Everardus Bogardus
| Everardus Bogardus | |
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| 2nd [[Dominie of the New Amsterdam Dutch Reformed Church]] | |
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In office 1633–1647 |
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| Personal details | |
| Died | September 27, 1647 Swansea, Wales |
The Reverend Everardus Bogardus (1607 – 27 September 1647) was the dominie of the New Netherlands, and was the second minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, the oldest established church in present-day New York, which was then located on Pearl Street (Manhattan) at its first location built in 1633, the year of his arrival. Bogardus was, in fact, the second clergyman in all of the New Netherlands. (The slightly obscure early history of the Dutch colony meant that he was often considered the first clergyman).
Everart Bogaert was born in Woerden, in the province of Utrecht, Holland in 1607. He entered Leyden University for the study of theology in July, 1627. As seemed to be the custom among young Dutch theologians at the time, he "Latinized" his name to Everardus Bogardus, and from 1631 until the present day he is known in history and appears in all records in that manner. On January 11, 1632, just five years after he had entered Leyden University, he was ordained a regular minister of the Dutch Reformed church. Soon after he was commissioned by the "Lords Directors of the Honorable West India Company of the United Provinces of the Netherlands," to minister to the spiritual needs of the colony at New Amsterdam.
Bogardus arrived in New Netherlands in 1633, sailing from Amsterdam on the ship "Zoutberg". Around the time of the Wappinger Wars conflict with the local Indians, the church was rebuilt in Fort Amsterdam. A humorous anecdote about the building of this church contends that
Governor Kieft decided that there should be [a new church] of stone, and that it should be built inside the fort. There was a question as how to secure the money to build it. Kieft gave a small amount, as did other colonists, but there was not enough. Fortunately, just at this time, a daughter of Bogardus, the minister, was married. At the wedding, when the guests were in good humor, a subscription-list was handed out. The guests tried to outdo one another in subscribing money for the new church. Next day some of the subscribers were sorry they had agreed to give so much, but the Governor accepted no excuses and insisted on the money. It was collected, and the church was built.
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