The Van Gelder Family of Flatlands, NY

The Van Gelder Family of Flatlands, NY

Bruyn Willemszen was betrothed to Geertje Rutgers on 02 Feb 1641/42 at Barneveld, The Netherlands.[i]  At least two of their children were baptized there, Mary on 11 Apr 1653,[ii] and Wouter on 10 Jan 1654/55.[iii]  They had at least two other children, William and Rutger, as can be seen in a deed dated in 1697 between the sons and stepsons of Hendrick Bries.[iv]

The children of Rutger Bruynsen Van Gelder (son of Bruyn Willemszen and Geertje Rutgers) and Geertje Jans Metselaer were:

1. Geertje, baptized 16 Jan 1685,[v] m Aaron Van Nostrand about 1709.

2. Maritje, b about 1687, m Hendrick Barentse about 1709

3. Bruyn, b about 1689, witness in 1711, married Johanna by 1714.

4. Evert, b about 1691, Kings Co Militia in 1715, m unknown probably about 1732

5. Sarah, b about 1693, unmarried?, d before 23 Jun 1772[vi].

6. William, b about 1695, unmarried, d aft 20 May 1762. 

7. Hendrick, b about 1698, m Annetje Vandervoort before 1728

8. Ann, b about 1700, witness in 1717, 1722 and 1728, died after 1732.  No further trace.

9. Abraham, b about 1702, unmarried, d before 24 Apr 1787.

10. Susannah, b about 1704, witness in 1725, d after 1761, No further trace.

11. Isaac, b about 1706, Had a son named Hendrick.  He appears frequently in the church records at Flatlands.

Of the children above, William, Abraham, Isaac, Sarah, Ann and Susannah are named in the will of their uncle, William Van Gelder[vii], as being the children of his brother.  They are probably also residents with their uncle in the 1738/1731 census of Flatlands, which listed 5 males and 3 females, all over the age of 10.  They are all named as executors of his will, so they were significantly over the age of ten in 1731.

Evert is presumed to be a son of the family based on the following:

1) Evert is named as the brother of William Van Gelder, his will[viii] dated in 1762 as his heir-at-law, thus his oldest brother.  He may have been the fifth male listed in the 1738/1731 census of William’s household, though Jacobus Keteltas (“cousin” of Abraham in his will and possibly the same as Jacob Katock, “son” of Sarah Van Gelder in her will) may be the other male.  Evert’s oldest child, Johanna, (see will of Abraham Van Gelder[ix]) was married in 1753 to Thomas Collins[x].  William, the elder, states in his will that he is bequeathing his property to his “six cousins my brothers children which are yet unmarried” "as they have taken special care of me".  Evert was not included since he had since married and was living on his own.  The wording of his will is clear that there could be married children who were not included.

2) He is named in the will of Abraham as his brother

3) He is named as his brother-in-law in the will of Aaron Van Nostrand.

4) Evert would be a likely name if he were a son of Rutger Bruynsen (see below), being named after his step-brother, Evert, son of Rutger Pietersen and Geertje Everts

5) Evert Van Gelder is listed in the 1715 Kings Co. Militia for Flatlands, so he was born before 1699.

 Geertje is presumed to be a daughter of this family based on the following:

1) her husband, Aaron Van Nostrand, names Evert Van Gelder, his brother-in-law, as one of his executors in his will.[xi]

2) Abraham Van Gelder, her brother, leaves a legacy in his will to his "cousin", Evert Van Nostrand, Geertje’s son.[xii]

Maritje is presumed to be a daughter of this family based on the witnesses at the following baptisms at Jamaica[xiii] all being presumed siblings (in italics) and their spouses:

1)      18 Jun 1715; Aron V. Noortstrant, Geertje V. Noortstrant; Isaac; Hnedrick Barentse, Maria Barentse.

2)      31 Jul 1715; Hendrick Barentse, Maritje Barentse, Geertje; Aron Van Noortstrant, Geertie Van Nortstrant

3)      8 Sep 1717; Hendrick Barentse, Maria Barentse; Maria; Evert Van Gelde, Antie Van Geld

4)      25 Jul 1722; Hendrick Barns, Marytie Barns; Anatie; Wellem Van Gelder, Antie Van Gelder

5)      13 JUN 1725; Hendrick Barensen, Maritje Barensen; Susana; Hendrick Van Geldeeren, Suesana Van Gelderen

6)      24 May 1730; Hendrick Baerense, Marytie Barense; Jan; Aron Van Noorstrant, Geertruy van Noorstrant. 

Though I have not found a baptismal record for him, I believe Hendrick and Mary Barentse had a son named Rutger, based on the following baptisms from Baptismal record of the First Reformed Dutch church at Jamaica:

1)   1737, Dec 11, Sunday. Reut Barentse, Geertruy Barentse; Marya; Hendrick Barentse, Marya Barentse., pg 18

2)   1740, July 6, Sunday. Rut Barnse, Gertruy Barnse; Johannes; Jacob Boerem, Janneie Boerem., pg 25

 

Hendrick and[xiv] Mary Barnes had at least 2 other children:
23 Mar 1712; Hendrick Barents, Maritje Barents; Cornelis, Cornelia; Jan & Dirckje Barents, Cornelis & Tryntje Barents
These were named after their paternal grandparents.

Bruijn is presumed to be a son of this family based on the following:

1)      A Bruijn and Johanna Van Gelder had a son, Bruijn, baptized on 12 Oct 1714 at the DRC of Jamaica[xv]. 

2)      He was also a witness for the baptism of Geertje Van Gelder and Aaron Van Nostrand’s son Abraham at the DRC of Jamaica on 25 Dec 1711. 

3)      His connection to the family and his age suggests that his grandfather may have been named Bruijn, an unusual name.  One possibility for his grandfather is Bruyn Willemszen (see below)

Hendrick is presumed to be a son of based on the following:

1) Geertje van Nostrand, presumed sibling, and her husband, Aaron Van Nostrand, were witnesses at the baptism of his daughter, Geertje[xvi] in 1732.

2) William Van Gelder and Annetje Van Gelder, presumed siblings, were witnesses at the baptism of his son, Hendrick[xvii] in 1728.

3) He was a witness at the baptism of Susana, daughter of his presumed sibling, Maritje, see above.

 4) Hendrick Van Gelder and a William Van Gelder are mentioned in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Flatlands[xviii] on 1 May 1725, making a payment of 140 guilders to the deacons of the church.  There is an annual entry for the same amount from William only from 1726 through 1732, but no further mention of Hendrick.  I have not translated the text, but it appears they had some ongoing obligation to the church, which William assumed.  After 1732, there is another record of payments, 3,10, it is not clear if this is pounds or guilders.

Though possibly a coincidence, another indication of the relationship between these “children” is that Hendrick and Annetje Van Gelder, Hendrick and Mary Barentse, and Hendrick and Susan Hendricksen  (he was the son of Hilletje Van Nostrand) all had children baptized on 7 Apr 1728 at the DRC of Jamaica, NY.  Presumably they were brother, sister and nephew.  The witnesses included William Van Gelder, Annetje Van Gelder, Abraham Hendricksen and Hilletje Van Nostrand.

The mother of these children was probably a woman named Geertje. 

1) The witnesses for Geertje & Aaron Van Nostrand's daughter, Aeltje, were Benjamin Hegeman and Geertje Van Gelder[xix].  Benjamin was the brother-in-law of Andries Jansen, husband of Geertje Van Steenwyck, sister of Aaron’s first wife, Aeltje Alberts Van Steenwyck (for whom the child was named).  Geertje Van Gelder may have been the maternal grandmother. 

2) Geertje and Aaron's second daughter was named Geertje (base on the fact that Aaron’s children were otherwise listed by sex in birth order in Aaron’s will),

3) Hendrick's oldest daughter was named Geertje, his second being named after her maternal grandmother.

4) Mary’s second daughter was named Geertje, her first being named after her paternal grandmother.

 5) Geertuyd Van Gelder is listed in a 1719 map and listing of New Lots, Flatlands[xx], in the town records of Flatlands.  Presumably her husband was deceased.

The father of these children was Rutger Bruynsen.  The descendants of this branch of the Bruynse family began to use the surname Van Gelder. The main clue to this comes from Rutger's brother, William. William was listed in the 1698 census of Flatlands as William Bruynen, the sole resident. Given he would have been about 50 years old at the time, it is likely he never married. In a deed with his brother, Rutger, William is listed as alias Stommetie (Register in Alphabetical Order, of the Early Settlers of Kings County, by Teunis G. Bergen, p. 55). This is probably stommetje, the diminutive form of the Dutch word for a dumb person[xxi]. Being dumb, without children, being about 80 years old and living in Flatlands matches the description of William Van Gelder in his will (see below).  William's will mentions several nephews and nieces, but unfortunately not the name of his brother.

The family of Rutgert Bruyn is listed in the 1698 Census of Flatlands with 1 male, 1 female and 7 children.  This is consistent with the listing of his family above.

Rutgert Bruynse, born in Gelderland, was betrothed to Geertje Jans on 21 Apr 1682[xxii].  Since he was born in Gelderland, it may be his descendants stopped using patronymic names and took the surname Van Gelder.  Rutger is listed in the 1706 Assessment of Flatlands. After that I can find no trace of him.  Since Geertuyd Van Gelder is listed in a 1719 map and listing of New Lots, Flatlands in the town records of Flatlands he was presumably deceased by then.  The listing of the children above, including Bruijn, Geertje[xxiii] William[xxiv], and Evert, supports this placement, though he did not have a known son named John after his maternal grandfather.  Of his other children, Abraham, Mary, Hendrick and Isaac would have been named after Geertje Metselaer’s siblings.  Only one of his four children who married had a son named Rutger. 

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[i] Huwelijksdatum: 20-02-1642

Huwelijksplaats: Barneveld

Kerkelijke gemeente: Barneveld

Bruidegom/bruid: Broenis Willemsen & Geertjen Rutgers

Vader bruidegom/bruid: Rutger Beertsens

Toegangsnummer: 0176 Retroacta Burgerlijke stand

Inventarisnummer: 183

Pagina: 53

Volgnummer op pagina: 3

[ii] Doopdatum: 11-04-1653

Doopplaats: Barneveld

Dopeling: Merritje Breunisz / Merritje Willemsz

Vader: Breunis Willemsz

Kerkelijke gemeente: Barneveld

Toegangsnummer: 0176 Retroacta Burgerlijke stand

Inventarisnummer: 183

Pagina: 114

Volgnummer op pagina: 14

[iii] DRC of New Amsterdam

[iv] To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come we

peter Hendrickse belonging to fflattbush in Kings County with my brothers viz.

William Brimasson Brinase, Hendrickson Brist, Evert Hendrickson, Rutt Brimasson and Harman Hendrickse Brisse,

Walter Brimsey and Garrett Hendrickse Brissa sendeth greeting, Know yee that we the above said

peter Hendrickson, William Brimase, Hendrickson Bristes, Evert Hendrickson, Rutt Brimason, & Harman Hendrickson Brisse, Walter Brimasse and Garrett Hendrickson Brissa

for severall reasons and Causes us and all of us thereunto moving but more Especially for a valuable satisfacon to us in hand payd by Garrett Coertee of fflatlands in Kings County abovesd. Have given granted covenanted alienated released Enfeofed Bargained made over and sould and doe by these presents acknowledge to have from us and Every of us above Named our heyres Executors administrators and assignes given granted Covenanted alienated released Enfeoffed Bargained made over and sold unto the abovesd. Garrett Coerte

his heyres Executors administrators and assignes; A certaine dwelling

house standing and being in the towne of fflattlands in the County

aforesd. with a parcell of land lying & belonging thereto Containing

twenty six acres more or less, being bounded on the sides thereof East & west by the lands of the sd. Garrett Coerten, the sd. land being within

the bounds thirteen morgans or in English twenty six acres more or less,

as alsoe twenty acres of upland lying in the neck being butted & bounded as ffolloweth, on the south of John Peterson, and on the north by Rutt Brimassen, and bounded on the west by the Common roade to fflattlands, & East by the undivided lands with one allotmt. of meadow lying and being  in a place Commonly knowne by the name of friezen hooke, being alsoe bounded as ffolloweth , on the East by John Peterson and on the west by John sivensye, & at the south End by the Creeke & north by the upland, we say that that we the partyes above Named

peter Hendrickson, William Brimassen Brimas, Hendrickson Brissa, Evert Hendrickson, Rutt Brimassen and Harman Brissa, Walter Brimsay & Garrett Hendrickse Brissay,

have as abovesd. sold as abovesd. unto the abovesd. Garrett Coerten from us our heyres & assignes unto him the sd. Garrett Coerten his heyres and assignes, all the above sd houses with the thirteen morgans of land as abovesd. with all the priviledges that doe or shall belong to the sd. thirteen morgan of land as abovesd. being one of the old lotts 88, as alsoe three lotts of meadow of the fferkers hooke and one at Canarysse which alsoe was fformerly in the tenure & occupacon of Hendrick peterson late of sd. towne of fflatt lands abovesd. in the County abovesd. with the abovesd. twenty acres of upland as it is above butted & bounted with one allotmt. of meadow as above bounded lying in ffreezes hooke as above sd., we say that we have as abovesd. sold as abovesd. unto the sd. Garrett Coerten all & singular the abovesd. housing lands & meadows with all barnes houses ffences Gardens orchards timber trees standing or lying being upon the same, and we the partyes abovesd. doe in behalf of us & our heyres Executors admisistrators and assignes Ingage this our sale good & free in law from any former sales gifts or mortgages or any other Intanglemts. what Ever, as alsoe we doe bind ourselves and Every of us our heyres and Executors and administrators and assignes to defend the same and Every part and parcell thereof from any claime or demand from any person or persons whatso Ever laying Claime thereto with a warranty to defend the same against any further Claime or demand from Either of us our heyres or assignes for Ever, and he the sd. Garrett Coerte we doe owne now to be in the right & givethe possession of all & Every the premises abovesd., and the same to have and to hold occupy possess & Enjoy for Ever as his or their owne proper right of Inheritance without fraud or hindrance in Confirmacon whereof we the partyes above named doe subscribe our names & sett to our seales this seventh day of Aprill in the fourth yeare of the Reigne of our soverigne Lord & Lady King William and Queen Mary, & in the yeare of our lord Christ one thousand six hundren and nynety two.

Sealed and delivered……………………peter Hendricksen…….(seale)

in the presence of………………………..………..his

Samuell Ruscoe……………………….William M Brines……....(seale)

Edward Burrowes……………………………………….marke

………………………………………….……..his

…………………………………………..Hendrickse S Brisses….(seale)

…………………………………………………marke

…………………………………………..Rutt Brimassen………….(seale)

………………………………………….….….his

…………………………………………..Walter O Brimasen…..(seale)

……………………………………………….marke

…………………………………………..Harman E Hendrickse..(seale)

…………………………………………..Garrett Brissa…………….(seale)

…………………………………………..Evert Hendrickse…….(seale)

Recorded this 13th day of May 1697

pr. Henry ffildin Regr.

[v] David William Voorhees, ed. and transl., Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings County, New York, Vol. 1, p. 435.

[vi] Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume VIII. 1771-1776) p. 122.

Page 483. In the name of God, Amen, March 22, 1752. I, SARA VAN GELDER, of Flatlands in Kings County, spinster, being weak and sick. I direct all debts to be paid. I leave to my son, Jacobus Katock, all my right and title to a certain Plantation and woodland situate in the Bacyse (?) Neck so called, in Flatlands, and all my movable estate, and all my clothing. I also do as a free gift, give to my said son all my real and personal estate, and make him executor. Witnesses, Jan Monfort, Michael Stryker, Peter Lott. Proved, June 23, 1772.

[vii] Abstracts of wills on file in the surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume III. 1730-1744), p. 246 Abstracts of Wills, Liber 13.  Page 186. In the name of God, Amen, October 28, 1732. Whereas, WILLIAM VAN GELDER, of Flatlands, in Kings County, being deaf and dumb, yet of perfect mind and memory as appeared by his utterances through means of three interpreters, which are his neighbors, viz., Peter Monfoort, Johanes Sluycher, and Stephen Schenck, expressed himself as follows: That he was sensible that it was appointed for all men to dye, and as he was arrived to a great age, he expected that his Time could not be long in this woride. lie leaves all his lands and estate in Flatlands to his "cousins" (nephews and nieces), my brother s children, viz., William, Abraham, Isaac, Sarah, Anne, and Susanah Van Gelder, with whom I now live, as they have taken special care of me. I leave to my cousin (nephew), William Van Gelder, because he is named after me, all my silver buttons as is upon my coat. And I make the above named cousins executors. Witnesses, Peter Monfoort, John Strycker, Stephen Scheuck, Jan Monfoort, S. Gerritsen. Proved, February 28, 1738.

[viii] Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume XI - - unrecorded wills prior to 1790), p. 182 In the name of God, Amen. May 20, 1762. I, WILLIAM VAN GELDER, of the township of Flatlands, in Kings County, on Nassau Island, being in good health. All debts to be paid. I leave to my brother, Evert Van Gelder, 6 shillings, current money of New York, for his right as heir at law, and then to be wholly cut off and debarred of all my real and personal estate. I leave to my sister, Susannah Van Gelder, £15, to be paid in six weeks. All the rest of my estate, houses and lands, I leave to my brother, Abraham Van Gelder, and make him executor. Witnesses, Jan Stryker, Pieter Lott, Michiel Strycker. (No Probate.)

[ix] Abstracts of Unrecorded Wills, Vol XI, Prior to 1790, page 208:

In the name of God, Amen. I, ABRAHAM VAN GELDER, of Flatlands, in Kings County, yeoman, being sick. "Knowing that it behoveth every man to set his worldly estate in such order, if possible, before he departeth this life that no strife or debate may arise about the same, after his decease." I leave to my brother Isaac œ40. To my cousin, Evert Van Noostrand, œ35. To my cousin, Jacobus Ketteltas, œ30. To Johanna, the daughter of my brother, Evert Van Gelder, deceased, now wife of Thomas Collins, œ1, for her birthright. All legacies to be paid in six months. I leave to my cousin (nephew), Hendrick Van Gelder, son of my brother Isaac, my houses, lands, barns, and all my real estate. If my negro slave, Rachel, shall not like or choose to live with my cousin Hendrick, she may seek another master, and be sold to him. I make my neighbors, John Lott and Michael Stryker, and Johannes Lott, Jr., executors. Dated February 7, 1770. Witnesses Dirck Remsen, Hendrick Lott, Johannes Remsen. Proved April 24, 1787.

[x] New York Marriages Previous to 1784, a Reprint of the Original Edition of 1860 with Additions and Corrections, p. 79.

[xi] Abstract of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume IV. 1744-1753) , p. 339, Abstracts of Wills, Liber 17, Page 379. In the name of God, Amen, June 12, 1745, 1, AARON VAN NOSTRANT, of the town of Hempstead, joiner, being aged and infirm. I leave to my wife Gertruy, £20, and the use of all my housing, barns, orchards, and lands during her widowhood, but she shall not commit any waste of timber, etc. I leave all my personal estate to my children and grand children, viz., Jacob Albert, John, Aaron, Moses, William, Isaac, Everitt, Daniel, Anne, Litchie, Gertruy, Mary, Elizabeth, and Yanaca, and my grand children, the children of my daughter, Jane Alburtis, deceased, and to the children of my daughter, Heliche Hendricksen, deceased. My executors are to sell all real estate after the death of my wife, and divide the money among my children and grand children. I make my son Jacob and my brother in law, Evert Van Gelder, and my friend, John Hegerman, of Flushing, executors. Witnesses, Willinde Hendricksen, Michael De Mott, Richard Everitt. Proved, July 10, 1751.

[xii] See 3 above

[xiii]Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD 105(1974); Isaac, p. 209; Geertje, p. 210; Maria, 106(1975), p. 21; Anatie, p. 91; Susanna, p. 142; Jan, 107(1976), p. 35.

[xiv] Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD: Marya, 107(1976):204; Johannes, 107(1976);p. 209; Cornelis & Cornelia, 105(1974):146.

[xv] Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD 107(1970):204.

[xvi] Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD 107(1976):41.

[xvii] Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD 106(1975):205. 

[xviii] Flatlands Reformed Dutch Church (Brooklyn, New York), (Main Author) Church records FHL US/CAN Film 888716 

[xix] Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, RECORD 107(197):p. 96.

[xx] Flatlands Town Records

[xxi] Noun: stom (plural stommen, diminutive stommetje)
1.A mute person
References: M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]
From: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stom

[xxii] Flatbush Church Records, by David Voorhees, Vol 1, p. 245.

[xxiii] Rutger and Geertje had a daughter named Geertje: 1685 Jan 11; Rutger Brunoosz, Geertie Jans; Geertje; Gerrit Hendriksz, Catharine w. of Peter Hendrikz., DRC of Flatbush, named after both her grandmothers.

[xxiv] Rutger is known to have had a brother named William a 1692 deed, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, vol 54, p. 250. William Van Gelder’s will says that his nephew was named after him.