Helena Eledt Burhans

BURHANS GENEALOGY: DESCENDANTS FROM THE FIRST ANCESTOR IN AMERICA, JACOB BURHANS, 1660, AND HIS SON, JAN BURHANS, 1663, TO 1893.

COMPILED BY SAMUEL BURHANS, JR.: TRUSTEE OF THE NEW-YORK GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, MEMBER OF THE HOLLAND SOCIETY, AND CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE MINISINK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

NEW YORK, PRINTED FOR PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION, 1894.

http://www.archive.org/details/burhansgenealogy00burh

Helena Traphagen

No date of marriage appears on record of Jan Burhans and his wife Helena Traphagen. They appear as man and wife at a baptism 23 April 1675, when they stand as sponsors. In Helena Burhans's will she is called the widow of Jan Burhans, deceased.

Helena Traphagen was the daughter of Willem Jansen Traphagen by his first wife, Jannetje Claessen Groenvis, of Meppelt. Her father (Willem J. Traphagen) first settled in this country about the year 1660, at Bushwick, Long Island, but was banished by the authorities at New Amsterdam to Wiltwyck, 12 May 1664, for insubordination to said authorities (carrying a disrespectful letter to the said authorities for another man). During his life at Wiltwyck he made a statement to the Court, to be placed on record for the benefit of his children, of which the following is a translation by the late Jonathan W. Hasbrouck, of Kingston, N. Y.:

“Appeared before me W. Montagne, Secretary of the Honorable Justices.

“Willem Traphagen, aged about 55 years, son of Johannes Traphagen, Doctor of Medicine, Officer of the house at Hemelyck, in the Bishoprick of Minnen, under the Duke Van der Lip — and born in the city of Leunichor.

“Hendrick Traphagen, brother of the appearer's father, had a son Anthony Traphagen, minister of the Calvinists at Almina.

“The sister of the applicant's father, Anna Traphagen, married Johannis Willemse, merchant.

"The mother of the appearer was Heledt UelendaL Her sister had a daughter married to a Burgomaster in Lemigo. Her brother, Johannes Delendal, was Canon at Herfort, and her other sister had a husband named Johannes Nie Hoesy, Councilor in Herfoert. The guardians of the above named Willem Traphagen were Willem Schellinck, Jan Willemse, and Johannes Nie Hoesy. This Willem Traphagen, being at Lemigo in the year 1647, appointed Johannes Nie Hoesy and Johannes Traphagen, Minister, his Attorneys.

"The appearer mentions as having yet two sisters, Elsebus and Catharina Traphagen.

"And whereas I was married to Jannetje Claessen Groenvis, of Meppelt, and had by her a daughter named Helet Traphagen, and she dying, I was married again to a woman called Aeltje Dirricksen Meermans, and begat by her a son, Johannes Traphagen, and she dying, I was again married to Joostje Willemse Nooliryck, of Amsterdam, and begat by her a daughter named Rebecca, and sons Willem and Hendrick Traphagen.

"And whereas the aforesaid Willem Traphagen has thought of the hour of his death, therefore he has taken this opportunity to state his genealogy, so that when his children arrive at age they can look after a freehold at Merinen called Corpus Christi, bringing in an annual income of one hundred rix dollars; a freehold standing in the Church at Lemigo called Maria Virginia, bringing in an annual income of eighty rix dollars ; and a freehold at Belleveldt called Maria Salutas, bringing in an annual income of sixty rix dollars.

" Now, therefore, hoping the Good Lord will maintain them in their rights so they may flourish thereby, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th August 1671, at Kings- ton in America, under the Jurisdiction of his Majesty the King of England.

“Witness, Willem Jansen Traphagen.

Albert Jansen.

"Attesto,

W. Montagne, Sec'y."

30 Jan. 170'^. Helena Burhans was paid for one wolf killed ^0-12-0. Helena Burhans's death must have occurred between 1728 and 1732, as is shown by the date of her Will and the date of its proof, of which a translation is here given:

Will of Helena Burhans.

“In the name of God, Amen. Be it known to whom it may concern, that on this nineteenth day of October in the year of our Lord, seventeen hundred and twenty-eight, I, the subscriber, Helena Burhans, widow of Jan Burhans of Brabant, Corporation of Kingston, in the County of Ulster, province of New York — being sound in body and understanding, thanks be unto the Lord for the same, and understanding the shortness of life and the uncertainty of the same, the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and desiring to set all things in order — Do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form hereinafter written, revoking, cancelling, annulling and setting aside, as I do by this, all former testament or testaments, will or wills, or any other written disposition, and all clause or clauses therein and all codicils thereunto appendant, first, I commend my body to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christianlike manner, and my soul to God, to rise again at the resurrection day, and concerning my temporal estate of negroes, horses, cattle, debts, money, gold, silver coined or uncoined, of whatever nature it may be, of which I am possessed far beyond my deserts, I order, give and dispose of as follows :

“Item. It is my will and desire that all my just debts shall be paid in a reasonable time.

“Item. I give to my son, David Burhans, his order or heirs, a negro named 'Robin,' for which he shall pay the undernamed heirs the sum of thirty pounds current money of this province.

"Item. I give to my daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Jan Ploegh, her heirs or assigns, a wench child named 'Dina.'

"Item. Further, I order that all the balance of my property shall be equally divided among the undernamed children, namely: Barent Burhans, Willem Burhans, Abraham Burhans, Isaac Burhans, Samuel Burhans, David Burhans, Hellitje wife of Edward Whitaker, Jannetje wife of Pieter Du Bois, Elisabeth wife of Jan Ploegli, also to the children of my son Johannes Burhans deceased, in place of their father.

“Item. I appoint as executors to this my last will and testament, my sons Barent Burhans, and Willem Burhans, desiring the same shall be fully followed and fulfilled.

“Done at my house, the day and year before written.

"Witnesses — Helena Burhans.

Jan Pieter Oosterhoudt. Wm. Traphagen Jur. Ger. Van Wagenen.

Proved May 11 1732.

Surrogates Office, N. York City. Folio II, p. 302 of Wills.

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Sep 4 2020, 4:24:52 UTC