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of the Bay of Quinte WHY I AM INTERESTED IN THIS FAMILY: James Vandewater did not arrive with Peter Vanalstine's group in 1784. Luckily it is possible to connect his family in Canada to the records in NY . A number of people were very helpful: Lorine Schulze of the Olive Tree directed me to key records in the NYGBR. Thanks also to collaboration with Fritz Van de Water, Robert Van de Water, David Hough and Jessica Bowslaugh. I will try to not duplicate what is widely available. © Randy Saylor, 2006 Dec 2012: Peter Johnson has added the following that I have not checked out. "Was looking at the James Vandewater web page. I think it way more than probable that he was the same James (with the usual variants in the surname) who served in the Dutchess Co Militia (Rebel). Seems to me his not appearing in the DAR Index has more to do with no one having applied through him rather than a confirmation process not tied to applications. Was looking at his son's (John) marker at Whites this week as he was a War of 1812 Vet." Thanks Peter. |
| Jacobus
(James) Vandewater (Peter5
Van de Water, Jacobus4,
Benjamin3,
Jacobus2,
Benjamin1)
was
born Abt.
1747, and died Bef. Their children are: i. Francis (Frank)7 Vandewater. He married Wife Unknown. ii. Elizabeth Vandewater. She married James Wager. iii. Aagie (Affay) Vandewater, born iv. Peter (the first) Vandewater, born Bef. v. Jan (John) Vandewater, born September 08, 1782 in Bap 13 Oct. 1782, no spon; New Hackensack DRC; died February 28, 1869 in Whites Cemetery, Row 8 (aged 88 yrs 2 mos). He married Sarah Clapp vi. Jacobus (James) Vandewater, born vii. Catherine Vandewater, born viii. Stephen Vandewater, born 1790 in ix. Peter Vandewater, born Abt. 1788; died See my World Connect Family File for lineages. |
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SOURCE NOTES: PIONEERS - NY TO CANADA Jacobus Vandewater and Rachel Van Kleek are most likely the pioneer settler family that moved from Poughkeepsie to Hay Bay around 1795 as referred to in the Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte. VANDEWATER FAMILY: (as in the PLBQ and referred to as the Family) "The many descendants of the Vandewater family to be found in Prince Edward County, Hastings and Lennox counties are of Dutch descent. The family came from Holland and settled in New York when that place first became a British possession. They removed to Boston, where they carried on a large printing business, some of the members being known as the "King's Printers." They must have been persons of considerable standing, for Vandewater street in New York City was named after the family; and for services rendered to the British Government, James Vandewater, who was afterwards the Canadian pioneer, received a grant of land on Chesepeake Bay, in the State of Maryland, to which State he removed prior to the War of Independence. When the colonies pronounced their allegiance to the crown, James threw in his lot with the revolutionists and served under George Washington. He sent his family to Poughkeepsie as he found his home unsafe for them owing to the proximity of the coast and of the indians, who were in sympathy with the British. As he did not return to Maryland until peace was declared, it is to be assumed that he remained with the army till the conclusion of war. But on his return home he found his land taken up by squatters, whom he was unable to dispossess owing to the unsettled state of the country and the law. It is narrated how that, in a fit of anger at finding his property in such a plight, he burned his deeds to the land and left the country, because he thought there was no justice to be obtained in it. James Vandewater made his way from Poughkeepsie to Oswego, thence to Hay Bay, where he settled about 1795. He died in 1833 (sic - probably 1823); the homestead at this place being still in the possession of one of his descendants. His sons, John and Peter, made their way up the Bay as far as Sidney, where John bought lot 30, 2nd concession, and Peter, lots 29 and 30 in the 6th concession of Sidney." Source: Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte (PLBQ), 1904, pp. 841/2. VANDEWATER STREET - MANHATTAN Hendrick and his wife Grietje Vermeulen were listed as members of the Bergen, NJ Dutch Church on 20 May 1667, but if they lived there at all it was probably only briefly, as all the children save one were baptized in the New York Dutch Church and Hendrick was described in the court records of New York as a Skipper as of March 1674 (RNA 7:70). In 1686 Margareta was listed as the widow of Hendrick (SelLM 13) living in Smith's Valley, which was along the East River north of Wall Street. In 1695 the Widow Vandewater was taxed on a house in the East ward, New York City, assessed at 30; with her son John, assessed ar 3, and her son - in - law John Pauleson, Assed at 5 (NYHS Coll. 1910:69,110,140). Their property in Manhattan was located where Vandewater Street now runs beneath the Brooklyn Bridge approaches. In her will dated 9 April , 1724 and probated 5 March 1725 (WNYHS 2:310 ), Margaret listed the children designated with an asterisk below, in addition to Hendrick, Cornelius, and Petronella, Children of her deceased son Albert, and her deceased daughter Elizabeth, late wife of Johannes Poinselles (pauleson); the ececutors named were her surviving sons, her daughter Aryantje Bennet, and her son -in law- Teunis Tiebout. Source: NYGBR 1967, Vol. 98, p. 27 CHESEPEAKE BAY LAND The story states that James received land in Chesepeake Bay prior to the Rev. War. This has not been confirmed and needs to be checked. PATRIOT The Family states that James served for the revolutionists under Geo. Washington. According to Ledley he served "in Col. Jacobus Swartwouts Rgt. of Minute Men, also in 2nd & 6th Rgts. of Dutchess Co. Mil. (Hasbrouck, op. cit)". This basically confirms the statement. However, Jacobus is not in the DAR/SAR patriot Index, which only means that no researcher has a yet confirmed his patriot status. DAR/SAR I looked for your ancestor in the DAR Patriot Index, but I'm sorry to say he isn't listed. Of course that doesn't mean his service isn't as you have it recorded in the family genenalogy, just that proof of his service hasn't been submitted to the DAR. If there is some way of substantiating his Revolutionary War service, it would be possible to have him included in the index. I checked several variant spellings for Vandewater (Van de Water), but nothing can be found. I also looked for entries under the name Van Kleek, and found a cluster of them with service recorded in New York. If any of these could be traced to Rachel Van Kleek (possibly her father?), you could use them in an application to SAR. The Van Kleek (Van Kleeck) entries are for: Baltus, b 1725, d 1794 Barant, b (?), d after 1782 Hugh, b circa 1741, d after 1810 Jeremiah, b (?), d 1832 Peter, baptized 1725, d before 1793 Peter Baltus, b 1749, d 1800 Peter P., b 1757, d after 1829 SOURCE: email from Judith Adam, Registrar, Upper Canada Chapter, NSDAR, May 3/04 JAMES VAN DEWATER PATRIOT A James Van Dewater is listed as a private in the Dutchess County Militia, 2nd Regiment, under Col. Abraham Brinkerhoff. This is on page 138 of the New York in the Revolution as Colony and State, James Roberts, 1898. There are a number of Van Kleek's and other dutch names of Quinte settlers in this regiment. It is quite possible that this James is the same man that brought his family to Upper Canada for cheap land. Source: Thanks to Catherine Fryer for finding this reference, email, Feb 2014. DUTCHESS COUNTY The Family states he "sent his family to Poughkeepsie" where according to Ledley he sold his farm in 1783 in Dutchess Co. but is still there in the 1790 census. This needs to be checked out and especially to confirm that after 1795 there are no more records establishing the family still lives in Dutchess Co. The Family states he came to Hay Bay in 1795. His farm was not registered till 1816. This is not unusual. Other early records need to be found that would place James there as early as possible. WAR 1812 John Vandewater, is named as a private in the return for the Flank Company in the 1st Hastings Regiment serving in 1812 in Capt Jacob Meyer's Company. He was also called up in October 1813 for a few days in Samuel B Gilbert's Company of the First Hastings Regiment. Source: Thanks to Linda Smith and Peter Johnson who brought this to my attention. LAND Purchased the eastern half of Lot 6, Concession 2 of the Township of Fredericksburgh which fronts onto Hay Bay on Nov. 17, 1816. Source: AO Reel GS 4650 CHILDREN Jacobus and Rachel and their children as described in Poughkeepsie by Ledley. "Jacobus b. abt. 1747; in Col. Jacobus Swartwouts Rgt. of Minute Men, also in 2nd & 6th Rgts. of Dutchess Co. Mil. (Hasbrouck, op. cit). As yeoman of Rumbouts Pct., (the same land previously mortgaged by his father and later by his bro. Benjamin to whom he prob. sold it) for 250 pounds on 15 Aug. 1783. In the Fishkill census of 1790 he was listed with 3 males under 16, wife and 2 dau. He m. Rachel, dau. of Johannes & Catherine (Van de Bogert) Van Kleeck of Poughkeepsie ( bap 2 Feb. 1745, #456 in Van Benthuysen's Van Kleeck gen.) and had 5 chn bap. at New Hackensack: (1) Aagie b. 25 Sep., bap 26 Nov. 1778, no spon; (2) Peter bap 8 Oct. 1780, spon: Peter Van de Water (grandfather) & (second) wife; (3) Jan b. 8 Sept., bap 13 Oct 1782, no spon; (4) Jacobus b. 11 Sept., bap 30 Oct 1784, spon: Matthew du Boys & wife; (5) Catherine b. 4 Feb.., bap 11 Mar. 1787, no spon." Source: NYGBR 1967 V. 98, p. 155 (Wilson V. Ledley) PROOF Proving that Jacobus/Rachel are the settlers to Hay Bay referred to in PLBQ. 1. The five children named in Ledley as having been baptized in New Hackensack are the same names as those in PLBQ. PLBQ lists eight children (Francis (3), Elizabeth (6), Stephen (8) are added). The birth order from the baptism records are different from the order listed in PLBQ. 2. Son John (Jan) was baptized on Sept. 8, 1782 (Ledley) and his tombstone (Whites Cem) states he died Feb. 28, 1869 at 88 y 2 mo's. These two dates are 88 y and 5 months apart. This is very close. 3. Son Peter was baptized on October 08, 1780 (Ledley) and his tombstone (Vandewater Cem. buried next to his wife) states that he died Sept 21, 1836 at the age of 18 (sic) according to microfiche transcriptions. PLBQ states he died in 1836 at 48 years of age. The tombstone needs to be checked. This is a problem as he should be 56 years old upon death. 4. The will of James states that his wife's name is Rachel and lists some of his children; John, James, Peter, Francis, Henry Vantassal who is the son of Aagie (Affay). The will is consistent with the other records. 5. The Family story in the PLBQ states that the family came from Holland, were printers in Boston and Vandewater Street is New York is named after them. At this time the Boston part has not been confirmed. 6. The tombstones of daughters Aagie Vantassel and Catherine Garrison, if found, might indicate their age and thus confirm with their baptism dates. This effort needs to done. WILL The Will of James Vandewater: (This confirms his wife as Rachel.) His will reads: "In the name of God Amen. I James Vandewaters of the Township of Fredericksburg, Upper Canada, Yeoman - am in perfect health, and sound memory thanks be to God, do this fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen - make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner folowing, viz - First I give ???? and bequeath unto Rachel Vandewaters my wife her maintenance on the place where on I now live during her life - namely number four in the third concession of Fredericksburg and after her death the above mentioned farm to be my son Francis Vandewaters provided he pays my son Stephen Vandewaters sixty dollars - also I give my son John Vandewaters my silver watch - and all my movable property to be divided equally between all my children -except Francis- also I give to my sons James Vandewaters, Peter Vandewaters and Stephen Vandewaters the farm that each of them now lives on - also I give to my grandson Henry Vantassal my yoke of four year old oxen or a good horse. My will is that my property shall be divided as above written - I appoint my two sons John Vandewaters and James Vandewaters my only executors to the above mentioned will. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of us who have been personally present at the signing and sealing therof. George Embury, William B. Embury, Andrew Embury." The will was probated by sons James and John on July 9, 1824 indicating that James Sr. died before this date which is different from that printed in PLBQ. Source: AO, Reel GS 1-1224 |