USA > New York > Queens County > Newtown > The annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York; containing its history from its first settlement, together with many interesting facts concerning the adjacent towns; > Part 28
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1812, Mary, dau. of Capt. John Sackett, and d. at Blooming- burgh, N. Y. on his way to his family residence at Cayuta Lake, April 28, 1817. His widow and children reside at New- town, the latter being Andrew, Elizabeth A. m. Jas. Moore, Mary R. widow of Dr. J. P. Stryker, and Joseph A. John L. Lawrence, an ornament to the legal profession, was recently a member of the state senate, and at the time of his decease, July 24, 1849, was city comptroller. He m. in 1816, Sarah- Augusta, only dau. of Gen. John Smith of Mastic, L. I. and grand- daughter of the lamented Gen. Nath'l Woodhull; issue, John S., Elizabeth, m. Alfred N. Lawrence; Margaret, m. Jas. W. Walsh ; Sarah, Anna M., Richard, d. unm., William T., Charles W., Abraham R., Lydia, and Mary, dec.
THE BRINCKERHOFF FAMILY.
This respectable and extensive family is of Flemish extraction, and was anciently located in the city of Ghent, in the Netherlands, where its members are mentioned as free born citizens or patricians of that city, and among whom Andries Brinck- erhoff, senator and syndic in 1307, is particularly noticed in the annals of those times. From Ghent the fami- ly extended itself in the sixteenth century to Holland, Friesland, and Lower Saxony, probably compelled to make this remove by the galling severity of the Spanish government, which, during that century, forced into exile thousands of the inhabitants of Ghent and other places in Flanders. In the above-mentioned provinces the Brinckerhoffs became established, and their descendants enjoy much distinction there at the present day.
1. Joris Dericksen Brinckerhoff, the ancestor of the entire American family, was from the county of Drent or Drenthe, in the United Provinces, and having lived some time at
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Flushing, a sea-port in Zealand, emigrated to this country in 1638,* and with his wife Susannah, (whose maiden name was Dubbels,) settled in Brooklyn, where Mr. Brinekerhoff obtain- ed a grant of land by brief dated Mar. 23, 1646. He was a man of worth, and was an elder of the Brooklyn church at the time of his death, which happened Jan. 16, 1661. His widow survived many yrs. His ch. were Derick, Hendrick, Abraham,5 and Aeltic, who m. Wmn. Van Couwenhoven. Derick was slain by the Indians and left no issue. Hendrick m. Claesie Boomgaert and settled on the castern bank of the Hackensack river, in New Jersey, where he bought a tract of land June 17, 1685. IIe did not long survive his purchase. IIe left sons, Cornelius, Derick, and Jacobus, whose descendants, now con- siderably scattered, write their name Brinkerhoff ; omitting the letter c, which was dropped by this branch of the family many years ago, and is now also disused by a few others not of this branch. Of the three sons above-named, Cornelius, the eldest, settled at Communipau, and d. in 1770, leaving sons, Hendrick, and Hartman, who were ancestors to the B. families of Bergen. Deriek and Jacobus bought the paternal estate. The former has descendants at Hackensack and Sehraalenburgh.
2. Jacobus Brinckerhoff, like his grandfather Joris,1 was a person of character, and a member of the Dutch church. He d. in 1769 or '70. By his wife Agnietie, he had issue IIen- drick, George,3 Jacob, and Maria, who m. Elias Houseman. Hendrick d. in 1760, having had five ch. namely, Jacobus, (grandfather of the Rev. James G. Brinkerhoff,) Nicausie, (grandfather to the wife of Rev. Cor. T. Demarest, of English Neighborhood,) George, (grandfather of George, formerly she- riff of Bergen co.) Hendrick, and Ann, who m. Henry Ver- bryck. Jacob d. in 1771, having had issue Agnictie, m. Daniel Haring; Lucas ; Nautie (Hannalı) m. John Christie ; Jacobus, Hendrick, Albert, and George. Jacob, a son of Albert, now occupies the old homestead of the family on the Hackensack river, nearly two miles below the village of that name.
3. George Brinkerhoff, son of Jacobus,2 was born near
* The places of their residence in Europe, and date of emigration are de- rived from a MS. account of the family, compiled more than thirty years since by the late Isaac Brinckerhoff, Esq. of Troy, who appears to have drawn his information from authentic sources.
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Hackensack, Oct. 9, 1719, m. Martina Bogart, and prior to the Revolution removed to Adams co. Pa. His wife d. Feb. 5, 1782, a. 54, and he at a very advanced age, Jan. 3, 1810. Their ch. were James, Roelof, Henry, d. unm., Gilbert, Jacob,4 John, and George, the latter a clergyman of the Dutch church, and father of Hon. Geo. H. Brinkerhoff, of Niles, N. Y. John left descendants in Adams co. Pa. Gilbert also had issue. James d. in Niles, where two of his sons, George and James, now reside. Roelof d. at Owasco, N. Y. His ch. were David R. a member of the convention which revised the constitu- tion of this state in 1821, and who d. at Auburn, greatly respected ; George R. late of Owasco, a justice of the peace ; Henry R. a major-general of militia and member of assem- bly of this state, who removed to Huron co. Ohio, was elected to congress in 1843, but d. before taking his seat ; James R. d. unm. ; Martina, m. Col. John L. Hardenbergh, of Auburn ; Margaret, m. Richard Parsell ; and Hannah, who m. Dr. Josiah Bevier, late of Owasco.
4. Jacob Brinkerhoff, son of George,3 was b. Feb. 25, 1756, and m. Hannah Demarest, of Hackensack, Feb. 25, 1779. He served in the Revolutionary army. In 1793 he removed from Pennsylvania to Owasco, N. Y. where he d. Nov, 13, 1829. His widow d. April 1, 1840, a. 81. They had issue George J .; Margaret, m. Peter Seborn ; David J. d. unm .; Martina, m. Geo. Post ; Henry J .; Isabella, m. John Decker ; James ; Jacob, dec .; Peter ; Maria, d. unm. ; and John J. of Owasco, formerly member of assembly. Henry J. d. at Ply- mouth, Ohio, and was the father of Hon. Jacob Brinkerhoff, of Mansfield, in the above state, late a member of congress.
5. Abraham Jorisz Brinckerhoff, son of Joris,1 was b. at Flushing, in Holland, in 1632, as we learn from the MS. account of the family before mentioned. He obtained a pa- tent for land at Flatbush, but located in Flatlands, where he served as an elder of the church, and was chosen a ma- gistrate in 1673. He had m. May 20, 1660, Acltic, dau. of Jan Stryker and sister to the wife of Cor. J. Berrien; and about the time that Mr. Berrien came to Newtown Mr. Brinekerhoff removed hither also, having bought the large farm on Flushing meadow, now owned by W. T. Hendrick- son. Here he d. about 1714. His ch. were Joris,6 John,
.
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Derick,11 Garret, Ida, m. John Monfort ; Susannah, m. Martin R. Schenck; Sarah, m. successively, Jacob Rapelje and Ni- cholas Berrien ; Margaret m. Theodorus Van Wyck, and Lammetie, who m. Johannes Cornell. Garret, b. 1681, set- tled on a farm in Flushing, given him by his father in 1711, but his descendants are not clearly traced, though they are believed to have located in Oyster Bay. John settled in Flush- ing, and d. in 1707. His son John, b. Mar. 15, 1703, resided near Newtown village, and d. Aug. 31, 1758. His ch. were (by his first wife Marritie Ryder,) John, b. July 15, 1728; Stephen, b. Mar. 6, 1731 ; Catharine, b. Feb. 6, 1734, m. Abra- ham Lent ; Elizabeth, b. July 23, 1741, m. John A. Brincker- hoff; and (by his second wife Anna, dau. of Abm. Lent,) Mary, b. Nov. 15, 1742, who m. Baldwin. I believe this entire family removed to New Hackensack. Stephen m. Maria Wal- dron in 1755, and d. in Dutchess co. between 1776 and '79 ; issue, John, Mary, and Aletta.
6. Joris Brinckerhoff, son of Abraham,5 was b. Mar. 1, 1664, and early joined the Flatlands church. He succeeded to the pa- ternal estate on Flushing Bay, and acquired several other farms which, by deeds dated Mar. 2, 1726, he distributed among his sons. He d, Mar. 27, 1729. His wife, Annetie, dau. of Teunis Jansz Coevers,* d. June 11, 1750, a. nearly 85. Their ch. were Sarah, b. Dec. 18, 1691, m. Rem Adriaense ; Susannah, b. Mar. 4, 1693 ; Abraham, b. Dec. 10, 1694 ; Teunis,7 b. Mar. 29, 1697 ; Isaac,8 b. April 26, 1699 ; Aeltie, b. April 13, 1704, m. Cor. Rapelje ; Neeltie, b. July 22, 1706; Hendrick,9 b. Jan. 2, 1709; and Antie, b. Oct. 4, 1712, who m. Abm. Rapelje. Abraham had a farm now owned by Mrs. McMurray and others. He d. May 6, 1767, a. 72. His ch. were Abraham, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Abm. Brinckerhoff, but d. without issue
* This was the common ancestor of the COVERT family in this country. He emigrated in 1651 from Heemstede, in Holland, and settled at Bedford, L. I. subsequently serving as an elder in the Brooklyn church. He and his consort, Barbara Lucas, were both living in 1690. Their children (all church members, with possibly one exception,) were Hans, Lucas, Maurits, Marritie, who in. Jean Mesurolle, (whose father Jean, ancestor of the Meserole family, came from Picardy, France, in 1663 ;) Aeltie, m. Wm. Post ; Sarah, m. Arent Fredericks, and Annetie, who m. Joris Brinckerhoff. Each of the sons left issue, and their descendants are now numerous and scattered over several states of the Union.
-
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in 1780, a. 53; Ann, m. Theodorus Polhemus; Sarah, m. Johannes Brinckerhoff; Elizabeth, m. John Rapelje, and Mary, who m. William Bloodgood.
7. Teunis Brinckerhoff, son of Joris,6 m. Elizabeth Ryder, Nov. 24, 1721, and occupied the farm now of Mr. Kneeland, at Dutch Kills. He became an elder of the Dutch church in 1748, and for many years was a justice of the peace. Ile d. at the Kills, Jan. 16, 1784, in his 87th yr. his wife having d. in her 46th yr. Oct. 24th, 1745. His ch. were Elizabeth, b. May 10, 1724, m. John Fish ; and George, b. October 17, 1726, who m. Dec. 18, 1746, Catharine, dau. of Elbert Herring and grand- daughter of Abraham Lent. He had issue, Elizabeth, b. Oct. 6, 1747, m. Simon Bloom ; Elbert, b. Jan. 4, 1751; Tunis, b. Dec. 27, 1757 ; and George, b. Jan. 18, 1765. Mr. Brineker- hoff owned the farm now of Samuel Waldron, but after the Revolution he removed to Hopewell, Dutchess co. and left this farm to his grandson George, son of Elbert. He d. Dec. 5, 1797, and his widow July 11, 1807, in her 79th yr. His sons Tunis and George moved to Dutchess co. in 1783. Tunis m. Jane, dau. of John Bragaw, and d. Feb. 3, 1790, in his 33d yr. His descendants live in the town of La Grange, in the above county. George m. Jan. 9, 1785, Elizabeth, dau. of John Wiltsie, d. a. 69, July 8, 1834, and had issue, Marga- ret, who m. Isaac Adriance, and sons, Tunis and John, re- siding at Fishkill; the former, who was b. May 12, 1791, and m. Sept. 28, 1814, Maria Van Wyck, is the father of T. Van Wyek Brinkerhoff of that place. This gentleman, whose praiseworthy efforts have done much to preserve the history of the B. family, is in possession of an antique writing desk, to which tradition ascribes a Holland origin, it being said to have been brought over by Joris Dericksen Brinckerhoff himself. Elbert m. Antie Storm, and d. on the paternal farm Jan. 23, 1780, a, 29, leaving issue George, and Catharine, now widow of Cor. R. Remsen. George m. Rebecca, dau. of Abm. Berrien, and d. June 26, 1808, a. 35, and his widow Oct. 6, 1843, a. 67. Their ch. were Mary B. b. Mar. 30, 1795, m. David Moore ; Ann S. b. Dec. 25, 1797, widow of James H. Kolyer; Catharine R. b. Oct. 15, 1798, m. Wm. L. Riker and Jeremiah Simonson; Grace B. b. Aug. 25, 1800, wife of Charles Cook; Pelatiah W. b. Sept. 22, 1802, wife of
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And. B. Ryerson ; and George-Berrien, b. June 29, 1806. The latter, Geo. B. Brinckerhoff, Esq. of Newtown, m. Sarah-Ann, dau. of Johannes Kolyer.
8. Isaac Brinckerhoff, son of Joris,6 m. his cousin Diana, dau. of Derick Brinckerhoff. He occupied a farm conveyed to him by his father, Mar. 2, 1726, being that now owned by Wm. Bragaw, near the Narrow Passage. Ile d. suddenly June 4, 1745, in his 47th yr. His widow d. Sept. 13, 1749. Their ch. were Anna, b. May 6, 1733, m. Wm. Lawrence ; Acltie, b. June 18, 1735, m. Cor. Van Wyck ; Sarah, b. May 11, 1738, m. Thos. Carman, and George, b. Oct. 18, 1739. The latter succeeded to the paternal farm and was thrice married ; first, to Susannah Fish, who d. July 18, 1772, a. 30 ; secondly, to Sarah, dau. of Jacob Rapelje, who d. Mar. 17, 1787, a. 32; and thirdly, to Elizabeth, dau. of Charles Palmer, who survived him, and d. in her 96th yr. Mar. 16, 1847. Mr. Brinckerhoff was a well esteemed citizen, and was a whig during the Re- volution. British troops often encamped on his premises. He d. April 17, 1802, in his 63d yr. He had issue (by his first wife,) Susannah, m. John Storm, (and by his second wife,) Ca- tharine, m. Thomas Alsop, and Diana, who m. Jacob Storm.
9. Hendrick Brinckerhoff, son of Joris,6 m. Lammetie, dau. of Daniel Rapalje, and succeeded to the homestead on Flush- ing Bay, (now W. T. Hendrickson's,) where he resided till his death, in 1777, a. 68. He was a pious and exemplary man, an elder of the Dutch church at Newtown, and a magistrate for many years. ITis ch. were George, Daniel,10 Abraham, Tunis, Jacob, d. unm. Johannes, Isaac, and Aeltie, who m. Richard Cooper. George, b. 1732, m. in 1753, Ida Monfort, and had is- sue, Hendrick, Lammetie, d. unm., and Abraham. The latter b. 1760, m. in 1793, Hannah Laton, and d. Sept. 23, 1823 ; issue, George, David, Abraham, Henry, and Ida, who m. John Chapman. Abraham m. Sarah Onderdonk, and had ch. John, Isaac, Lammetie, Cornelius, who m. but had no issue, and Ann, who m. John Ludlum. John m. Rebecca Lott in 1791, and had issue, Margaret, b. 1792; Sarah, b. 1794; Abraham, b. 1798; John, b. 1803 ; Cornelius, b. 1806; Hendrick, b. 1808; Isaac, b. 1810 ; and Ann-Eliza, b. 1813 ; all living and married. Tunis m. Catharine, dau. of John Rapelye, and had ch. Hen- drick, John, Elizabeth, Ann, Aletta, Jacob, and James. Johannes
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m. Sarah, dau. of Abraham Brinckerhoff, settled at New Hackensack, in Dutchess co. and d. Nov. 23, 1764, in his 28th yr. His widow, a pious and excellent woman, returned to Newtown with her only child, Hendrick, and afterwards m. Elbert Adriance. Hendrick m. Elizabeth, dau. of Rem Hege- man, and had issue, Elbert A. now of New-York ; Sarah, m. Abm. Snediker; Ida, m. Isaac T. Reeves; Eliza, m. David Hendrickson, and Aletta, who m. Jason Beebe. Isaac b. 1743, m. Annetie Bennet, and was a farmer at the Head of the Fly. He was constable of Newtown from 1775 till '80, and served as an elder in the Dutch church, Jamaica. He d. Dec. 6, 1815, a. 72, and his widow in her 75th yr. Dec. 11, 1820. They had ch. Annetie, b. Feb. 7, 1772, m. Jacob Brinckerhoff; Aletta, b. Jan. 12, 1776, d. unm., and Hendrick, b. Sept. 15, 1780, who succeeded to the paternal farm, was also an elder of the Jamaica church, and d. Sept. 22, 1828. He had issue, (by his first wife Sarah Snediker,) Isaac, Elbert, and Anna, (and by a second wife Phebe Bloom,) Hendrick, Sarah-Maria, and Aletta-Magdalene.
10. Daniel Brinckerhoff, son of Hendrick,9 was b. Oct. 26, 1734, m. April 3, 1756, Ann Monfort, and d. Sept. 28, 1781. His widow d. Oct. 8, 1793, a. 61. Their ch. were Hendrick, b. June 19, 1757 ; Abraham, b. Mar. 27, 1760 ; Jacobus, b. June · 5, 1762, d. Dec. 4, '62 ; Sarah, b. Mar. 17, 1764, m. Wm. Laton ; Jacob, b. Aug. 27, 1766; Lammetie, b. Dec. 5, 1768, d. Oct. 15, '69 ; Daniel, b. Ang. 26, 1770 ; Peter, b. Jan. 21, 1774 ; and Aletta. b. Oct. 8, 1779, who m. Jacob Rapelye. Hendrick m. but d. without issue. Abraham D. m. in 1782, Gertrude, dau. of Peter Onderdonk, and secondly Deborah, dau. of John Lawrence, a grandson of William, son of Major Thos. Law- rence, of Newtown. He d. Mar. 30, 1843, a. 83, having had issue, (by his first wife,) Elizabeth, m. Griffin Sands ; Ann, m. John Wright; Jane; Daniel, now of Williamsburgh, L. I. ; Sarah, m. Deriek Brinckerhoff; Gertrude; Peter d. young ; Hendrick, d. unm. ; (and by his second marriage,) Aletta, and Charlotte who m. Styles P. York, Tarrytown. Jacob succeed- ed to the paternal farm at Manhassett, L. I. being that now owned by his only surviving child, Daniel. He m. in 1793, An- netie, dau. of Isaac Brinckerhoff, and d. July 28, 1841, in his 75th yr. having been an elder of the Manhassett church. Daniel m. in 1792 Maria, dau. of John Luyster, and d. Sept.
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20, 1828, a. 58 ; issue, John, and Jane-Smith, who m. Nicholas Bennet. Peter resides at Lakeville, L I .; no issue.
11. Derick Brinckerhoff, son of Abraham,5 was b. Mar. 16, 1677, m. in 1700, Aeltie, dau. of John Couwenhoven, and be- came a farmer in Flushing, where he enjoyed a commission as justice of the peace. He was connected with the Dutch church at Newtown. His wife d. in her 62d yr. Mar. 9, 1740, after which he again m. but had no further issue. He d. April 26, 1748. His ch. were Abraham,13 John, Joris,12 Jacob and Isaac, twins, Diana, m. Isaac Brinckerhoff; Aeltie, m. Wm. Hoog- land, and Susannah, who m. Cornelius Luyster. Of these sons, Abraham, John, Isaac and Jacob settled in Rombouts Precinct, now Fishkill, Dutchess co. on 1000 acres of land purchased of Madam Brett. John, styled colonel, m. Jane, dau. of Johannes Van Voorhees, and d. in 1785, a. 81. He gave his farm to his grandson, John B. Van Wyck, son of his dau. Aeltie, wife of Dr. Theodorus Van Wyck. He left another farm to his grand- son Adrian Brinckerhoff. Jacob m. Elizabeth, dau. of Abra- ham Lent, and d. at Fishkill, in 1758, a. 44, leaving issue Ann- Catharine, m. Johannes De Witt, and Derick. The latter m. Catharine Van Vlack and located at the Dutch Kills. His ch. were Elizabeth, m. Abm. Paynter; Aaron; Catharine, m. Ray- nor Willett; and Jacob, now of New-York. Aaron was the father of Andrew Bragaw Brinckerhoff, of New-York, lumber dealer. Isaac, b. Jan. 12, 1714, m, Feb. 28, 1737, Sarah, dau. of Daniel Rapalje. He d. on his farm at Fishkill, April 22, 1770. His widow d. in 1793, a. 74. Their ch. were Derick, and Aletta who m. Gen. Jacobus Swartwout. Derick, b. May 21, 1739, became a merchant in New-York city, and m. May 20, 1761, Rachel, dau. of Cor. Van Ranst. He was a member of the Dutch church, and at the Revolution, being a whig, fled to Fishkill, and d. Nov. 17, 1780. His ch. were Isaac, Cornelius, Jacobus, d. in infancy, John, Sarah, m. Gerrit H. Van Wagenen; Gertrude, d. unm. ; Catharine, who alone survives ; and Mary-Godby, who d. single. Of these, Isaac, b. Mar. 14, 1762, m. Sophia Quackenbush, and d. at Troy, Dec. 29, 1822, having had ten children, one of whom is Walter, of New-York city, and another, Isaac, is a surgeon in U. S. navy. Corne- · lius, b. Mar. 5, 1770, m. Mary, dau. of Dr. Jos. Chapman, and
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d. Mar. 10, 1813; his son, William C. now residing in New- York. John, b. Oct. 17, 1773, m. Gertrude, dau. of Abm. Schuyler, of Albany, where Mr. B. d. Mar. 10, 1835. His son, Dr. John Brinckerhoff, lives at Chicago, III.
12. Joris Brinckerhoff, son of Derick,11 was b. in 1705, and became a merchant in New-York. Ile joined the Dutch church in 1726, and subsequently served for ten years as a member of the city council. He was twice married, and d. in 1768, a. 63, leaving ch. Derick, Abraham, and Lucretia, who m. Jacobus Lefferts. Derick, b. 1729, a merchant, church-member, and alderman, m. in 1766, Catharine, dau. of Christopher Abeel, and d. at Fishkill, in 1775 ; issue, George, Elizabeth, m. Fash, and Catharine, who m. Harry Peters. Abraham, b. 1745, half brother of Derick, was a merchant, and m. Dec. 17, 1772, Dorothy, dau. of Peter Remsen; he d. in Broadway, Mar. 7, 1823, in his 78th yr. His ch. were Peter, (several of whose children reside at Albany ;) Maria, m. John H. Remsen ; George; Abraham, (whose family mostly reside at Free- hold, New Jersey ;) Lucretia L. m. John S. Schermerhorn ; James, and Jane.
13. Abraham Brinckerhoff, eldest son of Derick,11 pre- deceased his father, but the date of his death is not ascertain- ed. By his wife, Femmetie, he had issue, Derick, John A., Abraham, d. without ch .; Elizabeth, m. Abm. Brinckerhoff; Aeltie, m. Abm. Adriance ; Diana, m. Rudolphus Swartwout, and Antic, who m. Abm. Lent. John A. m. Elizabeth, dau. of John Brinckerhoff, and d. in the Revolution ; issue, Phebe, m. James Humphrey ; Abraham ; Elizabeth, m. Smith ; George ; Isaac, d. unm., and Derick. The latter left sons, John, Abraham, Isaac, George, and William. Derick, entitled colonel, m. Aug. 27, 1747, Geertie Wyckoff, of Flatlands, and was an extensive miller at Fishkill. His ch. were Abraham, Jacob, and Phebe, who m. Col. Aaron Stockholm. Abraham m. Sarah Brett; issue, Gertrude, m. Gen. John Van Wyck; Catharine, m. James Bailey ; and Derick, who m. twice and had issue Abraham, Robert, Sarah, Matthew, James, and Catharine. Jacob, son of Col. Derick, was b. June 7, 1754, m. Oct. 23, 1774, Dientic Van Wyck, and d. Aug. 12, 1818. His ch. were Gertrude, Aletta, Maria, Elizabeth, Derick, Hannah, Phebe, and Diana ; of whom Derick, b. Oct. 19, 1786, m. Mar. 24,
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1813, Sarah, dau. of Abraham D. Brinckerhoff, and resides at Fishkill, having had issue Gertrude, Diana, Richard-Henry, Sarah-Jane, Cordelia and Abraham.
THE RIKER FAMILY.
We are informed by writers on European genealogy, that the Rikers were originally a German family, located at a very remote period in Lower Saxony, where they enjoyed a state of allodial independence, at that day regarded as consti- tuting nobility. They there pos- sessed the estate or manor of Rycken, from which they took their name, then written von Rycken, indicating its territorial derivation. Subsequently the name suffered various changes, being found written de Rycke, de Ryk, Riecke, &c. and in America finally assuming its present form.
Hans von Rycken, the lord of the above manor, and a valiant knight, with his cousin, Melchior von Rycken, who lived in Holland, took part in the first crusade to the Holy Land, in 1096, heading 800 crusaders in the army of Walter the Penniless. Melchior lived to return, but Hans perish- ed in that ill-fated expedition. The coat of arms first borne by the family are represented above, and are thus to be ex- plained ; the color of the shield (azure) is emblematic of the knighthood, the horns indicate physical strength, the golden stars a striving for glory, and the white roses are symbols of discretion and fidelity. But in the year 1225 the descendants of Hans von Rycken adopted as a new coat of arms the es- cutcheon of their fee-farm, Barrenhop, which name signifies in Low-Saxon a heap of bears, and hence there were bears' heads
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in their arms and crest. Their posterity is now most numerous in Lower Saxony, Holstein and Hamburg. In time the descen- dants of Melchior von Rycken extended themselves from Hol- land to the region of the Rhine, and into Switzerland, and from these originated a branch of the family which became distin- guished in the city of Spire, to one of whom, a patrician of that city, the emperor, Lewis Fifth, in the year 1829, in consideration, as we are told, of the self-acquired honors and estates of his family, presented a new armorial device, the shield bearing crossed spears and a fish. This branch of the family wrote its name Ricker, by which as well as by its escutcheon, it continued to be distinguished.
As regards the American portion of the Riker family, I am, with present information, disposed to believe them de- scended from a branch of the family of considerable wealth and importance at Amsterdam, where they had occupied places of public trust for two centuries, until the Spanish war occasioned a great reverse in their fortunes. In this war Capt. Jacob Simonsz de Rycke, a wealthy corn mer- chant of the above city, and a warm partizan of the Prince of Orange, distinguished himself by his military services. It has been conjectured that he was the grandfather of Abra- ham de Rycke, the head of the family in America, from the early occurrence of the name of Jacob in the family here,* and since tradition states that their ancestor was an early and zealous supporter of William of Nassau, when that prince took up arms in defence of Dutch liberty, and that the family, for several successive generations, during the long and sanguinary struggle with Spain, followed a military career.
* Notices of the Riker family, contained in Knapp's Treasury of Know- ledge and Thompson's Long Island, state that the father of Abraham was named Gysbert, who locating early at the Poor Bowery, obtained a grant of land, &c. I have failed to find a particle of documentary evidence in favor of this statement, which probably refers either to Hendrick Harmensen, the father-in-law of Abraham, (see pages 21, 22,) or to Abraham himself who afterwards settled there ; and though a Gysbert Riker appears among the early emigrants to New Netherland, our records warrant the belief that he was not the father of Abraham. If we may judge from that almost unerring guide among the Dutch at that day, the names of the elder grandsons, we may conclude with much confidence that the father of Abraham was named Jacob, who probably never came to America.
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