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Family page of Evert^2 Van Wicklen

The Unrecorded Will of Evert Van Wicklen

Transcribed by Harry Macy, Jr., F.A.S.G., F.G.B.S.

(Reproduced with permission of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society)

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society recently acquired a major collection of papers of the Lefferts family of Flatbush. One of these papers turned out to be the will of Evert Van Wicklen, which was never recorded and until now has been unavailable to researchers.

Evert Janszen Van Wicklen was born in 1660 at Wijckel in Friesland and came to New Netherland in 1664 with his parents and siblings. In 1690 he married Metje/Mettie Simons Van Arsdalen and settled in Flatbush. In a previous account of the family (Record 128 [1997]:179-84) this writer stated that Evert died probably about 1719. No probate or related records were found.

The will transcribed below was made on 9 February 1719/20, and as the testator was “very sick and weak in body” it is likely that he died soon after affixing his shaky signature to the document. Later records show that his elder son Jan/John remained on land in Flatbush while son Simon/Symon moved to land Evert had acquired in New Jersey, and this agrees with the distribution Evert makes in the will. He leaves Symon his (previously unknown) share in a Brooklyn mill, and gives both sons his carpenter’s tools and his arms (it was already known that he was a carpenter and served in the militia). Finally, he leaves Jan his “great Bible,” which sadly seems to have disappeared.

It is noteworthy, and typical of Dutch wills of the period, that Evert also makes generous bequests to his six daughters. One of these daughters, Maria, was previously unknown to us. She probably was born about 1710, and may have died unmarried as aside from the will there is no record of her existence.

No inventory survives, but Evert clearly left a considerable estate. The family may have carried out the terms of the will, but without any official supervision. Most of the distributions were to be made when the widow remarried or died, and she was married to Philip Volckers by 1 July 1722.

The will was preserved by one of Evert’s daughters, Pieterneltje (Peternella in the will) Hegeman. It passed to her son Evert Hegeman and then to his daughter Femmetie/Phebe Hegeman who married Peter Lefferts, thus becoming part of the Lefferts papers.

In the transcription that follows the original spelling has been preserved, but words have been capitalized as they would be today, since the writer’s capitalization was so inconsistent (for example, he always capitalized a leading E, D, or L, but never a leading v, w, or b, etc.). The original four-page document is written as two paragraphs with almost no punctuation. Additional paragraphs have been created to improve readability. 

In the name of God amen the nineth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred nineteen and twenty I Evert Van Wickelen of the Township of Flatbush in Kings County and the Island Nassau yeoman — being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given to God therefore, calling unto mind the Mortallity of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of of [sic] God that gave it and for my body I recommend to the Earth, to be buried in a Christian like & decent manner at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the Generall Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give divise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form —

Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Mettie my loveing wife all and singular my estate of houses lands meadows mill and implements and furniture belonging to said mill with improvements immunities liberties previledges hereditaments and appurtenances to all my said houses lands meadows and mill belonging or in any wayes appertaining either within the Collony of New York or elsewhere for and during her naturall life, with all the use benefit and advantage thereof to have and to hold the said premises with the appurtenances thereunto belonging for and during her naturall life

Item I give and bequeath to my eldest son John Van Wickelen all that farm or plantation in the township of Flatbush abovesaid with all the commonage or wood land or meadows in said town which I now have in my possession together with all the houses barns improvements liberties previledges hereditaments thereunto belonging or in any wayes appertaining to have and to hold all the said premises hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wayes appertaining unto my said son John Van Wicklene his heires and assignes for ever to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of my said son John Van Wicklen his heires and assignes for ever for him to possess and injoy immediate after my said loveing wives remarriage and not before or after her decease

[page two] Item I give and bequeath to my son Symon Van Wickelen all my shear right and property in all that mill, mill dam mill pond situate lying and being in the township of Brookland near the ferry with all my part of the implements and furniture improvements easements hereditaments and appurtenances and of lands and meadows thereunto belonging or in any wayes appertaining to have and to hold the said premises hereditaments & appurtenances thereunto belonging unto my said son Symon Van Wickelen his heires and assignes for ever to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of my said son Symon Van Wickelen his heires and assignes for ever by these presents for him to possess and injoy immediately after my said loveing wives remarriage  or decease and not before,

I also give and bequeath to my son John Van Wickelen my farm or plantation in the town of Brookland in Kings County above said with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging so as I have bought it of Cornelius Van de Water unto him his heires and assignes for ever for him to possess and injoy immediately after my said loveing wives remarriage or decease and not before,

I also give and bequeath to my said son Symon Van Wickelen all my lands and tenements at the Raratans in the province of New Jersey to have and to hold all the said land and premises liberties previledges heredita­ments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wayes appertaining unto my said son Symon Van Wickelen his heires and assignes for ever to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of my said son Symon Van Wickelen his heires and assignes for ever, for him to possess and injoy immediately after my said loveing wives remarriage or decease and not before

and in consideration of that as is above bequeathed to my said son John Van Wickelen he his heires executors or administrators shall pay or cause to be paid four hundred and thirty seven pounds, and tenn shillings to my six daughters by names Zytie Peternella Geertie Margrieta Maria & Mettie Van Wickelen each of them an equall propotion or to there heires in manner and form following that is to say fifty four pounds and eighteen shillings six pence at the end of two years after my said loveing wives remarriage or [page three] decease to my three jongest daughters by names Margrieta Maria and Mettie Van Wickelen each of them an equall proportion and so yearly and every year fifty four pounds three shillings and five pence to the said my jongest three daughters above named until two hundred and eighteen pounds and fifteen shillings is compleatly paid and at the end of one year after the said sum of two hudnred and eighteen pounds and fifteen shillings is paid my said son John Van Wickelen shall pay fifty four pounds three shillings and six pence to my three eldest daughter by names Zytie Peternella and Geertie Van Wickelen or their heires each of them an equall propostion and so yearly and every year he shall pay or cause to be paid to my three daughters above named fifty four pounds three shillings and six pence until two hundred and eighteen pounds and fifteen shillings is compleatly paid:

and in consideration of that as is above bequeathed to my son Symon Van Wickelen he his heires executors and administrators shall pay or cause to be paid to his six above named sisters or to their heires the full and just sum of three hundred and ninety three pound and fifteen shillings in manner and form following that is to say forty four pounds four shillings and four pence half penny to the three jongest by names Margrieta Maria and Mettie Van Wickelen each of them an equall proportion and so yearly and every year he shall pay to them forty four pounds four shillings and four pence half penny untill one hundred and ninety six pounds seventeen shillings and six pence is compleatly paid the first payment shall be at the end of two years after my loveing wives remarriage or decease and at the end of one year after my said son has paid his last payment his to [sic, to his] three jongest sisters he shall pay or cause to be paid to his three eldest sister by names Zytie Peternella and Geertie Van Wickelen the full and just sum of forty four pounds four shillings and four pence half penny each of them an equall proportion and so yearly and every year untill one hundred and ninety six [pounds] seventeen shillings and six pence is compleatly paid

[page four] Item I do give and bequeath to my eight children above named all my goods and chattels rights and credits either within the Collony of New York or else where each of them an equall proportion to be divided amongst them after my loveing wives remarriage or decease only my son John shall have my great Bible for his first birth right and the half of my carpenters to [sic] tools and the half of my arms before division and my son Symon shall have the other half of my carpenters tools and the half of my arms before division and then to devide equall with the rest but my non aged children shall be brought up out of my whole estate and have thear outset as the rest have had and if any of my above said children shall happen to to [sic ] die unmaried and without issue then that portion of the deceased shall be equally divided amongst the survivors of my children

and I by these presents constitute and appoint my loveing wife Mettie Van Wickelen to be whole and sole executex [sic] of my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannull and every other former testaments will legacies and executors by me in any wayes before this time named willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirmng this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the day and year first above written —

Signed sealed published                                              /s/ eúert van wekele [seal]

pronounced & declared by

the sd Evert Van Wickelen

as his last will & testament

in the presence of us subscribers

/s/ Chrisstoffel Probasko

/s/ Joseph Hegemans

/s/ Gerret Hanse

_________________

The following document from the Lefferts Papers is an agreement between Jan Van Wicklen and his brother-in-law Rem Hegeman, dated 2 February 1721/2. The widow Mettie must have remarried by this date, as Jan had come into possession of his father’s Flatbush and Brooklyn lands. The document clearly was written by a Dutchman, as can be seen in his “Joeman” for yeoman, “jear” for year, the marks over his y’s and some u’s, and his spelling of Flatbush which the Dutch called Flackebos or Vlackebos.

172½ the 2 februarie

an agreement made between Jan Van Wickelen of the township of Flatbúhs in Kings Countÿ Joeman and Rem Hegeman of Flatbúhs aforsad Joeman that the said Rem Hegeman or his heirs or assigns shall be free and clear of anÿ charges that shall or maÿ arise bÿ anÿ person or persons whatsoever claming anÿ part of that land and madow now in the possession of the said Jan Van Wikelen or paÿing anÿ qúittrent for the said land now in the possession of Jan Van Wikelen in the township of flatbúhs aforsaid or Brookland or to warrant or defend the said Jan Van Wikelen his heirs or assigns in possession whereto I the said Jan Van Wikelen have hereunto set mÿ hand and seal the daÿ and jear first above written

Sign and seald

in the presence of                                                /s/ Jan Van Wickele

/s/ Peter Leffertz

/s/ Hendrik Suydam