Jan de Vries, (II)

aka Jon DeFreeze Molatt

Origins near the "Fresh Water Pond", Chatham Square or Out Ward, Manhattan

Cohen p. 26: Three of the colored* landowners living near the Fresh Water in the 1670s were John De Vries {aka Jan de Vries (II) - a half brother}, Claes Emmanuels , and Augustine Van Donck .

It is significant the surnames {with variant spellings} Vries, Mann, and Donck became mainstays of the future NY/NJ border area. To this day (2016) , there is a large population of people living in the ares with these surnames in their trees.

Note [Jan De Vries was a mulatto]. in other words: not 100% black, nor, probably, was his mother 100% black, if we can rely on her Brazilian/Portuguese Creole label. Her 2nd husband was the son of black slaves

Jan (II) , the orphaned son of Captain Jan de Vries, is on record as being a "Negro" at the baptism of one of his children and in a list of church members; his wife's race is not indicated. (Evans, Baptisms, 23.

Elsewhere, here is the record of Jan II's baptism:

• 1647 Aug 25; Jan de Vries-Swartinne; Jan; Bastiaen and Susanne Simons, Simon Joosten, Michiel Janszen Van den berg (Jan the father died a month later: September 27th 1647, drowning off the coast of Wales)

Follow the pedigree on an ancestry.com tree: It goes all the way down through the years to the 20th century.

In Leslie M. Harris' fine book In the Shadow of Slavery (2003) Page 39, there is the following text:

"As early as 1682, free blacks in New York City had expressed their displeasure with the British regime. When the Dutch attempted to recapture the island of Manhattan that year, some free black landowners declared their allegiance to the Dutch monarch. After Holland failed to repossess the city,  a group of free blacks, including the '''De Vries''' and Manuels families, sold their land in New York and bought land outside  the city, between Piermont, NY, and Harrington park, NJ. '''Descendants of these families lived on the land through the eighteenth century'''.''  (note: Harris might have been citing: Foote, Thelma Wills. ''Black Life in Colonial Manhattan, 1664-1786'' Ph,D. diis., Harvard University , 1991.

(second note: Another de Vries male to live his whole life in Orange/Rockland County was: Johanias (1719-1797)

• "The book "Tappan, 300 Years" says that "John de Vries and Claus Manuel were freed by Gov. Kieft in 1664". It also says that John Pietersen Haring, then schepen (magistrate) of the people in the Out-ward invited De Vries and Claus Manuel, neighbors in Manhattan, to become shareholders in the Tappan Patent - . "Tappan may have been the only community in colonial America in which blacks and whites shared equally in the ownership of land." I have noticed that John Pietersen Haring's wife, Grietje Cosyns, appears as sponsor at the baptisms of several Negro children." ~ Regina Haring

Note:

It would have been impossible for Kieft to free Capt. John de Vries' (son) as John (aka Jan II) wasn't born before Kieft sailed to his death''. Perhaps Haring meant to say that it was Director Stuyvesant who freed these people?

Jan de Vries, was baptized August 25, 1647, to Jan Van Dolszen de Fries| de Vries and and his wife Helena (Elena) Crol | Criolyo (Creole) or Swartinne "a black woman". [1]. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam, NN. Jan died after 30 April 1708 at 61 years of age.

Jan de Vries was one of 16 farmers or planters whose name appears on the Tappan Patent (New Jersey). He purchased two shares. One for himself and one for his son Jan deVries (II).

The Orange County Census (now Rockland County) lists John (Jan) de Vries baptized 1647, a freed negro, married to Ariantje Dircks in 1679.

Rockland County History --When the Duke of York (who became King James II of England) established the first twelve counties of New York in 1683, present-day Rockland County was part of Orange County. Orangetown was created at the same time under a royal grant, originally encompassing all of modern Rockland County. Around this time, as the English began to colonize Nyack and Tappan, the Native Americans began to leave Rockland in search of undisturbed land further north. The natural barrier of the Ramapo Mountains and the size of the county made it difficult to carry out governmental activities. At one point there were twin governments, one on each side of the Ramapo Mountains. For this reason, Rockland split off from Orange in 1798 to form its own county. That same year the county seat was transferred from Tappan to New City, where a new courthouse was built. Birth Jan was bp. on August 25, 1647[2]. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church of Manhattan, New Amsterdam, NN.

Parents Father: Jan de Fries|de Vries van Dalszen, Dutch army captain Mother: Helena|Elara Crol, a former slave, purchased by Jan de Fries in Brazil. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/e/a/Andrew-J-Dean/GENE...

Death of Father Jan de Vries Sr. died in August 1647. The ship Princess Amalia left New Amsterdam, and outside of the Swansea, Wales channel, it struck a rock and was wrecked. Captain Jan Clause Bol had made an error and ran it aground. Of the 107 aboard, 21 survived.

The ex 5th Governor of New York, Willem Kieft, was aboard. Knowing he was about to die, he said “Friends, I have been unjust towards you, can you forgive me?” Towards morning the ship was broken. Kieft, the Minister Bogardus, and Capt. Jan de Vries and others were drowned. Willem Kieft was sent back to Holland to answer charges, Capt. de Vries and Dominee Bogardus and others were sent to give evidence.

Before Capt. Jan de Vries left, he wrote a will, leaving his land to Hillary, his wife, and to Paulo, a freed slave and his friend or partener. He also left the care of his free negroes and the Brasilian woman (Hillary) during his absence to Michiel Jansz and Symon Joosten, his friends and his Attorney.

Separately Captain David Pietersen de Vries planted his third colony at Tappan in 1640, called Vriessendael. But discouraged by the massacre of his second colony and thoroughly disgusted by the conduct of the vice-directors at Manhattan and their cronies over the last ten years, he left his farm at Vriessendael in October 1643, and had returned to Holland by 21 June 1644. He was known to Jan de Vries Sr. who may have been encouraged to purchase two shares of the Tappan Patent for himself and his son Jan. Both Jan de Vries Sr. and Jan de Vries jr. are listed among the first 16 patentees of Tappan in 1702 Jan de Vries Jr. is definitely the son of Jan de Vries that married Adriaentje Dircks (both are listed in the 1702 Tappan census). Occupation Jan de Vries Jr. was planter or farmer, both at Manhattan Island and later at Tappan, New York.

Marriage Jan De Vries II married Adriaentje Dircks on 10 December 1679[3] at the Reformed Dutch Church of New York City[4] Adriaentje Dircks Hendricksen De Vries, d. after 14 April 1728; she was a daughter of Dirck Hendricksen from New Albany (the child of a rich and important farmer and one of his slave-girls there). Together they get four children: Johannes and Dirck (dies young), Helena and Mary.

The then Orange County (now Rockland County) census lists John de Vries born 1647, a freed negro married to Ariantje Dircks in 1679[5]

The Tappan then Orange County (now Rockland County) Census of 1702 lists DE VRIES, John, born 1647, NY, Free Negro, married 1679, NY to Ariantje Dircks. Children: Maria DeVries, born 1682 NY; Helena DeVries, born 1684 NY; Johannes DeVries, born 1686 NY; Dirck DeVries born 1689 NY d.y.; Jacobus DeVries, born 169? at Tappan.

It is also possible that this Jan de Vries II was the Jan de Vries that fathered Maria Kray's child. See NYRDC Bapt. Record: Oct 20, 1671. Jan de Vries II. would have been 24 years of age at the birth of Pieter; and the age and location are correct.[6]. But who was Maria Kray? There are no other church history events for Maria Kray found within the Hudson River valley.

Tappan Patent From the Hudson River it was west across the salt meadow and through the narrow valley of the Tappan Creek (present day Piermont, New York) that the first inland settlement to the west was made. Land was purchased from the Lenni Lenape Indians on March 17, 1682.

Five years later, in 1687, legal title to the land known as the Tappan patent, was granted by Governor Thomas Dongan of New York to thirteen Dutchmen and three free Negroes[7]. The Tappan patent is believed to be the only land grant of its kind in the country to include both blacks and whites on an equal basis. They were all prosperous farmers from the settlement called the Bouweriewhich grew up around Peter Stuyvestant's farm in what had been New Amsterdam. As their farms became crowded by the late 17th Century, they came together to purchase new unsettled lands in the wilderness.

Jan de Vries Jr. a mulatto, was a Tappan patentee in 1687.

Residences There is no evidence found yet to indicate where on Mahattan Island, Jan's father Jan de Vries Sr. had his farm, which was inherited by his wife Elara|Hillary Crol, and son Jan de Vries Jr. upon Jan Sr's death in 1647. It was possibly the same lands at Groote Kill which Jan Jr. farmed prior to removal to Tappan.

Prior to their removal to Tappan Orange County (now Rockland County), NY, sometime between 26 June 1689 and 1692 Tappan, Census, Jan de Vries, Adriaentje and their 4 children lived along the "Groote Kill"[8], the then drainage of the lower-central Manhattan marshland/ fresh water lake. His step siblings, children of his mother, Elara|Hillary's second marriage lived near Jan and his family.

Reformed Dutch Church members recorded as living AEN DE GROOTE KILL, (BY THE BIG CREEK.) were[9]: -Conradus Vanderbeeck; Elsje Jans -Claes Emanuels, Negro -Jan deVries, Negro -Joost Kockuyt; Lysbeth Jans

Marriage Jan De Vries, born New York, married Adriaentje Dirckson, born New Albanien, on Dec. 10, 1679, in at Kings County, New York. They had children, baptised at NYRDC., as per p. 762 of Valentine's Manual of 1863. [10]

Children Children of Jan de Vries and Adriaentje <Dirck> Hendricksen were as follows[11][12][13]:

i. Maria <Jan> de Vries Pieterse was baptized 14 January 1682. She was born on Manhattan Island. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church of Manhattan, New York, NY.[14]%29 m. on 3 September 1721) to Willem Pieterse <Pieter> who was born about 1693.[15] ii. Helena <Jan> de Vries Van Salee was baptized 30 April 1684. She was born on Long Island. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church of Manhattan, New York, NY.[16]) (marriage banns 1 February 1708), married Abraham Frans van Salee or Salee, born at Betfort, on Dec 27, 1708. [17]. iii. Johannes <Jan> de Vries, who was baptized November 28,1686. Johannes was born at Tappan, New York. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church of Manhattan, New York, NY.[18] and married Anna Maria Becker, widow Mengel .[19] iv. Dirck <Jan> de Vries was baptized 26 June 1689. Baptism was recorded at the Reformed Dutch Church of Manhattan, New York, NY.[20] and died before 1702). v. Jacobus <Jan> de Vries was born about 1692) was baptized 6 March 1693[21]) His will was dated 12 June 1772 and was proved 17 May 1774. He married Elizabeth de Groot of Saddle River[22] The de Vries family came to Orange County, now Rockland County, as free people. Other’s of African descent were slaves. The free people were culturally Dutch, had Dutch names, and spoke Dutch. They built Dutch homes, worshiped in the Dutch Reformed Churches, married and had their children baptized in the Dutch Reform Churches. Overtime, their name spelling became De Freese. In the early 1800’s they began selling their farms in their Hackensack River Valley area and moved to Ramapo Mountains in the west part of Orange (now Rockland) County bordering New Jersey.

The common Dutch names of the Dutch / Black people in New York area were De Vries (De Freese) Van der Donck (Van Donck) De Groot, (De Groat) and my ancestors the Van Salees[23].

The black people were pushed out of Manhattan when taxes went up, and a law was passed in 1712 prohibiting the transfer of land to heirs, by free blacks, mulatos and Indians. It should be noted that the early Dutch integrated the freed slaves into their society, while the English did not.

Death Jan DeVries II would have died after 1689, probably in Orange County (now Rockland County), New York.

Of interest There apparently were, at least, two Adriaentje Dirckse extent in the greater New York area at the time, most likely different people.[24]

Sources ↑ NARDC Baptizm Record: Page 23--1647 Aug 25; Jan de Vries-Swartinne; Jan; Bastiaen and Susanne Simons, Simon Joosten, Michiel Janszen Van den berg. ↑ NARDC Baptizm Record: Page 23--1647 Aug 25; Jan de Vries-Swartinne; Jan; Bastiaen and Susanne Simons, Simon Joosten, Michiel Janszen Van den berg. ↑ Family Groups in the 1702 Orange/Rockland Census ↑ NYRDC Marriage Record: Page 46--1679 10 Dec; Jan de Vries, jm van N. Yorke; Adriaentje Dircks, jd van N. Albanien ↑ My Dutch Black Colonial Relatives; Vicky Moon ↑ NYRDC Baptism Record: Page 103--1671 Oct 20; Jan de Vries, Maria Kray; Pieter; Evert Pels, Cuiertie Hendricxs ↑ Tappan Patent ↑ The Historical Writings of John Fiske: The Dutch and Quaker colonies in America, pp. 82-84. ↑ LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH IN NEW YORK IN 1686 ↑ NYRDC Marriage banns Record: 1679 10 Dec; Jan de Vries, jm van N. Yorke; Adriaentje Dircks, jd van N. Albanien ↑ My Dutch Black Colonial Relatives, By Vicky Moon ↑ Jan ? de Vries ↑ Family Groups in the 1702 Orange/Rockland Census ↑ NYRDC Bapt. Record: Page 150--1682 Jan 14; Jan de Vries, Ariaentie Dircx; Maria; Anthony Anthony, Anna Maria ↑ Tappan Marriage Record: #836 Willem Pieterse born and living on York Island, widower of Sarah [Sara] Van Genee Maria De Vries born on York Island and living at Tappan September 3, 1721 [betrothed] ↑ NYRDC Bapt. Record: Page 163--1684 Apr 30; Jan de Vries, Adriaentie Dircx; Helena; Salomon Pieterszen, Marritie Anthony ↑ Tappan Marriage Record: #1148 Abram Frans Van Salee [Sale or Salee], born at Betfort Helena De Vries [j.d.] born on Long [York] Island February 1, 1708 [betrothed December 27, Married February 1, 1708] ↑ NYRDC Bapt. Record: Page 176--1686 Nov 28; Jan de Vries, Adriaentje Dircks; Johannes; Johannes Kip, Anna Van Brug ↑ Tappan Marriage Record: #331 Johannes De Vries [j.m.], born in Tappan, Marytie Pecker [Becker], [born in the Stadycken in the Paltz in Germany and living in Tappan], widow of Wendel Mengely January 10, 1719 [betrothed] ↑ NYRDC Bapt. Record: Page 191--1689 Jun 26; Jan de Vries - Neger, Adriaentie Dircks; Dirck; Hendrick Wesselszen, Janneken Wessels ↑ No baptizm record found at NYRDC ↑ Tappan Marriage Record: #355 Jan De Vries of Saddle River, Elizabeth De Groot of Saddle [Saddel] River, September 19, 1789 [married] ↑ My Dutch Black Colonial Relatives, By Vicky Moon ↑ Bergen, NJ Baptism: 1680 Mar 25; Sjarel Huysman, Adriaentje Dirckse; Marey; David de Maree, Angenientje Streuckers See also:

Source: LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH IN NEW YORK IN 1686, Arranged According to the Streets of the City-By DOMINE HENRICUS SELYNS IN 1686 Published in The Memorial History of the City of New-York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892, By James Grant Wilson, Published by New York History Co., 1892 Church Records: Samuel S. Purple's 'Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York, Marriages from 11 December 1639 to 26 August 1801.'; The beginning records show the date the Banns were registered, NOT the date of marriage. Starting on 9/20/1673 marriage dates are given. REGISTER IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, OF THE Early Settlers of Kings County, LONG ISLAND, N Y., FROM ITS First Settlement by Europeans to 1700; WITH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR BIOGRAPHIES AND GENEALOGIES, COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. By TEUNIS G. BERGEN EBook: The Historical Writings of John Fiske: The Dutch and Quaker colonies in America; By John Fiske; Houghton, Mifflin, 1902. Map: Forgotten New York--Collect Pond Map; Forgotten New York is a program of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, a non-profit organization supported by the Long Island City community. [During the 1600 the drainage from the marshland that encompassed the Colect Pond (a British transliteration from the Dutch Kalck Hoek, or Chalk Hook) was called Groote Kill, which emptied into the Hudson along the path of present Canal Street. In the early 1600s this was valued farm/marsh land and a source of fresh water. By 1800, NYC had begin to encroach upon the pond, which had already been surrounded by breweries, tanneries, and slaughterhouses which had began to turn the freshwater pond into an open sewer. The decision was made to drain it and fill it in by the 1810s. Canal Street, in part, is built atop a canal built to facilitate the Collect Pond drain. This area was considered a less desirable and unhealthy location to live and was, during the latter years of the 17th., and through early 19th centurys, becoming the residence of people who could not afford better locations [Tom Quick]]. Church Records: MARRIAGE RECORDS OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCHES OF TAPPAN AND CLARKSTOWN, ROCKLAND COUNTY, NEW YORK *1694 - 183; As prepared by George H. Budke from the translation by Rev. David Cole. Church Records: Samuel S. Purple's 'Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York, Marriages from 11 December 1639 to 26 August 1801.' The beginning records show the date the Banns were registered, NOT the date of marriage. Starting on 9/20/1673 marriage dates are given. Website: Family Groups in the 1702 Orange/Rockland Census: Rockland County New York & Bergen County New Jersey. This information was compiled by George Budke, and appeared in "The Rockland Record", Volume Two, 1931 and 1932. Family groups were numbered. Jan|John de vries was #25. Website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rclarke/page1/dev... Jan <?> De Vries] Website: My Dutch Black Colonial Relatives, By Vicky Moon Website: Ancestors of Mariah Diver Verify Website: Descendants of Jan Gevitson Van Dolson Verify Website: De Vries, a wonderful story, Ton Oosterhuis <ton.oosterhuis@planet.nl>; Aug 2005. 1702 Census: Family Groups in the 1702 Census; A Web Site For Rockland County New York & Bergen County New Jersey Historical Information. Church Records: A History of the Classis of Paramus of the Reformed Church in America ... By Reformed Church in America. Classes. Paramus. Containing the Proceedings of the Centennial Meeting of the Classis, the Historical Discourse, and the Addresses, Statistical History and the Histories of the Individual Churches [1800-1900]. Reformed Church in America. Classes. Paramus, Board of Publication, R. C. A., 1902 Acknowledgements Van_Dolsen-1 was created through the import of Lynch-Tree.ged on 06 August 2010. Van_Dolsen-1 was adopted by Tom Quick, Quick-803 21:29, 10 November 2014 (EST). De Vries-1078 was created by Tom Quick, Quick-803 16:58, 6 October 2015 (EDT).