From a Flatbush Farm — Aucke Reyniersen Van Henglen

B. before 1672 in (probably) Flatbush, New York¹
M. 1695 in Long Island, New York²
Wife: Ida Vonck
D. before 20 Jan 1740 in Somerset County, New Jersey³

Centuries before Brooklyn was a patchwork of ethnic communities, it was a patchwork of farms, and Aucke Reynierssen Van Henglen was born on one of them. His parents were Reynier Arents and Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys, who had been married in 1666.¹ The date of his birth isn’t known, but Aucke was old enough to take the oath of allegiance to England in 1687, so he must have been born before 1672.¹ He was likely named for his maternal grandfather, Aucke Janse Van Nuys, who would have been part of his childhood. Aucke had ten siblings, plus one older half-brother (several of the children seem to have died young).

When Aucke came of age, his name appeared on a 1692 land transaction, purchasing some property in nearby Bushwick,¹ the northernmost of the “six towns” of Brooklyn. In 1695, Aucke married Ida Vonck,² a young woman who was from Southampton. Between about 1697 and 1721, they had a dozen children. On October 20, 1700, Aucke bought a second farm, this time from his father.¹ The land included some “salt meadows” in a place referred to as “Keuters-Hook,” which is today in the East New York section of Brooklyn. A salt meadow was land that would sometimes be flooded by seawater, so this property must have been next to Jamaica Bay, near where JFK Airport is today.

Marsh near JFK Airport as it looks today. (Source: Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Sometime during the early 18th century, Aucke moved to Somerset County, New Jersey,³ a place where many of the Dutch of Brooklyn were migrating. He acquired a vast amount of land of over 250 acres on both sides of the Millstone River where he operated a farm into the 1730s.³ Some of his married children moved there with their families as well.

Aucke made out his will on June 9, 1738,³ and died around the beginning of 1740. His will was proved on January 20th, and an inventory was taken on March 6th.³ At the time of his death, he owned three slaves worth a total of £140; he also had many heads of cattle and some horses. His wife and all of his children seemed to survive him; it isn’t known when Ida died.

Children:
1. Reynier Van Henglen — B. about 1697, Long Island, New York;⁴ D. before 10 Jan 1774, Hillsborough, New Jersey;⁵ M. Geertje Volleman (~1709-?), 1726, Long Island, New York⁵

2. Magdelena Van Henglen — B. before 23 Oct 1698, Long Island, New York;⁵ D. after 1769;⁶ M. Christoffel Van Arsdalen (~1696-1769), about 1717, in New York or New Jersey⁷

3. Hendrick Van Henglen — B. before 11 Aug 1700, Long Island, New York⁵

4. Tryntje Aukes Van Henglen — B. before 12 Jul 1702, New York⁸

5. Cornelius Van Henglen³

6. Aernout Van Henglen³

7. Catherine Van Henglen³

8. Maritje Van Henglen³

9. Femmetje Van Henglen³

10. Ida Van Henglen — B. about 1710;⁹ D. 23 Jun 1803;⁹ M. Cornelius Jacobse Wyckoff (1709-1737)⁹

11. Alida Van Henglen — B. about 1712;¹⁰ D. about 1784;¹⁰ M. Paulus Amerman (1712-~1781), about 1740¹⁰

12. Ouke Van Hanglen — B. before 8 Oct 1721, New Utrecht, New York¹¹

Sources:
1    “Notes of the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 5., p 286
2    WikiTree listing of Auke Rynierse van Henglen  
3    Probate record of Ouke Reynierse, Documents Related to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, Vol.XXX, pp. 395-396
4    Rough age based on marriage date
5    “Notes of the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 6., p. 55
6    A Genealogy of Reyniersen Family, Peter M. Rinearson and Arthur P. Rynearson, 1997
7    “Christoffel Van Aersdalen," Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. III, No. 2, December 2000
8    Baptismal record of Trijntie Ouke, New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962, FamilySearch.org
9    WikiTree listing of Idah (Reyniersen) Wyckoff  
10  WikiTree listing of Alida Aukes van Henglen  
11  Baptismal record of Auken V Hengelen, N.Y.B. & C.