Jan Jansen Jonckers

Baptism

from NA DRC Baptisms 1639-1730

• 1640 Sep 23; Jan Cornelis van Rotterdam, [Aeltje Jans, van Bremen?]; Jan; Herman Janszen, Gillis Pieterszen, Elsje Hendricks

  ---

  
  

Note for photo:

The Hendrick Brouwer house was built after the Stockade Massacre of February 8, 1690. Prior to that, it was the site of the Jan Jonckers house (ca. 1665) which was burned during the Massacre. According to an American Buildings Survey in 1937, the Brouwer house reused the foundation of the Jonckers house in its original, Dutch cottage-style construction. Several renovations included a rear and side wing, roofing changes, and new front siding. Reputedly this is the oldest house in the City of Schenectady.

Mohawk frontier: the Dutch community of Schenectady, New York, 1661-1710 Excelsior Editions Series AuthorThomas E. Burke, Jr. Edition2, illustrated, reprint PublisherSUNY Press, 2009 pg. 185 The developement of a provincial export trade in wheat and other grains during this period heightened the economic advantage of land ownership. But opposition to the effort of Jan Jansen Jonckers (van Rotterdam) and Andries Albertsen (Bradt) to acquire property near the village (in 1671) had already indicated that some persons were to be more successful than others in exploiting the lands that surrounded the community. pg. 206 Several persons of English descent also married and settled in Schenectady during this period: William Bowin m. 1702 d. of Jan Jansen Jonkers Mannasch Sixberry m. 1696 d. of Jan Jansen Jonkers Many of these men pg. 207 were soldiers stationed on the fronier, and it may be that such individuals helped to fill a void created by the removal of population from Albany County after 1689. Jan Jansen Jonkers (van Rotterdam) for example saw two of his unmarried daughters provided for in this manner.

Note for painting: A View of Schenectady, New York, circa 1690, from Cowhorn Creek. The Mohawk River connected the western wilderness with the Dutch settlements of New Netherland. Iroquois trade goods made their way to Fort Orange in this way. By the 1660’s Arent Van Curler had the idea of establishing a new settlement west of Albany on the banks of the Mohawk. With his political influence and courageous direction the city of Schenectady was founded. Reconstructing the city as it may have appeared in 1690 was an artistic challenge requiring the interpretation of written accounts and the close scrutiny of historical land surveys. The resulting image was painted by Len Tantillo over the course of many months and provides us with a glimpse into the colonial realization of Van Curler’s vision.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adult Freeholders from a History of Schenectady

Jan Janse Jonckers alias Van Rotterdam:

He was an early resident of Schenectady and before 1678 a landholder.

His village lot was on the east side of Church Street, adjoining the Dutch church lot now owned by Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Benjamin.

Before 1690 it had passed into the possession of Jan Mebie, and in a deed to him given in 1708 to supply the loss of the one burned in the

destruction of the town in 1690, it is described as " lying on the street called the "Cross street", having to the north the heirs of Hendrick Brouwer, deceased, on y south

y town(church) lot, on the east the lot of heirs of Jan Pootman, deceased, containing in breadth at y ( Church ) street 108 feet and behind 107 feet, in length on y north and south sides 206 feet, wood measure."

In 1678 Jan Janse Yoncker alias Rotterdan and Pieter Cornelise Viele petitioned the Governor for permission to settle on the Second flat on the north side of the river and were answered that " they have liberty to "improve their land provided they do not go to live upon it but at Schenectady or among the inhabitants if Maalwyck."
This flat then consisted of about 70 acres and was divided into equal portions, ~ Van Rotterdam taking the westerly half and Viele the easterly portion.

Shortly before 1690 the latter died, leaving a widow and two sons; and in 1699 she conveyed her rights in this farm to her son Lewis Viele, who probably about 1708 released the same to the trustees of Schenectady, by whom it was leased for a term of years to Symon Groot, Jr. In 1718 they conveyed this parcel of land to Ryer Schermerhorn, and his descendants have held it until this day.

Letters of administration on Van Rotterdam's estate  were issued 23 Feb 1703/4 to his son-in-law Benjamin Lenyn, Willem Boin, and Manasseh Sixbery.

Rotterdam had five (?) daughters who probably inherited his portion of this flat. In 1717 Caleb Beck was empowered to sell two-fifths of it for two of them.
.