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Tjerck Claessen DEWITT / Barbara ANDRIESSEN

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[NI1293] The first mention in this country, of Tjerck Claessen DeWitt is found in the "Trouw Boeck" or Register of Marriages of the Reformed (Collegiate) Dutch Church, of New York City, where it is recorded that on the 24th day of April, 1656, "Tjerck Claessen DeWitt van Grootholdt' en Zunderlandt," married "Barbara Andriessen van Amsterdam." Zunderlandt has not been definately located, but is possibly Saterland, a district of Westphalia, on the southern border of East Friesland. There is also a possibility that it is Emderlandt, in West Friesland. For a short time after his marriage he lived in New York (his first child, Andries, was born there), but in the spring of 1657 he moved to Albany, where he had purchased a house and lot. In accordance with Dutch custom, the first son was named Andries, for Barbara's father; the second son was Klaes, for Tjerck's father; a younger son Lucas, for her brother. In September, 1660, he exchanged his Albany property with Madame de Hutter, for land in Wiltwyck (now Kingston), "possession to be given May 1, 1661." He probably took possession at that time, as in September, 1661, he appears as plaintiff in an action at law before the Schepens Court of Wiltwyck, and on October 11th the same court ordered the Sheriff (Roeleff Swartwout) to pay him three and a half schepels of wheat in eight days and seven more in one month. From this time until his death, he resided in Kingston and Hurley, and some of the land which he purchased is still in the hands of his descendants. In 1667, when the British sent Capt. Broadhead and 13 soldiers to take possession of Kingston, he was one of those who opposed British occupation and among the complaints made afterward by the burghers was the following: "Capt. Braodhead has beaten Tjerck Claezen DeWitt without reason and brought him to prison. Ye reason why Capy. Broadhead abused Tjerick DeWitt was because he would keep Christmas day on ye day according to the Dutch and not on ye day according to ye English observation." He refused to take the Oath of Allegiance required of heads of families by the English in 1668. He appears to have been well to do; he brought servants to Kingston. The records of Ulster Co., NY, show that he owned negro slaves and possessed two sloops which sailed the Hudson and along the Atlantic coast, carrying on trade at various places, and that he left about $8,000 in personal property. On 8 Apr 1669 he was given permission to build a house, barn and stables on land between Kingston and Hurley. June 25, 1672, Governor Lovelace deeded him "a parcel of bush-land, together with a house, lot, orchard, and calves' pasture, lying near Kingston, in Esopus." land, containing about fifty acres, at Kingston in Esopus, "to y' west of y' towne." February 11, 1679, he was one of the signers of a renewal of the Nichols treaty with the Esopus Indians. In 1684 he signed "the humble petition of the inhabitants of Esopus in the County of Ulster," praying that there might be "liberty by charter to this county to choose our owne officers to every towne court by the major vote of the freeholders." This petition was addressed to Col. Thomas Dongan, Governor-General. It greatly offended the authorities, and the signers were arrested and fined. February 13, 1685, one hundred and eighty-nine acres of land were conveyed to DeWitt by the Trustees of Kingston. June 6, 1685, he claimed two hundred and ninety acres of land lying upon the north side of Rondout Kill, and known by the name of "Momboccus" (in the town of Rochester) in Ulster County. This was laid out for him by Phillip Welles, a surveyor, and was granted to him by patent, May 14, 1694. March 4, 1689, he was chosen one of the magistrates of Ulster County, having previously held other offices. Tjerck Claessen DeWitt died at Kingston, February 17, 1700. By his will, which bears date the 4th day of March, 1698, and which is written in the Dutch language, he leaves his property to his wife for life; at her death one-half to go to his oldest son, Andries, and one-half to his youngest son, Tjerck, in trust, "provided that the same shall be appraised by impartial persons on oath," and divided into twelve equal shares, one share to be given to each of his children, their heirs or assigns. In addition to the equal share he gave to Andries some lands at Koksinck and Kleine Esopus, to Jan and Jacob each five hundred bushels of wheat, and to Lucas the one-half of a sloop which he had built the year previous. The legacy to his daughter Rachel is subject to the condition "that my said daughter's share shall be decreased one hundred pounds for the benefit of my heirs, which is what my daughter's husband, Cornelious Bogardus, owes me for the one-eighth of a brigantine, desiring, however, that the child of the said Bogardus, named Barbara, shall receive, out of the foresaid hundred pounds, fifty pieces of eight." The legacy to his daughter Jannetje, the wife of Cornelius Swits, is "with these conditions, that if my aforesaid daughter shall die without leaving any children, then all the said part shall be the property of my heirs, to be equally divided between them." A copy of his will appears in Volume 8 (1912), pg 18 of "Olde Ulster" (10 volumes) in library of Holland Society, 90 Wall Street, New York, NY. Also Ulster Co. Wills, Bk AA of Deeds p.252 Kingston - Lib 7, p60, NY Wills.s a sister Emmerentje who was the 2nd wife of Martin Hoffman of South Jersey (m. 1664). According to Perry's "DeWitt Family", Tjerck had a brother Jan Claessen who died unmarried.

[NI1294] From Amsterdam.

[NI1295] For some years he lived at Marbletown, Ulster Co, on a farm given him by his father, but removed to Kingston previous to 1708.

[NI1296] She was carried off by the Indians at the burning of Kingston in 1663, but was soon rescued.

[NI1299] Will dated 29 Oct 1700, proved 12 Apr 1715.

[NI1286] Ship captain. Lucas was commander, and joint owner with his father, of a sloop called the St. Barbara, "of about 50 Dutch feet by the keele," which in 1698 they sold to Capt. Daniel Hobart, of the island of Barbados, for 200 pounds. Lucas's will is dated 15 Feb 1702/3.

[NI1302] Jacob lived in Rochester, Ulster Co, NY, on land which he and his brother Jan purchased from their father 24 Dec 1695, for five hundred schepels of wheat. This was probably a portion of the land granted to Tjerck Claessen by patent 14 May 1694. In 1705 Jacob was one of the Trustees of Rochester, and he served a number of years.

[NI1304] After he married, he went to Dutchess Co, where he settled on land purchased by his father from Col. Petrus Schuyler, of Albany, 6 Sep 1698. This land was conveyed to him by deed, dated 7 Feb 1700, and in 1715 he exchanged it, with Col. Henry Beekman, for land in Ulster Co, where he then settled.

[NI1306] Named in his father's will as the youngest son. No other record.

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Owen MITCHELL / Harriet Berryhill FAUSETT

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John CALVERT / Mary MCCURDY

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Samuel OSBORN / Keziah BUTLER

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[NI6553] Carpenter. Resident of Edgartown. Samuel was the illegitimate son of Rev. Samuel Osborn and Mercy Norton. According to Dukes Co Court Records from 1711, Rev. Samuel Osborn was convicted of being the father of an illegitimate child born of the body of Mercy Norton. Ordered to pay the mother 1/6 per week until the child be three years of age and thereafter for four years 1/- per week.

[NI6554] Daughter of John Butler (John3, John2, Nicholas1).

[NI908] Carpenter. Resident of Tisbury, 1755. Removed to Edgartown before 1761. Family moved from Martha's Vineyard to Casco, Maine, then to New Brunswick, then to Nova Scotia.; Samuel Osborn of Cornwallis, Kings Co., Nova Scotia yeoman and wife Sarah Osborn formerly Sarah Wass daughter of Wilmott Wass & granddau. of John Wass late of Massachusetts, USA dec'd power of attorney to son John Osborn of Horton, Kings Co., Nova Scotia mariner to recover and dispose of property that Sarah Osborn inherited from her father and grandfather.

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John JORDAN / Katherine CHALKER

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John READ / Elizabeth TUTTLE

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Sigmund HOLTZHAUSSER / Veronica Johanna RUHLIN

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[NI17425] Occupation: weaver.

[NI17438] Daughter of Johann Peter, Satti.

[NI17456] Died at age 3 mo. 8 days.

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John NOBLE / Abigail BUCK

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Solomon KILBOURN / Abigail GROSS

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[NI11520] He resided for some years in Ohio, but subsequently settled in Hampton, N. Y., where he died.

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James PAINE / Bethiah THACHER

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[NI9019] In 1689 he went to Barnstable to live. He was a teacher, miller, cooper, and clerk. He was in Captain John Gorham's company in the 1691 attack on Canada as a "clerk". For his services, he received in 1736 a grant of land in Maine. He was the first clerk of the east precinct or parish in Barnstable. He was a literary man, and a member of the Barnstable church. His gravestone reads, "HERE LIES BURIED / THE BODY OF / Mr JAMES PAINE / BORN JULY 1665 / & DIED NOV 12 1728"

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