Glossary Burgher- one who holds certain rights and privileges in their community, including the right to trade.
Domine- a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church.
Fiscal- see schout.
Guilder- Dutch coin; six were worth one English pound sterling.
Huguenot- French Protestants who were forced to flee during the time of Louis XIV. They fled first to Prussia and the German Palatinate, then to America (including New Netherland), England, and Ireland.
Kil- Dutch for stream.
Morgen- Dutch unit of measurement equivalent to two acres.
Noorman- Dutch for Norseman or Norwegian.
Patroon- a member of the Dutch West Indies Company who owned large tracts of land on the New Netherlands on the condition that he find fifty farmers and their families to settle this land. The settlers paid rent to the patroon and worked a few days out of the year for him. The patroon upheld the law by settling disputes, making sure the guilty were punished, etc.
Schepel- Dutch unit of measurement equivalent to 76.4% of a bushel.
Schepen- a Dutch magistrate who was in charge of legislative, judicial, and administrative affairs; in Flemish, an alderman (plural- schepenen).
Schout- a Dutch sheriff, who made investigations and arrests.
Seawan- wampum, used as money in the New Netherlands, originally used among the Iroquois.
Vorlesser- a reader in the Dutch Reformed Church
Walloon- Protestants from southern Belgium, speaking a French dialect. A number sought refuge in the Netherlands and several Walloon families settled Fort Orange, now Albany, NY.
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Michelle's Main Page New Netherland Family History Language Page To contact me: michelle@boydhouse.com
Last updated 5 Nov 2003.
© Michelle Boyd, 2003.