Lysbet Aertsen

Not a child of Aart Theuniszen Middag

~• read a lengthy discussion at the very end of http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ski/katie/family_pages/staats.html#c... :

"WHO WAS LYSBETH AERSEN, WIFE OF PIETER PIETERSON STAATS?

By Margery Huston Freas August 2, 1998

Just who was Lysbeth Arensen who married Pieter Pietersen Staats (1663- ) of Gowanus (Brooklyn), N.Y. sometime before 1 February 1690 when they baptized their son Pieter Pieterse Staats?

Who She Was Not. . .

Teunis Bergen places her as a daughter of Aert Middagh and wife, Breekje Hansen Bergen, an identification that has been copied by many others ever since. I have yet to see a printed genealogy of the Staats family that does not so name her. The problem is that the Middagh family does not claim her in any listing of Aert & Breekje's children, nor does any connection appear through witnesses at baptisms in that or the next generation. Neither Pieter nor Lysbeth were witnesses at any Bergen or Middagh christenings nor are any Staats children seen with Middagh witnesses. Lysbeth is not known to have had more than the one child (named for her husband's father) which provides no help by way of memorial names. (Bergen additionally lists Matthew Aertsen, Aert Aertsen, and Helen Aertsen as members of the Middagh family, which as you will see below, is also incorrect).

Other families of this early date and place that might have had a daughter with the Arensen/Aertsen name, such as that of Simon Aersen deHart and Jan Aertson Vanderbilt, have been examined without any logical connection or other clue being found. Shirley Moore Barnes, an expert genealogist of New Netherland families and author of two genealogies, did an exhaustive search of early records in New Amsterdam, Staten Island, and New Jersey, without finding a positive or viable link to another known seventeenth century family. She did find a clue, however. . .

Enter Jan Aersen . . .

An article by Rosalie Fellows Bailey in the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, identifies emigrants who owed money to the West India Company for their passage to New Netherlands and who were listed in the contemporaneous notes of one James Riker. The account is not complete and the date is that of embarkation, not of arrival (it took about 6 weeks for the voyage), but one name caught stands out — Jan Aertsen from Amersfoort who sailed on the Faith on 23 December 1660. An attached note in the record states that he "lives with Elbert Elbertsen [Stoothoff] ‘in de baay' (i.e., Flatlands)." He was not married to either of the Stoothoff daughters or to any Stoothoff step-children by Elbert's wife's previous marriage, so it follows that he probably was either an indentured servant on the estate to reimburse for his passage, or a newly arrived relative.

He apparently made the trip without family as no wife or child of his is enumerated on the passenger list. Jan took the Oath of Allegiance at Brooklyn in 1687 and stated that he had been in this country 26 years, which agrees with his 1661 arrival.

His connection with the Van Couwenhoven/Stoothoff family must have been fairly harmonious, or at least not adverse, even considering Jan's possibly servile status. Jan's step-daughter, Johanna Nevius, married Garret Stoothoff, Elbert's son, and his son, David Aersen, married Helena Harssing, whose mother, Aeltje Van Couwenhoven, was a niece of Elbert's wife through her first marriage to Garret Wolfertse Couwenhoven.

About 1673, Jan Aersen (ca. 1636-1708) married Ariaentje (Bleijk) Nevius (ca. 1636-c1687/8), widow of Johannes Nevius, the Ferrymaster, who had died in June, 1672, leaving seven living children ranging in age from fifteen to two years. The Ferry, near the Flatlands home of Elbert Elbertse Stoothoff, was Ariaentje's residence and the place at which Jan subsequently settled. This second marriage produced four children between 1675 and 1681: Helena Aersen (1675-6) who married Christopher Hoogland, Aert/Aeffie Aersen, bp. Apr. 1677, who married Elizabeth Andriesse; Matheus/Matthew Aersen, bp 5 Oct 1679, who married Mareytje Van Dyck; and David Aersen, bp. 18 Dec 1681, who married the above named Helena/Heyltje Harssing. (Three of these are those named above who Bergen assigned to the Middagh family).

Son Aert/Aeffie was baptized (as Aeffie) at Brooklyn Dutch Church on Whitsuntide, 1677, (BDC:156) with Elbert Elbertsz and Helena Aertss as Godparents, (no wife mentioned), (BDR:156). Helena and David were baptized at Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church. Though Aert, Helena, and Matthew are not names evident in the little known of either Jan or Ariaentje's families, David is the name of a possible step-uncle or half-brother of Ariaentje, David dePotter, who died in 1681, the same year the above David Aersen was born.

An Unknown Marriage. . .

Ariaentje having died around 1688, Jan remarried 4 Jan 1690 to Elizabeth, widow of Peter Smith of Jamaica, L. I. (HSNY 1898:93), who survived him. An article from the Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey, however, states that his first marriage was contracted in the 1660s to an unnamed woman, a union that produced a son John, born, therefore, between 1661 when he arrived in America and 1672 when he remarried. Son John later married Ida Suydam (1678- ), daughter of Hendrick & Ida (Jacobs). Proof that he was son of Jan Aersen is found in Jan's will of 1707 in which he specifically names John as his "eldest son." Nothing further is known of that early marriage. Though he was likely unable to wed immediately upon arrival, at least until his indenture responsibility, if there was one, had been fulfilled, no 1660s marriage is recorded nor is there a baptismal record for son John or for a daughter. There was, nonetheless, sufficient time for a previously unknown second child, Lysbet Aertsen, to have been born into this family.

The 11 Aug 1708 will of Jan Aertsen of the Ferry (proved 8 Jun 1708, Brooklyn) does not mention Lysbeth Staats among his heirs which were his widow, Elizabeth, daughter Helena, "eldest son John," to whom £50 is to be paid in 6 years by the sons of his second marriage, Aert, Mattewis (sic) and David, who are named as executors as well as principle beneficiaries. John called himself John Harrison and moved to Raritan, New Jersey, where he and his wife produced at least one son, Ouke Harrison, bp 22 Nov 1724.

There are further connections with the Staats family among baptismal witnesses in Brooklyn Dutch Church. At the christening of son Aert's daughter Annetje on 24 Aug 1701, Jan2 Staats joins Aert's sister, Lena Hooglandt as witness. (BDC:145). At the christening of son Aert's daughter Lysbet, 18 Apr 1704, (BDC:147) Elsje Staats joins Aert's brother Mattheus as witness. Aert Aersen's wife was Lysbeth Andriesse, step daughter of Jan2 Janse Staats and daughter of his (Jan's) wife by a previous marriage.

No marriage record for Peter3 and Lysbeth Aersen survives. Their only known child was Peter4 baptized 16 February 1690 at Brooklyn Dutch Reformed Church (BDC:160) with Peter's parents, Peter2 and Annetje Van Dijk Staats in attendance. Though Peter3 (or his father) was witness in 1707 with Annetje Staats (his mother?) for the baptism of Jan, son of Elsie Staats and Nicasius Van Couwenhoven in Brooklyn (BDC:152), neither he nor Lysbeth appears again in the Brooklyn records. This leads to at least the suspicion that Lysbeth might have died before 1707 when Jan Aersen wrote his will.

It was 12 December 1694 that Peter2 Janse Staats and wife Annetje signed a deed stipulating that their son Peter3 Pieters of the County of Richmond (Staten Island) should pay them an amount annually during their lives for use of their land, 30 acres lying between Gerbrant Claasen and Cornelis Van Duyn, at Gowanus in Brooklyn. This deed followed by only a short time a similar conveyance that indicated the sale of the same 30 acres to son Peter3 Peters for £200. Both Peter3 and his brother Jan3 had been working a grant in Staten Island that their father had received in September, 1677. Might this be elder son Pieter3 being called home to care for his aging parents? If Lysbeth had died, it might also have been a way to assist in the care of their young son. There is no indication that Pieter3 ever remarried nor has his will or probate ever been found. With only one child, perhaps he didn't need one.

It may seem odd that Lysbeth is called "Lysbeth Aernsen" or "Lysbeth Aertsen" instead of "Lysbeth Jans" if she is daughter of Jan Aersen. Few in the community had yet completely forsaken their identification by patronymic by the late 1660s, her probable birth date, though English law demanded that they do so soon thereafter. Still, by the time the records list any of Jan Aersen's children, they had become Aersens or, later, Harrisons. Her identification as "Lysbeth Arensen" at her son's baptism, 1 Feb 1690, was at a time when everyone in the colony had been ordered to adopt a surname that would stay with the family thereafter. Her husband had already chosen Staats at his oath-taking three years before.

Conclusion . . .

Though not proven, the process of elimination seems to have provided enough circumstantial evidence to assume that Lysbeth Arensen, wife of Peter Peters Staats of Gowanus, was indeed a daughter of Jan Aersen and his unknown first wife of Flatlands, later of the Ferry, and that she might have died before Jan's will was written in 1707. I would welcome comment, negative or positive, from other researchers.

Margery Freas, 11912 Lebanon Church Rd., Felton, PA 17322 Emfreas@cs.com " copyright seems to be expired {MMvB June 2020}

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work of Margery Freas

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ski/katie/family_pages/staats.html#c...

"An Unknown Marriage. . .

Ariaentje having died around 1688, Jan remarried 4 Jan 1690 to Elizabeth, widow of Peter Smith of Jamaica, L. I. (HSNY 1898:93), who survived him. An article from the Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey, however, states that his first marriage was contracted in the 1660s to an unnamed woman, a union that produced a son John, born, therefore, between 1661 when he arrived in America and 1672 when he remarried. Son John later married Ida Suydam (1678- ), daughter of Hendrick & Ida (Jacobs). Proof that he was son of Jan Aersen is found in Jan's will of 1707 in which he specifically names John as his "eldest son." Nothing further is known of that early marriage. Though he was likely unable to wed immediately upon arrival, at least until his indenture responsibility, if there was one, had been fulfilled, no 1660s marriage is recorded nor is there a baptismal record for son John or for a daughter. There was, nonetheless, sufficient time for a previously unknown second child, Lysbet Aertsen, to have been born into this family.

The 11 Aug 1708 will of Jan Aertsen of the Ferry (proved 8 Jun 1708, Brooklyn) does not mention Lysbeth Staats among his heirs which were his widow, Elizabeth, daughter Helena, "eldest son John," to whom £50 is to be paid in 6 years by the sons of his second marriage, Aert, Mattewis (sic) and David, who are named as executors as well as principle beneficiaries. John called himself John Harrison and moved to Raritan, New Jersey, where he and his wife produced at least one son, Ouke Harrison, bp 22 Nov 1724.

There are further connections with the Staats family among baptismal witnesses in Brooklyn Dutch Church. At the christening of son Aert's daughter Annetje on 24 Aug 1701, Jan2 Staats joins Aert's sister, Lena Hooglandt as witness. (BDC:145). At the christening of son Aert's daughter Lysbet, 18 Apr 1704, (BDC:147) Elsje Staats joins Aert's brother Mattheus as witness. Aert Aersen's wife was Lysbeth Andriesse, step daughter of Jan2 Janse Staats and daughter of his (Jan's) wife by a previous marriage.

No marriage record for Peter3 and Lysbeth Aersen survives. Their only known child was Peter4 baptized 16 February 1690 at Brooklyn Dutch Reformed Church (BDC:160) with Peter's parents, Peter2 and Annetje Van Dijk Staats in attendance. Though Peter3 (or his father) was witness in 1707 with Annetje Staats (his mother?) for the baptism of Jan, son of Elsie Staats and Nicasius Van Couwenhoven in Brooklyn (BDC:152), neither he nor Lysbeth appears again in the Brooklyn records. This leads to at least the suspicion that Lysbeth might have died before 1707 when Jan Aersen wrote his will.

It was 12 December 1694 that Peter2 Janse Staats and wife Annetje signed a deed stipulating that their son Peter3 Pieters of the County of Richmond (Staten Island) should pay them an amount annually during their lives for use of their land, 30 acres lying between Gerbrant Claasen and Cornelis Van Duyn, at Gowanus in Brooklyn. This deed followed by only a short time a similar conveyance that indicated the sale of the same 30 acres to son Peter3 Peters for £200. Both Peter3 and his brother Jan3 had been working a grant in Staten Island that their father had received in September, 1677. Might this be elder son Pieter3 being called home to care for his aging parents? If Lysbeth had died, it might also have been a way to assist in the care of their young son. There is no indication that Pieter3 ever remarried nor has his will or probate ever been found. With only one child, perhaps he didn't need one.

It may seem odd that Lysbeth is called "Lysbeth Aernsen" or "Lysbeth Aertsen" instead of "Lysbeth Jans" if she is daughter of Jan Aersen. Few in the community had yet completely forsaken their identification by patronymic by the late 1660s, her probable birth date, though English law demanded that they do so soon thereafter. Still, by the time the records list any of Jan Aersen's children, they had become Aersens or, later, Harrisons. Her identification as "Lysbeth Arensen" at her son's baptism, 1 Feb 1690, was at a time when everyone in the colony had been ordered to adopt a surname that would stay with the family thereafter. Her husband had already chosen Staats at his oath-taking three years before.

Conclusion . . .

Though not proven, the process of elimination seems to have provided enough circumstantial evidence to assume that Lysbeth Arensen, wife of Peter Peters Staats of Gowanus, was indeed a daughter of Jan Aersen and his unknown first wife of Flatlands, later of the Ferry, and that she might have died before Jan's will was written in 1707. I would welcome comment, negative or positive, from other researchers.

Margery Freas, 11912 Lebanon Church Rd., Felton, PA 17322 Emfreas@cs.com"

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"Ariaentje having died around 1688, Jan remarried 4 Jan 1690 to Elizabeth, widow of Peter Smith of Jamaica, L. I. (HSNY 1898:93), who survived him. An article from the Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey, however, states that his first marriage was contracted in the 1660s to an unnamed woman, a union that produced a son John, born, therefore, between 1661 when he arrived in America and 1672 when he remarried. Son John later married Ida Suydam (1678- ), daughter of Hendrick & Ida (Jacobs). Proof that he was son of Jan Aersen is found in Jan's will of 1707 in which he specifically names John as his "eldest son." Nothing further is known of that early marriage. Though he was likely unable to wed immediately upon arrival, at least until his indenture responsibility, if there was one, had been fulfilled, no 1660s marriage is recorded nor is there a baptismal record for son John or for a daughter. There was, nonetheless, sufficient time for a previously unknown second child, Lysbet Aertsen, to have been born into this family.