<Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1580 Wesel, Duchy of Cleves, Holy Roman Empire (modern North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1638 (aged 58) St. Christopher </Td> </Tr> <P> Peter minuit, Pieter Minuit, Pierre Minuit, or Peter Minnewit (between 1580 and 1585--August 5, 1638) was a Walloon from Wesel, in present - day North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany, then part of the Duchy of Cleves . His surname means "midnight" in French . He was Director of the Dutch colony of New Netherland from 1626 until 1631, and founded the Swedish colony of New Sweden in 1638 . </P> <P> Minuit is generally credited with orchestrating the purchase of Manhattan Island for the Dutch from the Lenape Native Americans . Manhattan later became the site of the Dutch city of New Amsterdam, and the borough of Manhattan of modern - day New York City . A common myth states that Minuit purchased Manhattan for $24 worth of trinkets; however, a letter written by Dutch merchant Peter Schaghen to directors of the Dutch East India Company stated that Manhattan was purchased "for the value of 60 guilders," an amount worth approximately $1,050 in 2015 dollars . Minuit also founded the Delaware colony in the early 1600s . </P>

Who sold manhattan island to the dutch in 1626