Tjerck Claessen de Witt History

Tjerck Claessen de Witt History

Tjerck Claessen immigrated to America in 1650. Recorded on the register of marriages of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York City is the entry that on April 24, 1656, Tjerck Claessen de Witt van Grootholdt en Zunderlandt married Barbara Andriessen van Amsterdam. Zunderlandt was a district of Westphalia on the southern border of East Friesland. Tjerck was a navigator, trader, farmer, and co-owner of the sloop St. Barbara. Their son Andries was born in New York City. In accordance with Dutch custom he was named Andries after Barbara's father, the second son Klaes for Tjerck's father, a younger son Lucas for her brother.

In the spring of 1657 the family moved to Albany, where Tjerck purchased a house and lot. He took possession of land in Wiltwyck (now Kingston) on May 1, 1661. That year while living in Esopus Tjerck also received rents from land inherited from his father in East Friesland, Netherlands. In 1667, when Tjerck opposed the British occupation of Kingston, Capt. Broadhead beat him and threw him in prison for keeping Christmas Day on the customary Dutch day instead of the English day. In 1668 Tjerck refused to take the British oath of allegiance.

Ulster records show that Tjerck owned Negro slaves and two sloops that sailed the Hudson and along the Atlantic coast. He had a house, barn, stables, orchard, and calves' pasture in Esopus.

Tjerck's will is dated March 4, 1698. In his will written in Dutch Tjerck left his property to his wife and after her death to his sons Andries and Tjerck. They were to divide it in 12 equal shares for each of his children. In addition Jan and Jacob each received 500 bushels of wheat, and Lucas inherited one-half of the sloop. Tjerck also mentioned Rachel and her husband Cornelis Bogardus and also Jannetje and her husband Cornelis Swits. Tjerck left about $8,000 in personal property to his heirs.

Sources:

Genealogies of the First Settlers of Albany, pp. 42-43.

History of Ulster Co. by N. Sylvester, pp. 169, 186.

"Olde Ulster," vol. 8 (1912), p. 18.

Ulster Co. Wills, RKAA of Deeds, p. 252.