VAN DEURSEN FAMILY
Baptized 11 Nov 1607 Haarlem, Holland.
Of Haerlem, in the Netherlands came to New Amsterdam at a early date. Van Deursen was the surname of his family in the Netherlands, and not assumed after their settlement here. It was derived from the Villiage of Deursen in North Brabant.
"There is a reason to believe that Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen had two brothers in New Amsterdam Corneluis Pietersen, a cadet in the Second Burgher Corp. , who married Tryntje Hendricks; she married secondly, Frederick Lubbertsen, one of the" Twelve Men" Hendrick Pietersen, may have been a second brother - Hendrick Van Dussenberg, Master of the Masons in 1638, who married Geertje Everts, daughter of Evert Pietersen Keteltas. Possibly Willem Pietersen, who was Lance Corporal in the First Burgher Corp., was another brother.
Abraham & Tryntje were sponsors at the baptism of Corneluis Pieters' son, Hendrick, October 7, 1640 and Hendrick Pieters' son Evert, May 14, 1644. Their decendants must have retained their patronymics as surnames, and have been lost in the crowd of Cornelisens and Hendricksens, for they cannot be traced as Van Deusen. Adrain Pietersen of Aitzema, in the Netherlands, who was a Director in the Dutch West India Company, in 1632 is thought to have been another brother.
New York Colonial Documents state that Abraham Pietersen, of Haerlem (Netherlands) took possession, in 1636, for the Dutch West India Company, of the Island of Quentensis in front of Sloops Bay. In another place it is described as the Island of Queteurs in front of Sloops Bay and Pequator's River and in 1664 they speak of the special possession of Abraham Pietersen, of Haerlem, Still living on the Island of Quetenesse, in the Narricanese Bay near Rhode Island and also of another island near the Pequot River, called by the English: "The Dutchmen's Island.
In a latter instance he is spoken of, as of Haerlem, owing to his having lived there when he became interested in the first mentioned Island. In 1638, he was spoken of as the first Miller in New Amsterdam; an important and lucrative position in those days, and he is sometimes mentioned in the records as Abraham Pietersen, Molenaer, or Miller. In 1641, on August 29th he was one of the"Twelve Men" whom the commonalty chose and empowered to resolve on everything with the Director-General and Council, and on November 3rd, he was one of the "Eight Men" who sent a memorial to the State General of Holland, setting forth the distressed state on account of the Indian Outbreak, and begging for assistance.
The "Twelve Men" and "Eight Men" were the first assemblies on Manhattan Island. In 1655, owing to the dangerous condition of the times, it was thought to strengthen the defence of the City, and on October 12th, he contributed towards that purpose, and in 1665, on April 19th, he was assessed for Soldier's. At this time, he lived on the East Side of Heeren Street, now Broadway; the third place south of Wall Street, Opposite Trinty Church.
In 1657, on April 14th, he was granted The Burgher Right, and was Lance Corporal of Company Second of the Burghers Corp. In October 1664, he and his son, Isaa Abrahamsen (Van Deursen) swore allegiance to the (Dutch) King of England, William the Third.
The name of his wife, Tryntje Melchior Abrahams (Van Deursen), frequently appears in the records of the Old Dutch Church in the Fort of New Amsterdam. The first time in 1640 and the last in 1667, and their names also appear in the list of members for 1649. The marriage and the birth of their elder children either occurred in the Netherlands, or before the Church records commenced."
Married 9 Dec 1629 Groote Kerk, Ref. Church, at Haarlem to TRYNTJE MELCHIOR. (??Melchert, Marten De Metselaer) She was born in Groningen.
Van Deursen is still retained by some of his decendants, but Van Deusen has also been used and in the various records the name has appeared in every imaginable spelling.
Of Abraham Pietersen five sons Issac and Peter remained in New York and Matthew, Jacob, and Melchior removed to Albany County. Matthew's grandson, Issac Van Deusen (The First) removed to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where he lived on the Van Deusen Man and was the ancestor of the New England branch.
The children of Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen and Tryntje Melchior included:
(1) Matthues, born about 1629; married about 1653 to Helena ROBBERTS
(2) Issac, born about 1632; married 5 Apr 1659 to Jannetje JANS
(3) Marritje, born about 1634; married 1651-53, Thomas Janszen MINSAR.
(4) Jacob, baptized about 1640; married 23 Sep 1663 to Catalyntie VAN ESLANT.
(5) Pieter, baptized New Amsterdam 23 Mar.1642; married 10. Sep 1666 Hester WEBB
(6) Melchior, baptized New Amsterdam 6 Mar 1644; married 1668 to Engeltje RUTGERS.
Van Alstine, Lester, Van Alstyne - Van Alstine Family History, 1974.
Vosburgh, Royden, "Notes on a History of Old Kinderhook, Collier," NY Gen. Biog. Register, Vol. 46, Apr. 1915, pp 192-3.
Frances Daniels descends from Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen's son Isaac who married Jannetje Jans. Visit her sister Sandra Reuther's website.
Vance R. Van Deusen is searching for the parents of brothers Nelson Eugene and Nathan Samuel Vandusen of Chatauqua Co., NY.
Cheska Wheatley descends from Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen's daughter Marritje.
Let me know if you are descended from this family and would like your e-mail address linked to this page so other researchers might contact you.
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