinguished
worthies of Holland. Adam's son Jacob became first physician
to the City of Antwerp and afterward was Profesor [sic] of Medicine
and Surgery at Leyden for more than twenty years. Like his father
he also attained the rectorship of the academy. He was a fluent
writer on medical science, on which he published a treatise in
five parts, the manuscript of which is now in the public library
at Antwerp. Harman Myndertse Bougaert came to New Amsterdam
in 1629, and was probably the first of the nature to locate in
America. He was a medical man of long experience and was appointed
official physician to the infant metropolis. In 1634 Rev. Everard
Bogardus, a son of William Bougaert, and who wrote his name in
Latin Everardus Bougardus, came over to New Amsterdam in company
with Governor-General Wouter Von Twiller. Bogardus was the first
regular preacher on Manhattan Island, where he married, in 1637,
Ann, widow of Roelof Jansen, of Maeslandt, Holland, the lady
about whom, and whose estate and Trinity Church, so much has
been written and said during the last thirty years. Dominic
Bogardus rented a tobacco plantation on the island and spent
much time and labor upon it, tobacco being at that time the principal
currency of the country. In time he quarreled with Governor
Kieft because of the latter's cruelty to the New Jersey Indians.
Kieft brought charges of immorality against him, the investigation
of which was cut short by the superseding of Kieft, who was drowned
off the coast of Wales.
Joost (Justus) Bougaert, in 1641, was appointed by Queen Christina,
of Sweden, commander of a colony on the east side of the Delaware
River below Philadelphia. He held that position some time on
an annual salary of 500 florins.
In 1652 Teunis Gysbert Bougaert emigrated to New Amsterdam
from Hey Koop, a little hamlet northeast of Leyden. Two years
later he settled at Brooklyn, when he married Sarah Rapelje,
a daughter of one of Brooklyn's earliest settlers. He was Mayor
of Brooklyn for three years. His farm fronted on the Walabocht
(Wallabout). His descendants scattered over Long Island and
along the Raritan River in New Jersey.
Matthew J. Bogert is descended from Jan Louwe Bougaerdt, a
cousin of Gysbert, above named. Jan was cradled and grew to
man's estate at Schoondewoerdt (a word meaning finer words),
a small fortified village noted for its salmon fisheries, on
a branch of the Maas River twenty miles above Rotterdam and about
two miles from Hey Koop, the former home of his uncle Gysbert.
Jan was reared a farmer, but early in life struck out for himself.
Reaching manhood, he married Cornelia Evertse, the daughter
of a well-to-do neighbor, and settled down to farming in his
native town. In common with thousands of Hollanders he seems
to have caught the prevalent emigration fever, for, on April
16, 1663, we find him and his family with many of his neighbors
embarking at Amsterdam on the Dutch West India ship "Spotted
Cow," bound for the shores of America. A month later the
stanch craft touched the wharf at New Amsterdam, where some of
the cargo of emigrants remained and others went to Brooklyn,
Staten Island, and Albany. Jan, no doubt, desiring to be near
his uncle, repaired to the vicinity of Bedford, L. K., where
he bought a farm, and remained there until 1672. He must have
been possessed of some means, as in the spring of that year he
had an opportunity, of which he availed himself, to take charge
of the farm of Dr. John de la Montagne near Harlem. On the 1st
of May, 1671, he removed thither from Bedford, and thenceforward
for a period of twenty years was an active participant in the
civil and religious affairs of Harlem. That he prospered is
evidenced by the fact that in 1679, 1691, and 1701 he bought
lands at Hoorus Hook, Spuyten Duyvil, and on Hellegat Sound.
He was chosen magistrate of Harlem in 1675 and 1676, but failed
afterward in the realization of his political aspirations, which
seem to have been strong. In 1695 he sold his lands at Bedford
and in 1766 his farm lands at Harlem. The following spring,
stricken in years, he and his wife removed to New Amsterdam (joining
the Dutch Church there May 27, 1767), where they died soon after
at a ripe old age.
Jan Louwe Bougaerdt was a man of firmness and decision of
character; born to command, rather than to follow; hasty in his
temper, but prone to justice when cool; a man of his word, who
demanded of his neighbor the exercise of the same quality; shrewd
in protecting his own interests, but honest in his dealings with
his neighbor; a man of sound judgment, keen intelligence, and
possessing a large fund of general information; a stern but affectionate
and dutiful husband and father, and a devoted Christian,-all
qualities which, under the trying circumstances in which he was
placed, fitted him for the trials of a frontier life. They had
nine children of the second generation, to wit: Peter Jansen,
Margaretta, Gysbert, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Catharine, Cornelia,
Janneke, and Jolin.
Peter Jansen Bogert (2d gen.) born at Schoondewoerdt, Holland,
in 1656, married in New York, September 29, 1686, Sophia, a daughter
of Judge Matthias Flierboom, of Albany. He, with his sister
Margaretta, and his brother Gysbert, removed to Tappan, then
a part of Orange County, N. Y. Gysbert and Margaretta's husband
purchased large tracts of land at Tappan, on which they settled.
These were of the third generation, to wit: Cornelia, Maria,
Elizabeth, Catalyntic, John P., Matthew P., Peter P., and Willemina.
Matthew P. Bogert (3d gen.), baptized at Hackensack in 1702,
married, in 1735, Margaretta Tuniscus Talman, and in January,
1740, bought of Bernardus Van Valen 250 acres of woodland south
of Closter and extending from the Hudson River to the Tiena Kill
Brook. The westerly part of this was soon cleared and stocked
and a family mansion erected on the east side of the old road
leading to Piermont. Matthew P. Bogert followed agricultural
pursuits until his death in 1784. His children of the fourth
generation were Peter M., Sophia, Cornelius, Maria, Matthew M.,
Maria, and Dowe.
Matthew M. Bogert (4th gen.) by will obtained and resided
on part of the homestead of his father at Closter until his death.
He married, in 1777, Sarah Bogert, a relative of his, who survived
him. He served as a private in the New Jersey militia in 1776.
He was a farmer and left children of the fifth generation, to
wit: Margaretta, Sarah, Maria, Matthew M., Albert M., and Sophia.
Matthew M. Bogert (5th gen.), born November 6, 1779, died
March 30, 1871, married May 9, 1801, Willempie Haring, born March
28, 1783, died July 25, 1859. Matthew M. (5) was also a farmer
and resided on the homestead occupied by his ancestors at Closter.
His children of the sixth generation were Sally, Jane, Margaret,
Maria, and Jacob M.
Jacob M. Bogert (6th gen.), born at Closter, N. J., May 15,
1819, died March 18, 1874, married, November 30, 1842, Maria
Haring, born in 1823. She survives him and resides in Hackensack.
He was a farmer by occupation. Their children of the seventh
generation were Henry Ver Valen (deceased), Matthew J., Cornelia,
Sarah Jane, Leah, and Huyler.
Matthew J. Bogert (7th gen.), the subject of this sketch,
born at Closter, N. J., May 1, 1846, was educated in the public
schools at Closter and worked on his father's farm until 1864,
when he became a clerk in the wholesale store of Pangborn &
Bronner in New York City. Later he became a bookkeeper in the
hardware house of H. Cater & Son. May 22, 1873, he married
Miss Mary A. Hopper, daughter of James G. Hopper, of Etna, N.
J. In 1874 he embarked in the business of wood-turning in Pearl
Street, New York. This he made a success, and with his partner,
Abraham J. Hopper, now conducts an extensive business in William
Street, New York, with mills at Kingsfield, Me. Mr. Bogert is
an active, energetic, and thoroughly practical business man.
Though an active Republican, with the exception of being Postmaster
at Demarest, N. J., since 1892, he has never held any really
political office. He has for several years been a member of
the School Board of Harrington Township, and for twelve years
has been a Director and Treasurer of the Harrington Building
and Loan Association, which he helped to organize. He is prominent
and active in religious work. He is now an Elder and has during
several years held other offices in the Reformed Church at Closter,
and for thirteen years has been Superintendent of the Sunday
School of that church. His living children of the eighth generation
are Jessie (married in 1900 Frederick W. Mattocks, a New York
lawyer), Virgil (now associated with his father in business),
and Clarence, who has just entered Princeton University.
Source: Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties,
New Jersey, Editor, Cornelius Burnham Harvey, The New Jersey
Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900, pages 57-60.
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