USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey > Part 13
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unjust molestations. And further, notwith- standing, your majesty's liege subjects have purchased their lands at their own proper costs and charges, by virtue of the aforesaid licenses ; yet the said proprietors, governors or agents, without any pretended process of law, have given and granted the greater part of said lands by patent to several of the said proprietors and others, as to them seemed fit.
And notwithstanding their pretence to gov- ernment, yet they left us, from the latter part of June. 1689, to the latter part of August, 1692, without any government, and that too in time of actual war, so that had the enemy made a descent upon us, we were without any military officers to command or give direc- tions, in order to our defence, or magistrates to put laws in execution. And during the whole time, the said proprietors have gov- erned this, your majesty's province, they have never taken care to preserve or defend us, from the Native Pagans, or other enemies, by sending or providing any arms, ammunition or stores, but have rather provoked and in- censed the said natives to make war upon us, by surveying and patenting their lands con- trary to their liking, without purchasing the same from them, or making any satisfaction in consideration thereof. And, sometimes when the said natives have sold and disposed of their lands, as to them seemed meet, they, the said proprietors, have disposed of the same to others, or else forced them who had the prop- erty in it to purchase it of them, upon their own terms, which the said natives have highly resented, and often complained of and (may justly be feared) wait only for an opportunity to revenge it upon the inhabitants of this your majesty's province.
And further, to manifest the illegal and arbitrary proceedings of the said proprietors in contempt of Your Majesty's laws, and against their own knowledge signified in a letter by them (to the council here in East Jersey), wherein they say as followeth : "We have been obliged against our inclinations to dismiss Col. Hamilton from the government. because of a late act of parliament, disabling all Scotchmen to serve in places of public trust or profit. And obliging all proprietors of Colonies to present their respective gov- ernors to the king for his approbation. So we have appointed our friend, Jeremiah Basse. to succeed Col. Hamilton in government, whom we have also presented to the king, and is by him owned and approved of."
Notwithstanding which letter they have superseded the said Jeremiah Basse (whom they wrote was approved by Your Majesty) and have commissioned the said Col. Hamilton again without Your Majesty's royal appro- bation, although removed before, by them : as a person disabled by law. Who now by virtue of their, the said proprietors, commis- sion only, would impose himself upon us as governor. And when in government, before superseded by the aforesaid Basse, was by them continued about a year, after the 25th of March, (1697), without taking the oath en- joined by law. And does now presume to ex- ercise government, not having legally taken the said oath or having Your Majesty's royal approbation.
The said proprietors of East New Jersey have also in contempt of Your Majesty's known
EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
laws, commissioned a native of Scotland to he secretary and attorney general of this Your Majesty's province, (being both places of the greatest trust, next to the governor). And one of the same nation to be clerk of the Supreme court of this Your Majesty's prov- ince, which may be of ill consequence in rela- tion to the act of trade and navigation, and to the great hinderance of Your Majesty's loyal subjects, (the power of government be- ing chiefly in the hands of natives of Scot- land) from informing against any illegal or fraudulent trading by Scotchmen or others in this province.
We, Your Majesty's loyal subjects, laboring under these and many other grieveances and oppressions by the proprietors of this Your Majesty's province of East New Jersey, do in most humble manner, lay ourselves before Your Majesty (the fountain of justice) humbly imploring your majesty will be graciously pleased according to your princely wisdom, to take into consideration our evil circumstances, under the present proprietors, (if the right of Government is invested in them) and that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to give your royal orders to said Proprietors, that with Your Majesty's royal approbation, they commission for governor a fit person. qualified according to Law, who as an indif- ferent judge may decide the controversies arising between the proprietors and the in- habitants of this Your Majesty's province. And settle all the differences which at present they labor under. And Your Majesty's peti- tioners as in duty bound shall ever pray, etc."
Then follows signatures of over 200 citizens, many of them residents in the old township of Middletown. Here we have an explanation of some of the causes which induced the people of Aliddletown to resist Hamilton and Morris, set forth in their own words. It is very different from the cause given by Morris and Hamilton in the court record of March 25th, 1701. These men had some common sense, and from their conduct in other matters, were influ- enced by righteous principles, yet Mor- ris would make the government in England believe, that they made them- selves criminally amenable to law, solely to rescue a strange pirate.
The government by the proprietors was an ill-constructed and inconsistent one, just what we might expect to emanate from such scoundrels and tyrants as the reigning Stuarts, who never did anything right, except by mistake.
Even the proprietory title to the soil has caused trouble and great loss to the people of this state from the time it began, until within the memory of the present generation, when they sold lands covered by Shark River for a mere song, and clouded the titles of many valuable tracts of real estate on the coast of Monmouth county, The Legislative investigation of the East Jersey proprietors in 1881-2 shows how greedy and unscrupulous their methods were. f
Suppose the proprietors now had con- trol of the state government, and the appointment of judges, as in 1700, what chance would the people have in the courts to vindicate their rights. This circumstance or consideration alone will show the justice of the resistance made by our fore-fathers to their one- sided government and administration of the law. Many of the proprietors were speculators in real estate and ac- tuated wholly by mercenary motives. Government, law, justice, as well as title to the soil, were so many invest- ments, out of which money was to be made. Like the railroad and other cor- porations of today, they controlled gov- ernment to squeeze the hard cash out of the people.
The breaking up of the court at Mid- dletown held by a usurping governor and his bogus justices, was the right thing to do at the right time. Richard Salter, Samuel Forman, John Bray, Daniel Hendrickson, Jacob VanDorn and the others, deserve the praise and gratitude of posterity for their stern and persistent resistance. It destroyed the government of these wrangling and contending factions, and relieved the people from much injustice and wrong. Is it any wonder that the pioneer set- tlers of Middletown issued the "first Declaration of Independence" and re- corded it in their township book against the unfair and monstrous government by the proprietors? Such a name as we simple creatures "never heard of be- fore," they write down in their records.
"See report of committee on modern doings of the N. J. proprietors among New Jersey legislative documents of 1882.
JAN GYSBERTSEN METRN AND HIS FAMILY.
Kreijn, son of Jan Gysbertsen Metrn, as he spelled and wrote his name, was born in Bommel, in the Netherlands, March 10, 1650. When a boy of 13 years, or in 1663, he came over with his father to New Amsterdam. Although the father wrote his name as spelled above, yet in old records of Kings coun- ty, L. I., and on the records of the First Dutch church of Monmouth and in our county clerk's office, the name is spelled VanMetra, VanMetere, VanMetteren, and in several other ways. Jan Guys- bertsen, the father, seems to have been better off financially than most of the Holland emigrants. We find him com- fortably settled at New Utrecht, L. I., and one of the magistrates of that town in 1673. He was a deacon in the Dutch church in 1683. It has been thought by some writers that he was of the same family as Jacob VanMeteren of Ant- werp, who caused the first complete edition of the Bible to be printed in the English language. This book was printed at Zurich in 1536, and was a great and expensive work. It is thought that VanMeteren made the translations himself, but employed an English scholar named Miles Coverdale to supervise the printing, in order to guard against errors in the translation. Through VanMeteren the English peo- ple had access to the Scriptures in their native tongue. They have, however, never exhibited any gratitude, and gave VanMeteren but scant credit for this costly and beneficial work
Kreijn Janse VanMater is mentioned as a resident of New Utrecht, and among those who took the oath of al- legiance to the English government in 1687; the length of his residence in America is then stated as 24 years .* In a census of Kings county taken in 1698. his name is spelled "Cryn Jansen" and he still resides at New Utrecht and has a family of four children.t
There is a tradition in the VanMater family, that "Jan Guysbertsen Metrn," the father, refused to take the oath of allegiance in 1687, and soon after went back to his native land. That he had urged his son very strongly to accom-
% Vol. I. O'Call. Doc. Hist. of N. Y., p. 660-1. + Vol. III, ()'Call. Doc. Hist. of N. Y., p. 135-6.
pany him, but that he refused, on ac- count of his great horror of sea sick- ness, having suffered intensely on his first voyage over. I think, however, that his great love for blue-eyed, flaxen-haired and pretty Nelly Van- Cleaf was stronger than his love for the motherland. He had married at New Utrecht, September 9, 1683, Neeltje (Eleanor), daughter of Jan VanCleef and a resident of the same town.
Jan VanCleef came from Holland in 1653 and settled at New Utrecht in 1659. His wife was Engeltje, a daugh- ter of Laurens Pietersen. Neeltje, or Nelly, was born at New Utrecht Jan- uary 1, 1663, the very year her future husband was tossing on the waters of the Atlantic ocean. She had a brother Benjamin, baptized in the Dutch church at New Utrecht in November, 1683. He married Hendrika VanSutphen and re- moved to Monmouth county. He and his wife are communicants in the First Dutch church of Monmouth in 1711 and 1719, but her name is spelled on the records as "Hank Sutphin."
Kreijn VanMater and Neeltje Van- Cleef, his wife, are named among the first members and organizers of the Dutch church of Monmouth. His name is first entered on the church records as "Kriin Jansen," and in 1716 when Elder as "Kriin VanMetra." He purchased a large tract of land in what are now (1899) Holmdel and Atlantic townships. His first dwelling, a log cabin, was erected on the farm where William Jones now resides in Atlantic township. The old family burying ground is on this farm, and in it many of the past generations of the VanMaters are in- tered. This farm is but a small part of the original tract. Kreijn died March 10, 1720, and his wife January 1, 1747. Both are buried side by side in this graveyard, with tombstones giving their names and dates of death. His age is stated about 75 years and her age about 84 years. Nelly, his widow. survived him 27 years and was faithful to his memory. She is said to have been a very handsome and attractive woman, and had several offers of mar- riage, but none of them would she ac- cept. She never tired of talking about Kreijn and of telling what he said and
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did, for in all the world there was no such man, she thought. An English visitor on one occasion thoughtlessly remarked in her presence that "Kreijn" was a "queer, harsh name." "Nodings queer." exclaimed the old lady in her broken English, which became more so when she was excited, "Kreijn von goodt name, gooter as effer vas. Just like de singing of de birdts, ven der sprink veather comes, and der coldt vinter go avay." So she ever dwelt fondly on the husband of her youth until the summons came for her. She died in peace with a smile on her lips, for at last she would meet her Kreijn in the "land of the leal," never again to part. The old generations of the Van- Maters were noted for their faithful attachments to wife, children and kins- men. They labored and planned, as their wills show, to provide comfortable homes and maintain and guard against misfortune, those near to them by ties of blood.
Kreijn Janse VanMater and Neeltje VanCleef had the following children:
Jan, b. April 26, 1687, died young.
John, b. April 17, 1688, at New Utrecht, L. I. ; m. October 17, 1718, Ida, daughter of Ryck Hendrickse VanSuydam ; d. January 10, 1751, in Monmouth county. He was a communicant in our Dutch church in 1713, and his wife in 1731. ±
Ydtje, (Ida) b. August 24, 1691, m. Jan, a son of Adrian Bennett and Barbery, his wife. Communicants in Dutch church in 1731. She died September 13, 1774. They had the follow- ing and perhaps other children : (In all baptisms hereafter spoken of in these articles, if no church is named it is to be understood that the dates are taken from the records of the First Dutch church of Monmouth). A child unnamed, bap, January 14, 1724 ; Kryn- jans, bap. February 27, 1726 : Neeltje, b. Nov- ember 29, 1728; m. June 28, 1750, John. youngest son of Jan Schanck and Sara Cou- wenhoven, his wife, of Pleasant Valley, and died June 1, 1810. I er husband. John Schanck, was born June 22. 1722 ; d. December 24. 1808. Their children have been mentioned in a former article on the Schencks.
Gysbert, (Gilbert) b. February 24, 1694 : m. Maijke, ( Micha) daughter of Daniel Hendrick- son and Kaatje VanDyke, his wife. He was
# In Book H of Deeds. p. 211, etc., Mon- mouth clerk's office, is recorded a conveyance from Ryk Hendrickse Suydam of Flatlands, Kings county, Island of Nassau, to John Van- Meeteren (VanMater) of Middletown township, for a tract of land in Middletown township "bounded west by Dominicus Vanderveer, east by Auken Leffertsen, south by Swimming River, and north by heirs of Quryn VanMeet- eren, (Kreijn VanMater), and known as No. 4, containing 152 acres and thirteen fifty- sixths parts of an acre, being the seventh part of a traet said Snydam with others bought of Col. Lewis Morris.
a communicant in our Dutch church in 1721, and she in 1740, when her sister, Francyntje, wife of Tunis DeNeis, (Denise) also joined the church. Gilbert VanMater owned and lived on the farm where Gideon C. MacDowell now resides near Old Scots burying ground in the township of Marlboro, but formerly a part of Freehold township. § I do not know where he died or where he is buried.
Engeltje, (Angelina) b. September 30, 1696, m. John Anderson.
Benjamin, b. January 22, 1702; m. Eliza- beth, daughter of Jacob Laen (Lane) and Elizabeth Barkalow, his wife. Both were members of Dutch church in 1737. He died July 21, 1775, aged 73 years, 5 months and 29 days, according to inscriptions on his tomb- stone in the VanMater cemetery.
Cornelia, b. May 24, 1704 ; m. Hans (John) VanCleef.
Syrenus, (Cyrenius) b. August 28, 1706, m. Abigail, daughter of Anke Lefferts and Maria TenEyck, his wife. Abigail was born March 15, 1708 ; d. August 25, 1785, aged 77 years, 5 months and 10 days. Cyrenius VanMater died December 28, 1787, and is buried by the side of his wife in the VanMater graveyard. His age on the tombstone is given as 80 years, 4 months.
Joseph, b. in Monmouth county February 5 : bap. Aug. 13, 1710; m. December 1, 1734, Sarah, daughter of Roelof Schanck and Geesie or Ghesye Hendrickson, his wife. Sarah Schanck was born May 22, 1715, and died, according to inscription on her tombstone in the VanMater cemetery, September 1, 1748, aged 33 years, 3 months and 9 days. Her hus- band rests by her side and his headstone states that he died October 15, 1792, aged 82 years, 8 months and 10 days. Joseph VanMater and Sarah Schanck, his wife, became members of the Dutch church in 1737, and were said to have been active and zealous in church work, and lived consistent lives. Their children and grandchildren always spoke of them with affection and reverence.
The following is a certified copy of Kreijn Janse VanMater's will as filed
§ Book H of Deeds, p. 41, etc., contains rec- ord of a deed from Charles Hubs to Guysbert VanMetra and Benjamin VanMetra of Middle- town township, dated April 19, 1727, consid- eration £365 for a tract of 14812 acres in Freehold township: bounded sontherly by Van- Cleef's land, northerly by lands formerly Thomas Combs. northerly and easterly by other lands of said Hubs. In same book p. 127, etc., is a deed from Isaac Forman and Elizabeth, his wife, of Freehold township, to "Benjamin VanMatre and Syrenus VanMatre," dated April 4, 1730, consideration £900, for 250 acres in Freehold township : bounded southerly by Burlington road, east by lands formerly of Aaron Forman, west and north by lands formerly Robert Barclay's ; and three other tracts adjacent to above. In Book I of Deeds, p. 35, etc., Benjamin VanMatre and Cyrenus VanMatre convey to this Gilbert Van- Mater by deed dated September 1, 1735, for consideration of £535, one-half part of a tract of land in Middletown township on which said Gilbert VanMater then resided, being the lands above mentioned conveyed to them by Isaac Forman and wife.
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in the office of the Secretary of State at Trenton. It was not proved until March 21, 1729, or nine years after his decease, although Benjamin VanCleef, the testator's brother-in-law, and one of the executors swore to it May 25, 1720. This was not sufficient in law to admit to probate. The law of New Jer- sey, then as now, required the oath of a subscribing witness, that it was ex- ecuted by the testator according to the requirements of the statute in such cases made and provided.
I Kryne VanMatre of Middletown In the County of Monmouth and Eastern Division of the province of New Jersey. Yeoman, This Six & Twentyeth Day of April In the fifth Year of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lord George over Great Brittain, &c. King, Anno dom, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Nineteen, Being in good and perfect health and of a Sound Mind and disposing Memory, (praised be the Lord for the same) Doe Make and Declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, in Manner and forme as followeth, viz: First and principally I Recommend my Soul to Almighty God that gave it, and my Body to the earth from whence it was taken, to be Buryed in sach Decent and Christian like manner, as to my executors hereafter named shall seem Meet and Convenient ; and as touch- ing such Wordly Goods, as the Lord In his Infinite and Rich Mercy (far beyond my De- serts) hath been pleased to bestow upon Me. I Give and dispose of the same as followeth
My Will is that all my Just Debts be Well and truly paid and satisfied within some con- venient time after my Decease, Out of my Per- sonal Estate by my Executors hereinafter named.
My Will is that my Son John VanMatre shall have and keep that Fifty one pounds which I formerly paid to Rak Hendrickse for and towards a plantation for my said Son John, without being accountable to my Ex- ecutors for the same or any part thereof.
My will is that at the time of the Marriage of my Daughter Yda she shall have two Cows and fifteen pounds, and my daughter Angeltje to have at the time of her marriage two Cows and fifteen pounds, and My Daughter Cor- nelia to have at the time of her Marriage two Cows and fifteen pounds to be delivered to them out of my personal Estate by my Ex- ecutors.
I Give and Bequeath to my loving Wife Neeltje VanMatre, the use of my plantation, and the Use of the Remainder of my personal Estate, for and during the time that she shall remain my Widow ; and after her decease or Remarriage My Will is, that the personal Es- tate that she has the use of, be Equally divided Amongst all my Chilldren, Namely John, Yda, Ghilbert, Angeltje, Benjamin, Cornelia, Siry- nus, and Joseph.
I Give and Devise my whole Real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever, after the Death or Remarriage of my wife, which shall first happen, to my fowr Sons Namely Ghilhert VanMatre, Benjamin VanMatre, Sirynus Van- Matre and Joseph VanMatre, as followeth, viz : My Will is that if my Son Ghilbert shall
within the Space of Three Years Next after the Decease or Remarriage of my Wife, pay unto my daughter Yda or her heirs, the Sum of Seventy-five pounds, that then I give and devise One full and Equal fourth part of my real estate to him my said Son Ghilbert, his Heirs and Assignes forever, and if my Son Benjamin, shall, within the space of Three Years Next after the decease or Remarriage of my Wife, pay unto my Daughter Angeltye, or her Heirs the Sum of Seventy-five pounds, then I Give and Devise One full and Equal fourth part of my Real Estate to him, my said Son Benjamin, his Heirs and Assignes forever, And if my Son Sirinus shall live to the age of Twenty One Years, and shall within three years after the Decease or Remarriage of my Wife, or at the Age of Twenty-One Years. which shall last happen, pay to my Son John or his I eirs the Sum of Seventy five pounds, then I give and Devise One full and equal fourth part of my Real Estate to him my said Son Sirinus his Heirs and Assignes forever. And if my Son Joseph shall live to the Age of Twenty One Years And shall within Three Years after the Decease or Remarriage of my Wife or at the Age of Twenty One Years which shall last happen, pay to my danghter Cornelia or her Heirs, the Sum of Seventy five pounds. then I Give and Devise the Remaining fourth part of my Real Estate to him my said Son Joseph, his Heirs and Assignes forever, And My Will is that if Either of the said fowr Sons Depart this Life before he Attain the Age of Twenty One Years, or leave Issue of his Body, that then that fowrth part of my Estate be equally divided between the Re- maining Three, they paying that sum to the person that the party deceased was to pay. And My Will is and I do hereby give power to my Executors hereafter named, to divide my Lands in Fowr Equal] parts or Lottments to my said fowr Sons.
And Lastly I doe hereby Revoke and Disan- null all wills by me formerly made declaring this Only to be my last Will and Testament, And doe Nominate Make and Appoint my two friends and Brothers in Law Benjamin Van- Cleave and Philip Folcoertson" to be the Ex- ecutors of this my Last Will and Testament, to see the same Executed. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Day and Year first above written.
Signed Sealed and published by the above named Kryne VanMatre as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of
JACOBUS SWOT (or SMOK), HENDRICK SMOCK,
JOHN LAWRENCE,
THOMAS LAWRENCE.
WILLM. LAWRENCE. Junr.
Memorandum: yt on ye 21st day of March. 1729, William Lawrence, Junr., and Hendrick Smock two of ye Subscribing Evidences to ye Above instrument come before me John Bar- clay, Surrogate, who upon their Oath Deposed that they saw the Above Kryn Janssen Van- Meteren signe seale & declare ye same to be his Last Will and Testament, and that at ye same time he was of sound mind to ye best of
Written "Volkertz" or "Volckertsen." on old records of New Utrecht, L. I.
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each of their knowledge & that they also saw ye other Evidences subscribe their names In presence of ye Testator. Sworne ye day & year above sd before Me John Barclay, Surro- gate.
Memorandome: yt on ye 25th day of May, 1729, Benjamin VanCleve one of ye Executors In the within mentioned Last Will & Testament of Kyahn VanMatre, Decd, Personally Ap- peared before John Barclay, Surrogate, Auth- orized & Appoynted to take ye Probate of Last Wills & Testaments was Duely sworne to the Execution thereof. Sworn ye day & yeare Ahove Written before Me
JOHN BARCLAY, Surg't.
John VanMater, the eldest son of Kreijn Janse by his wife Eyke (Ida) Suydam, had eleven children:
1 .- Cryn Jans, b. September 28, 1718 : m. about 1750, Marya, daughter of Guysbert Sut- phen and Geertrury VanPelt, his wife.
Cryn-jans VanMater d. in 1766. They had the following children :
John, bapt. August 19, 1753; m. Elizabeth Hance or Hons.
Engeltje, bapt. March 31, 1755.
Guysbert, bapt. July 31, 1757; married a Widow Clayton.
Anne, b. 1759, died young.
Isaac, bapt. November 2, 1760.
Neeltje, bapt. February 2, 1766.
2 .- Ryck ( Richard) b. April 16, 1720; m. Micah or Martha Osbourne, and had the fol- lowing children :
Eyda, (Ida) bapt. June 9, 1751, at Presby- terian church of Freehold. On pages 132-3 of Symmes History of Old Tennent church, date of baptisms of several of Ryck's children are given. Mr. Tennent, the pastor, has entered on the records that Ryck VanMater stated the reason for coming to him, instead of going to the Dutch Dominie was "that his wife could not speak Dutch." This was true, for his wife belonged to the English family of Osbournes who have resided at Manasquan for several generations. Besides Eyda he had the follow- ing children baptized by the Presbyterian min- ister, viz :
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