Catherine Janse Pootman & Elias Post

By Mark R. Putnam

CATHERINE JANSE POOTMAN

&

ELIAS POST

Catherine Janse Pootman was born about 1684 and married Cornelius Elias Post. Cornelius Post was the son of Elias Post and Maria Janet Cornelius Van Egmont. The Van Egmont's were also known as the Van Voorhout’s. Catherine Pootman and Cornelius Post married in New York City December 11, 1704. Cornelius' sister Agnes Post married Casparus Blank the son of a Jurian Blank who was a goldsmith. The Dutch name "post" may mean a mailman or a person who guards a post. In the early baptismal records of the Dutch Reform Churches of New York City and Brooklyn along with the Van Gelders and Blanks, Cornelius Post and Catherine Pootman were associated with the Provost's, Van Ep's, and Spratt's. John and Corneliua Spratt were witnesses to the baptism of Catherin Pootman Post’s son Johannes who was born in 1710. The name Spratt seems to come from the word “sprout” and also “sprig”, which mean a shoot, scion, of twig used for planting. The Old English word “sprat” means a small fish of the herring family considered to be a fingerling. In Old English “sprat” also means a sprout or shoot [a twig of a tree]. The fish got its name from sprout meaning a small fry or young. The association of the surname Spratt with Pootman/Potman may be important as the Dutch word “poot” means long with foot a seeding or planting, and the surname Pootman has even been said to mean nurseryman or planter, which would seem true if Pootman is Dutch and not German. I find it interesting that the Spruston family has done STR YDNA marker testing at 12 markers and shows a matching of 11 of the 12 markers. “Ton” likely means hill or town. In Germany “spruissen” means to spring up while “sprossen” means a shoot, scion, or sprout. In German “poot” and “poth” usually mean a wetland, pond, of pool. The Dutch word “poten” means to plant, set, or put in. Cornelius Post wrote well as is seen by his signature. Since the Post family was connected with the Blank family who worked in the silversmith trade and since Catherine and Cornelius Post had a son Elias who was a gunsmith, Cornelius Post may also been a smith. Children: 1. Cornelius. He was baptized September 5, 1705, at the New York City Dutch Reform Church. His sponsors were Fictoor Potman an Maretje Post. Parents were listed as Cornelius Post and Catlyntie Pottman. 2. Elias. Elias was baptized January 7, 1708, at the Dutch Reform Church of New York City. His witnesses were Casparus Blanck and Catharine Rutgers. Elias married Maria Janse Van Eps, who was born October 9, 1708, the daughter of Jan Baptist Van Eps the Indian trader of Schenectady, NY. Elias Post was a gunsmith who lived in Schenectady, NY. He had a house and lot on the south side of State Street. Elias may have been connected with the supply of arms in the fur or Indian trade.

Children: 1. Cathlina. She was baptized October 31, 1731. 2. Cathlyn. Catherine was baptized June 3, 1733 and married Zeger Van Santvoord. 3. Jan Baptist. Jan was baptized October 12, 1735. 4. Cornelius. He was baptized July 6, 1738. 5. Helena. She was baptized June 14, 1741. 6. Anna. September 18, 1743. 7. Cornelia. Cornelia was baptized April 8, 1746, in Schenectady, New York, and married John Curry n 1769 in South Trenton, New York. Johin was born in Dunfries, Scotland. Cornelia died in April 1827 in South Trenton. 8. Johannes. Johannes was baptized January 1, 1749, and married Margarietje Bellinger. 3. Johannes. He was baptized September 24, 1710, in New York City. Johannes' witnesses were Johannes and Cornelia Spratt. 4. Maria. Maria was baptized May 25, 1713, in New York City. 5. David. David was baptized April 22, 1715. His witnesses were David Provost and Cathy Van Gelder.