Jochem Pietersen Kuyter

Jochem Pietersen Kuyter (died 1654) was an early colonist to New Netherland, and one of the first settlers of what would become Harlem on the island of Manhattan. He became an influential member of the community and served on the citizen boards known as the Twelve Men, the Eight Men and the Nine Men.

Kuyter was a native of Dithmarschen, now part of Germany, and a Dane by birth. According to tradition, he had been in the service of the Danish East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. In a joint venture with Jonas Bronck, Kuyter mounted an expedition to settle in New Netherland aboard a ship they had hired, "de Brant von Trogen" (The Fire of Troy). He arrived at the port of New Amsterdam in July, 1639. Kuyter settled with his farmers and herdsmen upon a tract of 400 acres (160 ha; 0.63 sq mi) of fine farming land, of which he had obtained a grant from the Dutch West India Company. The homestead named Zedendaal, or Blessed Valley, stretched along the Harlem River from about the present 127th Street to 140th Street. Kuyter was married to Lentie Martens, who possibly was a sister of his friend and partner, the aforementioned Jonas Bronck. They had no children. In 1643, the house was burned downed, presumably by the indigenous population who rampaged across the colony in response to attacks at Pavonia and Corlear's Hook.

None of the other Danes in New Amsterdam obtained the social prestige of Kuyter. He was a member of the Board of Twelve Men from August 29, 1641, to February 18, 1642; of the Board of Eight Men which board existed from September, 1643, to September, 1647. After a journey to Holland he was made a member of the Board of Nine Men, which existed from September 25, 1647, until the city was incorporated, in 1653, when he was made schout (sheriff).

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