Tomys Swartwout

Thomas or Tomys Swartwout (June 1, 1607 in Groningen – October 1679, in Amsterdam) was one of the earliest importers of tobacco from New Netherland to western and northern Europe, one of earliest settlers of New Netherland (present day United States), and a founder of Midwood (originally Midwout), Brooklyn, New York.

Early life Tomys Swartwout was born in 1607 in Groningen, Netherlands to Rolef Swartwout (1575–1634) and Catryna Swartwout (b. 1579). Swartwout was one of the earliest New Netherlanders to buy and sell American tobacco in the Netherlands. He started a wholesale tobacco business in Amsterdam, joining his older brothers, Wybrant and Herman, in 1629.

New Amsterdam Swartwout and family left Amsterdam for New Netherland in March 1652. Swartwout, Jan Snedeker and Jan Stryker solicited from Director-General Peter Stuyvesant the right to settle together on the level reach of wild land or flat bush, adjacent to the outlying farms at Breukelen and Amersfoort. Through Swartwout's suggestion, the settlement was given the name of the village of Midwout. In April 1655, Stuyvesant and the Council of New Netherland appointed Swartwout a schepen (magistrate), Being one of the original settlers, Swartwout was granted letters-patent by the Council of New Netherland, Director-General Stuyvesant, and the Dutch West India Company of 116 acres on April 13, 1655.

Personal life In March 1630, Swartwout married Ariaentjen Sijmons in Amsterdam. She died in childbirth nine months later on December 17, 1630 after giving birth to their only child, Jan Swartwout. On June 3, 1631, Swartwout married Hendrickjen Barents Smient (b. 1609), with whom he would have eight children, among others Roeloff (1634–1715; the founder of Kingston and Hurley), Cornelis, Barent, Trijntje, Jacomijntje and Rachel.

Swartwout did not die in 1660 in Beverwijck, New Netherland They lived on Herengracht. Thomys died in Amsterdam in 1679 and was buried there on October 15, 1679.