Background
Adriaen Block was born in 1567 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Adriaen Block was born in 1567 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Adrian Block first emerges from complete obscurity about 1610, when he made a voyage to the Hudson River, in company with Hendrick Christiaensen. In the spring of 1614 he was placed in command of one of a fleet of five sail sent out by the merchants of Amsterdam and Hoorn. The fleet ascended the Hudson River, where Block's vessel was accidentally burned, probably near the site of Albany. He then constructed the Onrust, a yacht forty-four and one-half feet long, in which he explored the region to the east of New York Bay. He sailed through the "Hellegat, " so named by him, into Long Island Sound, explored "Roodeberg" (New Haven Harbor), and the "Versche Rivier" (the Connecticut), as far as an Indian village near the site of Windsor, Connecticut.
Block explored the island which bears his name, calling it "Adrianbloxeyland, " although it was probably discovered in 1524 by Verrazano, who compared a "triangular shaped island" in this region to the Isle of Rhodes. Proceeding across Buzzards Bay and around Cape Cod, which he named Cape Bevechier, Block then explored "Wyck" (Massachusetts Bay) as far north as "Pye Bay, " 42° 30', which corresponds to Nahant Bay. Having exchanged vessels with Christiaensen, he returned to Holland. The first detailed map of the southern New England coast, the "Figurative Map" of 1616, which became the basis of trading privileges to "New Netherland, " was drawn as far as Cape Ann from data furnished by Block. Block probably did not return to America. Early in 1615, in command of a whaling fleet, he sailed for Spitzbergen, and in December 1624 was still engaged in that industry.
Adrian Block was married to Neeltje Hendricks van Gelder, with whom he had five children.