Background
She was the daughter of Adolph Hardenbruk, a German emigrant who lived in New Jersey across from the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam.
She was the daughter of Adolph Hardenbruk, a German emigrant who lived in New Jersey across from the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam.
She traded pins, cooking oils and vinegar in exchange for furs. In 1660 they had a daughter, Eva. Owing to its unsettled state she was unable to do.
Her husband overcame what were considerable difficulties by adopting her two-year-old daughter Eva, promising that if he had no children of his own she would inherit half of his estate, and if other children were born she would share equally with them.
Together the couple had eleven children: Adolphus, Philip, Annetje, Adolph, Anna, Rombout, Frederick, Charles, Hendrick, Catherine, and William. Margaret Hardenbroek"s marriage to Philipse was conducted under Dutch law that permitted women to maintain their legal identity and do business in their own name, called usus.
Margaret Hardenbroek owned house lots in Manhattan and Bergen, and several ships including the New Netherland Indian, Beaver, Pearl, and Morning Star. In 1664, the British seized control of New Amsterdam and under the new laws of the British many of her rights were taken away.
She was unable to purchase goods under her own authority or act as legal agent.
In addition, all the profits that had been made by her thriving businesses were now legally her husband"son She made several voyages between Europe and America on these as supercargo responsible for all the purchases and sales of goods. Among the Philipse"s top cargoes were slaves, being regarded among the biggest slaver traders in the northern Colonies, who also used slave labor extensively in their businesses and operation of their 52,000 acre Manor.
Long a member of the governor"s Executive Council, Philipse was finally banned from government office in 1698 by the British governor, Lord Bellomont, for conducting a slave trade into New New York