In a message dated 02/28/2002 8:38:51 AM Eastern Standard Time,
blubry@cox.net writes:
Dear Yair, Betty, Fred and Ted,
Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful responses. From them I conclude
that
German ancestry is likely, but my ancestor may have been born in Holland.
Someday before my string runs out (I'm now 72) I hope to start looking on
the ground in both Holland and Oldenberg, even tho as Fred points out I
would be looking for a needle in a haystack.Warm regards,
Mark Garrison
Mark,
Does this look like your guy? The following was a post to the Dutch-Colonies
list. If so, and assuming this is accurate, it looks as though he was born
in Oldenburg, in which case you won't likely find much on him there, since
church records only go back to about 1618 or so. On the other hand, you
might have more luck by exploring this from the colonial Dutch viewpoint.
The mail list mentioned above, if you're not familiar with it, is populated
by some very excellent and experienced genealogists who may be able to help
you with your brick wall/Totenpunkt here.
Dutch-Colonies-L@rootsweb.com
Does anyone know anything about this couple. Was Clara a sister to Cornelis
Mattys, who married Aeltje Brinckerhoff? Wayne
From New York Historical Manuscripts, Dutch, by Van Laer,
page 164: A lease from Barent Dirckszen to Gerrit Jansen and Volckert
Evertsen of the farm called Walensteyn. Gerrit Jansen was from Oldenborch,
Germany (in July 1632 he was foreman for Kiliaen Van Rensselaer on farm #2 in
Manhatten. dated 18 May 1639.
page 194 Bond of Gerrit Jansen from Oldenburg to Jonas Bronck. This day, date
underwritten, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland
for the Chartered West India Company, appeared in presence of the undersigned
witnesses Gerrit Jansen van Oldenborch, who acknowledged that he was well and
truly indebted to Mr. Jonas Bronck in the sum of one hundred Carolus
guilders, reckoned at 20 stivers the guilder, arising from a certain
agreement which the said Mr. Bronck made with Clara Mattys (1) at the city of
Amsterdam. (Gerrit Jansen) hereby promises to tender and pay the aforesaid
money free of costs and charges, without any gainsay, in two instalments, to
wit: between this date and the first of May 1640, fifty Carolus guilders, and
before the first of May 1641, Gerrit Jansen meanwhile to incur the risk of
death or other mishap thereof. For all of which he, the appearer, binds his
person and property, movable and immovable, present and future, without any
exception, submitting the same to all lords, courts and judges within the
jurisdiction of the Provincial Court of Holland and to all other lords,
courts, judges and justices; all in good faith. Without guile or deceit, this
is signed by Gerrit Jansen above named. Don this 21st July 1639, in Fort
Amsterdam in New Netherland.
There are a few baptismal and marriage entries in the church books of the New
Amsterdam Reformed Dutch church mentioning him as well.
Regards,
Ted Snediker