Thomas Stillwell of New Utrecht, NY

Thomas Stillwell of New Utrecht, NY

The children of Thomas³ Stillwell (Nicholas², Nicholas¹) and his wife, Ann, possibly Lake (Stillwell Genealogy, by John E. Stillwell, v. 3, p. 9) are listed as:

45. John

46. Thomas

47. Nicholas, eldest son.

48. Christopher, born 7 Jun 1716.

49. Elizabeth, baptized on 22 May 1718 at the Dutch Church of Gravesend.

50. Charity, married Jeremiah Brouwer on 24 Oct 1747.

I have changed the order of the listing of the children, putting the sons in the order they appear on a ferry petition of 1742.  I have added the following children:

1)      Mary

She has been added based on Charity’s will, dated on 9 May 1787 proved 8 Mar 1790, "Charity Brouwer, now of Precinct of Goshen, Orange Co., widow of Jeremiah Brower late of Kings County on Nassau Island...First I give and bequeath unto Charity Tedemun and to her heirs my black velvet cloak as a testimony of my regard for her. Secondly, I give and bequeath unto my sister Mary Sickles and Elizabeth Whitney wife of Abyjah Whitney of the said county of Orange all my wearing apparel to be equally divided between them each one half. Thirdly after all my funeral charges and expenses are paid I give and bequeath unto William Elsworth, Jeremiah Elsworth, the aforesaid Elizabeth Whitney and Charity Tedemun to be equally divided among them in four shares such sum and sums of money that shall at the time of my decease be due to me from my said late husband's grandson Theophilus Brower of New York City, merchant." She names as executor, "the aforesaid William Elsworth." Witnesses: John Hathorn, Eliz. Hathorn, Sibil Willing.", Kings County, New York Surrogate's Court; Wills v.1-2, 1787-182333

Mary Sickles was undoubtedly Mary Stillwell, wife of Hendrick Sickles.  Their children included:

1. Mary Sickels bap. 13 SEP 1734 at New Utrecht, NY
2. Zachariah Sickels bap. 20 JUN 1736 at Freehold, Monmouth, NJ [Mary's maiden name, Stillwell, is given in this record]
3. Jacob Sickels bap. 11 NOV 1753 at Flatbush, NY

The family lived near Gravesend where Mary was listed as a member of the Dutch Church:

       Members Lists in Gravesend, New York Church Records 1763-1768:

      1768, July 8 Acc. as members.

      Maria, wife of Hendrick Sickels

2)      Catherine

Catherine is probably a daughter of Thomas and Ann Stillwell based on the following baptismal records at the DRC of New Utrecht  [NYGBR 112 & 113]:

    1. 27 Feb 1726 Antje, Joseph Benham, Catryna, his wife, Jan Benham and Antje Stillwell

    2. 5 Apr 1733, Jan and Marya, Joseph Benham, Catryna, his wife, Jan Benham, Elsje, his wife,               Nicholas Stillwell, Martha, his wife

    3. 13 Sep 1734, Marya, Hendrick Sickels, Marya, his wife, Joost Benham, Catryn, his wife

    4. 13 Oct 1734, Antje, Nicholas Stillwell, Martha, his wife, Joost Benham, Catharyna, his wife 

In the above baptisms, the witnesses Nicholas Stillwell, and Mary, wife of Hendrick Sickles, are known children of Thomas and Ann Stillwell.  The witnesses in 1726 were Jan Benham, probably Joseph’s father, and Antje Stillwell, probably Catherine’s mother after whom the child was named. 

Catherine herself was probably named after her paternal grandmother, Catherine Huyberts.

Thomas and Ann were married by 1711 when she appears of a deed.  Thomas sold property in 1700 and 1702 and was on the 1706 tax assessment of Gravesend with 38 acres.  His being married by 1706 is reasonable.

3)      Ann

She is possibly a daughter of Thomas and Ann Stillwell based on the following:

a)      The baptismal sponsors of her son Thomas were her presumed sister, Catherine Stillwell, and her husband, Joseph Benham.

30 Apr 1741 Thomas, s/o Jan Vandervoort and Annetje, witnesses: Joseph Benham & Catherine, his wife [DRC of New Utrecht]

            b)      She named her only known son,  Thomas, after his presumed maternal grandfather.  Jan                 Vandervoort named his three previous children after their grandparents.

            c)      She herself was probably named after her mother.

4)      Unknown Daughter

Thomas owned land and a home in Yellow Hook in New Utrecht and he is probably the one listed there in the 1731 census.  It is doubtful all of the other individuals listed are children of Thomas and Ann.  Since probably all of the sons are known from the ferry petition, I have theorized an unknown daughter, her husband and two or three of their sons are living with the family.

1731 (1738) Census of New Utrecht, Kings Co., NY

Thomas Stillwell    4   5   4   0   0   0   0   0

Probable occupants were:

Males over 10

1. Thomas, b abt 1676

2. Unknown Male, b abt 1705, probably a son-in-law, father of grandsons listed.

3. Nicholas, b abt 1710, eldest son, first child baptized in 1732, listed 1st on ferry document

4. Christopher, b 1716, listed 2^nd on ferry document

Males under 10

1. Daniel, b abt 1722, died young,after1726

2. Thomas, b abt 1724, listed 3^rd on ferry document

3. John, b abt 1726, listed 4^th on ferry document

4. Unknown, grandson, b abt 1729

5, Unknown, grandson, b abt 1731

Females over 10 (presuming Ann, wife of Thomas had died)

1. Unknown Daughter, b abt 1708, mother of grandsons listed.

2. Ann, b abt 1714, m Jan Vandervoort by 1739

3.Elizabeth, bap. 22 May 1718

4. Charity, b abt 1720, m Jeremiah Brouwer in 1747

Not listed is Catherine, b abt 1706, married by 1726 to Joseph Benham, listed elsewhere in the census. 

This unknown daughter may have been the wife of a man named Shreve.  Thomas Shreve, a carpenter of NYC, made the bond for Thomas’ estate and was one of the administrators, along with Jeremiah Brouwer, Thomas’ son-in-law.  Based on his residence listed in land sales, Thomas moved to NYC sometime between 1755 and 1757, shortly before he died when he was in his late seventies or eighties, probably to live with family there.  Given Thomas’ age and recent move, it seems likely that as the bondholder and one of the administrators, Thomas Shreve was probably a member of the family, a son-in-law or grandson, not a longtime friend or creditor.  John Stillwell mentions that other references to the administrators include Caleb Shreve, undoubtedly a relative of Thomas, whose name may help prove this theory.

5)      Daniel.  The will of Daniel Lake[i], husband of Sarah, dated 1727, lists his grandson, Daniel Stillwell.  In the Lake Genealogy, Daniel, husband of Alice Stillwell, is said to have had a daughter, Ann, who married Thomas Stillwell and had a daughter named Elizabeth.  I believe they are the same Daniel.  For this to work, Ann would have had to have died by 1727, which is likely.  Daniel would have had to have died by 1739 (the ferry petition), but possibly by 1732, before the census.  Also, Christopher had his oldest son named Daniel.  He may have been named after a paternal uncle who died young.

The listing of the family above presumes the daughter Elizabeth was deceased by 1731, but it could have been Ann, the mother, who was deceased.  John Stillwell had no further trace of Elizabeth, beyond two conflicting theories provided by William H. Stillwell, Esq.

a)      she married a Carnarsie fisherman named Dooley and lived on Barren Island.

b)      she married Johannes Garretsen

I have no information about Mr. Dooley nor whom he might have married.  Elizabeth was definitely not the wife of Johannes Garretsen.  He married Elizabeth Vandervoort Rapalje on 16 Sep 1749 at the DRC of Flatbush, recorded as Elizabeth Rapalje.  Elizabeth is listed as the wife of Johannes Gerritsen in the will of her father, Peter Vandervoort (Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume VI. 1760-1766) , pg 65).  Her first marriage to George Rapalje was on 04 Oct 1746 at the DRC of Flatbush.

The revised listing of the children of Thomas and Ann Stillwell is a follows:

1)      Catherine, b abt 1706, m Joseph Bemhan

2)      Unknown daughter, b abt 1708, possibly m Shreve?

3)      Nicholas, b abt 1710, m Martha

4)      Mary, b abt 1712, m Hendrick Sickels

5)      Ann, b abt 1714, m Jan Vandervoort

6)      Christopher, b 7 Jun 1716, m Lucretia Clendenning

7)      Elizabeth, baptized on 22 May 1718, died young?

8)      Charity, b abt 1720, m Jeremiah Brouwer

9)      Daniel, b abt 1722, died young

10)  Thomas, b abt 1724

11)  John, b abt 1726

Thomas died before 17 Jul 1759 when letters of administration were issued to Thomas Shreve.  Part of his estate was in Monmouth County, NJ, where part of his probate took place.

Letters of Administration

Name of Intestate: Thomas Stillwell, Kings Co.

Administrators: Thomas Shreve

Date: 17 Jul 1759

Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume V. 1754-1760), p. 435

1759, Oct 26.  Stilwell, Thomas, of Kings Co., N.Y., yeoman.  Int. Bond of Thomas Shreve (Shreeve) of New York City, carpenter, and Jeremiah Brower, of Kings Co., miller, as Adm'rs.  Lib G, p. 165.

New Jersey Colonial Documents, vol 32, Vol 3 of Calendar of Wills, p. 310

Index of NJ Wills, Monmouth, Vol 2, p. 994

Stillwell, Thomas, 1385M B. G, p. 105, Int 1759.

John Stillwell mentions advertisements in NY & NJ newspapers regarding the estate, but I did not find them in NJ.

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[i] Abstracts of Unrecorded Wills, Vol XI, Prior to 1790, page 54:In the name of God, Amen. August 2, 1727. I, DANIEL LAKE, of Staten Island, Gentleman, being not well, but of perfect mind. I leave to my wife Sarah, all my lands and goods, both movable and immovable, during her widowhood, to keep my children by her. If she marries, my estate is to be divided as follows: I leave to my sons, Daniel and Joseph, all my lands and tenements where I now dwell. If either die under age, his share is to go to my son William. But if they both live, they shall pay to my son William, L100 each. I leave to my wife Sarah, and my son William, and my daughter Alice, all my movable estate and household goods, except my riding horse, bridle, and saddle, and my gun, which I give to my son Daniel. I leave to my grandson, Daniel Stillwell, all the land I bought of Nelche Severin, and Johanes Severin, and Nathaniel Britten, Esq. I make my wife and William Hillyer, Richard Stillwell, and Matthew Reev, executors. Witnesses, John Mitchell, Samuel Holmes, James Kierstede. Proved, October 9, 1727.