B. about 1680 in (probably) Staten Island, New York
M. before 22 Oct 1710 in (probably) Staten Island, New York
Wife: Aeltje Hooglandt
D. before 22 Mar 1762 in (probably) Staten Island, New York
There is little known about the life of Jan Jansen Van Pelt, aside from the detailed will that he left, and a couple of baptismal records of his children.
Jan’s parents were said to be Jan Teunissen Van Pelt and Maria Pieterse, and he was one of nine children. His birth was in about 1680, although this a rough estimate; he was likely born on Staten Island, where his father was a prominent man. Staten Island was in the process of being settled by Dutch families and others from Manhattan and Brooklyn, and by 1698, the population was 727.
Jan first appeared in records on a 1710 baptism of a daughter, Marritje (a Dutch variation of Mary), at the Reformed Dutch Church of Staten Island; the records for that year didn’t list the mother of the child, so it’s an assumption that this was him. Another baptism dated January 25, 1719 was for a daughter Sara, and this gave the mother’s name as Aeltje Hooglandt. It’s unknown what her connection is to the Hooglandt family of early New York.
Some sources claim that there were several other children; a few can be eliminated because the baptisms identify the father as “Jacob Van Pelt,” which was clearly not him. But given that families were rarely just two children, there were likely more than just Maritje and Sara.
It’s likely that Jan, or John as he was known later in life, worked as a farmer. Books on the Van Pelt family say that he was the captain of a sloop that sailed from New York to North Carolina, but there is no original source for this. Given that Staten Island had easy access to the New York Harbor, it’s possible that it was true.
Jan was about 80-years-old when he made out his will dated November 11, 1761, revealing most of what we know about him. He mentioned his wife Aeltje, leaving her their furniture, and suggesting that the executors of his estate would make sure she would get the support she needed. Of his children, he only named daughters Mary and Sara, and both of them were already dead, so the heirs were their children. Specifically he listed Mary’s son John Van Tuyl, and Sara’s children Aylte Symonsen, Van Pelt Symonsen, Akert, Marytie, Elizabeth, Symon, Johanes, and Evert.
Jan’s probate was complete on March 22, 1762, so he passed away by that date. It isn’t known what became of Aeltje after he was gone.
Children:
1. Maritje (or Mary) Van Pelt — B. (possibly) 22 Oct 1710, Staten Island, New York; D. after 2 Jun 1734, Staten Island, New York; M. Abraham Van Tuyl (~1714-1791), (probably) Staten Island, New York
2. Sara Van Pelt — B. before 25 Jan 1719, Staten Island, New York; D. before 11 Nov 1761; M. Simon Simonse, before 1736, Staten Island, New York
Sources:
