In The Colony of New Netherland, Jaap Jacobs chronicles Dutch exploration and settlement in the Hudson Valley, beginning with Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage. Though Dutch control ended in 1674, their brief presence profoundly shaped the region’s history, trade, and cultural foundations.

Nicholas Van Dyke was an American lawyer and Federalist politician from Delaware. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives and later as a U.S. Senator from 1817 until his death in 1826, continuing a family tradition of public service.

Henry van Dyke was an American author, poet, clergyman, and diplomat. A professor at Princeton University, he also served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands and Luxembourg. His writings often explored religion, literature, and moral themes.

Dick Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, and television star best known for The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins, and Diagnosis: Murder. His long career in television and film made him one of the most recognizable entertainers of the modern era.

Dow Henry Drukker was a Dutch-born American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1914 to 1919. He later supported relief efforts for the Netherlands and was honored by Queen Juliana.

Mona Van Duyn was an American poet and educator who won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Near Changes. A respected literary figure, she also received the National Book Award and served as the first woman U.S. Poet Laureate.

Carl Van Doren was an American literary critic, historian, and professor at Columbia University. He won the 1939 Pulitzer Prize for his biography Benjamin Franklin and was an influential editor, scholar, and writer on American literature.

Mark Van Doren was an American poet, critic, and professor at Columbia University. He won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Collected Poems and was a respected teacher and literary scholar who wrote widely on poetry, literature, and Shakespeare.

Adriaen van der Donck was an early Dutch colonial leader in New Netherland and one of the colony’s best-educated settlers. A lawyer trained at Leiden University, he advocated for colonists’ rights and established an estate that later gave the city of Yonkers its name.

Gerrit Diekema was a Dutch American lawyer and politician from Michigan. He served as mayor of Holland, a U.S. Representative, and later United States ambassador to the Netherlands, where his Dutch heritage and language proved valuable.