Adriaen (Aory) Thyssen Lane

Some confusion between this Adriaen and his nephew Adriaen Gysberts Laenen, son of his brother Gysbert. The article quoted below found no information on Adriaen Gysberts Laenen and lists Adriaen, the founder of Readington, as the son of Matthys Jansen Laenen and Adriaentje Hendricks. [see Discussion Tab]

Adriaen, of New Utrecht, N. Y., Middletown, N. J., and then Readington, N. J., b. at New Utrecht (perhaps about) 1672; d. after 1738; m. (1) Martyntje Smack (dau. of Hendrick Matthyse Smack and Geertje Harmens), who probably died about 1699; and (2) Jannetje Van Sycklen (dau. of Ferdinand© Van Sycklen and Eva Jansen of Flatlands, L. I.). He seems to have resided at one period at Gravesend, L. I., but was of New Utrecht in 1693, and also in 1698, when he was enrolled on the census list as having in his family himself, wife, two children and one slave. In 1700 he conveyed land at New Utrecht to his brother Gysbrecht, then stating he was of Middletown, so that he probably removed to Monmouth Co., in 1699. On June 20, 1701, "Adrian Leane" purchased land at Middletown on "Marvill Hill" bounded by Swimming River and Hogneck creek, of Peter Tilton, a carpenter, but then he is stated to be of New Utrecht. (Trenton Deeds, Book H. p. 41). On Nov. 20, 1704, he made a quit-claim couveyance (no wife joining) of land at Middletown to Adriaen Brown (Trenton Deeds. Book A A A. p. 98).

Adriaen could have remained but a few years in Monmouth, for by 171 1 he went to the vicinity of Readington, Hunterdon Co., near the borders of Somerset. He was the first Lane to go to this part of New Jersey, thus antedating those who went to Bedminster in Somerset by a third of a century. Adriaen, at Readington, founded the large line of Lanes of that vicinity.

On Oct. 9, 171 1, he purchased of John and Catherine Van Horn, of New York City, for £150, 450 acres of land near Holland's brook, Readington, then Amwell twsp., (through which ran the division between East and West Jersey). On Dec. 12, 1715, he sold to Andreas Emmons, of Long Island, 300 acres of this tract, as appears by a deed of partition of May 26, 1755 (unrecorded), reciting the fact, between Andreas Emmons' sons, John and James Emmons, showing they equally divided this land, which descended to them from their father. (Copy of Emmons' deed sent by Mr. Warren B. Stout, of South Orange, to the writer). I have not found a record of the 450 acre deed to Adriaen, but it is referred to in a subsequent deed given by him and his wife "Yannietie" to Joseph Stout, Apr. 8, 1719, by which he seems to have sold off the balance, then said to be 155 acres. (Trenton Deeds, Book B 2, p. 367). To this deed his name was signed, "Adriaen Lane."

Slightly earlier than this last date, on Dec. 6, 1718 (according to a statement published by the late Rev. Henry P. Thompson, who may have seen a deed not on record), he purchased land, probably adjoining the first purchase and this must have been where he finally located. This must have been bought of Thomas Stevenson and consisted of perhaps 450 acres. On Oct. 14, 1731, he sold 153 acres of this second purchase to Garret Van Sicklen, and in the deed it is stated to be land "which Adriaen purchased of Thomas Stevenson, late of Pennsylvania." (Trenton Deeds, Book D D, pp. 220, 245). Garret Van Sicklen may have been his brother- in-law. As his second wife did not join in this deed it is presumed she was then deceased.

In 1724 he was an executor of the will of Henry Traphagen. (Trenton Wills, Book A, p. 290).

On Apr. 12, 1738, when it was proposed to build a new Dutch church at present Readington village (the church, being known as that of North Branch, was previously located near the head of the Raritan river, on lands occupied by the late John Vosseller in his life time) Adriaen (again no wife joining) conveyed 147 rods of land to the church wardens "John Vansekel [Van Sickle] and Nicholas Wickoff," for that purpose. The church was therein called "The Dutch Church of Rarington." (Trenton Deeds, Book O, p. 177).

No records have been found indicating the baptisms of Adriaen's children, excepting one at New Utrecht. Naturally they should be found at Marlborough and Somerville, but his name only appears twice on the Somerville records; April 12, 1716, when he and his wife were witnesses to a baptism of a child of Johannes Sickeler (Van Sickle), and Oct. 14, 1719, when they witnessed for a child of Koort Jansen and wife. Neither is there any will or administration at Trenton to indicate his children or the date of his death. Recourse must therefore be had to other indications and some suppositions in ascertaining the names of the various children he must have had.

Somerset County Historical Quarterly Volume II.— 1913

July 15, 1730 was the official birth date of Readington Township.Created by Royal Charter as Readings, or Readings Town, it wasn't until 1798 that it became Readington Township. Containing about 48 square miles, ours is the largest Township in the County of Hunterdonand one of the largest in the State of New Jersey.

Being Dutch-German with the Dutch being the earliest and most populous. Original settlements of Dutch farmers took place in and around the Village of Readington, where a mill was erected (circa 1710- 1715) by Adrian Lane. By 1738 the Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch moved west to Readington, no doubt because of the greater number of members residing there. Today's Readington Dutch Reformed Church replaces two earlier church buildings. As the population increased, a school was built; an inn and a store completed the Little Dutch Settlement. Readington Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Remaining are five eighteenth century houses, a portion of the mill wall, the store, church and cemetery,inn, two school houses and several early nineteenth century houses.