William Verbryck		Family Bible records of Johnson County, Indiana Collection of Family Records Compiled From Family Bibles and Other Sources by Bess Sellers Johnson, Franklin, Indiana, 1930 Alexander Hamilton Chapter D.A.R.
Born: 17 Mar 1737 from bible record  see at top of page Baptized: 23 April 1738  Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ Married: 1st to Dorothy DeMott 2nd to Rebecca Low on 20 Mar 1777 see marriage as recorded in family bible	Marriage of William Verbryck and Rebecca Low as found in a torn page from the family bible in the application for a pension by Rebecca Low Verbryck	Records of the Dutch Congregations of Freehold and Middletown Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey baptisms Wilhelmus April 23, 1738 parents Bernardus Fabryk and Jannetje Schenk
	We don't speak Dutch but we think this says, "in the year 1777 March 20 William Verbryck 39 marries with Rebecca Low 20 years."
Died: 31 Jan 1824 Harrodsburg, Mercer, KY Source: Family Bible

FATHER

Bernardus Verbryck

MOTHER

Jannetje Schenk

CHILDREN with Dorothy DeMott

CHILDREN with Rebecca Low

1. Dorothy Verbryck b. 06 Jan 1778

2. Rebecca Verbryck b. 17 Jul 1779

3. Bernardus Verbryck b. 27 Apr 1781

4. Richard Verbryck b. 19 Jan 1783

5. Sarah Verbryck b. 30 Jan 1785

6. William Verbryck b. 01 Mar 1786

7. John LVerbryck b. 12 Feb 1788

8. Judith Verbryck b. 14 Feb 1790

9. Ellen Verbryck b. 27 Jan 1792

10. Sarah B. Verbryck b. 12 Feb 1794

11. Peter Clover Verbryck b. 08 Jan 1796

12. Jane Verbryck b. 26 May 1798

13. Isaac Verbryck b. 19 Nov 1800

William Verbryck was born in Monmouth County, NJ and christened in the Dutch Reform Church of Freehold and Middletown in 1738.  He moved to the Neshanic Church in Hillsborough, Somerset County, NJ in 1752, at the age of 14, when the Neshanic congregation was formed, with his father, Bernardus Verbryck and Abraham Dubois as elders, and Johannes De Mott and William Low as deacons.  Subsequently, he is found on the church records as doing various jobs. 

He married Dorothy DeMott by 1767 and had two children with her and then Dorothy must have died.  His son Lawrence Verbryck was very close to his grandparents and may have gone to live with them after the death of his mother.

In 1773 William was nominated to be Justice of the Peace in Somerset County, NJ, a position he seems to have held through 1779 when the "Meeting of the Board of Justices and Freeholders for Hillsborough" met at his home. (1)

He fought in the Revolution starting in 1776.  His widow in 1837 when applying for a pension, stated, "William Verbrycke entered the Military Service in the Revolutionary War previous to their intermarriage, but how long before she does not know.  He was acting in the capacity and held a commission of captain at the time of the marriage, and was afterwards promoted to a Majority, which latter office, he held at the close of the War.."  Later she recalls a "skirmish at Millstone, the latter of which was only twelve miles from our residence.  Owing as she was then informed of the activity of her husband in the service an attempt was made by some British troops to surprise and take her husband prisoner whilst he was at home.  He, however, made his escape and our house was plundered by them of many articles of property."(2)

John Tuney giving deposition in the same application states, "he distinctly recalls that the British made an effort to take the Captain prisoner by attacking his house in the night, but the Captain made his escape and went over to his father-in-laws Mr Lows and took with him his little son."  A description of his military service can be seen below.(2)

 Peter Carmine was living with Capt. Verbryck at the time of the Declaration of Independent. In his own application for pension she gives oath,  "He was living in the family Wm verbryck and acting as a clerk for him in his store."  "He continued to live with Verbryck two or three years after the marriage."  John Tuney also gave testimony in the application for Peter Carmine for a Revolutionary War Pension.  "This Deponent recollect that the British came to the house of s'd Carmine after Capt. Verbryck and R. Tuson (sp?) and plundered and took Blankets & Knapsacks and filled their canteens with rum, and threatened to kill the s'd Carmine."

Before and after the war, William Verbryck was an Innkeeper with a tavern/store.   On May 6, 1778 he advertised, "To The Publick     Any person that has a good Brewing-Kettle that will hold about eight or ten barrels, to dispose of, and will please to acquaint the subscriber living at New Shannock, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, with his name and place of abode, will meet with a willing pruchaser." (3) We know he was also a storekeeper because in 1784 he gave an affidavit as a storekeeper. (16)  Earlier in 1784, "  'Gt. Garison (Garret Garretson and William) Vr Brieck' were charged on 13 January 1784 'for keeping an unlawful house.' Wm Post and Bornt Rynierson were served a subpoena to testify in the case." (4) 

The same year, 1784, William and Rebecca sold land lying between Dirk Low and Garret Garretsen's line and close to Cornelius Petersen and Joseph Van Doren to Archibald Mercer for 569 pounds. (5)  In the tax records for that year William Verbryck is paying taxes on  "8 whites, 7 slaves and 150 acres. 5 horses; 8 cattle; merchant; 1 brewery."

Then the economic problems began.  In 1787 William is being sued for 1645 pounds,  money he owed toThomas Lowry of Alexandria, Hunterdon County, NJ. (6)   He owed Archibald Mercer 35 pounds in 1789. (7)   Also in 1789 he is being sued by (his cousin) Bernardus Verbrycke of Bergen County, NJ for 165 pounds of debt. (8)   Also in 1789 William and John Verbryck are fighting repaying a debt of 400 pounds to William Neilsen of New York City. (9)  Then on January 10, 1792 "The creditors of William Verbryck and William Young, insolvent debtors, are to meet with judges of the Somerset County court of Common Pleas on 25 January at the house of Mr. John Bennet, innkeeper at Millstone."(16)

The Revolutionary War had just ended and, as stated above, William had lost some property during the War. He put in for reparations for damages suffered from the British. (10)

William Verbryck stayed on the tax records of Hillsborough through 1797.  However, his daughter, Dorothy went to Mercer Co., KY about this time and married Lawrence DeMott in 1798 in Mercer Co.  Her half-brother, Lawrence Verbryck, testified as to her age, so it seems that her parents were not in Kentucky.  In 1802 William and Rebecca Verbryck sold some land in Hillsborough together including all houses, barns, orchards, fences, etc  for $400. (11)  In 1804 William Verbryck released his wife's share of the estate as daughter of Dirk Low, dec'd. (12)  The inventory of Dec 24, 1802 for Dirk Low showed a value of "3,033.12.6 pounds and 742 pounds on account of money advanced by Dirk Low, dec's to Gilbert Low and William Verbryck by payment of demands against them. (13)

Rebecca Verbryck was a witness to the will of Jacobus Van Nuys on Nov 8, 1805. (13)  Judith Verbryck, daughter of William and Rebecca was married in Somerset County in 1808.  All this indicates that William and Rebecca were most likely still in Somerset County as late as 1808.  And then on April 26, 1814 William Verbryck and Martin Schenck were witnesses in a deed of "Conrelius Van Doren, of Bridgewater, Somerset Co., NJ to Simon Wyckoff of Franklin township." (17)  This seems to place William Verbryck still in Somerset County, NJ as late as 1814.

A William Verbryck first shows up on the tax records of Mercer County, KY in 1811 paying taxes on 203 acres on Harrod Run with one white male over 21, 5 blacks and 1 horse.  This, most likelly however, is the son William Verbryck, who had just turned 25.  Subsequently this William Verbryck is paying on 4 acres of land.  Then in 1816 a John Verbryck starts paying taxes on 4 acres of land. 

In 1814 George J Hall of Mercer County and State of Kentucky appointed William Verbryck "of the same County & State" his lawful attorney to make claim to "which I am entitled as the son and one of the children of John Hall late of Somerset County." (14) This would imply that William Verbryck and his wife Rebecca had already moved to Mercer County. Or perhaps he was referring to William's son, William Verbryck who was already in Mercer Co., KY

William's daughter, Judith Verbryck Nevius, moved to Mercer County, KY around 1816.  According to her daughter when referring to Isaac Nevius, husband of Judith Verbryck,  "He had no relations in the West, but his wife (Judith Verbryck) had two brothers and one sister at Cove Springs."  (15) Judith's brothers William Verbryck and John Verbryck and sister Dorothy Verbryck Demott were already in Mercer County.  Apparently the parents, William and Rebecca were still back in Hillsborough or may have been travelling with them to Mercer Co., KY

So, it is difficult to say exactly when William moved to Ky.  However, in the 1819 tax records for Mercer County, KY there are two men named William Verbryck paying taxes, most likely this William Verbryck and his son.

SOURCES:

(1)  Minutes of the Meeting of the Justices and Chosen Freeholders for the County of Somerset.  May 13, 1772 to September 2, 1822  pg 25
(2)  Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900    W8799
      "He was a Captain in Colonel Abraham Quick's New Jersey regiment on July 1, 1776, he was promoted on June 6, 177, 2nd Major of the 2nd Battalion, somerset County, militia, and on September 9, 1777, was commissioned 1st Major in that same battalion; during these periods of serivce, he was in the battles of Germantown, Monmouth and Millstone, and, on one occasion, made his escape from the British who surrounded his house in the night in an attempt to take him prisoner.  He served subsequently as Paymaster for the militia of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey, and served to the close of the war.
(3) Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey Edited by William Nelson  Volume XII   pg 214
(4) Somerset County Genealogical Quarterly Volume 3 Number 1  pg 255
(5) Deed Bk Vol B Somerset Co., NJ pg 118, roll 311 in NJ Archives
(6) NJ Supreme Court Case #23946
(7) NJ Supreme Court Case # 27291
(8)  NJ Supreme Court Case # 43698

 In On April 13, 1784 William had set seal to a debt with Bernardus Verbryck of Bergen County. "Achnowledged himself to be held and firmly bound unto the said Bernardus in the sum of one hundred & sixty pounds, York Currency of the value of one hundred and fifty pounds Proclmation Money of New Jersey to be paid to the said Bernardus when he the said William should be thereunto requested."

(9) NJ Supreme Court Case # 28215 and  #43168
(10)New Jersey State Archives   Inventories of Damages by the British and Americans in New Jersey, 1776-1782     pg 139
(11) Somerset Co NJ Deed Bk vol B pg 687
 (12) Somerset Co., NJ Deed BK D p. 115
(13) Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutiony History of the State of New Jersey, First Series - Vol XXXIX  Volume X 1802-1805 pg 282  (File 1200r)  and pg 474 (File 1314R)
(14) Somerset Deed BK Vol H p. 735  Roll 32 in NJ Archives
(15) Joannes Nevius: schepen and third secretary of New Amersterdam under the Dutch, by Abraham Van Doren Honeyman  pg 427
(16) Notices From New Jersey Newspapers 1781-1790 by Thomas B. Wilson  Vol I
       "Abraham Prall addv. that false and malicious reports have been spread inurious to the reputation of his daughter Hannah Prall indicating she had taken items from various stores.  He presents affidavits from the following storekeepers who all deny the reports and state that her reputation is fair and unimpeachable: Alexander reading, 7 Sept 1784 before Thomas Reading, J. P., Hunterdon County; William Verbryck Esq., 25 Sept 1784 before Nicholas Dubois, J. P., Somerset County; and Joseph Van Doren, 12 Oct 1784 before Henry V. Middleswort, J.P., Somerset County."
(17) Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 7, Some Unrecorded Somerset Deeds, pg 187

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