Anthony Jansen (Van Salee)
Born: 1607, Haarlem, Netherlands Died: 1676, Hempstead, Long Island, New York Parents: Jan Janzoon Van Salee & unknown Occupations: farmer, merchant, "Salee Rover" (Barbary pirate) Marriage: Dec. 15, 1629, at sea enroute to New Amsterdam, New Netherlands Wife: Grietje Reijners Born: unknown, Wesel Germany Died: 1669, Hempstead, Long Island, New York Parents: Johannes Reijners & Jannetje Reijners Second Marriage: 1670, Hempstead, Long Island, New York Second Wife: Metje Gravenaaet Born: unknown Died: unknown
Cornelia Jansen Born: after 1629, Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherlands Died: unknown
Eva Jansen Born: after 1629, Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherlands Died: unknown
Sarah Jansen Born: after 1629, Hempstead, Long Island, New Netherlands Died: unknown
ANTHONY JANSEN
Anthony Jansen (van Salee), one of the sons of Jan Jansen (Janszoon) van Haarlem was born about 1607. He died in 1676 and his estate was probated on September 26, 1676 in New York, New York. Anthony grew up in Morocco,
but when he reached adulthood he returned to the Netherlands. He met Grietje Reyniers (or Reijners) in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, obtained a marriage license on December 15, 1629, and they were married on board the ship heading for New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1630. Grietje, daughter of Johannes Reijners (born 1576 in the Netherlands) and Jannetje (born in 1580 in the Netherlands) was a widow when she met Anthony. The marriage certificate describes Grietje as coming from Wesel, Germany, although her parents were both from the Netherlands. Various authors insinuate that she used her wiles on him, being older than he, but he never seemed to mind. She apparently worked in a tavern in the Netherlands as a young woman, but she was fired for acting inappropriately. Given the reputations of taverns in the Renaissance, one wonders what she did that was so bad as to get her fired. She was also an argumentative woman, so perhaps was the perfect match for
Anthony, who enjoyed a good lawsuit against his neighbors. Anthony is described as being from Cartagena (in Spain), probably to avoid any problems from being recognized as a pirate and the son of a pirate. It is surmised by one author that Anthony and Grietje got married on board
ship to bypass the religious authorities in either the Netherlands or New Amsterdam, because Anthony paid at least lip service to Islam and Grietje had little respect for the trappings of religion. He was referred to in the New World as The Turk, and he had in his possession a lovely Koran written in Arabic. In later years though, he was a moving
force in legislation enforcing observance of Christian services in New Amsterdam. When Anthony arrived in New Amsterdam (today, New York City), he proceeded to buy a great deal of land in what is now lower Manhattan and set himself up as a very prosperous farmer and landowner. It is
possible that his father had provided him with a good nest egg to start him off in the New World. It is also suspected that contact was maintained between father and son, as Anthony's homestead on Long Island included an excellent deep-water anchorage, where mysterious ships and privateers would anchor. There apparently is a great deal of information that can be found on his land holdings, his marriage, and his relations with his neighbors, more information than can be related in these notes. Anthony was a contentious neighbor, and whether due to an ego brought on by this background, or a natural aversion to friendship, he was widely known as a very disagreeable fellow. He was constantly at odds with neighbors and he did not hesitate to tangle with the Dutch authorities, or the Church. (Several articles concerning the history of Long Island
have included colorful descriptions of Anthony's background.) Still, he is also reported to have been well respected in the community. He is an acknowledged founder of several communities in Long Island, and his opinion was respected in the communities. As a result of the anti-social behavior of his wife, Anthony was induced to leave the city of New Amsterdam. Anthony took his time about leaving and even after moving to Long Island, continued to deal in New Amsterdam real estate for the rest of his life. After selling the farm on what is now lower Manhattan, Anthony bought 200 acres some 10 miles SSE on Long Island near the community of Gravesend thus becoming the first settler of Brooklyn. His land fronted on Gravesend Bay across from the present Coney Island and
not far from the place where Henry Hudson was said to have come ashore less than 50 years earlier. Since Coney Island abutted his property, it was, until sometime in the last century, also referred to as Turk's Island, the word Turk being a designation of his which the records used interchangeably with, mulatto. According to some documentation, it would seem that Anthony van Salee never converted to Christianity. His Koran, in fact, was in a descendant's possession until about fifty years ago when, ignorant of its relevance to his family's history, he offered it for sale at auction. Anthony and Grietje had four children, Annica, Cornelia, Eva, and Sarah. Grietje died in 1669, and Anthony apparently re-married in 1670 to Metje Gravenaaet. He died six years later. Anthony and Grietje's eldest daughter, Annica (later Anglicized to Eunice), born around 1632, married Thomas Southard in 1650. Thomas and Annica had eight children and thus began the Southard family in the New World."
