The First DeWitt`s in America

PIETER VOLCKERS DEWITT  PIETER JANS DEWITT  BARENT
DEWIT VAN COHN OF COHN, HOLLAND
Our ancestry descends from the The Long Island, New York DeWitts. They originated in
Leiden, Netherlands in the 1600’s.
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Pieter Volckers DeWitt  Pieter Jans DeWitt  Barent DeWit Van Cohn
of Cohn, Holland
Our ancestry begins with
Pieter Volckers DeWitt and
Dorothy DeWitt. It is
interesting to note that many
many generations later, J.W.
and Virginia Marcella DeWitt
named one of their daughters
Dorothy.
However, Pieter Volckers
DeWitt and Dorothy DeWitt is
not really the beginning of
this line of DeWitt’s. Family
stories told of this line of
DeWitts going back to the
Vikings. Artie Franklin
DeWitt, who was a
descendant of Pieter Volckers
DeWitt, use to tell the
following story to his
grandkids.
“The first DeWitt to land on American soil was Jans the Witt (deWitt), who was
with Eric The Red. The de Witt family came from Norway, to the Netherland.
Leaving Norway at the onset of the Black Plague (Black Death). The name de Witt
was given to them because of their snow white hair. The next known deWitt to
come was Nicholas de Witt, who sailed at age 10 with Henderick Hudson on the
Ship "Half Moon" in 1609. The first of our line came to the Long Island area in the
mid 1600's. He was very educated and could speak several languages -Norwegian, Dutch, French, German and English. The ability to speak several
languages was helpful. Later a group of Frenchmen needed help in talking with
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the Dutch officers. They appointed this deWitt to be their leader. Because they
were having problems with the Indians, the early settlers were ordered to move
and locate in a different area. This deWitt and these French settlers started a
town later called Bushwick. This DeWitt was supposed to have a brother John
who was "in trade", who married in Long Island . There were maybe three other
brothers. One settled in Quebec where they first landed before sailing down to
the New York area. Some of the names and places connected with our early line
are: Bush Wick, Miss Pat, Nordin, Miss Patches, Van Dyke, Lot, Courtell
(Cortelyou), Collier (Calyer). Grandpa told about the Indian raid on Long Island,
where several were killed and houses were burned. How the English took over
Long Island and the settlers had to leave Long Island and how the Dutch came
and took it back and they got to live there for a few more years.”
What we know is that Pieter Volkers was born in Leiden, Netherlands, Utrecht in 1624. Pieter
and Dorothy had a son, Pieter Jans DeWitt, who was born in Leiden in 1650. Pieter Jans DeWitt
married Sarah Alberts/Alberston. Sarah was born about 1650 in Moersen, Holland. While it is
probable that Pieter Jans and Sarah had more than one child, we only know of one child,
Barent.
PIETER VOLKERS DEWITT IS REFERRED TO AS PIETER JANS DEWITT
The Dutch tradition of names often complicates genealogy. Due to the dates, we know that in
the following book the recordings are referring to Pieter Volkers DeWitt.
Much is said about Pieter Jans DeWitt (Pieter Volkers DeWitt) in Biography Of And Descent
From Peter Jans De Wit, Organizer Of The Settlement Of Bushwick Patient & Able Leader In Its
Successful Establishment Composed by Andrew J. Provost Jr., Dabien, Connecticut, November
1952. (Helen Perry's Collection [HPC]. It records that Pieter Jans DeWit was born in Holland
about 1625, and came to New Amsterdam shortly before 1652. He baptized his son on 26 Dec
1652 in Dutch Church, New Amsterdam. This book relays a story:
“A dewitt was appointed a leader to establish and design towns that could be defended
from the Indian raids. Pieter Jans DeWitt was assigned to a group of Frenchmen and
they established the town of Bushwick. The wicks or wicker (houses) were designed in
the same fashion as the houses of the Long Island Indians. On March 14, 1661, The
Lord General came and named the town Boswick. … Pieter Jans DeWitt signed an Oath
of Allegiance in 1687. In the oath he states that he had been in the New World for 35
years. Pieter Jans DeWitt’s first wife was Dorothea Volckers who died in 1658. Pieter
reported her death on April 12, 1660 to The Orphan’s Court in New Amsterdam
expressing his intentions to remarry, and asked for the appointment of guardians for his
four (4) children.”
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……
"His many years of service for the Bushwick people, Pieter Jans deWit was able to mold
the group, diversified as it was as to ages, culture, possessions and nationalistic origins,
into a band of loyal and efficient followers. His dealings with the occasional scandals and
infractions that are found on record, his was always the pacifying and restoring
influence. An example of his fine judgement in such matters is preserved in the town
record of 12 Feb 1663, relating to a serious quarrel that erupted in two of the families,
(one Scandinavian and the other Dutch or French) which threatened to develop into a
community scandal. Pieter at once summoned the heads of these families before him
and some chosen associates where, in camera, after hearing the evidence, a decree was
drawn up and presented that "the occurrence was null and void, without being recalled
again at this nor at any time, under the penalty, for who shall first make mention or
touches thereon of paying 25 guilders to the poor of Boswyck." Pieter 's philanthropic
impulses are reflected in the record of 30 March 1662 which cites him as a contributor
for the ransom of one Jacob Cray, who was held captive by the Turks.”
The resulting proceedings of The Orphan’s Court, is recorded in "Original Records of
Burgomasters and Orphan Masters," page 132. Following is an excerpt from the proceedings.
"On the 15th, of April 1660, appeared before me Joannes Nevius, secretary of the
Orphans Chamber of the City of Amsterdam in New Netherland, Pieter Jansen Witt, who
in the presents of Henderick Willemsen, the baker, and Jan Jansen van Breeste produced
a petition presented to the Director General and Council of New Netherland, August 25,
1658, wherein he reports the death of his wife who left him four children, and his intent
on to marry again, as well following the customs and manners of the country; the
property, after his wife's death, amounting to 3,200 fl. the florin at 20 stuyvers, of which
is said children's share or half is 1,600 fl. He declares his conscience that there is no more
and that no more would be found by impartial men; and administrators to take care of
the property, so that said children may not be harmed in their interest, Hendrick
Willemsen, the baker, and Jan Jansen van Breeste , binding for the afore said children's
share of 1,600 fl.... . This was approved... A marginal note on petition dated 12 April
1660.. Gives wife's name Dorothy Volckers... that he promises to secure this money here
at the Manhattans .....that the above mentioned be elected guardians of his four
children, further to bring up the children, until they are of age or marry, to board and
clothe them and do all for them that an honest father is bound to do."
Pieter's second wife had died before 1698 and he may have married a third wife.
The Jans in Pieter Jans DeWitt (Pieter Volker DeWitt) indicates that his father was named Jan
DeWitt. His mother was probably named Catherine, because he named second born daughter
Catherine. By this we can then assume that his wife's mother was named Maria because he
named his first born daughter Maria.
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BARENT DEWITT VAN COHN OF COHN, HOLLAND AND SARA VAN TASSEL
Barent was born on Jan 18, 1666 in Grootholdt En Zunderlandt, West Pfalia, Holland. Pieter
Volckers, Pieter Jans, and Barent all immigrated to America. It is unknown as to whether they
all came at the same time or at different times. We do know that Barent came to America
around 1686 and settled in Tarrytown, Westchester County, New York. Pieter Volckers and
Pieter Jans settled in the Long Island, New York area.
Barent and Sarah were members of the Sleepy Hollow (also known as Phillipsburg) Dutch
Reformed Church, Tarrytown, New York. They were living in Somerset County, New Jersey
(approximately 75 miles southwest of Tarrytown) as early as 1710 when Rev. Paulus Van Vlecq,
a Hollander, who had been a schoolmaster at Kinderhook, New York organized the Six Mile Run
church at present Franklin Park, Somerset County, New Jersey. At Six Mile Run a church council
was elected in the place of the outgoing elders, Adrien Bennet, Barent DeWit; and left Carl
Fonteyn ruling elder, and in the place of the outgoing deacon, Barent De Wit, Gysbert De Hart is
elected. The church records indicate that Sara Van Tassel, wife of Barent DeWit, became a
member on Oct 24, 1711. They were living at or near Six Mile Run in t711 when "Barent and
Sara de Wit" were sponsors to a baptism, recorded in the North and Southampt on Dutch
Church(also called Neshaminy)records of Churchville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Barent was
still living in 1723 when he was again a ruling elder at Six Mile Run Church.
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THE STORY OF THE VAN TASSELS
Sara Van Tassel was the granddaughter of Jan Van Tassel, one of the earliest settlers of New
Netherlands. The Van Tassels have a very interesting story. Sara’s grandfather, Jan Van Tassell
was married to Catoneras, the daughter of Wyandanch, Grand Sachem of the Montauk tribe of
east Long Island. This is the story of how they became a couple.
At the time of the first Dutch and English settlers, Long Island was occupied by a number
of Indian tribes. For the most part these tribes were peaceful and friendly toward the
newcomers. War like action on their part can be traced to outside influences; cruelty of
the settlers, usually Dutch, under the government of Director-General KIEFT, goading by
the warlike tribes of Connecticut and the Hudson Valley, and the fire-water of the
Europeans.
Lion Gardinier an early English settler and soldier in the New World, founded the first
English settlement in what became the state of New York on Long Island. Lion was on
good terms with all the tribes but in particular the Montauks under the leadership of the
Sachem Wyandanch.
Following the battle at the mouth of the Mystic River,Conn., where Englishmen
attempted to settle on land bought by the Dutch from the Indians, Wyandanch came to
Gardinier to ask if he was "angry with all the Indians," and offered to pay tribute to the
English in the interest of peace. There and then began a close relationship and sincere
friendship between Lion Gardinier and the Montaukatts.
Not long after, Gardinier bought from Wyandanch the island of Honchonock, which has
since borne the name, Gardiner' s Island. Gardinier paid Wyandanch a large black dog, a
gun, some powder and shot, and a few Dutch blankets.
Gardinier became as close as a brother to Wyandanch after he rescued his daughter,
Wuchikittawbut. Ninigret, Chief of the Narragansetts, kidnapped Wuchikittawbut on
her wedding day. The Narragansetts were a “hereditary” enemy of Wyandanch’s
Montaukatts. Gardinier organized a search party, tracked down Ninigret, and rescued
Wuchikittawbut. Iin recognition of Gardinier's chivalrous rescue of his daughter,
Wyandanch gave him the entire territory later known as Smithfield and finally
Smithtown.
Later, Wucikttawbut became the wife of Jan Cornelius Van Tassel and was known from
then on as Catoneras.
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After their marriage, Jan Cornelius and Catoneras claimed ownership of part of Long Island and
settled on the North Shore of the Sound at a place called Eaton's Neck in Suffolk County.
Commissioners were appointed to settle the wars among the Pequots, Narragansetts and other
tribes. Cornelius Jensen Van tassel was selected to represent the Long Island Indians. He
appeared before the commissioners.
Jan Cornelius Van Tassel and Catoneras had only one child, Jan Cornelius. He was the first of
the family born in America and whose indenture papers establish the probable year of the
family's arrival in the New World. Catoneras died shortly after her father's death in 1659.
The son, Jan Cornelius, married Annetje Alberts, daughter of Albert Koning. Jan Cornelius was
baptized on June 3, 1640, and lived in Midwont (Flatbush). He appears in Flatbush records as
Jan Cornelissen, Jan Janssen, J.C.,and variously TEXEL, VAN TEXEL and VAN TASSEL. Among the
records concerning land transactions of Jan Cornelius are:




March 12, 1661 - Grant of 60 morgens (120 acres) in Flatbush
October 26, 1664 - Later allotted in persuance of patent at Flatbush 23 morgens (46
acres) on the south side of the bowery of Bastel CLASSEN. The holding was plain land
and salt meadow.
March 14, 1670 - Allotted a building lot at Flatbush
1685-Survey of tract
Washington Irvin wrote about this family of Van Tassels in the story “The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow”. The story is in Appendix 3.
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