Sarah Jorise Rapalje was born Jun 7 or 9, 1625 at Fort Orange (now Albany), New York, and died in Apr 1685 around the age of 60.

Her first husband was Hans Hansen Bergen, whom she married in 1639. He was a Norwegian.. He died in late 1653.

Her second husband was Teunis Gysbertse Bogaert, whom she married in Mar, 1665. He was born in1632 and died in 1699 around the age of 67. He was the son of Gysbert Theuniszen Bogaert and Aertje Bastiaens. His second wife was Geertje Janse Langendyck.

It was believed that Sarah Jorise Rapalje was "the first white female child of European parentage born in the colony of New Netherlands, which then covered the present states of New York, New Jersey, and a portion of Connecticut." In 1940, a marker was installed in a park at the foot of State Street, at Broadway, in front of the old D & H Builing in Albany, New York. The marker read: "Fort Orange Site of West India Company Colony 1624. Here was born Sarah Rapelje, first white child in N. Y. state, 1625. Fort stood S. E. by the river." The marker was still standing in 1953, but removed before 1996. It was determined that Jan Vigne (son of Ghislain Vigne and Adrienne Cuvellier) had been born at the Fort prior to Sarah.

Prime, writing in 1845, stated that Sarah Jorise Rapalje was the first child of European parentage born in Brooklyn, at a place then named Waalebought (and in 1845, Wallabout) near the site now occupied by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He cites a romantic tradition given by a General Jeremiah Johnson, a descendant:

"When (Joris Jansen) Rapalje first settled at the Wallabout, (Peter) Minuet was the commander at Fort Amsterdam. (He had purchased Manhattan from the Indians for $24.) Having one day crossed over to the island with three associates, on a gunning excursion, and becoming extremely hungry, they entered Rapalje's house to seek refreshment. Finding no one within, they helped themselves to an Indian dumpling, the only eatable they could find. Just as they were concluding their frugal repast, the housewife, with her child in her arms, returned from the field, where she had been assisting her husband. Finding her only provision consumed by a company of lawless intruders, she gave them a severe reprimand, calling them thieves and robbers-- but particularly complaining that she had come home on purpose to feed her hungry child, and they had consumed the only article of food, that she had to give it. When she had finished her complaint, the good-natured Captain made himself known, and promised, when the ships came from Europe, to give her a milch-cow, in compensation for the dumpling. Unlike most rulers, he was better than his word; for, with the cow, he gave her an additional tract of land, for the support of her child."

Other accounts have this event occurring at their Pearl Street house in lower Manhattan, which makes more sense, given at the time of Sarah's early childhood, early settlers were fairly confined to Fort Amsterdam due to Indian flareups. By the time the family moved to Wallabout, there were many more children.

Prime also cites an account by a Judge Benson that in the journal of the Dutch Council, on Apr 4, 1656, it was recorded that: "the widow of Hans Hansen, the first-born Christian daughter in New Netherlands. . . petitions for a grant of a piece of meadow, in addition to the 20 morgen granted to her at the Waale-Boght." This morgen of land may have been the gift from Peter Minuet.

There is also a tradition, cited by Prime, that "the Indians, induced by the circumstance of her being the first white child born here, gave to her father and brethern the lands adjacent to the (Wallabout) bay."

Hamm, writing in 1901, stated that Sarah was "a woman of great talent and physical vigor, and during her long life was the acknowledged social head of Brooklyn."

In 1677, she was listed among the 23 members of the settlement of Domine Casparas Van Zuuren on Kings County, Breuckelyn, Midwout, New Amersfoort, New Utrecht. (Two others on the list were Bourgon Brouard and Teunis Gysbertie Bogart, both subjects of other chapters.)

The children of Sarah Jorise Rapalje and Hans Hansen Bergen were:

i Anneke Hansen, bap. Jul 22, 1640, m., 1st, Jan Lequier on Jan 17, 1661; 2nd, Dirck Jansen Hoagland Oct 8, 1662, d. ca. 1680
ii Brecktje Hansen, bap. Jul 27, 1642, m. Aert Anthonisse Middagh in 1659
iii Jan Hansen, bap. Apr 17, 1643, m. Jannetje Teunise DeNyse (sister of Femmetje)
iv Michael Hansen, bap. Nov 4, 1645, m. Femmetje Teunise DeNyse (sister of Jannetje)
v Joris Hansen, bap. Jul 18, 1649, m. Sarah Strycker (sister of Pieter) on Aug 11, 1678
vi Marritje Hansen, bap. Oct 8, 1651, m. Jacob Rutszen in 1675
vii Jacob Hansen, bap. Sep 21, 1653, m. Elsje Lubertszn on Jul 8, 1677
viii Catalyna, bap. Nov 30, 1653, twin of Jacob, d. in infancy


Family links:
Parents:
Joris Janssen Rapalje (1604 - 1663)
Catalyntje Jeronimus Trico Rapalje (1605 - 1689)

Children:
Catalyntje Teunisen Bogart Nyssen (1657 - ____)*

Spouse:
Teunis Gysbertsen Bogaert (1625 - 1699)*

*Point here for explanation