THOMAS LODWYCKSON (Thomas Lewis) was Irish and born around 1628 in Belfast. He died 28 September 1684 at about 56 years. Around 1661 he married Geesje Barents (d.1719-1725). Thomas came to New Netherlands, "in March of Cromwells Wars". He came over on the Blauwe Duiff [Blue Dove], in service to the Dutch West India Company. They paid his passage in exchange for three years service as a carpenter. He went to Beverwyck (Albany). In 1658, he had to sue for payment for constructing a bapistry in the church. He also fitted out yachts and came to New Amsterdam ca. 1663. He transported troops to Esopus for the second Esopus Indian War (after the burning of Wiltwyck (Kingston), Jun 7, 1663), aboard his bark, and Peter Stuyvesant made his bark his headquarters (he was mentioned by Stuyvesant several times in letters as Thomas the Irishman.) In 1664, he was sued by an employee he fired because the employee was to teach another to saw wood, but did not know how to do it himself. He became Captain of a cargo vessel plying the Hudson, from New Amsterdam to Fort Orange. In 1664, he sailed a boat on the South River (Delaware) and made many trading voyages. In 1678, he was master of the sloop, "Katherine".
In 1664, he lived on Broad St, in 1665 on "The Prince Graft". On Jul 2, 1668, he bought the house and still house of Burgher Jorissen at the corner of William and Stone Streets, near Wall St (No. 57 on Danckaert's (the Labadist View)(No 18, Block Q on the Castello Plan). His heirs sold it in 1713. It was later the home and place of business of the printer, William Bradford, where he printed the first copy of the "New York Gazette", NY's first newspaper. On October 7, 1669, Peter Stuyvesant sold Lot # 3 of the Calk Hook Farm (1/4 of farm) to Thomas Lewis. On Nov 10 and 12, 1725, his heirs sold the property to Anthony Rutgers. On the tax list of 1674, Thomas Lewis is listed with a worth of fl 6,000, making him the 17th richest man in NYC.
On August 18, 1670, Margaret, wife of Frederick Philipse, bought land at Yonkers which was formerly in possession of Andriaan Vander Donck, the Jonge Heer (from which Yonkers got its name), for 300, on behalf of her husband and Thomas Lewis, mariner, from Elias Doughty, the brother of widow Vander Donck. It included 300 acres and one half the River Nepperham with milling priviliges. Doughty sold various parcels of land, including one to John Archer, which was erected into the Manor of Fordham. On September 29,(or November 29), 1672, Thomas Lewis, with Thomas Delaval and Frederick Philipse, purchased the residue of Doughty's lands, 7708 acres, each owning one third. A patent was obtained by Philipse, Geesje Lewis and John Delaval on February 19, 1684/5. John Delaval (son of Thomas), sold his rights to Philipse, on Aug 27, 1685 and on Jun 12, 1686, Geesje Lewis (wife of Thomas) and her surviving children, sold thier rights to Philipse, in order to get money to raise the children. Philipse had acquired additional land and had the property erected into the Manor of Philipsburgh on Jun 12, 1693, by Governor Fletcher. The mills he built at Yonkers gave the river its name, "Saw Mill River". The patent for the original purchase was not issued until Feb 19, 1684/5. The Geshee Lewis House etc. is listed on the City Tax Lists 1695-1699 at 130 2 Sh 2 d, and the Thomas Lewis Estate at 50 1 Sh (East Ward).
He was appointed Alderman by Gov Andros in 1675 and served a number of terms (1676, 1679, 1680, 1681), serving at various times with William Dervall, Stephen Van Cortlandt, Johannes de Peyster, Francis Rombout and William Beekman. He was appointed chairman of the committee to survey vacant land and served on the committee to determine the expenses for building a new church. He was a Lt Col in the Regiment of Col Christopher Lyne, on Jan 6, 1679. After his death, his wife became a baker, and she was ordered to bake bread for sale on Mondays. In 1686, she was living at Lang St - with her property, the North side of Pearl St and Hanover Square to Wall St, with her daughter Catherine. A well was sunk in front of her house in 1687. She sold her property to Abraham Van Horne, bolter (a bolter was a person who sifted meal) in 1703. Her son, Thomas lived next door.
It could also be his son, Thomas (1674 - 1699), who died about this time. Son Thomas sailed with the famous Captain Tew, privateer turned pirate, in 1694. Thomas Lewis is listed as a bolter, Aug 1698. The inventory of the estate of a Thomas Lewis was recorded Jun 21, 1704, as 32/8/6. Some items listed were some pewter, 4 pictures, and a set of blue serge curtains and some valences. It is unclear what happened to his share of the pirating venture with Captain Tew. (Protzman, 1999).
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