Individual Details
Christopher "Brase/Brasy" Bresee
(15 Jan 1709 - 1789)
See FHC film 1304637 "Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800" aka "Pearson's Albany Families" by Jonathan Pearson dated 1872 and based on records of the First Reform Dutch Church. Andries Brussy of "Kooehakki" married Engeltie Clauss on 13 July 1707 and a Christoffel was christened on 26 Jan 1709.
See Revo Morrey study file: mel.01_8.jpg, RevoYoung.05, _49.jpg, and RevoYoung.05, _51.jpg.
1790 probate record shows him as Christopher Brase.
1789 death year is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg,com) and Ancestral File at the FHC.
1774 the town of West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, was incorporated on 23 Feb 1774 and on 4 July 1774 the first town meeting was held at the home of Christopher Brazee. "It is concluded that Christopher Brazee came there sometime between the years of 1763 and 1774 from Egremont" (see Revo Morrey study page 24, RevoYoung.07, _26). He had a child born there in 1757.
1761 - Note from Phyllis Kinzie dated 27 May 2001: History of Egremont, Berkshire Co., MA, shows Christopher plus the Widow Brazee as two of the first residents of the town in 1761.
1759 among the first settlers to West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, were Christepher Bresee and Henrick Brasee (see Revo Morrey study Mel.07_26.jpg).
On May 7, 1757 a party of men from Livingston Manor, New York pulled down and burned the buildings of six families in Mount Washington, Berkshire Co., MA, including those of brothers Christopher and Hendrick Bresee. This may have been done for the lack of payment of rent since this was disputed land in the "Gore". See the Donald Goodwin study on the Bresee Family page iii; "Race Family Genealogy of Mount Washington, MA" by Donna Race Kneip dated 2006; and "The Berkshire Hills" by Members of the Federal Writers' Project dated 1939 found at Heritage Quest Online, pages 180-182.
1757 - Christopher and brother Henrick Brasee plus Andry and John Brasee and several other men on 31 Mar 1757 purchased land from the Indians Kaukewenakonaunt and Mauhouwewet in part east of Tauconock Mountain (source: copy of deed dated 31 March 1757 in Christopher Bresee file).
1756 up to and prior to 1756 Christopher Brazee had purchased land from the indians (see Mel.07_25). See "Documentary History of State of NY" Albany, NY 1850, Vol. 3, au passim.
1755 LDS film 250316 Item 2 page 16: on 10 Apr 1755 Andres Roise and Christopher Brasea living on Province Land West of Sheff., purchased 50 acres West of Shff., part of land granted to Jabis Olmsted, from Wm. and Robt. Joyner. (This must be land south of Great Barrington in Berkshire Co., MA.)
1754-1771 surveys during these years created the disputed area north of Putnam Co. and east of the Hudson River, NY called the Gore where Christopher purchased land. See attached picture.
1751 Christoffel Bresie and Agnitje Rosman christened Johannes on 28 Aug 1751 with witnesses of Jan and Cathrina Halenbeck at the Reformed Protestant Dutch Ch of Linlithgo, Columbia Co., NY per LAFHC film 1016564 page 57. Also see file Linlithgo32.jpg and LDS film 17735 page 57.
1749 see Revo Young file Mel.02_15.jpg for christening of daughter Christina on 8 Jan 1749 at Ancram which is also known as Greenbush in Livingston Manor.
1743 Ancestral File at the FHC shows Andries Bresee son of Christoffel Bresie and Agnesa (Agnes) Rossman christened 6 Jan 1743 at Queensbury.
1737 marriage from Records of Zion Luth. Church at Loonenburg NYGBR, Jan. 1942,. Vol. 73, No. 1, page 66. Marriage date of 9 Nov 1737 is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com). Also see Donald Goodman study for marriage date and location. Also see Revo Morrey study (RevoYoung.07_16.jpg and RevoYoung.08_16.jpg). File RevoYoung.07_15 shows marriage at Thresboech and the children.
1709 Jan 26th: Andries Brussy and Engeltje Claeuw had Christoffel christened per FHC film 1002599 First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, NY, computer printout on births or christenings 1683-1799. Also see Revo M. Young file and Ancestral File at the FHC.
1709 birth date of 15 Jan 1709 is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com). See Revo Morrey study (RevoYoung.07, _16.jpg, RevoYoung.08, _5.jpg & RevoYoung.08, _26.jpg). See FHC film 1304637 "Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800" aka "Pearson's Albany Families" by Jonathan Pearson dated 1872 and based on records of the First Reform Dutch Church at Albany. Holland Society of NY 1683-1749, Vol. 1, page 51.
See Revo Morrey study file: mel.01_8.jpg, RevoYoung.05, _49.jpg, and RevoYoung.05, _51.jpg.
1790 probate record shows him as Christopher Brase.
1789 death year is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg,com) and Ancestral File at the FHC.
1774 the town of West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, was incorporated on 23 Feb 1774 and on 4 July 1774 the first town meeting was held at the home of Christopher Brazee. "It is concluded that Christopher Brazee came there sometime between the years of 1763 and 1774 from Egremont" (see Revo Morrey study page 24, RevoYoung.07, _26). He had a child born there in 1757.
1761 - Note from Phyllis Kinzie dated 27 May 2001: History of Egremont, Berkshire Co., MA, shows Christopher plus the Widow Brazee as two of the first residents of the town in 1761.
1759 among the first settlers to West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, were Christepher Bresee and Henrick Brasee (see Revo Morrey study Mel.07_26.jpg).
On May 7, 1757 a party of men from Livingston Manor, New York pulled down and burned the buildings of six families in Mount Washington, Berkshire Co., MA, including those of brothers Christopher and Hendrick Bresee. This may have been done for the lack of payment of rent since this was disputed land in the "Gore". See the Donald Goodwin study on the Bresee Family page iii; "Race Family Genealogy of Mount Washington, MA" by Donna Race Kneip dated 2006; and "The Berkshire Hills" by Members of the Federal Writers' Project dated 1939 found at Heritage Quest Online, pages 180-182.
1757 - Christopher and brother Henrick Brasee plus Andry and John Brasee and several other men on 31 Mar 1757 purchased land from the Indians Kaukewenakonaunt and Mauhouwewet in part east of Tauconock Mountain (source: copy of deed dated 31 March 1757 in Christopher Bresee file).
1756 up to and prior to 1756 Christopher Brazee had purchased land from the indians (see Mel.07_25). See "Documentary History of State of NY" Albany, NY 1850, Vol. 3, au passim.
1755 LDS film 250316 Item 2 page 16: on 10 Apr 1755 Andres Roise and Christopher Brasea living on Province Land West of Sheff., purchased 50 acres West of Shff., part of land granted to Jabis Olmsted, from Wm. and Robt. Joyner. (This must be land south of Great Barrington in Berkshire Co., MA.)
1754-1771 surveys during these years created the disputed area north of Putnam Co. and east of the Hudson River, NY called the Gore where Christopher purchased land. See attached picture.
1751 Christoffel Bresie and Agnitje Rosman christened Johannes on 28 Aug 1751 with witnesses of Jan and Cathrina Halenbeck at the Reformed Protestant Dutch Ch of Linlithgo, Columbia Co., NY per LAFHC film 1016564 page 57. Also see file Linlithgo32.jpg and LDS film 17735 page 57.
1749 see Revo Young file Mel.02_15.jpg for christening of daughter Christina on 8 Jan 1749 at Ancram which is also known as Greenbush in Livingston Manor.
1743 Ancestral File at the FHC shows Andries Bresee son of Christoffel Bresie and Agnesa (Agnes) Rossman christened 6 Jan 1743 at Queensbury.
1737 marriage from Records of Zion Luth. Church at Loonenburg NYGBR, Jan. 1942,. Vol. 73, No. 1, page 66. Marriage date of 9 Nov 1737 is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com). Also see Donald Goodman study for marriage date and location. Also see Revo Morrey study (RevoYoung.07_16.jpg and RevoYoung.08_16.jpg). File RevoYoung.07_15 shows marriage at Thresboech and the children.
1709 Jan 26th: Andries Brussy and Engeltje Claeuw had Christoffel christened per FHC film 1002599 First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, NY, computer printout on births or christenings 1683-1799. Also see Revo M. Young file and Ancestral File at the FHC.
1709 birth date of 15 Jan 1709 is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com). See Revo Morrey study (RevoYoung.07, _16.jpg, RevoYoung.08, _5.jpg & RevoYoung.08, _26.jpg). See FHC film 1304637 "Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800" aka "Pearson's Albany Families" by Jonathan Pearson dated 1872 and based on records of the First Reform Dutch Church at Albany. Holland Society of NY 1683-1749, Vol. 1, page 51.
Events
| Fact 1 | 1670 | See my work at: http://sites.rootsmagic.com/Bresee/ | |||
| Birth | 15 Jan 1709 | Albany, Albany, New York, British America |  |  | |
| Christen | 26 Jan 1709 | First Reform Dutch Church, Albany, Albany, New York, British America | | | |
| Marriage | 9 Nov 1737 | Threebosch Zion Lutheran Church, Loonenburg, Athens, (Greene), New York, British America - Agnetta Flora "Roschman" Rossman | | | |
| Residence (family) | 14 Apr 1755 | in Mount Washington, Bershire Co., MA, and were burned out of their home by Livingston Manor militia - Agnetta Flora "Roschman" Rossman | | | |
| Property | 15 Mar 1757 | land purchased from the Indians recorded 31 March 1757 purchased - Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts | | ||
| Residence | 7 May 1757 | Mount Washington, (Berkshire), Massachusetts Bay, British America | | | |
| Residence | Aug 1757 | London Board of Trade informs the Colonies of NY and Mass boundary line is twenty miles from the Hudson River puting their home in Mass - Mount Washington, Bershire, Mass, | | ||
| Residence (family) | 1759 | West Stockbridge, (Berkshire), Massachusetts Bay, British America - Agnetta Flora "Roschman" Rossman | | ||
| Residence (family) | 1761 | Egremont, Berkshire, Massachusetts Bay, British America - Agnetta Flora "Roschman" Rossman | | ||
| Residence | 4 Jul 1774 | West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts Bay, British America | | ||
| Death | 1789 | West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States | | ||
| Probate | 4 May 1790 | Court of Probate, Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States | |||
| LDS Family Tree ID | LHSW-2CW | ||||
| WikiTree | Bresee-18 |
Families
| Spouse | Agnetta Flora "Roschman" Rossman (1720 - 1790) |
| Child | Engeltie "Engel, Anna" Bresie (1738 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Bresee (1741 - 1800) |
| Child | Andreas C. "Brusie" Bresee (1743 - 1795) |
| Child | Hendrick "Brazie" Bresee ( - 1785) |
| Child | Catharina Bresee (1746 - 1796) |
| Child | Christina Bresee (1749 - 1775) |
| Child | John C. "Johannes Bresie" Bresee ( - 1834) |
| Child | Peter Bresee (1753 - 1819) |
| Child | Christopher Bresee (1757 - 1826) |
| Child | Nicholas C. Bresee (1762 - 1843) |
| Father | Andries "Brussy" Bresie (1679 - 1767) |
| Mother | Engeltje "Clauw" Claeuw ( - ) |
| Sibling | Christina Bresee (1712 - 1795) |
| Sibling | Hendrick "Brussi" Bresee (1714 - 1785) |
| Sibling | Francis "Frantz" Brusie ( - ) |
| Sibling | Cornelius "Presie" Bresee (1715 - 1795) |
| Sibling | John Bresee (1720 - ) |
| Sibling | Anna "Anna Maria Preis" Bresee (1721 - ) |
| Sibling | Gabriel Bresee (1722 - ) |
| Sibling | Andries H. Bresee (1723 - 1825) |
| Sibling | Cornelia Bresee ( - ) |
| Sibling | Nicholas "Prussie, Bri" Bresee (1727 - ) |
| Sibling | Benjamin "Bressie" Bresee (1730 - ) |
Notes
Birth
Birth date of 15 Jan 1709 is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com).Christen
See FHC film 1304637 Item 2: "Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800" aka "Pearson's Albany Families" by Jonathan Pearson dated 1872 and based on records of the First Reform Dutch Church at Albany. Page 621 shows Angries Brussy and Engeltie Claeuw had Christoffel christened on 26 Jan 1709. Also film 908989.Holland Society of NY 1683-1749, Vol. 1, page 51.
26 Jan 1709 christened First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, Albany Co., NY per the Revo Young study (RevoYoung.08, _05.jpg). Also see FHC film 1002599 First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, NY, a computer printout of births or christenings 1683-1799. Also LDS film 908,989.
Marriage
Marriage from Records of Zion Luth. Church at Loonenburg, NYGBR, Jan. 1942,. Vol. 73, No. 1, page 66. Also see LDS film 974.7. Marriage date of 9 Nov 1737 is also from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg.com). Also see Donald Goodman* study for marriage date and location (page 13). Also see Revo Morrey study (RevoYoung.07_16.jpg and RevoYoung.08_16.jpg).*married at Threebosch recorded at Loonenburg, NY.
Also see LDS film 974.7.
Green Co. was not created until 25 March 1800. Then known as Athens.
Residence (family)
From "The Berkshire Hills" pages 181-182 found at Heritage Quest Online and from the "Race Family Genealogy of Mount Washington, Mass" by Donna Race Kneip 2006 (http://genealogy.stellarwinds.org/Family%20Originations/Race%20correction.htm):On April 14, 1755 violence erupted and William Rees/Race Sr. was shot and killed by the Livingston’s militia while trying to protect his home and family. Six of the Dutch settlers in Mount Washington were burned out of their homes, John Darby, Christopher Brasee, Henry Brasee, Simon Burton and Andrew Race. These and other settlers had to flee to the residences of their relatives who lived in nearby towns. (Source: Herbert Keith Paper copied from Massachusetts Archives). It took officials 17 years to resettle the land and pave the way for Mount Washington’s incorporation in 1779 as a township subject to the law of Massachusetts. Race Mountain in Mount Washington was named in his honor according to family history.
From the study done by Donald Goodman: "on 7 May 1757 a party of men from Livingston Manor, NY, pulled down and burned the buildings of six families including those of Christopher and Hendrick Bresee". This related to the disputed area where in 1753 Christopher and Hendrick Bresee and their wifes lived west of Sheffield on Mount Washington in the disputed area called the Gore.
Residence
On May 7, 1757 a party of men from Livingston Manor, New York pulled down and burned the buildings of six families in Mount Washington, Berkshire Co., MA, including those of brothers Christopher and Hendrick Bresee. This may have been done for the lack of payment of rent since this was disputed land in the "Gore". See the Donald Goodwin study on the Bresee Family page iii; "Race Family Genealogy of Mount Washington, MA" by Donna Race Kneip dated 2006; and "The Berkshire Hills" by Members of the Federal Writers' Project dated 1939 found at Heritage Quest Online, pages 180-182.1755 Christopher Brasea and Andres Rosie purchased from Wm. and Robt. Joyner of Sheffield, 50 acres West of Sheffield, part of land granted to Jabis Olmsted by General Court and at North parts. See LDS film 250316 Item 2 page 16, being land transfers found in Book Y, page 594.
1754-1771 this area may also have been in the western part of Mount Washington, Berkshire Co., MA, that was an area called the "Gore" and also in the area between Putnam Co. and Dutchess Co., NY. See attached picture of the Gore which may extend east to Mass.
Robert Livingston, a Scot who had married into the wealthy Van Rennselear family, established Livingston Manor in the Hudson River Valley in 1682. He expanded his claims to cover a large portion of Southern Berkshire under the Patent of Westenhook of 1705. His holdings totalled over 175,000 acres from the Hudson Valley eastward. Thus, when the first English settlers arrived, they found six Dutch families living west of Sheffield, one of whom cultivated his land since 1692. Livingston charged many of the English settlers rent for use of lands that were granted as free towns by the Massachusetts Colonial Legislature. This disagreement resulted in the killing of William Race by a group of Livingston's agents in 1755. In an effort to gain legal right to the land, a syndicate of forty proprietors purchased a plantation on Taghconic Mountain (Mount Washington) in 1757. Livingston's agents retaliated by burning six farms. It took 17 years to resettle the area , and gain title to the land. It was finally incorporated as the Town of Mount Washington in 1779. See: http://www.berkshireweb.com/themap/mountwashington/mountwashington.html
Berkshire was not created until 30 June 1761.
Residence (family)
1759 among the first settlers to West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, were Christepher Bresee and Henrick Brasee (see Revo Morrey study Mel.07_26.jpg).Berkshire Co. was not created until 30 June 1761.
Residence (family)
1761 - Note from Phyllis Kinzie dated 27 May 2001: History of Egremont, Berkshire Co., MA, shows Christopher plus the Widow Brazee as two of the first residents of the town in 1761.Residence
The town of West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA, was incorporated on 23 Feb 1774 and on 4 July 1774 the first town meeting was held at the home of Christopher Brazee. "It is concluded that Christopher Brazee came there sometime between the years of 1763 and 1774 from Egremont" (see Revo Morrey study page 24, RevoYoung.07, _26).Death
1789 death year is from Ancetry.com (see Rik Vigeland at rik_vigeland@mentorg,com) and Ancestral File at the FHC.Endnotes
1. Ancestry.com.
2. Jonathanb Pearson, "Contributions for the genealogies of the first settlers of the ancient county of Albany, from 1630 to 1800," (, , , ): page 621; FHL microfilm 1304637 Item 2.
3. Prof. Jonathan Pearson, Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the ancient County of Albany, 1630-1800 (Albany, NY: J. Munsellin, 1872), page 28; my ebooks, www.newenglandancestors.org, ( : accessed .
4. Revo Morrey, aka Revo Morrey Young, compiler, The Bresee family of Livingston Manor, Columbia County, New York: Parts 1, 2 & 3 in my e-books (1945), Part 1 page 2 and 1_8 my file; FHL microfilm FHL film 897238 Items 2-4, available on digital images.
5. Robert Billard, Baptismal Records of the Albany Dutch Reformed Church 1683-1724 (n.d.), pagr 52; lds film 7766065, my e-book (https://ia800700.us.archive.org/29/items/BaptismalRecordsOfTheDutchReformedChurchOfAlbany/Albany.pdf : accessed .
6. "New York, marriages, 1686-1980," electronic resource, LDS Family History Library Salt Lake City, Utah, Ancestry.com ( : accessed ); extracted from Genealogical Society of Utah, (Family Search Catalog: New York, marriages, 1686-1980:n.p., 2008), Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M51056-1.
7. Henry Z. Jones, The Palatine families of New York : a study of the German immigrants who arrived in colonial New York in 1710, 2 volumes (Universal City, California: LA Family History Center Library (LDS), 1985), Vol. 2 page 802.
8. Compiled and Written by Members of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for Massachusetts, The Berkshire Hills (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1939), pages 181-182; digital images, my e-books, Heritage Quest Online ( : printed .
9. Sung Bok Kim, Landlord and Tenant in Colonial New York: Manorial Society, 1664-1775 (Williamsburg, Virginia: The University of North Carolina Press, Chaper Hill (my book), 1978), page 328 foot note 141.
10. "The Stockbridge Indian land purchase of 1757: The Patterson & Pattison Family Association book 2," LDS film 1321183 Items 1-3, LDS Family Search Catalog "The Stockbridge Indian land purchase of 1757" (my ebooks : accessed ), page 3.
11. Herbert F. Keith, CE, Transcribed by Michele Valenzano, Town of Mount Washington: History of Berkshire County, MA, with Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men (n.d.), pages 226-230, Chapter XIII; digital images, (http://www.genealogy.stellarwinds.org/ : printed 7 March 2012.
12. Sung Bok Kim, Landlord and Tenant in Colonial New York: Manorial Society, 1664-1775 (Williamsburg, Virginia: The University of North Carolina Press, Chaper Hill (my book), 1978), page 3432.