WILLEM DAVIDSZEN [WILLIAMSON] OF FLATLANDS, LONG ISLAND 1 Copyright 1999 Perry Streeter (Content updated 26 April 2003) © 1999 Perry Streeter @ mailto:[email protected] @ http://www.perry.streeter.com This document is Copyright 1999 by Perry Streeter. It may be freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents without the written permission of the copyright holder. I am seeking all genealogical and biographical details for the family documented below including their ancestors, children, and grandchildren and the spouses thereof, including the full names of those spouses' parents. All additions and corrections within this scope, however speculative, will be greatly appreciated. Willem Davidszen [Williamson] of Flatlands, Long Island In my efforts to determine the origins of my earliest confirmed Williamson ancestor, Peter Williamson of Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, I have researched many different Williamson families of New Jersey. I now believe that Peter and his brother Jacobus were descendants of Willem2 Willemsen (Willem1 Gerritsen) and Mayke2 Pieters Wyckoff (Pieter1 Claeszen). However, descent from Willem1 Davidszen remains a secondary possibility. In any case, I continue to update my document on his descendants in hopes that my efforts may be of benefit to others. 1. WILLEM1 DAVIDSZEN [WILLIAMSON], also "Davies," "Davis," and "Davidz," died before 20 May 1695; married, about 1675 HELENA AARDS (HSYB, 1898:124,132), died after 1698. Willem and Helena named their first daughter Helena and their second son Aert, indicating that Helena was probably the daughter of a couple named Aert and Helena . Also, Helena used Aertsen as a surname as detailed further below. She was not a daughter of Jan Aersen/Aertsen of the Ferry, as some researchers have theorized, but she may have been his sister. Jan also had a daughter Helena. Willem came to New Netherland about 1653 (E.B. O'Callaghan, The Documentary History of the State of New York [hereinafter DHNY] in 4 volumes; [1849-1851]; I:661); perhaps some of those cited below with him were kinsmen to him or Helena: Reynier Aertsen... emigrated to New Netherland in 1653 along with Jan Teunisz Van Dyckhuys, Rutger Bruynsen, Willem Davis, Stoffel Jansz Romeyn, Jochem Gulick, Rutger Joosten Van Brunt, Jan Van Cleef, and Symon Jansz Van Aersdalen (Charles Vanorsdale, [email protected], 15 October 1998). Jochem2 Gulick (Hendrick1) was the maternal grandfather of Catherine (Griggs) Williamson, wife of my earliest confirmed Williamson ancestor, Peter. Of Jochem's children, his daughter Catelyntje married Willem3 Williamson (Willem2 Willemsen, Willem1 Gerritsen) and his daughter Grietje married Cornelius3 Williamson (Willem2 Willemsen, Willem1 Gerritsen). The association between Willem Davidszen and Jochem Gulick was apparently a "red herring," or false © 1999 @ Perry Streeter @ 3273 NYS Route 248 @ Canisteo, NY 14823 @ [email protected] @ www.perry.streeter.com @ 26 April 2003 WILLEM DAVIDSZEN [WILLIAMSON] OF FLATLANDS, LONG ISLAND 2 clue, in my research, steering me towards Willem Davidszen as the potential immigrant ancestor of Peter Williamson. On 11 April 1670, "Willem Davids" and Dirck Storm served as witnesses to the prenuptial agreement of "Sr. Jan Stryckker of fflackbush" and "Mrs. Swaentie Jans widdr off Cornelis De Potter at the Ferry" (A. Van Doren Honeyman, James Nevious and His Descendants [hereinafter Nevious], [1900]). Willem eventually settled at Flatlands, where he was taxed on 25 morgens of land in 1683 (DHNY, II:497). When William Davies took the Oath of Allegiance in September 1687, he stated he had been in this country for 34 years. He died before 20 May 1695, when Thomas Willett, Sr. and wife Helena of Flushing; Garrett Stoothoff and wife Johanna; and John Vandyckhuys and wife Aechye of Flatlands, deeded Helena Davies of Flatlands, widow of William Davies, land in that place (Long Island Source Records). All of the children of Willem and Helena assumed the patronymic of Willemsen and Williamson soon became the family's surname. By the time of the circa 1698 Census of Kings County, Long Island, Helena was a widow, still residing at Flatlands, and went by a derivation of her own patronymic, Aertsen, at the time of the enumeration (DHNY, III:136). Residing in her household at the time were two men, one of whom was undoubtedly her son David. If Willem and Helena followed Dutch naming practices in naming their children, his parents were named David and Ida. However, if Willem and Helena had strictly followed Dutch naming practices, one would anticipate that the third son would have been named Willem instead of Laurens. There may have been other children born to this couple, including a son named Willem who has not been identified. Helena, along with Elbert Elbertse [Stoothoff], witnessed the baptism of Jan Aertsen's son, "Aeftie," on Pinksterday, April 1677. Although Helena was not the daughter of Jan Aertsen of the Ferry in Brooklyn, perhaps there was some tie of kinship: Jan Aersen, whom I believe to be the father of... John/Jan Aersen (who took the name of Harrison), also had 4 children by Adriantje Bleijk Nevius: Helena m Christopher Hoogland; Aert, m Elizabeth Andriesse; Matheus, m Mareytje Van Dyck; David, m Helena Harssing. (Margery Freas, Dutch- [email protected], 14 October 1998) Jan, of the Ferry, (Aertsen/Aersen/etc.) married three times. The name of his first wife is unknown but he had a son named Jan/Johannis/John by her. His second wife was Adriaentje Bleijck (widow of Johannis Nevius and daughter of Swaantje Jans). They had a number of children one of whom was the Helena or Helen who married Christopher Hoaglandt. His third wife was Elizabeth Smith, widow of Peter Smit (or Smith). Most of Jan Aersen's children and grandchildren (none of whom adopted or used Middagh as a surname—they appear in most records as Aersen, Arrison, and even Harrison) eventually moved to and settled in Northern NJ. Jan himself never moved there even though he once bought a large tract (700 acres) of land there. (Jack Middaugh, posting to Dutch-Colonies@ rootsweb.com, 27 April 1998) © 1999 @ Perry Streeter @ 3273 NYS Route 248 @ Canisteo, NY 14823 @ [email protected] @ www.perry.streeter.com @ 26 April 2003 WILLEM DAVIDSZEN [WILLIAMSON] OF FLATLANDS, LONG ISLAND 3 Children, all of whom assumed the surname of Willemsen; there may have been others (SCGQ): 2. ii. DAVID2, b. ca. 1676; m. MARYTJE2 VAN NESTE; named after paternal grandfather. iii. HELENA, bapt. 3 Feb 1678 (J. van der Linde, NEW YORK HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS: DUTCH—OLD FIRST DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK [1983]; 157); named after mother (and probably maternal grandmother); possibly identical with the Helena Willemsen who m., as his second wife, HENDRICK2 WYCKOFF (Pieter1 Claeszen), b. 1658, d. 1744, m. (1) Geertje , son of Pieter1 Claesen Wyckoff and Geertje Hendricks Van Ness. iv. IDA, b. ca. 1680, m. PETER2 KINNEY (Adrian1 Pieterse) "Pieter Kinne" (TAG, 26:28), b. ca. 1676 Flatlands, NY, will dated at Reading, Hunterdon Co., NJ 28 Aug 1736 and proved 6 Aug 1745, son of Adrian1 Pieterse Kinne and Willempe Pieterse Wyckoff (Pieter1 Claesen). Perhaps Ida was named after her paternal grandmother; direct ancestors of Catherine Di Pietro (SCGQ). Children, surname Kinney, birth order uncertain: 1. Adrian, d. before 1736; m. Readington, NJ Kniertje Lynbrou. 2. William m. Eve Shirts, dau. of Michael Shirts. 3. David, bapt. 1st Reformed Church, Raritan, NJ 27 April 1710, witnesses Davit Willemsen and wife (SCHQ, 2:138); m. Angelica Mowerson. 4. Willeminsa, m. Daniel DeVore/DeVoor. 5. Eleansor/Lenae, bapt. (then Six Mile Run, now) Franklin Park, Somerset Co., NJ 17 April 1711; m. George Biggs. v. AERT, bapt. 20 Jan 1682, witnesses: Gerrit Elberts Stoothof and Ailtie (HSYB, 1898:124); d., perhaps at Freehold, Somerset Co., NJ, probably before 1731; m. Monmouth Co., NJ 11 Nov 1704 ANNATJE4 COUWENHOVEN (Willem3 Gerretse, Gerret2 Wolfertse, Wolfert1 Gerretse) (GMNJ, 22:85, 23:69), b. 13 April 1683, bapt. 22 April 1683 (RDC), dau. of William3 Gerretse Couwenhoven and Jannetje Pieterse Monfort. Aert was named after his maternal grandfather. 11 Feb 1712 Peter Nevious witnessed a deed of Aert Willemsen (Nevious). Annatje m. (2) JOHANNES ANTONIDES; among the church members listed at Freehold, NJ in 1731 were Antie Willemse, widow of Aert, John Antonides, and Johanna Couvenhoven, wife of John Antonides (GMNJ, 24:20-21). Children, surname Williamson, birth order uncertain (correspondence, 27 Oct 1998): 1. Aert, b. ca. 1704; d. Marlboro, Monmouth Co., NJ 1750. 2. Elbert, b. 1701-1724; d. ca. 1799; m. Mary . 3. Willem A., b. 18 Feb 1708/09; d. 22 [March] 1788; will made 31 May 1788 and probated 3 May 1788; m. 16 Jan 1729/30 Aeltje5 Couvenhoven (Pieter4 Willemse, Willem3 Gerretse, Gerret2 Wolfertse, Wolfert1 Gerretse), dau. of ancestors Pieter4 Willemse Cowenhoven and Patience Daws. 4. Jannetje, b. 1711; d. after 1748; m. ca. 1732 Leffert Lefferson. 5. Aeltje, b. 1714; d. 1756-1809; m. © 1999 @ Perry Streeter @ 3273 NYS Route 248 @ Canisteo, NY 14823 @ [email protected] @ www.perry.streeter.com @ 26 April 2003 WILLEM DAVIDSZEN [WILLIAMSON] OF FLATLANDS, LONG ISLAND 4 2 Dec 1737 William3 Barkalow (Dirck2 Willemse, Willem1), b. ca. 16 Jan 1714/15, d. Upper Freehold, NJ 1766, son of Dirck2 Willemse Barkalow and Jannetje Van Arsdalen. 6. Neeltje, bapt. 16 Oct 1720; d. 6 Nov 1771; m. 28 Dec 1742 Peter Forman, son of Jonathan Forman and Margaret Wyckoff. 7. David, b. 1721; d. April 24, 1766, will probated Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ 21 May 1766; m. Marlboro, Monmouth Co., NJ 12 June 1745 Geertje Van Voorhees, d. 13 Oct 1784, dau. of Hendrick and (Jensen) Voorhees. vi. [WILLEM, when "of the Raritan"; d. before 8 Aug 1748; m.