Farmer in Early Gowanus — Cornelis Lambertszen Cool

B. about 1590 in (possibly) Doorn, Netherlands¹
M. (1) before 1615 in Netherlands¹
Wife: unknown
M. (2) about 1638 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland¹
Wife: Aeltje Braconie
D. before 30 Dec 1643 in Gowanus, New Netherland²

Cornelis Lambertszen Cool was one of many Dutch men who migrated to New Netherland early, but left little mark, and his surname died out when his only son apparently died childless.

The origins of Cornelis are almost completely unknown. Based on ages of his children, he was born in roughly 1590,¹ and his middle name suggests his father was Lambert Cool. Some researchers have said Cornelis was born in a place called Doorn,³ which was near Amsterdam, Netherlands; since no documentation supports this, it cannot be taken as fact. He got married to an unknown woman, and they had three children born between about 1615 and 1623.¹

Cornelis was said to have migrated to New Netherland during the mid- to late-1630s.² The earliest record of him in America was on June 24, 1638 when he was a plaintiff in a court case in New Amsterdam — he had sued two men named Cornelis and Jan Van Voorst concerning a debt he was owed. It’s likely that Cornelis arrived with his family at least a year or two before that, but this is speculation. At some point, he remarried to a woman named Aeltje Braconie;¹ it’s unknown if the marriage took place in the Netherlands or America. It was a second marriage for her, and she had a daughter from her first husband. Cornelis had no children with his second wife.

During this time, Cornelis’ name appeared in several court records. On August 26, 1638, he was involved in the sale of a horse to Claes Cornelissen.² Then on November 25th, Cornelis had a dispute with Jan Celes for “damages sustained by the defendant’s hogs.”¹ This would suggest the two men were neighbors, and it’s known that Jan Celes lived at what is now Soho. Another curious mention of Cornelis in court records was on March 21, 1639, when he made a declaration of the discharge of Grietje Reyniers for “improper conduct when a waiting girl at Pieter de Winter’s tavern in New Amsterdam.”²

Hogs invading a Manhattan farm. (AI-generated image)

Later that year, on May 17 1639, Cornelis bought 50 acres in Gowanus, with the patent for the land being granted on April 5, 1642.² This is where he apparently took his family and lived for the rest of his life. Gowanus was one of the many new settlements that began during the 1630s, and Cornelis was one of its first farmers; it’s possible that he cultivated tobacco there.⁴

Cornelis lived only about four more years. His wife Aeltje was named as a widow in a document dated December 30, 1643,² so he had died by that date. Cornelis two daughters each left descendants, his son disappeared from records after May 1642.

Children (all by his first wife):
1. Aeltje Cornelis Cool — B. about 1615, Netherlands;⁵ D. Jan 1683, Flatlands, New York;⁶ M. (1) Gerret Wolfertse van Couwenhoven (~1610-?), 24 Jan 1635, New Netherland;⁶ (2) Elbert Elbertszen Stoothof, 27 Aug 1645, New Amsterdam, New Netherland⁶

2. Aechtje Cornelis Cool — B. before 1623, Netherlands;⁷ D. before 21 Jul 1647, New Amsterdam, New Netherland;⁷ M. Claes Janszen (1613-1648), before 22 Aug 1639, New Netherland⁷

3. Lambert Cornelissen Cool — B. about 1627, Netherlands;⁸ D. after May 1642, (probably) New Netherland⁸

Sources:
1    Listing of Cornelis Lambertszen Cool in Brouwer Genealogy Database
2    “Aeltje Braconie-Baddie-Cool-Bredenbent Family Notes,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, V. 65, John Reynolds Totten, Jul 1934
3    WikiTree listing of Cornelis Lamberts Cool
4    Gowanus Canal (Wikipedia article)
5    Estimated birth year based on age at first marriage
6    Listing of Aeltje Cornelis Cool in Brouwer Genealogy Database
7    Listing of Aechtje Cornelis Cool in Brouwer Genealogy Database
8    Listing of Lambert Cornelissen Cool in Brouwer Genealogy Database

Brooklyn Family Patriarch — Coert Stevense Van Voorhees

B. about Apr 1637 in Drenthe, Netherlands¹
M. before 1665 in (probably) New York¹
Wife: Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven
D. after 1702 in (probably) Flatlands, New York¹

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.¹ His mother died when he was a child and his father remarried, producing six half-siblings.²

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, 1660,³ 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,¹ daughter of one of the earliest Dutch settlers of Flatlands. Between about 1667 and 1683, they had five sons and four daughters. 

On a farm in Flatlands. (AI-generated image)

As a large landowner in Flatlands, Coert held many offices. In 1677, he was a deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church,¹ and in 1689, he was captain of the militia.¹ He was also a representative of Flatlands at an assembly held in New Amsterdam on April 10, 1664;¹ 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, 1674,¹ which took place after New Netherland formally ceased to exist. Coert was also a church elder in 1679 and 1684.¹

On March 8, 1692 Coert purchased property at Gravesend, New York, which he transferred to his son Albert on June 20, 1699.¹ Coert was last known to be alive in 1702, but it isn’t known when he died.¹ It’s believed that his wife Marretje was deceased by 1709. They were both the ancestors of Howard Dean, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Kean.⁴

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.”⁵

Children:
1. Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, (probably) Flatlands, New York;⁶ D. before 23 Sep 1704, New Utrecht, New York;⁶ M. (1) Mensje Janse;⁶ (2) Willemptje Pieterse Luyster (~1665-?), 26 Apr 1685, Flatlands, New York⁶

2. Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, Flatlands, New York;⁷ D. 12 Nov 1746;⁷ M. Joost Rutgerz Van Brunt (?-~1746), 16 Apr 1687, Flatbush, New York⁷

3. Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1667, Flatlands, New York;⁸ D. 16 Feb 1724, Gravesend, New York;⁸ M. (1) Eegje Jans;⁸ (2) Eva ______⁸

4. Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1670, Flatlands, New York;⁹ D. before 14 Apr 1748, (probably) Flatlands, New York;⁹ M. (1) Sara Willemse Cornel (?-1736), before 1695;⁹ (2) Willempje Suydam, 15 May 1743; (3) Ida Suydam (1678-?), 1 Dec 1744⁹

5. Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. about 1675, Flatlands, New York;¹⁰ M. Jacob Remsen¹⁰

6. Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. 30 Jun 1676, (probably) Flatlands, New York;¹¹ D. 4 Aug 1750, (probably) Monmouth County, New Jersey;¹¹ M. Garret Roelfse Schenck (1671-1745), Flatlands, New York¹¹

7. Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 23 Jun 1678, (probably) Flatlands, New York;¹² M. Antje Remsen (1681-?)¹²

8. Annetie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 5 Dec 1680, Flatlands, New York;¹³ M. Jan Rapalje (1673-?)¹³

9. Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. 20 Apr 1683, Flatlands, New York;¹⁴ D.10 Oct 1757;¹⁴ M. (1) Barber Achyase Van Dyck (1682-1743), 19 Nov 1703;¹⁴ (2) Sarah Van Vliet (1694-?), 2 May 1744¹⁴

Sources:
1    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Coert Stephense Van Voorhees
2    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coert Van Voorhees
3    Steven van Voorhees (Wikipedia article)
4    FamousKin.com listing of Coert Stevense Can Voorhees
5    History of the Van Voorhees Family (website)
6    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees
7    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees
8    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees
9    Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees
10  Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees
11  Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees
12  Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees
13  Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Annetje Coertse Van Voorhees
14  Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees

Indian Captive After Husband Killed — Tryntie Reynders

B. about 1621 in Hengelo, Netherlands^1,2
M. (1) before 1640 in (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands^1,3
Husband: Arent Theunissen Van Henglen
M. (2) 25 May 1656 in New Netherland¹
Husband: Severyn Laurenszen
D. before 5 Aug 1671 in New York¹

Tryntie Reynders was a woman who settled in New Netherland with her husband, and faced terrible hardships because of it. But she found a way to survive, keeping her children safe, and passing her bloodline on to thousands of descendants.

Tryntie (also spelled Tryntje) was born in Hengelo, Netherlands in about 1621.^1,2 Nothing is known of her family; surnames were patronymic in most Netherlands families, and “Reynders” was taken from the first name of her father. After she came of age, she married Arent Theunissen Van Henglen, who was also from Hengelo.^1,3 Between about 1641 and 1652, she had at least three children.

Shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Arent decided the family would find a new life in America. Once in New Amsterdam, they joined a group who were establishing a community on Staten Island.¹ For a time, the family enjoyed a peaceful life on their farm, but it came to an abrupt end in a conflict called the Peach Tree War. This was a fight between the Dutch and the Swedish who colonized in the region first. The Swedes enlisted local tribes who could help them fight, and after the Dutch took several of their forts in 1655, Susquehannock warriors retaliated against Dutch civilians on September 15th.

One of the places they hit was where Tryntie lived. A total of 23 people were killed at the Staten Island settlement, including her husband Arent.^1,4 Typically, in a raid such as this, people were slaughtered in their homes with tomahawks, and it’s likely Tryntie was there to witness whatever was done to her husband. She and all three of her children were then captured and taken back to the Susquehannock camp where they were held as prisoners.⁵ There were over 60 people with her, each living in fear of what would happen next. But luckily, after a month in captivity, their release was negotiated by the man who had run the settlement on Staten Island, Captain Adrian Post.⁶

Held captive in a Susquehannock camp. (AI-generated image)

With her husband dead and her home destroyed, Tryntie and her children sought refuge in Manhattan with many other victims of the massacre.⁵ Needing a husband to support her, she married a man named Severyn Laurenszen on May 25, 1656.¹ Severyn was from Denmark, and had come to New Amsterdam as a mercenary soldier.⁷

Tryntie was by now about age 45, and she had no children with her second husband. It must have been a struggle to make ends meet, which may have led to Severyn being charged with theft in early 1658. A trial on April 12th resulted in him being found him guilty, and his sentence was to be “stripped of arms and publicly flogged and branded.”⁷ He escaped jail before this was done, and on May 28th, he was pardoned and “permitted to live on Long Island,”⁷ which meant he and Tryntie moved to either present-day Queens or Brooklyn.

Since Severyn no longer had a place in the military, he needed a new livelihood, and in about 1660, he decided to go into business with another man running a tavern.⁷ Once again, Tryntie moved, this time to a road on the outskirts of New Amsterdam which became known as The Bowery. Several taverns lined the road, so it must have attracted a somewhat lawless element. Severyn was cited more than once for such violations as “selling liquor during divine service,” and for allowing people in his tavern “to play nine pins” on Sunday.⁷

Tryntie’s ordeal on Staten Island resurfaced in November 1661. Former colony leader Captain Post sued Severyn for money he thought was owed regarding Tryntie’s release back in 1656. To counter that, Tryntie came forward in court with a claim that Captain Post actually owed her a larger amount of money.^7,8 The authorities referred the case to Thomas Hall and Fredrick Lubbersen to settle the issue, but there’s no further record of what happened next.

It isn’t known exactly when Tryntie died. She and Severyn made a joint will in about May 1662,⁸ and she didn’t appear in any records after that. He married a second wife on August 5, 1671,¹ so her death must have been between those two dates.

Children (all by Arent Theunissen Van Henglen):
1. Reynier Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1641, (probably)Hengelo, Netherlands; D. after 17 Sep 1721;¹ M. (1) Annetje Hermans, New Netherland; (2) Jannetije Aukes Van Nuys, 1666¹

2. Maritje Arents Van Henglen — B. (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; M. Jan Jansen Langestraat, 2 Nov 1659, New Netherland¹

3. Hendrick Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1652,  (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; D. about 16 Jun 1689, New York;¹ M. Catherine Hardenbroeck, 25 Oct 1684, New York¹

Sources:
1    “Notes on the Rynearson (Van Hengel) Family,” Somerset County Quarterly, Vol. 5., Edward Kinsey Voorhees, 1916
2    Birth year estimate based on approximate ages of children
3    Marriage year estimate based on approximate ages of children
4    Since we know Arent’s wife and children were captives in the 1655 raid on Staten Island, and that Arent wasn’t among them, it’s safe to conclude that he was killed
5    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, page 74, 1881
6    Documents Relative to the Colonial History of N.Y., Vol XIII, pages 45-48, 1881
7    Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674, John Oluf Evjen, 1916
8    Yearbook of the Holland Society of New York, 1900

On the Last Ship to New Amsterdam — Jentie Jeppes

B. before about 1633 in Friesland, Netherlands¹
M. (1) about 1653 in (probably) Friesland, Netherlands¹
Wife: Tijedtske Gerrits
M. (2) 4 Dec 1666 in New York, New York¹
Wife: Britten Oloff
D. before 18 Apr 1673, (probably) New York, New York¹

Jentie Jeppes migrated to New Netherland shortly before the colony fell to the British. He was born in about 1633, a native of Friesland in the Netherlands,¹ the northernmost region of the country. His father may have been named Jacob, but nothing is known of his family or childhood. Jentie married a woman named Tijedtske Gerrits in about 1653,¹ and for the first decade or so of his marriage, they moved to various towns and villages in Friesland — Dokkum, Wijckel and Leeuwarden — where eight children were born.² Sadly, the oldest three died young.

Map showing towns where Jentie lived in Friesland

On April 17, 1664 Jentie, along with Tijedtske and their four young children, boarded a ship called the Eendracht.¹ Records show that he paid 126 florins in passage money for himself, Tijedtske, and “his three children of 5, 4, and 2 years.” Presumably the youngest child who was about 6-months-old didn’t require payment. The captain of the ship was Jan Bergen, a man born in the colony whose nephew would one-day marry Jentie’s granddaughter.^3,4 The ship also carried at least 31 other migrants, including Tijedtske’s brother and his family.³

Arrival in America. (AI-generated image)

The Eendracht docked in Manhattan on July 19th.³ Little more than a month later, another four ships sailed into the harbor with a force from England who demanded the surrender of the colony. Rather than fight, the Dutch leaders gave in, and the following year, New Amsterdam was renamed New York. By this time, Jentie seems to have moved to Flatbush where his name appeared on an August 29, 1665 document accepting a young orphaned child, Tijedtske’s nephew, under his guardianship.¹ But the following spring, Jentie had migrated to Bergen, New Jersey;¹ Tijedtske passed away and was buried at the church there.

Jentie remarried on December 4, 1666 to a woman named Britten Oloff, a widow who was originally from Sweden; the wedding took place at the Dutch church in New York.¹ The couple didn’t have any children together. Jentie didn’t seem to return to New Jersey and likely spent the rest of his life in New York or Brooklyn. The date of his death is unknown, but his second wife was shown to be married to someone else on April 18, 1673.¹

Children (all by Tijedtske Gerrits):
1. Lijckele Jenties — B. 20 May 1655, Dokkum, Friesland, Netherlands;⁵ D. young

2. Grietien Jenties — B. before 1 Jul 1656, Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands;⁶ D. before 11 Oct 1663, (probably) Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands⁶

3. Euwe Jenties — B. before 1 Nov 1657, Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands;⁷ D. before 17 Jun 1660, (probably) Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands⁸

4. Euwe Jenties — B. before 17 Jun 1660, (probably) Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands⁸

5. Gerrit Van Wicklen — B. before 1 Jan 1659, Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands;⁹ D. after 23 Dec 1722, Jamaica, Long Island, New York;¹⁰ M. Tryntje Gerrits (1666-?), 1687, (probably) New York¹⁰

6. Evert Jansz Van Wicklen — B. before 17 Jun 1660, Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands;¹ D. about 1720, Flatbush, New York;¹ M. Metje Simonse Van Arsdalen (~1670-?), after 27 Feb 1690, Flatbush, New York¹

7. Meinske Jenties — B. before 11 May 1662, Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands;¹¹ D. 1708, Tarrytown, New York;¹² M. Albert Minnelay (1659-?), 18 Oct 1684, Flatbush, New York¹²

8. Grietje Jenties — B. before 11 Oct 1663, Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands;¹³ M. Jan Hercksz (~1657-1730), (probably) New York¹⁴

Sources:

1    "The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including Its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record Vol.128, no. 2, Harry Macy Jr., 1997
2    WikiTree listing for Jentie Jeppes   
3    D’ Eendracht (The Unity) passengers list, Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild (website)  
4    Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the Town of Flatbush, Kings Co., New York, marriages 1792-1866
5    WikiTree listing for Lijckele Jenties  
6    WikiTree listing for Grieten Jenties  
7    Baptismal record of Euwe Jeppes (older), Netherlands Archival Indexes, Vital Records, 1600-2000, FamilySearch.org
8    Baptismal record of Euwe Jeppes (younger), N. A. I. V. R.
9    Baptismal record of Gerrit Jeppes, N. A. I. V. R.
10  WikiTree listing for Gerrit Jenties  
11  Baptismal record of Meinske Jeppes, baptismal registers for 1662-1663, Frisian Historical and Library Centre
12  WikiTree listing for Meinske Jans  
13  Baptismal record of Grietje Jeppes, baptismal registers for 1662-1663, Frisian Historical and Library Centre
14  Birth record of Jan Krankheyt (Grietje’s son), New York Church Records, 1660-1954, FamilySearch.org

Killed in Peach Tree War — Arent Theunissen Van Henglen

B. about 1616 in Hengelo, Netherlands
M. before 1640 in (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands
Wife: Tryntie Reynders
D. 15 Sep 1655 in Staten Island, New York

During the 17th century, colonies in America often had a tenuous relationship with the Indians around them, and this sometimes produced attacks on frontier settlements. In one such incident, Arent Theunissen Van Henglen became a victim in an obscure conflict that is known as the Peach Tree War.

Arent was born in about 1616 in Hengelo, Netherlands, a small agricultural village not far from the present-day German border. His parents were were said to be Theunis Jansz Van Hengel and Jannettie Arentsdr. When Arent came of age, he married Tryntie Reynders, and they had at least three children. In about 1654, Arent decided to migrate with his family to New Netherland, joining a new settlement on Staten Island. This move would prove fateful.

All around the area where Arent settled, a battle was being fought for control of the territory. The colony of New Sweden had been established along the Delaware River in 1638, and 17 years later, Dutch forces encroached on it, trying to kick them out. The Swedish allied with the Susquehannock tribe, and their fight with the Dutch went back and forth. After the Dutch overpowered the Swedish, taking their forts in 1655, the Susquehannock retaliated in a series of attacks on September 15th that swept through the New Netherland colony. 

Susquehannock warriors.

There was another incident which was also said to have sparked the raids. It involved an Indian woman stealing peaches from a New Netherland settler’s tree; the settler shot her on the spot and she was killed. This story was why the attacks by the Susquehannock were called the Peach Tree War, although it isn’t clear if there was any real connection to it. Whatever the case, the Dutch settlement on Staten Island was one of the hardest hit in the September 15th attack, and 23 people lost their lives, apparently including Arent.

After the raid, the rest of Arent’s family were taken prisoner, and their release was negotiated a month later. Arent’s widow Tryntje moved to New Amsterdam where she remarried in 1656.

Children:
1. Reynier Arentsen — B. about 1641, Hengelo, Netherlands; D. after 17 Sep 1721; M. (1) Annetje Hermans, New Netherland; (2) Jannetje Aukes Van Nuys, 1666

2. Maritje Arents Van Henglen — B. (probably) Hengelo, Netherlands; M. Jan Jansen Langestraat, 2 Nov 1659, New Nethrland

3. Hendrick Arentsen Van Henglen — B. about 1652, Hengelo, Netherlands; D. about 16 Jun 1689, New York; M. Catherine Hardenbroeck, 25 Oct 1684, 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
America’s Best History (website)
WikiTree

Aided by the Orphanmasters — Evert Jansz Van Wicklen

B. before 17 Jun 1660 in Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands
M. after 27 Feb 1690 in Flatbush, New York
Wife: Metje Simonse Van Arsdalen
D. about 1720 in Flatbush, New York

Evert Jansz Van Wicklen arrived in America as a small child, and both of his parents died within a few years. But with the help of others, he grew up to became a productive member of his community.

Evert was born in 1660 in Wijckel, Netherlands, located in the Friesland section, and was baptized on June 17th of that year. His parents were Jentie Jeppes and Tijedtske Gerrits; he was the fourth of their seven children, three of whom died young. When Evert was just 4-years-old, his family sailed on the ship D’Eendracht, which arrived in New Amsterdam on July 19, 1664. They seem to have lived in Flatbush in 1665 before moving to the town of Bergen the following year, which was across the Hudson River in present-day New Jersey. It was here that Evert’s mother died.

The church in Wijckel, Netherlands.

When Evert’s father remarried on December 4, 1666, it triggered the Orphanmasters of New York to order an inventory of his possessions. Although Evert and his siblings had only lost their mother, it was important to establish their inheritance so that their step-mother couldn’t claim it in case their father also died. Orphanmasters were panels of authorities who would oversee such a situation, a system of civic interest that was uniquely Dutch. In addition, a pair of guardians named Focke Jansen and Cornelis Aerts were assigned to the children. Evert’s father was instructed that he must supply his children “with proper food and clothing until they come of age and then pay to each of them a sum of fifty guilders wampum amounting in all to the sum of 200 florins.”

The action of the Orphanmasters became more significant when Evert’s father died sometime before 1673. After his father’s death, Evert and his siblings were thought to have been cared for by someone who lived in Flatlands (part of present-day Brooklyn) because all four of them became members of the Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church when they came of age in the 1680s. Evert signed a contract in 1680 to work as a carpenter on a house belonging to Christoffel Jansen, who also lived in Flatlands. The service was to last for three years, paying him 450 guilders, with the curious add-ons of a “Persian rug” and “free washing of his bed linens with soap” during the term of service.

Evert took the Oath of Allegiance in 1687, which was required for all Dutch men living in the now English colony of New York. About three years later, he got married, with banns published on February 27, 1690 at the Flatbush church, and the wedding likely taking place soon after. His bride was Metje Simonse Van Arsdalen, daughter of Simon Jansen Van Arsdalen. Between about 1692 and 1710, they had seven children who lived to adulthood.

During his married life, Evert lived and worked in various parts of what is now Brooklyn. On February 6, 1696, he received a transfer of land in Midwout from “the heirs of Hendrick Strycker.” He received another transfer of lands in Midwout on May 9, 1707 from Jan Berrien. In 1697, he was paid 150 guilders for making benches at the Flatlands church. The following year he was listed in a census with a household in Flatbush that included he and his wife, along with three children and one slave. He also at some time in his life owned a mill, with a dam and pond, in Brooklyn “near the ferry.”

In 1703, Evert and two other men made a purchase of land in Somerset County, New Jersey consisting of 450 acres. Perhaps he was looking to the future, as many Dutch men in Brooklyn were moving to the area, but he himself probably never lived there. Most of the land seems to have been resold a couple months later.

By February 9, 1720, he was nearing the end of his life, and on that date, he made out his will. He described himself as being “very sick and weak in body,” and his signature was shaky. He likely died not long after. His wife Metje remarried soon after his death to a man named Philip Volkertse. She was last known to be living on December 13, 1740 in Somerset County, New Jersey.

Children:
1. Sytje Van Wicklen — B. about 1692, (probably) Flatbush, New York; M. (1) Hans Jorise Bergen (1684-1726), 16 Aug 1711; (2) Joseph Van Cleef (~1683-?)

2. Pieterneltje Van Wicklen — B. about 1695, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. 17 May 1759; M. Rem Hegeman (1685-?)

3. Geertje Van Wicklen — B. about 23 Apr 1696, Flatbush, New York; D. before 30 Aug 1769; M. Hendrik Suydam, after 28 Mar 1719, Midwout, New York

4. Jan Van Wicklen — B. about 26 Oct 1698, Flatbush, New York; D. 1732, (probably) New Lots, New York; M. Ida Remsen (1703-?), 3 Jan 1723, (probably) New York

5. Simon Van Wicklen — B. 1700, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. about 1754, (probably) New Brunswick, New Jersey; M. Gerradina Kouwenhoven (1705-?)

6. Grietje Van Wicklen — B. 1708, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. before 5 Feb 1782, Millstone, New Jersey; M. William Cornell (1708-1760), before 1735

7. Metje Van Wicklen — B. about 1710, (probably) Flatbush, New York; D. about 1785, Roycefield, New Jersey; M. Bergon Brokaw (1711-1799), before 1740, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey

Sources:
"The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including Its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record Vol.128, no. 2, Harry Macy Jr., 1997
Genealogies of New Jersey Families: Families A-Z, pre-American notes on old New Netherland families, Joseph R. Kleft, 1996
Dutch Genealogy (website)
WikiTree

Dutch Shoemaker in a Puritan Town — Cornelius Vonck

B. about 1635 in (probably) Netherlands
M. 26 Dec 1667 in Southampton, New York
Wife: Magdalena Hendricks
D. 8 Aug 1681, Southampton, New York

The mystery of Cornelius Vonck is how a Dutchman ended up living in a settlement on eastern Long Island that was populated almost entirely by people from New England. His birth date and birth place are unknown. The first appearance of his name was on a list of inhabitants of Southampton from 1657; assuming he was an adult, that puts his birth date in the 1630s or earlier. Given the date, it’s likely that Cornelius was born in the Netherlands, but whether he first migrated to New Netherland, or came directly to eastern Long Island is a fact lost to history.

When Cornelius turned up in Southampton, the settlement had been in existence less than 20 years. It was founded by a group of men from Massachusetts seeking to expand the colony into this remote location. Southampton had all of the civic structure of any village in New England, with religion as a base of authority and a local council who reported to the General Court in Boston. The Dutch in Manhattan immediately questioned the rights of these people to settle there since New Netherland leaders claimed that Long Island was in their jurisdiction, but after meeting with the new settlers, they allowed them to stay.

The list of Southampton inhabitants from 1657 showed that there were a total 61 men as heads of households, most of them known to have originated in Massachusetts. The town was laid out on a couple of strips, with most of the homes being on “Main Street,” but Cornelius was among three lots described as “up the hill,” positioned between lots owned by men named Ben Davis and John Cooper. Cornelius was the only one on the list appearing to have a Dutch name; in later records he was identified as a “German” or Dutchman, suggesting his nationality was an outlier in the community.

Cornelius likely farmed some of his land, but was also noted as a “cordwainer,” or shoemaker. Perhaps it was a skill he brought from his native country; a shoemaker in the 17th century custom-made his product for his customers, shaping pieces of leather on wooden forms and stitching them together. For a town so remote, Cornelius' service was likely the only way settlers could easily acquire their footwear. 

Shoemaker at work. (AI-generated image)

On December 26, 1667, Cornelius married a woman named Magdalena Hendricks. It’s believed that she was from a family living in Flatbush, and it’s easy to imagine that Cornelius traveled there to find a wife. The marriage took place in Southampton, and the following August, their first child was born; by 1681, Magdalena gave birth to seven more.

Over the years, Cornelius was involved in several land transactions in Southampton. A couple of weeks after he got married, he purchased a house with 8 acres from his neighbor, Ben Davis. A few years later, he sold some pasture land, and another 5 acres he owned to other settlers. On August 6, 1677, he purchased 10 acres from Davis in a section of the town called Sagaponack. In the present day, this area is the second most expensive zip code in the United States, with a median home sale price in 2024 of $5,950,000.

Sagaponack in 2024.

Cornelius died in Southampton on August 8, 1681, leaving his widow Magdalena with six underaged children. She sold their home in Southampton and moved to Flatbush, where she remarried in 1689.

Children:
1. Alida Vonck — B. 27 Aug 1668, Southampton, New York

2. Catherine Vonck — B. 9 Mar 1670, Southampton, New York; D. 1758, Flatbush, New York; M. (1) Henry Ruttgert; (2) Henry Filkin (1651-1713), Dec 1695, New York, New York

3. John Vonck — B. 15 Nov 1671, Southampton, New York

4. Mary Vonck — B. 27 Jan 1673, Southampton, New York; M. Jan Laurensz Van Wormer, 1697

5. Magdalena Vonck — B. 2 May 1675, Southampton, New York; D. 1736, Tarrytown, New York; M. Jan Ecker (~1660-1736), 1693, Phillipsburgh, New York

6. Ida Vonck — B. 17 Apr 1677, Southampton, New York; D. 9 Jun 1738, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. Aucke Reyniersen Van Henglen (?-1740), 1695, Long Island, New York

7. Barbara Vonck — B. 16 Apr 1679, Southampton, New York; D. 13 Sep 1774, Six Mile Run, New Jersey; M. Adriaen Bennet (~1670-1731), 1694, New York

8. Hendrick Vonck — B. 7 Jan 1681, Southampton, New York; M. Catheryna Hegeman (1685-?), 12 May 1706, Flatbush, New York

Sources:
The Early History of Southampton, L. I., George Rogers Howell, 1866
Records of the Town of Southampton, 1660-1717, J.H. Hunt (printer), 1877
Register in Alphabetical Order of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N.Y., Teunis G. Bergen, 1881
Sagaponack, New York (Wikipedia article)
WikiTree
Find A Grave

Building First Church in Brooklyn — Auke Janse Van Nuys

B. about 1621 in (probably) Nuis, Groningen, Netherlands
M. (1) 23 Apr 1645 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wife: Magdalena Pieters
M. (2) about 16 Dec 1666
Wife: Lysabet Janse
M. (3) 17 Jul 1681 in New York
Wife: Geertje Gysbrechts
D. 1698 in (probably) New Utrecht, New York

When men came from Europe to populate America during the 17th century, it helped to have a valuable skill. For Auke Janse Van Nuys, that was being a carpenter, and he used his trade to help build early New Amsterdam and Brooklyn.

Auke was born in about 1621 in the village of Nuis, which was where he got the name “Van Nuys.” His parents’ identity is unproven, but it’s believed that his ancestors escaped from France in the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572. Auke had at least one brother, whose name was Goosen.

The village of Nuis.

By the time Auke was in his 20s, he had moved to Amsterdam, becoming an apprentice in the trade of building construction. On April 23, 1645, he married a woman named Magdalena Pieters, and they began a family, which included four children by 1651. Auke became a poorter on April 24, 1647, which meant he was a citizen of Amsterdam, enjoying rights and privileges above other residents of the city. This was a necessary step for someone seeking to join a professional guild, and likely meant that Auke started working as a carpenter around that time.

Marriage record of Auke Janse Van Nuys and Magdalena Pieters.

In about 1651, Auke made the decision to migrate to the Dutch colony in America, and he, his wife and four young children sailed to New Amsterdam. Auke soon hired out for construction projects, working on houses and other buildings that were beginning to crowd the tip of Manhattan — some of the earliest structures in what is now New York City.

According to New Amsterdam records from the 1650s, Auke’s work sometimes received complaints, and a few people refused to pay him. In one project from early 1653, a woman claimed that Auke damaged her house, and the repairs would cost more than the fee he wanted for his work. Later that year, Auke tried to collect payment from a man who said the work he had done was poor and “spoiled the timber” of his house. Auke’s skills as a carpenter were again called into question with a wall that he and another carpenter built along the town’s canal. In the summer of 1654, heavy rains caused the structure to cave in, and Auke had to help rebuild it at no cost.

Building houses in New Amsterdam. (AI-generated image)

In October 1655, all of the men in the colony were asked for money to pay for the expense of improving the fortification of New Amsterdam. A handful of men volunteered to work on it instead of paying money, and Aucke was one of them, offering one to two days of labor. It’s not known if this arrangement was carried out.

Auke and his family only remained in New Amsterdam for a couple of years, and on May 6, 1653, he sold his property and relocated to the site of what would become Flatbush. The settlers there formed a new church in 1654, and Auke was one of the carpenters hired to build it, the first house of worship in what is now Brooklyn. Governor Stuyvesant ordered that the church be at least 60 feet long, and 28 feet wide, with a ceiling height of 12 to 14 feet. The project took six years and the church stood until 1699, replaced with a more solid one that lasted another 100 years. The current church was built in the 1790s, but still occupies the site of where Auke helped build the original one.

Auke and his wife Magdalena had five children born in New Netherland, with the youngest in about 1662. Magdalena died that year, and Auke remarried in about December of 1666 to a widow named Lysbet Jans. The couple had no children and she passed away in April 1681. In July of that year, he married a third time to another widow, Geertje Gysbrechts. Auke lived in various towns during this part of his life, including Flatbush, Brooklyn Ferry and New Utrecht. He made out his will on May 15, 1694 and passed away in 1698. He was buried in the graveyard at the church that he had helped build.

The name Van Nuys, that Auke brought to America, was spread throughout the country among his many descendants. One of them, Isaac Newton Van Nuys (1836-1912), gave his name to the town of Van Nuys, California, part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.

Children (all by Magdalena Pieters):
1. Annetje Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Jan 1646, Amsterdam, Netherlands; M. (1) Wijnant Pieterse Van Eck (1640-1695), 4 Dec 1661, Brooklyn, New Netherland; (2) Dirck Janse Woertman (1630-1694), about 4 Dec 1691, Brooklyn, New York

2. Geertruyd Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Jun 1647, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. about 1691, Flatbush, New York; M. Joost Franz (1640-~1696)

3. Jannetje Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Nov 1648, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. 17 Sep 1721, New York; M. Reynier Arentsen (~1641-?), 28 Apr 1666

4. Jan Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Dec 1650, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. 1710, Brooklyn, New York; M. (1) Barbara Provoost (1653-1679), 29 Jul 1673, New York, New York; (2) Eva Janse (1660-?), 4 Apr 1680, Midwout, New York

5. Abigail Auckes Van Nuys — B. about 1651, New Netherland; D. 19 Jul 1748, Flatbush, New York; M. Leffert Pietersen (1645-1704),1675, Flatbush, New York

6. Pieter Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Oct 1652, New Netherland; D. (probably) young

7. Jacobus Auckes Van Nuys — B. about 1654, Flatbush, New Netherland; D. about 6 Dec 1710, Flatbush, New York; M. Maria Cornell (~1664-?), 26 Apr 1685, Flatbush, New York

8. Ida Auckes Van Nuys — B. about 1656, Flatbush, New Netherland

9. Femmetje Auckes Van Nuys — B. about Jan 1662, New Netherland; D. 20 Nov 1735, Flatlands, New York; M. Jan Van Voorhees (1652-1735), 8 Oct 1680, Flatbush, New York

Sources:
The Father and Brother of Aucke Jans Van Nuys, Elizabeth A. Johnson, 2012 
Flatbush Reformed Church (website)
The records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674, Berthold Fernow and Edmund Bailey, 1897
WikiTree

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

Settlers in colonial America faced many hardships, some of which were conflicts between settlers and Indigenous people. Reynier Arentsen was about 13-years-old when his family were victims in a forgotten conflict, and they were forced to start over in another place.  

Reynier was born in about 1641 in Hengelo, Netherlands to Arent Theunissen Van Henglen 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.

17th-century Indian village in region where Reynier was taken prisoner. 

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. Aucke Reyniersen 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
WikiTree

Husband Killed in a Massacre — Grietje Hendricks

B. about 1638 in Wijhe, Overijssel, Netherlands
M. (1) about 1658, unknown location
Husband: Jan Arentsen Van Putten
M. (2) 13 Jan 1664 in Wiltwyck, New Netherland
Husband: Wallerand Dumont
D. 1728 in (probably) Kingston, New York

The story of Grietje Hendricks points to the resiliency of people who suffer terrible tragedies — after her husband was violently killed in an unprovoked attack on their home, she was able to find a new husband and carry on.

Grietje was born in the village of Wijhe, Netherlands in about 1638. Nothing is known of her family, or exactly when she migrated to America. When she was around 20-years-old, Grietje married a blacksmith named Jan Arentsen Van Putten, and then went to live in Esopus, a settlement located in the lower Hudson River Valley. They had a daughter born in about 1659.

The town of Esopus was named after the tribe that lived in the region surrounding it, and with the Dutch trying to settle there, tensions arose with the native population. Trouble escalated into what was called the First Esopus War in 1659. Gretje’s husband joined others in defending the town, and peace was restored in 1660.

In 1663, Gretje was said to have traveled to the Netherlands with her daughter, and she returned to her husband in Esopus about the beginning of June. Unbeknownst to the settlers, the Esopus tribe was planning to attack them. The Dutch settlement was inside a stockade that was built a few years earlier. On the morning of June 7th, the natives breached the fort by pretending to make a friendly visit, and they were let inside. Then on a signal, they surprised the settlers in a burst of violence. The Indians entered private homes, and brutally murdered people with axes, tomahawks and guns. Gretje survived the attack, but her husband did not. Twenty Dutch settlers were killed that day, and another 45 were taken prisoner. The massacre and the events that followed were known as the Second Esposus War.

The site of the 1663 massacre. 

After losing her husband, Grietje chose to stay in Esopus, now called Wiltwyck, and on January 13, 1664, she got married again. Her husband was a Dutch soldier named Wallerand Dumont, who decided put down roots, and he became a leading member of the community.  Between 1664 and 1679, Grietje had six children. She joined the First Dutch Reformed Church of Wiltwyck in 1666. The town was renamed Kingston in 1669 and Grietje lived the rest of her life there, surviving husband Wallerand, who died in 1713. She passed away sometime in 1728 at the age of about 90.

Child by Jan Arentsen Van Putten:
1. Annetje Jans Van Putten — B. about 1659, New Netherland; M. Hendrick Kip

Children by Wallerand Dumont:
1. Margaret Dumont — B. before 28 Dec 1664, Wiltwyck, New York; M. William Loveridge (~1657-1703), 18 Oct 1682, Kingston, New Netherland

2. Walran Dumont — B. about Mar 1667, Wiltwyck, New York; D. 1733, Ulster, New York; M. Catarina Terbosch, 24 Mar 1688, Hurley, New York

3. Jannetje Dumont — B. 6 Jun 1669, Kingston, New York; D. 2 Feb 1752, Albany, New York; M. Michael Van Veghten (1663-1762), 2 Apr 1691, Kingston, New York

4. Jan Baptist Dumont — B. about Sep 1670, Kingston, New York; D. 2 Aug 1749, Kingston, New York; M. Neeltje Cornelis Van Veghten (~1670-1738), about 1693, Kingston, New York

5. Francyntie Dumont — B. before 21 Jul 1674, Kingston, New York; M. Frederick Clute (1670-1761), 23 Apr 1693, Albany, New York

6. Peter Dumont — B. 18 Apr 1679, Kingston, New York; D. 1744, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. (1) Femmetje Teunise Van Middlswart (~1680-1706), 25 Dec 1700; (2) Catalyntje Rapalje (1685-1709), 1 Feb 1707; (3) Jannetje Vechten, 16 Nov 1711

Sources:
"Wallerand Dumont and His Somerset County Descendants," John B. Dumont, Somerset County (New Jersey) Historical Quarterly, Vol I, 1912
Harlem: Its Origins and Early Annals, James Riker
“New Netherland: The Esopus Wars,” The New York History Blog 

Colonial Woman of Brazil and Brooklyn — Heyltien Aertss

B. about 1625 in (probably) Netherlands¹
M. before 24 Mar 1647 in unknown location²
Husband: Jurien Probasco
D. after 10 Oct 1666 in New York³

Heyltien Aertss was a woman from 17th-century Netherlands who had a remarkable migration story that we don’t entirely know. The facts we do have are that in her short life, she moved between three continents at a time that many Europeans hardly left the town they were born in.

The earliest record of Heyltien was as the mother in a baptism dated March 24, 1647 in the Dutch colony in Brazil (also known as New Holland).¹ How did she come to be living in such a place? Her husband was Jurien Probasco, a man thought to be Polish,³ and there is no indication whether their wedding took place in the Netherlands or in Brazil. If she was married in the colony, that meant she must have arrived there either on her own or with her parents, but no records offer a clue to her actual emigration circumstance. Heyltien and Jurien went on to have two more children baptized in New Holland, one in 1649 and the other in 1651.³

Being a young mother in the colony must have been a difficult life. The Dutch were barely holding onto their territorial claim, which the Portuguese thought they rightly controlled, and the two sides battled each other over a couple of decades. The settlers from the Netherlands engaged in running sugar plantations, which required much labor to operate. This usually meant owning slaves, and it’s unlikely that Heyltien and her husband could have afforded that.

The Probascos time in South America came to an end with the Portuguese takeover of the colony on January 28, 1654.⁴ Most of the Dutch left soon after, and Jurien appeared on a contract signed in Amsterdam dated June 17th.⁵ The agreement was to move to the New Netherland colony in North America. Only one of their three children has been found in records after their baptisms, so probably the other two had died young in Brazil.

The Dutch colony in Brazil under siege in 1648.

The family ended up in Brooklyn, where Dutch Reformed church records showed Jurien as sponsor to a baptism in 1661.³ The following year, Heyltien made a small amount of money for sewing some shirts, likely to supplement her husband’s farm income.³ Presumably, life was better in North America for the Probascos, where the colony was more stable, and the climate closer to being like in Europe.

An amusing story emerges from a record dated May 14, 1662.³ On that day, the church gave Heyltien and her husband a cow and heifer to care for. In return for using the cow for their own milk supply, they were to donate a quantity of butter for the poor of the community. But Heyltien soon found that the cow wouldn’t give milk. Afraid that she wouldn’t be able to pay the required donation of butter, she filed an official complaint and asked for a different cow. The records don’t show how the matter was resolved. 

It’s believed that Heyltien’s husband Jurien died in 1664.³ She lived at least until October 10, 1666 when she last appeared as a sponsor at a baptism. The date and place of her death are unknown.³

Children:
1. Margaret Probasco — B. before 24 March 1647, New Holland, Brazil;³ D. (probably) young³

2. Christoffel Probasco — B. before 6 June 1649, New Holland, Brazil;³ D. after 3 Oct 1724, (probably) Brooklyn, New York;⁵ M. Ida Strycker, before 1675, New York³

3. Anneken Probasco — B. before 17 May 1651, New Holland, Brazil;³ D. (probably) young³

Sources:
1    Birth information based on baptism of oldest child and assumption that she was from the Netherlands
2    Marriage took place before baptism of oldest child, but it’s uncertain if it was in Europe or South America
3    “American Origin of the Probasco Family,” William B. Alstyne, Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, 1927
4    “Recapture of Recife (1652-1654)” (Wikipedia article)
5    “The Probasco Origins,” Bryce Henderson Stevens, The Vanguard – The Newsletter of the van Aersdalen Family Association, Vol. 1, No. 2, December 1998

A Farmer in Lower Manhattan — Teunis Nyssen

B. about 1615 in Bunnik, Utrecht, Netherlands¹
M. 11 Feb 1640 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland²
Wife: Phoebe Sayles
D. before 7 Jun 1663 In Brooklyn, New Netherland³

It’s hard to imagine, but there was a time when much of lower Manhattan was farmland. This is the story of a man who lived there named Teunis Nyssen. He was born in Bunnik, Netherlands in the province of Utrecht, roughly in about 1615.¹ There has been speculation about who his parents were, but the information has not been confirmed.

The exact date of when Teunis arrived in America is unknown. The earliest record of him was in a court proceeding in New Amsterdam on July 15, 1638 when he filed a suit against a man named Gerrit Jansen over “delivery of a cow” (the case was ruled in his favor).⁴ This would suggest he was already established as a farmer, putting his arrival maybe a year before that date, if not earlier. A record of a 1639 transaction of property near the Hudson River mentioned that Teunis had once lived on that land.⁵

Farming in early Manhattan. (AI-generated image)

On February 11, 1640, Teunis married Femmetje Jans,² a girl who at the young age of 15 was the widow of a man named Hendrick de Boer. Teunis and Femmetje would have nine children born between about 1641 and 1655. She was originally from England, born with the name Phoebe Sayles. Her family had migrated to New England, but her father was somewhat of a trouble-maker there, and relocated to the Dutch colony with his daughter in 1638. His name was John Sayles which he changed to Jan Celes after he moved to New Amsterdam.⁶

When Jan died in 1645, he left part of his farm to his son-in-law, Teunis.⁷ The tract of land, which was called “Old Jan’s Farm,” was located just above the present-day Canal Street in what would one day be the western end of Soho. The farm was surrounded by other farms and had frontage on the Hudson River.

Approximate location of Teunis' farm on today's map. Before landfill, it was waterfront property.

Teunis was involved in several other land sales during the next couple of years. On December 1, 1646, he bought a house on a lot located on the “great highway” (the early name for Broadway).⁸ It was “opposite the Company garden” and he paid 160 guilders for it. A few years later, on May 13, 1649, he sold the place to someone else.⁹ As for the farm he owned in Manhattan, he sold that on June 15, 1651.¹⁰

At that point, Teunis seems to have left Manhattan. It’s believed that the family lived in Gowanus on land bounded by modern-day streets Carroll, President, 4th and 5th.¹¹ Teunis returned to New Amsterdam for the baptism of two sons in April 1654.¹² It isn't known if the boys were twins, or if they were born at separate times during years when the family didn't have easy access to a church.

Brooklyn and its surrounding towns became Teunis' home for the remainder of his life. He was a magistrate from 1658 to 1661,¹³ and he and his wife became members of the Brooklyn Dutch Reformed Church when it was founded in 1660.¹⁴ Teunis died before June 7, 1663, when his wife Femmetje was recorded on a document as a widow.³ She remarried later that year, but passed away on December 13, 1666. Teunis and Femmetje were ancestors of actor James Spader.¹⁶

Children:
1. Jannetje Teunise — B. before 22 Dec 1641, New Amsterdam, New Netherland;¹⁷ D. after 1734, Long Island City, New York;¹⁸ M. Titus de Vries (~1630-1689), 7 Mar 1660, Brooklyn, New Netherland¹⁸

2. Marretje Teunise — B. before 3 Apr 1644, New Amsterdam, New Netherland;¹⁹ M. Derick Janse Woertman (1630-1694), 1660, Brooklyn, New Netherland²⁰

3. Annetje Teunise — B. before 18 Feb 1646, New Amsterdam, New Netherland;²¹ M. Jeronimus Jorise Rapalje (1643-?)²²

4. Elsje Teunise — B. before 10 May 1648, New Amsterdam, New Netherland;²³ M. Gerret Snedeker (1640-1692), 2 Dec 1669, Brooklyn, New York²⁴

5. Femmetje Teunise — B. before 3 Apr 1650, New Netherland;²⁵ M. Michiel Hansen Bergen (~1646-~1712)²⁶

6. Cornelis Teunissen Denyse — B. (probably) Gowanus, New Netherland;²⁷ D. 3 Nov 1731, Raritan, New Jersey;²⁷ M. Neeltje Tuneisen Bogaert (~1665-?), 22 Aug 1687, New York²⁸

7. Denyse Teunissen — B. before 12 Apr 1654, Gowanus, New Netherland;²⁹ M. (1) Elizabeth Polhemius (1660-1683), 22 Oct 1682, Flatbush, New York;²⁹ (2) Helen Cortelyou, 12 Aug 1685, New York²⁹

8. Jan Teunise Van Middleswart —B. before 12 Ap 1654, Gowanus, New Netherland;³⁰ D. after 1742;³¹ M. Catalyntje Tunisen Bogaert (1657-1707), 16 Nov 1679, Flatbush, New York³¹

9. Aertije Teunise — B. about 1656, (probably) Gowanus, New Netherland³²

Sources:
1    Estimated birth year based on the year of his marriage
2    Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 1, 1890, p. 110
3    Femmetje filed a petition concerning her deceased husband’s estate dated 7 Jun 1663
4    Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N.Y., Edmund Bailey O’Callaghan, 1865, p. 63
5    The Iconography of Manhattan Island, Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes, Victor Hugo Paltsits, and Frederik Caspar Wieder, 1915, p. 148
6    Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, Robert Charles Anderson, pp. 1616-1618
7    Patent of Tonis Nysen for a lot on Manhattan Island, 3 Apr 1647, New York State Archives, Dutch colonial patents and deeds, 1630-1664, Series A1880, Vol. GG 
8    Contract of sale of a house and lot on Manhattan Island from Leendert Arenden to Tonis Nyssen, New York State Archives  
9    Deed from Tonis Nyssen to G. Loockermans of a lot at Manhattan, opposite the Company’s garden, New York State Archives  
10  The Iconography of Manhattan Island, Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes, Victor Hugo Paltsits, and Frederik Caspar Wieder, 1915, p. 147
11  The Bergen family: the Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen, Teunis G. Bergen, 1876, p.100
12  Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
13  “Notes on Various Old Somerset Families, Tunison Families — Line of Dr. Garret, of Somerville,” Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol. 7, pages 225-228
14  Year book of the Holland Society of New-York, 1897, p. 134 [church membership]
15  “The Family of Dirck Janszen Woertman of Brooklyn Ferry,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record Vols. 132-133 (2001-2002)
16  FamousKin.com listing of Teunis Nyssen  
17  Baptismal record of Jannetje Teunise, Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
18  WikiTree listing for Jannetje Teunis  
19  Baptismal record of Marretje Teunise, Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
20  WikiTree listing for Marritje Teunis
21  Baptismal record of Annetje Teunise, Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
22  WikiTree listing for Annetje Teunis  
23  Baptismal record of Elsje Teunise, Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
24  WikiTree listing for Elsje Teunis  
25  Baptismal record of Femmetje Teunise, Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Vol. 2, 1890
26  WikiTree listing for Femmetje Teunis
27  WikiTree listing for Cornelis (Thuenissen) Teunissen  
28  Marriage record of Cornelis Teunissen and Neeltje Bogaert, Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings County, New York, Vol. 1, 1677-1720, 1998
29  WikiTree listing for Nijs Teunissen  
30  Baptism of Jan Teunisen Nijssen, “The Family of Philip (Sole) Sales of the Winthrop Fleet,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 168, 2014, pp. 55-56
31  WikiTree listing for Jan (Theunissen) van Middleswart  
32  WikiTree listing for Aertje (Denyse) Teunis