Direct descendant is highlighted in red 

FATHER

Jan Pauwelsen Van Aersdalen

MOTHER

Geertie Philipsdr. Haelters

WIVES

Marrijtie Baltusdockter

Peternelle (Pieterje) Claesen Van Schouw

CHILDREN with Marijtie Baltusdockter

1. Sijlijntne Van Aersdaalen
    bap. 26 Feb 1651 Amsterdam

2. Jan Van Aersdaalen
    19 Nov 1652 Amsterdam

CHILDREN with Peternelle (Pieterje) Claesen Wyckoff

1. Geertje Sijmonse van Aersdalen
    b. Abt. 1659
    betrothed: 29 Sep 1678 to Cornelis Piterse Wyckof
    m. 13 Oct 1678

2. Cornelius Symonse Van Arsdalen
    b. Abt. 1665
    m. 16 Mar 1687 Aeltje Willemse van Kouwenhoven
    d. Bef. 19 Apr 1745

3. Jannetje Sijmonse van Aersdalen
    b. Abt. 1668
    betrothed 16 Mar 1689
    m. 16 Apr 1689 to Gysbert Tunesen Bogartbap 6 Dec 1668
    d. Abt. Christmas 1732

4. Metje Sijmonse van Aersdalen
    b. Abt. 1672
    m. 27 Feb 1690 Evert Jansen Van Weckelen
    m. Phillip Volkertsz

5.  Jan Sijmonse van Aersdalen 
    b. Abt. 1676
    m. 20 Oct 1695 Lammetje Probasco

6. Maritze Van Aersdalen
    bap. 7 Apr 1678

Sijmon Jansz Van Aersdalen
by Susan Brooke
Apr 2021

Sijmon Jansz Van Aersdalen was baptized 27 Feb 1627/8 in Nukerke, East Flanders, the 3rd son born to Jan Pauwelsen Van Aersdalen and Geertie Philipsdr. Haelters. (1) His family moved to Gouda when he was about 12 and in his early twenties he moved to Amsterdam to pursue a career in pottery-making.  It was there that he met and married Marritie Baltus. The marriage banns dated March 26, 1650 read “Appeared as before Simon Janss. from Niekerck (van Niekerck), a potter, aged 22 years, producing a letter of consent from his father, living in potter’s path (Pottebackerspadt) and Marritie Baltus, aged 20 years, living in Leliestreet, having no parents”. (2) His mother, Geertie Haelters, died a little over a year later in Oct 1651 and his father remarried in Aug 1652.  By this time Sijmon and his wife Marritje had two children baptized in Amsterdam.
In the meantime there was growing interest in expanding the pottery trade to the New World.  In 1653 Sijmon sailed to New Amsterdam leaving his wife and two children at home. We know this from an oath of allegiance taken in September 1687 when he stated that he had been in New Amsterdam for 34 years. (4) While he was away, enjoying the richness of opportunities in the new World, the plague was ravishing Amsterdam. His father died in January 1654.  One of his two children was buried 18 Nov 1655 and Sijmon's wife was buried 8 days later.  His other child had probably already died. In the course of just four years, Sijmon had lost both his parents, his wife, and two children.   So, when Sijmon received word of these deaths, he decided to remain in New Amsterdam. (4)  It was a small village in 1753.  This is a painting of the area made 1750-1753 as found in The Vanguard Vol 6 no 1. (5)

	This is the "Prototype View" of "New Amsterdam, now New York on Manhattan Island", a watercolor made sometime after the Dutch surrender, now in the Dutch archives. Taken from An Album of New Netherland by Maud Esther Dilliard, Bramhall House, NY, 1963, it "shows the city between the autumn of 1650 and the summer of 1653". The Vanguard  Vol VI no 1

About 1658 he married Pietertje Claessen Van Schouw, daughter of Claes Cornelisz van Schouw, a tobacco shop owner. (6) Sijmon and his father-in-law were active in the town's records. (7) And Sijmon must have been proud when he and his wife were witnesses at the baptisms of  their grandchildren, Maria and Simon Wyckoff. (8)
In 1698 Sijmon received notice of the death of his niece, Geertruyt Joosten Van Haedsdaele, daughter of his brother Joost.  Her will left 1000 guilders to her uncle Symon Jansz van Haesdaelen, living in New Netherland, or his heirs. Sijmon wrote back to his brother, Joost, telling him of his family.  He writes, among other things, "I sold my farm to my eldest son Cornelis, 33 years of age, has got five children, three sons, two daughters." (9)
One of the last things Sijmon did was donate 40 guldens to the Dutch Reform Church on 23 Feb 1710.  His son, Corneliss, paid 24 guldens for a grave and a shroud for Symon Van Arsdale on 29 Oct 1710. (10)
 

Sources

(1)  The Vanguard  Vol VI no 1  July 2003

Beneath this cloud of political and religious upheaval, a child is born in Nukerke, East Flanders. He was baptized on Sunday, February 27, 1628 to Jan Pauwelsz van Aersdalen and Gerarda (Geertje) Philipse Haelters, and named Sijmon, possibly after one of the witnesses, Sijmon de Keyser. Dutch tradition - and probably Flemish as well - dictated that a mother not go out in public for six weeks after childbirth, and only then for the purpose of the child’s baptism. If this custom was followed, then we can assume that Sijmon was born in the first half of January 1628.
Sijmon was the third known son of Jan Pauwelsz,a carpet or cloth-weaver, which was a popular vocation in East Flanders at that time. It is possible that another son had been born before Sijmon but baptized at a different church. Sijmon’s siblings eventually included brothers Philip (Philippus, baptized June 24, 1624;  possibly a Pauwel, Jan (Joannes, baptized March 22, 1626;), Pieter (probably born about 1630 in Flanders), and Joost (Judocus, baptized October 2, 1638;  as well as sisters Egidia (baptized April 10, 1633;) and Joanna (baptized December 4, 1635;). It is likely that Sijmon also had a sister named Fiermijne named for their paternal grandmother. The last known baptismal record for a child of Jan and Gerarda’s was that of Joost.---

Around 1640, Jan decided to abandon Nukerke and seek out the relative stability of the Protestant-dominated Northern Provinces. Jan took his family to Gouda (where, it appears, his parents were married in 1588)  and likewise abandoned his vocation as a carpet-weaver to become a mustard-grinder. On July 20, 1642 Jan was confirmed (as “Jan van Arsdal”) as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church at Gouda [3]. He bought a house for his family on November 21 of that year and eight years later purchased the adjacent one as well. Sijmon had an itch to strike out on his own. Barely in his twenties, he moved away from the rest of the family in Gouda to seek his fortune in the metropolis of Amsterdam. This is probably the first evidence of the drive of this young man who would dare to venture into a New World and become the patriarch of a large and successful family. In Amsterdam, he pursued a career in pottery-making, which had become so prolific an industry that several streets in the city were dedicated to the trade. Starting around 1600, many potters from  the Southern Netherlands (Belgium) fled to Amsterdam to escape religious persecution and the fragmentation of the local pottery industry. Consequently, Amsterdam blossomed into a major supplier of pottery, especially faïence and Delftware styles. However, the proliferation of so many pottery shops resulted in widespread and occasionally devastating outbreaks of fire, and when Amsterdam expanded in 1621, all potteries
were banned to the outside of the city. One important center was located along the river Amstel, just outside the St. Anthony’s port city-gate [6]. It was there that, by 1650, Sijmon had taken up residence on a street called Pottebakkerspad or “potter’s path”.---

(2) Marriage

 The Vanguard Vol 3  no  2  page 4

The Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie released a report in May, 1993 in which they transcribed and translated a marriage bann dated March 26, 1650 for Sijmon and bride-to-be Marritje Baltus. The bann read, “Appeared as before Simon Janss. from Niekerck (van Niekerck), a potter, aged 22 years, producing a letter of consent from his father, living in potter’s path (Pottebackerspadt) and Marritie Baltus, aged 20 years, living in Leliestreet, having no parents” items in parentheses from Dutch version). In the same report, we find that poor Marritje died only five years later, her burial noted in the St. Anthony’s churchyard records as “Maria Baltus, wife of Syme Jans van Asdal in Bleeckvelt”.

(3)  The Vanguard   Vol 2  no. 2
Issue by the first marriage:
1. Sijlijntje Simons (van Aersdal), baptized in Amsterdam 26 Feb 1651 (sponsor: Grietje Phlips)
2. Jan Simonsz (van Aersdal), baptized in Amsterdam 19 Nov. 1652 (sponsor: Vroutje Jansdr)

N.B. On 18 Nov 1655 a child of Simon’s was buried at St. Anthony’s churchyard (“een kind an Seymen Jansen Pottebacker op het Bleeckvelt” - a child of Seymen ansen the potter in Bleeckvelt).
Probably the other child died in childhood as well.”-----

4)  The Vanguard  Vol 6 no 1

The couple’s first child, daughter Sijlijntje, was born in January 1651. She was baptized at the Zuiderkerk on February 26, 1651. Sijlijntje was probably named after Marritje’s mother, while Sijmon’s mother served as a witness. According to Dutch tradition, the next daughter would be named for Sijmon’s mother, Gerarda or Geertje, but Sijmon’s mother would not live long enough to enjoy that honor. In October, she passed away and was buried on the 30th of that month at St. Jan’s Kerk in Gouda. Not long thereafter, widower Jan Pauwelsz began courting widow Margarieta Philipsdr. They were married in Haastrecht near Gouda on August 20, 1652, some ten months after Geertje’s passing.
Sijmon’s first son, Jan Simonsz, was baptized onNovember 19, 1652 at Nieuwe Kerk. He was obviously named for his paternal grandfather. With his family growing, Sijmon - again seeking opportunities - began looking for a better way of life, a house inside the city walls, a better income. Opportunity soon finds him. For years, there had been a strong recruiting effort to populate New Netherland with young, energetic “fortuneseekers”. In fact, the Secretary of the New Netherland colony, Cornelis van Tienhoven, wrote a pamphlet dated March 4, 1650 entitled “Information Relative to Taking Up Land in New Netherland, in the Form of Colonies or Private Bouweries”. This “brochure” was an explicit enticement for would-be colonists and was circulated throughout Holland. It is possible that Sijmon, now almost 25, read some of the persuasive literature printed by the Dutch West India Company and became enamored by the lure of the New World. Family history states that Sijmon, a potter, was sent to New Netherland to study the utility of the native clays for pottery making. If so, no evidence has yet been uncovered to substantiate this assertion. No potters’ guild existed in Amsterdam at that time, so if Sijmon was an apprentice to a New Netherland-looking master potter, we cannot corroborate such motivation. Further, Sijmon’s name does not appear on any of the almost fifty Amsterdam notaries’ records of 1653, settling any business (such as signing a contract with an employer or paying debts) prior to embarking on his journey. There is no documentation regarding who paid for Sijmon’s way to New Netherland, whether by himself or by a patron. The average cost to sail to New Amsterdam at that time was about 36 florins. Whatever instigated his plan, Sijmon Jansz van Aersdalen decided to venture to New Netherland in 1653. ---

Because Sijmon intended to return to Holland, we must assume he did not buy a house during his early years in New Netherland. It is unclear whether Sijmon lived in New Amsterdam upon his arrival or moved to New Amersfoort Flatlands) on Long Island. Not long after his arrival, Sijmon received bad news from home. In January 1654, Sijmon’s father Jan died in Gouda. He was buried in St. Jan’s Kerkon January 12, 1654. Sijmon’s brother Philip appeared in court on March 10, 1654 to attest that the minor children of their father would have a guardian:
“Philip Jansz Aesdael certifies he will assume guardianship of the minor children of the late Jan Poulissen van Aesdal and Geertje Philips”
Shortly thereafter, Philip again goes to court to seek permission from the Gouda town council to sell his father’s houses in order to provide for the minor children. This is granted on April 24, 1654. “Philip Jansz Aersdaalen, on behalf of himself acting as a guardian to his minor brother Pieter Jansz and as a proxy to his brother Sijmon Jansz van Aersdale who is staying abroad, being the children and heirs to Jan Pauwlesz van Aersdael sells two houses and land in Naaierstraat at Gouda to Pieter van Stompwijk at ƒ 1130, -, -.” .

Family history relates that Sijmon was about to return to Holland when he learned of the death of his wife and children. Although the timing of his intended return has not been corroborated, it is now known that his wife, Marritje, and at least one but probably both of his children were, indeed, victims of the plague. (Plague deaths in Amsterdam in 1655 were tallied at 16,727 or roughly 12.5% of the city’s inhabitants). On November 18, 1655 “a child of Seymen Janssen, potter” was buried in St. Anthony’s churchyard, Amsterdam, followed by its mother only eight days later. This information probably reached Sijmon by late summer/early fall 1656. In a little over a four-year period, Sijmon had lost his parents, his wife, and his children. Devastated, Sijmon had little to return to, and seeing before him his home away from home for the last three years and a land with limitless possibilities, he decided to cast his lot with the enterprising Dutch New World. Again as a young man in another thriving community, Sijmon’s prospects were propitious. He began courting Pieterje Claese van Schouw, a daughter of tobacco merchant Claes (Nicholas) Cornelissen van Schouw. Sijmon and Pieterje married about 1658, presumably in Flatlands.
Their first child was born probably in the next year, and named Geertje in honor of her paternal grandmother.-----

One of the more important documents related to Sijmon was the Oath of Allegiance taken September 30th, 1687. This record indicates that Sijmon, listed as "Simon Janse Van Aerts Daalen", had been in this country for 34 years, thus establishing his time of arrival, while his son "Cornelis Simonsen Van Aerts Daalen" was recorded as a native, i.e. born here. ----

(5)  The Vanguard Vol VI no 1  July 2003

New Amsterdam as Sijmon Jansz van Aersdalen First Saw It
This is the "Prototype View" of "New Amsterdam, now New York on Manhattan Island", a watercolor made sometime after the Dutch surrender, now in the Dutch archives. Taken from An Album of New Netherland by Maud Esther Dilliard, Bramhall House, NY, 1963, it "shows the city between the autumn of 1650 and the summer of 1653".

(6) The Vanguard Vol 1 no 1 pg 8 Charles R. Vanorsdale

Around 1658, Symon Jansz married Pieterje Claese van Schouw, sometimes erroneously referred to as Pieterje Claese Wyckoff, daughter of Claes Cornelisz van Schouw, a tobacco shop owner. Symon would be very close to his father- in- law, perhaps in a way he could not be with his own father.
On May 3, 1660, Symon Jansz van Aersdalen was appointed a schepen of Nieu Amersfoort. Symon apparently had begun to make a name for himself within the community and was re- elected to this  position in 1661 and 1662. In his magisterial post, Symon was chosen to represent Amersfoort in the "convention holden at New Amsterdam, on July 3, 1663, to engage the several Dutch Towns to keep up an armed force for public protection." Public protection took on new meaning for Symon; his first-born child Geertje Symonse was now 3 or 4 years old.

(7) Source: Jack D Messer [email protected]
--
On Nov 19, 1660, Simon Jansz signed a declaration as to the lands of "Pieter Claessen" as "Symen Jansen Van Arsdalen".
Source: Flatlands Town Records, page 93 from Jo Ann Ramseyer, On-line User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Pieterje Claessen Conelisz Van Schouw, (July 18, 1999), "Electronic."
---
1662, Apr 3 - Simon Jansen Van Aertsdalen (Magistrate) was one of the signers of a petition to the honorable Peter Stuyvesant and the Council of New Netherland to determine the boundaries of the village of Amersfoort and Midwout.
Source: Flatlands Town Records, Deeds, Miscellaneous, 1661-1831, Page 510 from from Jo Ann Ramseyer, On-line User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Pieterje Claessen Conelisz Van Schouw, (July 18, 1999), "Electronic."
--
Simon Jansz was selected to represent Amersfoort in the convention holden at New Amsterdam, on Jul 3, 1663, to engage several Dutch Towns to keep up an armed force for public protection.
Source: (The register of New Netherland, page 143.) from Jo Ann Ramseyer, On-line User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Pieterje Claessen Conelisz Van Schouw, (July 18, 1999), "Electronic."
--

On page 253 of Book Six of Gravesend town records is recorded the sale by Sijmon Jansen to his son Cornelis Symonsen on May 10, 1700, of "three fiften accor lotts known by ye no. 30:31:32 (etc), with privilege and commonage upon the beach and Connij (Coney) Island." This was the land Symon had purchased in 1686 of Corneles Willems.

(8) Brouwer Genealogy

On December 11, 1681, Sijmon and Pieterje were present when their first grandchild, Marije, is baptised at the Dutch Reformed Church in Breuckelen.   Geertje and Cornelis' second son, Sijmon, named for Sijmon Jansz, is baptised in Amersfoort on November 23, 1683 as witnessed by “Simon Jansz” and “Pietertje Klaas”

1677 Aug 15; Gerbrant Claeszen, Marritie Claes; Claes; Simon Janszen, Pietertie Claes  (Marritie Claes was a sister of Pietertie Claes)

Flatbush Baptisms Book 72

1678 Apr 7; Simon Jans V Ardalen, Petertje Klasen Wykof; Maritje, witness Lisbet Thomas  (baptism of their 6th child, Maritje)

1681 Dec 11; Cors Peters (Wykof), Gertie Simons (V Arsdalen); Marie; witnesses Simon Jans V Arsdalen, Petertje Clas Wykof  (baptism of the daughter of their daughter Gertie)

1683 Nov 23; Cor Peterz Wykof, Gertie Simons (V Arsdalen); Simon; witnesses Simon Jans V Arsdalen, Petertie Klas Wykof  (baptism of the son of their daughter Gertie)

(9) Letter of 1698

The Vanguard Vol. IV, No 2  Dec 2001  pg 16

One of the most cherished documents in the family history is a letter written by family progenitor Sijmon Jansz van Aersdalen in 1698. It was discovered in the Gouda Orphan's Court in 1991 after some research by the Dutch Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie on behalf of some family members. It had been filed there in connection with the will of Geertruyt Joosten van Haedsdaele, Sijmon's niece, the daughter of his brother Joost.
This letter was addressed “to the respectable and very modest Joost Jansen van Aerdsdalen living in the Egelantierstraat next to ‘De Gekroonde oomolen’ in Amsterdam”. The translation below was made by the CBvG.

The Vanguard Vol VI no 1  July 2003

In 1698, Sijmon received a letter from his brother Joost which informed Sijmon of the death of his niece Geertruyt. Geertruyt remembered her uncle Sijmon and his family in her will, and in a letter dated September 9th, Sijmon wrote back to Holland and his brother for the first time in many years, if ever before.

From Leiden the trail led to Gouda where finally the papers (including the letters) were discovered pertaining to the legacy of fl.1000 to Simon or his issue under the will of 1 March 1707 of his niece Geertuijt van Heasdael

: On 1 March 1707 Pieter Verveen and his wife Geertruijt van Haesdaele, living in Gouda, made their last will and testament. The surviving partner will have full control over the estate. Thereafter, after deduction of legacies (1,000 guilders a year plus 1,000 guilders in cash to Philippina Joosten van Haesdaelen and an amount of 500 guilders for Lijsbeth Hensbeeck) the remainder shall be divided one half amongst the closest reletives of Pieter, the other half for those of Geertruijt. Furthermore an amount of 1,000 guilders shall be set aside as a legacy, instead of distribution for Geertruijt’s uncle Symon Jansz van Haesdaelen, living in New Netherland, or his heirs. However if this sum is not claimed within six years after the death of the longest living spouse, then that amount shall be distributed amongst the other heirs.(Will executed before Johan van Middelant, Notary in Gouda).
Source: by E. TH. Unger from Jo Ann Ramseyer, On-line User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Pieterje Claessen Conelisz Van Schouw, (July 18, 1999), "Electronic."

To the respectable and very modest Joost Jansen van Aersdalen living in the Egelantierstraat next to "De Gekroonde Roomolen" [name of a house] in Amsterdam.

Praise the Lord above all, in the bay on September 9th, 1698. My kindest regards be written to my so much beloved brother and sister;
I let you know I received your letter from Aendries Wandelaer and that I understand the contents of it, I am pleased to say, however, the accident your daughter has met with causes us sorrow, however, it is the work of God, that we ought to bear patiently; farther I let you know, that I, your brother, and my wife and children are in good health yet thank God for His grace and we hope to learn from you the same in due time; I wonder you didn't write about our niece; farther I let you know all my children are married and each of them is living in a farmhouse that earns their livelihood; I sold my farm to my eldest son Cornelis, 33 years of age, has got five children, three sons, two daughters; my son Jan, 22 years of age, has got two sons; my daughter Geertje has got eight children; Janneken has got five children; Mettegen has got three children; they are comfortably off but they have to work which God commanded Adam; as for me, your brother, I stopped working since I am 71 years old now, my wife is 58 years of age and you, my brother, are, if I remember rightly, 60 years of age; God be pleased to give us a blessed end; I am in receipt of your son Jan's drawing which pleases me very much; I gather from your letter your daughter's [size?] causes you sorrow and I can well believe it and if I knew you would be pleased I would come to your assistance; please let me know; I do not know anything more to write; I will send this letter along with Pieter Berrij: he is our son Jan's nephew/cousin, who knows us very well; you can send your reply along with him; as for Dries Wandelaer: he is not acquainted with us and for this reason he cannot inform of us; God be with you and be saluted heartily by me, Sijmon Jansen van Arsdalen, your brother.
Eduard Th. R. Unger, "Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie, Amsterdam, Holland.," Letter (photocopy) from Sijmon Jansen van Arsdalen to his brother Joost Jansen van Aerdsdalen, living in Amsterdam, 9 September 1698. Streekarchiefdienst Hollands Midden, Gouda. Translation provided by CBG.
--

(10) The Vanguard Vol VI no 1  July 2003

The last record of Sijmon's good deeds occurred around February 23, 1710. In the Deacon's Book of the Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church is a note tabulating the donations given by twenty contributors. The largest sum, 40 guldens, was donated by Sijmon. Sijmon passed away in late October of that year. His death was recorded in the Deacon's Book as "1710, October 29. Received from Cornelus Van Arsdale for a grave and shroud for Symon Van Arsdale, 24 guldens". Hoppin further states that Sijmon’s grave “was in the churchyard of the Flatlands Dutch Reformed Church, from which the gravestones of the early residents of the town
have disappeared”. And so our ancestor passed into history at the age of 83.