|
Family of Jentie JeppesPicture above: The Reformed Church at Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands where Gerrit Jansz
and Evert Jansz were baptized in 1659 and 1660. 6. Griettie Jansz (bap.
11 Oct 1663 in Reformed Church at Leeuwarden, Friesland, d. before April 1664)
[See new information --dated 26 Sep 2008 on the
family of Jentie Jeppes supplied by Harry Macy, Jr. in the source section below] The following addendum to the 1997 article above -- courtesy of Harry Macy, Jr. in 26 Sept 2008 email: 128(1997):81-90 (“The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including Its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt,” by Harry Macy, Jr.) When the article was published, it was not known where family founders Jentie Jeppes and Tijedtske Gerrits were living between June 1660, when their son Eeuwe/Evert was baptized at Wijckel, Friesland, and April 1664, when they departed from Amsterdam for New Netherland. However, the West India Company account of their passage and daughter Meenske’s marriage record indicated that she was born about 1662 somewhere in Friesland. Now a database of pre-1811 Friesland church records is available online, and it reveals that in 1662-1663 the family was in Leeuwarden, the provincial capital, where two children were baptized in the Reformed church:[1] 11 May 1662 Meinske daughter of Jenttie Joppes [sic] 11 October 1663 Griettie daughter of Jenttie Jeppes The Leeuwarden register in this period does not give the mother’s name, and rarely shows witnesses (there were none for these baptisms), but the name Jentie Jeppes is very rare in this province-wide database and given our other knowledge of the family there can be no question that the father in these entries was the New Netherland settler. Jentie and Tijedtske did have a daughter Grietje born after Meenske, but the West India Company account does not show a 6-months old child in the family that emigrated. The assumption that the surviving daughter Grietje was born in the New World still appears to be correct. The Griettie/Grietje born 1663 most likely died before the family’s departure, but unfortunately the Leeuwarden Reformed burial records do not begin until 1687. The Grietje who survived was the third child to bear the name, strongly suggesting that this was the name of one of the grandmothers. The online database was searched for a record of Jentie and Tijedtske’s marriage but none was found. A database of the Leeuwarden Reformed membership records was also searched with negative results.[2] Generations beyond those covered in the article may be found at www.vanwicklin.com. 2 Aug 2012 email from Wayne Anderson re: Tietske Gerrits death and burial. From early church records in the NJ Public Library's New Jersey Room. The early records were transcribed in the 1800s then turned into 3 books finally bound into one volume. Tietske was the 2nd burial on 14 May 1666 and was recorded as the wife of Jan J... living at Pemmerepoch. Burials in the village of Bergen in New Jersey. Names of the persons who have died and were buried within the jurisdiction of Bergen and around New York by me, R. Van Giesen, in my capacity of undertaker [Aanspreker]. The Pall was owned by the church and those who could afford to pay for its use could have their relatives or friends carried to the grave with it on the coffin. [Several entries indicate "burial with pall."] [1] Tresoar, The Frisian Historical and Literary Centre, www.tresoar.nl. The baptismal registers for 1662-63 are also available on FHL film 107994, and were checked to confirm the accuracy of the database entries. [2] Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden, www.gemeentearchief.nl. The membership records were also searched on FHL film 474064. 15 October 2012 email from Harry Macy provides helpful background information on Jentie and his wife, Tietske. Tietske was possibly a sister of Claes Gerritsen, whose name appears on the 1664 passenger list [of the Eendracht that arrived in New Amsterdam] right before Jentie. Claes came over with a wife and child, settled in Flatbush and died the next year. After his death, Jentie Jeppes was appointed one of the two guardians for Claes's son Gerrit Claesen. Gerrit Claesen moved to Jaimaica, where Jentie's son, Gerrit Van Wicklen also settled. In one record, he is called "Gerrit van Lettingen." There was a farm in Friesland called Lettinga, which is probably where Claes Gerritsen lived, meaning he was also Frisian. That, plus the fact that he and Jentie emigrated together, and Jentie was appointed guardian of his son, all point to a possible relationship between the two families. More research in Frisian records might resolve this. There are good websites for Frisian research which became available after I wrote my article [New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, April 1997 issue].
|