M. 21 Mar 1632 in Sloterdijck, Netherlands1
Wife: Metje Harpentse
D. after 1671 in (probably) Brooklyn, New York2
Standing in the middle of downtown Brooklyn today, it’s hard to imagine that there once was a time when it was farmland. But during the mid-17th century, as the Dutch were colonizing the tip of Manhattan, a few men moving across the water onto Long Island, and Claes Cornelissen Van Schouw was one of them.
Claes was born February 12, 1606 in Brouwershaven, Netherlands, which is located on the island of Schouw.1 His father was named Cornelis Jans, but nothing else is known about his background. On March 21, 1632, Claes married Metje Harpentse in the town of Siterdijck,1 which is now a part of Amsterdam. Metje was born in 1610 and was baptized at Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam in November of that year.3 Her father, Herbert Jansz, was said to be from "Hassellumem" (probably Haselunne, Germany),4 and her mother was from Ameland,5 an island in the North Sea that's near the northernmost point of the Netherlands.
Brouwershaven during the 17th century.
Claes and Metje are thought to have had eight children between 1633 and about 1651, some born in the Netherlands and some in America; not all of the children's names are known. The family migrated to New Amsterdam by May of 1640.1
At first Claes and his family lived on Manhattan, then on November 14, 1642, Willem Kieft granted Claes "16 morgens of land on Long Island opposite Manhattan Island between the ferry and the land of Andries Hudde."2 This was about the location of present-day Brooklyn Heights, and is said to include the land where the Brooklyn Borough Hall now stands.
Brooklyn Borough Hall (source: Sandro Mathys, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Claes seemed to have another surname he used, Mutelaer, and at some point, he moved to Flatlands, on an island in Jamaica Bay.2 The island was called Mutelaer's Island for some time, then became known as Bergen's Island. (It's no longer separated by water from Long Island.) He and his wife appeared on several baptismal and other records through the years. It isn't known when either of them died. Among their descendants are Georgia O'Keefe, the Wright Brothers, Kelsey Grammer and James Spader.5
Children:
1. Trintje Claese Van Schouw — B. before 12 Jun 1633, Amsterdam, Netherlands;7 M. Joris Jacobszen2
1. Trintje Claese Van Schouw — B. before 12 Jun 1633, Amsterdam, Netherlands;7 M. Joris Jacobszen2
2. Herpert Claesen Van Schouw — B. before 14 Aug 1635, Amsterdam, Netherlands;8 M. Lysbeth de Lieuw9
3. Pieterje Claese Van Schouw – B. before 28 Oct 1640, New Netherland;10 D. about 1698, Flatlands, New York;11 M. Simon Jansen Van Arsdalen (1627-1710), 1658, Flatlands, New Netherlands11
4. Cornelis Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 4 Oct 1643, Flatlands, New Netherland12
5. Floris Claese Van Schouw – B. before 20 Jan 1647, Flatlands, New Netherland13
6. Gerbrant Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 4 Apr 1649, Flatlands, New Netherland;14 D. 19 Jul 1703, Jersey City, New Jersey;14 M. Maritje Claes Clasen (?-1714), 25 Aug 1674, Bergen County, New Jersey14
7. Arien Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 5 Nov 1651, (probably) Flatlands, New Netherland;15 D. 5 Apr 1703, Bergen County, New Jersey15
Sources:
1 Smith & Hunter: Information about Claes Cornelissen Van Schouwen
2 “Claes Cornelissen Van Schouw,” Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. II, No. 1, July 1999
3 Smith & Hunter: Information about Metje Harpertsen
4 “Herperts Jansz,” Susan Brooke, Apr 2021
5 “Pietrje Jacobs,” Susan Brooke, Apr 2021
6 FamousKin.com listing of Claes Cornelissen Van Schouwen
7 Christening record of Trintje Cornelisz, Netherlands, Births and Baptsims, 1564-1910, FamilySearch.org
8 Christening record of Herpert Cornelisz, N., B. & B.
9 Find-a-Grave listing of Herpert Claes Van Schouwen
10 Christening record of Pietertje Claes, New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962, FamilySearch.org
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Pieterje Claessen Van Schouw
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Cornelis Claes Van Schouwen
13 Find-a-Grave listing of Floris Claes Van Schouwen
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Gerbrand Claesen
15 Find-a-Grave listing of Arien Claes Van Schouwen
4. Cornelis Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 4 Oct 1643, Flatlands, New Netherland12
5. Floris Claese Van Schouw – B. before 20 Jan 1647, Flatlands, New Netherland13
6. Gerbrant Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 4 Apr 1649, Flatlands, New Netherland;14 D. 19 Jul 1703, Jersey City, New Jersey;14 M. Maritje Claes Clasen (?-1714), 25 Aug 1674, Bergen County, New Jersey14
7. Arien Claesen Van Schouw – B. before 5 Nov 1651, (probably) Flatlands, New Netherland;15 D. 5 Apr 1703, Bergen County, New Jersey15
Sources:
1 Smith & Hunter: Information about Claes Cornelissen Van Schouwen
2 “Claes Cornelissen Van Schouw,” Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. II, No. 1, July 1999
3 Smith & Hunter: Information about Metje Harpertsen
4 “Herperts Jansz,” Susan Brooke, Apr 2021
5 “Pietrje Jacobs,” Susan Brooke, Apr 2021
6 FamousKin.com listing of Claes Cornelissen Van Schouwen
7 Christening record of Trintje Cornelisz, Netherlands, Births and Baptsims, 1564-1910, FamilySearch.org
8 Christening record of Herpert Cornelisz, N., B. & B.
9 Find-a-Grave listing of Herpert Claes Van Schouwen
10 Christening record of Pietertje Claes, New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962, FamilySearch.org
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Pieterje Claessen Van Schouw
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Cornelis Claes Van Schouwen
13 Find-a-Grave listing of Floris Claes Van Schouwen
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Gerbrand Claesen
15 Find-a-Grave listing of Arien Claes Van Schouwen
