John Romeyn Brodhead
Encyclopedia
John Romeyn Brodhead was an American
historical scholar.
Brodhead was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, the son of Jacob Brodhead (1782–1855), a prominent clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church
. He graduated at Rutgers College in 1831, and in 1835 was admitted to the bar in New York City
. After 1837, however, he devoted himself principally to the study of American colonial history. In order to have access to the records of the early Dutch settlements in America, he obtained, in 1839, an appointment as attaché of the American legation at the Hague
.
His investigations here soon proved that the Dutch archives were rich in material on the early history of New York. At the urging of the New-York Historical Society
, the state legislature appropriated funds for him to gather and transcribe documents relating to New York's colonial history from various European archives. Brodhead was appointed (1841) by Governor William H Seward to undertake the work, and within several years gathered from England
, France
and the Netherlands
some eighty manuscript volumes of transcriptions, largely of documents which had not hitherto been used by historians. He returned to New York in August, 1844.
These transcriptions were subsequently edited by Edward O'Callaghan
(vols. i.-xi., md.) and by Berthold Fernow (vols xii.-xv., md.), and published by the state under the title Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York (15 vols., 1853–1883). From 1846 to 1849, while George Bancroft
was minister to Great Britain
, Brodhead held under him the post of secretary of legation. In 1853-1857 he was naval officer of the port of New York.
He published several addresses and a scholarly History of the State of New York (2 vols., 1853–1871), generally considered the best for the brief period covered (1609 1690). He served as Secretary of the American Legation in London under George Bancroft, and was asked by President Franklin Pierce to become Ambassador to Japan, a position he declined. He died in New York City on the 6th of May 1873.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historical scholar.
Brodhead was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, the son of Jacob Brodhead (1782–1855), a prominent clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
. He graduated at Rutgers College in 1831, and in 1835 was admitted to the bar in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. After 1837, however, he devoted himself principally to the study of American colonial history. In order to have access to the records of the early Dutch settlements in America, he obtained, in 1839, an appointment as attaché of the American legation at the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
His investigations here soon proved that the Dutch archives were rich in material on the early history of New York. At the urging of the New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library located in New York City at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan. Founded in 1804 as New York's first museum, the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that...
, the state legislature appropriated funds for him to gather and transcribe documents relating to New York's colonial history from various European archives. Brodhead was appointed (1841) by Governor William H Seward to undertake the work, and within several years gathered from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
some eighty manuscript volumes of transcriptions, largely of documents which had not hitherto been used by historians. He returned to New York in August, 1844.
These transcriptions were subsequently edited by Edward O'Callaghan
Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan
Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan, was a doctor and journalist.Born in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, he studied medicine in Paris and immigrated to Lower Canada in 1823 where he became involved in the political reform movement of the Parti patriote...
(vols. i.-xi., md.) and by Berthold Fernow (vols xii.-xv., md.), and published by the state under the title Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York (15 vols., 1853–1883). From 1846 to 1849, while George Bancroft
George Bancroft
George Bancroft was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, he established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845...
was minister to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, Brodhead held under him the post of secretary of legation. In 1853-1857 he was naval officer of the port of New York.
He published several addresses and a scholarly History of the State of New York (2 vols., 1853–1871), generally considered the best for the brief period covered (1609 1690). He served as Secretary of the American Legation in London under George Bancroft, and was asked by President Franklin Pierce to become Ambassador to Japan, a position he declined. He died in New York City on the 6th of May 1873.