Roeloff Swartwout

Roeloff (Roelof) Swartwout

• AKA Swarthout, Swartout
• Born before 1 Jun 1634 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland
• Baptized June 1, 1634 in Amsterdam, Holland
• Died 30 May 1715 after age 80 in Hurley, Ulster, Province of New York
• Son of Tomas Swartwout and Hendrickjen Barentsdr
• Husband of Eva (Alberts) Swartwout — married about 13 Aug 1657 in Fort Orange, New Netherland
• Husband of Fransijntje Andries — married 22 Nov 1691 in Bergen, Province of New Jersey

Biography

Roeloff Swartout, son of Tomys and Hendrickjen Otsen Swartwout, was born in Amsterdam , Holland and baptized there June 1st 1634. He came to America with his parents in March 1652. In 1656, Roeloff paid a visit to Beverswijch, by which name the present city of Albany was legally known until 1664. On account of the crescent form of the bank of the river at this point this hamlet was called the Fuyck or Beversfuych, and it was Fuyck by the Dutch for many years after it had passed into the hands of the British. Here it is related, he met Eva Albertse Bratt, widow of Antoine de Hooges and mother of several children and on finding himself enamored with the attractive widow, he married her. His father, Tomys, attended the wedding on August 13, 1657.

Having decided to become a resident of Esopus, near Kingston, Roeloff made a voyage to Holland to buy Agricultural instruments. He sold and mortgaged about all he owned to raise the necessary money. He returned from Holland on De Bonte Koe (The Spotted Cow), Captain Pieter Lucasz. With him he brought in his employ, Cornelius Jacobez Van Leenwen; Arent Mertensz and Ariaen Huijbertsz from Guilderland. While in Holland, he made efforts to obtain a local Court of Justice and pastor for Esopus. While in Amsterdam he asked the lords of the West India Company to appoint him sheriff (Schout) of the settlement. He received the appointment and when he returned to America, the Director General was very angry over the appointment because he had not been consulted and wrote to Holland objecting. He received a letter back from the lords of the West India Company giving him a severe reprimand for his criticism of the appointment. This appointment completed the organization of the first Court of Justice in the County of Ulster.

Elsewhere in Swartwout Chronicles, we are told that Roeloff was an "enterprising and respectable young man." He must also have had some temper for in 1663 he was suspended from office for writing "an insulting letter" but he must also have had strength to ackowledge a fault for he apologized to his superiors.

Roeloff Swartwout, Warnaer Hoornbeeck and Eva Alberts witnessed/sponsored the 27 Apr 1679 baptism of Claertie de Hoges, daughter of Johannes de Hoges and Margriet Post in Kingston, Ulster Co, NY.

From 1689-90 he held the position of Justice of the peace and Collector of Grand Excise of Ulster County.

His second objective in visiting Holland had been to obtain a settled pastor for Esopus, and it was apparently accomplished for we are told "On March 4, 1661, Thomas Chambers, Cornelius Barentsen Slecht, Gertruy Andries, Roeloff Swartwout, Alaerdt Heymensen Rose and Juriaen Westvael agreed in writing to give Blom (the Dutch pastor) as salary for the first year, to commence 9/5/1660, the sum of 700 guilders in corn, at beaver valuation in case his farm should fail, we promise further to put the farm in good order according to contract as soon as the land has been allotted and raise that sum at the latest for the coming farming season.

Having rented a bouwerij (farm), embracing 43 morgens (or about 86 acres) belonging to Jacob Janse Stoi's widow, whose husband had been killed by the Indians at Esopus in October, 1659, Roeloff Swartwout occupied it shortly after his return from Holland.

The first Lord's Supper was held 12/28/1660 at which both Roeloff and wife, Eva, were among the 17 participating.

The town of Hurley, Ulster Co., which was to be the home of Roeloff Swartwout for the remainder of his life is described in "History of Ulster Co., NY" as lying on the west of the territory and as being bounded on the north by Woodstock, on the east by Kingston, on the south by Rosendale and marbletown and on the west by Marbletown and Olive. The settlement of the town dates back to about 1662 when several patents were granted upon the territory of Nicuro Corp. Fifty years later, we find the name of Barnardus Swartwout among the members of the corporation. In 1674, we find a complaint was filed against Roeloff Swartwout by a magistrate, Louis DuBois, charging him with settling in the Flat Land contrary to Governor's orders.

What follows was copied from O'Callahan's "Documentary History of New York": "Captain Milborn — Friends and Brothers — After cordial salutation, yours of 5 April is shown to me. I have got as much maize as I could find which I send up to your Honor with Theunis Pieterson's Yacht. I am busy getting as much money from the Kinn's revenue as will satisfy the people from whom I had the corn. The number will appearby the list in the letter. touching the election of two delegates from our country, it shall be done on the 15th inst. I was put off until your Honor's arrival here. I feared a contest about it, I admit. It ought to be a free election for all classes, but I would be loath to allow those to vote or to be voted for who have refused to this day to take their oath, lest so much leaven might taint that which is sweet of our hed men, from Pieter d'laney. There is yet no further news from sea. I expect quick progress and good success against the French, our enemies both by water and by land. I shall expect to see your Honor's arrival here in the yacht coming soon. Finally I commend your Honor to God's protection and remain, your Honor's servant to command... signed Roeloff Swartwout.

The life of Roeloff and wife seems to have been an ideal one for those times. They were evidently prosperous, public spirited, and religious, while living through all the vicissitudes of life in the new world. About the year 1689, Eva died. Two years later, Roeloff married, in the city of New York, Francijntje Andries, widow of Abraham Lubbertszen. Surviving his second wife, he died in Hurley in May 1715.

From "The Early History of Kingston and Ulster Co., NY" published by the Ulster County Historical Society, Marbletown, Kingston, NY, 1975: "Circumstances surrounding appointment of roeloff Swartwout as the first schout (sheriff) of Wiltwyck (Kingston) are of interest. On 15 apr 1660, the directors in Holland informed Stuyvesant that "One Roeloff Swartwout, who now comes over with some other men and farmers, to settle at the Esopus and engage in agriculture, has petitioned us here for the office of sheriff at the place, and although it is premature in our opinion, we have granted the aforesaid request to encourage the man and promote justice." Swartwout was the son of Tomas [sic] Swartwout of Fort Orange (Albany). Roleoff had left Fort Orange, made a trip to the Netherlands and was now about to return to Niew Netherlands and settle at Esopus. It is presumed that Swartwout may have secured the office through influence of his wife's connections. She was the widow of Anthony de Hooges who had served as secretary of the colony of Rensselaerwyck.

What follows is from the "New York Historical Manuscripts-Dutch Kingston Papers," Vols. I and II (1661-1667): On January 3, 1671/2, Roeloff Swardwoudt informs the honorable court that he, Warnaer Hoorenbeecz, Johannes de Hoogens and Daniel Pruine, while returning from marbletown, between Hurley and Marbletown, found a fire on a wood path and near it 4 savages busy cooking something and judging from their language they were southern savages which they themselves acknowledged. They asked Swardwoudt and the whole company whence they came and Johannes De Hoogens answered, "froz Waeewaersink" and the aforesaid savages said they also intended to go to Waewaersink and after much talk they said to the savages, "Go with us to the Dutch houses," whereupon the savages said, "We shall follow you." And for the purpose of making the savages follow them, they took one of their rifles. And they, seeing that the savages did not follow them, returned right away to the spot and found the savages gone. They could see by the burning of the fire that the savages had departed shortly after them and maintain that the savages are planning mischief and therefore informed the honorable court. Captain Chambers proposes the necessity of keeping watch. The honorable court orders a watch of 4 men until further orders because the messenger remains away beyond the time. Capt. Chambers proposes the necessity of having the village closed as per the decree. (Arthur James Weise, M.A., The Swartwout Chronicles 1338-1899 and The Ketelhuyn Chronicles 1451-1899, Two Directory, Printing and Bookbinding Co., 1899.)

SWARTWOUT, Roeloff, a resident and freeholder of Beverwyck, until 1660, when he was appointed first sheriff of wiltwyck, at the Esopus; 1663, suspended from office on account of an insolent letter, on making an apology restored; 1689-90 appointed justice and collector of the grand excise of Ulster county. He married Eva Albertse, daughter of Albert Andriese Bratt, and widow of Antony de Hooges, of Beverwyck. (Joel Munsell, Collections on the History of Albany, from its Discovery to the Present Time. With Notices of its Public Institutions, and Biographical sketches of Citizens Deceased. Albany, N.Y., by the author, Albany, New York, IV, 1865, Collections on the History of Albany, from its Discovery to the Present Time, with Notices of its Public Institutions, and Biographical Sketches of Citizens Deceased, J. Munsell, Albany, N. Y., 1871.)

In Indian fight June 7, 1663; member of General Leisler's Council of War with France.

Roeloff came to New Netherland with his parents. They landed in Manhattan and then moved upstate. He became the first sheriff in Hurley, Ulster County NY.

[From Anjou's Wills of Ulster Co. NY Vol. I., p. 91-2. Will of Roeloff Swartwout, dated March 30, 1714, and written in Dutch, proved May 14, 1715. The Judge was Dirck Schepmoes, Esq., and Arien Gerritsen and Comelis Cool, the two brothers-in-law of Roeloff's daughter Hendrickje, were Justices of the Court. Abstract: "To my eldest son Thomas 25 pounds, his right as being the first bom. —Also to Thomas and to my son Bamardus my entire estate in Col. Ulster, on condition (as above: . . to my son Thomas on condition that he pays the other heirs a sum of 325 pounds in two years, if he cannot pay in two years then he may have four years to pay in) . . .the 1500 pounds to my other heirs.—To my daughter, Hendricke, wife of Huybert Lambertsen 65 pounds. To children of my son Anthony 65 pounds. The children of my daughter Comelia, deceased, 65 pounds. To my daughter Ragel, wife of Jacob Kip 65 pounds. To my daughter Eva, wife of Jacob Dingman 65 pounds. All my clothing to my sons Thomas and Bamardus,"]

Roeloff Swartwout on Aug. 15, 1659 conveyed to Philip Pieterse Schuyler a garden in Beverwyck, granted originally to Antony De Hooges, deceased (Albany Co. Rec.)—R, S. was appointed the first Sheriff of Wiltwyck, at Esopus, 1660, at which appointment Gov, Stuyvesant expressed "great surprise," on the ground that R.S. was 'a minor and incompetent for the office' (See O'Callaghan, New Netherland, ii., p. 431).—R.S. was appointed justice and collector of the grand excise of Ulster Co., 1689-90.—On Jan. 23, 1664-67, Gov. Lovelace issued a deed of confirmation to R.S. for land at Wiltwyck, at Esopus (N.Y. Land Papers, i., p. 22).—

 On or about June 1670 Mr. R. S., dwelling in Esopus, conveys to Ryckie Dareth, widow of Jan Dareth, of Albany, a lot east of the house of Volckert Janse (Douw) (Ibid.).—On May 28, 1686, a survey was taken of 47 acres land, part of Hurley great piece, on the north side of Esopus Kill, also of a house lot in Hurley, and of two lots at Hurley fly, or meadow ground, Nos. 11, 13, laid out for R.S. by Philipps Welles, surveyor (N.Y. Land Papers, i. p. 187).—On Nov. 12, 1697, R.S. petitioned for 200 acres land in Ulster Co., part of land called Waghgashkenck). See also "The Swartwout Chronicle by Arthur James Weise." Eva

Roeloff Swartwout

Sex: M

Birth: 1634 in Amsterdam, Holland

Death: 30 MAY 1715 in Hurley, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.

Father: Tomys Swartwout b: 1607 in Bunne-Winde, Drenthe, Holland c: in Oudekerk, Amsterdam, Holland

Mother: Hendrickjen Barent Otsen b: 1611 in Holland

Marriage 1 Eva Albertse Bradt b: ABT 1633 in Holland

Married: 13 AUG 1657 in Albany, New York, U.S.A.

Children

Hendrickje Swartwout b: 1658 in Albany, Albany, New York, U.S.A.

Thomas Maas Samuel Swartwout b: 1660 in Albany "Beverswyck" , Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Antoni Swartwout b: 1662 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Antoni Swartwoudt b: 1664 in Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Cornelia Swartwout b: 1667 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Barnardus Swartwout b: 1673 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Eva Swartwout b: 1675 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Rachel Swartwout b: 1678 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.
Marriage 2 Francijnte Andrieszen b: ABT 1633 in Amsterdam, Holland

Married: 22 NOV 1691 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, U.S.A.

Event: Marriage Info-Reference in Dorothy K. Alvis dka28@hotmail.com

Note:

ROELOFF SWARTWOUT, the first sheriff of Ulster, was born in Amsterdam, 1634, came to New Netherland about 1655, and settled at first at Fort Orange. He did not remain there long, however, but went down to Esopus and began farming on his own account. On the 13th of August, 1657, he married Eva Alberts, daughter of Albert Andrisen Bradt de Noorman, of Fort Orange, and relict of Anthony de Hooges. The latter came out in 1641, and was for a long-time secretary of the colony of Rensselaerwyck. "Anthony's Nose" is said to have been named after him. By this alliance Roeloff gained what is quite often of more service than talent, namely, influence, for both her own and first husband's families stood "high in favor." He does not seem to have been a man of much ability or force, but when he visited his native country, friends, in his interest there, so strongly recommended him that he became sheriff, in spite of the protest of the Governor of the colony. He could read, and write a good hand. The man then living in Esopus who was best qualified for the office was Thomas Chambers, for which he was as well educated, and possessed keener perceptive faculties and a braver heart. Nature had blessed him more than his neighbors.

The sheriff started out into life with a woman, beautiful, but already the mother of five children. She conceived by him other children, viz., Thomas, Bernardus, Anthony, Hendrica, married Huybert Lamberts, Cornelia, Rachel, married Jacob Kip, and Eva, married to Jacob Dingman. Instead of commencing life according to his means, he began according to his station, with a large retinue and small income. He was in debt from the start. This begat a want of respect for him, which, with a lack of ability, eventually lost him his post. He lived during the last half of his life at Hurley, where he owned a farm. One of his sons moved to New York, and another, Thomas, to Minnesinck, where he became the father of a large family. Thomas, a brother of Roeloff, lived at Wiltwyck some time, but went back to Holland.

In 1656, Eva Bradt de Hooges was residing on the northwest corner of Bever and Handelaars (Broadway) streets, south of the blockhouse church. After asking for her hand in marriage and publishing their banns, Roeloff married Eva on August 13, 1657. Roeloff's father, Tomys, and Eva's father, Albert, were present. Their marriage contract reads (translated from Dutch):

"In the name of the Lord... in the year sixteen hundred and fifty seven on the thirteenth day of the month of August, appeared before me, Johannes La Montagne,... deputy at Fort Orange..., Roeloff Swartwout, in the presence of his father, Thomas Swartwout, on the one side, and Eva Albertse, widow of the late Antoine de Hooges, in the presence of Albert Andriessen (Bradt / Bratt) her father, on the other side, who, in the following manner, have covenanted this marriage contract... in the presence of the orphan-masters, recently chosen here, to wit(ness): Honorable Jan Verbeeck and Evert Wendel, reserves for her and Antoine de Hooges' children, for each of them, one hundred guilders, to wit, for Maricken, Anneken, Catrina, Johannes, and Elconora de Hooges... Barent Albertse (Bradt / Bratt) and Teunis Slingerland, brother and brother-in-law of the said Eva Albertse and uncles of the said children, should be guardians of said children... Done in Fort Orange..." signed by:

Roeloff Swartwout

ROELOFF SWARTWOUT, the first sheriff of Ulster, was born in Amsterdam, 1634, came to New Netherland about 1655, and settled at first at Fort Orange. He did not remain there long, however, but went down to Esopus and began farming on his own account. On the 13th of August, 1657, he married Eva Alberts, daughter of Albert Andrisen Bradt de Noorman, of Fort Orange, and relict of Anthony de Hooges. The latter came out in 1641, and was for a long-time secretary of the colony of Rensselaerwyck. "Anthony's Nose" is said to have been named after him. By this alliance Roeloff gained what is quite often of more service than talent, namely, influence, for both her own and first husband's families stood "high in favor." He does not seem to have been a man of much ability or force, but when he visited his native country, friends, in his interest there, so strongly recommended him that he became sheriff, in spite of the protest of the Governor of the colony.

Roeloff Swartout, son of Tomys and Hendrickjen Otsen Swartwout, was born in Amsterdam , Holland and baptized there 6/1/1634. He came to America with his parents in March 1652. In 1656, Roeloff paid a visit to Beverswijch, by which name the present city of Albany was legally known until 1664. On account of the crescent form of the bank of the river at this point this hamlet was called the Fuyck or Beversfuych, and it was Fuyck by the Dutch for many years after it had passed into the hands of the British. Here it is related, he met Eva Albertse Bratt, widow of Antoine de Hooges and mother of several children and on finding himself enamored with the attractive widow, he married her. His father, Tomys, attended the wedding on August 13, 1657.

Having decided to become a resident of Esopus, near Kingston, Roeloff made a voyage to Holland to buy Agricultural instruments. He sold and mortgaged about all he owned to raise the necessary money. He returned from Holland on De Bonte Koe (The Spotted Cow), Captain Pieter Lucasz. With him he brought in his employ, Cornelius Jacobez Van Leenwen; Arent Mertensz and Ariaen Huijbertsz from Guilderland. While in Holland, he made efforts to obtain a local Court of Justice and pastor for Esopus. While in Amsterdam he asked the lords of the West India Company to appoint him sheriff (Schout) of the settlement. He received the appointment and when he returned to America, the Director General was very angry over the appointment because he had not been consulted and wrote to Holland objecting. He received a letter back from the lords of the West India Company giving him a severe reprimand for his criticism of the appointment. This appointment completed the organization of the first Court of Justice in the County of Ulster.

Elsewhere in Swartwout Chronicles, we are told that Roeloff was an "enterprising and respectable young man." He must also have had some temper for in 1663 he was suspended from office for writing "an insulting letter" but he must also have had strength to ackowledge a fault for he apologized to his superiors.

Roeloff Swartwout and Affien (Eva) Bradt Albertssen were married on August 13, 1657 in Fort Orange, NY.

Their children:

Hendrickje Swartwout born about 1658.

Thomas Swartwout born about 1660.

Antoni Thomas Swartwout born January 8, 1662.

Antoni Swartwout born May 11, 1664.

Cornelia Swartwout born March 13, 1667.

Rachel Swartwout born April 10, 1669.

Eva (Effie) Swartwout born about 1670.

Bernardus Swartwout born April 26, 1673.

Cornelia Swartwout born April 10, 1689.

Roeloff was the son of Thomas Swartwout and Hendridkjen, daughter of Barent Otsen. He was born in Amsterdam 1634 and came to New Netherland, Colonial America, about 1655. He returned to The Netherlands in 1660 to recruit more settlers and, while in Holland was appointed Sheriff of the Esopus. Children of Roeloff and Eva were: Hendreckje (w/o Huybert Lambertse Brink; Thomas (h/o Lysbeth Gardenier); Antoni (b. 1662-may be infant death); Antoni, born 1664 (h/o Jannetje Coobes; Cornelia (w/o Hendrik Claessan Schoonhoven); Rachel (w/o Jacobus Kip); Eva (w/o Jacob Dingman); Bernardus (h/o Rachel Schepmoss) - SWARTHOUT.

Info provided by:

Ralph H. & Hilda Sayre

Hi, The picture with the shoes says Roeloff was baptized on 6/1/1634, which means he could not have been born on 6/11/1634. Also a baptism date is usually not the date of birth. Baptisms were recorded most of the time, not the actual date of birth. Thanks, Judi Schoonover

June 15, 2017

If baptized on 1 Jun 1634, he could not have been born on 11 Jun 1634. The North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 document on Ancestry lists his birth as 1 Jun 1634.

Provided by Rebecca Speak

GEDCOM Note

In Peer Jan Hendricks’ time, the Dutch were still practicing patronymics. This was outlawed when the British took over 1687. Each family had to declare their sirnames and then pass that on to their children. Children of a man named Peer, would become Peersen. that is why there are so many variations of surnames. It went from Peer to Peerson, to Person to Persend to Personeus to Personius. Peer was a Sargent in the Dutch West India Company’s troops sent to Esopus Jun 1663 under Capt. Martin Krieger in Colonel Cragier’s regiment. He took part in the rescue of the women and children captured in the Esopus raid on Wiltwyck (Kingston), June, 1663. Two months after the raid, the Indians were engaged at the Esopus and the captives freed, including Tjaatje and Jannetje DeWitt, and Jannaken Van Vliet. Tjaatje Dewitt would be his future sister-in-law by later marrying Matthys Matthyssen, Annetje’s brother and progenitor of the Van Keuren family. An Account of the Burning of Wildwyck 7 Jun 1663 as Translated from the Original Dutch Manuscript and published in The Documentary History of the State of New York in 1849. A letter from the residents of Wildwyck to the governing Council of New Netherland describing the June 7th, 1663 Indian attack on the village, listing all the dead and wounded residents, and pleading for aid and assistance. June 20,1663 The Court at Wildwyck to the Council of New Netherland: Right Honorable, most respected, wise, prudent and very discreet Lords. We, your Honors’ faithful subjects have to report, pursuant to the order of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, in the form of a Journal, that in obedience to his Honor’s order, received on the 30th of May last, we caused the Indian Sachems to be notified on the 5th of June, to be prepared to expect the arrival of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, to receive the promised presents, and to renew the peace. This notification was communicated to them through Capt. Thomas Chambers, to which they answered: If peace were to be renewed with them, the Honorable HeerDirector General should, with some unarmed persons, sit with them in the open field, without the gate, as it was their own custom to meet unarmed when renewing peace or in other negotiations. But they, unmindful of the preceding statement, surprised and attacked us between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock in the forenoon on Thursday the 7th instant. Entering in bands through all the gates, they divided and scattered themselves among all the houses and dwellings in a friendly manner, having with them a little maize and some few beans to sell to our Inhabitants, by which means they kept them within their houses, and thus went from place to place as spies to discover our strength in men. And after they had been about a short quarter of an hour within this place, some people on horse back rushed through the Mill gate from the New Village, crying out: The Indians have destroyed the New Village !” And with these words, the Indians here in this Village immediately fired a shot and made a general attack on our village from the rear, murdering our people in their houses with their axes and tomahawks, and firing on them with guns and pistols; they seized whatever women and children they could catch and carried them prisoners outside the gates, plundered the houses and set the village on fire to windward, it blowing at the time from the south. The remaining Indians commanded all the streets, firing from the corner houses which they occupied and through the curtains outside along the highways, so that some of our Inhabitants, on their way to their houses to get their arms, were wounded and slain. When the flames were at their height the wind changed to the west, were it not for which the fire would have been much more destructive. So rapidly and silently did Murder do his work that those in different parts of the village were not aware of it until those who had been wounded happened to meet each other, in which way the most of the others also had warning. The greater portion of our men were abroad at their field labors, and but few in the village. Near the mill gate were Albert Gysbertsen with two servants, and Tjerck Claesen de Wit; at the Sheriff’s, himself with two carpenters, two clerks and one thresher; at Cornelius Barentsen Sleght’s, himself and his son; at the Domine’s, himself and two carpenters and one laboring man; at the guard house, a few soldiers; at the gate towards the river, Henderick Jochemsen and Jacob, the Brewer; but Hendrick Jochemsen was very severely wounded in his house by two shots at an early hour. By these aforesaid men, most of whom had neither guns nor side arms, were the Indians, through God’s mercy, chased and put to flight on the alarm being given by the Sheriff. Capt. Thomas Chambers [husband ofMargriet HENDRICKSE] was wounded on coming in from without, issued immediate orders (with the Sheriff and Commissaries) to secure the gates; to clear the gun and to drive out the Savages, who were still about half an hour in the village aiming at their persons, which was accordingly done. The burning of the houses, the murder and carrying off of women and children is here omitted, as these have been already communicated to your Honors on the 10th June. After these few men had been collected against the Barbarians, by degrees the others arrived who, it has been stated, were abroad at their field labors, and we found ourselves when mustered in the evening, including those from the new village who took refuge amongst us, in number 69 efficient men, both qualified and unqualified. The burnt palisades were immediately replaced by new ones, and the people distributed, during the night, along the bastions and curtains to keep watch. On the 10th inst., 10 horseman were commanded to ride down to the Redoubt and to examine its condition. They returned with word that the soldiers at the Redoubt had not seen any Indians. They brought also with them the Sergeant, who had gone the preceding morning to the Redoubt, and as he heard on his return of the mischief committed by the Indians in the village, he went back to the Redoubt and staied there. In addition to the Sergeant they brought the men who had fled from the new village. On the 16th, towards evening, Sergeant Christiaen Niessen went with a troop of soldiers, sent us by your Honors, being 42 men, and three wagons, to the Redoubt, with letters for the Manhatans, addressed to your Honors, and to bring up ammunition from the Redoubt. On their return, the Indians made an attempt, at the first hill, to take the ammunition from these troops. The Sergeant, having divided his men into separate bodies, evinced great courage against the Indians, skirmishing with them from the first, to past the second hill, and defending the wagons so well that they arrived in safety in the village. He had, however, one killed and six wounded. The dead man was brought in next morning, having been stripped naked, and having had his right hand cut off by the Indians. Some of the Indians were also killed, but the number of these is not known. This skirmishing having been heard in the village, a reinforcement of horse and foot was immediately ordered out, but before they arrived the Indians had been put to flight by the above named Sergeant. This, Right Honorable Lords, is what we have deemed necessary to communicate to you in the form of a journal as to how and in what manner the Indians have acted towards us and we towards them in the preceding circumstances. And we humbly and respectfully request your Honors to be pleased to send us hither for the wounded by the earliest opportunity, some prunes and linen with some wine to strengthen them, and whatever else not obtainable here your Honors may think proper; also, carabines, cutlasses, and gun flints, and we request that the carabines may be Snaphaunce, as the peopIe here are but little conversant with the use of the arquebuse (vyer roer); also some spurs for the horsemen. In addition to this, also, some reinforcements in men inasmuch as harvest will commence in about 14 days from date. Herewith ending, we commend your Honors to God’s fatherly care and protection. Done, Wildwyck this 20th June 1663. ROELOF SWARTWOUT, (first sheriff of Esopus and son-in-law of Albert Andriessen BRADT ) the mark of ALBERT GYSBERTSEN TIERECK CLASSEN DE WITT, THOMAS CHAMBERS, GYSBERT VAN IMBROCH, CHRISTIAEN NYSSEN, HENDRICK JOCHEMSEN List of Soldiers and settlers Killed at the June 7th raid on Wyltwyck: MEN: Barent Gerretsen, murdered in front of his house Jan Albertse, killed in his house Lichten Dirrick, killed at the farm Willem Jansen Seba, killed before his door Willem Jansen Hap, in Peter van Hael’s house Jan de Smit, in his house Hendrik Jansen Looman, on the farm Thomas Chambers Negro, on the farm Hey Olferts, in the gunners house SOLDIERS: Hendrik Martensen, on the farm Dominicus, in Jan Albertse’s house Christian Andriessen, in the street WOMEN: Lichten Dirricks wife burnt, with her fruit lost, behind Barent Gerritsen’s house Mattys de Capito’s wife, Killed and burnt in the house Jan Albertsen’s wife, big with child, killed in fron of her house Pieter van Hael’s wife, shot and burnt in her house CHILDREN: Jan Albertse’s daughter, murdered with her mother William Hap’s child, burnt alive in the house TAKEN PRISONER: Rachel de la Montagne, Gysbert van Imbroch’s wife Hester Douwes Sara, daughter of Hester Douwes Grietje, Domine Laer’s wife Femmentje, sister of Hilletje, being recently married to Joost Ariaens Tjaatje, daughter of Tjerck Claussen de Witt (Future Daughter-in-law of Mathijs Jansen Van KEULEN and Hendrick’s future sister-in-law) Domine Laer’schild Ariaen Gerritsen van Vliet’s daughter Two little boys of Mattys Roeloffsen Killed in New Village (Hurley) MEN: Marten Hammensen, found dead and stripped naked behind the wagon Jacques Tyssen, killed beside Barent’s house Dirrick Ariaensen, shot on his horse Pieter Jacobsen ( Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp‘s son-in-law) PRISONERS: Jan Gerritsen at Volkerts Bouwery Women/Children taken prisoner: (name of husband father) Louwis Dubois 1/3 Mattheu Blanchan 0/2 Antoni Crupel 1/1 Lambert Huybertsen (BRINK) 1/3 (rescued after about 3 months including our ancestor Cornelis Lambertsen BRINK). Marten Hammensen 1/4 Jan Joosten 1/2 Barent Harmensen 1/1 Grietje Westercamp (daughter of Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp).1/3 Jan Barents 1/1 Michiel Ferre 0/2 Hendrick Jochems 0/1 Hendrik Martensen 0/1 Albert Heymans Roosa 0/2 Total taken prisoner: 8 women, 26 children Houses Burnt in Wildwyck Of Michiel Ferre, 1 Of Hans Carolusen, 1 Of Willem Hap, 1 Of Pieter van Hael, 1 Of Mattys Roeloffsen, 1 Of Jacob boerhans, 2 Of Albert Gerretsen, 1 Of Barent Gerretsen, 2 Of Lichten Dirrick, 1 Of Mattys, 1 ……… …Houses 12 The new village is entirely destroyed except a new uncovered barn, one rick and a little stack of reed. Wounded in Wildwyck Thomas Chambers, shot in the woods Henderick Jochemsen, shot in his house. Michiel Ferre, shot in front of his house (died of his wounds on the 16th June.) Albert Gerretsen, shot in front of his house. Andries Barents, shot in front of his house. Jan du parck, shot in the house of Aert Pietersen Tack Henderick the Heer Director General’s Servant In the street in front of Aert JACOBSEN (Van Wagenen) Paulus the Noorman in the street. On the 26th of July a party of upwards of two hundred men, including forty-one Long Island Indians and seven negroes, left Kingston to attack the Indians at their fort about thirty miles distant, “mostly” in a southwest direction. They had as a guide a woman who had been a prisoner of the Indians, and took with them two pieces of cannon and two wagons. The cannon and wagons they were forced to abandon before reaching the fort. They intended to surprise the Indians, but found the fort untenanted except by a solitary squaw. The next day they sent a force to surprise the Indians on the mountain, but were unable to surprise any. For two days and a half the whole party then employed themselves in destroying the growing crops and old maize of the Indians, the latter of which was stored in pits. Over two hundred acres of corn, and more than one hundred pits of corn and beans, were rendered worthless by the invading forces. The natives witnessed these proceedings from their lookout stations on the Shawangunk and neighboring mountains, but made no resistance. Quinlan supposes this fort to have been on the headwaters of the Kerhonkson. After this expedition the Indians proceeded to build a new fort thirty-six miles south-southwest of Kingston. The site of this fort is on the right bank of the Shawangunk kill, near the village of Bruynswick. Against this fort Capt. Kregier marched the following September, with a force of fifty-five men and an Indian guide. Kregier says in his journal, in substance: It having rained all day the expedition must rest for the present. Asked the Sheriff and commissaries whether they could not get some horses to accompany us, so that we may be able to place the wounded on them if we should happen to have any. After great trouble obtained six horses, but received spiteful and insulting words from many of the inhabitants. One said, let those furnish horses who commenced the war. Another said, if they want anything they will have to take it by force. The third said he must first have his horse valued and have security for it. About one o’clock on the afternoon of the 3d we started from Fort Wiltwyck; marched about three miles to the creek and lay there that night, during which we had great rain. The next morning we found such high water and swift current in the kill that it was impossible to ford it. Sent men on horseback to Fort Wiltwyck for axes and rope to cross the creek. Crossed over about two o’clock in the afternoon and marched four miles further on, where we bivouacked for the night. Set out again at we discovered two squaws and a Dutch woman who had come from their new fort that morning to get corn. But as the creek lay between us and the corn-field, though we would fain have the women, we could not ford the stream without being discovered; we therefore turned in through the wood so as not to be seen. About two o’clock in the afternoon we arrived in sight of their fort, which we discovered situated on a lofty plain. Divided our force in two, and proceeded in this disposition along the kill so as not to be seen and in order to come right under the fort. But as it was somewhat level on the left of the fort, the soldiers were seen by a squaw who was piling wood there, who thereupon set up a terrible scream. This alarmed the Indians who were working upon the fort, so we instantly fell upon them. The Indians rushed through the fort towards their houses in order to secure their arms, and thus hastily picked up a few bows and arrows and some of their guns, but we were so close at their heels they were forced to leave some of them behind. We kept up a sharp fire on them and pursued them so closely that they leaped into the creek which ran in front of the lower part of their maize land. On reaching the opposite side of the kill they courageously returned our fire, so that we were obliged to send a party across to dislodge them. In this attack the Indians lost their chief, fourteen other warriors, four women and three children, whom we saw lying on this and on the other side of the creek; but probably many others were wounded. We also took thirteen of them prisoners, besides an old man who accompanied us about half an hour, but would go no farther. We took him aside and gave him his Last meat. We also recovered twenty-three Christian prisoners out of their hands. A captive Indian child died on the way, so that there remained eleven of them still our prisoners. We next reviewed our men and found we had three killed, and one more wounded than we had horses. We then held a council of war; after deliberation it was determined to let the maize stand for the present. We however plundered the houses, wherein was considerable booty, such as bear and deer skins, blankets, elk hides, besides other smaller articles, many of which we were obliged to leave behind us, for we could well have filled a sloop. We destroyed as much as we could; broke the kettles into pieces, took also twenty four guns, more than half of which we smashed, and threw the barrels here and there in the stream. We found also several horns and bags of powder, and thirty-one belts and some strings of wampum. We took the best of the booty along and resolved to set off. We placed the wounded on horses and had one carried in a blanket on poles by two soldiers in turns. The first day we marched two miles from the fort. The Christian prisoners informed us that they were removed every night into the woods, each night to a different place, through fear of the Dutch, and brought back in the morning; but on the day before we attacked them, a Mohawk visited them, who remained with them during the night. When about to convey the Christian captives again into the woods the Mohawk said to the Esopus Indians-” What, do you carry the Christian prisoners every night into the woods?” To which they answered “Yes.” Hereupon the Mohawk said, “Let them remain at liberty here, for you live so far in the woods that the Dutch will not come hither, for they cannot come so far without being discovered before they reach you.” So they kept the prisoners by them that night. The Mohawk departed in the morning, leaving a new blanket and two pieces of cloth, which fell to us as a booty. Early on the morning of the 6th we resumed our journey. The same day came just beyond the Esopus kill, where we remained that night. At this place the Indian child died, which we threw into the creek. Arrived at Wiltwyck about noon of the following day. On the 22d a detachment was sent out from Wiltwyck to guard some plowmen while they labored in the fields. About midnight the party passed along the kill where some maize lay, about two hours march from the village. On arriving there they found only a small patch of maize, as it had all been plucked by some straggling Indians or bears. Our people carried off what remained. The Indian prisoners whom we held had first informed us, to-day, that a small spot of corn had been planted there principally to supply food to stragglers who went to and fro to injure the Christians. Should they come again they’ll not find any food. About eleven o’clock on the following night, a party was sent about three miles in a northeasterly direction from Wiltwyck, having been informed there was some Indian maize at that place, to see if they could not remove it either by land or water. They returned about two o clock in the afternoon of the next day and reported they had been on the Indians’ maize plantation, but saw no Indians, nor anything to indicate they had been there for a long time, for the maize had not been hoed, and therefore had not come to its full growth, and had been much injured by wild animals. One plantation however was good, having been hoed by the Indians, but that was likewise much injured by wild beasts. They said it was beautiful maize land, suitable for a number of bouweries, and for the immediate reception of the plow. On Sunday afternoon, September 30th, powder and ball were distributed to the soldiers and friendly Indians, in the proportion of one pound of powder, one pound of lead and three pounds of biscuit for each man, who was to accompany an expedition into the Indian country. On Monday marched from Wiltwyck with 108 men and 46 Marseping Indians. About two o’clock of the following day we came to the fort of the Esopus Indians that we had attacked on the 5th of September, and there found five large pits into which they had cast their dead. The wolves had rooted up and devoured some of them. Lower down on the kill were four other pits full of dead Indians and we found further on the bodies of three Indians, with a squaw and a child, that lay unburied and almost wholly devoured by the ravens and the wolves. We pulled up the Indian fort and threw the palisades, one on the other, in sundry heaps and set them on fire, together with the wigwams around the fort, and thus the fort and houses were destroyed and burnt. About 10 o’clock we marched thence down along the creek where lay divers maize plantations, which we also destroyed and cast the maize into the creek. Several large wigwams also stood there, which we burnt. Having destroyed everything we returned to Wiltwyck, reaching there in the evening of the next day. About noon of Sunday, October 7th, a girl was brought up from the Redoubt [Rondout], who, the day before, had arrived on the opposite bank at that place, and was immediately conveyed across the stream. The girl said she had escaped from an Indian who had taken her prisoner, and who resided in the mountain on the other side of the creek about three miles from Wiltwyck, where he had a hut, and a small patch of corn which he had pulled, and had been there about three weeks to remove the corn. She had tried to escape before, but could not find her way out of the woods, and was forced to return to the hut. Forty men were at once sent out to try and catch the Indian. They reached the hut before sunset, which they surrounded with the intention of surprising the savage, but the hut was found to be empty. They found a lot of corn near the hut, and another lot at the kill, part of which they burned, and a part they brought back with them. They remained in the hut during the night and watched there. On the 10th of that month, Louis Du Bois, the Walloon, went to fetch his oxen which had gone back of Juriaen Westphaelen’s land. As he was about to drive home the oxen, three Indians, who lay in the bush with the intention of taking him prisoner, leaped forth. One of the savages shot at him with an arrow, slightly wounding him, whereupon Louis struck the Indian a heavy blow on the breast with a piece of palisade, and so escaped through the kill, and brought the news to the fort. Two detachments were instantly dispatched to attack them, but they had taken to flight and retreated into the woods. The Indians were finally cowed. Their principal warriors had been slain, their fort and wigwams burned, and their food and peltries destroyed. A long hard winter was before them, and the ruthless white soldiers ready to swoop down upon them at any moment. Under these circumstances the Delawares sued for peace, and the truce was observed for a period of about ninety years, or until the breaking out of the French and Indian war. When Capt. Kregier marched against the new fort his forces probably crossed the Shawangunk kill at Tuthilltown, and keeping along the high ground came in rear of the fort. A portion of the command marched down the hill directly on the fort, while the other detachment cut off their escape in the other direction. This fort stood on the brow of a hill overhanging the creek; in the side of this hill there is a living spring with the Indian path still leading to it. The old Wawarsing trail led from this fort, crossing the Shawangunk mountain near Sam’s Point.

GEDCOM Note

In Peer Jan Hendricks’ time, the Dutch were still practicing patronymics. This was outlawed when the British took over 1687. Each family had to declare their sirnames and then pass that on to their children. Children of a man named Peer, would become Peersen. that is why there are so many variations of surnames. It went from Peer to Peerson, to Person to Persend to Personeus to Personius. Peer was a Sargent in the Dutch West India Company’s troops sent to Esopus Jun 1663 under Capt. Martin Krieger in Colonel Cragier’s regiment. He took part in the rescue of the women and children captured in the Esopus raid on Wiltwyck (Kingston), June, 1663. Two months after the raid, the Indians were engaged at the Esopus and the captives freed, including Tjaatje and Jannetje DeWitt, and Jannaken Van Vliet. Tjaatje Dewitt would be his future sister-in-law by later marrying Matthys Matthyssen, Annetje’s brother and progenitor of the Van Keuren family. An Account of the Burning of Wildwyck 7 Jun 1663 as Translated from the Original Dutch Manuscript and published in The Documentary History of the State of New York in 1849. A letter from the residents of Wildwyck to the governing Council of New Netherland describing the June 7th, 1663 Indian attack on the village, listing all the dead and wounded residents, and pleading for aid and assistance. June 20,1663 The Court at Wildwyck to the Council of New Netherland: Right Honorable, most respected, wise, prudent and very discreet Lords. We, your Honors’ faithful subjects have to report, pursuant to the order of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, in the form of a Journal, that in obedience to his Honor’s order, received on the 30th of May last, we caused the Indian Sachems to be notified on the 5th of June, to be prepared to expect the arrival of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, to receive the promised presents, and to renew the peace. This notification was communicated to them through Capt. Thomas Chambers, to which they answered: If peace were to be renewed with them, the Honorable HeerDirector General should, with some unarmed persons, sit with them in the open field, without the gate, as it was their own custom to meet unarmed when renewing peace or in other negotiations. But they, unmindful of the preceding statement, surprised and attacked us between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock in the forenoon on Thursday the 7th instant. Entering in bands through all the gates, they divided and scattered themselves among all the houses and dwellings in a friendly manner, having with them a little maize and some few beans to sell to our Inhabitants, by which means they kept them within their houses, and thus went from place to place as spies to discover our strength in men. And after they had been about a short quarter of an hour within this place, some people on horse back rushed through the Mill gate from the New Village, crying out: The Indians have destroyed the New Village !” And with these words, the Indians here in this Village immediately fired a shot and made a general attack on our village from the rear, murdering our people in their houses with their axes and tomahawks, and firing on them with guns and pistols; they seized whatever women and children they could catch and carried them prisoners outside the gates, plundered the houses and set the village on fire to windward, it blowing at the time from the south. The remaining Indians commanded all the streets, firing from the corner houses which they occupied and through the curtains outside along the highways, so that some of our Inhabitants, on their way to their houses to get their arms, were wounded and slain. When the flames were at their height the wind changed to the west, were it not for which the fire would have been much more destructive. So rapidly and silently did Murder do his work that those in different parts of the village were not aware of it until those who had been wounded happened to meet each other, in which way the most of the others also had warning. The greater portion of our men were abroad at their field labors, and but few in the village. Near the mill gate were Albert Gysbertsen with two servants, and Tjerck Claesen de Wit; at the Sheriff’s, himself with two carpenters, two clerks and one thresher; at Cornelius Barentsen Sleght’s, himself and his son; at the Domine’s, himself and two carpenters and one laboring man; at the guard house, a few soldiers; at the gate towards the river, Henderick Jochemsen and Jacob, the Brewer; but Hendrick Jochemsen was very severely wounded in his house by two shots at an early hour. By these aforesaid men, most of whom had neither guns nor side arms, were the Indians, through God’s mercy, chased and put to flight on the alarm being given by the Sheriff. Capt. Thomas Chambers [husband ofMargriet HENDRICKSE] was wounded on coming in from without, issued immediate orders (with the Sheriff and Commissaries) to secure the gates; to clear the gun and to drive out the Savages, who were still about half an hour in the village aiming at their persons, which was accordingly done. The burning of the houses, the murder and carrying off of women and children is here omitted, as these have been already communicated to your Honors on the 10th June. After these few men had been collected against the Barbarians, by degrees the others arrived who, it has been stated, were abroad at their field labors, and we found ourselves when mustered in the evening, including those from the new village who took refuge amongst us, in number 69 efficient men, both qualified and unqualified. The burnt palisades were immediately replaced by new ones, and the people distributed, during the night, along the bastions and curtains to keep watch. On the 10th inst., 10 horseman were commanded to ride down to the Redoubt and to examine its condition. They returned with word that the soldiers at the Redoubt had not seen any Indians. They brought also with them the Sergeant, who had gone the preceding morning to the Redoubt, and as he heard on his return of the mischief committed by the Indians in the village, he went back to the Redoubt and staied there. In addition to the Sergeant they brought the men who had fled from the new village. On the 16th, towards evening, Sergeant Christiaen Niessen went with a troop of soldiers, sent us by your Honors, being 42 men, and three wagons, to the Redoubt, with letters for the Manhatans, addressed to your Honors, and to bring up ammunition from the Redoubt. On their return, the Indians made an attempt, at the first hill, to take the ammunition from these troops. The Sergeant, having divided his men into separate bodies, evinced great courage against the Indians, skirmishing with them from the first, to past the second hill, and defending the wagons so well that they arrived in safety in the village. He had, however, one killed and six wounded. The dead man was brought in next morning, having been stripped naked, and having had his right hand cut off by the Indians. Some of the Indians were also killed, but the number of these is not known. This skirmishing having been heard in the village, a reinforcement of horse and foot was immediately ordered out, but before they arrived the Indians had been put to flight by the above named Sergeant. This, Right Honorable Lords, is what we have deemed necessary to communicate to you in the form of a journal as to how and in what manner the Indians have acted towards us and we towards them in the preceding circumstances. And we humbly and respectfully request your Honors to be pleased to send us hither for the wounded by the earliest opportunity, some prunes and linen with some wine to strengthen them, and whatever else not obtainable here your Honors may think proper; also, carabines, cutlasses, and gun flints, and we request that the carabines may be Snaphaunce, as the peopIe here are but little conversant with the use of the arquebuse (vyer roer); also some spurs for the horsemen. In addition to this, also, some reinforcements in men inasmuch as harvest will commence in about 14 days from date. Herewith ending, we commend your Honors to God’s fatherly care and protection. Done, Wildwyck this 20th June 1663. ROELOF SWARTWOUT, (first sheriff of Esopus and son-in-law of Albert Andriessen BRADT ) the mark of ALBERT GYSBERTSEN TIERECK CLASSEN DE WITT, THOMAS CHAMBERS, GYSBERT VAN IMBROCH, CHRISTIAEN NYSSEN, HENDRICK JOCHEMSEN List of Soldiers and settlers Killed at the June 7th raid on Wyltwyck: MEN: Barent Gerretsen, murdered in front of his house Jan Albertse, killed in his house Lichten Dirrick, killed at the farm Willem Jansen Seba, killed before his door Willem Jansen Hap, in Peter van Hael’s house Jan de Smit, in his house Hendrik Jansen Looman, on the farm Thomas Chambers Negro, on the farm Hey Olferts, in the gunners house SOLDIERS: Hendrik Martensen, on the farm Dominicus, in Jan Albertse’s house Christian Andriessen, in the street WOMEN: Lichten Dirricks wife burnt, with her fruit lost, behind Barent Gerritsen’s house Mattys de Capito’s wife, Killed and burnt in the house Jan Albertsen’s wife, big with child, killed in fron of her house Pieter van Hael’s wife, shot and burnt in her house CHILDREN: Jan Albertse’s daughter, murdered with her mother William Hap’s child, burnt alive in the house TAKEN PRISONER: Rachel de la Montagne, Gysbert van Imbroch’s wife Hester Douwes Sara, daughter of Hester Douwes Grietje, Domine Laer’s wife Femmentje, sister of Hilletje, being recently married to Joost Ariaens Tjaatje, daughter of Tjerck Claussen de Witt (Future Daughter-in-law of Mathijs Jansen Van KEULEN and Hendrick’s future sister-in-law) Domine Laer’schild Ariaen Gerritsen van Vliet’s daughter Two little boys of Mattys Roeloffsen Killed in New Village (Hurley) MEN: Marten Hammensen, found dead and stripped naked behind the wagon Jacques Tyssen, killed beside Barent’s house Dirrick Ariaensen, shot on his horse Pieter Jacobsen ( Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp‘s son-in-law) PRISONERS: Jan Gerritsen at Volkerts Bouwery Women/Children taken prisoner: (name of husband father) Louwis Dubois 1/3 Mattheu Blanchan 0/2 Antoni Crupel 1/1 Lambert Huybertsen (BRINK) 1/3 (rescued after about 3 months including our ancestor Cornelis Lambertsen BRINK). Marten Hammensen 1/4 Jan Joosten 1/2 Barent Harmensen 1/1 Grietje Westercamp (daughter of Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp).1/3 Jan Barents 1/1 Michiel Ferre 0/2 Hendrick Jochems 0/1 Hendrik Martensen 0/1 Albert Heymans Roosa 0/2 Total taken prisoner: 8 women, 26 children Houses Burnt in Wildwyck Of Michiel Ferre, 1 Of Hans Carolusen, 1 Of Willem Hap, 1 Of Pieter van Hael, 1 Of Mattys Roeloffsen, 1 Of Jacob boerhans, 2 Of Albert Gerretsen, 1 Of Barent Gerretsen, 2 Of Lichten Dirrick, 1 Of Mattys, 1 ……… …Houses 12 The new village is entirely destroyed except a new uncovered barn, one rick and a little stack of reed. Wounded in Wildwyck Thomas Chambers, shot in the woods Henderick Jochemsen, shot in his house. Michiel Ferre, shot in front of his house (died of his wounds on the 16th June.) Albert Gerretsen, shot in front of his house. Andries Barents, shot in front of his house. Jan du parck, shot in the house of Aert Pietersen Tack Henderick the Heer Director General’s Servant In the street in front of Aert JACOBSEN (Van Wagenen) Paulus the Noorman in the street. On the 26th of July a party of upwards of two hundred men, including forty-one Long Island Indians and seven negroes, left Kingston to attack the Indians at their fort about thirty miles distant, “mostly” in a southwest direction. They had as a guide a woman who had been a prisoner of the Indians, and took with them two pieces of cannon and two wagons. The cannon and wagons they were forced to abandon before reaching the fort. They intended to surprise the Indians, but found the fort untenanted except by a solitary squaw. The next day they sent a force to surprise the Indians on the mountain, but were unable to surprise any. For two days and a half the whole party then employed themselves in destroying the growing crops and old maize of the Indians, the latter of which was stored in pits. Over two hundred acres of corn, and more than one hundred pits of corn and beans, were rendered worthless by the invading forces. The natives witnessed these proceedings from their lookout stations on the Shawangunk and neighboring mountains, but made no resistance. Quinlan supposes this fort to have been on the headwaters of the Kerhonkson. After this expedition the Indians proceeded to build a new fort thirty-six miles south-southwest of Kingston. The site of this fort is on the right bank of the Shawangunk kill, near the village of Bruynswick. Against this fort Capt. Kregier marched the following September, with a force of fifty-five men and an Indian guide. Kregier says in his journal, in substance: It having rained all day the expedition must rest for the present. Asked the Sheriff and commissaries whether they could not get some horses to accompany us, so that we may be able to place the wounded on them if we should happen to have any. After great trouble obtained six horses, but received spiteful and insulting words from many of the inhabitants. One said, let those furnish horses who commenced the war. Another said, if they want anything they will have to take it by force. The third said he must first have his horse valued and have security for it. About one o’clock on the afternoon of the 3d we started from Fort Wiltwyck; marched about three miles to the creek and lay there that night, during which we had great rain. The next morning we found such high water and swift current in the kill that it was impossible to ford it. Sent men on horseback to Fort Wiltwyck for axes and rope to cross the creek. Crossed over about two o’clock in the afternoon and marched four miles further on, where we bivouacked for the night. Set out again at we discovered two squaws and a Dutch woman who had come from their new fort that morning to get corn. But as the creek lay between us and the corn-field, though we would fain have the women, we could not ford the stream without being discovered; we therefore turned in through the wood so as not to be seen. About two o’clock in the afternoon we arrived in sight of their fort, which we discovered situated on a lofty plain. Divided our force in two, and proceeded in this disposition along the kill so as not to be seen and in order to come right under the fort. But as it was somewhat level on the left of the fort, the soldiers were seen by a squaw who was piling wood there, who thereupon set up a terrible scream. This alarmed the Indians who were working upon the fort, so we instantly fell upon them. The Indians rushed through the fort towards their houses in order to secure their arms, and thus hastily picked up a few bows and arrows and some of their guns, but we were so close at their heels they were forced to leave some of them behind. We kept up a sharp fire on them and pursued them so closely that they leaped into the creek which ran in front of the lower part of their maize land. On reaching the opposite side of the kill they courageously returned our fire, so that we were obliged to send a party across to dislodge them. In this attack the Indians lost their chief, fourteen other warriors, four women and three children, whom we saw lying on this and on the other side of the creek; but probably many others were wounded. We also took thirteen of them prisoners, besides an old man who accompanied us about half an hour, but would go no farther. We took him aside and gave him his Last meat. We also recovered twenty-three Christian prisoners out of their hands. A captive Indian child died on the way, so that there remained eleven of them still our prisoners. We next reviewed our men and found we had three killed, and one more wounded than we had horses. We then held a council of war; after deliberation it was determined to let the maize stand for the present. We however plundered the houses, wherein was considerable booty, such as bear and deer skins, blankets, elk hides, besides other smaller articles, many of which we were obliged to leave behind us, for we could well have filled a sloop. We destroyed as much as we could; broke the kettles into pieces, took also twenty four guns, more than half of which we smashed, and threw the barrels here and there in the stream. We found also several horns and bags of powder, and thirty-one belts and some strings of wampum. We took the best of the booty along and resolved to set off. We placed the wounded on horses and had one carried in a blanket on poles by two soldiers in turns. The first day we marched two miles from the fort. The Christian prisoners informed us that they were removed every night into the woods, each night to a different place, through fear of the Dutch, and brought back in the morning; but on the day before we attacked them, a Mohawk visited them, who remained with them during the night. When about to convey the Christian captives again into the woods the Mohawk said to the Esopus Indians-” What, do you carry the Christian prisoners every night into the woods?” To which they answered “Yes.” Hereupon the Mohawk said, “Let them remain at liberty here, for you live so far in the woods that the Dutch will not come hither, for they cannot come so far without being discovered before they reach you.” So they kept the prisoners by them that night. The Mohawk departed in the morning, leaving a new blanket and two pieces of cloth, which fell to us as a booty. Early on the morning of the 6th we resumed our journey. The same day came just beyond the Esopus kill, where we remained that night. At this place the Indian child died, which we threw into the creek. Arrived at Wiltwyck about noon of the following day. On the 22d a detachment was sent out from Wiltwyck to guard some plowmen while they labored in the fields. About midnight the party passed along the kill where some maize lay, about two hours march from the village. On arriving there they found only a small patch of maize, as it had all been plucked by some straggling Indians or bears. Our people carried off what remained. The Indian prisoners whom we held had first informed us, to-day, that a small spot of corn had been planted there principally to supply food to stragglers who went to and fro to injure the Christians. Should they come again they’ll not find any food. About eleven o’clock on the following night, a party was sent about three miles in a northeasterly direction from Wiltwyck, having been informed there was some Indian maize at that place, to see if they could not remove it either by land or water. They returned about two o clock in the afternoon of the next day and reported they had been on the Indians’ maize plantation, but saw no Indians, nor anything to indicate they had been there for a long time, for the maize had not been hoed, and therefore had not come to its full growth, and had been much injured by wild animals. One plantation however was good, having been hoed by the Indians, but that was likewise much injured by wild beasts. They said it was beautiful maize land, suitable for a number of bouweries, and for the immediate reception of the plow. On Sunday afternoon, September 30th, powder and ball were distributed to the soldiers and friendly Indians, in the proportion of one pound of powder, one pound of lead and three pounds of biscuit for each man, who was to accompany an expedition into the Indian country. On Monday marched from Wiltwyck with 108 men and 46 Marseping Indians. About two o’clock of the following day we came to the fort of the Esopus Indians that we had attacked on the 5th of September, and there found five large pits into which they had cast their dead. The wolves had rooted up and devoured some of them. Lower down on the kill were four other pits full of dead Indians and we found further on the bodies of three Indians, with a squaw and a child, that lay unburied and almost wholly devoured by the ravens and the wolves. We pulled up the Indian fort and threw the palisades, one on the other, in sundry heaps and set them on fire, together with the wigwams around the fort, and thus the fort and houses were destroyed and burnt. About 10 o’clock we marched thence down along the creek where lay divers maize plantations, which we also destroyed and cast the maize into the creek. Several large wigwams also stood there, which we burnt. Having destroyed everything we returned to Wiltwyck, reaching there in the evening of the next day. About noon of Sunday, October 7th, a girl was brought up from the Redoubt [Rondout], who, the day before, had arrived on the opposite bank at that place, and was immediately conveyed across the stream. The girl said she had escaped from an Indian who had taken her prisoner, and who resided in the mountain on the other side of the creek about three miles from Wiltwyck, where he had a hut, and a small patch of corn which he had pulled, and had been there about three weeks to remove the corn. She had tried to escape before, but could not find her way out of the woods, and was forced to return to the hut. Forty men were at once sent out to try and catch the Indian. They reached the hut before sunset, which they surrounded with the intention of surprising the savage, but the hut was found to be empty. They found a lot of corn near the hut, and another lot at the kill, part of which they burned, and a part they brought back with them. They remained in the hut during the night and watched there. On the 10th of that month, Louis Du Bois, the Walloon, went to fetch his oxen which had gone back of Juriaen Westphaelen’s land. As he was about to drive home the oxen, three Indians, who lay in the bush with the intention of taking him prisoner, leaped forth. One of the savages shot at him with an arrow, slightly wounding him, whereupon Louis struck the Indian a heavy blow on the breast with a piece of palisade, and so escaped through the kill, and brought the news to the fort. Two detachments were instantly dispatched to attack them, but they had taken to flight and retreated into the woods. The Indians were finally cowed. Their principal warriors had been slain, their fort and wigwams burned, and their food and peltries destroyed. A long hard winter was before them, and the ruthless white soldiers ready to swoop down upon them at any moment. Under these circumstances the Delawares sued for peace, and the truce was observed for a period of about ninety years, or until the breaking out of the French and Indian war. When Capt. Kregier marched against the new fort his forces probably crossed the Shawangunk kill at Tuthilltown, and keeping along the high ground came in rear of the fort. A portion of the command marched down the hill directly on the fort, while the other detachment cut off their escape in the other direction. This fort stood on the brow of a hill overhanging the creek; in the side of this hill there is a living spring with the Indian path still leading to it. The old Wawarsing trail led from this fort, crossing the Shawangunk mountain near Sam’s Point.

GEDCOM Note

In Peer Jan Hendricks’ time, the Dutch were still practicing patronymics. This was outlawed when the British took over 1687. Each family had to declare their sirnames and then pass that on to their children. Children of a man named Peer, would become Peersen. that is why there are so many variations of surnames. It went from Peer to Peerson, to Person to Persend to Personeus to Personius. Peer was a Sargent in the Dutch West India Company’s troops sent to Esopus Jun 1663 under Capt. Martin Krieger in Colonel Cragier’s regiment. He took part in the rescue of the women and children captured in the Esopus raid on Wiltwyck (Kingston), June, 1663. Two months after the raid, the Indians were engaged at the Esopus and the captives freed, including Tjaatje and Jannetje DeWitt, and Jannaken Van Vliet. Tjaatje Dewitt would be his future sister-in-law by later marrying Matthys Matthyssen, Annetje’s brother and progenitor of the Van Keuren family. An Account of the Burning of Wildwyck 7 Jun 1663 as Translated from the Original Dutch Manuscript and published in The Documentary History of the State of New York in 1849. A letter from the residents of Wildwyck to the governing Council of New Netherland describing the June 7th, 1663 Indian attack on the village, listing all the dead and wounded residents, and pleading for aid and assistance. June 20,1663 The Court at Wildwyck to the Council of New Netherland: Right Honorable, most respected, wise, prudent and very discreet Lords. We, your Honors’ faithful subjects have to report, pursuant to the order of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, in the form of a Journal, that in obedience to his Honor’s order, received on the 30th of May last, we caused the Indian Sachems to be notified on the 5th of June, to be prepared to expect the arrival of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, to receive the promised presents, and to renew the peace. This notification was communicated to them through Capt. Thomas Chambers, to which they answered: If peace were to be renewed with them, the Honorable HeerDirector General should, with some unarmed persons, sit with them in the open field, without the gate, as it was their own custom to meet unarmed when renewing peace or in other negotiations. But they, unmindful of the preceding statement, surprised and attacked us between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock in the forenoon on Thursday the 7th instant. Entering in bands through all the gates, they divided and scattered themselves among all the houses and dwellings in a friendly manner, having with them a little maize and some few beans to sell to our Inhabitants, by which means they kept them within their houses, and thus went from place to place as spies to discover our strength in men. And after they had been about a short quarter of an hour within this place, some people on horse back rushed through the Mill gate from the New Village, crying out: The Indians have destroyed the New Village !” And with these words, the Indians here in this Village immediately fired a shot and made a general attack on our village from the rear, murdering our people in their houses with their axes and tomahawks, and firing on them with guns and pistols; they seized whatever women and children they could catch and carried them prisoners outside the gates, plundered the houses and set the village on fire to windward, it blowing at the time from the south. The remaining Indians commanded all the streets, firing from the corner houses which they occupied and through the curtains outside along the highways, so that some of our Inhabitants, on their way to their houses to get their arms, were wounded and slain. When the flames were at their height the wind changed to the west, were it not for which the fire would have been much more destructive. So rapidly and silently did Murder do his work that those in different parts of the village were not aware of it until those who had been wounded happened to meet each other, in which way the most of the others also had warning. The greater portion of our men were abroad at their field labors, and but few in the village. Near the mill gate were Albert Gysbertsen with two servants, and Tjerck Claesen de Wit; at the Sheriff’s, himself with two carpenters, two clerks and one thresher; at Cornelius Barentsen Sleght’s, himself and his son; at the Domine’s, himself and two carpenters and one laboring man; at the guard house, a few soldiers; at the gate towards the river, Henderick Jochemsen and Jacob, the Brewer; but Hendrick Jochemsen was very severely wounded in his house by two shots at an early hour. By these aforesaid men, most of whom had neither guns nor side arms, were the Indians, through God’s mercy, chased and put to flight on the alarm being given by the Sheriff. Capt. Thomas Chambers [husband ofMargriet HENDRICKSE] was wounded on coming in from without, issued immediate orders (with the Sheriff and Commissaries) to secure the gates; to clear the gun and to drive out the Savages, who were still about half an hour in the village aiming at their persons, which was accordingly done. The burning of the houses, the murder and carrying off of women and children is here omitted, as these have been already communicated to your Honors on the 10th June. After these few men had been collected against the Barbarians, by degrees the others arrived who, it has been stated, were abroad at their field labors, and we found ourselves when mustered in the evening, including those from the new village who took refuge amongst us, in number 69 efficient men, both qualified and unqualified. The burnt palisades were immediately replaced by new ones, and the people distributed, during the night, along the bastions and curtains to keep watch. On the 10th inst., 10 horseman were commanded to ride down to the Redoubt and to examine its condition. They returned with word that the soldiers at the Redoubt had not seen any Indians. They brought also with them the Sergeant, who had gone the preceding morning to the Redoubt, and as he heard on his return of the mischief committed by the Indians in the village, he went back to the Redoubt and staied there. In addition to the Sergeant they brought the men who had fled from the new village. On the 16th, towards evening, Sergeant Christiaen Niessen went with a troop of soldiers, sent us by your Honors, being 42 men, and three wagons, to the Redoubt, with letters for the Manhatans, addressed to your Honors, and to bring up ammunition from the Redoubt. On their return, the Indians made an attempt, at the first hill, to take the ammunition from these troops. The Sergeant, having divided his men into separate bodies, evinced great courage against the Indians, skirmishing with them from the first, to past the second hill, and defending the wagons so well that they arrived in safety in the village. He had, however, one killed and six wounded. The dead man was brought in next morning, having been stripped naked, and having had his right hand cut off by the Indians. Some of the Indians were also killed, but the number of these is not known. This skirmishing having been heard in the village, a reinforcement of horse and foot was immediately ordered out, but before they arrived the Indians had been put to flight by the above named Sergeant. This, Right Honorable Lords, is what we have deemed necessary to communicate to you in the form of a journal as to how and in what manner the Indians have acted towards us and we towards them in the preceding circumstances. And we humbly and respectfully request your Honors to be pleased to send us hither for the wounded by the earliest opportunity, some prunes and linen with some wine to strengthen them, and whatever else not obtainable here your Honors may think proper; also, carabines, cutlasses, and gun flints, and we request that the carabines may be Snaphaunce, as the peopIe here are but little conversant with the use of the arquebuse (vyer roer); also some spurs for the horsemen. In addition to this, also, some reinforcements in men inasmuch as harvest will commence in about 14 days from date. Herewith ending, we commend your Honors to God’s fatherly care and protection. Done, Wildwyck this 20th June 1663. ROELOF SWARTWOUT, (first sheriff of Esopus and son-in-law of Albert Andriessen BRADT ) the mark of ALBERT GYSBERTSEN TIERECK CLASSEN DE WITT, THOMAS CHAMBERS, GYSBERT VAN IMBROCH, CHRISTIAEN NYSSEN, HENDRICK JOCHEMSEN List of Soldiers and settlers Killed at the June 7th raid on Wyltwyck: MEN: Barent Gerretsen, murdered in front of his house Jan Albertse, killed in his house Lichten Dirrick, killed at the farm Willem Jansen Seba, killed before his door Willem Jansen Hap, in Peter van Hael’s house Jan de Smit, in his house Hendrik Jansen Looman, on the farm Thomas Chambers Negro, on the farm Hey Olferts, in the gunners house SOLDIERS: Hendrik Martensen, on the farm Dominicus, in Jan Albertse’s house Christian Andriessen, in the street WOMEN: Lichten Dirricks wife burnt, with her fruit lost, behind Barent Gerritsen’s house Mattys de Capito’s wife, Killed and burnt in the house Jan Albertsen’s wife, big with child, killed in fron of her house Pieter van Hael’s wife, shot and burnt in her house CHILDREN: Jan Albertse’s daughter, murdered with her mother William Hap’s child, burnt alive in the house TAKEN PRISONER: Rachel de la Montagne, Gysbert van Imbroch’s wife Hester Douwes Sara, daughter of Hester Douwes Grietje, Domine Laer’s wife Femmentje, sister of Hilletje, being recently married to Joost Ariaens Tjaatje, daughter of Tjerck Claussen de Witt (Future Daughter-in-law of Mathijs Jansen Van KEULEN and Hendrick’s future sister-in-law) Domine Laer’schild Ariaen Gerritsen van Vliet’s daughter Two little boys of Mattys Roeloffsen Killed in New Village (Hurley) MEN: Marten Hammensen, found dead and stripped naked behind the wagon Jacques Tyssen, killed beside Barent’s house Dirrick Ariaensen, shot on his horse Pieter Jacobsen ( Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp‘s son-in-law) PRISONERS: Jan Gerritsen at Volkerts Bouwery Women/Children taken prisoner: (name of husband father) Louwis Dubois 1/3 Mattheu Blanchan 0/2 Antoni Crupel 1/1 Lambert Huybertsen (BRINK) 1/3 (rescued after about 3 months including our ancestor Cornelis Lambertsen BRINK). Marten Hammensen 1/4 Jan Joosten 1/2 Barent Harmensen 1/1 Grietje Westercamp (daughter of Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp).1/3 Jan Barents 1/1 Michiel Ferre 0/2 Hendrick Jochems 0/1 Hendrik Martensen 0/1 Albert Heymans Roosa 0/2 Total taken prisoner: 8 women, 26 children Houses Burnt in Wildwyck Of Michiel Ferre, 1 Of Hans Carolusen, 1 Of Willem Hap, 1 Of Pieter van Hael, 1 Of Mattys Roeloffsen, 1 Of Jacob boerhans, 2 Of Albert Gerretsen, 1 Of Barent Gerretsen, 2 Of Lichten Dirrick, 1 Of Mattys, 1 ……… …Houses 12 The new village is entirely destroyed except a new uncovered barn, one rick and a little stack of reed. Wounded in Wildwyck Thomas Chambers, shot in the woods Henderick Jochemsen, shot in his house. Michiel Ferre, shot in front of his house (died of his wounds on the 16th June.) Albert Gerretsen, shot in front of his house. Andries Barents, shot in front of his house. Jan du parck, shot in the house of Aert Pietersen Tack Henderick the Heer Director General’s Servant In the street in front of Aert JACOBSEN (Van Wagenen) Paulus the Noorman in the street. On the 26th of July a party of upwards of two hundred men, including forty-one Long Island Indians and seven negroes, left Kingston to attack the Indians at their fort about thirty miles distant, “mostly” in a southwest direction. They had as a guide a woman who had been a prisoner of the Indians, and took with them two pieces of cannon and two wagons. The cannon and wagons they were forced to abandon before reaching the fort. They intended to surprise the Indians, but found the fort untenanted except by a solitary squaw. The next day they sent a force to surprise the Indians on the mountain, but were unable to surprise any. For two days and a half the whole party then employed themselves in destroying the growing crops and old maize of the Indians, the latter of which was stored in pits. Over two hundred acres of corn, and more than one hundred pits of corn and beans, were rendered worthless by the invading forces. The natives witnessed these proceedings from their lookout stations on the Shawangunk and neighboring mountains, but made no resistance. Quinlan supposes this fort to have been on the headwaters of the Kerhonkson. After this expedition the Indians proceeded to build a new fort thirty-six miles south-southwest of Kingston. The site of this fort is on the right bank of the Shawangunk kill, near the village of Bruynswick. Against this fort Capt. Kregier marched the following September, with a force of fifty-five men and an Indian guide. Kregier says in his journal, in substance: It having rained all day the expedition must rest for the present. Asked the Sheriff and commissaries whether they could not get some horses to accompany us, so that we may be able to place the wounded on them if we should happen to have any. After great trouble obtained six horses, but received spiteful and insulting words from many of the inhabitants. One said, let those furnish horses who commenced the war. Another said, if they want anything they will have to take it by force. The third said he must first have his horse valued and have security for it. About one o’clock on the afternoon of the 3d we started from Fort Wiltwyck; marched about three miles to the creek and lay there that night, during which we had great rain. The next morning we found such high water and swift current in the kill that it was impossible to ford it. Sent men on horseback to Fort Wiltwyck for axes and rope to cross the creek. Crossed over about two o’clock in the afternoon and marched four miles further on, where we bivouacked for the night. Set out again at we discovered two squaws and a Dutch woman who had come from their new fort that morning to get corn. But as the creek lay between us and the corn-field, though we would fain have the women, we could not ford the stream without being discovered; we therefore turned in through the wood so as not to be seen. About two o’clock in the afternoon we arrived in sight of their fort, which we discovered situated on a lofty plain. Divided our force in two, and proceeded in this disposition along the kill so as not to be seen and in order to come right under the fort. But as it was somewhat level on the left of the fort, the soldiers were seen by a squaw who was piling wood there, who thereupon set up a terrible scream. This alarmed the Indians who were working upon the fort, so we instantly fell upon them. The Indians rushed through the fort towards their houses in order to secure their arms, and thus hastily picked up a few bows and arrows and some of their guns, but we were so close at their heels they were forced to leave some of them behind. We kept up a sharp fire on them and pursued them so closely that they leaped into the creek which ran in front of the lower part of their maize land. On reaching the opposite side of the kill they courageously returned our fire, so that we were obliged to send a party across to dislodge them. In this attack the Indians lost their chief, fourteen other warriors, four women and three children, whom we saw lying on this and on the other side of the creek; but probably many others were wounded. We also took thirteen of them prisoners, besides an old man who accompanied us about half an hour, but would go no farther. We took him aside and gave him his Last meat. We also recovered twenty-three Christian prisoners out of their hands. A captive Indian child died on the way, so that there remained eleven of them still our prisoners. We next reviewed our men and found we had three killed, and one more wounded than we had horses. We then held a council of war; after deliberation it was determined to let the maize stand for the present. We however plundered the houses, wherein was considerable booty, such as bear and deer skins, blankets, elk hides, besides other smaller articles, many of which we were obliged to leave behind us, for we could well have filled a sloop. We destroyed as much as we could; broke the kettles into pieces, took also twenty four guns, more than half of which we smashed, and threw the barrels here and there in the stream. We found also several horns and bags of powder, and thirty-one belts and some strings of wampum. We took the best of the booty along and resolved to set off. We placed the wounded on horses and had one carried in a blanket on poles by two soldiers in turns. The first day we marched two miles from the fort. The Christian prisoners informed us that they were removed every night into the woods, each night to a different place, through fear of the Dutch, and brought back in the morning; but on the day before we attacked them, a Mohawk visited them, who remained with them during the night. When about to convey the Christian captives again into the woods the Mohawk said to the Esopus Indians-” What, do you carry the Christian prisoners every night into the woods?” To which they answered “Yes.” Hereupon the Mohawk said, “Let them remain at liberty here, for you live so far in the woods that the Dutch will not come hither, for they cannot come so far without being discovered before they reach you.” So they kept the prisoners by them that night. The Mohawk departed in the morning, leaving a new blanket and two pieces of cloth, which fell to us as a booty. Early on the morning of the 6th we resumed our journey. The same day came just beyond the Esopus kill, where we remained that night. At this place the Indian child died, which we threw into the creek. Arrived at Wiltwyck about noon of the following day. On the 22d a detachment was sent out from Wiltwyck to guard some plowmen while they labored in the fields. About midnight the party passed along the kill where some maize lay, about two hours march from the village. On arriving there they found only a small patch of maize, as it had all been plucked by some straggling Indians or bears. Our people carried off what remained. The Indian prisoners whom we held had first informed us, to-day, that a small spot of corn had been planted there principally to supply food to stragglers who went to and fro to injure the Christians. Should they come again they’ll not find any food. About eleven o’clock on the following night, a party was sent about three miles in a northeasterly direction from Wiltwyck, having been informed there was some Indian maize at that place, to see if they could not remove it either by land or water. They returned about two o clock in the afternoon of the next day and reported they had been on the Indians’ maize plantation, but saw no Indians, nor anything to indicate they had been there for a long time, for the maize had not been hoed, and therefore had not come to its full growth, and had been much injured by wild animals. One plantation however was good, having been hoed by the Indians, but that was likewise much injured by wild beasts. They said it was beautiful maize land, suitable for a number of bouweries, and for the immediate reception of the plow. On Sunday afternoon, September 30th, powder and ball were distributed to the soldiers and friendly Indians, in the proportion of one pound of powder, one pound of lead and three pounds of biscuit for each man, who was to accompany an expedition into the Indian country. On Monday marched from Wiltwyck with 108 men and 46 Marseping Indians. About two o’clock of the following day we came to the fort of the Esopus Indians that we had attacked on the 5th of September, and there found five large pits into which they had cast their dead. The wolves had rooted up and devoured some of them. Lower down on the kill were four other pits full of dead Indians and we found further on the bodies of three Indians, with a squaw and a child, that lay unburied and almost wholly devoured by the ravens and the wolves. We pulled up the Indian fort and threw the palisades, one on the other, in sundry heaps and set them on fire, together with the wigwams around the fort, and thus the fort and houses were destroyed and burnt. About 10 o’clock we marched thence down along the creek where lay divers maize plantations, which we also destroyed and cast the maize into the creek. Several large wigwams also stood there, which we burnt. Having destroyed everything we returned to Wiltwyck, reaching there in the evening of the next day. About noon of Sunday, October 7th, a girl was brought up from the Redoubt [Rondout], who, the day before, had arrived on the opposite bank at that place, and was immediately conveyed across the stream. The girl said she had escaped from an Indian who had taken her prisoner, and who resided in the mountain on the other side of the creek about three miles from Wiltwyck, where he had a hut, and a small patch of corn which he had pulled, and had been there about three weeks to remove the corn. She had tried to escape before, but could not find her way out of the woods, and was forced to return to the hut. Forty men were at once sent out to try and catch the Indian. They reached the hut before sunset, which they surrounded with the intention of surprising the savage, but the hut was found to be empty. They found a lot of corn near the hut, and another lot at the kill, part of which they burned, and a part they brought back with them. They remained in the hut during the night and watched there. On the 10th of that month, Louis Du Bois, the Walloon, went to fetch his oxen which had gone back of Juriaen Westphaelen’s land. As he was about to drive home the oxen, three Indians, who lay in the bush with the intention of taking him prisoner, leaped forth. One of the savages shot at him with an arrow, slightly wounding him, whereupon Louis struck the Indian a heavy blow on the breast with a piece of palisade, and so escaped through the kill, and brought the news to the fort. Two detachments were instantly dispatched to attack them, but they had taken to flight and retreated into the woods. The Indians were finally cowed. Their principal warriors had been slain, their fort and wigwams burned, and their food and peltries destroyed. A long hard winter was before them, and the ruthless white soldiers ready to swoop down upon them at any moment. Under these circumstances the Delawares sued for peace, and the truce was observed for a period of about ninety years, or until the breaking out of the French and Indian war. When Capt. Kregier marched against the new fort his forces probably crossed the Shawangunk kill at Tuthilltown, and keeping along the high ground came in rear of the fort. A portion of the command marched down the hill directly on the fort, while the other detachment cut off their escape in the other direction. This fort stood on the brow of a hill overhanging the creek; in the side of this hill there is a living spring with the Indian path still leading to it. The old Wawarsing trail led from this fort, crossing the Shawangunk mountain near Sam’s Point.

GEDCOM Note

In Peer Jan Hendricks’ time, the Dutch were still practicing patronymics. This was outlawed when the British took over 1687. Each family had to declare their sirnames and then pass that on to their children. Children of a man named Peer, would become Peersen. that is why there are so many variations of surnames. It went from Peer to Peerson, to Person to Persend to Personeus to Personius. Peer was a Sargent in the Dutch West India Company’s troops sent to Esopus Jun 1663 under Capt. Martin Krieger in Colonel Cragier’s regiment. He took part in the rescue of the women and children captured in the Esopus raid on Wiltwyck (Kingston), June, 1663. Two months after the raid, the Indians were engaged at the Esopus and the captives freed, including Tjaatje and Jannetje DeWitt, and Jannaken Van Vliet. Tjaatje Dewitt would be his future sister-in-law by later marrying Matthys Matthyssen, Annetje’s brother and progenitor of the Van Keuren family. An Account of the Burning of Wildwyck 7 Jun 1663 as Translated from the Original Dutch Manuscript and published in The Documentary History of the State of New York in 1849. A letter from the residents of Wildwyck to the governing Council of New Netherland describing the June 7th, 1663 Indian attack on the village, listing all the dead and wounded residents, and pleading for aid and assistance. June 20,1663 The Court at Wildwyck to the Council of New Netherland: Right Honorable, most respected, wise, prudent and very discreet Lords. We, your Honors’ faithful subjects have to report, pursuant to the order of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, in the form of a Journal, that in obedience to his Honor’s order, received on the 30th of May last, we caused the Indian Sachems to be notified on the 5th of June, to be prepared to expect the arrival of the Right Honorable Heer Director General, to receive the promised presents, and to renew the peace. This notification was communicated to them through Capt. Thomas Chambers, to which they answered: If peace were to be renewed with them, the Honorable HeerDirector General should, with some unarmed persons, sit with them in the open field, without the gate, as it was their own custom to meet unarmed when renewing peace or in other negotiations. But they, unmindful of the preceding statement, surprised and attacked us between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock in the forenoon on Thursday the 7th instant. Entering in bands through all the gates, they divided and scattered themselves among all the houses and dwellings in a friendly manner, having with them a little maize and some few beans to sell to our Inhabitants, by which means they kept them within their houses, and thus went from place to place as spies to discover our strength in men. And after they had been about a short quarter of an hour within this place, some people on horse back rushed through the Mill gate from the New Village, crying out: The Indians have destroyed the New Village !” And with these words, the Indians here in this Village immediately fired a shot and made a general attack on our village from the rear, murdering our people in their houses with their axes and tomahawks, and firing on them with guns and pistols; they seized whatever women and children they could catch and carried them prisoners outside the gates, plundered the houses and set the village on fire to windward, it blowing at the time from the south. The remaining Indians commanded all the streets, firing from the corner houses which they occupied and through the curtains outside along the highways, so that some of our Inhabitants, on their way to their houses to get their arms, were wounded and slain. When the flames were at their height the wind changed to the west, were it not for which the fire would have been much more destructive. So rapidly and silently did Murder do his work that those in different parts of the village were not aware of it until those who had been wounded happened to meet each other, in which way the most of the others also had warning. The greater portion of our men were abroad at their field labors, and but few in the village. Near the mill gate were Albert Gysbertsen with two servants, and Tjerck Claesen de Wit; at the Sheriff’s, himself with two carpenters, two clerks and one thresher; at Cornelius Barentsen Sleght’s, himself and his son; at the Domine’s, himself and two carpenters and one laboring man; at the guard house, a few soldiers; at the gate towards the river, Henderick Jochemsen and Jacob, the Brewer; but Hendrick Jochemsen was very severely wounded in his house by two shots at an early hour. By these aforesaid men, most of whom had neither guns nor side arms, were the Indians, through God’s mercy, chased and put to flight on the alarm being given by the Sheriff. Capt. Thomas Chambers [husband ofMargriet HENDRICKSE] was wounded on coming in from without, issued immediate orders (with the Sheriff and Commissaries) to secure the gates; to clear the gun and to drive out the Savages, who were still about half an hour in the village aiming at their persons, which was accordingly done. The burning of the houses, the murder and carrying off of women and children is here omitted, as these have been already communicated to your Honors on the 10th June. After these few men had been collected against the Barbarians, by degrees the others arrived who, it has been stated, were abroad at their field labors, and we found ourselves when mustered in the evening, including those from the new village who took refuge amongst us, in number 69 efficient men, both qualified and unqualified. The burnt palisades were immediately replaced by new ones, and the people distributed, during the night, along the bastions and curtains to keep watch. On the 10th inst., 10 horseman were commanded to ride down to the Redoubt and to examine its condition. They returned with word that the soldiers at the Redoubt had not seen any Indians. They brought also with them the Sergeant, who had gone the preceding morning to the Redoubt, and as he heard on his return of the mischief committed by the Indians in the village, he went back to the Redoubt and staied there. In addition to the Sergeant they brought the men who had fled from the new village. On the 16th, towards evening, Sergeant Christiaen Niessen went with a troop of soldiers, sent us by your Honors, being 42 men, and three wagons, to the Redoubt, with letters for the Manhatans, addressed to your Honors, and to bring up ammunition from the Redoubt. On their return, the Indians made an attempt, at the first hill, to take the ammunition from these troops. The Sergeant, having divided his men into separate bodies, evinced great courage against the Indians, skirmishing with them from the first, to past the second hill, and defending the wagons so well that they arrived in safety in the village. He had, however, one killed and six wounded. The dead man was brought in next morning, having been stripped naked, and having had his right hand cut off by the Indians. Some of the Indians were also killed, but the number of these is not known. This skirmishing having been heard in the village, a reinforcement of horse and foot was immediately ordered out, but before they arrived the Indians had been put to flight by the above named Sergeant. This, Right Honorable Lords, is what we have deemed necessary to communicate to you in the form of a journal as to how and in what manner the Indians have acted towards us and we towards them in the preceding circumstances. And we humbly and respectfully request your Honors to be pleased to send us hither for the wounded by the earliest opportunity, some prunes and linen with some wine to strengthen them, and whatever else not obtainable here your Honors may think proper; also, carabines, cutlasses, and gun flints, and we request that the carabines may be Snaphaunce, as the peopIe here are but little conversant with the use of the arquebuse (vyer roer); also some spurs for the horsemen. In addition to this, also, some reinforcements in men inasmuch as harvest will commence in about 14 days from date. Herewith ending, we commend your Honors to God’s fatherly care and protection. Done, Wildwyck this 20th June 1663. ROELOF SWARTWOUT, (first sheriff of Esopus and son-in-law of Albert Andriessen BRADT ) the mark of ALBERT GYSBERTSEN TIERECK CLASSEN DE WITT, THOMAS CHAMBERS, GYSBERT VAN IMBROCH, CHRISTIAEN NYSSEN, HENDRICK JOCHEMSEN List of Soldiers and settlers Killed at the June 7th raid on Wyltwyck: MEN: Barent Gerretsen, murdered in front of his house Jan Albertse, killed in his house Lichten Dirrick, killed at the farm Willem Jansen Seba, killed before his door Willem Jansen Hap, in Peter van Hael’s house Jan de Smit, in his house Hendrik Jansen Looman, on the farm Thomas Chambers Negro, on the farm Hey Olferts, in the gunners house SOLDIERS: Hendrik Martensen, on the farm Dominicus, in Jan Albertse’s house Christian Andriessen, in the street WOMEN: Lichten Dirricks wife burnt, with her fruit lost, behind Barent Gerritsen’s house Mattys de Capito’s wife, Killed and burnt in the house Jan Albertsen’s wife, big with child, killed in fron of her house Pieter van Hael’s wife, shot and burnt in her house CHILDREN: Jan Albertse’s daughter, murdered with her mother William Hap’s child, burnt alive in the house TAKEN PRISONER: Rachel de la Montagne, Gysbert van Imbroch’s wife Hester Douwes Sara, daughter of Hester Douwes Grietje, Domine Laer’s wife Femmentje, sister of Hilletje, being recently married to Joost Ariaens Tjaatje, daughter of Tjerck Claussen de Witt (Future Daughter-in-law of Mathijs Jansen Van KEULEN and Hendrick’s future sister-in-law) Domine Laer’schild Ariaen Gerritsen van Vliet’s daughter Two little boys of Mattys Roeloffsen Killed in New Village (Hurley) MEN: Marten Hammensen, found dead and stripped naked behind the wagon Jacques Tyssen, killed beside Barent’s house Dirrick Ariaensen, shot on his horse Pieter Jacobsen ( Femmetje Albertse PIETERSEN Westercamp‘s son-in-law) PRISONERS: Jan Gerritsen at Volkerts Bouwery Women/Children taken prisoner: (name