Theunis Janse Van Amach or Amack
The following data was supplied by Trevor Kirkpatrick and Brad Aumick. Brad was my first contact but it seems Trevor has done considerable research on the Aumack, Aumick, Aumock, Omick, Amack, Amak, Amok or Amach name. Another researcher, Miss Philbrook, found information on the Dutch marine and also the "Amog" connection off Copenhagen.
According to Trevor, the credit for the Denmark connection goes to Henry Hoff, editor of the NY Geneal. and Historical Society News Letter, "Record" and to Mrs. Harriet Barnes of Templeton, CA who put the wheels into motion on Theunis. Harriet Barnes descended from Jacob and Lydia Aumack of Matawan, NJ. She met Henry Hoff at a seminar in Salt Lake City several years ago (mid 90's). Brad and Trevor expanded on the Denmark connection from there.
Theunis Janse Van Amack arrived in Long Island in 1673 with the Dutch fleet to take New Amsterdam back from the British. (From George C. Beekman, "EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH CO. NJ") Theunis was married first in the NY Dutch Reform Church on 11 Jan. 1677 at Flatlands, NY to Jannetje Brouwer, b.ca.1655 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, daughter of Jan Brouwer and Jannetje Janse.(Theunis married secondly Belitje Jacobs (Quick) Cozyn.)
According to the marriage record, Theunis Janse Van Amack was from Denmark. How did the Dutch come to be in Denmark ? The story goes that King Christian II, ruler of Denmark from 1513-1523, appealed to the farmers in the Netherlands to come to Denmark to "provide the needed roots and onions for the castle in Copenhagen". The Danish King offered the Dutch settlers land on the Isle of Amager-which is now part of Copenhagen (Kobenhavn). Soon a Dutch trading post was located at Dragor, the village on the southeastern shore of the island, and Amager-known by German seaman as Amak became well known for its skilled seaman. These Dutch settlers maintained their language and traditions up until the beginning of the 1800's.
Theunis Janse Van Amak translates as "Anthony, son of John, of Amager". "According to tradition Theunis Janse Van Amak was a marine on one of Admiral Cornelius Everetsen's or Jacob Binckes' ships, when they compelled the English to haul down their flag over New York in 1673.. Van Amak, then a young man, during this occupation (one year), became attached to the daughter of a Dutch settler who lived in Brooklyn. Either his term of enlistment expired, or he was discharged, for when the fleet sailed away he remained and became a resident of Flatlands, where he raised a family. He is therefore the progenitor of all the Aumacks and Aumocks in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Theunis Janse Van Amak b.ca.1650 in Denmark d.1720 Flatlands, Kings Co., N.J. and Jannetje Brouwer had 9 children:
Original 10/26/99
Last updated 1/3/2007
Page by F. L. Preston
