Captain Joris Aertse Middagh

Joris Aertse MIDDAGH was born before 27 Oct 1674 in Heicop, Holland. Joris was born about 1672 in a village now known as Hei-en Boeicop a few miles South of Utrecht, Holland. Joris was christened 27 Oct 1674 in Holland. The baptismal records for the Reformed Church at Heicop start in 1681. However a record of Joris' baptism was found in the records of the Schoonrewoerd Dutch Church. Unfortunately, the record doesn't say whether he was baptized there or in Heicop. Joris was accepted into the Kingston DRC by letter from the Amsterdam (Netherlands) Synod in 1695. Joris apparently died after 7 Dec 1730 as he was one of the witnesses to the will of William NOTTINGHAM which is dated 12/7/1730. See page 115 of Item 2 in LDS microfilm #0934853..

Joris was born while his parents were in Holland. He is listed as one of the children sailing with his father, Aert, on the ship "Beaver" when Aert returned to New York/Brooklyn from Holland with his family in 1683. He first appears in the colonial records in the Kingston, (NY) DRC and Kingston Civil records in 1695 and is listed as a member of the 1st DRC of Kingston, NY on 12/22/1698. However it is believed that he moved to Ulster County with his brother, Jan, following his father's death. This would mean that he was resident in Ulster County prior to 1689 although he is not listed as a resident of the county at that time by E. B. O'Callaghan in his "History of the State of New York". Since he would have been only fifteen years of age in 1689, he would not have been included in any record of adult males.

Joris and his brother, Jan, settled in the Hudson River Valley. He purchased land from Jeremiah and Elizabeth KETLE of Marbletown, Ulster County, NY on 12/25/1695 and lived there. (See notes on pg 327 of Catherine Deming's book.) At the Trustees of Marbletown meeting on 10/16/1704 he was granted 100 acres of land on the Esopus Creek. On 5/5/1716 he extended his holdings on Esopus Creek purchasing land on an island in the creek from Cornelis BOGART and a parcel known as Lot 2 from Capt. Richard BRODHEAD. The land he bought was known by the Indian name as Ashokan and is now known as Mt. Hope. He was very active in civic affairs. He was a trustee of Marbletown from 1704 until 1714; he was an assessor in 1711 and 1712 and Overseer of the Poor in 1713-14. He also was a Captain in the Colonial Militia. The information on Joris Aertse, his spouse (Marrietje Martens YSSELSTYN), their children and their spouses is based on Catherine Deming's book, an article by John Neafie in the Somerset County Historical Society Quarterly (Vol. 6, Pg. 114), the "History of Ulster County, New York" by N. B. Sylvester, a book by Frank Allaben "The Ancestry of Leander Howard Crall", Dutch Reformed Church records and records of the Reformed Church of Hei-en Boeicop, Holland.

He and his brother, Jan, were witnesses to the will of Fredrick Pietersen MOURITZ, of Marbletown, and Joris appeared in court 5/30/1709 to prove the will. Boris also served as an Executor of Hendrick BOGART's will which was proven 5/9/1716.

He married Marrietje Martissen YSSELSTYN 22 Apr 1696 in Marbletown, Ulster, NY. Marbletown is assumed to be the location of the marriage as both were residing there at the time they married. Gustave Anjou in genealogical notes appended to the abstract of the will of Willem Jansen SCHUTT claims one of Willem's daughters,Magdalena, married first, Gerris DECKER on 4/2/1684 (date of the Banns) and then on 4/22/1696 married Joris MIDDAGH. (See page 102 of Item #2 in LDS microfilm # 0934853.) This has to be another of Anjou's errors. According to the Kingston DRC records Joris and Marrietje Martissen YSSELSTYN were married on that date with Joris shown as j.m. (young man) born at Heykoop and Marrietje as j.d. (young woman i.e. not previously married) born in the jurisdiction of Albany (NY). There is no evidence that suggests Joris may have survived Marrietje and married a second time. She was born about 1673. While most of the information about Marrietje indicates she was born in Claverack, Columbia County, NY, the Kingston DRC records say she was born under the jurisdiction of Albany. These are not incompatible statements as prior to the time the Claverack and Deerpark churches were formed the Albany Classis had jurisdiction over the entire area..