Born: Abt. 1575 Avesnes, Hainaut, Flanders, France

Married 23 Sep 1601 Marie Du Cloux Sedan, Ardennes, France

Died: 22 Oct 1624 Oyopok River, Brazilian Guiana, South America

FATHER

Jehan De Forest

MOTHER

Anne Maillard

WIFE

Marie du Cloux

CHILDREN

1. Maria de Forest
    bap. 7 Jul 1602

2. Jean Jehan de Forest
    bap. 22 Jul 1604
    m. 9 Mar 1633 Maria Vermilye
    d. 6 Apr 1668

3. Hendrick de Forest
    bap. 7 Mar 1606
    m. 1 Jul 1636 Geertruijt Bornstra
    d. 26 Jul 1637 New Amsterdam

4. Elizabeth de Forest
    bap. 1 Nov 1607

5. David de Forest
    bap. 11 Dec 1608
    d. 1621

6. Rachel de Forest
    b. Abt. 1609
    m. 12 Dec 1626 Jean de la Montagne
    d. 12 Dec 1643 Vrendendahl, New Netherland

7. Anne De Forest
    b. Abt. 1611

8. Nicaise De Forest
    b. Abt. 1613

9. Isaac de Forest
    b. 7 Jul 1616
    m. 9 Jul 1641 Sara du Trieux
    d. 25 Jul 1674

10. Israel de Forest
    bap. 7 Oct 1617

11. Philippe de Forest
    bap. 13 Sep 1620

Jesse De Forest
by Susan Brooke
Mar 2021

Jesse de Forest was born in Avesnes, Hainaut, France about 1575. At some point he must have moved to Sedan in the Ardennes for on Sunday 23 Sep 1601 he married Marie du Cloux in Sedan. (1) He was a merchant (in woolen cloth) as recorded in the baptism of their first daughter, Marie, in 1602. (2)   By 1607 he was still a merchant but residing in Montcornet where he was in partnership with David de Lambremont, husband of Magdeleine du Cloux, a sister of Marie.
His father, Jehan De Forest, had moved to Holland by 1602. Jesse's brother Gerard was in Leiden as early as 1605 and had obtained permission to become a "dyer in black." By 1615 Jesse and family had also moved to Leiden. He too was a cloth dyer. Only experts were licensed to dye black material since black often washed out leaving the cloth grey.  Jesse became a member of the Draper's Guild and was allowed to dye  "wools and camlets" in colors.
It was there in Leiden that he became influential in the movement to migrate to the New World.  On 5 Feb 1621 he sent a petition to the English ambassador at The Hague asking for permission to settle in the Virginia Colony. He had some 50 or 60 Walloon and French Protestant families who were ready to emigrate to the New World under his leadership. They signed what is now known as The Round Robin. (3)  This document lists many of the original settlers to New York.
Jesse De Forest received an agreement, but it was without permission for the settlers to dwell in a separate colony. He was determined to form a settlement in the New World where they could live together and practice their religion without persecution, so he turned down this offer.  He then sought permission from the Dutch to establish a colony. On 27 Aug 1622 he received authorization to emigrate to the West Indies. Eleven men took off for the "Wild Coast" to select of site for the new colony.  Among them was Jehan Mousnier de la Mongagne, student of medicine. He married Jesse's daughter Rachel four years later in 1626.
When they landed Jesse De Forest was to have command. During their exploration Jesse De Forest fell sick from a sunstroke. He recovered but three days later had another sunstroke.  He died on the Oyapock River (present border between Brazil and French Guyana) on 22 Oct 1624. He was about 49 years old.
Several children of Jesse De Forest carried on with his mission to establish a Dutch Protestant Colony in the New World.  With the help of their Uncle Gerard, brother of Jesse De Forest, on 5 Mar 1637 three of his children set sail for New Amsterdam.  Hendrick was aged 31 and left his new bride behind.  Isaack was unmarried and aged 21. Their sister Rachel, aged 28, was married to Jehan Mongagne. They traveled with their 3 children and Rachel gave birth to their 4th child on their trip. Jean, the oldest child of Jesse De Forest, did not care to go, but he invested in the trip.  Hendrick De Forest died shortly after their arrival in July 1637. Their brother David visited New Amsterdam in 1659, and had a son baptized there, but in 1664 returned to Holland where he was guardian to Willem and Rachel de la Montagne, grandchildren of his sister Rachel.
Jesse De Forest never got to the New World, but  his drive and inspiration were paramount in the founding of New York City.  There is a monument in the Battery Park section of lower Manhattan called the Walloon Settlers Memorial.  That monument was given to the City of New York by the Belgian Province of Hainaut in honor of Jesse De Forest. (4)

Sources

 A Walloon Family in America by Emily Johnston De Forest, 1914 pg 13-56

(1) 1601: Sunday, 23d day of said month [September] at the Catechism the said Sieur du Tilloy blessed the marriage of Jesse des forests, son of Jean des forests, merchant, residing in this city, with Marie du Cloux, daughter of Nicaise du Cloux merchant residing in this city.

(2) 1602: Sunday, 7th day of said month [July] on which day was celebrated the Lord's Supper, Monsieur du Tilloy, having made the evening exhortation, baptized Marie, daughter of Jesse des forests merchant residing in this city, and of Marie du Cloux his wife.Sponsors: Estienne du Cloux and Marie Aubertin.

(3) Round Robin with names of those recruited by Jesse De Forest to move to the New World, as found on Wikitree

(4) Monument to Jesse De Forest in New York