Two brothers of this name, (Bradt, Brat or Bratt) Albert Andriese and Arent Andriese, were among the early settlers of Albany. They often went by the name of "De Noormen." The former remained in Albany, and is the ancestor of most of the earlier families in Albany county.
(I) Arent Andriese Bratt became one of the first proprietors of Schenectady in 1662, about which time he died, leaving a widow and six children. His wife was Cataleynte, daughter of Andries De Vos, deputy director of Rensselaerwyck. After the death of her husband, the grants of land allotted to him were confirmed to her. Her home lot in the village of Schenectady was the west quarter of the block bounded by Washington, Union, Church and State streets. On this lot her grandson, Arent A. Bratt, brewer, built the ancient Dutch House that stood so long on the north side of State street near Washington. November 12, 1664, being about to marry a second husband, she contracted with the guardian of her children to set off for them from her estate one thousand guilders. Her second husband, Barent Janse Van Ditmars, was killed in the Indian massacre of 1690. She married (third) 1691; Chaas [Claas?] Janse Van Boekhoven, whom she also outlived. She died in 1712. In the marriage contract with Van Ditmars, the following children were mentioned;
- Aeffie, aged fifteen years; she later married Claas Van Pelten;
- Ariantje, aged thirteen; married Ryer Schermerhorn;
- Andries Arentse, aged eleven years;
- Cornelia, aged nine years; married Jan Pootman, and with her husband was killed at the massacre of 1690;
- Samuel, aged five years;
- Dirk, aged three years.
(II) Samuel, son of Arent Andriese and Cataleynte (De Vos) Bratt, was born in 1659. His farm numbered No. 1 among the twenty farms into which the "Great Flats" was divided, was originally patented to his mother, later in 1713 it was conveyed to Samuel Bratt. It contained fifteen morgens and four hundred and sixty-seven rods. He married Susanna, daughter of Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck (son of the settler). Children:
- Arent, see forward;
- Margaretta, married Captain Daniel Toll;
- Anna;
- Jacobus, married Margarita Clute;
- Cornelia;
- Johannes;
- Catalyntje, married Jacobus Van Slyck;
- Susanna, married Bartholomew Vrooman;
- Andreas, married Anna De Graff;
- Samuel, married Catarina Van Peyten;
- Ephraim, married Claartje Bosie, widow of Cornelius Viele (2).
(III) Arent, son of Samuel and Susanna (Van Slyck) Bratt, built and resided in the ancient brick house that was standing in 1873, southwest of the first lock above the city. The brick house mentioned remained in the family until 1839. He fell heir to a great deal of the property left by his grandparents. He married Catarina, died 1773, in her eighty-third year, daughter of Jan Pieterse Mebie. Children:
- Samuel, married Catharine Van Guysling;
- Johannes, married Anna Van Antwerpen;
- Susanna, married Jacques Peek;
- Annetje, married Johannes Helmerse Veeder;
- Margaret, married Cornelis Vrooman;
- Eva; Abraham, see forward;
- Jacobus;
- Engeltye, married Daniel Campbell.
(IV) Abraham, son of Arent and Catarina (Mebie) Bratt, was baptized December 13, 1727. He was a farmer of the town of Rotterdam, Schenectady county, which became the family seat during the lifetime of his father. He made his will August 4, 1806, proved April 12, 1816, in which he spoke of all his children as then living, except Arent and Rebecca. He married, February 7, 1761, Sarah, died September 8, 1783, in her forty-sixth year, daughter of Frederic Van Pelten. Children:
- Arent, died young.
- Arent (2), married (first) Engeltje Van Pelten; (second) Jannetje Van Schaick;
- Elisabeth;
- Frederick;
- Johannes, see forward;
- Nicholas, died aged seventy; married Margarita, daughter of Cornelius Mebie;
- Catarina;
- Rebecca;
- Eva;
- Angelica and
- Sarah.
(V) Johannes (John), son of Abraham of the Woestine and Sarah (Van Pelten) Bratt, was born in the town of Rotterdam, New York, April 1, 1770, died there July 14, 1846. He was a farmer, member of the Dutch Reformed church, and a Democrat. He married, January 19, 1793, Willempie (Willamette), died January 4, 1862, in her eighty-eighth year, daughter of Cornelius Mebie, and sister of Jacob Mebie, accidentally killed at the age of sixty. (His wife, Eva Van Patten, died at the age of ninety.) Children:
- Abraham, born June 9, 1793, died young.
- Cornelius, July 2, 1796; married Rebecca Van Patten.
- Abraham A., see forward.
- Esther, born July 30, 1803, died 1873; married Albert H. Vedder, farmer of Gloversville, died at the age of eighty.
- Arent, (Aaron) born August 13, 1806; married Jane Van Schaick.
- Sara, born April 18, 1809; married Aaron Baringer, of Rotterdam, died in Schenectady, leaving a daughter Martha, who married Frank Bessel.
- Catharine, born July 4, 1812, died January 5, 1850; married Cornelius Becker, a veteran of the civil war, who died in the army from wounds received in battle, his body was sent north and he lies beside his wife in the Rotterdam burying ground.
(VI) Abraham A., son of John and Willamette (Mebie) Bradt, was born June 3, 1800, in the town of Rotterdam, Schenectady county, New York. He was reared on the farm and later in life owned and operated a farm in the town of his birth. He was prosperous and a man of high standing in his community. He married Sarah Van Slyck, born in Schenectady, 1798, died 1841. Children:
- Annie, died 1908, aged eighty-five years; married David Van Slyck.
- Aaron, died in California.
- Garret V., died in Rotterdam, unmarried, aged twenty-two years.
- Harman, died unmarried at the age of twenty-seven years.
- David, died in 1880, leaving four children.
- Maria, married William H. Van Vranken.
- John, of San Francisco, California; married Mary Kelly, now deceased, leaving a daughter Mary, who married David Warfield, the noted actor.
- Sarah, unmarried.
- Joseph, of New York City.
- Henry, see forward.
(VII) Henry, youngest child of Abraham A. and Sarah (Van Slyck) Bradt, was born in Rotterdam, New York, December 31, 1842. He was reared on the home farm, educated in the town schools, and in early life was employed in the manufacture of brooms. In 1867 he located in Schenectady and in partnership with James C. Thoma conducted a grocery store, continuing four years when the firm dissolved. Mr. Bradt then returned to his original business, started a factory in Schenectady and began the manufacture of brooms. He conducted the business successfully until his retirement. He served as trustee of the Schenectady Savings Bank several years. He is Republican in politics; was elected supervisor from the second ward of Schenectady and served several years. The last official act of Governor Levi P. Morton before retiring from office was the appointment of Mr. Bradt treasurer of Schenectady county, a vacancy then existing. He represented the third ward in the city council for six years, and has always been an active party worker. He was the treasurer of the Republican county committee; delegate to numerous conventions of his party, and was a leader. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln for a second term. He and wife are members of the Reformed church. He married, in Rotterdam, in 1863, Jane Ann Thoma, born in Florida, Montgomery county, February 3, 1836, daughter of Alva and Maria (Bunn) Thoma. Alva Thoma was born in the province of Baden-Baden, Germany, came to the United States when a young man, married in Amsterdam, and died in Schenectady in 1898, in his ninety-fourth year. He was a Methodist and a Republican. His wife, Maria Bunn, survived him and had also attained the great age of ninety-three years, dying July 28, 1910. She resided in Schenectady with her youngest son, James C. Thoma. She had other sons, Alfred W., of Burlington, Iowa; married Berthina Magee; George, a physician of Reno, Nevada. Children of Henry and Jane (Thoma) Bradt:
- George T., born August 4, 1869; prepared for college at Schenectady high school; was graduated at Union University, class of 1893; is connected with the General Electric Company; married Ada Kirste; children: Adaline K. and Dorothy T.
- William H., born 1876; graduate of high school; he began early to show a taste for public life; was page in the legislature, secretary of the board of city supervisors; appointed 1905 private secretary to superintendent of public works, John N. Parker, continuing with his successor in office; he is a member of the firm of Odell & Bradt, coal dealers; married Mary Rexford.
- Fred A., born 1882; graduate of high school; department foreman General Electric Company; married Hazel Miller; daughter Ada M.