USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of the city of Paterson and the County of Passaic, New Jersey > Part 35
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III. Romulus, b. Oct. 5, 1823 ; m. Valeria Conselyea, June 3, 1847; d. Nov. 19, 1888. Issue : I. Sophia ; 2. Oscar, d. June 27, 1892.
IV. Catharine, m. George Worden.
V. Ellen, m. Thomas Whittaker.
VI. Cinthia, m. Gottfried Müller, a German artist.
VII. Phebe, m. James Thomson.
VIII. Jane, m. Herrmann Kieshauer.
IX. Lea, m. James Briggs.
Jacob Jacob-Johannis-Jacob-Elias-Michiel-Jansen had children :
I. Mary (or Polly), b. Nov. 2, 1833 ; m. Archibald Hammel, Jan. 25, 1851.
II. Rachel, b. Jan. 18, 1839.
III. Jacob, living at Kingsland.
Elias Jacob-Elias-Jacob-Elias-Michiel-Jansen had chil- dren :
I. Antje, b. Sept. 21, 1787; m. Edo Vreeland, of Boiling Spring. Issue : I. Enoch; 2. Margaret ; 3. Elias ; 4. George; 5. Jane. Further particulars of these children have been given on page 126.
II. Adrian, b. Nov. 8, 1789 ; m. Antje Herring, Dec. 9, 18IO. Issue : I. Abraham Herring, b. Jan. 6, 1812 ; m. Jane, only child of John Van Riper, of Delawanna. (Chil- dren-I. Adrian ; 2. Clarence Hunter ; 3. John ; 4. Catrina ; 5. Cornelius ; 6. Elias ; 7. Abraham, besides others) ; 2. Elias, b. March 30, 1814 ; m. Jane, dau. of Aaron A. and Hannah Van Houten ; she d. May 15, 1849, aged 31 years, II months, 21 days. Abraham Herring Vreeland was educated for the ministry ; he taught school, farmed and preached at various periods of his life.
III. Geertje, bap. Jan. 10, 1796 ; m. Jacob Hopper, son of Garret Hopper, of Lodi. Issue : I. Ann, m. Jasper Yereance, of Boiling Spring ; 2. Adrian, m. Ist, Eliza Ann Post : 3. Garret, who taught school for many years, in and about Paterson ; 4. Margaret, m. Henry Yereance, of Boil- ing Spring, brother of Jasper ; 5. Eliza, m. Peter Cadmus.
IV. Elizabeth, b. April 9, 1812; m. Ist, Lucas Ro- maine, near Rochelle Park, January 21, 1830 ; 2d, Philip Van Bussum, of Slooterdam, Dec. 19, 1833. She d. Oct. 21, 1875. Issue : I. Maria Ann (by Romaine); m. John Van Riper, who lived near the Bergen county end of the Broadway bridge, and was a farmer, and afterwards a furni- ture dealer in New York ; 2. Margaret, in. Peter J. Kipp, of Clifton ; 3. Peter, living at Slooterdam.
1 Passaic County Deeds, B, 14.
2 Ib., E, 404.
132
HISTORY OF PATERSON.
Hartman Michael-Hartman-Michael-Hartman-Michiel- Jansen had children :
I. Gerritje, b. May 25, 1794; m. Albert Van Houten.
II. Fytje, b. Jan. 12, 1797.
III. Tryntje, b. Aug. 11, 1799.
IV. Lena, b. Aug. 31, 1803; m. Garret G. Garrison, who lived on Broadway, near East Thirtieth street. Ch., Hartman, b. Jan. 14, 1826.
V. Jenneka, b. Dec. 8, 1805.
VI. Marretje, b. Sept. 2, 1808.
Johannis Cornelius-Hartman-Michael-Hartman-Michiel- Jansen had children :
I. Cornelius, b. Oct. 5, 1804 ; m. Ist, Betse Simmons, sister of ex-Judge Henry P. Simmons, of Passaic ; Corne- lius lived in Fair street, Paterson ; 2d, Maria Taylor. Issue (all by second wife): I. John Livingston, b. Aug. 29, 1854; 2. Elizabeth Ann Wiggins, b. Aug. 28, 1855 ; 3. Sophronia, b. Dec. 16, 1856 ; 4. Sarah Elizabeth, b. June 10, 1859.
II. Catharine, b. Oct. 9, 1807; d. Nov. 25, 1807.
III. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 20, 1808; m. Cornelius A. Post, who lived in Park avenue. Ch., John Post, m. Hattie Foster.
IV. John, b. June 2, 18II ; m. Tinie (also called Ma- tilda) Stagg; he d. in Vreeland avenue. Issue : I. Ira, d. when 17 or 18 years old ; 2. Sophronia, m. Henry J. Garri- son ; 3. Abraham, d. unm., about 20 years old ; 4. Nicholas, m. Ida Hill, in Vreeland avenue ; 5. Cornelius, removed to Newark; 6. John, in U. S. Navy; 7. Carrie, unm. Three others d. in. inf.
V. Nicholas, b. July 2, 1814; m. Ellen Maseker (b. July 4, 1813), Feb. 17, 1838 ; d. April 13, 1873. Ch., Mary Elizabeth, b. July 12, 1840 ; d. Feb. 20, 1881, unm., at 127 Ward street, Paterson.
VI. Ann, b. July 15, 1817 ; d. in childhood.
The four children of Johannis who grew up built houses on Vreeland avenue between Eighteenth and Twentieth av- enues, and lived there for a time.
Cornelius Cornelius-Hartman-Michael-Hartman-Michiel- Jansen had children :
I. Cornelius, b. June 12, 1808 ; d. in inf.
II. Jannetje, b. Dec. 4, 1810; m. Lewis Masker, at Godwinville.
III. Cornelius, b. March 21, 1813 ; m. Auley Christ- opher, at Godwinville, and removed thither after his mar- riage.
IV. Nicasie Van Blarkum, b. Aug. 13, 1815 ; m. Eliza Masker, at Godwinville; afterwards removed to Hacken- sack, where he carried on blacksmithing, and later a hard- ware store.
V. Elizabeth, removed to Western New York ; m. Vreeland.
VI. Marian Simmons, b. Aug. 5, 1822; m. William Jackson, at Godwinville, after her father's death. She d. leaving one child, about two years old. Jackson m. 2d, Hannah Van Gelder, of Godwinville, March 2, 1843.
VII. Ellen, m. Nicholas Folley. Ch., Katie, m. Wil- liam Mackrell.
Michael Cornelius-Hartman-Michael-Hartman-Michiel- Jansen had children :
I. Cornelius D. (Dolly, after his mother), b. March 4, 1813 ; m. (by the Rev. Stephen Grover, Caldwell) Rachel Beach (b. Jan. 29, 1818 ; d. March 6, 1887), dau. of Capt. Jonathan Beach, of Caldwell, Sept. 29, 1836; d. July 6, 1890.
II. Andrew, b. May 21, 1815 ; m. Phebe Ann Stevens, Oct. 1, 1836.
III. Elizabeth, b. May 5, 1819 ; m. Andrew Derrom, May 22, 1842; d. Feb. 6, 1883 ; he d. July 15, 1892.
IV. Rachel, b. March 14, 1821 ; d. in inf.
V. Jeremiah, b. July 13, 1829 ; d. unm., of consump- tion, Feb. 12, 1851.
Some of the Vreelands owned farms extending "from river to river ;" that is, from the Passaic below Passaic Bridge, across the First Mountain to the river in the vicinity of Little Falls. Others owned at Caldwell, and they soon had mills along the Peckamin river. When the Horseneck tract was opened, they were among the early set- tlers about Gansegat (Fairfield). Richard Penn, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, by deed dated January 1, 1775, conveyed to Roelof Vreeland, of Pequanack, a large tract of land near Doremus Bridge, being part of a tract of 2, 500 acres surveyed in 1715 for Wm. Penn.1 Roelof died intestate, and his wife, Aaltje Doremus, then living at Peckamin river, was appointed administratrix, Aug. 17, 1804. They had chil- dren : I. Abraham, b. April II, 1768 ; 2. Anneke, b. May 24, 1771 ; m. Aaron Kirris ; 3. Ralph ; 4. Jennie, m. Abra- ham T. Doremus.
The will of John Vreeland, of Pequanack, dated May 7, 1785, proved June 4, 1795, names children John, Daniel, Jacob, Neeltje, Metje, Garret, Fametye, Peggy.2
Jacob Vreeland and Garret Vreeland, probably members of that branch of the Vreeland family which was located between Second River (Belleville) and Third River (Frank- lin), acquired several tracts of land, estimated to contain about 300 acres, 'at Macopin and vicinity, in 1754, by virtue of a deed from David Ogden for 150 acres, dated Decem- ber 20, 1753, and a deed from James Alexander and Robert Hunter Morris for 54.4 acres, dated Jan. 28, 1754.3 Jacob acquired other lands in addition to those mentioned above. He conveyed 50 acres to Gerrebrant Yereance, May 28, 1772 ; Yereance devised this tract to his children, Hannah, wife of Paul Powlason, Sarah, wife of Rulaf Van Wagoner, all of Acquackanonk, and Gerrebrant Yereance, of New Barbadoes, who on July 2, 1796, conveyed the same to John Vreeland and James Vreeland, of Macopin, so that the property once more came into the Vreeland family. James Vreeland and Jane, his wife, released to John, May 9, 1812.
Jolın Vreeland, son of Jacob (sometimes referred to in deeds as John I. Vreeland, meaning John Jacob Vreeland), m. Ist, Polly Kidnie, of Second River, by whom he had six children. He m. 2d, Catharine Whitty (probably Witteg,
1 E. J. Deeds, H 3, f. 69.
2 Book No. 36 of Wills, Trenton, f. 82.
3 Perth Amboy Surveys, S 3, f. 377.
1
133
THE VREELANDS.
the name being German), who bore him several more chil- dren. He was settled at Macopin prior to 1784.1 He lived about where Thomas B. Vreeeland now lives (1894), about a mile northeasterly from the Macopin pond. In the early days of the settlement, before he was able to build barns for the storing of his grain, he thrashed his buckwheat in the open air and piled it up in a huge mound. The wild turkeys were wont to swoop down in great flocks to feed on the grain, and the tradition is handed down in the family that one day John concealed himself, and when a flock settled down upon the buckwheat suddenly rose and fired into them, dropping nine turkeys at one shot. He had a saw mill where Horace Mabee's hotel now is, at Macopin. He conveyed most of his property, December 14, 1793, to his son James. 2 His will, dated June 23, 1809, was proved July II, 1812 ; William Colfax, and his wife Catharine, were his executors.3 He devised to his wife Catharine dur- ing her widowhood, all his estate, with remainder to his sons William and Henry, in fee, who also received his farming utensils ; to daughters Elizabeth, Catharine and Elanah, all the residue of his personal estate ; to the rest of his children, naming them, five shillings each. His children were :
I. Jacob.
II. Kobus (James), m. Jennie Beam, of Wanaque. Issue : I. Beam ; 2. John B .; 3. Conrad, m. -; d. about 1845, in a house which he built in 1821 on land deeded to him for life by his father, May 9, 1821. (Children : I. Thomas B .; 2. James C.); 4. Polly, m. James Tichenor, at Greenwoood Lake.
III. John.
IV. Abraham, went away from home and was never heard of afterwards.
V. Nelly.
VI. Polly.
VII. William, m. Elenor Degraw. Issue : I. Elizabeth (Betsy), m. -; 2. Julia Ann. m. -; 3. Jane ; 4. Sarah; 5. Peter ; 6. Harriet ; 7. Maria ; 8. David ; 9. Hester ; Io. Ellen ; II. James ; 12. John Milton; 13. - , d. young ; 14. --- , d. young.
VIII. Henry, m. Jane Eckhart ; d. Sept. 5, 1888, aged 85 years, 6 months, 21 days. Issue : I. George, d. in inf .; 2. and 3. Jacob and Katie, twins ; 4. John ; 5. Richard ; 6. Sarah ; 7. Joseph ; 8. James ; 9. Daniel ; Io. David ; II. Peter ; 12. Ira.
IX. Elizabeth, m. Samuel Payn. Issue : I. John ; 2. Lewis ; 3. Daniel ; 4. Catharine ; 5. Eliza ; 6. Samuel.
X. Catharine, m. James Payn, brother of Samuel. Issue : I. Hiram ; 2. John; 3. Adeline ; 4. Susan ; 5. Lorinda ; 6. James ; 7. Stephen ; 8. Jason.
XI. Elanah, m. David Gould ; they went West-to
1 On November 26, 1784, a road was laid " from the neighborhood of Makapien to the main Road that Leads from Pompton to Charlotte- burgh, two rods wide, beginning where the Road formerly went before the Door of the Dwelling house of John Vreeland," etc .- Bergen Roads, C, 13.
2 Bergen County Transcribed Deeds, H, 302.
3 Bergen County Wills, A, 416.
Western New York, or further West. Issue : I. Ruth ; 2. Margaret Jane ; 3. Isaac ; 4. William ; 5. Rachel.
John D. Vreeland (son of Dirck), who was a contemporary of John Jacob Vreeland, probably acquired his property from Garret Vreeland. He had children : Richard (men- tioned in deeds as Richard I. Vreeland), Yellas, John (John D. Vreeland, Jun.), Henry and Abraham. John D. Vree- land lived on the road leading from Macopin to Wanaque, a few hundred feet from the Macopin school house, where his grandson, John R. Freeland, now lives ; this branch of the family quite generally write their name Freeland.
Abraham A. Vreeland bought several tracts of land, some as early as 1790, in the Wanaque Valley, from Joseph Board, Peter Slott, Simon Van Ness, Elias Boudinot, Michael Cook, Sen., William Colfax and Robert Colfax.
About the same time, John A. Vreeland (perhaps a son of the Abraham Vreeland just mentioned) bought consider- able tracts of land in Pompton township.
In a lonely spot on the hillside, overlooking the Pequan- nock river, about a mile above Smith's Mills, are three tombstones erected as "tributes of filial esteem," by Ann Vreeland, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth, to the memory of :
Peter Vreeland, d. September 9, 1813, in the 59th year of his age.
Elizabeth Vreeland (his wife), d. January 24, 1847, aged 70 years, 6 months and 5 days.
John Wittig, d. May 26, 1806, aged 69 years, 10 months. Wittig was probably the father of Elizabeth Vreeland.
The following data are gleaned principally from the Acquackanonk, Totowa, Hackensack and Schraalenburgh church records. Except where otherwise stated, the dates after the names of children are the dates of birth :
Abraham Vreeland (will dated Oct. 12, 1805-Essex Wills, A, 83) and Lea Vreeland : I. Maragrietje, bap. Dec. 25, 1770; m. Hassel Yereance, and d. Aug. 29, 1847; 2. Cor- nelius, m. Sartje Helms, Nov. 13, 1797 ; 3. Elias, b. April 28, 1783. Some account of the children of Cornelius and Elias will be found on the next page.
Abraham Vreeland and Annaetje Moore : I. Elias, b. March 8, 1781; 2. Rutje, b. Oct. 12, 1791 ; 3. Gerrit, b. Aug. 24, 1795.
Abraham Vreeland m. Rachel Ackerman, Nov. 30, 1786. His will, dated Feb. 21, 1826, proved Nov. 7, 1826, devises all his estate, at Polifly, to his wife Rachel for life, with remainder in fee to his sons, John and Lawrence. (Bergen Wills, C, 163.) I. Anatje, Feb. 2, 1793 .; 2. Effie, Aug. 15, 1795 ; 3. John ; 4. Lawrence.
Abraham Vreeland and Maritie Ackerman : I. John, Aug. 6, 1789.
Abraham Vreeland m. Catharine Easterly, Oct. 5, 1789; I. Marragrietje, Jan. 19, 1790.
Abraham E. Vreeland, of Acquackanonk, m. Lea De- graw, Sept. 28, 1799. His children were: I. Cornelius, July 17, 1800 ; 2. Lea, Feb. 21, 1802 ; 3. Hartman, Jan. 9, 1804 ; 4. Catharina, March 13, 1806.
Abraham J. Vreeland and Lena Romyn : I. John, Jan. IO, 1813.
134
HISTORY OF PATERSON.
Benjamin Vreeland m. Elizabeth Van Winkel, May II, 1799 : I. John, Dec. 3, 1800; 2. Isaac, March 4, 1802; 3 Paulus, Nov. 22, 1803. +
Claas Vreeland m. Catrina Van Duyn, both of the church at Pompton, May 27, 1754.
Cornelius A. Vreeland m. Sartje Helms or Susanna Hel- lem, Nov. 18, 1797: I. Samuel, June 18, 1798; 2. Lea, Aug. 31, 1800 ; 3. Abraham, July 18, 1802; 4. Catharina, July 1, 1804.
Charles A. Vreeland and Ann Speer : I. Lydia, Dec. 26, 1815.
Elias Vreeland and Lea Aeltse : 1. Gerrit, Feb. 5, 1729.
Elias Vreeland m. Christina Thiese, both of Acquacka- nonk, May 22, 173I.
Elias Vreeland m. Catlyntje Smith (b. at Gansegat), July 3, 1741 : I. Pieter, Oct. 24, 1754; 2. Abraham, July 8, 1757 ; 3. Gerret, May 24, 1760.
Elias A. Vreeland, Jun., m. Annatje Spier, Jan. I, 1804. His will, dated June 1, 1816, was proved Sept. 17, 1816. (Essex Wills, B, 221.) I. Jacob, Nov. 28, 1804; 2. Sarah, Sept. 10, 1807; 3. Lea, July 26, 1813; d. in infancy ; 4. Lydia, Dec. 26, 1815.
Enoch Vreeland and Catrina Outwater : I. Isaac, b. Feb. 16, 1760 ; 2. Thomas, b. Dec. 13, 1764; m. Catharine - (Will dated Feb. 29, 1844; proved April 13, 1853); 3. Tryntje, bap. Sept. 13, 1767; m. - Hopper. (Issue: I. Cornelius; 2. Enoch). 4. Annatje, b. April 21, 1771 ; 5. Rachel, b. July 27, 1775 ; m. - Brinkerhoff. Issue : I. George.
Enoch C. Vreeland (will dated March 28, 1811 ; proved Sept. 4, 1816) and Lea Van Winkle: I. Jacomyntje, b. Mar. 24, 1771, m. Abraham Koejeman, Jan. II, 1787. (Issue : I. Leya, b. Jan. - , 1796; 2. Leya, b. Oct. 6, 1798; 3. Myntje, b. March 17, 1801); 2. Cornelius, b. Sept. 2, 1772 ; 3. Simeon, b. Oct. 24, 1776; probably d. in infancy ; 4. Margrietje, b. Aug. 31, 1779; d. in infancy ; 5. Helena, b. Jan. 23, 1782; m. - Willer ; 6. Johannes, b. Dec. 7, 1783 ; 7. Pryntje, b. June 29, 1786; m. Pier ; 8. Lea, b. ----; m. - Vanderhoof ; 9. Saartje, b. June 12, 1789 ; prob. d. young ; IO. Jannetje, b. Sept. II, 1791; II. Mar- grietje, b. Nov. 14, 1795.
By deed Sept. 8, 1798, Enoch C. Vreeland and wife con- veyed 32 acres ; Feb. 20, 1800, they conveyed 30 acres, part of Lot No. 13, of the small lots ; April 21, 1800, they con- veyed to Abraham E. Vreeland Lot No. 2, 44 acres, where Cornelius Enoch Vreeland then lived ; also part of Lot No. I, 12 acres.
Enoch (Ja.) Vreeland m. Marie Vreeland, Oct. 17, 1802 : I. Johannes, b. April 24, 1803 ; 2. Enoch, b. April 9, 1812 ;
3. Gouda, b. Nov. 24, 1814.
Gerrit Vreeland, y. m., b. at Acquackanonk, m. Marietje Stymelsz, m., both 1. here, Nov. 7, 1745.
Gerrit Vreeland and Maragrita Vreeland : I. Neeltje, Feb. 13, 1758; 2. Michiel, Sept. 31, 1761 ; 3. Marretje, Dec. II, 1766.
Gerrit Vreeland m. Rachel Moor (Ragel More), May 29, 1791 : 1. Sally, Oct. 5, 1791; 2. Cathalyntje, May 6, 1793 ; 3. Isaac, b. Sept. 21, 1796.
Gerrit Vreeland m. Maragrietje Van Rypen, Aug. 16,
1794: I. Abraham, March I, 1795; 2. Ragel, Feb. 27, 1798; 3. Cornelius, Aug. 4, 1800; 4. Jannetje, Dec. 15, 1802 ; 5. Janneke, May 15, 1808.
Hartman Vreeland and Marritje Gerrebrantse : I. Belitje, Jan. 5, 1756.
Hartman Enochs Vreeland m. Jannitje Van Nostrand, Aug. 20, 1747.
Isaac Vreeland (d. Jan. 11, 1836, in his goth year, and is buried at Belleville) and Myntje (Jemima) Romyn (d. Oct. 17, 1821, in her 59th year, and is buried at Belleville) : I. Abraham, Oct. 26, 1787.
Isaac Vreeland m. Maragrietje Vreeland, Feb. 10, 1790 : I. Helena, June 22, 1790; 2. Enoch, Sept. 5, 1792; 3. Catharina, Aug. 15, 1795 ; 4. Enoch, Sept. 20, 1798.
Jacob Vreeland, y. m., of Second River, m. Martje Jurj- aense, of Acquackanonk, Dec. 21, 1726.
Jacob Vreeland, y. m., b. at Wesel, m. Margaretha Gerrit- sen, maiden, b. at Wesel, both living at Acquackanonk, June 24, 1746.
Jacob Vreeland m. Marytje Banta, Nov. 6, 1760: I. An- naetje, bap. Nov. 23, 1761.
Jacob Vreeland m. Sarah Jacobse (in a deed May IO, 1800, they are described as of Caldwell) : I. Johannes, July 26, 1779.
Johannes Vreeland m. Metje Jurjaense : I. Johannes, Nov. 16, 1730.
Johannis Freelandt and Effje (Eegje) Ter Hune : I. Isaak, Jan. 21, 1755 (will dated Jan. 4, 1828; Bergen Wills, C, 330) ; 2. Johannis, bap. June 20, 1756; 3. Tryntje, bap. Nov. 13, 1757; 4. Abram, bap. July 15, 1759; 5. Petrus, bap. May 3, 1761; m. Peggy Demse. (Issue: I. Hessel, b. July 28, 1782; 2. - , b. July 24, 1783; 3. Marcus, b. b. Feb. 3, 1785; 4. - , b. June 23, 1787 ; 5. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 13, 1801); 6. Jacob, b. Nov. I, 1765 ; 7. Benjamin, b. March 14, 1771; m. Elizabeth Van Winkle, May II,. 1799-
Johannes (Ja.) Vreeland m. Jannetje Van Wagenen, Feb. 23, 1792 : I. Annaatje, Nov. 18, 1792; 2. Johannis, Jan. 3, 1796 ; 3. Helena, Sept. 15, 1807.
John Vreeland and -: I. John, Jan. 26, 1784.
John I. Vreeland and Sara Ellen (Allen) : I. Effie, April 20, 1786; 2. Abraham, b. Feb. 20, 1791; 3. Sara, bap. May 20, 1793, m. Tunis Van Iderstine ; d. Oct. 10, 1823 ; 4. Pie- ter, April 21, 1796.
John Enoch Vreeland m. Jenneke (Jannetje) Van Winkel,. Dec. 25, 1804 : I. Helena, Sept. 15, 1807.
John Vreeland, Jun., m. Geertje Rodebach, Jan. 28, 1804 : I. John, Oct. 31, 1804 ; 2. Elias, Aug. 27, 1808.
John M. Vreeland m. Elizabeth Van Eydestyn, Dec. 22,. ISII : I. Michael, Dec. 30, 1812.
John J. Vreeland m. Helena Vreeland, Feb. 26, 1810: I. Sara, July 1, 18II ; 2. Grietje, April 27, 1813.
Joris Vreeland m. Elsje Meed (Meet) of Pegqueneck, Dec. 18, 1728: I. Johannes, Jan. 13, 1731; 2. Johannes, Feb. 16, 1732.
Michael (M.) Vreeland m. Elizabeth Reddanor (Ridenar), Nov. 30, 1806: I. Michael, Dec. 28, 1807; 2. Hendrick,. Oct. 5, 1810 ; 3. Elizabeth, Sept. 7, 1812.
.
135
THE VREELANDS.
Michael C. Vreeland and Dorrity Snyder : I. Adrian, May 21, 1815.
Nicholas Vreeland and Elizabeth Van Schyven: I. Vrouwetje, Dec. 26, 1769; 2. Hessel, May 15, 1771; 3. Joannes, Jan. 14, 1775.
VIII. ADRIAN POST.
The Acquackanonk Patentee was doubtless a native of Holland, and was a son of Captain Adrian Post, who was sent over to this country in 1650 as the superintendent of a colony of twenty or more people, men, women and children, with suitable farming implements, in the ship "New Neth- erland's Fortune," which had been purchased, May 18, 1650, by the Yonkheer Hendrick van der Capellen, of Rys- sel, Baron of Essels and Hasselt, representative of the States General, etc., etc., in connection with four Amster- dam merchants. The vessel sailed June 30, 1650, but ow- ing to winter storms did not arrive in this country until De- cember 19th. 1
Pos is Dutch for gull, sea-gull. This seems to have been the correct way of spelling the Captain's name. He appears to have been a soldier.
Although the records regarding Post are silent for the next four or five years, it is evident that he located his colony on Staten Island, carrying it on with much success, so that in a few years there were one hundred or more persons in the little settlement. He cultivated friendly relations with the Indians and familiarized himself with their language,2 an acquisition which was destined to be of much service to him at a most critical period in his career. When the Indian War of 1655 broke out, his flourishing colony did not escape in the general attack made by the Indians upon the whites, but on the night of September 15, twenty-three persons were killed on Staten Island, and sixty-seven were taken prisoners, among the latter being Captain Post, with his wife, five children and a servant girl.3
A pleasant illustration of the confidence the Indians re- posed in his integrity is the fact that the Hackensack Chief, Pennekeck, sent Captain Post with fourteen of his fellow pris- oners over to New Amsterdam to ask the Director-General for powder and lead in exchange for these captives. And an equally pleasant token of the confidence of Captain Post in the humanity of his captors is the fact that at the request of the Dutch authorities he returned to the Indians to continue negotiations for the exchange of the rest of the white captives, and conducted his negotiations with such success that he re- turned to New Amsterdam October 21, with twenty-eight prisoners. He had another conference with the Hacken- sack Chiefs, Pennekeck and Oratamy, on October 26, and would seem to have been successful in securing the release of all the prisoners after a time.4 Upon effecting his own exchange, the faithful superintendent returned to Staten
1 O'Callaghan, II., 130; Broadhead, I., 524-5.
2 N. Y. Col. Docs., XIII., 46.
3 O'Callaghan, II., 291 ; N. Y. Col. Docs., XII., 98. See also Indian War of 1655, P. 41.
4 Cal. N. Y. Hist. MSS., I., 153; N. Y. Col. Docs., XIII., 46, 47, 48.
Island and hunted up the few head of cattle left, but ow- ing to the complete destruction of the crops, buildings and other property, most of the cattle had died, and he was obliged to sell others to obtain means to maintain his wife and children. 1
When Van der Capelle heard of the great havoc made by the Indians in his colony, he instructed Captain Post to gather together the survivors and to erect a fort on the Island ; also to keep the people provisioned. This, how- ever, was impracticable, as the Captain with his starving family during the ensuing winter were obliged to camp out under the bleak sky without any protection or means of defence. The authorities recognized the insurmountable difficulties in the way of protecting the colony, and decided to withdraw the soldiers and abandon him to his fate unless he would remove with his people and his patron's cattle to Long Island.2 The creditors of Van der Capelle, seeing the desperate condition of the colony, began to harass Post for the payment of the Baron's debts, and suit was brought by Jacob Schellinger and others against him as agent for the Baron for payment of a note ;3 and Janneke Melyn claimed as hers some of the few cattle still in Post's possession.4 Under his accumulating hardships and exposures and harassments, Post fell sick, and in the following April his wife was con- strained to petition the authorities for a postponement of the suit brought by Schellinger, and to urge that the sold- iers might be allowed to remain for the present on Staten Island. The soldiers who had escorted her to New Amsterdam were directed to return with her to Staten Island, but they had become tired of their exposure on that desolate spot, and declared they would not accompany her. 5 Dirck van Schelluyne, for and on behalf of Madam Post, in view of her husband's continued illness, petitioned (April 27, 1656) the Director-General and Council at New Amsterdam to send an armed force to the Island for the protection of the rights of Baron van der Capelle de Ryssel, Patroon of that place, and for somebody else to take care of the property during Captain Post's illness. The author- ities, however, insisted that there was nothing on the Island worth preserving but the cattle, which ought to be removed to Long Island, and as the population consisted of only six or seven persons (Captain Post, his wife, five children, one male and one female servant), it would be folly to send a garrison for their protection. The armed force was accord- ingly refused.6 On July 20, 1656, Schellinger recovered judgment against Post on a note signed by Cornelius Melyn and others, claiming to be agents of Baron van der Capelle.7
The attempt at colonizing Staten Island by individual enterprise having failed, the Island was purchased by the
1 N. Y. Col. Docs., XIII., 206.
2 N. Y. Col. Docs., XIII., 60-1.
3 Cal. N. Y. Hist. MSS., I., 161.
4 Cal. N. Y. Hist. MSS., I., 164.
5 Cal. N. Y. Hist. MSS., I., 165. 6 Cal. N. Y. Hist. MSS., I., 165, 166; N. Y. Col. Docs., I., 638 ; N.
Y. Col. Docs., XIII., 74-
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