Jan Harmense Van Amersfoort and the Gisbertsen / Giberson Family

The Family of Jan Harmense Van Amersfoort

The family, including four children, emigrated to New Netherland in 1659.  Jan was a tailor from Amersfoort.

Jan Harmensz, tailor, from Amersfoort, wife and four children, 5,7,8,9 years old

Holland Society Year Book, 1902, p. 10

His daughter, Sophia, is recorded once (see below) as “van Putten.”  Putten and Amersfoort are about 11 miles apart in the Netherlands.  More research should be done, but it is likely that Jan and his oldest son were born in Amersfoort and the younger children were born in Putten.

He may be the Jan Hermens who married Anneke Cornelis on 5 or 25 Nov 1649 in Putten:

Den 5 (or 25) 9bris 1649  + Jan Hermensz j.g. van Amesfoort en tot Putten getroúdt Anneken Cornelisz z.[zaliger] Cornelis Lambertsz Cools? Dochter (transcription by Chris Brooks of record online at http://www.vpnd.nl/bronnen/ge/putten/putten_1310-1_01_tr_1647-1654.pdf        

Jan took the oath of allegiance in Kings Co., NY in 1687, stating he had been a resident for 29 years.

Roll of Those Who have taken the oath of Allegiance the 26,27,28, 29 and 30th day of Sept. 1687

Van Amesfoort ;Jan Harmenessen ; 29 yrs
http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/census/oath1687.shtml

Source: The Documentary History of the State of New York Vol 1. Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan.

His wife’s given name, Annetje, is known from the baptism of his grandson, Andries Rees, at the DRC of Flatbush.

            1682 Mar 12; Johannes Rees, Jacobje Jans; Andries; Rynier van Siklen, Annetje grandmother.

Jan’s will names several of his children; Jacobje, Sophia and Hendrick.  Two grandchildren are also named: Annetje, daughter of Jacobje, and Harmen Gysbertse, son of Sophia.

Will of Jan Harmense. Dated March 30, 1695. Daughter Jaapyse's child by name Annetie Jans. Daughter Sophia's son by name Harmen Gysbertse. Eldest son, Hendrick Jansen. Witnesses: Peter Stryker and Johannes Van Ekelen. The above will was revoked May 4, 1695 (Flatbush Town Records, Liber A, p. 209.) NOTE: Jan Harmense was a master tailor.

            Long Island Source Records, by Henry Bainbridge Hoff, p. 102.   

Jan created a retirement plan for himself by selling his land to his son-in-law, Gysbert Jans, with the provision that he would be able to live there for the rest of his life.  He died before 1696 as Gysbert had sold the property by then.

a) Jan Harmense sold land to Gysbert Jans Van Dyke on 16 Jul 1695, with the provision he could live there the rest of his life.  Kings Co. Deeds, Lib 2, p. 64.

b) Gysbert Jans sold the land above on 12 Dec 1695, Flatbush records, Lib A, p. 462.

The children of Jan and Annetje Harmense (order unknown):

2    Hendrick Jans

3    Sophia Jans Van Putten

4    Jacobje Jans

5    other child who came to New Amsterdam.  No further trace.

2. Hendrick

Hendrick was the oldest son, according to his father's will, shown above.  He married Hester Vidette at the DRC of Flatbush, At his betrothal was recorded as being from Amersfoort and living in Flatbush at the time:

            1688 21 Jan; Hendrick Jansen, ym of Amersfort liv Flatbush; Hester Hidette, yd of NY liv Bedford

Several of their children were baptized at the DRC of Brooklyn:

Annetje, bap 7 OCT 1688, witnesses: Hendrik Claasen, Jannetje Cortors.
Annetje, bap 3 SEP 1693, witnesses: Jan Thyssen, Wolfje Jans.
Anna Maria, bap 29 NOV 1695, witnesses: Hieronimus Remsen, Tryntje Berrien.
Geertje, bap 11 AUG 1700, witnesses: Cornelis Lowize, Geertje, his wife.

His family is listed in the 1698 Census of Bushwick, Kings, NY with three children, so there was another child whose baptism in not listed above.

hendkJansz Van Amesfoort    1   1   3   -   -

http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Census/1698.Kings.Census.html

Source: The Documentary History of the State of New York, by E.B. O'Callagahan, Volume III, pp. 87-89.

3. Sophia Jans

She married Gysbert Jans Van Dyck by 1677, though no marriage record has been found.  Several of their children were baptized at the DRC of Flatbush.  Her sister, Jacobje, was a witness at the baptism of her neiece, Gertruyd.

·         1678 May 12; O. Gijsbert Jansz. Sophia Jansz van Putten; Heijltje; Elsje Barents, Jan Aukesz.

·         1680 Nov 14; Gisbrecht Jansz, Sophia Jans; Gertruyd; Jacobje Jans

·         1683 May 27; Gisbrecht Jans van Dyk, Sophia Jans; Martha; Jan Wouters van den Bosh, Adriantje van Ditmarsen.

  

Their son, Harmen, was mentioned in his grandfather’s will, so born before 1696.  He was part of the Kings Co. Militia in 1715, “A True List of the Respective Officers and Soldiers Belonging to the Regiment of Militia in Kings County; 1715” DHSNY, vol 3, p. 183.

Harmanus Gisberse

Probably John Gysbertsen

Besides Harmen, mentioned in her father's will, she probably also had a son, John, who sold land to his brother, Harmen.

Sept. 21, 1717, John Gysbertsen of Neversink, in the township of Crosswicks in the Jersies, conveyed to brother Harmon of Flatbush, a garden, house, barn, orchard in Flatbush.  It was bordered by Symon Hanse and John Waldron.  John acknowledged the deed on 7 Apr 1724 in New Jersey.

Source: Old Times in Old Monmouth also in Kings Co., Deeds, Liber 5 folio 5.  Crosswicks became Upper Freehold about 1737.

Gysbert Jans Van Dyck sold land that his father-in-law had owned in 1695 to Johannes Symonse.  Gysbert lived in Flatbush, but I don’t know if he owned other land that bordered this property.

He is probably the same person as the John Gybertsen below:

“We find Daniel Hendrickson first mentioned in Book C of Deeds, p. 78, in our county clerk's office. An agreement dated September 23, 1693, is here recorded between Daniel Hendrickson and "John Gibbonson" as name is spelled, of Flatbush, Kings County, L. I., of the one part, and William Whitlock of Middletown, Monmouth County, of the other part. It seems they had on September 22d, 1692. leased of Whitlock 104 acres of land, described as partly bounded by Mahoras brook, and they now agree to pay him £25 in yearly installments until whole is paid by 10th of March, 1697, and Whitlock agrees to convey it when whole sum is paid. Daniel Hendrickson conveyed 28 acres of this tract to Gybertsen or Guisbertsen as name is spelled, who with Ester his wife, by deed dated December 22d, 1701, conveys it to John Ruckman. This Guisbertsen was the progenitor of the Giberson family as name was afterwards spelled, and I think was really a VanPelt.”

George C. Beckman. Early Dutch Settlers Of Monmouth. page 121.  My note: Mahoras brook is on the other end of Monmouth Co. from Upper Freehold, so the connection between the two Johns is not clear.  He would probably have been born by 1670, early to have been Gysbert Jans’ son, but possible.  I cannot find that this John was a son of Gysbert Lane, much less a Van Pelt.  Others have suggested he is a van Meter descendant.

            John Gysbertson, of Middletown, Monmouth, NJ and his wife Esther, sold a tract of land called Strawberry Field in Monmouth Co. on 20 Mar 1701.  Signed Yanis Geysebertson, Esther Giberson.

            East New Jersey Land Records, 1702 – 1717, Books H, I and “Little K”, abstracted by Richard S. Hutchinson, p. 51, from Book I

He purchased land at New Castle with several other residents of Kings Co., NY in 1694 which he sold in 1702 to one of the other original purchasers:

            1 May 1702, John Gysbertson of Monmouth to Isaac Gooding of New Castle, Pennsylvania 
            John Gysbertson, grantor, to Isaac Gooding, Book B, Vol 1, p. 205, yr 1702. image 203

            John Ghisbertson, of Freehold Twp., Monmouth Co., NJ, purchased land on 25 Jul 1705 at Crosswicks, NJ from William Dockwra.

John Gibertson is noted in a deed dated 28 Apr 1719 as being as having sold that tract of land in Middletown, Monmouth, NJ to the current owner as one of the executors of the will of James Grover.

East New Jersey Land Records, 1766 – 1772, Books D3, E3 and F3, by Richard Hutchinson, p. 106, from Book D3,

John Guisbortson’s land in Upper Freehold bordered that of Samuel Cox which he sold on 5 Dec 1737.  Gisebart Giberson and Harmon Guisbartson were witnesses. 

East New Jersey Land Records, 1747 – 1757, Books G2 and H2, abstracted by Richard Hutchinson, p. 77, from Book H2

John Gysberts is probably the same person whose abstract of his estate record in New Jersey reads:

1741, Dec. 15.  Guisbertson (Gisberson), John, of Upper Freehold, Monmouth Co., yeoman.  Int.  Adm’r John Guisbrton, of Upper Freehold, yeoman.  Robert Smith, of City of Burlington, Esquire, fellow bondsman.  Lib 4. p. 316.

New Jersey Calendar of Wills, Vol. 30, 1730-1750, p. 208.

Probable descendants of John Gysbertsen:

1758 Tax Rateables Upper Freehold
   Gibberson, Guisbert
   Gibberson, John
      - History of Monmouth County, New Jersey, Upper Freehold Township, p. 614.

1778 Tax Rateables Upper Freehold:
   Guis* Giberson* son of James 200; 3h, 2c, 2p
   Guisbert Giberson 200; 4h, 12c, 7
   Isaiah Giberson* sm
   James Giberson hh, 25; 2c (lh , lc)
   William Giberson sm
   Harman Giberson hh, 12; 2h, 5c, 4p; ex (Harmon 10; lh ; h&l)
   Guisb* Giberson son of Harman hh; 2c
   Hezekiah Giberson hh; 2h
   Harman Giberson Junr* sm

1780 Tax Rateables UpperFreehold:
   Gisbert Giberson 100; 3h, 3c
   Guisb* Giberson 2h, 5c, lp
   Harman Giberson 10; lh ; h&l
   (Hezekiah) Kiah son D° lh, 4c, 2p
   James Giberson lh , lc
   Meribah Giberson 200; 3h, 11c, lp (wife of one of the 1778 Gisberts?)
   William Giberson 200+ 6u; 5h, 12c, 7p)
      - 1778-1780 Tax Rateables, Upper Freehold, Monmouth, NJ, Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol 50. p. 81-94.

Bergen [Register of the Settlers of Kings Co., p. 128] stated he was listed in the 1675 tax rate lists of Kings Co in Flatbush, but that was not found in the published record [Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol 4, p. 102].  A Jan Gisbertse is listed in New Utrecht, after Crein Jansen, who probably was Jan Gisbertse's son. A Jan Gisbertse is listed as a member of the DRC of Flatbush, just before Crein Jansen.  He died in February 1681 [Flatbush Church Records, vol 1, p. 349].  Bergen considered him to be the same person as the John Gysbertse above who later sold land in Flatbush, but he was not.  The Jan Gisbertse of New Utrecht was probably Jan Gysberts Van Mater.

“Jan on ass roll of Flh of 1675 Suppose he removed to NJ for Sept 21 1717 John Gysbertse of Neversings in the township of Croswiks in the Jersies …”

Other theories about his ancestry include:

1)      he was Jan Gysberts Van Mater  - A Genealogy of the Duke-Shepherd-Van Metre Family, by Samuel Gordon Smyth, 1909, p. 25

2)      he was a son of Gysbert Lubberts and Tryntje Jans

3)      he was a Van Pelt

Gysbert Janse is included in the Flatbush list of 1709, as published in The American Genealogist, Vol 37, #1, p. 1.  This is the last reference to him that I know of.

Sophia’s daughter, Hilletje, is often said to have married Isaac Bragaw.  That was shown to be incorrect by Perry Streeter in his article, “True Ancestry of Hilletje, wife of Isaac Bragaw“, New Netherland Connections (Volume 9, Number 3).  Hilletje may be one of the witnesses in the following baptism at Brooklyn:

8 Sep 1700.  Joosje.  Jan Banham, Wolfje, parents.  Witnesses: Hendrick Jansz, Helena Gysberts. No further trace of has been found of Hilletje, Geertje or Martha.

They likely had another daughter, Eversie, who married Daniel Hendricksen, who had dealings with her probable brother, John, see above:

Daniel Hendricksen, b 1673 in Flatbush, m Eversie Giberson. History of Old Tennent Church, by Frank Rosebrook Symmes, p. 453.

The family is listed in the 1698 census of Flatbush, Kings Co. NY as having four children at the time. 

            Gysbert Jantz           1   1   4   -   -

 Source: see above.  Given there was no further trace of Geertje or Martha after their birth, it is likely they died young and the children in the household were John, Hilletje, Harmon and Eversie. 

4. Jacobje Jans

Jacobje married Johannes Rees. At her marriage at the DRC of Flatbush she was said to be from Flatbush (where her father lived) living in Gravesend.

1681 27 Mar; Johannes Reest, ym of NY; Jacobje Jans, yd of Midwood both liv Gravesend.
 

The 1698 Census of Flatbush, Kings Co., NY indicates the family had 8 children living with them.

Joannes Rees            1   1   8   -   -

Source: see above

Of these possible eight children, only two are known:

1.      Andries, baptized at the DRC of Flatbush on 12 Mar 1682 (see above).

2.      Annetje, mentioned in her grandfather’s will

5. Other Child – Wolfje?

Nothing is known for certain about their other child.  Based on only a few baptisms, Wolfje could be their daughter, though likely not the one born in the Netherlands.  Baptisms:

3 SEP 1693. Annetje.  Hendrick Jansen, Hester Jans.  Witnesses: Jan Thyssen, Wolfje Jans.  Brooklyn
23 Oct 1698; Antie; Jan Benham, Vulpie; Witnesses: George Herr, Willemtie.  NYC

8 Sep 1700.  Joosje.  Jan Banham, Wolfje, parents.  Witnesses: Hendrick Jansz, Helena Gysberts.  Brooklyn. Hendrick was probably the son of Jan Harmense Van Amerfoort and Helena was probably Jan Harmse’s granddaughter.  Note the use of the patronymic name by Hendrick and and especially Helena/Hilletje.

In the above, I am assuming that Vulpie is the same as Wolfje and they are all the same Wolfje Jans.  Wolfje was a witness for one her presumed brother Hendrick’s children and presumably he was for one of hers as well.  Helena Gysberts was likely Wolfje’s niece, Hilletje.  John Benham’s oldest child is said to have been name John, born in Bergen on 15 Aug 1692, source unknown.  If so, his oldest son and oldest daughter would have been named after their maternal grandparents.  At some point Jan Benham is said to have married Neeltje Kymber.  She or his final wife, Elsje, may have been the mother of the rest of his children.  1700 would be late to have children for a woman born in 1655, the last date for children of Jan Harmens who emigrated to the US.  She would have been much younger than her husband, Jan Benham, who was born in 1671.  Wolfje could have been born in New York, but would still have been younger than her husband.

The parents and family of Annetje Cornelis were as follows:

CORNELIUS LAMBERTSZ¹ COOTS married FEUS HENDRICKS 15 Jul 1612 in Putten, The Netherlands. 

Cornelis Lambers, Lambert Jans sone ende Feus Henricks, Henrick Claesen dochter hebben oere 3 opgeboden hier gehat sonder tegensprecken: ersten den 21 Julij ao. 1611 ende hebben oeren kerckganck alhier gedaen den 15 Julij ao. 1612.

       

Children of CORNELIUS COOTS and FEUS HENDRICKS are:

     i. AELTJE² CORNELIS, b. Bef. 13 Dec 1612, near Putten, The Netherlands.

    ii. HENDRICKJE² CORNELIS, b. Bef. 13 Aug 1615, near Putten, The Netherlands.

  iii. MAES ² CORNELIS, b. Bef. 05 Oct 1617, near Putten, The Netherlands; m. LUYNTIJEN JANSZ, 13 Nov 1642, Putten, The Netherlands.

den 13e 9bris

Maes Cornelisz, z. Cornelis Lambertsz soon van Putten ende

Luyntijen Janss, z. Jan Woltersz dochter van Nieuckerck.

Den 11e 10brs 1642 tot Putten getrouwt.

   iv. DAUGHTER² CORNELIS, b. 1620, near Putten, The Netherlands.

    v. LAMBERT² CORNELIS, b. Abt. 16 May 1622, near Putten, The Netherlands; m. GERRITJEN HEIJMENS, 15 May 1653, Putten, The Netherlands.

item (24 April)

Lambert Cornelissen, Cornelis Lambertsens soon van Putten

Gerritjen Heijmens van Domseler, wed. van Barnevelt.

Attest. op Barn. den 15 Meij.

   vi. ANNETJE² CORNELIS, b. Abt. Jul 1626, near Putten, The Netherlands; d. Bef. 10 Apr 1695, Flatbush, NY; m. JAN HARMENSE VAN AMERSFOORT; d. Bet. 04 May - 12 Dec 1695, Flatbush, Kings Co., NY.

in 8bris

Jan Hermensz, j.g. van Amersfoort ende

Anneken Corneliss, z. Cornelis Lambertsz Coots dochter.

   vii. JANNETJE² CORNELIS, b. Bef. 30 Nov 1628, near Putten, The Netherlands.

  viii. GEERTJE² CORNELIS, b. Abt. 1630, The Netherlands; m. JORIS ABRAMSEN, 12 Oct 1651, Putten, The Netherlands.

den 5 Octob.

Joris Abramsen, Abram Davids soon, j.m. van Amersfoort

Geertjen Cornelis, Cornelis Lambertsens dr. van Putten.

Attest. op Hoevelaken den 12 Oct.