Hilton Family of Albany, New York, by Lewis Parker Abell

"The Hilton Family of New York," is a typescript by Lewis Parker Abell, on file at the New York State Library in Albany, New York. Steve Hahn has placed a transcript of Abell's work online.

Hilton Family of Albany County, New York

A second page has links to some correspondence of Lewis Parker Abell, and some images of the original typescript. 

The genealogy follows one line of descendants from William Hilton and Anna Brouwer who were married in the Albany Reformed Dutch Church on 6 April 1693. William and Anna's seventh child, Jacobus, was baptized at Albany on 19 August 1705. Lewis Parker Abell's work follows some descendants of Jacobus Hilton and his wife Judith Martin, many of whom are not found on the Brouwer Genealogy Database website. Some lines are continued to the early 20th century. Abell's work adds more descendants to the already large number who claim Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon as their earliest New Netherland ancestors. To my knowledge, the only copy of the typescript is found in the New York State Library.

Lewis Parker Abell was born in 1873, a son of Chandler M. Abell and Rachel Josephine Hilton. He is a 5th-Great Grandson of Adam Brouwer. 

A sword, once once use by Robert Hilton (Revolutionary War) and by his son John Burgess Hilton (War of 1812), ancestors of Lewis Parker Abell, is currently on exhibit (until June 2015) at the Buffalo History Museum, formerly the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, in Buffalo, New York.

Thanks to Steve Hahn for the transcription and making it available online.

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Rachel Brouwer and Pieter Hendricksen

Rachel Brouwer, probably the youngest daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was likely born before 1672 at Gowanus, Long Island. No record of her baptism has been found, but she is named in her father's will dated January 22, 1691/92.

Rachel Brouwer is covered by William J. Hoffman in "Brouwer Beginnings" at TAG 24 (1948): 169. The account is the briefest of all of the children of Adam Brouwer (essentially one sentance), and the reason for this is simply that very little has been discovered regarding Rachel.

On 5 June 1698, Rachel married Pieter Hendrickszen at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. The banns dated 27 May 1698 read, "Pieter Hendrickszen, j.m. Uyt Vrieslandt, en Rachel Berckhoven, j.d. Van't lange Eylt., beyde wonende alhier." Translated, this tells us that Pieter Hendricksen was born in Friesland and Rachel was born on Long Island, neither had been previously married, and both were living in New York. Rachel is recorded with the Berckhoven surname.

On 22 January 1699, the couples only known child, Engeltje, was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. The record lists the parents as "Pieter Hendrix and Rachel Brouwer." Sponsors were "Niclaes Brouwer and Magdalena Brouwer, wed." They would be Rachel's brother and her mother, Magdalena Verdon. Thus far, no other children have been located for the couple.

In September 1676, a Pieter Hendricke was on the tax roll at New Amersfoort (Flatlands), Long Island, assessed with 1 poll and 1 horse. In 1683, Pieter Hendricksen, with 1 man, 3 cows, 1 horse, 1 of 2 years, was assessed at New Amersfoort. On 2 March 1684/85, Jan Theunison and Pieter Hendricksen, carpenters, were deposed at Flatlands to testify on the behalf of Hendricke Strockels, widow of "Mister Hainelle" (Michiel Hainelle), that they witnessed Mr. Hainelle, "sickly in his house and lying before the fire," declare his last will. This Pieter Hendricksen is, however, a different man of the same name. He was married to Catharina Jans, and they were both members, from New Amersfoort, of the Flatbush Reformed Church in September 1678.

Rachel had appeared as a sponsor at the baptisms of three of her sibling's children. All three appearances were prior to her marriage to Pieter Hendrickszen. On 14 May 1693, along with her brother Nicholas Brouwer, she was a sponsor for Willemtje, daughter of Matthys Brouwer and Marietje Pieters, at Brooklyn. On 29 March 1696, Rachel, and her brother Adam, were sponsors at the baptism of Helena, daughter of William Nazareth and Helena Brouwer. On 27 December 1696, Rachel, with Arien Claessen, witnessed the baptism of Hillegont, daughter of Adam Brouwer and Marretje Hendrickse. Rachel is referred to as Rachel BROUWER in all three records.

The 1699 baptism record of daughter, Engeltje, is the last certain record thus far discovered for both Rachel and Pieter. When searching for Engleltje in later records, it must be kept in mind that she could be recorded either with her patronymic, as Engeltje Pieters, or with her father's patronymic, as Engeltje Hendricks or Hendricksen. On 31 May 1718, an Engeltje Hendrickze, j.d., van New York, married Pieter van den Burg, j.m. van New Jersey, at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. A daughter, Rachel, was baptized for this couple at the New York Reformed Dutch Church on 11 February 1719. The sponsors were Ykabod Burned and Elizabeth Reed, two individuals who do not immediately shed any new light on possible relations. No other record for this couple is found in the New York Dutch Church. New York probate records provided no additional leads. It is likely that Pieter van den Burg's wife is Engeltje, the daughter of Rachel Brouwer and Pieter Hendricksen, but more evidence is required to declare that thought to be certain. Searches will have to be conducted further afield, in New Jersey and in Westchester and Dutchess Counties, New York. A remove to the West Indies may also be possible.

Another possible lead that must be followed up on, is the baptism of Rachel, the daughter of Pieter Hendriks and Machteltje Zabrisco (Zabriskie), at the New York Reformed Dutch Church on 15 February 1741. The sponsors for the baptism were John Dyer and Maria Dyer, j.d. (Maria was a young unmarried woman). John Dyer was the third husband of Christina Davids/Hendricksen, the daughter of Helena Brouwer and her first husband David Hendricksen. Maria Dyer was John and Christina's daughter, born in 1721. Rachel Brouwer was Christina's aunt. A daughter, Elizabeth, baptized in 1735 at New York, carried the name of Machteltje's mother, Elizabeth Romeyn. It is likely that the second daughter, in this case named Rachel, would be named for Pieter Hendrick's mother. Rachel Brouwer then has to be considered as a possible mother of this Pieter Hendricks. (Machteltie, daughter of Jan Zaboriscoo and Elizabeth Romeyn, was baptized at Hackensack, New Jersey on 9 November 1710. The family name is standardized as Zabriskie, and there is no additional insight into Machteltje's husband found in George Olin Zabriskie's extensive genealogy of the family published in 1963. No evidence of Rachel Brouwer and/or Pieter Hendricksen has been found in the Hackensack Church records).

Rachel Brouwer's and Pieter Hendricksen's sudden disappearance from all records, after the 1699 baptism of their daughter, is certainly frustrating. No mention of them is found in the New York probate records. It is possible that both died at early ages, but it is also possible that the couple moved to a location where records are scarce. Westchester County, in the first few decades of the 1700s, is a possible location that meets this later description. A move to the West Indies is also a possibility. Some of the children of Helena Brouwer and William Nazareth made such a move. Any possible leads found by readers are certainly welcome.

The Family of Rachel Brouwer and Pieter Hendricksen

Source citations and additional details referred to above will be updated with the next edition of the Brouwer Genealogy Database.

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Sara Brouwer and Her Four Husbands

Sara Brouwer, a daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was probably born about 1668 at Gowanus, Long Island. No record of baptism has been found. She is named in her father's will dated January 22, 1691/92. Sara was married four times, but children are only known from her (third) marriage to Thomas Knight.

Sara Brouwer is covered by William J. Hoffman in "Brouwer Beginnings" at TAG 24 (1948):96. The account is very brief and incomplete. Hoffman's profile of Sara includes three marriages and one child. In actuality, Sara was married four times, and had three known children. Hoffman does not venture a guess as to Sara's date of birth and lists her as the tenth child of fifteen for Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, implying that she was older than her siblings Anna and Abraham. Sara was more likely younger than the two. In "Brouwer Corrections and Additions," TAG 30 (1953):177, Hoffman updates the list of children and adds the fourth husband.

Sara's first marriage was on 13 July 1684 and is recorded in both the records of the New York Reformed Dutch Church and in the records of the church at Flatbush. The are dated 28 June 1684. They read, "Theunis Janszen, j.m. Van Vlissingen, en Sara Brouwers, j.d. Van de Guijanes, d'Eerste woonende alheir en tweede op de Guijanes." Theunis Janszen was born at Vlissingen, which is Flushing, but whether the Flushing in Queens Co., Long Island, or the Flushing in the Netherlands is meant, is not clear. At the time Theunis was a resident of New York (New York record), while Sara was born and residing at Gowanus. Neither were previously married and the marriage took place at Brooklyn (Flatbush record). There is very little else found regarding Theunis Janszen. He witnessed the baptism of Christina, daughter of Helena Brouwer and her first husband, David Hendricksen, on 13 July 1684 at New York, and witnessed the baptism of Jan, son of Pieter Brouwer and Petronella Kleyn on 21 March 1685, also at New York. An assessment at Brooklyn in September 1676 lists a Theunis Jansen with 3 polls, 3 horses, a horse of 2 years, 2 oxen, 4 cows, 4 cows of 3 years, 4 cows of 1 year, 2 hogs, and 23 morgens of land and valley. A September 1683 assessment, also at Brooklyn, lists Teunis Jansen with 2 horses, 5 cows, 6 cows of 2 years, 3 cows of 1 year, 4 sheep, 1 poll, 20 morgens of land (a morgen is approximately two acres)*. Sara's husband, Theunis Janszen, should not be confused with Theunis Janszen (Amack) who married Jannetje Brouwer, a daughter of Jan Brouwer and Jannetje Jans. This Theuins Janszen was assessed in September 1683 at New Amersfoort (Flatlands). No children have been found or identified for Sara Brouwer and Theunis Janszen. The date of his death is not known and a record of the settlement of his estate has not been found. He was, however, deceased by 23 September 1692, when Sara remarried.

The Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church records list the banns of "Thomas Smit, j.m., met Sara Brouwer wedue van Tuenes Jansen, beijde woonende tot Bruekelen," with the betrothal date of 23 September 1692. This record tells us that Thomas Smit (Smith?) had not been previously married, that Sara was the widow of Theunis Janszen, and that both were living at Brooklyn. No other record for Thomas Smit has been identified. This fact has prompted some researchers to consider whether or not the original marriage record was in error and that Thomas Knight (Sara's third husband) was intended. I first found this consideration while reading through correspondence given to me by William B. Bogardus in 2008. One of Bill's correspondents raised the question but when he later had the original Flatbush records inspected, concluded that the original recording did state Thomas' surname as SMIT. The transcription and translation as published by David William Voorhees in Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Vol. 1, 1670-1720 (New York: Holland Society, 1998), pp. 276 and 277, also give his surname as SMIT. As there is no evidence that would indicate that Thomas Knight had previously been known as Thomas Smit, we can only conclude that Thomas Smit and Thomas Knight are two different men. Thomas Smit was likely deceased by 1698 and there are no known children for Sara Brouwer and Thomas Smit.

Sara was married to Thomas Knight by 12 August 1698. That is the date of a deed in which the sons, and husbands of the daughters of Adam Brouwer sell their interests in the Gowanus Mill property to their brothers Nicholas and Abraham Brouwer. This deed was not recorded and I do not know where the original, if it still survives, would be found today. Teunis G. Bergen first mentioned it in a segment of his "Early Settlers of Kings County," as published in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record vol. 9 (1878):128. The deed, as reported by Bergen, lists the husbands of the Brouwer daughters as "Barent Van Tillburgh, Matthys Cornelisse, Jesaies Dreax, William Nazareth, William Hilton, Thomas Knight and Pieter Hendrix." No marriage record for Sara Brouwer and Thomas Knight has been found, and it is five years between the 1698 deed and the first recorded baptism of a child.
Rachel, daughter of Thomas Nigt and Sara, was baptized on 27 April 1703 at Brooklyn. Witnesses were Tomas Davids and Sara Dreafs. The later would be the 19 year old daughter of Aeltje Brouwer and Josias Janszen Drats, and the former may be a son of Helena Brouwer and her first husband David Hendricksen. If so, he was probably about 20 or 21 years old. Rachel was married to Johannes Linde by 1735. On 29 January 1735, their son, Johannes, was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church, sponsors Jacob Brouwer, Jr., and Sara Brouwer, wife of Samuel Broek (Rachel's mother, and the child's grandmother). Other children have not been located and the couple may have been married much earlier as Rachel would have been aged 32 in 1735.
Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Nyts and Sara Brouwers, was baptized at the New York church on 23 May 1705, sponsors Jacob Swaan and Christina Elson. Jacob Swaan's relationship to Sara or Thomas is not apparent. Christina was the daughter of Helena Brouwer and David Hendricksen, and wife (at the time) of John Ellesson (Elson, Ellison?). Christina was the child, Elizabeth's first cousin. Elizabeth married, probably about 1725, Nicholas Bennet. Their son, Nicholas, was baptized on 5 July 1726 at New York, sponsors Samuel Broeks and Sara Broeks (Elizabeth's mother and her fourth husband). Nothing further has yet been found regarding the family of Nicholas Bennet and Elizabeth Knight, and if there is any relationship between Nicholas and the large Bennet family of Kings County (relations of the Brouwers) it is not apparent. It is conceivable that Nicholas is from a branch of a New England Bennett family. Hoffman spells his name with two Ts (BENNETT) while the baptism record spells it with one (BENNET).
The third child of Sara Brouwer and Thomas Knight is a son, Samuel Knight. No record of baptism has been found, but on 19 July 1723, he married Alida Berry at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. The records states, "Samuel Nyts, j.m. V. Breukelen, met Alida Berry, j.d. V. Akkinsak, beide woonende alheir" (Samuel Knights, young man born in Brooklyn with Alida Berry, young woman born at Hackensack, both living in New York). Samuel and Alida had five children baptized at the Old Dutch Church at Kingston (Ulster Co.) between 1724 and 1735.
A published account of descendants of Thomas Knight and Sara Brouwer can be found in Settlers of the Beekman Patent by Frank J. Doherty, in volume 7 beginning at page 634. There are some problems with this account in that it adds a number of assumed or supposed children and grandchildren, one of which will be addressed below. According to Doherty, Samuel Knight (or Knights) settled at Beekman in Dutchess County by 1739, and is found there through 1759. After that date there is no trace of him.
On 7 May 1695, Thomas Knight bought of Jurian Hendrickse Bries, a house and lot in the village of Brooklyn, and kept a tavern. In 1708, Sara Knight (Sara Brouwer) and Martha Brouwer (Martha Boulten, wife of William Brouwer) were indicted by the grand jury for false swearing with regard to a riot which occurred at the tavern kept by Thomas Knight. The charges were dismissed when no one appeared to testify against them. Thomas Knight's land is mentioned in a deed of 7 May 1708 in which William Brower and his wife Martha, sold their house and garden lot in Brooklyn to Cornelius Sleght. Thomas Knight's lot bounded the lot William and Martha sold. The two mentions in 1708 are the last records found thus far for Thomas Knight. No settlement of his estate has been located and it is not known when he died. The deed books of Kings County should be checked further.

Sara's fourth husband was Samuel Broek (Brook, Brooks). No record of marriage is found but they were married by January 1723/4 when Sara Broek signed her mark in behalf of her son Samuel Night. Samuel and Sara Broek were sponsors at the 1726 baptism of Nicholas Bennet. Sara was likely past reproductive age at the time she married Samuel Broek (Brook), no children are known for the couple, and what further became of them has not been discovered. Sara is last mentioned as "Sara Brouwer, huis vrouw van Samuel Broek," on 29 January 1735 at the baptism of her grandson, Johannes Linde at New York.

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Hendrick, or Henry, Van den Burg (Vanderburg and other spellings) was a son of Dirck Van den Burg and Rymerth Janse was probably born about 1693 (he was under age in 1709 but married by 1713). His wife was one, Maria Magdalena Knight, and their first known child, Anna Maria, was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church on 12 April 1713. The couple had six other children baptized at Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County, and at the New York Lutheran Church between 1716 and 1734. Henry's will dated 12 Jan 1738 (proved 18 Oct 1750) adds five more children for a total of twelve. Hendrick Van den Burg and Maria Magdalena Knight are of some significance and interest because of the fact that they are ancestors of U.S. Presidents Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. and George W. Bush. I have been contacted by a number of people, and I found the same in the correspondence of William B. Bogardus, with the thought that Maria Magdalena Knight was a daughter of Sara Brouwer and Thomas Knight. If correct, this would imply that Adam Brouwer was also an ancestor of the three U.S. Presidents. The Settlers of the Beekman Patent volume mentioned above, includes "Magdalena" Knight, among the supposed children of Sara Brouwer and Thomas Knight. The "coincidental" evidence cited (by correspondents of both myself and Bill Bogardus) is, first, the probability that Maria Magdalena Knight was born (if married by 1713) in the early 1690s, a time when Sara could have been married to Thomas Knight (of course the first conclusive record of Thomas Knight's marriage to Sara Brouwer is not found until 1698). The second "coincidental" piece of evidence is the belief that she was named Magdalena for her (supposed) grandmother, Magdalena Verdon. The following should be made clear. Henry Van den Burg's wife was not given the name Magdalena. She was given (as evidenced by the baptism record of her first daughter) the name Maria Magdalena. There is a difference. She was clearly not named for Magdalena Verdon, but rather was named, as so many girls were, for Mary Magdalene, the famous disciple of Jesus. Evidence against the placement of Maria Magdalena Knight as a daughter of Sara Brouwer can be found with the fact that she never appears as a baptism sponsor among any of the many baptisms found in the extended Brouwer family during the years 1700 to 1740. She does, however, appear as a sponsor in baptisms that are related to her husband's extended family. There is no single record that would tie Maria Magdalena Knight to any member of the Thomas Knight family. Knight is a very common surname of English origin. There are many unrelated families named Knight found in colonial America, and linking them based upon nothing the common surname is a mistake usually made by those new to genealogical research, and not by those who publish extensive genealogies like Settlers of the Beekman Patent, and the inclusion there of Maria Magdalena in the Thomas Knight family is unfortunate. For the record, Maria Magdalena Knight is not a daughter of Thomas Knight and Sara Brouwer and Adam Brouwer, is not an ancestor of Presidents Ford and the two Bushes.

*Note: Subsequent research has concluded that the Teunis Jansen recorded on the 1676 and 1683 Rate Lists at Breuckelen is Teunis Jansen Covert, and not Teunis Jansen the first husband of Sara Brouwer (added September 7, 2013).

Sara Brouwer and her Four Husbands

See the Brouwer Genealogy Database for additional info and complete source citations.

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The Family of Anna Brouwer and William Hilton

Anna Brouwer, a daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was probably born about 1666 at Gowanus, Long Island. A record of baptism has not been found for Anna. She is named in her father's will dated January 22, 1691/92. At the time was was not yet married.

William J. Hoffman, in "Brouwer Beginnings," covers Anna Brouwer and William Hilton at TAG 24 (1948):169-170. The account is relatively brief and mentions that Anna is possibly the Annatie Hilton who died at Albany on February 25, 1748. No source is given for this date. The 1756 census at Albany does list a "widdow Hilten," who, if not Anna, is otherwise unplaced as Anna's three sons, Richard, Jacobus and William, were all living in that year. No attempt is made to discover the origins of William Hilton, and Anna is covered as the 14th child of Adam Brouwer. She was more likely the tenth child.

Anna was a witness to the baptisms of children of three of her siblings. In 1687 she witnessed the baptism of Jan, son of Jesaijas Dreets and Aeltje Brouwer, at Brooklyn. In 1690, she was witness to the baptism of Lysbeth, daughter of Willem Nasarets and Helena Brouwers, at New York. And in 1709, she witnessed the baptism of Maria, daughter of Willem Brouwer and Martha, at Brooklyn.

Anna was married to William Hilton on 6 April 1693 at the Albany Reformed Dutch Church. The record reads, "William Hilte, wid. of Sara Ebb, and Antje Berkove, of N. Y." Although the record tells us nothing of William's origins, it does inform us that he was a widower and his first wife was named Sara Ebb. Attempts to identify her, either in New York or New England, have thus far yielded no leads. Anna, in this record, is found with the surname, "Berkove" (Berckhoven) a name that Adam Brouwer used for the first and only time in his 1692 will. The record also tells us that Anna was from New York City.

Ann and William lived at Albany, New York and had eight children baptized at the Reformed Dutch Church between 1693 and 1708. In most of the records Anna is recorded with the surname, Berckhoven (or some variation thereof). In the last two baptisms, 1705 (Jacobus) and 1708 (William), she is recorded with the surname, "Barko." Of all of Adam Brouwer's children, Anna is recorded with the most times with the Berckhoven surname. The 1708 baptism, appears to be the last time it was used (for any of Adam's children). Of all the sponsors recorded for Anna's children, none are immediate family members (Hoffman points this out in "Brouwer Beginnings"). None appear to have any family relationship with William Hilton either. Most of the sponsors have family names that would be familiar to anyone who has researched the early Albany, New York families. Of the eight children, seven reached adulthood, and six are known to have married and had children. Descendants can be found, using the Albany records, well into and through the 1700s. Daughter Mary (baptized in 1698) appears as a sponsor in two baptisms in 1722, when she would have been aged 24. She appears to be single at this time, and a marriage for her has not yet been located. Two of the daughters married Brouwer cousins. Hannah (1695) married Cornelis Brouwer, son of Nicholas Admasz Brouwer, while Elizabeth (1703) was married to Jeury Brouwer, son of Abraham Admasz Brouwer.

William Hilton's origins have not been discovered. His profile at the "People of Colonial Albany Live Here" website, states that he was from Leeds, Yorkshire, England and came to the American colonies in 1686 at the age of 21, apparently as a soldier. In 1697 and in 1700 he was a private in Capt. Richard Ingoldsby's company of Grenadiers. His year of death is given as 1749. The webpage, however, does not provide detailed verifiable sources or citations for the statements. Anna also has a brief profile posted at the PCALH website.

There is a large Hilton family found from a very early date in New England, where three (apparent) brothers, William, Edward and Richard Hilton settled. William Hilton was there as early as 1621, and Edward Hilton is considered to be the first permanent settler in New Hampshire (at Dover). The early generations of descendants are primarily found along the northern New England coast in New Hampshire and Maine. One descendant, a William Hilton, was a noted mariner, navigator and explorer. He is the Hilton for whom Hilton Head, South Carolina is named. The given name, William, is common in the family, however, no connection between this large family and our William Hilton of Albany, New York, has been established.

The Family of Anna Brouwer (Berckhoven) and William Hilton

Additional info and source citations for Anna Brouwer and William Hilton can be found at the Brouwer Genealogy Database website. Some research on the Hiltons of New England (William, Edward, Richard and descendants through the 17th century) is available there as well.

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The Family of Aeltje Brouwer and Josias Janszen Drats

Aeltje Brouwer, a daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was probably born about 1664 at Gowanus, Long Island. No record of baptism has been found for Aeltje. She is named in her father's will of January 22, 1691/92, and is one of the three children who Adam cites for "their disobedience."

Aeltje is covered by William Hoffman in "Brouwer Beginnings" at TAG 24 (1948):30-32. Because of earlier, published, incorrect claims regarding the descendants of Aeltje, her family is given more attention than are the families of her sisters.

Aeltje was married to Josias Janszen Drats on April 30, 1682 at Brooklyn. The banns, dated April 16, 1682, are found in both the records of the New York Reformed Dutch Church and the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church. They read, "Josias Janszen Drats, j.m. Van Amsterdam, en Aeltje Brouwer, j.d., Van de Gauwanes." The banns tell us that Josias was born at Amsterdam (in the Netherlands) and Aeltje was born at Gowanus and that neither Aeltje nor Josias were married prior to this marriage. The Flatbush record adds that at the time of publication of the banns, Josias was residing at New York, and Aeltje at Gowanus.

Aeltje and Josias had seven known children for whom baptism records are found. The eldest child, Josias, was baptized 28 May 1682 at Amersfoort (Flatlands), Long Island, recorded in the Flatbush records, sponsors Willem Brouwer and Elizabeth Brouwer. This baptism occurs about a month after Aeltje's and Josias' marriage and it is therefore obvious that he was conceived prior to their marriage. Perhaps this was the "disobedience" that Aeltje was cited for in her father's 1692 will.
Daughter Sarah was baptized 20 June 1684 at Brooklyn, sponsors were Michiel Hansen and Sara Strijker (Stryker).
Son John, baptized as Jan, son of Jesaijas Dreets and Aeltje Brouwer, was baptized at Brooklyn on 11 December 1687. Sponsors were Adam Brouwer de jonge (the younger) and Antje Brouwer.
Daughter Catharyn was baptized on 20 February 1691 at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. Sponsors were William Nagel and Maryken Brouwer.
Cornelis, son of Josias Dreads and Aeltje Brouwer, was baptized at New York on 11 March 1696, with sponsors Barent Tilburg and Johanna van Swanen.
Betty, daughter of Jesayas Drets and Aeltie, was baptized at Brooklyn on 15 January 1699. Sponsors were Willem Hiltin (William Hilton, husband of Aeltje's sister Anna), and Johana Kaer.
The last child was Casparus, son of Jesaias Draake and Aeltje, baptized at Brooklyn on 30 March 1701. Sponsors were Niclaas Brouwer and Sara Neyt (Sara Knight, sister of Aeltje and wife of Thomas Knight).

The first mention of Josias in the New World is on 28 May 1679, when as "Josias Dret" he is recorded as a member of the New York Reformed Dutch Church. On 14 September 1679, when recorded as "Josias Strakken," he, along with Aeltje Brouwer his future wife, witnessed the baptism of Magdalena Brouwer, daughter of Willem Brouwer and Elizabeth Simpson, at Brooklyn. This entry, in which Josias is recorded with the surname, "Strakken," may be either an error, or it may be a clue to Josias' early days in New York. On 23 September 1683, Jesies Dregz, with 1 poll and 1 horse, was assessed at Brooklyn. In September 1687, Josias Dreths, "26 Jeare" (in the country for 26 years) took the oath of allegiance at Brooklyn. He is recorded next to Adam Brouwer. On 30 September 1691, Josias Dret, with Aeltie Brouwer and Barent van Tilburg, witnessed the baptism of Anna Nazareth, daughter of Willem Nazareth and Helena Brouwer. On 7 January 1694/95, Josias Drack bought a "peec of land lying at the end of his lot paying twenty-five shillings per acor or there abouts and to pay ye monys to Edward Stevenson & Richard Betts." This piece of land and lot was in Newtown, Long Island, a predominantly English neighborhood. On 1 June 1696, Josias Drates of Newtown in Queens County, conveyed to Richard Betts, Junr., of the same place, a lot lying in Newtown. On 7 October 1696, Josyas Draets of Newtown deeded to Jurian Nagell of Bushwick, land in Bushwick "scituate to the Normans Kill." Finally, on 30 Mar 1701, we have the baptism of Casparus, son of Jesaias Draake and Aeltje. This is the last known record pertaining to Josias Drats. As can be seen from the above records, the recording of Josias' surname was inconsistent. A summery and timeline is online. We do know that Josias' children and descendants are found with the surname "DRAKE." However, as Josias himself is not found recorded with that surname, we cannot assume that his original surname was DRAKE. It may have well been something else entirely, that simply sounded to the early 18th century ear at western Long Island, as "Drake."

The 1687 oath of allegiance tells us that Josias was in the New World for 26 years. This places his immigration to America at 1653. His marriage banns state that he was born at Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and he is recorded with the patronymic, "Janszen." From these two records we can conclude that Josias was born prior to 1653, in Amsterdam, and was a son of a man named Jan (or John). This is as about as detailed as we can presently get regarding the origins of Josias Janszen Drats. We also know that, assuming the age estimation for Aeltje Brouwer is about right (born ca. 1664), then Josias had to be more then ten or eleven years older then his wife. We also can see from the records of the baptisms of Josias and Aeltje's children, that while there were many sponsors from Aeltje's Brouwer family, NONE, of the sponsors can be readily identified as members of Josias' immediate family. It is probably safe to assume that Josias Janszen Drats was alone in the New World. He had no immediate family leaving in the vicinity of New York and western Long Island.

Among the baptism records of Josias' children, there is Sara, baptized on 20 June 1684 at Brooklyn. Here the sponsors are Michiel Hansen (Bergen) and Sara Strijker (Stryker). Mentioned above, is the 14 September 1679 baptism record of Magdalena, daughter of Willem Brouwer, in which Josias is recorded as a witness with the name, "Josias Strakken." Sara Stryker, witness for the baptism of Josias' daughter of the same given name, Sara, was a daughter of Jan Strycker, a prominent man of his time in Kings County. Jan Strycker came to New Netherland in 1652 (in the country for 35 years on the September 1687 oath of allegiance in Kings County). On the same oath, Josias is stated to have been in the country for 26 years, therefore he arrived in 1653. Although not an exact match, 1652 and 1653 are close, and perhaps either Jan Strycker or Josias was off by a year with regard to their recollection. Based upon his being identified as "Josias Strakken," and the appearance of Sara Stryker as a witness for his first born daughter, could it be that Josias was somehow associated with the family of Jan Strycker from an early age? Perhaps Josias came to New Netherland with the Stryker family, perhaps as a child. Or, perhaps as a young man, maybe from the time he was a child, Josias was in the care and/or employ of Jan Strycker.

It is also known, from his marriage banns, that Josias was born in Amsterdam, and was the son of a man named Jan, or John. Although it is not known with certainty whether Josias was of English or Dutch ancestry, his given name, Josias, would in itself point to English as the more likely of the two. The Amsterdam church records from the mid 1600s are very much available for inspection, and a check of them does yield one family of interest. On 13 August 1653, Josias, a son of John DREDGE, was baptized at the English Presbyterian Church at Amsterdam. In 1650, John Dredge had daughter, Sara, baptized there, and in 1652 a son, John, was also baptized (the mother is not recorded in any of the records, and the 1653 baptism of Josias is the last one found for John Dredge). Josias Drats named his first daughter, Sara. As mentioned above, his father was named Jan, or John. Could Josias Janszen Drats be Josias Dredge, baptized in 1653 at the English Presbyterian Church in Amsterdam? If so, and assuming that his claim on the 1687 oath of allegiance is about right, then Josias would have come to New Netherland as an infant.

Of the seven children born to Josias Janszen Drats and Aeltje Brouwer, two sons, John and Cornelis, are known to have had families and descendants. As mentioned above, descendants carried the name, DRAKE. Due to the fact that there were numerous families with the DRAKE surname found in colonial New York, New Jersey and New England, many of whom have no relation to the others, reconstructing the early families of the colonial period is difficult. The sons, John and Cornelis will be addressed in separate, future posts.

Son, Josias, baptized on 28 May 1682, had been suggested in published accounts of the DRIGGS family, to have been Joseph Driggs of Middletown and East Haddam, Connecticut. Y-DNA testing of descendants of both Josias Drats and Joseph Driggs prove that this claim is impossible. This was covered in an earlier post, Joseph Driggs is not Josias Drake, Jr. Whether or not Josias Drake, son of Josias Drats and Aeltje Brouwer had children and descendants is not apparent. At least no direct evidence of any has been found. On 23 February 1735, the administration of the estate of a Josiah Drake of Middlesex County, New Jersey, was granted to John Berrien, merchant of Somerset County. Normally administration would first be granted to a widow or eldest son. When such persons do not exist, administration is often granted to a creditor. This may have been John Berrien's relationship with Josiah Drake of Middlesex Co. John Berrien was born in Newtown, Queens Co., Long Island in 1711. His father, Peter Berrien, and grandfather Cornelis Jansen Berrien had been there since 1687. Cornelis Berrien was married to Jannetje Strycker, daughter of Jan Strycker and sister of Sara Strycker mentioned above. So, more possible connections to consider.

It is not known when, or where, either Josias Janszen Drats or Aeltje Brouwer died. The 1701 baptism record of son Casparus, is the last confirm-able record for either of them. Lillian Drake Avery, in Drake Genealogy in the Line of Samuel Drake of Lower Smithfield Township, Northampton (now Monroe) County, Pennsylvania (Pontiac, Mich.: the author, 1926), states that Josias died in 1701, but offers no proof and does not elaborate in any way. In 1717, Rutger Waldron and his wife Cornelia, of New York City, sold property to Josiah Drake of Oyster Bay, Queens County. The property described in the deed was a house and garden spot in Flatlands, Kings County. By a deed of 1716, the same grantors, sold to John Drake, of Jamaica, Queens, the same property in Flatlands. On 12 April 1719, Josias Drake of Flatlands conveyed the property to John Drake of Jamaica. Whether the Josiah Drake mentioned in the deeds is Josias Janszen Drats, the elder, or Josias Drake, Jr., is not apparent, although it is certain that Josiah Drake of the deeds, is one or the other.

Three published accounts need to be mentioned. The three are wrought with errors and must be pointed out as a warning to those new to researching Aeltje Brouwer and Josias Janszen Drats. The three begin with the above mentioned account by Lillian Drake Avery. While the account of her own direct ancestry, and the families closely related to her line is in all likelihood accurate, her accounts of the colonial period generations is riddled with numerous errors. Many of them pertain to son John Drake (of Jamaica, L. I. and Goshen, Orange Co., N.Y.) and will be addressed in a later post.
The second published work is Driggs Family History, by Howard R. Driggs (Salt Lake City: Publisher's Press, 1959). Besides introducing the idea that Joseph Driggs was Josias Drake, Jr., this genealogy also proposes the incorrect theory that Josias Janszen Drats was somehow a member of a family named, de RAET, that is portrayed as a family of some importance in 17th century Netherlands. In 1663, Johannes, son of Roelof Harmenszen de Raedt was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church (sponsor Metje Elberts). On 26 August 1640, Jan, son of Jan de Raet and Annetje Barens, was baptized at the Nieuw Kerk (Reformed) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In the early 1660s, a Capt. Hendrick de Raet made an appearance in New Netherland as captain of the Waeg. But he did not settle in New Netherland, and the only real record of him pertains to his responsibility for lighthouse dues and some bad words he had for the Dutch West India Company. The short of it all, is that there is no evidence, and really no reason to suspect, that Josias Janszen Drats has any relationship to any of those just mentioned, or to any family named, de RAET found in Europe.
Saving the best (worst) for last, the third published account, Jesayas Jansze Drake of New Netherlands, 1648-after 1720?: With an Explanation of Tieup Between Bogardus, Webber, Brouwer and Drake Families, by Louis S. Drake (Edwardsville, Ill.: the author, 1967), should be completely avoided. The author, Louis Schneider Drake, is a descendant of William Drake (1758-1828) and Eunice Helme of Dutchess and Greene Cos., New York. Descendants are later found at Elba, Genesee Co., New York and in Michigan. Louis S. Drake makes the claim that his ancestor, William, is a son of Joseph Drake of Goshen, New York (a grandson of Josias Drats and Aeltje Brouwer). Here, Louis S. Drake makes the mistake of blindly following Lillian Drake Avery, in stating first, that Joseph Drake had a son named William, and then second, assuming that this William is his ancestor (Lillian Drake does not make this second claim). In fact, there is no evidence, whatsoever, that Joseph Drake of Goshen ever had a son named William Drake (Joseph's will of 1807 mentions four daughters, and no sons). Additionally, Louis S. Drake, follows other errors of Lillian Avery Drake, and the de Raet errors of the Driggs Family History. And although he spends a considerable amount of print discussing the possible origins of "Jesayas Jansze Drake," is own final conclusion is so preposterous that I will not mention it any further. Consult this last work only if you are curious in seeing an example of truly incompetent research.

Any verifiable input (please supply sources) on the possible origins of Josias Janszen Drats is welcome.

The Family of Aeltje Adamse Brouwer and Josias Janszen Drats

Also see the Brouwer Genealogy Database for source citations and additional info.

The Drake Genealogy Database was created to congregate the numerous notes and details collected regarding the various unrelated Drake families found in colonial New York, New Jersey and New England.

For a pre-colonial de Raet family, see The Nobilities of Europe, pages 453-455. (Although Josias Janszen Drats has no relation to this family, the surname was brought up above, and those obsessed with locating a heraldic ancestry no doubt will be interested).

The "Drake" Group DNA Project, has posted some pedigrees online at Drake DNA Surname Project. "Dutch Drakes," in other words, descendants of Josias Janszen Drats, are found on page two. They belong to the Haplogroup R1b1, which is most commonly found in western Continental Europe and the British Isles.

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Helena Brouwer and her Two Husbands, David Hendricksen and William Nazareth

Helena, daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdaleen Jacobs, "by the mill," was baptized on October 31, 1660. The baptism is found in the records of the Brooklyn Reformed Dutch Church. It is one of the very few baptisms from the Brooklyn Church records that does not record sponsors or witnesses. Helena is named in her father's will dated January 22, 1691/92, and her second husband, William Nazareth, was appointed as one of the executors for the estate.

Helena is very briefly covered by William J. Hoffman in "Brouwer Beginnings" at TAG 24(1948):29.

Helena's first marriage was to David Hendricksen. The banns dated October 22, 1681 were recorded at both New York and Flatbush in the records of the Reformed Dutch Church. The marriage took place on November 6, 1681 at Brooklyn. The record reads, "David Hendricksen, j.m. Uyt Engelant, en Helena Brouwers, j.d. Van de Gauwanus, beijde woonachtig in N. Yorke, en getrouwd, den 6 Nov. op Breukelen." This tells us that David Hendricksen was born in England, that Helena was born at Gowanus, that both were living in New York City, neither had been previously married, and that they were married at Brooklyn on November 6th.

Very little is found regarding David Hendricksen. He did appear as a sponsor at the baptism of Henricus, a son of Jacob Pieterszen and Marretje Brouwer on January 23, 1684. "Hendricksen" is probably a patronymic which would imply that he was of Dutch or Scandinavian ancestry, despite the fact that his marriage record states that he was born in England (the English of course used surnames and did not use patronymics). No record of the settlement of any estate has been discovered for David Hendricksen.

Helena and David had at least one, and possibly two children. Christina, child of David Hendrickszen and Helena Brouwers was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church on February 9, 1684. Sponsors were Theunis Janszen and Susanna Simons. Christina was married three times, first to John Ellesson, second to Henry Mercier, and third to John Dyer. She had children by all three husbands. Christina appears in records both with her patronymic, as Christina Davids, and with her father's patronymic, as Christina Hendricks/Hendricksen. A son Thomas may also have been born to David Hendrickszen and Helena Brouwer. No record of baptism has been located, but a Thomas Davids was a sponsor at the baptism of Rachel Knight, daughter of Thomas Knight and Sara Brouwer (Helena's sister) on April 27, 1703. David Hendrickszen was probably deceased before 1690 as Helena was married to her second husband by that year.

A marriage record for Helena and her second husband, William Nazareth, has not been found, but the baptism of their first child, Lysbeth (Elizabeth) is found in the New York Reformed Dutch Church with the date March 21, 1690. Sponsors were Pieter Legrand and Anneke Brouwers. Helena and William had seven children baptized at New York, namely Lysbeth, Anna, Maritje, Helena, Susanna, Willem, and Willem again, between 1690 and 1702. William Nazareth was named as an executor of his father-in-law, Adam Brouwer's will, in 1692. William is found on the New York City census, as "Wm. Naeros," in 1703, in the East Ward. He is recorded with a household of 1 male aged 16-60, 1 female, 1 male child and 4 female children. William was a mariner, and in 1704 was quartermaster on the Dutch ship, Del Rey. On May 6, 1715, administration on the estate of William Nazareth of New York, mariner, was granted to his widow, Helena. Marriages are known for four of William and Helena's children. As of this posting, children have been found only for daughter Maritje Nazareth who married Peter Beldow. Daughters Lysbeth (Elizabeth), Anna and Susanna, have been found recorded in the Dutch Church records on the Island of Curaçao in 1715 and 1720, and in 1732 when "Elizabeth Nazareth, widow of Thomas Playr, born in New York, was married to William Anderzon, bachelor, born in New York." Annatje Nazareth was one of the witnesses. The Dutch Church records at Curaçao need to be checked further for baptism records of children. The son, Willem Nazareth, baptized on September 19, 1702 at New York, was married to Magdalena Woll by January 1744. Magdalena, a daughter of Jörgen Woll and Aeltje Matthyse Brouwer, and Willem Nazareth were first cousins once removed. Children have not yet been found for this couple. Interestingly, the name "Nazareth," lived on as a given name among descendants of Nicholas Brouwer, Helena's youngest brother. While Adam Brouwer did not appoint any of his seven adult sons as executor of his estate, he did appoint his son-in-law William Nazareth as one. And considering the fact that Nicholas Brouwer chose to name a son (probably his first or second son), Nazareth, in honor of William (while he was still living) certainly implies that William Nazareth held a position of high regard among his in-laws.

Helena was living in 1715 when she was granted administration on the estate of her late husband. She is last found in February 1730, as Helena Nazarets, on a assessment list in the North Ward of New York City. She is assessed with a "house & - 10." Her date or place of death is not yet known.

Helena Brouwer and Her Two Husbands, David Hendricksen and William Nazareth

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Fytie Brouwer and Her Two Husbands, Evert Hendricksen and Matys Cornelissen

Fytie Brouwer, daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was probably born between 1655 and 1660 at Gowanus, Long Island. No record of her baptism has been found. She is named as a daughter in Adam Brouwer's will of 1692, which also mentions Fytie's daughter Magdalena. Fytie is covered by William J. Hoffman in "Brouwer Beginnings" at TAG 24 (1948): 28-29. Hoffman's account is very brief. He simply mentions her two marriages, refers the reader to NYGBR 75 (1944):169 for the children from her first marriage, and lists the two children of her second marriage. The Dutch name, Fytie, is the equivalent of the English, Sophia.

Fytie Brouwer was married twice. Her first marriage, for which no record is found, was to Evert Hendricksen. This occurred before February 1677 when their son Adolph was baptized at the New York Reformed Dutch Church. Her second marriage to Matys Cornelissen, with banns dated 20 February 1692, is recorded in the records of the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church. The record calls her "Fijitie Adams" (using her patronymic) and states that she is the widow of Evert Hendricks, and that she is living in Brooklyn. Her husband, "Matijs Cornelisen," is an unmarried man from Jutland (Denmark).

By her first husband, Evert Hendricksen, Fytie had seven children, with baptism records found for six between the years 1677 and 1690 at New York, Brooklyn and Flatbush. The seventh child, the above mentioned Magdalena, is only known from Adam Brouwer's will. No record of baptism has been found for her, but as she was named for Fytie's mother, Magdalena Verdon, it is likely that she was Fytie's first daughter and probably born in 1675 or 1676. Her children by Evert Hendricksen assumed the surname, Van Gelder, although Evert is never found as being recorded with that name himself. The children of Evert and Fytie would have the patronymic, Evertsen (or Evertse). There exists another distinct, and larger, family named Van Gelder, found in New York at the same time as the descendants of Fytie and Evert are found there that should not be confused with Fytie's Van Gelder descendants. They are two separate and unrelated families.

Very little is known regarding Evert Hendricksen. He is found on the Assessment Roll at Brooklyn in 1675 and 1676 with one poll, and on the roll dated September 26, 1683, with 1 poll, 1 cow, and 1 "do yearling" (meaning a one year old cow). He is rated at twenty-four pounds and ten shillings, and is recorded following his brother-in-law (by marriage to Brouwer sisters) "Jesies Dregz" (Josias Drats). The lack of a marriage record for Fytie and Evert deprives us of the opportunity of learning Evert's place of birth. Although he was living at the time, Evert is not clearly found on the September 1687 Oath of Allegiance taken in Kings County. This list, however, does include the name of "Ephraim Hendricks," who resides in Breucklijn (Brooklyn), has been in the county for 33 years, and is recorded between Matthys Cornelisen (the man who would become the second husband of Evert's wife, and Claes Thomas Van Dyck. Since "Ephraim" is not a given name commonly found among 17th century Dutch men, this record may belong to Evert Hendricksen. If this is correct, then Evert came to New Netherland in 1654, but we still do not know from where. Other then the baptism records of six children, no other records for Evert Hendricksen have been found. No record of probate or settlement of his estate is known. The sponsors at all six baptisms were members of Fytie's family. The absence of any persons who can be identified with certainty as family members of Evert, would lead us to believe that he was likely to have had no family near by at the time of the baptisms. Marretje Hendricks, the later to be wife of Adam Brouwer (the younger) does appear as a sponsor for two children of Evert and Fytie (in 1682 and 1684) prior to her marriage to Adam Brouwer. This Marretje Hendricks may well be a daughter of Hendrick Volckersen (Bries) and Geertien Claes, whose family lived on property adjacent to that of Adam Brouwer's. It may be that Evert and Marretje were brother and sister (who married Brouwer siblings) but thus far, no evidence has been found that would indicate that Hendrick Volckersen had a son named Evert. For now, Evert Hendricksen's origins remain a mystery. We do know that he was deceased by February 20, 1692, when Fytie Brouwer remarried. (A second man named Evert Hendricksen, lived at the same time. He was Evert Hendricksen Bras/Bres/Bresse, baptized in 1644 at New York, son of Hendrick Pietersen (Van Dusenberg/Van Wessel) and Geertie Everts. He married Metje Hardenbroeck in 1685 and had eight children baptized at New York between 1686 and 1703. He should not be confused with the Evert Hendricksen who married Fytie Brouwer. They are different men).

Fytie Brouwer's second husband was Matys Cornelissen. As stated above, they were married with banns dated February 20, 1692, recorded at Flatbush. It was his first marriage. Fytie and Matys had two sons, both baptized in Brooklyn (Cornelis in 1695 and Abraham in 1699). Both sons assumed the surname Van Horne (Van Horn, Vanhorne) and settled in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. According to the September 1687 Oath of Allegiance, "Matthys Cornelisen", residing at Breucklijn (Brooklyn) was in the county for 23 years. He is recorded between Simon Aertsen and Ephraim Hendricks. In 1698, "Matthys Cornelisse," is found on the census of Brooklyn with a household of one man, one woman and five children. The children would have to be his first son, Cornelis, and four step-children from Fytie's first marriage, probably Hendrick, Jannetje, Sarah, and either Jacobus or Aeltje. In 1709, Nicholas Bouwer of Brooklyn (Fytie's brother) signed a bond to Mattyse Corneliusse of Brookland for three hundred and fifty pounds, payable to Cornelius and Abram, "the two and only sons and children of Mattys Corneliusse and Feytie his wife" (Kings Co. Deeds, Lib. 3, pp. 164 and 172). In 1714, the inventory of the estate of John Bowne of Mattawan, Middletown Twp., Monmouth Co., New Jersey, includes among the mortgagors, "Mathias Corneliuson" and "Cornelius Van Horn." An unconfirmed source states that on January 24, 1722, Abraham Van Horn sold land (in New Jersey) to Capt. Richard Salter, land that was originally acquires by Abraham's father, Matthys Cornelisson (I have not yet examined the original deed). No will or accounting of the estate of Matthys Cornelissen has been located, but it does appear that he died between 1714 and 1722, probably in Monmouth or Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The identity of the parents of Mattys Cornelissen is not known. Our Van Horn Kindred by Elsie O. Hallenbeck (1959), states that he came from Hoorn in North Holland. Her idea is probably based upon the fact that Matthys' sons assumed the surname, Van Horne (from Horne). However, Matthys himself is never recorded with this surname and Hallenbeck's statement is probably incorrect. As mentioned above, Matthys' marriage banns state that he was from Jutland, which is now Denmark. Researchers of the Van Horne/Van Horn family need to be aware that there is another, unrelated and distinct, Van Horn family found in New York and New Jersey. This family was prominent in New York City and in Bergen County, New Jersey and the Van Horne descendants of Fytie Brouwer and Matys Cornelissen are not at all related to them. In addition, the given names, Cornelius and Abraham, are repeated often within both Van Horne families.

Genealogical Summary of the families of Fytie Brouwer

Among Fytje Brouwer's descendants is Sophia Johnson (1795-1868) the first wife of "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, and mother of all of his children. The Vanderbilt descendants of Fytie Brouwer were arguably the wealthiest family in America at the turn of the 20th century.

The Brouwer lineage of Sophia Johnson

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Marretje Brouwer and Her Two Husbands, Jacob Pieterszen and Barent Janszen Van Tilburg

Marretje Brouwer, the eldest daughter of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon, was baptized on 4 June 1653 at the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church. Sponsors were Francois Baschet and Engeltje Jans, neither of who are known to be relations of either Adam Brouwer or Magdalena Verdon. Marretje (Maria, Mary) was undoubtedly named for her maternal grandmother, Maria Badie. She was Maria Badie's first granddaughter.

Marretje was married twice. Her first marriage was to Jacob Pieterszen, "j.m. Van Lubeck," on 20 September 1676 (banns dated 3 September 1676 at the New York Reformed Dutch Church). Little is known of Jacob, other then the info obtained from the marriage bann which states that he was born at Lübeck which is in present day Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. T. G. Bergen, in his Early Settlers of Kings County, incorrectly calls him Jacob Pieterszen VERHULST. A Jacob Cornelis Verhulst was married to Maria Willemse Bennet (herself a granddaughter of Maria Badie, and a first cousin of Marretje Brouwer). There are three known children born to Marretje and Jacob, namely, Jacob (baptized 1678 at New York), Magdalena (bapt. 1681 at Brooklyn) and Henricus (bapt, 1684 at New York). None of the three have yet been identified in later records. They may have assumed their father's patronymic, PIETERSEN (PETERSON), as a surname, or they may have assumed their own patronymic, JACOBSEN (JACOBSON), as a surname. Any insight into what happened to the three children of Marretje and Jacob would be welcome. Jacob Pieterszen was deceased by 19 September 1686, when banns were published at the New York Reformed Dutch Church for Marretje's second marriage to Barent Janszen, "j.m. Van Midwout."

Marretje's second husband, Barent Janszen, often is found with the name, Barent Van Tilburg, and was a son of Jan Theuniszen (Van Tilburg) and Tryntje Pieters. No baptism record survives for Barent, but as per his marriage banns he was born at Midwout, Long Island. In early accounts of his parent's family, starting with James Riker, Revised History of Harlem (1904), pages 219-220 (footnote), Barent's mother is incorrectly identified as Tryntje Pieters CRONENBURG. Although she was a Tryntje Pieters, her surname was not CRONENBURG. The woman known as Tryntje Cronenburg was a different person (see exchanges at the Dutch-Colonies List at RootsWeb from December 2007 and January 2008.
Riker also makes the error of assigning two children to Marretje and Barents, namely Geesje, baptized in 1691, and Jan, baptized in 1697. These two children were children of another Barent Janszen (Barent Janszen BOSCH) and his wife Dievertje Van Heyningen. The baptism records for the two children (at the New York Reformed Dutch Church) clearly give the mother's name as Dievertje Van Heyningen, so why Riker claimed the two as children of Marretje Brouwer defies explanation. William J. Hoffman, in "Brouwer Beginnings," TAG 23 (1947): 206, does not correct the error identifying Barent's mother as "Tryntje Cronenburg," although he does not include the two children as claimed by Riker. There is no evidence that Marretje Brouwer and Barent Van Tilburg had any children. On 22 January 1692, Barent Van Tilburg, along with William Nazareth (husband of Marretje's sister Helena Brouwer), were appointed by their father-in-law, Adam Brouwer, as executors of his will (Adam did not appoint any of his seven living sons as executors). Barent was probably born between 1660 and 1665 and Midwout, and thus far the last record I have found for him is dated 1 May 1709, when he stood as a sponsor at the baptism of Maria, daughter of Willem Brouwer and Martha (Bolten) at the Brooklyn Reformed Dutch Church. Barent is found on the 1703 census of New York City, as "Barent Vantilburg," with a household of 1 male age between 16 and 60, no adult females, and 1 male child and 1 female child. From this it is assumed that Marretje died prior to the taking of the census. The identity the two children is not certain. Marretje's youngest two children from her first marriage (Magdalena and Henricus) would have been aged 22 and 19 in 1703, and presumably would not have been classified as "children." There are no surviving records of any baptisms for children of Marretje and Barent. Whether or not the two children are natural children of Barent and Marretje is not clear from the limited information supplied in the census record. If they are, their names have not been discovered.

Marretje Brouwer and Her Two Husbands, Jacob Pieterszen and Barent Janszen Van Tilburg

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