Survivor of Staten Island Indian Attack — Reynier Arentsen

B. about 1641 in Hengelo, Netherlands
M. (1) New Netherland
Wife: Annetje Hermans
M. (2) 1666
Wife: Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys
D. after 17 Sep 1721

When Reynier Arentsen was about 13-years-old, his family’s home was caught in the crossfire of a war, and they were forced to start over in another place. Reynier was born in about 1641 in Hengelo, Netherlands to Arent Theunissen and Tryntie Reynders; he had at least one brother and one sister. In about 1653, the family migrated to the New Netherland colony, and decided to join a group of settlers on Staten Island. The settlement had only recently been inhabited by the Dutch, and was somewhat remote, making Reynier and his family vulnerable on their farm.

Two years later, a settler in New Jersey shot a Native American woman who was stealing his peaches, and this incident gave name to what was known as the Peach Tree War. The Indians were said to take revenge for this killing by attacking places all around the New Netherland colony, although the raid was caused by other events as well. On the night of September 15, 1655, a group of warriors invaded the Staten Island settlement, burning the houses and brutally killing about 23 people, one of whom was believed to be Reynier’s father. The other 67 settlers were taken prisoner, including Reynier, his mother and his two siblings.

Reynier’s family was held prisoner for about a month until negotiations were conducted for their release. There was little to return to in Staten Island, and eventually they moved to the safety of New Amsterdam. In November 1658, Reynier was living in Manhattan with his siblings, and mother, who had remarried. It was said that Reynier was doing “all kinds of construction work.”

During the 1660s, Reynier married a woman named Annetje Hermans, who gave him a son, then died. He took a second wife, Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys, in 1666. They had 11 children born between about 1667 and 1696. On March 28, 1670, Reynier bought a farm in Flatbush of 25 morgens (roughly 50 acres) and he moved his family there. He spent the rest of his life in that area, serving as church deacon from 1682 to 1684, and named as an elder in 1711.

Reynier last appeared in records on September 17, 1721 as a witness to a baptism. It isn’t known when he and his wife died.

Children by Annetje Hermans:
1. Aernout Reyniersen — B. before 1666, (probably) New York

Children by Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys:

1. Tryntie Reyniersen — B. about 1667, New York; D. 1691; M. Nicholas Thomasse Van Dyck, 20 Apr 1689

2. Helena Reyniersen — B. about 1669, New York; D. 1716; M. Charles Fonteyn, 29 Aug 1691, Flatbush, New York

3. Auke Van Henglen — B. before 1671, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. 20 Jan 1740, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. Ida Vonk (1677-1738), Long Island, New York

4. Marytie Reyniersen — B. about Jul 1672, Flatlands, New York; D. 1744, Somerville, New Jersey; M. Joris Van Nest (1676-?)

5. Hendrick Reyniersen — B. about 1674, New York; D. 1739; M. Margaret

6. Barbara Reyniersen — B. before 26 Dec 1679, Flatbush, New York; D. before 6 Sep 1685

7. Adriantje Reyniersen — B. before 12 Mar 1682, New York;  M. Jan Probasco (~1680-1749), about 1702

8. Gertruyd Reyniersen — B. before 27 Jun 1684, New York; D. (probably) young

9. Barbara Reyniersen — B. before 6 Sep 1685, New York; M. Isaac Van Dyke (?-~1727)

10. Theunis Reyniersen — B. before 8 Aug 1689, Flatbush, New York; D. before 29 Mar 1696

11. Theunis Reyniersen — B. before 29 Mar 1696, Brooklyn, New York; M. Magrietje Valentyne, 26 Oct 1716, Flatbush, New York

Sources:
“Notes on the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Quarterly, Vol. 5., Edward Kinsey Voorhees, 1916
Dutch Colonial Manuscripts, Volume 12 & 13, 2003
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