USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Tennent > History of the Old Tennent church : containing : a connected story of the church's life, sketches of its pastors, biographical references to its members, all its earlier record lists, full quotations of its earlier historical records, a complete list of burials in all its graveyards, many of its local traditions, most of its important illustations and maps, an account of the battle of Monmouth, and a large collection of genealogical notes > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
MARGARET.
John D) Okerson b. Sep. 23, 1795 md. Ist Sep. 1, 1815 Elizabeth Voorhees, had 12 chldr :
DANIEL d. young.
MARY d. young. HENDRICK. KESIAH.
LYDIA A. DAVID. JOHN d. young. REBECCA. MARGARET.
WILLIAM. ELIZABETH. JOSEPH.
John D. Okerson md. 2nd Abbie Mount, had 6 chldr: JOHN. PHEBE J. EUPHAMY. CHARLES. EMMA E. ELMER.
Daniel Okerson had 9 chldr:
DANIEL. DAVID. CHIARLES. JOSEPH. GEORGE.
ELIZABETII. MARY. SAMUEL. BARZILLAI.
James Okerson b. June 21, 1805 md. Sep. 20. 1827 Rhoda Addison, had 9 chldr :
MARY A. REBECCA. DANIEL. RANDOLPH. JAMES W.
MARIA. SARAH. AMANDA. ELIZABETH.
Randolph Okerson b. May 3, 1834 md. Sarah Ann Voorhees, had 3 chldr .: JAMES. SAMUEL. JOHN.
David Okerson b. Apr. 2, 1825 s. John D. & Elizabeth (Voorhees) Oker- son. md. Phebe A. Allen, had 9 chldr:
LIDIA A. MARY E. CHIARLES H. JOHN A. WILLARD L.
ALBERT V.
EMMA J.
REBECCA M.
LILIAN S.
William Okerson b. May 10, 1833 md. Bithynia Mccutcheon of N. Y. City, had 6 chldr:
CHARLES. AMANDA. GEORGE. LEWIS. WILLIAM. SUMNER.
Joseph Okerson b. Mch. 21, 1839 md. Sarah DeHeart, had 3 chldr:
ELIZABETH. WILLIAM. ANNIE.
From a Family Bible in possession of Mrs. Margaret A. Lucas. Tennent, N. J. Barent Hagerman b. Oct. 20. 1770 d. Jan. 10, 1852 md. Sep. 19, 17- Mary b. Sep. 27, 1777, had 9 chldr :
DOLLANCE b. Dec. 15, 1796. RICHARDb. Dec. 9, 1798. JACOB
b. June 26, 1801. LEANOR b. Mch. 7. 1805. CHARLES b. July 16, ISO7. JOHN h. May 3, 1809. DANIEL b Apr. 12, 1812 d. Apr. 10, 1851. BARENT b. Mch. 17, 1816 d. June 26, 1816. JAMES b. Sep. 22, 1817 d. Apr. 3, 1856.
From a genealogical record in possession of Mrs. John R. Sutphen, Tennent, N. J.
Derick Janse Van Zutphen came to America 1651 from Zutphen, Holland ; owned farm at New Utrecht, L. I d. 1706 md. Lysbeth J. Van Nuys, had LI chldr :
416
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
HENDRICKIR b. 1681 mnd. Benjamin Van Cleef. JACOB b. 1684
und Antie Bennet JAN d. young. JAN b. 1687 md. Engeltie
Bennet. GEERTJE b. 1689 d. young. DERRICK md. Margaret
Van Pelt. GIESBERT b. 1693 md Geertini Van Pelt. ELSIE mid. Harmon Gerritse * ABRAHAM D. 1696. ISAAC probably d. young. ELIZABETH b. 1699 ind. Daniel Lane.
Abraham Zutphen went from Long Island to Staten Island & from there came to Freehold N. J. about 1719, md. Maria Barkelow, had HI chldr :
* DERICK b. 1719. GRIETIE b. 1721. ELIZABETH D. 1723.
ABRAHAM b. 1726 d. young. MARIA b. 1727. ANTJE b. 1729 JANNETJE 1731. JOIIN 1734. ABRAHAM 1737. JACOB 1739. CORNELIUS 1711.
Derick Sutphen was bap in ist R. D Ch. Freehold 1719 d. 1794 md. Mary. or Maria Longstreet, had 4 chldi :
CATHRINA b. 1743. ABRAHAMb. 1745. MARIA b. 1748. *AARON D. b. Dec. 11, 1761.
Aaron. D. Sutphen d. Oct. 8. 1846 mnd. ist 1782 Sarah Chasey d. 1797. md. 2nd 1799 Jane Voorhees d. 1843 : had by his ist w. 6 chidr :
JOHN b. 1783 md. Mary Smith. * DERICK b. Sep. 3, 1785. MARY b. 1788. SARAH b. 1790. ANN D. 1794. MARTHA b. 1796.
Derick Sutphen d. Jan. 13. 1842 md. Elizabeth Meyers b. 1790 d. 1836, had 5 chldr :
* JOHIN R b. Dec. 25. 1811 d Nov. 17, 1900 mid. 1850 Catherine B. Herbert. AARON b. 1813 md. Mary Conover. JANE. WILLIAM B 5 1821 md. Hannah Errickson. ELIZABETH d. young.
From a family Register in possession of Miss Mary E. Robinson, West Free- hold, N. J.
James Smalley b. May 20, 1792 d. Sep. 10, 1856 ind. Esther Emmons b. Feb. 20, 1790, had 7 chidr:
URIAH BONAHAM b. Dec. 19, 1815. ISAAC CONOVER b. Nov. 3, 1817. LEWIS b. Aug. 13, 1823. JAMES ENGLISH b. Oet. 29, 1821. MARY ELIZABETHI b. Jan. 1, 1826. HANNAH b. Feb. 11, 1829. ELEANOR CONOVER b. Nov. 13, 1830 d. Jan. 11, 1896.
Job Emmons d. Jan. 10, 1817 aged 65 yrs. 7 mos. 3 da. md. Hannah d. Feb. 2. 1824 aged 64 yrs. Io mos. 13 da.
From a Bible record in possession of Miss Mary E. Robinson, West Free- hold, N. J.
James Robinson (was the s. of Joseph who was the s. of James) b. May 30, 1769 d. June 1, 1844 md. Jan. 20, 179! Elizabeth Conover b. Aug. 12, 1772 d. Feb 21. 1856, had to chidr:
JOSEPH b. Dec. 1. 1791 d. May 21, 1844 md. Ann Conover. JANE b. Oct 18, 1794 d. Feb. 4. 1842 md. Thomas Cook. JOHN b. Apr. 25, 1797 d. June 5. 1848. ELEANOR b Oct. 5. 1799 d. Dec. Il, 1874 md. Win. Lefferson. EUNICE b. Dec. 31, 1801 d. Oct. 13, 1824. JAMES b. Apr. 7. 1804 d. May 7. 1808. WILLIAM H. b. June 7, 1806 d. Jan. 15, 188t md. Sarah Lefferson. ELIZABETH b. Junie
417
GENEALOGICAL, NOTES.
25, 1909 d. Jan. 26, 1864. ROBERT CONOVER b. July 4, 1812 d. Dec. 1. 1892 mnd. Oct. 2. 1853 Eleanor C. Smalley. JAMES b. Sep.
21, 1815 d Nov. 14, 1860.
Ellen Smock, half sister to James Robinson, d. Jan. 27, 1877.
From a Bible record in possession of Miss Mary E. Robinson, West Free- hold, N. J.
Thomas Hicks b. July 10, 1703 d. July 15, 1780 ind. Charity Stevenson b. Sep. 23, 1708 d. Nov. 15, 1789, had 7 chldr:
GEORGE b. Nov. 10, 1733. JAMES b. May 22, 1735 d. Sep. 3.
I735. JAMES 2nd b. july 15. 1736 d. July 12. 1738. OLIVER b. Sep. 26, 1738. ABIGAIL b. Mch. 22, 1740 d. Apr. 22, 1803 111d. Johnson. ANNE b. Apr. 30. 1744 d. Oct. 3. 1767. EVAN b. Sep. 22, 1747 or 1767 the figure is mixed.
Margaret Stevenson Hicks b. Jan. 30, 1776 d. Aug. 19, 1780.
From data furnished by Mrs. B. C. Preston, Newark, N. J.
Joseph Preston b. Mch. 21, 1805 d. Feb. 1, 1882 nd. by Rev. Mr. McLean Sep. 23, 1834 Elizabeth Conover b. July 9, 1813 d. Feb. 24, I8;1, had 9 chldr:
SARAH MATILDA b. Aug. 1, 1835 d. July 8, 1857. ELIZABETH b. Dec. 19, 1836 d. Jan. 1837 BENJAMIN CONOVER b. Mch. 14, 1838 d. Nov. 13, 1903. WILLIAM b. Oct. 31, 1840 d. Sep. 1, 1841. ELENORA. ROBERT ROY. LAURA VIRGINIA JOSEPH HENRY b. Aug. 26, 1849 d. Nov. 16, 1860. MARY ELIZABETH.
From a copied record in a volume of Scotts Commentary in possession of Mr. D. V. Perrine, Freehold, N. J.
Jacob Scudder b. Nov. 29, 1707 d. May 31, 1772 md. Aug. 5, 1731 Abia b. May 23, 1708 d. May 15, 1791, had 6 chldr:
NATHANIEL b. May 10, 1733 at 9 in the morning d. Oct. 15, 1781. PHOEBA b. Aug. 2, 1734 at 7 in the morning d. 1807. LUCRETIA b. Mchi. 19. 1737 at I in the morning. WILLIAM b. Apr. 6, 1739 at 8 in the morning d. Oct. 31, 1793. LEMUEL, b. Apr. 30, 1741 at 2 in the morning d. July 9, 1806. RUTHI b. Oct. 27, 1745 at 10 ill the morning md. Aug. 18, 1772 Kenneth Anderson who was b. June 8. 1742.
From a paper written 1871 by Miss A. M. Woodhull, Freehold. N. J.
"At Perth Amboy, March 30, 1736 d. in the zist yr. of his age, after a short illness the Honorable John Anderson, Pres. of his Majesty's Council, & Commander-in Chief of this Province of N. J., which station he held but 18 days. He was a gentleman of the strictest honor & integrity. greatly valued & lamented by all his acquaintances." Commanded the "Caledonia" on her first trip to this Country in 1698; md. Anna dau. John Reid of Monmouth; he is bur. in Topanenms yard ; had a son,-
COL. KENNETH, of Manalapan, Mon. Co. b. May 18, 17to d. Mch. 18, 1806.
.418
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Col. Kenneth Anderson md. & had only one child:
ISABELLA b. July 6, 1737 d. Dec. 24, 1782.
Isabella Anderson ind. Mch. 23. 1757 Hon. Nathaniel Scudder, M. D. (s. of Col. Jacob Scudder of N. J.) b. May 10, 1733 shot by a party of Refugees at Shark's River near Shrewsbury, N. J. Oct. 18, 1781, grad. Princ. Coll. 1751, member of the Continental Congress 1777, '78, '79, dele- gate from N. J. to foun the "Articles of Confederation" between the United States July 9. 1778; he lived on what is now the Livingston Du Bois farm at Manalapan, had 5 chidi:
HON. JOHN ANDERSON, M. D. b. Mch. 22, 1759 grad. Princ. Coll. 1775 removed to Kentucky 1806, served a number of years in the As- sembly of N. J. & was a Representative in Congress from N. J. for the unexpired term of James Cox who d. 1810 (see Lamman's Direc- tory of Congress), md. Elizabeth Wikoff d. 1846, had 8 chldr. JOSEPH Esq. of Freehold, N. J. b. Feb 12, 1762 d. Mch. 5. 1843 grad. Princ. Coll. 1778 a lawyer, Surrogate of Mon. Co. 1794-97. Clerk of County 1798-1807 md. Nov. 24, 1788 Maria dau. Col. Philip Johnston of New Brunswick N. J. b. June 15. 1769 d. Dec. 21, 1858. had 14 chldr: HANNAH b Aug. 16, 1763 d. Dec. 9. 1834 md. Oct. 17, 1787 Col. Win. Wikoff (s. Jacob Esqr. of Freeholdl) Aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington at Battle Monmouth. by whom he was "Colonel" at the close of the War. b. Mch. 16, 1756 d. May 8, 1824, had 7 chldr. KENNETH ANDERSON b. Ang. 21, 1765 removed to Tennessee about 1808 md. Elizabeth Lilly niece of Joseph Cook Esq. of Manalapan. LYDIA b. Oct. 27. 1767 md. David English Esq. of Georgetown D. C. grad. Princ. Coll. 1789, no children.
From Record leaves Ioaned by Mrs. Helen M. Wakefield, Englishtown, N. J. some pieces in the record had been lost.
John Lloyd b. June 23, 1723 d. Oct. 14, 1784 md. Catharine Craig b. June 23. 1727 d. Aug. 5, 1789, had 2 chldr :
ANNA b. Apr. 12, 1746. MARGARET b. Apr. 9, 1748.
Anna Anderson d. Feb. 17, 1815 in her 69th yr. John Anderson d. June 7, 1797 in his 68th yr.
John Lloyd Anderson b. Mch. 2, 1766 md. Nov. 19, 1789 Mary Rue b. Aug. 28, 1773, had chldr :
ANNA LLOYD b. Mchi. 17, 1792. JOHN LLOYD b May 9, 1794. PHEBE RUE b. Sep. 18, 1796. HANNAH BOUND b. Nov. 10. 1798. PEGGY b. Feb. 3, 1801. CATHARINE LLOYD b. Ang. 6, -. MARY RAYE Apr. 14. ELIZA b. July 1, 1808.
Mathias Rue Anderson b. Sunday Feb. 17, ISII.
Moses Spronle Anderson b. Friday July 9, 1813.
Amanda Gordon Anderson b. Sunday May 12, 1816 in the cith of Trenton. [- Ann Hutchinson rson b Feb. 18. 18- on Mill Hill Township - - N. J.]
The ages of Mathias Rue and Phebe his w. formerly Phebe Combs the parents of Mary Anderson w. John L. Anderson as follows: Mathias Rue
419
GENEALOGICAL NOTES.
b. Apr. 27, 1752. Plebe Rue b. Aug. 24. 1752. Catharine Lloyd An- derson b. Ang. 6, 1803. Mary Raye Anderson b. Apr 14. 1806. Eliza Anderson b. July 1, 1808. Sarah Ann Hutchinson b. Mch 18, 1820.
Anna Anderson md. Garret Davison May 9. 1810. Plebe Anderson nid. Joseph Laird Apr. 23, 1814. Hannah Anderson md. Joseph Perine Oct.
7, 1819.
Margaret Anderson md. Alex. W. Phillips Apr. 20, 1822.
Amanda Gordon Anderson d. Sunday June 29, 1817 at Mill Hill, Burling- ton Co. her remains are deposited in the Baptis Church in this place. Sarah Ann Hutchinson Anderson d. Saturday Mch. 18, 1820 at Mill Hill, Burlington Co. her remains are deposited in the Baptis Church in this place.
James Anderson d. Friday June 25. 1824 in his 46th yr. Mathias Rue father of Mary Anderson d. Thursday June 22, 1820.
Births of John & Anna Anderson's chidr :
LEWIS b. Sep. 22, 1763. £ J. L. b. Mch. 2. 1766. LEWIS Oct. 6, 1768 CATHARINE b. July 27, 1771. ELIZABETHI b. May 3, 1774. ANNA b. Oct. 14, 1774. JAMES b. Sep 26, 1778. URSULA b. Jan. 14, 1781. MARGARET b. Apr. 7, 1782. PEGGY b. Sep. 15, 1787.
From data furnished by Prof. Harold W. Johnston, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
James Johnston md. Apr. 24. 1755 Jeannette,=Jane, Gaston b. June II, 1731, had 7 chldr:
WILLIAM. ELIZABETH. SARAH. #DANIELL. JEANNETTE. JAMES. GASTON.
Daniel Johnston md. Sarah Kirkpatrick, had 8 chldr:
ANDREW. JANE. "JAMES THOMPSON. ELIZABETH. LAVINIA. SARAH ANN. DANIEL. CAROLINE.
James Thompson Johnston ind. Mary Whetstone Haines, had 3 chldr. *DEWITT CLINTON. WILLIAM WIRT. JOHN HERRING.
De Witt Clinton Johnston nid. Margretta Bower, had 3 chldr:
WILLIAM WIRT. JAMES BOWER. "HAROLD WHETSTONE.
Harold Whetstone Johnston ind. Eugenia Hinrichsen, had 7 childr: MARY. KATHERINE. EUGENE HINRICKSEN. HAROLD BAUER. LOUISE. EDWARD SCOTT. ANN WYATT.
From a manuscript record in possession of Mrs. Wm. Rogers, Tennent, N. J.
Christopher Vanartsdalen b. Apr. 15, 1723 ind. Oct. 26, 1748 Elizabeth Krewson b. Aug. 23. 1728, had 6 chldr:
HENRY b. Oct. 4, 1749 d. young. SIMON b. Oct. 23, 1752 d. Jan. 1808. ALICE b. Aug. 23, 1755. JANE b. Aug. 3, 1757. HENRY 2nd b. July 16, 1759 was taken prisoner at Fort Washington in 1776 and fell a martyr in the American Revolution : taken a priso- ner at Fort Washington and exchanged d. Dec. 1776. JACOB C. b. May 11, 1762.
420
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Jacob. C. Vanartsdalen b. May II, 1762 came from Pennsylvania into Mon. Co. md. Nov. 9. 1788 Sarah dan. Coll. Barnes Smock, Middletown b. Nov. 6, 1766, had 8 chldr:
HENRY KREWSON b. Oct. 3, 1789. ELEANOR b. Aug. II. 1792. Twins. CHRISTOPHER b. Oct 27. 1795 d. June 19. 1796 & BARNES SMOCK b. Oct. 27, 1795. SIMON b. Nov. 7. 1798. SALLY ANN b. June 26, 1802 CORNELIUS SMOCK b. July 6, 1805 d. May 11. 1818 in the marl pit of his grandfather by the caving in of the bank. ELIZA JANE b. Apr. IS, 1808.
Eliza Jane's child born Sunday May 9, IS28 named Thomas Coffin Vanartsdalen.
Ileury Coffin Perry md. July 17, 1822 to Sally Ann Vanartsdalen dau. Jacob C. & Sarah. had 2 childr:
GEORGE HENRY b. Mch. 19, 1823. ANSON BALDWIN b. July 28, 1825. Barnes S. Vanartsdalen b. Oct. 20, 1795 mnd. June 13, 1818 Phebe Tway b. June 1, 1797, had 5 chidr:
SARAH b. May 23, 1821. WILLIAM HENRY b. Nov. 26, 1824. JOHN b. Nov. 5. 1826 d. Feb. 6. 1828 & Thomas Sergeant preached the funeral sermon from text The living know that they must die. JOHN 2nd. b. Jan. 30, IS29. MARY b. Jan. 5, 1832.
From a manuscript record in the possession of Peter Forman, Manalapan, N. J. John Ely (who was b. in a few days after his parents arrived in this coun- try fiom England) b. Oct. 1, 1707 md. Ist Phebe Allison b. July 26, 1712, md. 21d Sarah Worfed, ind. 3rd Deborah Hammell b. May 28, 1729. John Ely & his w. Phebe had Io chldr :
JOHN b Mch. 3, 1732 fifth day of week at I o'clock P. M. RICHARD b. Apr. 29, 1733 first day of week Io o'clock A. M. PHEBE b Dec. 17, 1734 second day of week at 9 o'clock P. M. MARY b. Ang. 3, 1736 third day of week at 5 A. M. WILLIAM b. June 10, 1738 first day of week at 5 o'clock A. M. JOSHUA b. June 2, 1740 second day of week at 8 o'clock P. M. ISAAC b. July 3, 1742 sixth day of week at 6 o'clock A. M. ALLISON b. July 23, 1744 second day of week
at 5 o'clock A. M. PHEBE b. Apr. 19. 1749 sixth day of week at 10 o'clock A. M. JOSEPH b. Aug. 19, 1751 second day of week at 4 o'clock P. M.
The following is a paper prepared by Rev. John H. Wyckoff of India ( Brother to Rev. Garret Wyckoff of Holmdel, N. J. ) and read Oct. 19, 1905 on Wyckoff Hill at the Wyckoff Reunion.
The common ancestor of the Wyckoff family in this country was Pieter Claesen, literally Pieter the son of Claes, who came from Holland in 1636. We have not clear evidence as to who Pieter's father was except that his name was Claes Cornelissen-Claes the son of Comelius-and that he Settled at Flatlands, I. I., soon after his arrival in the above year. The majority of the Dutch at that time used no surname. A man simply took his father's Christian name. Thus Cornelius, the son of Claes, was called Claes Cornelissen; and Pieter, the son of Claes, become Pieter Claesen. As there were several other emigrants bearing the name of Claes and Cor- nelius, it has been found impossible as yet to identify the original immi- grant, or trace him back to the old comitry. We have therefore to start
421
GENEALOGICAL NOTES.
with his son Pieter, who was nine years of age when he landed at New Amsterdam. This we know to be correct as we have his own statement that he was of that age, in his oath of allegiance to the British King. Pieter's father, like nearly all the emigrants of that time was probably a farmer. Whether he had property is not known. Pieter, however, must have been a young man of energy and thrift, for in a few years he became the wealthiest man in Flatlands, and 1655. at the age of 28, superintended the bouery and cattle of Governor Peter Stuyvesant. The entry in the colonial record, dated July 10, 1655 reads: "Peter Claesen agreed to fodder and winter, according to custom, all the cattle which Petrus Stuyvesant has at present in his bowery at Amersfoot (the Dutch name for Flatlands); also to sow all the land that is fit for sowing, provided that he deduct from the rent the grain sown thereon. For said service the sum of 325 gr; to leave the manure of his own and the general's in the bowery."
He was Magistrate of Flatlands for the years 1655, 1656, 1658, 1662, 1663 and in February 1664. He was likewise one of the representatives of the convention held at Midwout (now Flatbush) for the purpose of sending a delegation to Holland to lay before the States general and West India con- company the distressed state of the country. He was also one of the patentees in the town charters of 1667 and 1686. He married, about 1649 Gretie, daughter of Hendrick Van Ness and on November 27, 1650, his first child, a daughter, was baptised in the old Collegiate church, New York, as that was then the only church organization, the church at Flatlands not being organized until 1654. His second child, a daughter, was also bap- tised in New York, Judith Bayard, wife of the Governor, being one of the witnesses. All the other children, one daughter and seven sons, in all ten were baptised at Flatlands, of which church he was one of the charter members, and under which he is said to be buried. Unfortunately the early records of this church have been lost.
All of the ten children married into families that have entered largely into the history of the church and state of this country. We need only mention the names. (1) The eldest, Annetje, married Roelif Martensen Schenck, and for her numerous descendants consult the Schenck geneal- ogy. (2) Mayken (Maria,) became the wife of William Williamson, and was the mother of all the New York and New Brunswick Williamsons, as the record of the Williamson Dutch branch, by James A. Williamson will show. (3) Geertie, the third daughter, married Christoffer Jansen Romeyn, a family which has given several distinguished ministers to our church. (4) Claes, the eldest son, took for his wife Sarah, daughter of Peter Mont- fort, and was the progenitor of the Wyckoffs who make up so much of the history of the West Branch in Pennsylvania, and also in Hunterdon county. New Jersey. (5) Cornelius married Gertrude, daughter of Simon VanArs- dale, and is the ancestor of many of the Wyckoffs of Long Island not only, but of those who bear that name in New Brunswick and Middlebush, New Jersey (6) Hendrick, having no children, adopted his nephew Johannes Williamson, on condition that he took the surname of Wyckoff, and through him became the ancester of the Newtown Wyckoffs. (7) Garrett. married Catherine Nevius, of whom we shall speak later. (S) Martin, married Hannah Williamson. (9) Pieter, married Willemtje Schenck. (10) Jan B., Feb. 16, 1665, married Neltie, daughter of William Kouwen- hoven.
Shortly after the cession of New York to the English in 1664 Pieter Cleasen adopted the surname of Wyckoff. The word in Dutch is a double one-Wyk-hof. Wyk means a place of refuge, and also the ward of a city. The primary signification, was a home or dwelling place. The word is
422
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
almost identical with the Greek oikos-house, and has probably the same origin. Thus Brunswick, meant originally Brown's house. Hof means a court, and appears in the name Hoffman, meaning in English, courtier. Wyk hof doubtless meant primarily household courtier, in distinction from those who were further removed from the chief court of the realm. It is to be regretted, we think, that the Dutch spelling of the name Wyk- hof was not retained. for the name is now spelled in English in at least six different ways : Wyckoff, Wykoff. Wicoff. Wikoff, Wickoff, and strange to say, one branch spells it Wycough. Strange, I say, and yet not so strange, for when the various branches left Long Island and separ- ated they were still using the Dutch language. Afterwards when they began to adopt the English, they spelt the name without consultation with the other branches, and Wycough probably comes as near to the original Dutch as Wyckoff. The three branches of the family that settled in Monmouth county, New Jersey, of which our own is one, adopted the spelling Wikoff, while the Long Island and Somerset county branches, chose Wyckoff. Our father spelt the name Wikoff until about 1862, when he changed to Wyckoff, a wise change in our estimation, for there is no doubt but that the form Wyckoff will prevail, and we advise all the Wyckoffs, who are not hindered by legal limitations, to adopt that mode of spelling.
Our immediate ancestor was Garret, more correctly Gerritt, the seventh child and fourth son of Pieter Claeson. He took the oath of allegiance in 1687, and was married about 1691, to Catharine daughter of Johannes Nevius, the common ancestor of the Nevins family in this country. His name appears on the assessment roll of Flatlands in 1693. showing him to be possessed in his own right of considerable property. In 1699, he was one of five who purchased 1.000 acres of land at Marlboro. Monmouth county, and possibly intended to settle there with his brothers Peter and John, but he never left the island, having died comparatively young. His will is dated October 9. 1704, an abstract of which is as follows :- "In the name of God Amen, this 9th day of October, 1704, Be it known that I Garret Wyckoff, of Flatlands in Kings county, on the Island of Nassau, being at present very sick and weak, I leave to my loving wife Catharine, all estate of houses and lands during her life, and 12 acres of land within the limits of Gravesend. But if she remarry then an inventory is to be made, and my eldest son Peter shall have half the houses and lands when he is of age, and the other half after my wife's decease, and he is to pay to the other children, namely Gretie, Adriane, Amke, Marytie, and Jonica 4450. I give to my son Peter a silver tankard, and my plows and har- rows, and all the tackling to a farm, the testator makes provision for an expected child. I make my loving friends and brothers, Claes Wyckoff, Hendrick Wyckoff, Peter Wyckoff, Garret Stoothof, and Peter Nevius, my executors, and they shall sell a 12 acre lot of land, lying at Ambrose Is- land located in the town of Gravesend."
The "unborn child" mentioned in the will is of particular interest to us, for it was he who became our ancestor and about whose grave we gather to-day. He was born at the end of 1704, and his father lived till he was two years old, as the will was not proved until July 12, 1707. He was named Garrett for his father, and grew up without a father to counsel him. In 1728 he married Altie Garretson, and followed his two uncles- Peter and John-to Monmouth county, New Jersey, probably occupying the land that his father had purchased in 1699. His uncle Peter had set- tled at Middletown, and was an elder in the Brick church of Marlboro in 1709.
423
GENEALOGICAL NOTES.
John. the other brother, married Nellie Cowenhoven. He sold his land at Flatlands to Cornelius Coert Van Voorhees, deed dated May 14, 1702, and emigrated to Marlboro, where he was a church officer in the early years of that church. His son William married Angenitge Van Doren, and was grandfather of Colonel William Wyckoff. whose wife was Han- nah Scudder, daughter of Colonel Nathaniel Scudder and aunt of Dr. John Scudder, pioneer missionary of the Reformed church in India Their son Nathanael Scudder Wyckoff was one of the principal land owners in Manalapan township. Another son of William Wyckoff and Angenietji VanDoren, was Peter Wyckoff, grandfather to the famous Chevalier Henry Wyckoff, once editor of the Democratic Review. The late Colonel Wyc- koff, who fell at the head of his company at the recent battle of Santiago was a descendant of this branch.
To return to our own branch, Garret G. Wyckoff and Altie Garretson, had sons (1.) Garrett, baptized October 31. 1730 ; (2.) Samuel, baptized October 19, 1732 ; (3.) Peter, baptized March 31, 1734.
His daughters were : Catharine, married Benjamin Conover. Idah,
married David Conover Alice, married Jacob Van Derveer. Garret Wikoff married a second time, Aeltie Lefferts, and had one son, Auke, who was colonel of the Third Regiment Monmouth County Militia. His will, which is dated September 1, 1765, mentions Garret as his eldest son, who in accordance with the custom of the times received his father's silver cup, and the sum of 45 in addition to the other children's portions. To Catharine the eldest daughter, was deeded the large Dutch Bible. The remainder of the estate was divided equally among the seven children. The signature to the will is in the Dutch form viz : Gerrit Wijkhof, and the will is on file in the office of the Secretary of State at Trenton, N. J.
Garret the eldest son, remained on the homestead, and reared a large family. He was the father of Garret Wikoff, a patriot in the Revolution, and for a time a prisoner of war. He was also the great grandfather of Rev. Benjamin Du Bois Wyckoff, whose son Prof. Walter Wyckoff, is the author of the well known book-The Workers.
Peter, the third son, married Alice Longstreet, and was guide to Wash- ington at the Battle of Monmouth. He was a major in the army and was the great grandfather of Dr. James H. Wikoff of Princeton, ex-President Cleveland's physician. Anke, the half brother, born 1748, entered the army at an early age and in 1778 was made Lieutenant Colonel. On June 9. 1779 he was taken prisoner. He married Sarah Schenck, and lived until 1820.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.