Calling all DAMEN Descendants!

Are you a DAMEN descendant? I have good news if you have Jan Cornelise Damen and his wife Sophia (Fytie) Martens in your family tree.

My latest book in my New Netherland Settlers Series is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

New Netherland Settlers: The Damen Family: Ancestors and Descendants of Jan Cornelise Damen & Sophia Martens 

Jan Cornelise Damen was born circa 1636 in Bunnik, Utrecht Netherland. He emigrated from Bunnik, Netherlands circa 1650 and later married Sophia (aka Fytie) Martense. To date no record of him as a passenger on a ship has been found. However an Amsterdam Netherlands notarial document in 1651 has been found where a Jan Cornelisz. van Vechten signed on to come to the New World in the employ of Jacob Stoffels. My research takes the Damen ancestry back four more generations in Holland. This book provides all ancestral details, and follows Jan and Sophia's family down two more generations.

Available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World Part 4

Several years ago I wrote an article for publication in New Netherland Connections. it was about my ancestor and 9th great-grandfather Jan Damen who left Bunnik Netherland for the New World of New Netherland (present day New York state) in the mid 17th century. Jan settled in Long Island New York and married Sophia (Fytie) Martens.

My article Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World was published on pages 47-56 of Volume 4, number 2 (May 1999) as a companion piece to another article called The Nephews of Jan Jansz Damen by Dorothy Koenig and Pim Nieuwenhuis in Volume 4, Number 2 May 1999 pages 36-39. The two nephews discussed were Jan Cornelisz Buys (aka Damen) who had three wives, 1) Eybe Lubberts, 2) Phebe Sales, and 3) Willemptje Thyssen; and his first cousin (my ancestor), Jan Cornelisz Damen, who married Fytje Martens. 

Far right: My 13th great grandfather Jan Damen 1515-1569,
2nd great grandfather of Jan Damen 1638-1707 
Five Members of the Utrecht Brotherhood of Jerusalem Pilgrims
painting by Jan van Scorel ca 1541

I have decided to republish the first 3 pages of my article here on my Olive Tree Genealogy blog.  I hope that descendants of Jan and other genealogists enjoy this story of Jan's life in New York. This is the last episode - Part 4, continuing on from Part 1, 2 and 3.

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World

by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

 

As John Damon [sic] and Seytie Damon of Broockland [sic], Jan and Sophia conveyed land to Gerratt Middagh on 15 December 1693[1] This was a small section of a larger portion of land at the Wallabout, which, on 10 May 1695, "John Damon of Wallabout and Fitie his wife" deeded to William Huddlestone of New York. Jan and Sophia deeded all except the six acres which had previously been deeded to Gerrit Middagh in 1693.[2]  On 2 May 1696, William Huddlestone and his wife Sarah deeded John Damon [sic] the same property described above.[3] Jan was approximately 60 years of age and it is possible he was selling land for money to support himself and Sophia.

Jan Damen appears in the 1698 census for "Brookland" Kings County - with his wife, four children and one slave[4] That the Damen family owned slaves is also indicated by  the town of Flatbush census for 1698 where James Simpson, Jan's son in law, has four slaves. In this same census for the town of Bushwick, Jan's sons-in-law Michael Parmentier and Pieter Uziele appear - Michael owning two slaves and Pieter none.

            In 1701 Jan and Sophia stood for the last time as baptismal sponsors  -  at the christening of Jannetje, their granddaughter by their daughter Lysbeth Schermerhorn.[5] Jan Damen voted at a town meeting in Flatbush, New York on 19 Jan. 1703, 1704 and again on 12 Aug. 1704.[6] Between the summer of 1704 and  the spring of 1707 Jan died - his age somewhere between 69 and 72.

His was probated on 20 June 1707 but he had died prior to 9 April 1707, as indicated in a deed of that date made by Michael Parmentier and wife Neeltie Damen.[7] This deed is very important in helping to determine the children of Jan Damen and Sophia as it named the following sisters of Neeltie and their respective spouses:

"Martha Simpson, of Flatbush; Pieter Uziell and Cornelia, his wife, of Dutchess Co.; Samuell Phillips and Aelkie, his wife, of New York; Lucas Skermorhorne and Elizabeth, wife, of Dutchess Co.; Frans Konin and Selia, his wife, of Dutchess Co.; Philip Casier of Richmond Co. heir to his mother Lyshie; Russia Damon of Flatbush; To Daniell Remsen; said Neltye, Martha, Cornelia, Aelkie, Elizabeth, Selia, Lyshie and Russia being daughters and co-heirs of John Damon [sic] late of Flatbush, deceased." [8]

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[1] LISr: Book No. 2 of Conveyances, Brooklyn Kings Co.: p. 343 John Damon [sic] and Seytie Damon of Broockland [sic], his wife, to Gerratt Middagh of same place, conveys lott of ground greatt 3 morgan dutch measure, bounded East side by land of Garrett Couwenhoven, on the other side after the land of John Damon, and before alongst the meadow begining from a black oake tree from the side of Garrett Couwenhoven towards said John Dimon [sic], in breadth 17 rod until it comes to three morgan dutch measure, dated 15 Dec. 1693 - signed in the presence of Rutgard Huggen De Kleuyn, Jacobus Vandwater. Rec'd Decr. 23, 1693. Henry Filkin, Justice

[2] ibid: p. 69 In this deed both Jan and Sophia sign, he by mark. Witnesses were Paul Richards, Manus Burger and Peter Ziene [sic] [This is Pieter Uziele aka Ziele, who married Cornelia Janse and Fytie Damen] The deed was acknowledged  before Stephanus Van Cortlandt in New York, 29 May 1695, and recorded there June 11 by William Sharpas, Clerk and Rec'd in Brooklyn, Aug 23, 1695 by Henry ffilkin, Reg.

[3] ibid: p. 93. Both signed the deed. Witnessed  by Thomas Adams and Samuel Philips [Jan's son in law]. Acknowledged in New York before William Beeckman, Justice, May 2, 1696 and in Brooklyn before Henry ffilkin, May 2, 1696. Rec'd same day.

[4] DHNY: Kings County, NY 1698 Census Townships: Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, and  New Utrecht. Volume III, pp. 87-89

[5] RDCNY. 1883 V14:4. 1701 29 Oct; Lucas Schermerhoorn, Lysbeth Damen; Jannetje; Jan Damen & wife Sytje Martens

[6] KCo. P. 83.

[7]  LISr. Wills p.100. Deed dated Apl. [sic] 9, 1707 by Michael Parmentier of Duchess Co. and Neltye his wife.

[8] Here is proof of two daughters with the same name (Elizabeth or Lysbeth), one called Elizabeth, the second Lyshie - both alive at the same time. Elizabeth was married to Lucas Schermerhorn; Lyshie to Jan Casier. Frans Konin is Frans LeRoy - his French name meaning "King" is recorded as the Dutch version of "King" [Koning] Russia is the child baptised as Risjen. Martha is Marte, who married first Jan Remsen and secondly, James Simpson

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World Part 3

Several years ago I wrote an article for publication in New Netherland Connections. it was about my 9th great-grandfather Jan Damen who left Bunnik Netherland for the New World of New Netherland (present day New York state) in the mid 17th century. Jan settled in Long Island New York and married Sophia (Fytie) Martens.

Far right: My 13th great grandfather Jan Damen 1515-1569,
2nd great grandfather of Jan Damen 1638-1707 
Five Members of the Utrecht Brotherhood of Jerusalem Pilgrims
painting by Jan van Scorel ca 1541

I have decided to republish the first 3 pages of my article here on my Olive Tree Genealogy blog.  I hope that descendants of Jan and other genealogists enjoy this story of Jan's life in New York. This is Part 3, continuing on from Part 1 and 2
 

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World

by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

 

In 1679 Jan Damen and wife Sophia Martensz., both from Bushwick, were accepted as members of the Reformed Dutch Church in Breuckelen.[1]  On Sept. 1, 1680, less than one month after their daughter Sophia was baptised, her mother Sophia was apparently sick enough to warrant the writing of a will. In the joint will she and Jan made, Sophia's condition was  recorded as "...at present being very sick in bed".[2]

In this will Jan and Sophia left everything to each other with the land in Breuckelen specifically named as well as other lands whose location is not given.[3] Jan's cousin Jan Cornelise Buys was one of the three witnesses to this will.  (Sophia not only recovered, she went on to bear three more children in the next seven years.)

Jan Damen was very active in the Church and community, and on 21 November 1682, at approximately 47 years of age, he was elected Elder of the Breuckelen Church and confirmed there on 24th December.[4]  In a 1683 will for John Smith of Bedford he is named as "Jan Damen, Constable". [5] After serving the usual two-year period as Church Elder, Jan was replaced by Willem Bennet on 19 November 1684.[6]

1686 saw Jan on the move once again - this time purchasing the main portion of the farm of  the deceased Pieter Ceser Alburtis at the Wallabout.[7]  In September 1687 Jan Damen"off Breucklijn" signed the Oath of Allegiance to the King and was recorded as being in the country for a period of 37 years.[8] This confirms his arrival date of 1651.

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[1] Translated & Edited by David William Voorhees, Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings Co. NY Vol. I 1677-1720,  (Published by The Holland Society of New York, 1998) p. 363 (Hereafter called Flat.Voor)

[2] Abstracts of Wills Vol I 1665-1707 p. 426 (Liber 7, p. 332)

[3] ibid: "The survivor is to have the full use of all the estate in Brookland [sic] and elsewhere"

[4] Flat.Voor. Elections of Elders and Deacons 1677-1706: p 205

[5] LISr: Kings Co. Wills. p. 105

[6] Flat.Voor. Elections of Elders and Deacons 1677-1706 p. 209

[7] LISr: Kings County Deeds. P. 76. This land is described as "...lying in Walebought or Marewich where Pieter Monffort at the East side and Michiele Picett at the west side stretching alonge the middow fifty seaven rodd and along the land of Pieter Montford southward into the woods in length 270 rodd and after in the bosch broad seven and fifty rodd and then again to the middow north along Michiele Fransman [Michel the French man, meaning Michel Picett] to the middow 270 rodd amounting 24 morgen 450 rodd.."

[8] The Documentary History of the State of New York 4 vols. E. B. O'Callaghan Vol 1"Roll off Those Who have taken the oath off Allegiance in the Kings County in the Province of New Yorke the 26,27,28, 29 and 30th day of  September in the Third Yeare of His Maytsh [sic] Raigne Annoque Domine 1687" (Hereafter called DHNY)

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World Part 2

Several years ago I wrote an article for publication in New Netherland Connections. it was about my ancestor and 9th great-grandfather Jan Damen who left Bunnik Netherland for the New World of New Netherland (present day New York state) in the mid 17th century. Jan settled in Long Island New York and married Sophia (Fytie) Martens.

Far right: My 13th great grandfather Jan Damen 1515-1569,
2nd great grandfather of Jan Damen 1638-1707 
Five Members of the Utrecht Brotherhood of Jerusalem Pilgrims
painting by Jan van Scorel ca 1541

My article Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World was published on pages 47-56 of Volume 4, number 2 (May 1999) as a companion piece to another article called The Nephews of Jan Jansz Damen by Dorothy Koenig and Pim Nieuwenhuis in Volume 4, Number 2 May 1999 pages 36-39. The two nephews discussed were Jan Cornelisz Buys (aka Damen) who had three wives, 1) Eybe Lubberts, 2) Phebe Sales, and 3) Willemptje Thyssen; and his first cousin (my ancestor), Jan Cornelisz Damen, who married Fytje Martens. 

I have decided to republish the first 3 pages of my article here on my Olive Tree Genealogy blog.  I hope that descendants of Jan and other genealogists enjoy this story of Jan's life in New York. This is Part 2, continuing on from Part 1
 

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World

by Lorine McGinnis Schulze

The first child we have a baptismal record for is Marte, baptised in 1661, and his growing family may have prompted Jan's purchase of a farm in August 1662. The farm, formerly that of Cornelis Hendrickse Van Eens, was on the west side of the road in Flatbush.[1]

Three of Jan and Sophia's children were baptised in the Reformed Dutch Church in Breuckelen between July 1661 and February 1663. One month later, in March, Jan and twenty-eight other inhabitants of Breuckelen presented a petition to the Council of New Netherland, requesting land for a new village to be situated nearby[2].  The following year, in August 1664, Jan sold the farm in Flatbush to Claes Melles Baes.[3] He and Sophia now had four young children under the age of 5, and Sophia may have been pregnant with Cornelia who was probably born next in 1665 or 1666.  By 1667 he had a tavern in Brooklyn.[4]

            In 1674, Sophia Martens stood as a sponsor at the baptism of Jan Damen's cousin Jan Cornelise Buys' son Thys (by his third wife Willemtie Thyssen). Thys was baptised 14 January in New York Reformed Dutch Church.[5] The sponsors' names were recorded as Jan Corneliszen Ryck and Sytke Martens. Totten provides a footnote that this is Jan Cornelise Damen and his wife Sophia but there is no evidence to support the notion that Jan ever used the name "Ryck".[6]

Jan was recorded as a member of the Reformed Dutch Church of Breuckelen, and living at the Wallabout, in 1677.[7] His name appears on a patent of Breuckelen this same year.[8] Sophia stood again as a baptismal sponsor in 1678 in New York at the baptism of Harmen, son of Harmen Reynierszen and his wife Jannetie.[9]

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[1] Register, in Alphabetical Order, of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island NY From its First Settlement by Europeans to 1700 by Teunis G. Bergen (Hereafter called KCo.) p. 83. See p. 143 Lib B  Flatbush records

[2] A History of the City of Brooklyn; including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick and the Village and City of Williamsburgh by Stiles, 1867, V. I pp 119-120.

[3] KCo. p 83. See p. 7 Lib D  Flatbush records

[4] Long Island Source Records excerpted from the NYGBR by Henry B. Hoff. 1987 (Hereafter called LISr) Genealogical Gleanings from Book No. 2 of Conveyances, Brooklyn, Kings Co. NY. P. 58 "Jan Cornelise Buys aged 38 years" acknowledges he heard "in the house of John Damon, tavern keeper in Brooklyn"

[5] RDCNY. 1877 V8:2 p 80. 1674 14 Jan; Jan Corn. Buys, Willemtie Thyssen; Matthys; Jan Corneliszen Ryck, Sytie Martens

[6] Jan Cornelisz. (de) Ryk and Marittje Gerritse baptised children in the New York Reformed Dutch Church between 1658 and 1666. Jan Cornelisz. Damen and Sophia Martens baptised children in the same time period.

[7] KCo. p 83

[8] ibid

[9] RDCNY. 1877 V8:4 p. 170 1678: 30 Jan;  Harmen Retnierszen, Jannetie Cortois; Harmen; Hendrick Claeszen, Fytie Martens

Jan Corneliszen Damen in the New World, Part 1

Several years ago I wrote an article for publication in New Netherland Connections. it was about my ancestor and 9th great-grandfather Jan Damen who left Bunnik Netherland for the New World of New Netherland (present day New York state) in the mid 17th century. Jan settled in Long Island New York and married Sophia (Fytie) Martens.

Far right: My 13th great grandfather Jan Damen 1515-1569,
2nd great grandfather of Jan Damen 1638-1707 
Five Members of the Utrecht Brotherhood of Jerusalem Pilgrims
painting by Jan van Scorel ca 1541

My article Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World was published on pages 47-56 of Volume 4, number 2 (May 1999) as a companion piece to another article called The Nephews of Jan Jansz Damen by Dorothy Koenig and Pim Nieuwenhuis in Volume 4, Number 2 May 1999 pages 36-39. The two nephews discussed were Jan Cornelisz Buys (aka Damen) who had three wives, 1) Eybe Lubberts, 2) Phebe Sales, and 3) Willemptje Thyssen; and his first cousin (my ancestor), Jan Cornelisz Damen, who married Fytje Martens. 

I have decided to republish the first 3 pages of my article here on my Olive Tree Genealogy blog.  I hope that descendants of Jan and other genealogists enjoy this story of Jan's life in New York. 
 

Jan Corneliszen Damen In The New World

by Lorine McGinnis Schulze[1]

Jan Cornelise Damen's contract period with Jacob Stoffelszen was three years, ending sometime in 1654.  It seems he diligently saved his wages because in April 1655 he purchased Cornelis van Tienhoven's house and land in Breuckelen, Long Island.[2] The cost of his new home was 1300 Carolus guilders with equal payments to be spread over a three year period.[3] Since Jan earned a total of 320 guilders in his contract time, it seems he acquired more money elsewhere.

It is likely that Jan was 20 or older when he made this purchase, giving him an estimated year of birth of 1635. This agrees with the findings in Amsterdam that he was a minor at the time of his contract in 1651. Jan signed with his mark indicating he could not write his own name.

In February 1656 Jan is found in New Amsterdam where he was the baptismal sponsor for Lubberts, the son of his cousin, Jan Cornelise Buys aka Damen.[4]  From 1656 to 1661 we find no records of Jan although we know that somewhere in this time period he met, and married, Sophia Martens.[5]  While no marriage record has been found, Sophia is recorded as the mother of several of their children in their baptismal records,[6] and is named in their joint will written in 1680. 

Parts 2, 3 and 4 will be published in weekly installments.

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[1] Lorine McGinnis Schulze, Ontario Canada

[2] Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the office of the Secretary of State, Albany NY Part I, Dutch Manuscripts, 1630-1664, ed. by E.B. O'Callaghan. 1865. (Hereafter called CDM) p. 58. 29 April 1654. Deed. Cornelis Van Tienhoven to Jan Cornelissen Damen, of Buninck, of a house and parcel of land in the village of Breuckelen, between Joris Dircksen and black Hans. The contract of sale is between Cornelis van Tienhoven and Jan Cornelissen Damen and is dated 29 April 1655

[3] New York Historical Manuscripts Dutch translated by Arnold JF Van Laer (Hereafter called MHD.Laer) Volume III. p.394. "..the purchaser agrees to pay the sum of thirteen hundred Carolus guilders at 20 stivers each, in the following installments: May 1656, 1/3 of the promised money; May 1657, 1/3 and May 1658, the remaining 1/3, each third part amounting to fl 433:6:8."

[4] Baptisms Reformed Dutch Church New Amsterdam (New York). New York Genealogical & Biographical Record. (Hereafter called RDCNY) 1874 V.5:4 p. 175: 2 Feb. 1656. Parents Jan Corn. Buys, Ybetje Lubberts Child Lubbert Sponsors Jan Damien, Pieterje de Ruyter. Although Totten footnotes the sponsor Jan Damen as being Jan Jansen Damen, the adoptive father of Jan Cornelise Buys, this is not correct. Jan Jansen Damen died 18 June 1651 as per his probated will. It is almost certain that this baptismal sponsor is Jan Cornelise Damen, who later married Sophia Martens.

[5] She is also found in the records as Fytie, which is the usual diminuitive for the name Sophia. Some transcribed records have erroneously assumed a "T" in place of "F", rendering her name incorrectly as Tytie.

[6] Baptismal records for several of their children have been found, with gaps, for the years 1661 to 1685.