B. about Apr 1637 in Drenthe, Netherlands
M. before 1665 in (probably) New York
Wife: Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven
D. after 1702 in (probably) Flatlands, New York
By virtue of being one of several siblings who migrated from Europe, Coert Stevense Van Voorhees became one of the earliest generations of a great American family.
Coert came from Drenthe, a region of the Netherlands, and he was born there about 1637 to Steven Coerts Van Voorhees and Aaltjen Wessels, one of their three known children. His mother died when he was a child and his father remarried, producing six half-siblings.
Coert was an adult when his 60-year-old father took the family to America, settling in Flatlands, part of present-day Brooklyn. His father purchased a large tract of land on November 29, 1660, and presumably Coert received part of it, or bought a farm of his own nearby. There’s no record of Coert’s marriage, but by about 1665, he wed Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven, daughter of one of the earliest Dutch settlers of Flatlands. Between about 1667 and 1683, they had five sons and four daughters.
As a large landowner in Flatlands, Coert held many offices. In 1677, he was a deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church, and in 1689, he was captain of the militia. He was also a representative of Flatlands at an assembly held in New Amsterdam on April 10, 1664; presumably this was in regard to the English takeover of the colony which happened that year. And he was a delegate to “The Convention at New Orange” on March 26, 1674, which took place after New Netherland formally ceased to exist. Coert was also a church elder in 1679 and 1684.
On March 8, 1692 Coert purchased property at Gravesend, New York, which he transferred to his son Albert on June 20, 1699. Coert was last known to be alive in 1702, but it isn’t known when he died. It’s believed that his wife Marretje was deceased by 1709. They were both the ancestors of Howard Dean, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Kean.
Coert had four half-brothers, and the Van Voorhees family grew to a tremendous size over the years, leading the family association website to claim they are “the largest Dutch Family in America.”
Children:
1. Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, (probably) Flatlands, New York; D. before 23 Sep 1704, New Utrecht, New York; M. (1) Mensje Janse; (2) Willemptje Pieterse Luyster (~1665-?), 26 Apr 1685, Flatlands, New York
2. Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, Flatlands, New York; D. 12 Nov 1746; M. Joost Rutgerz Van Brunt (?-~1746), 16 Apr 1687, Flatbush, New York
3. Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1667, Flatlands, New York; D. 16 Feb 1724, Gravesend, New York; M. (1) Eegje Jans; (2) Eva ______
4. Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1670, Flatlands, New York; D. before 14 Apr 1748, (probably) Flatlands, New York; M. (1) Sara Willemse Cornel (?-1736), before 1695; (2) Willempje Suydam, 15 May 1743; (3) Ida Suydam (1678-?), 1 Dec 1744
5. Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. about 1675, Flatlands, New York; M. Jacob Remsen
6. Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. 30 Jun 1676, (probably) Flatlands, New York; D. 4 Aug 1750, (probably) Monmouth County, New Jersey; M. Garret Roelfse Schenck (1671-1745), Flatlands, New York
7. Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 23 Jun 1678, (probably) Flatlands, New York; M. Antje Remsen (1681-?)
8. Annetie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 5 Dec 1680, Flatlands, New York; M. Jan Rapalje (1673-?)
9. Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. 20 Apr 1683, Flatlands, New York; D.10 Oct 1757; M. (1) Barber Achyase Van Dyck (1682-1743), 19 Nov 1703; (2) Sarah Van Vliet (1694-?), 2 May 1744
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