Standridge / Renfroe and Related Families Genealogy, Howard Standridge Family

Searching for the Hollanders

Introduction

Why search for your ancestors? Well, first it is just a hobby—the second largest hobby in the United States. Gardening is number one. It is a big puzzle you can collect to keep your mind active—just like the crossword in the daily paper. You can leave what you find as a legacy for others. I have been interested in genealogy since I was 12 years old. Instead of lessening with age, my desire to find ancestors increases as I grow older. Our last name is Renfroe because Larry's mother was not married to Eugene Garrison, his father. He was raised with the help of his grandparents, Finis and Ada Renfroe. He took their surname. In 2008, Roger Garrison and Larry Renfroe participated in the Family Tree Maker DNA study. These results proved they had the same father as their Y DNA is exactly the same. The study also revealed that their Garrison DNA is associated with another donor who descended from the Gravesend Garritsons of Long Island, New York.

Armed with new information I began to search all the Gravesend Garritsons hoping to find Jacob J. Garritson's father. I had several clues. I knew Jacob was born in New Jersey about 1817. I knew his name was originally Garritson/Gerritson not Garrison. I knew he was in Woodford, Illinois by 1843. I knew his wife was Catherine Genoway. I knew that she had lived in Brown County, Ohio. I knew that Jacob had been a Riverman working on boats . I had the names of his children and thought these same family names would be used by his family. After almost a year of searching with no conclusions, I put the Garritson data on Rootsweb with a plea for help. I told about the DNA evidence to the Gravesend Garritsons, Jacob's birthplace, and his wife's residence in Brown County, Ohio. A man that knew a lot more than I did about the Garritson/Gerritson family of Long Island contacted me. With his help, I feel I have found Jacob's family. There is no will or census proof. So the evidence is circumstantial. I would like to share this data as I know other Garrisons have been searching for Jacob's family, too!

I hope you will be forgiving of my spellings of Garrison in this genealogy. It is usually spelled Garrison today, but can be spelled many ways—Garritsen, Garritson, Gerritson, Gerritse, Gerritze, Gerritsen, Garretsen, Garretson, Garrisson, Garrettson, and many more. I know I have used more than one spelling. When I am using a reference, I often spell the name as it appears in the work. At first, I tried to use only one spelling, but I finally gave up and used varied spellings. The many spellings of Garrison make the research of the name very difficult. Jacob J. Garretson used this spelling. Charles Alexander Garrison used this spelled. Jonathan Lewis Garrison (Charles' father) I think used both spellings. In the old farm book owned by Pat McCormack I learned of the spellings. Before seeing the old book, I thought the name was Garrison all along. This hindered my research. Pat gave me the first hint that helped me find our family.

I would like to dedicate this genealogy to Leon Garrison, Roger Garrison, Dustin Garrison, Cecil Garrison, Dollan Garrison, Glendon Garrison, Glen Garrison, Fred Garrison, and Larry Garrison Renfroe. These are the Garrison men I know the best. But perhaps the biggest dedication should go to Donald Jackson Garretson, my key clue in finding our Garrisons!

New Amsterdam

Jan Snedeker

Jan Snedeker (Jan is Dutch for the English name John) came to this country before 1642. His birth was probably about 1605. He was a shoemaker by trade. He married first Annetje Ruys of Rys or Ryssen, a town in the province of Overyssel. His second marriage was to Egbertje or Lybertje Jans widow of Herman Hendrickse. He first resided in New Amsterdam from 1642 to 1654. In the "Colonial History of New York" his name is listed as one of the first settlers sent by Governor Stuyvesant to form a new town. He was one of the signers of the town's patent. He was called one of the Director's Selectmen. Here in New Amsterdam, Jan kept a taphouse or tavern. In December of 1642, a formal complaint was lodged against him for selling beer of short measure. His patent, dated July 1645, was for a double lot south of the Fort on Manhattan Island. He was one of the Vlakkebo's (Flatbush) first settlers. He was on the patent of Flatbush in 1652, as per page 13 of Strong's Flatbush and on the patent of New Lotts in 1667. He was a magistrate of Flatbush from 1654 to 1664. Flatbush is a community of Brooklyn, a part of New York City. The name Flatbush is an Anglicization of the Dutch language Vlacke bos ("flat woodland" or "wooded plain"). Jan Snedyker was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1677.

The present town of Flatbush was originally known as Midwout or Midwoud, from Midwoud, a village in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. New Lotts was also known as Oostwoud from a village of that name near Midwoud. The other towns in Kings County (except Bushwick) were named by the first settlers after localities in the fatherland from which many of them came. After the time of the Revolutionary War, the name Midwout was dropped and the town has since been known as Flatbush. The name means flat woods or level woods in Dutch.

Jan Snedeker made his will dated December 12, 1670, in which he devised his lands to his son, Gerret. His known issue includes: 1--Anna, who supposedly died single; 2—Jannetje, who married first Reynier Wizzlepenning and second, Pieter Cornelise Luyster; 3—Gerret Janse; 4—Styntje; and 5—Tryntje. He signed his name Jan Snedeker; however, this surname can be spelled several different ways (found in records as Stijaker, Snediker, Sneidcor). Jan died in May of 1679. Many Dutchmen take their surname from their father's first name, but some choose place or town and add sen. Jan Snedeker was from Rys or Ryssen. Gerrit Remmersen may have taken his last name from this place in the Netherlands.

Frederick Van Wyck in his book, "Keskachauge", or First White Settlement on Long Island speaks of the old Gerritsen Mill and its surroundings. This Mill is spoken of in many books about Long Island. Pictures of the Mill survive. Van Wyck states that the Gerritson's who owned the Mill were descendents of Jan Snedyker because he owned this property as early as 1645 and he willed it to his son, Gerret.

One of the most valuable tools for a researcher looking for Dutch ancestors in America are the Reformed Dutch Church Records. In its infancy, this Church was referred to as the Reformed Dutch Church, but in recent times, this Church has sometimes come to be known as the Dutch Reformed Church. When the Dutch came to America, the first Church organized in New Netherlands was the Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam (New York City). Keep in mind that the English took over New Amsterdam in 1664 and then the Dutch took it back again for one year (1673), thus calling it New Orange. It then reverted back to English control the following year, and was named New York. All of the aforementioned records are fortunately kept in one record book. The Church was formed in 1628, but baptismal and marriage records start in 1639. As the Dutch spread out in their settlements, new churches sprang up on Long Island, Staten Island, and along areas of the Hudson River Valley. Another church that formed was the Brooklyn Reformed Dutch Church and also the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church on Long Island.

Peter Luyster was a carpenter. He came to New Amsterdam in 1656 per Riker. He married first Aeltje Tyssen and second Jannetje, daughter of Jan Snediker, about 1670. Jannetje was married first to Reynier Wizzelpennenk. Peter's children were: Matthias Pieterse; Gertien Pieterse (she is supposed to have married Jan Monfoort); Martien or Marretje Pieterse (married Pieter Monfoort); John Pieterse; Cornelis Pieterse and Wilmien Pieterse. Matthias was by the first wife. Peter Luyster resided first in Flatlands and then in Flatbush and then afterwards in Newtown. He was a Magistrate of Flatlands in 1660, 61, 62 and 64. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church of Flatbush in 1677 and on the Assembly Roll of Flatbush in 1683. His Flatbush farm lies now in the town known as New Lotts. I have more descendents of Jannetje Snediker, but will not include them here.

Early historians of Kings County, New York thought Jan Snedyker was the father of Garret Remmerson. Two of the historians are Teunis G. Bergen and Frederick Van Wyck. Bergen wrote several books including "The Bergen Family" and "Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, New York". I have the Settler's book and the pages about Jan Snedyker from the Bergen book. Van Wyck wrote "Keskachauge" about Kings County in the 1930s. I have the pertinent pages from his book. Marie Garritson of Cape May referred to the early writings of the New York historians and adopted their view. Later county researchers disagree. Rosalie Fellows Bailey wrote a paper for the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society in 1969. It was titled "Garritsen, Williamson, and Ryder families". The article touted the belief that Garret Remmerson came to New Amsterdam from East Friesland, Netherlands in about 1658. This information came from the Samuel Gerritsen's Bible. Both accounts may be true. Remmersen could have been the son of Snedeker and came in 1658 as his son recorded. Snedeker's married first in Holland and Remmersen was born there. He could have came at the time his father did or later. Early Dutch families are almost impossible for a novice like me to figure out. Each generation takes the first name of their father and add se or sen to the end of the name and they take a new surname. Females add se and males add sen. Some Dutch go against the practice and take a surname of the place they resided. Some researchers think the two husbands of Rem Garritson's mother, Mary, were brothers—one using the surname Williamson and the other Remmerson. I disagree with this idea as the DNA results from the Garritson study and the Williamson study do not show the same Y DNA.

Gerrit Remmersen may be the son of Jan Snedyker or he may be an colonist who came to America from East Friesland, Netherlands in 1658. Regardless of his background, we know he is the father of Rem Garritson/Gerritsen.

Gerrit Remmersen and Willem Gerritsen

Mary is the common ancestor of the Williamson and Garretson families of New York. She first married Willem and their children used the surname Willemsen/Williamson. Her second husband was Gerrit Remmersen and their children used the surname, Garritsen/Garretson. Members of both families later were found in other Kings County Towns , as well as in the New Jersey counties of Cape May, Monmouth, Somerset, and Middlesex. The origin of these two families is partly revealed in a family bible record written in by Samuel Gerritsen, the son of Mary and Gerrit Remmersen. While the record was written in Dutch, there are two know unpublished translations, one made in 1884 by Judge Ricord and held by the Brooklyn Historical Society, and a second by Rosalie Fellows Bailey now at the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Bailey translated the record using Hexham's Netherduytch Dictionarie, 1658 and 1675 editions, that was appropriate for the language of the time and probably led to a more accurate translation.

The Bailey translation of Samuel's record:

In the year of our Lord 1634 my honorable father Gerrit Remmersen was born in Oostvrieslandt in a village named Pilsum.

In the year of our lor 1658 my honorable father Gerrit Remmersen arrived in this land of Amersfoort.

In the year of our Lord 1636 my honorable mother was born on Bermodus.

In the year of our Lord 1650 my honorable mother married Willem Gerritsen in Bermodus.

In the year of our Lord 1651 a son was born to her named Willem.

In the year of our Lord 1656 a son was born to her named Cornelius.

In the year of our Lord 1659 my honorable mother and her husband Willem Gerristsen arrived in this land at Amersfoort.

In the year of our Lord 1660 a daughter was born to her named Sarah.

In the year of our Lord 1662 a daughter was born to her named Hannah.

In the year of our Lord 1662 my honorable mother's first husband the honorable Willem Gerritsen fell asleep in the Lord.

In the year of our Lord 1663 my honorable father married my honorable mother, my father aged 28 years and my mother aged 26 years.

In the year of our Lord 1664 a daughter was born to her named Anna.

In the year of our Lord 1667 a son was born to her named Rem.

In the year of our Lord 1671 on the first day of October o. s. (meaning old style calendar) a Sunday a son was born named Samuel.

In the year of our Lord 1673 a daughter was born to her named Maria.

In the year of our Lord 1673 a daughter was born to her named Rachel.

(new page in Bible)

In the year of our Lord 1678 the first of may my father and my mother with her family moved out of the Bay to New York Island to a hamlet named Sapochkanika.

In the year of the Lord 1678 the 27 December my honorable father fell asleep in the Lord on a Tuesday in the Morning and was buried in Stuyvesant's Church, aged 44 years.

In the year of our Lord 1685 the first of May my mother removed her family to Gravesant (Gravesend).

In the year of our Lord 1715 the 4th day of May my brother Rem Gerritsen fell asleep in the Lord at Cape May, aged 48 years.

In the year of our Lord 1721 the 24th day of May my honorable mother fell asleep in the Lord on a Wednesday just before midnight and was brought to the grave on that Saturday in Gravesants Churchyard aged around 85 years.

In the year of our Lord 1722 the 2nd day of February my brother Willem Willemsen fell asleep in the Lord on a Friday evening around seven o'clock and was brought to the grave that Tuesday aged 70 years.

In the year of our Lord 1729 the 15th of March my sister Anna fell asleep in the Lord on a Saturday evening and was brought to the grave that Tuesday aged 64 years.

In the year of our Lord 1730 the 25th day of February my sister Hannah fell asleep in the Lord on a Wednesday morning about six o'clock and was brought to the earth that Friday aged about 68 years.

In the year of the Lord 1738 the 10th day of May my brother Conelius Willemsen fell asleep in the Lord on a Wednesday morning and was brought to the earth that Friday aged about 82 years.

(The next pages in the Bible are concerning Samuel's own family. I hope to have enough stamina to type those pages in with his family record.)

Willem Gerritsen as the Bible record of Samuel Gerritsen reveals is the progenitor of the Williamson family of Gravesend, Flatlands, and Flatbush in Kings County, NewYork and Somerset and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey. The record shows he married Mary in Bermuda (Bermudos in the Bible) in 1650, and emigrated from Bermuda to Amersfoort (Flatlands) in 1659 with their two sons, eight year old Willem and three year old Cornelius. Early accounts by Teunis G. Bergen, James A. Williamson, and Henry Whittemore said Willem Willemse immigrated in 1657, as in 1687 Willem stated that he had been in the country for 30 years (probably just a rough guess on his part). Williamson and Whittemore claimed that Willem Willensen was born in Amsterdam in 1637 and came over on the Concorde. These statements seem to products of someone's imagination. Willem Gerritsen must have been in Bermuda in 1650 when he married Mary, but none of the surviving records of that county mentions him. Although Bermuda was an English colony, the nationality of Willem probably was Dutch or Frisian as his children are called Willemsen in accordance with the Dutch patronymic system and as noted above his son Willem took the oath of allegiance to the English government at Gravesend in 1687 (saying he had been there 30 years), English settlers of that town were not required to sign this act. Samuel's Bible indicates that Willem Gerritsen was in Amersfoort (Flatlands) from 1659 until his death in 1662, but with one possible exception no record of him had been found there. In the Stoothoof Papers at the Brooklyn Historical Society, Rosalie Fellows Bailey discovered a deed which might relate to this Willem Gerritsen and reveal his place of origin. On Oct 19, 1659 at Breuckelen (Brooklyn) in New Netherland, Willem Gerritse Van Uytrecht acknowledged that he had sold to Elbert Elbersen a parcel of land there. This would indicate that this Willem was from the province of Utrecht. Rosalie Bailey thought this was another man. Aline Garretson thinks it might be Willem Gerritsen.

If Mary was born in 1636 in Bermuda, her parents were among the early settlers there, but neither she nor her family can be indentified in surviving Bermuda sources, Her maiden name even her nationality remain unknown. Rosalie Fellows Bailey conjectured that her ancestry might have been Walloon, as she was listed as Marie, the French form of Mary, on the Dutch church records. Walloon is a Romance language spoken in Belgium and a small part of France.

Bermuda is the oldest and most populous remaining British overseas territory, settled by England a century before the Acts of Union created the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Bermuda's first capital, St George's, was settled in 1612 and is the oldest continuously inhabited English town in the Americas. Previously it was part of the Spanish Empire from 1505, when it was discovered by Spanish navigator Juan de Bermudez, after whom the islands are named. The island is believed to have been visited frequently but not permanently settled. The first two English colonies in Virginia had failed, and a more determined effort was initiated by King James I of England (James VI of Scotland), who granted a Royal Charter to the Virginia Company. In 1609, a flotilla of ships left England under the Company's Admiral, Sir George Somers, and the new Governor of Jamestown, Sir Thomas Gates, to relieve the colony of Jamestown, settled two years before. Somers had previous experience sailing with both Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. The flotilla was broken up by a storm, and the flagship, the Sea Venture, was wrecked off Bermuda, leaving the survivors in possession of a new territory. (William Shakespeare's play The Tempest is thought to have been inspired by William Strachey's account of this shipwreck.) The island was claimed for the English Crown, and the charter of the Virginia Company was extended to include it. St George's was settled in 1612 and made Bermuda's first capital. It is the oldest continually inhabited English town in the New World. Since Mary was born here in 1636, her parents may have been one of these first English settlers that survived the shipwreck

In 1615, the colony was passed to a new company, the Somers Isles Company (The Somers Isles remains an official name for the colony, named after Admiral Somers, just as Gate's Bay and Fort Gates are named after Sir Thomas Gates), formed by the same shareholders. The close ties with Virginia were commemorated even after Bermuda's separation by reference to the archipelago in many Virginian place names, such as Bermuda City, and Bermuda Hundred. The first British coins in America were struck here.

Most of the survivors of the Sea Venture were carried on to Jamestown in 1610 aboard two Bermuda-built ships. Among them was John Rolfe, who left a wife and child buried in Bermuda, but in Jamestown would marry Pocahontas, a daughter of Powhatan. Intentional settlement of Bermuda began with the arrival of the Plough, in 1612. Samuel Gerritsen states in his Bible that in this land his honorable mother, Mary, was born in 1636. Since Mary was born here in 1636, her parents may have been one of these first English settlers that survived the shipwreck or her parents could have came there from the English colony of Jamestown, Virginia.

Willem Gerritsen and Mary had four children. They took the last name of Willemsen (Williamson) in the Dutch tradition. Willem was born in 1651 in Bermuda; Cornelius in 1656. Willem and Mary Gerritsen came to New Amsterdam in 1659. They had two daughters after their arrival to New Amsterdam: Sarah and Hannah born in 1660 and 1662 in Amersfoort, (Flatlands), Kings County, New York. Tragedy struck the Gerritsen family in 1662. Willem Gerritsen died in New Amsterdam.

Children of Willem Gerritsen and Mary

Willem born 1651 Bermuda, married Mayken Pieters Wyckoff

Cornelius born 1656 Bermuda, married Magtel unknown last name

Sarah born 1661 Amersfoort, married Johannes Brouwer

Hannah born 1662 Amersfoort married Marten Pieterse Wyckoff.

Gerrit Remmersen was born about 1634 in Pilsum, East Friesland, Netherlands. He came to Amersfoort, New Amsterdam in 1658 (Rosalea Fellows Bailey, 1969 Manuscript in NYG & BS). He may have came at this date with his father Jan Snedyker. Gerrit married Mary unknown last name in about 1663. Some sources say Gerrit Remmersen and Willem Gerritsen were brothers, but DNA evidence does not support this fact. If Gerrit is the son of Jan Snedyker, he was still born in Holland as Jan was not in America at that early date.

Mary probably already knew Gerrit Remmersen before her first husband's death, and it is also likely that Gerrit and Willem were related. Mary Remmersen had been in America only three years when her first husband died. She had four children to rear. The year following Willem's death, Mary married again. Gerrit Remmersen and she were members of Reformed Dutch Church in Flatlands, New Amsterdam in 1677. They owned land in Flatlands. Mary and Gerrit had five children: Anna Garretson born 1664 Amersfoort, (Flatlands), Kings County; Rem Garretson born 1667 in Amersfoort, (Flatlands), Kings County; Samuel Garretson born 1 Oct 1671 in Gravesend, Brooklyn, Kings County; Maria Garretson born 1673 in New York; and Rachel Garretson born 1675 in New York. By 1678 the Remmersen/Gerritsen/Gerritson family were living Sapochkanika (Greenwich) New Amsterdam, when on December 26, 1678 Gerrit Remmersen died. He was buried in Stuyvesant Vault. Mary Remmersen had nine children. Rachel, Maria and Samuel were just small children when Garrit Remmersen died. Rem Gerritson was only eleven. Surely, Mary's eldest son, Willem Willemsen and his brother Cornelius helped their mother survive. She did not marry again.

Gerrit Remmersen (Aline Garretson, Unpublished Article) is the progenitor of the Garretson family that traces its roots to Gravesend, New York. It is from the bible records of Samuel Gerritsen that we learn of the origin of his father, Gerrit Remmersen, who was born in 1634 in the village of Pilsum in Ostfriesland (East Frieslandt) and who arrived in 1658 at Amersfoort. Pilsum today is located on the North Sea close to Holland about 7 km to the southwest of Greetsieland and about 20 km northwest of Emden, in the northern part of the Krummhoern area of West Germany. The first record of Gerrit, as Gerrit Remmerts, appears with five others including Govert Loockerman petitioning the Council of New Netherlands each for a bowery (farm) on the Canaresse [Canarsie]. In the year following the death of Willem Gerritsen, 1663, his widow Mary married Gerrit on or before July 14, 1663 when Flatbush church masters recorded receiving six guilders for marrying "Garreyt Ramacken. In a postscript to a 1671 letter sent from Theunes Hillebrants and Swaentien Hendrick in Holland to Roelof M. Schenckt it was written "Tell Barent and Gerret Remmers, please, that I have delivered their letters and added the new address, but I have not yet heard anything." Theunis who was also from Flatlands was on a visit to Holland. Gerrit and Mary were both members of the Reformed Dutch church of Flatlands in 1677 and presumably lived on the land in Flatlands that was mentioned as a boundary (to the land of Gerrit Stijnaker) in March 1666 and recorded later on a deed of 1684. His land was recorded as 23 morgens (46 acres) of land and valley which was located south of the village toward the Strom Kill (present day Gerritsen Creek). Gerrit, as Gerrit Rienniers, was listed on the assessment Roll of Amsfortt, made up in September 1676, as having 2 polls, 4 horses, 7 cows, 2 cows of 1 jrs.,and 1 hog.[6] On the first of May 1678 the Remmersen family moved to Yorks Island to a hamlet named Sapochkanika. Sapochkanika was originally an Indian village located in what is now known as Greenwich Village on Manhattan. The Dutch adopted the name Nortwyck for the area along the Hudson River and farther north, now called Chelsea. Gerrit applied for vacant land for a bowery and moved there immediately as his name is on the subsequent regional survey. After Gerrit's death 27 December 1678, the land grant was issued in December 1680 to his widow. The bowery which bordered the land of Johannes Couwenhoven consisted of two separate parcels totaling nearly 140 acres and extended from about West 19th to 29th Streets and from the river East ward to beyond 7th Avenue. Gerrit was buried in Stuyvesant's chapel where the family most likely worshiped along with other plantation owners as they did not join the church in the city. Stuyvesants's chapel was located on his bowery along the East River, the present site of St. Mark's Church in the Bowery. Today, the grave sites of the Stuyvesant's family remain at St. Mark's church in a locked vault. It is unknown if the remains of Gerrit have remained undisturbed.

Mary remained on New York Island for seven years after the death of Gerrit, then on May 1, 1685 with the younger children, and probably Cornelis Willemse she moved to Gravesend. Her son Willem Willemse had returned to Amersfoort before 1675 and her daughters Sarah and Hanna Willemse had both been married in 1683. Previously on January 6,1684, then residing on New York Island, Mary Remmersen bought from John Tilton plantation- lot No. 30 with the buildings thereon in Gravesend per town record. This bowery (farm) on Manhattan Island was deeded to Egbert Heerman 13 October 1692 and bore both Mary's and son Rem's signature or mark. Mary's name appears on a number of deeds of purchase and transfer of Gravesend properties recorded in town and county records. In the property transactions, she appears to have been acquiring property to pass on to her heirs. January 17, 1698-99, Mary of Gravesend receipts for 5 pounds to R. Van Siclen on an agreement made by her two sons: Rem and Samuel Gerretse. In 1698, Mary widow of Gerrit Remmersen of Gravesend conveys to Samuel Gerritse, her son, a house and garden spot in Gravesend and also land on Gisbert's Island bounded on one side by the sea, as per Gravesend Record. Gerrit Remmersen means Gerrit son of Rem. Rem Gerritsen means Rem son of Gerrit. Mary died 24 May 1721 at age 85 and was buried in the Gravesend Churchyard. Unlike her two husbands, she lived to see her children grown. Since she named her daughters—Sarah, Anna, and Rachel—I do not think she was from Holland!

Children of Gerrit Remmersen and Mary, widow of Willem Willemsen:

Anna Remmers, b.1664, m. Jacob Van Couwenhoven 7 July 1685, d. 15 Mar. 1729.

Rem Gerritsen, b.1667, m. Rebekah Hubbard d.4 May 1714.

Samuel Gerritsen, b. 1671, m. Ida Reyder d. 4 Sept. 1763.

Maria Remmers, b. 1673, d. 16 July 1755 at or near Philadelphia.

Rachel Remmers, b. 1675, d. 27 Mar. 1757 on the Raritan.

Mary Gerritsen Remmersen's Children

Willem Willemsen

Mary's eldest son, Willem Willemsen, born in Bermuda in 1650, came to New Amsterdam in 1659, and settled at Gravesend, Long Island, where his name appears on the tax list of 1683 and on the census of Gravesend in 1698. He took the oath of allegiance to England in 1687. In the allotment of lands, 1670, he drew lot 32, and received another portion in 1700. In his will dated December 1, 1721, recorded in the surrogate's office, New York (p. 288, liber 9), and in other contemporaneous documents he signs his name Willem Willemsen. In 1715 he and his son Nicholas were subscribers to a fund for the support of Dominies Freeman and Antonides, who presided over the churches of Brooklyn, Flatlands, Jamaica, Gravesend and New Utrecht, New York. He married probably in 1678, Mayken Pieters Wyckoff, of Gravesend, born October 17, 1653, daughter of Pieter Claesen Wyckoff, who emigrated to this country in 1636, and married Greitze, daughter of Hendrick Van Ness.

Children of Willem and Mayken Willemson (Dr. Aline Garretson, "The Gerritsen-Willemsen Family Record, and the Williamson Family of Gravesend," The Record [July 2002]) are: 1--William, born 1678-80; married (1) Catelyntje Gulick, daughter of Jochem Gulick and Jacomyntje Teunisse Van Pelt. They resided on Six-Mile Run, North Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey as early as 1710. William may have had more than wife and the maternity of his younger children is unknown. 2—Margaret (Gretie) married Abraham Emans. 3—Pieter (Peter), baptized 16 April 1682; married Gravesend about 1715 to Cornelia Johnson.

Marretje (Mary), baptized 12 April 1685; married Bartholomew Marsh. 5--Cornelius, born Gravesend about 1687; married Grietje Gulick, daughter of Jochem Gulick and Jacomyntje Van Pelt. They resided at Six-Mile Run [Franklin Park], Somerset County, New Jersey by 1710. 6--Nicholas of Gravesend, born about 1689 (GMNJ, Vol. 21) and died 10 Sep 1779 (GMNJ, Vol. 21). He married in 1715 Lucretia Van Vorrhess, (William H. Benedick, New Brunswick, New Jersery History, 1925). She was the daughter of Stephen Van Voorhees and his second wife, Eva. Nicholas' second wife was Ida Remsen. He was a successful farmer. In 1715 Willem and his son Nicholas were subscribers to a fund for the support of Dominies Freeman and Antonides, who presided over the churches of Breuckelen, Flatlands, Jamaica, Gravesend and New Utrecht. The Williamsons of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend and New Utrecht are descendants of Nicholas by his second wife. 7—Jacobus was born 1690-94. He married Marya of unknown last name. 8—Annetje was baptized 29 May 1695 and married John Griggs, Jr. (NYHSC. He was the son of John Griggs of Gravesend, New York.

Cornelius Willemsen

Mary's second child by Willem Gerritsen was Cornelius Willemsen. He was born about 1656 in Bermuda. He died 10 May 1738 in Gravesend, Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, New York. 1 He married Magtel of unknown last name before 30 October 1695. They had four known children, all daughters: Jannetje born about 1695, Maria born about 1697, Antje born about 1708, and Elizabeth born 28 Jul 1717 in Jamaica, Queens County, Long Island, New York. His daughter Maria married Carel Dorlandt about 1715.

Sarah and Hannah Willemsen

Mary and Willem Gerritsen had two daughters: Sarah and Hannah. They were born in 1660 and 1662 in Amersfoort, (Flatlands), Kings County, New York. Sarah married Johannes Brouwer (Brewer). She died 8 Jan 1748/49 in Gravesend, Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, New York. Hannah married Martin Pieters Wyckoff on 27 May 1683 in Flatlands, Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, New York. He was a brother Willem's wife. Hannah had one daughter Margaret Wyckoff 20 Mar 1683/84 in Flatlands, Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, New York. Margaret married Samuel Polling in 1702. Hannah married second Samuel Hubbard some sources report. This Samuel was a brother to Rebekah Hubbard who married Rem Gerritsen. Hannah Willemsen Wyckoff Hubbard died on 25 Feb 1729/30 in Gravesend, Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, New York.

Mary's Children by Gerrit Remmersen

Not long after Willem Gerritsen died, Mary married Gerrit Remmersen. They had five children: Anna (April 11, 1664, Rem (1667), Samuel (October 1, 1671), Maria (1674), and Rachel (1675).

Anna Gerritsen

Anna was born in 1664, probably in Amersfoort. In records her surname is Remmers. On July 7, 1685, she married at Gravesend by Justice James Hubbard to Jacob Covenhoven (modern name is usually Conover), son of Johannes and Sarrtje Frans. Jacob was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church of New York November 30, 1664. Jacob and the estate of his mother (Sarah Van Cowenhoven) appear separately on the tax list of the Bowery Ward in the city for 1695-1698. In 1699 he alone is listed in the Bowery Precinct. The will of his father Johannes Van Cowenhoven mentions giving his eldest son Jacob a lot in the pasture land for ten years beginning in May 1685 upon which Jacob built a house and barn. In 1695, the land was to revert to his father's estate. Anna (listed as Antje Remmers wife of Jacob Van Couwenhoven) witnessed the baptism of Jacob and Pieter, twin sons of Abraham Mesier and Elizabeth Van Couwenhoven on June 19, 1698. There are disagreements as to the children of Anna and Jacob. They appear in Van Kouwenhoven-Conover Family by Lincoln C. Cocheu. This publications states they had at least three daughters: Jannetje, Neeltje, and Saartje (Janet, Eleanor, and Sarah), with no birth or baptismal dates. Later the three daughters were attributed to two other Van Kouwenhoven families. These three children have these recorded marriages. Janet married Henrick Bennett, Eleanor married Abraham Vanderwater, and Sarah married Isaac Vanderwater. Aline Garretson names two children for Anna and Jacob. Both were name Johannes. The first was baptized August 16, 1685 and he probably died young. The second son with the same name was baptized March 8, 1686 and sponsored by Samuel Gerritszen and Elizabeth V. Couwenhoven. This Johnnes married Lucretia Luyster. Some sources report that Jacob died and Anna married second, John Gerretsen Dorlandt. Aline Garretson did not comment on this marriage. She said she found no other record of Anna or Jacob.

Maria and Rachel Gerritsen

First, it seems these two daughters of Gerrit Remmersen used the surname Remmers. Maria was born in 1673 and Rachel in 1675. Their brother Samuel recorded their births (years only) and deaths in his Bible. He wrote--The 16 July (new style calendar) 1755 my beloved sister Maria fell asleep in the Lord in Philadelphia on Wednesday aged in her two and eightieth year. The next entry says--The 27th March (new style calendar) 1757 my beloved sister Rachel fell asleep in the Lord on a Sunday on the Raritans aged eight-two years. Why were they in Philadelphia and Raritan? Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on the south by the Raritan Bayshore communities of Monmouth County, New Jersey, and on the east by Sandy Hook Bay. The bay is named after the Native American Raratan tribe, a branch of the Lenape tribe who lived in the vicinity of the bay for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Dutch colonists in the 17th century. He may have been referring to somewhere on the Raritan River. What was Maria doing in Philadelphia? No evidence has surfaced to show either ever married. I can't help but wonder if they were not involved with the Dutch Reformed Church in these locations or were with some of Samuel's children. I have no further information on either sister.

Samuel Gerritsen

Samuel was born probably in Amersfoort October 1, 1671. After his mother moved the family to Gravesend in 1685, he remained there the rest of his long life. He married June 14, 1695 Yda (Ida) Barends, born August 15, 1676, daughter of Barent Juriansen Ryder and Aaltje Van Voorhees. Other than in Samuel's Bible and in Bergen's Early Settlers of Kings County, New York, Ida has not been recognized as Ryder or Van Voorhees descendent. She is believed to be the daughter of Barent Ryder of Gravesend as evidenced by the fact that Barent Juriaance and Aaltje Stevens his wife were witnesses at the baptism of Samuel's first born son, Bernardus, misnamed Ferdinandus in the church record, who was named after this maternal grandfather. Ida died September 12, 1751. Samuel died at Gravesend September 4, 1763 at age 91. (Aline Garretson is my reference for this information.)

Samuel played an active role in the local and county government and in the Gravesend Dutch church until he reached the age of 79. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in Captain Jochem Gulick's Gravesend company in 1705 and served as an adjutant to the Kings County militia regiment in 1715. He was a Supervisor representing Gravesend on the Kings County Board of Supervisors in 1714-1716, and served as Clerk of the Board 1714-16 and again in 1719-26. As a representative of Kings County he served in the Provincial Assembly from 1716-1737. He was a senior judge of the Cort of Common Pleas for Kings County in1 1729, 1749, and 1751. He also represented the Gravesend Dutch Church in 1742 and 1748.

The derivation of the name Gravesend is unclear. Some speculate that it was named after the English seaport of Gravesend, Kent. An alternative explanation suggests that it was named by Willem Kieft for the Dutch settlement of "'s- Gravesande", which means "Count's Beach" or "Count's Sand". There is also a town in the Netherlands called 's-Gravenzande. Gravesend was one of the original towns in the Dutch colony of New Netherland and became one of the six original towns of Kings County in colonial New York. It was the only English chartered town in what became Kings County and was designated the "Shire Town" when the English assumed control, as it was the only one where records could be kept in English. Courts were removed to Flatbush in 1685. The former name survives, and is now associated with a neighborhood in Brooklyn. Gravesend is notable for being founded by a woman, Lady Deborah Moody; a land patent was granted to the English settlers by Governor Willem Kieft, December 19, 1645. Gravesend Town encompassed 7,000 acres (28 km²) in southern Kings County, including the entire island of Coney Island, which was originally the town's common lands on the Atlantic Ocean, divided up, as was the town itself, into 41 parcels for the original patentees. When the town was first laid out, almost half were salt marsh wetlands and sandhill dunes along the shore of Gravesend Bay.

Samuel appears on the assessment roll of Gravesend of 1693 and the census of 1694. He is also on the list of inhabitants of the township of Gravesend for 1738 where he is recorded with 5 white males above the age of 10 years, two females above the age of 10 years and one female under the age of 10. At this time he owned no blacks, but by May 1, 1755 he is listed as having 1 black male. Samuel was a miller (my opinion) and operated the tide mill here where he lived. On 21 June 1698, Mary Remmersen deeded her son Samuel house etc. in Gravesend, bounded by property of Capt. Stillwell and Martin Peterse, another piece of land bounded by lands of Capt. Stillwell and Reyneer Vansycklyn, and another lot bounded by property of William Williamse, Jonathan Griggs, Jr., and widow Strycker. Mary deeded Samuel on 7 September 1698 additional property described as bounded by that of John Emans, John Griggs, Jr., a parcel by Reyneer Van Sycklyn and heirs of Obadiah Wilkins "now in possession of John Griggs, Jr"., another parcel by Rutt Joosten, Kryne Janse and William Williamse, and yet another parcel on Gysbert Island bounded by lands of John Griggs, Jr., and Jeremiah Stillwell. Samuel then deeded his mother Mary on 21 September 1698 one half of his house and land, for life, bounded by property of John Emans and John Griggs, Jr. Several additional parcels of land were conveyed to Samuel and his mother on 25 October 1698 by Andrew Bowne, all formerly of his deceased father William Bowne. The parcels conveyed were land bounded by that of Nicholas Stillwell and Martin Peterse, a parcel in "Cellarneck in Gravesend" bounded by property of Nicholas Stillwell, Reyneer Vansycklyn and Mary Remmerson, and a parcel bounded by lands of William Williamse, John Griggs, Jr. and widow Strycker. There appears to have been a pattern to the last purchase as all parcels bounded property either owned by herself, her son William Williamse, or son-in-law Martin Peterse, husband of Hannah Willemse. Samuel then acquired in 1700 lot No.12 in the penny lots of salt meadows in Gravesend laid out in the "Long Fly and the Cedar Neck, Hugh Gerretsen's and Hog Point" by Peter Cortelyou into 30 lots. I believe this is the location of the Gerritsen tide mill. Samuel built it here or it was already located at this site.

Children of Samuel and Ida (Ryder) Gerritsen:

Bernardus Gerritsen (Verbryck), b.4 June 1696, m. Jannetje Schenck abt. 1717, d. 2(?) Jan. 1765

Gerrit Gerritsen, b. 27 Aug. 1698, m. Marytje Wyckoff, d. 17 Sept. 1752

Samuel Gerritsen, b. 3 Jan. 1701, m. Mettie Suydam, b. 4 Sept. 1727 .

Rem Gerritsen, b. 9 Mar. 1703

Aeltie Gerritsen, b. 24 Oct. 1705, m. Gerrit G. Wyckoff of Flatlands,son of Garret Pieterse and Catharine Nevius, b. 1704, d. 2 Nov. 1770.

Jacobus Gerritsen, b. 25 Mar. 1708, d. 20 Jan. 1746

Marie Gerritsen, b. 28 Jan. 1711, m. Jacobus Debevoise.

Wilhelmus Gerritsen, b. 22 May 1713, d. 23 Feb. 1746

Johannes, b. 20 Aug. 1716, m. 1st Elizabeth Vandervoort, m. 2nd Jannetje Williamson, d. 27 Feb. 1766.

Bernardus Gerritsen (Verbryck) is the eldest son of Samuel Gerritsen and Ida Ryder. He was born June 4,1696 at Gravesend. He was named after his maternal grandfather Barends Juransen Ryder. Bernardus changed his surname to Verbryck for an unknown reason. The origin of this surname is equally obscure and there are no known records of anyone other than his descendants having perpetuated this surname. The first record found for the use of the name Verbryck appears on The Kings County Militia list of 1715. His brother Gerret is also listed with the surname Verbryck, Gerrit dropped this surname and resumed the Gerritsen surname while living at Middletown, New Jersey. Bernardus married Jannet Je Schenck, daughter of Jan Roelofse (Schenck) and Sara Kouwenhoven, daughter of William, before 13 April 1718 when he and his wife were listed as witnesses to the baptism of Willem, son of Jan Schenck at the Reformed Church of Freehold. When he moved to Freehold, Monmouth County is unknown, but it could have been at the time of his marriage. He was listed as a church member at Freehold on a list of 23 August 1731. Bernardus has been said to be of Neshaminy, Bucks County, Pennsylvania by Bergen at the time of his marriage, but Aline Garretson has found no evidence to support this. His identity as sheriff of Monmouth County at Freehold was confirmed by a notice he placed in The York Gazette of May 12, 1735 offering a reward pertaining to an Eleanor White under sentence of Death. His residence appears to have been at Freehold as listed in the membership list of the Freehold and Middletown Reformed Church for 1731. Bernardus may have moved to Somerset County after 23 Apr. 1738 when his son, William. was baptized at Freehold and before 24 Aug. 1752 where he was listed as a founder with his wife and as an elder at of the Neshanic Reformed Dutch Church. His name appears as a freeholder of Somerset County in 1753.

Children of Bernardus and Jannetje (Schenck) Verbryck:

Ida Verbyck, bap. 2 Nov. 1718 at New Utrecht sponsors Samuel Gerritsen and his wife Ida.

Samuel Verbyck, b. 18 April 1721. Samuel was a member of the First Reformed Dutch Church in New Brunswick when he was licensed in 1749 in the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church under Rev. John H. Goetchius, minister at Schraalenburgh (Bergenfield). The following year he was on the census list for Hackensack. He served as the minister to Tappan and New Hempstead (Clarkstown) from 1750 until his death on 31 Jan. 1784. Samuel married April 7, 1750 at Hackensack Susanna Van De Linde, daugher of Hendrick Van der Linde and Ariaentje Westervelt, granddaughte of Roeloff Vander Linde and Ariaentje (Hendrick) Blinkerhof early settlers of Hackensack, Bergen County, New York, born 19 Apr. 1723, bap. 10 May 1724, d. 16 Aug. 1807. He played a role in securing from the Governor of New Jersey the original charter for Queens College, later Rutgers College, and then became a trustee.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (aka Rutgers University) is an institution of higher learning with campuses across the State of New Jersey its main flagship campus in New Brunswick and Piscataway, and two other campuses in the cities of Newark and Camden, New Jersey. The eighth of nine colleges established during the American colonial period, Rutgers was chartered as Queen's College on 10 November 1766. It was renamed Rutgers College in 1825 after Colonel Henry Rutgers(1745–1830) and American Revolutionary War hero and philanthropist and early benefactor of the school. With the development of graduated education, Rutgers College was renamed Rutgers University in 1924. Originally established as a private institution affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church, it is now a secular institution and became New Jersey's leading state university of New Jersey under legislation passed in 1945 and 1956. At present, Rutgers is unique as the only university in the United States that is a colonial chartered college (1766), a land-grant institution (1864), and a state university (1945/1956). Shortly after the creation of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) by Presbyterians in 1746, ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church sought to establish autonomy in ecclesiastical affairs. At that time, those who wanted to become ministers within the church had to travel to the Netherlands to be trained and ordained, and many of the affairs of churches in the American colonies were managed from Europe. Thus, the ministers sought to create a governing body to give local autonomy to the church in the colonies, and offer opportunities for the education of ministers.

Throughout the 1750s, Dutch ministers joined the effort to create a college in the colonies, including Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen who traveled on horseback in winter of 1755 to several congregations throughout the northeast to rally ministers and congregations to the cause. Soon after, Frelinghuysen traveled to the Netherlands to appeal to the General Synod, the Dutch Reformed Church's governing council, for the creation of the classis. In 1761, the effort having failed, Frelinghuysen set sail for the colonies, but as his vessel approached New York City he mysteriously perished at sea.

After Frelinghuysen's death, Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh (later Rutgers' first president) established himself as spokesperson for the cause, and a strong supporter of establishing a college in New Jersey. Hardenbergh travelled to Europe, renewing Frelinghuysen's efforts to gain the Synod's approval, but was also rejected. Much to the Synod's chagrin, however, Hardenburgh returned to the colonies with money for the establishment of a college. The original purpose of Queen's College was to "educate the youth in language, liberal, the divinity, and useful arts and sciences" and for the training of future ministers for the Dutch Reformed Church.

The Samuel Verbyck family lived first in Tappan but when the Revolution broke out they moved to Clarksburg. At the time of his death, Samuel owned 300 acres of land in Hackensack where he was living and 50 acres at Tappan. Both Samuel and Susanna are buried in the Tappan Churchyard. Children (baptized at Tappan Dutch Reformed Church): Ariaetje, Bernardus, Hendrick, Jannetje, Samuel Gerritson, and Roelof.

Bernardus Verbryck is probably the unnamed son bap. 17 June 1723. Bernardus was listed as Junior along with his brothers John and William in the account book of Peter Van Dike for the construction of the Neshanic Church. Baptismal records at Neshanic Church give Catleyntie as his wife but nothing is known of her parents. Bernardus appears on the tax lists for Hillsborough Township for 1779, 1784-86, and 1788. Along with his brothers John and William his name appears in the settlement of the Adrian Schomp estate. Children (baptized at Neshanic church): Jannite, Eleisabet, Barnardus, Catleyna, and Maria.

Johannes Verbryck was baptized January 17,1724. John's name appears on the census list for Hillsborough Township, Somerset County, New Jersey for 1779-80, 1784-86, and 1788-89. He resided at Hillsborough prior to 1772 when he was listed as giving a cash contribution to Dirck Low to the building fund for the Neshanic Dutch Reformed Church and witnessed the approval of the accounting of the managers of money they had received for the construction of the church. He also was involved in 1780 in the settlement of the estate of Adrian Schomp having given money to Dirck Low for goods and chattels of the deceased and in the arbitration with the executors. John apparently never married as no marriage or church baptismal records have been found.

An unidentified child was baptized December 19, 1725.

Jannetje Verbryck was baptized August 27, 1732. She married Abraham Haring of Tappan, Orange County, N.Y. son of Abraham Abrahamse and Maria Haring. Children (baptized Tappan Dutch Reformed Church):David and Abraham..^...

Wilhelmus Verbryck was baptized April 23, 1738. He is listed along with his brothers John and Bernardus Wilhelmus as donors in the building of the church at Neshanic both in money and supplies. Healso was listed on the tax lists for Hillsborough for the years 1779-80, 1784-1789. William in 1772 was referred to as Captain William Ver Bryck one of three persons chosen by the congregation of the church to audit the accounting of the managers of the building funds. He served as a Justice of the Peace from 1773-1799 in Somerset County. He lived at Neshanic as indicated by advertisements placed in various newspapers for a young lad to work in a "country merchant shop" and for a Brewing-Kettle, most likely for his tavern. William served as a major in the New Jersey Militia in 1777 and was assigned to the Fifteenth Virginia of the Continental Army. He married first Dortie before May 15, 1768. She is believed to be the daughter of Laurance Demott. He married second,Rebecca, daughter of Derrick Low and Rebecca Emmons before 22 Feb. 1778. Children: (by 1st wife) Jannitje, Louwerens; (by 2nd wife) Dortie, Rebecka, Barnardus, Dirick, Sara, Wylhelmus, Jan, Jeudick, Nellie.

This concludes the Verbryck family information I have gathered.

Gerrit Gerritsen son of Samuel and Ida Ryder was born August 27, 1698 at Gravesend. He is named after his paternal grandfather Gerrit Remmersen. He was a resident of Gravesend when he witnessed the will of John Emans dated 7 August 1715 and in 1715 when he was listed, as Gerrit Verbrick, as a soldier in the Regiment of Militia in Kings County. This same list bore the name of Bernardus Verbrick as soldier who actually changed his name to Verbryck. Gerrit used the surname of Verbryck for the baptisisms of children in 1722, 1725, but in 1731 he was listed as Gerrit Gerritson on the church member list at the Freehold Dutch Reformed Church. Gerrit's will of 1752 confirms his place in the Garretson lineage as he names his brothers, Samuel Jr., Johannes, Jacobus, and Rem. He married his half cousin Marytje (Maria) Wyckoff, daughter of Martin Pieterse Wyckoff and Hanna Willemse baptized at Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church 12 April 1685. Garret moved to Freehold, New Jersey sometime after 1717 and before 1722 when his unnamed child was baptized 14 October 1722 at the Freehold Church. He relocated to Franklin Township and was listed as a church member at the First Reformed Dutch Church of New Brunswick for 1732-35^. He served as an elder at the New Brunswick church in 1740, 1742, 1750 and his son Rem was baptized there on 22 June 1740. His name appears on the Tax List for Franklin Township for 1745, but not for 1735. Garret died 17 September 1752 at Middlebush. Marytje was living in 1755 when she was listed as widow of Garret Garretsen in the church records at New Brunswick. The burial site of Garret and Marytje has not been confirmed but the possibility exists that they were both buried at the South Middlebush Graveyard between the farms of Simeon Wyckoff and Samuel Garretson. Most of his son Bernardus's family were buried there and a marker that was very old did exist with only initials M G. A map of the graveyard shows only M. Garretson in the same area with the family of Bernardus. Also, in the same area the name Garretson alone shows on the map which could have been Gerrit's burial site. Since other Garretson families were buried in plots far removed from this site, it is probable that these two graves are those of Garret and Marytje.

Children of Gerrit and Maria (Wyckoff) Gerritson:

Samuel, Petrus, Gerrit, Bernardus, Rem, 1740-1786

Samuel Gerritsen Jr., son of Samuel Gerritsen and Ida Ryder, was born January 3, 1701 at Gravesend. He spent all of his life at Gravesend and was active in county and local government serving as a County Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Kings County from 1752 to 1770. In 1763 he was made Justice of the Peace. Samuel married Mette, born 4 Sept 1727, daughter of Hendrick (Jacobse) Suydam and Geertje Van Wickelen of New Lotts. As a resident of Gravesend during the Revolutionary war he loaned money to three prisoners of the British who were held on parole in Kings CountyChildren^: Rem, Rem, Nellje, Elizabeth, John.

Rem (sometimes listed as Ram) Gerritsen, son of Samuel Gerritsen and Ida Ryder, was born March 9, 1703 at Gravesend. He signed the oath of allegiance at Gravesend 26 September 1687 as a native. Sometime before 1743 he moved to Somerset County, New Jersey as his son Rem was baptized 15 April 1743 at Harlingen Reformed Dutch Church. Rem as Ram was listed as a freeholder in the Western Precinct of Somerset County in 1753(2). He is referred to as having a lot in Middlebush, near Jacob Sudam's lot. In 1767 he witnessed the will of William Williamson his half uncle and in 1770 he was listed at Hillsborough on the strayed or lost cattle list. He and his son Rem are both listed on the Rateables for Hillsborough Township for 1779 and 1780. Rem, Sr. is listed with 194 Acres in 1779 but only 100 acres in 1780 while Rem Jr. listed as single in 1779 was omitted in 1780. On the tax list of 1784 for Hillsborough neither Rem was listed. Rem married as his first wife Aulie (?) who died August 24, 1746 and probably was the Antie mother of his son Rem baptized in 1743 at the Harlingen Church. Antie could have been the daughter of Steven Koerte and one of five sisters who inherited from their father land on the Millstone. Bergen concluded that Antie married Garret Hansen (Noorstrandt) but neither he nor any records searched in New York or New Jersey have been found to confirm this. It was Aline Gerretson's opinion that the Rem Garritse Bergen cited was the son of Samuel Gerritsen and not Gerret Hansen. The fact that two other daughters of Steven Koerte moved with their husbands Jacobus Gerritsen and Nickolas Williamson from Gravesend to Hillsborough adds credibility to this theory. His second wife Catryntje (?) probably was the mother of all of his children except the first born Rem. Rem's children were: Rem, Barbara, Gerrit R, Barbara, Stephen. Samuel, Ida, Anna, Mary.

Jacobus Gerritsen was born 25 March 1708 at Gravesend. Jacobus was residing in New Jersey prior to 24 June 1733 when his son Samuel was baptized at the Raritan Reformed Dutch Church. On 20 September 1736 he was recorded as a member of the First Reformed Dutch Church of New Brunswick. He married Sara Voorhees, daughter of Steven Koerten Van Voorhees and Agatha (Eva) Janse Van Dyck of Gravesend. Jacobus Garretson died c 1745 at Bridgewater, Somerset County, New Jersey. It is probable that Jacobus and Sara lived on a portion of the tract of land "upon Rarytan in New County, and the most deel equal along the west syed of the Mill Stone river" that her father described and left to his five daughters in his will dated 5 February 1724. Jacobus died when his children were all underage on 20 January 1746 and his youngest son Jacobus inherited the home-plantation. . I wonder if his Aunt Rachel lived with his family because according to her brother Samuel's Bible record she died in Raritan.His children were: Samuel, Sara, Jacobus. I want to carry out Jacobus's genealogy to show the other donor of the DNA sample to Family Treemaker.

Jacobus Jr. was born about 1745 in Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. Jacobus married Helen Ditmars about 1767. She was the daughter of Rem Ditmars and Helena Van Lieuw (born 1721). Jacobus died January 20, January 1812 in Hillsborough, Somerset County, New Jersey. He and Helen had a large family. Children of Jacob Garretson and Helen Ditmars are:

Jacobus Garretson (12. Dec. 1768 - 1802)
Rem J. Garretson (13. Jan. 1770 - 5. Sep. 1801)
Sarah Garretson (4. Feb. 1773 - 18. Oct. 1844)
Helena Garretson (3. Mar. 1774 - 4. Mar. 1804)
Samuel Garretson (11. Mar. 1776 - 14. Oct. 1847)
Johannes Garretson (30. May. 1778 - 4. Dec. 1857)
Stephanus Garretson (30. Apr. 1781 - 7. Sep. 1845)
Peter Garretson (3. Aug. 1783 - 9. Oct. 1840)
Garret Garretson (1786 - 1829)
Dinah Garrison (10. May. 1791 - 17. Feb. 1824)
Ida Garretson (1. Sep. 1793 - 6. Jul. 1824)

The donor of the DNA sample descends from Johannes (also called John J, but I think his name was John Iverson) Garretson. John was born during the Revolutionary War. He married Jane Hageman, daughter of Richard Hegeman and Anna Smock on February 20, 1800. John died December 4, 1857 in Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey. I am listing his children here from the Conover site on the internet.

Jacobus Garretson (19. Apr. 1801 - 27. Sep. 1863)
Dirck Hegeman Garretson (26. Dec. 1802 - 14. Nov. 1878)
John I. Garretson (9. May. 1804 - 18. Apr. 1852)
Ann Smock Garretson (11. May. 1806 - 1813)
Rev. Garret I. Gerretsen (31. Jul. 1807 - 14. Aug. 1854)
Henry Hegeman Garretson (24. Jun. 1810 - 21. Oct. 1883)
Magdalena Garretson (10. Mar. 1812 - 21. Oct. 1883)
Margaret Van Deventer Garretson (3. Mar. 1816 - 1853)
Peter Garretson (16. Oct. 1818 - 19. Oct. 1818)
Peter Stryker Garretson (16. Apr. 1820 - 1822)

From the list above, John I. Garretson born May 9, 1804 is the ancestor of the DNA donor. I believe the middle name is Iverson. He was baptized on 10. Jun. 1804 at Dutch Reformed Church, Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. He married Aletta Christopher on December 19, 1829. John I. Garretson died on April 18, 1852 at Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey at the age of 47. Aletta Christopher was the daughter of Joseph Christopher. She was born July 22, 1805 and died on 19. Oct. 1876 at Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey, at age 71.

I gathered the information on John I.'s family according to the 1850 Somerset County census. John was 46 years old, born in New Jersey. The index shows him as John J., but when one looks at the original record his name is John I. He is living near Bridgewater and is a farmer. John I. and Aletta Garretson had the following family: Jane, 19; Thomas, 18; Ellen, 16; James R., 14; Amelia C., 12; John, 10; Peter, 9; Magdalene, 8; Garret, 6; William, 5; and Else, 3, totaling eleven children. By 1860, John is dead and Aletta is listed as a farm owner. Her son Thomas, 28, is living with her and working as a carpenter. Children still living at home are: Amelia C., 23; Garret, 16; William, 15, and Eliza M., 13. I suppose the 1850 census had Eliza's name wrong as she is listed as Else; however, Peter S. named a daughter Elsie. I do not know if this youngest daughter's name is Eliza or Elsie. Aletta's real estate is valued at $3,000.00 and her personal property, $800.00. Peter S. (the ancestor of the DNA donor) is not living with Alleta Garretson in 1860. I have not located him but he is probably living in Somerset County where he found employment as he was already 20 years of age, old enough to be out on his own, especially with no father living.

By 1870, Peter S is in Illinois, Henry County. He is 29 years old and his occupation is listed as minister. His middle name is Stryker and he is our next link to the Garretson family. He was born August 6, 1840 and married Mary M. Pratt. I found Mary Pratt on the 1870, Illinois census in Knox County. She is living with her father William Pratt (born in Vermont) and her mother Margaret, born in Ohio. Her father is taking in boarders. Mary is 25 years old and is listed a school teacher. She had 3 sisters: Caroline, 39; Julie, 35; and Susan, 21 (still attending school). In 1880, Peter and Mary are in Terre Haute, Indiana, Henderson County. They have these children: Garret, 8; Eddy, 6, Allie, 5; and Elsie (or Eliza), 2 months. Peter is still listed as a minister. All the children were born in Illinois so the family have not been in Indiana long. By 1900, Peter Stryker Garretson has moved to Kansas and is listed as a farmer. I would suppose he went there to homestead land. His farm is on Elm Creek in Morris County, Kansas. He and Mary have these children: Aletta, 26; Frank, 11, and George (this is actually Garret Ray), 18. Peter and Mary have been married 30 years. They have had 6 children, but only 4 are living. Daughter Aletta is doing as her mother has in the past, teaching school. By the 1910 census, Aletta is living with her son Frank and he is farming his mother's land. Garret Ray (born December 28, 1871 in Port Byron, Illinois) is in Illinois again and married to Elizabeth Salinda Dorsey. He is working as a draftsman in an automobile factory. They have been married 10 years and have two children: Forrest, 9, (he was born in Kansas) and Margaret, 5, born In Illinois. By 1920, Garret Ray is a mechanical engineer in an automobile factory in Indianapolis, Indiana. He and Elizabeth still only have two children and are living on Ashland Avenue. By 1930, Garret Ray has moved again to Peru, Indiana. He is still working as a mechanical engineer in an automobile factory. Elizabeth and he are taking in lodgers and both, Forrest and Margaret are not living at home. Forrest Dorsey Garretson married Marguerite Jackson before 1930. On the 1930 census he is living in Pennsylvania (says he was born in Kansas) working as a road inspector. According to the Social Security Death index, Forrest died in February, 1960. I found the children of Forrest, Sr. through this obituary for his son, Dr. Forrest D. Garretson, Jr.

Dr. Forrest D. Garretson, Jr., Col. (ret.). age 77 of Lakeway, TX died February 16, 2008. He was born in Ft. Pierce, FL on March 27, 1930 to Forrest D. Garretson and Marguerite (Jackson) Garretson. Forrest graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1957. He interned at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA. In 1959, Forrest entered the US Army at Ft. Campbell, KY and became a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles. He obtained his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. After being stationed at Ft. Bragg from 1963 to 1965, he was assigned to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research for his hematology and oncology training. From there, he had an unaccompanied year long tour of South Korea, from 1968 to 1972; he was assigned to Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, HI. Returning from HI, he was assigned to Ft. Jackson, SC. After one year and now having seven children, he and his wife decided to leave the army after fifteen years and settled in Tulsa, OK. He was a Hematologist/Oncologist at Springer Clinic in Tulsa, OK for twenty years. As a national guardsman, he commanded a forward based medical unit in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Returning from the Gulf War, he and his wife re-entered the military and were stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC for five years, retiring a full colonel with twenty years of service. Among his numerous medals were Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Nation Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service star (BSSO Army service ribbon, overseas service ribbon, army reserve components overseas training ribbon, Kuwait Liberation medal, Kuwait liberation medal (K) Parachutist badge. He retired a second time and he and Bernadette moved to Lakeway in 1996. Forrest found late in life his love for fly fishing and tying flies. He also had a passion for landscaping and plants and had a tremendous knowledge of the names of trees, shrubs, and plants. He was a linguist and, at some point, was fluent in Korean, French, German, Gaelic, Spanish, Arabic and Russian. Forrest enjoyed traveling with his wife, Bernadette of 54 years and together they traveled to Thailand, China, Eastern Europe and Ireland. Forrest, along with his wife, enjoyed fly fishing, canoeing and winter sports, such as cross-country skiing and snow shoeing near Plattsburgh, NY. They enjoyed working at Caritas in Austin and the soup kitchen in Plattsburgh, NY. They were Eucharistic Ministers at Emmaus Church in Lakeway and St. Peter' Church in Plattsburgh. Survivors include his wife, Bernadette of Lakeway; daughter, Linda and son-in-law Floyd Stanley of Grifton, NC, and her three children, Adam, Joshua, Nicholas; son, Jeffrey and daughter-in-law MaryAnne of Huntington, NY along with their three daughters, Ashleigh, Lauryn and Caroline, Karyn and son-in-law Douglas Eimer of Austin, TX along with their three children, Sean, David and Kristina, Barbara Garretson of Corvallis, OR, Jennifer and son-in-law Mark Blocher of Broken Arrow, OK together with their two daughters, Meghan and Jorden, Sean Garretson of Austin and daughter Emma. Forrest has four living brothers and sisters, Kathi and brother-in-law Ernie Whitcomb of Cape Coral, FL, Shirley Martin of Birmingham, AL, Don and sister-in-law Lois Garretson of Cape Coral, FL and John Garretson also of Cape Coral. In addition, Forrest has numerous nieces and nephews, relatives and friends. Besides his parents and brother Ray; Forrest is predeceased by his daughter, Diana. There will be a celebration of life with mass at Emmaus Catholic Church in Lakeway, TX on Saturday, March 1, at 1:30 pm. Interment and reception follows. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to Hospice Austin or Emmaus Catholic Church of Lakeway.

The obituary lists his brothers and sister as: Kathi Whitcomb, Shirley Martin, Don Garretson, and John Garretson. The DNA for Donald matched Larry and Roger Garrison's Y DNA with two mutations. I contacted him and Larry and Donald participated in a farther DNA study. All markers matched exactly showing their Y DNA came from the same source! Thanks, Mr. Garretson for helping us locate Garrit Remmersen!

Donald Ray Garretson

R1b1b2--13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 29 17 8 10 11 11 25 15 19 32 15 15 17 18 11 11 19 23 15 14 18 16 36 40 12 12

Larry Garrison Renfroe and Roger Eugene Garrison

R1b1b2--13 23 14 10 11 15 12 12 12 13 13 29 17 8 10 11 11 25 15 19 32 15 15 17 18 11 11 19 23 15 14 18 16 36 40 12 12

I will now return to the children Samuel and Ida Ryder Garretson. The next child in birth order is Maria Gerritsen. She was born January 28, 1711 at Gravesend. She married in 1736 Jacobus Debeavous of the Wallabout, son of Joost (Carlsz) and Mary (Remsen) Debevoise. On 7 February 1761 when Jacobus made his will they were living in the Township of Brooklyn where he was a yeoman. Maria died before her husband's will was proved 19 March 1784.

Children of Maria (Gerritsen) and Jacobus Debevoise are Joost (George), who married Elizabeth Vanderbilt, died before 31 March, 1784 when letters of Administration for his father's estate were given to his widow Elizabeth, Fernandus Suydam, and John Van der Bilt. His brothers-in-law Johannis E. Lott and John VanderBilt served as executors for his estate. The next child is Samuel, unmarried, died after November 7, 1780 and before March 20, 1784, the dates his will was drawn and proved. He names his mother Marietie and his brothers and sisters, Jost, Marietie and Eida in his will, his mother to receive his whole estate. Maria's next child is Ida. No further information. Maria's youngest daughter is Marritie, who married Garret Van Duyn after 7 Feb. 1761.

Wilhemus Gerritsen was born 22 May 1713 at Gravesend. He followed his brothers Gerrit, Rem and Jacobus to Somerset County, New Jersey where he died at age 32 on 23 February 1746 leaving his wife MARY and four young children.Wilhelmus appears on the Tax List in 1745 for Franklin Township where he owned 150 acres and 14 cattle. Children were baptized at the Reformed Church of New Brunswick. in 1745. Children (from will): John, Samuel, Eyda, Ann.

Johannes Gerritsen, the youngest of Samuel and Ida Gerritsen's children, was born 20 August 1716 and baptized 30 September 1716 at the Dutch Church of Gravesend. He remained at Gravesend where he operated the Gerritsen tide mill until his death on February 27, 1766. Johannes served as town clerk from 1752-1765. He first married September 16, 1749 Elizabeth Vandervoort, born September 7, 1726 widow of George Rapelje. Her identity as his wife was confirmed through the will of her father Peter Van Dervoort of Brooklyn and a transcription of a Bible record of Johannes^. Elizabeth died 14 May 1762. He married second Jannetje (Jenny) Williamson, on 25 March 1764, license 17 March 1764, daughter of Nicholas and Ida (Remsen) Williamson. Johannes died 27 February 1766 and his will dated 20 December 1765 and proved 7 June 1766 named his wife Janittie and his two children. His brother-in-law, Rem Willemsen and cousin Jacobus Ryder both of Gravesend were named executors. After Johannes death, his son Samuel continued making entries in the bible record. In the transcription, it was noted that his stepmother (Jannetje) married Peter Vanderveer or Vanderbilt. Other records show that she married 2 Nov. 1769 Peter Vanderbilt and had a daughter, Hilletje baptised at New Utrecht 1 Oct.1780.

Children of Johannes and Elizabeth (Vandervoort) Gerritsen are Samuel, born 10 August, 1750, baptized at Gravesend Church, sponsored by Samuel and Eyde Gerritsen, his paternal grandparents. Samuel married September 16, 1770, by license September 6,1770, Altie Ryder, born March 13, 1751. The record of his and his wife's deaths comes from their tombstones in the Gravesend Churchyard. Samuel died November 7, 1822 and Altie died September 12, 1807. Children:, John S., b. 19 July 1771; Jane, b. 9 July 1776; Elizabeth, b. 5 Dec. 1778; Jacobus, born 16 Feb. 1781, d. 30 May 1782. One child was born to Johannes Gerritsen and Jannetje Williamson Ida, born 30 Dec. 1764, baptized 31 March 1765.

CONTRARY to what one would think, the Dutch colonists on Long Island did not build windmills but they harnessed their mill wheels to some of the many tidal creeks that indented the shores of their property. The last of these tidal grist mills stood on the west side of the Storm Kill, or Gerritsen's Creek, until 1935 when it was burned, supposedly by arson. This mill is the one Johannes Gerritsen passed to his son Samuel in his will.

Samuel Gerritsen ground wheat and corn mainly in his tide mill. It was on the edge of the basin into which poured the sea when the rising tide opened the flood gate of the dam that crossed the narrowest part of the creek. When the water reached the top of the dam, the gates closed with a full pond behind them. A gate in the sluiceway in back of the mill could be raised by hand by means of a ratchet wheel and thus allowing the water to flow over the mill wheel as it was needed. You entered the mill from the landing platform on the west side. Inside the machinery was clumsy and primitive made largely of wood and leather. Pulleys and belts set the machinery in motion. With a little imagination we can see the ruddy faced Dutch miller busily engaged in watching the various parts of the machinery and at the same time humming one of the old hymns of the Fatherland that in translated form may still be heard in the Dutch Reformed Churches. As the wood and leather creaked and hummed you would not have failed to have been impressed as bags of grain passed between the stones of this ancient structure.

Prior to 1645, Hugh Gerritsen owned the land bordering on the west side of the Strom Kill which was later called Gerritsen's Creek. In 1685, the tide mill was mentioned in Dongan's Patent. On 17 January 1687, Mary, widow of Gerrit Remmersen, conveyed to her sons Rem and Samuel this land in Gravesend. It is from our Samuel Gerritsen that the future millers of Gravesend were descended. Researchers assume that Samuel descended from Hugh Gerritsen, but we know that Samuel was the son of Gerrit Remmersen and that sons at that time did not use the same surname as their father. Hugh Gerritsen may have been related to our Gerritsen family but I cannot find any connection between the families.

No old Mill could exist with a long past without having a story of importance. From an almost forgotten legend we learn that when the startling and unwelcome report reached Miller Samuel Gerritsen that the British troops had landed at at Gravesend Bay and were marching down the Kings Highway in an easterly direction, he immediately removed the huge grinding stones and buried them in the mill pond. He replaced them with a pair that had been discarded and worn away. In due time an attachment of Hessians arrived and promptly took possession of the mill with the intention of grinding grain for their men and horses. Discovering the condition of the stones and probably with information derived from some Royalist spy, a corporal and squad of soldiers were ordered to seize Miller Gerritsen and advise him to find the working stones. Gerritsen must have had a sincere respect for the gruff Hessians and their sharply pointed bayonets for he lost no time in retrieving the missing grinders and installing them in their proper place. From thence to the end of the war, the mill continued to grind for the invaders. It is fair to state however that the British paid a fair price for this service and when the troops were finally withdrawn, Gerritsen was left with a very comfortable fortune even if it were in foreign coin.

When Samuel died on November 7, 1822, in Flatbush at the home of John Lott, husband of his daughter Elizabeth (born 6 January 1779), he left the tide mill to his son John S. Gerritson (born 19 July 1771 died 1864). John married Mary, commonly called Polly, who was the daughter of Peter Cortelyou, 20 December 1798. After her death he married Catharine Van Brunt. He had three children. He left the mill to his son, Samuel I. Gerritsen. On 2 October 1821, Samuel married Jane Van Brunt (born 14 May 1803 - d. 21 November 1861) and, they had two children: Mary Cortelyou (born 27 July 1822) who married Abraham Ditmas Polhemus on 13 May 1864 and Helen Van Brunt (born 15 November 1824) who married Stephen H. Herriman on 27 April 1853. Samuel deeded part of this property to his son-in-law, Abraham Polhemus After Samuel I. Gerritsen died September 20, 1876, his executors deeded the mill with the land on which it stood to his daughter, Helen Van Brunt Herriman. Polhemus died in 1879, his executors sold the premises which he had purchased from Samuel Gerritsen to Helen V. B. Herriman. Her husband willed it to their children : Maria Bell (baptized 29 July 1856), Helen (baptized 14 November 1858) and William S. Herriman. William S. Herriman was the last to run the tide mill. On his death, he left his part of the Gravesend property to his sister, Maria Bell Hazen. Thus the title was now held by sisters, Hazen and Herriman. In 1899, they sold the property to Honorable William C. Whitney, who rebuilt, laid out , refitted and restored the premises making one of the most magnificent country estates in New York. He left it to his son Harry Payne Whitney. Harry Payne Whitney used the old farm as a training place for his famous race horses.

After the mill stopped working around 1890, a wooden bridge was built over the creek at Avenue U. In 1925, the mill was purchased by the city, and in 1935 the Parks Department restored it, again. A few months later in 1935 it was destroyed by fire. The pilings of the dock where the barges carrying the grain loaded were still visible in Gerritsen Creek in the late twentieth century, and a round stone that may have been the millstone could be seen on the shore of Barren Island.

Gerritsen's farmhouse was about 150 yards from the creek. Around 1830, Samuel I. Gerritsen built a mansion in the Georgian style. When Whitney bought the property in the 1890, he renovated the manison to live in during the racing season. He also built stables, barns, and servants' quarters. The mansion was demolished around 1936 owing to the development of Marine Park, but the carriage house was converted to a private residence.

The Gravesend Brighton Beach, and Sheepshead Bay racetracks flourished in the 1890s but declined during a New York ban on gambling. The Gravesend track was demolished in the 1920s. The Sheepshead Bay track was later used for auto racing and eventually converted to building lots in the early 1920s. Concrete blocks that supported the grandstand could be seen around Nostrand Avenue until around 1960. Today if we visited this area, our family's name would be seen on Gerritsen Avenue, Gerristsen Creek, Gerritsen Bay, Gerritsen Beach!

Rem Gerritsen

The DNA link between Roger Garrison and Larry Renfroe and Rem Gerritsen was discovered and a descendent of Rem's brother Samuel had submitted DNA to the same study. Roger and Larry and this descendent's common ancestor is Gerrit Remmersen. Family Tree Maker protects the identity of its donors unless the donor chooses to give an email address. I contacted Donald Jackson Garretson through the email address he gave and he and Larry Renfroe did a farther dna study. All markers matcher exactly. I want to thank Mr. Garretson for his help in finding our Garrison family! Without his dna sample matching our samples this search would only rely on circumstanial evidence, but with matching dna we know we are descended from same man--Garrit Remmerson! The descent from Donald to Remmersen came through Samuel to Jacobus to Jacobus Jr. to John I. to John I. Jr. to Peter Stryker to Garret Ray to Forrest Dorsey Garretson. Forrest Dorsey Garretson was born in February 1901 in Dublin, Kansas and he died in 1960 in Indiana.

Gerrit Remmersen b. 1634 in Pilsum, East Friesland, m. Marie (?)
Samuel Gerritsen b. 1 Oct 1671 in Gravesend, NY., m. Yda Reyder
Jacobus Gerritsen b. 25 Mar 1708 in Gravesend, NY., m. Sara Coerte
Jacobus Gerritsen b. 22 Oct 1745 in Raritan, NJ., m. Helena Ditmars
John I. Gerritsen b. 30 May 1778 in Hillsborough, NJ., m. Jane Hegemen
John I. Garretson b. 9 May 1804 in Somerville, NJ., m. Aletta Christopher
Peter Stryker Garretson b. 6 Aug 1840 in Bridgewater, NJ., m. Mary M. Pratt
Garret Ray Garretson b. 28 Dec 1871 in Port Byron, IL., m. Elizabeth Salinda Dorsey
Forrest Dorsey Garretson b. 10 Feb 1901 in Dunlap, KS., m. Marguerite Annette Jackson

Donald Jackson Garretson is the next generation. He is the son of Forrest Dorsey Garretson, Sr. who is in Pine, Allegheny, Pennsylvania in 1930. The census shows Forrest was married at 25 and is a road inspector, perhaps an engineer. He said he was born in 1901 Kansas, his father was born in Illinois and his mother in Ohio. His son Donald Jackson was the key that opened the door to the ancestors of the Larry and Roger Garrison. We want to say thanks you so much! UpDate--Donald Garretson and I have been in contact and both have participated in deeper dna analysis. All markers match! I can not say thank you enough to D. Garretson for his assistance in finding our Garrison family!! During my quest in finding how our Garrisons descended from Gerrit Remmersen I made several posts on the internet and created a site with the Garrison ancestors we knew at Rootsweb. At the top of the page I posted a query stating I was trying to find how Jacob descended from Gerrit Remmersen. Another Garretson researcher Mark Parsons found my query and offered assistance. Mark is a descendent of Jacob J. Garrison/Garretson's cousin Elijah Garretson. I also received a huge package of genealogical data concerning Rem Gerritsen from the Cape May New Jersey Historical and Genealogical Society. I have obtained the articles by Aline Garretson and found references to the work of Rosalie Bailey Fellows. I have purchased all the books I can locate concerning the early settlers of Kings County, New York and Cape May, New Jersey.

I will now show data I have found concerning our line of this old Gerritsen family of Gravesend.    Rem Gerritsen was born in 1667 probably at Amersfoort. He died May 4, 1715 at Cape May, Cape May County, New Jersey. His will was drawn April 29, 1715 with his wife, Rebekah as the executix. Rem married Rebekah Hubbard, daughter of James and Elizabeth Baylis Hubbard of Gravesend. Rebekah's brother Samuel was married to Hannah Willemsen, Rem's half sister. Rebekah Hubbard was born April 28, 1667. Her father, James Hubbard, was a sergeant with Lady Deborah Moody and his name appears on a patent of Gravesend December 10, 1645. Lady Moody and her followers were members of The Society of Friends. In 1687, Rem took the oath of allegiance as a native at Gravesend. He was not included in the census of Gravesend of 1698 as he was already living at Cape May County. On February 6, 1695 Rem, his mother Mary Remmerse and his brother Samuel Gerretson deeded Lot No. 39 on Hugh Gerritsen Neck to Nicholas Stillwell. This land sale probably was the grub stake for Rem and Rebekah to move to Cape May.

Rem Gerritsen was not a miller like his brother, Samuel of Gravesend. He was a man of the sea, a whaler and yoeman planter. Rem may have been a ship builder or a cooper. The whalers of this early period had more than one profession. They could not support their families by whaling alone. As whaling off Long Island waned, the whalers there looked for a new location.   Rem purchased 400 acres in Egg Harbor, Cape May County in 1693 and probably moved there shortly thereafter. This 400 acres was purchased jointly as part of 1016 acres with William Golding/Golden. It lay on the south side of Egg Harbor River. They purchased the land March 25, 1693 from the West Jersey Society. William Golding described himself as a whaler. He was of Irish descent. Dr. Maurice Beesley in his "Sketch of the Early History of Cape May" (1857) say Golding/Golden came to the Cape in 1691. His and Rem Garretson's land was located he said on what is now called Beesley's Point. Golding died in 1715, leaving a few descendants. Rem served (June 21 1698) as a juror on the "Petey Jurey" for the Court of Quarter and Common Pleas of Cape May County. He surely was an off-shore whaler on Long Island and moved to Cape May to follow this trade. Offshore whaling, as the name suggests, is done from 20-foot whale boats launched from the beach. When a whale was spotted in the bay, the boats would be launched and the sails raised. When the crew neared the whale, the sail was lowered and a crew of eight rowed close to the whale. Offshore whaling now becomes similar to blue-water whaling. The captain harpooned the whale and the whale boat was towed by the whale until it tired. The crew would move the boat close to the whale, and the captain would drive a lance into the whale, trying to strike a vital organ. The angered whale would make another run until it tired again, spouted blood—pillars of fire—and died. The whale would be towed back to the beach where the blubber and baleen were processed. The primary whale Long Islanders sought was the right whale, so named because it floated after it died. Offshore whalers, when there were no local whales, held two other jobs: farming and whatever craft or skill they had. Many were ship builders and coopers, others farmed.

Rem purchased 200 more acres of land on March 9, 1713. This being described as part of William Golding's grant. Other men including Cornelious Miller had owned the land after Golding. This new plantation was described and land and marsh and is mentioned in Rem's will. After his death, another conveyance is made to Rem's oldest son Jacob in the presence of James Hathorn, Rebekah Gerritsen, with Jacob Spicer as Judge of the court of common pleas. Jacob, according to hisparents wishes, deeds this plantation to his younger brothers, Joab and Danield February 10, 1726 (liber G-H P. 138 Cape May). At one time, Rem owned 600 acres on Cape May, part of it bordered the land of John Hubbard mentioned as Rebekah's brother.

Rem Gerritsen's will was drawn by Robert Townsend and Witnessed by Henry Leonard and Abraham Baner. He clearly defines his living children and his signature gives us the original spelling used here. The will is dated April 29, 1715 and with Rebekah's inventory is filed as Cape May County Will NO. 13-E, in the State House at Trenton, N. J. He left his homestead and plantation to his oldest son, Jacob, after Rebekah's decease. He mentions sums of money to go his two youngest sons, Daniel and Noah (when of age). Two other sons, Garret and Joab/Job to receive the plantation recently bought (200 acres of land). Rem mentions three daughters by name: Mary, my second daughter; Elizabeth; and Rachel, my third daughter. He bequeathed another sum "to my youngest daughter" who is not named but this was probably Deborah who married John Taylor as his second wife. After Taylor died she married Cornelius Hand.

Two of Rem's sons, James and Samuel, died in the epicdemic of 1713-1714, according to Thomas Leamings manuscript. Leamings said the County was nearly depopulated " by a grievous sickness, which carried off between 40 and 50 of the inhabitants. The disease came on with pain in the side, breast, and sometimes in the back….amongst the victims were Nicholas Stillwell, Arthur Cresses, Sr. and Jr., …..Samuel Garretson, Cornelius Hand, Joseph Hewit, William Shaw, ….James Garretson."

Rem's children married and raised families in Cape May County. Jacob married Martha her last name is unknown. Their children included: Rachel, Jacob Jr., Mary, Phoebe, Rem, Gerrit and Martha. Mary married Benjamin Holden on September 11, 1715. She was under age and her brother, Jacob; her sister, Elizabeth; her mother's brother, John L. Hubbard, along with many others witnessed the ceremony. Andrew Godfrey's will indicates that he was Elizabeth's husband.    Rachel married Peter Corson. I can find no record of who Joab/Job married. He was alive in 1726 when his brother, Jacob deeded land to him as his parents' wished.

Dates of birth of Rem's younger sons, Daniel and Noah, are recorded in the Friend's Records at 302 Arch St. in Philadelphia, Pa. Noah, the youngest, was born 1712. Noah married Mary Golden and had three sons mentioned in his will as James, Samuel and Elijah.   Daniel (our ancestor), born in 1706, married Hannah of unknown surname. Two of their sons birthdates are recorded in the Friends records: Daniel (our ancestor) was born February 27, 1738 and Joshua, September 28, 1739. Jacob Garretson deeded Daniel and his brother, Job, land as was his parents' wish on February 10, 1726. This was land purchased in 1713 and lay on the south side of Egg Harbor. Gabriel Thomas, in his history of West Jersey in 1698, gives a description of this area. "Prince Maurice River is where the Swedes used to kill the geese in great numbers for their feathers, leaving their carcasses behind. Cohansey River (was the waterway), by which they send great store of cedar to Philadelphia. Great Egg Harbor runs by the back part of the country into the main sea. Little Egg Harbor Creek (and Egg Harbor)….. take their names from the great abundance of eggs which the swans, geese, clucks, and other wild fowls of those rivers lay thereabouts."

Daniel was Sheriff of Cape May County in 1782 and 1783. He probably participated in the Revolutionary War there at Cape May. I have not found a record, but maybe some day I will find the record of his service. I think that shortly after the War Daniel Sr. died. His wife may have already passed away for records show the birth of only two children for the couple, Joshua and Daniel Jr.

Daniel (Daniel Jr.) married Mary Osborn(e), daughter of Ananias Osborn and Lydia Buck. Mary was the granddaughter of Jonathan Osborne. Daniel and Mary Garretson had a large family: Jonathan married Mary Crawford; Mary married Hugh Holmes; Rebekah married John Moore; Daniel (our ancestor) married Sarah Johnson; Osborn married Rhoda Towser and a Loriana unknown surname; and Samuel who married Abigail Smith, daughter of Christopher Smith. Samuel was born in 1764 and married in 1789.


To Be Continued!! Watch For Part 2!

Standridge / Renfroe Photos

My Garrison Family

Jonathan Lewis Garrison
1845-1900

Garrison Standridge connections

Standridge / Renfroe Photos

My Garrison Family Jonathan Lewis Garrison1845-1900

Garrison Standridge connections

My Garrison Family

Jonathan Lewis Garrison
1845-1900