New Utrecht

When hitting a road block in genealogy research, I've been advised to do two things (1) take a step or two back;  and (2) build up other known family members and associates (cousins, neighbors) in the hopes of finding clues.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be taking this advice.

Take a Step or Two Back: New Utrecht, Kings County, New York

Documentation wise, I am stuck in 1790 New Utrecht, where Isaak De Groof and his wife Jannetie Christedon are baptising his children,  Johannes (John DeGroff) - baptised August of 1790 and Jannete (Jane Barkhuff) - baptised in January of 1793.

To learn more, I am going to take those steps backward

New Utrecht under the Dutch 

New Utrecht is today's Bensonhurst, (southwest Brooklyn) in Kings County, New York.  While it is an urban area now, it was once a forest (hard to fathom) - In Reminscences of Old New Utrecht, by Mrs. Bleecher Bangs, it is detailed that 13 native american tribes lived in the forest that once covered the land that is today Brooklyn.

New Utrecht was named after the Dutch city of Utrecht.  It was named by  Cornelius Van Werkhoven, of the Dutch West India Company who first began purchasing land from the Nyack Indians.  By 1660 there were eleven houses in the village, and Governor Peter Stuyvesant granted New Utrecht a charter in 1661. By 1683 Kings County and 6 towns created: Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend and New Utrecht.

Early settles of New Utrecht included: Jacques Corteljau ; Jans Jacobsen; Nicasius de Sille; Pieter Jansen; (Heer Councillor and Fiscaal); Huybert Stoock; Peter Buys; William Willemse (Van Engen); Jacob Swarthout (or Hellakers); Albert Albertse (Terhune); Jacobus Corlair; Johan Zeelen; Teunis Joosten; Cornelius Beekman; Claes Claessen; Rutger Joosten (Van Brunt); Jacob Peterse; Johann Tomasse (Van Dyke); Jacobus Backer; and Pieter Roelefsen.

Records from this town are plentiful and detail transactions and interactions between the families. (records are in Dutch of course so I can't read the orignials and I am basing this on reading summaries and reprints). Soon, English settlers were also on Long Island and tensions emerged.

New Utrecht under the English 

In 1664, New Amsterdam became New York and settlers in New Utrecht were required to document all land ownership - I am sure this caused further tensions - but by 1668, August 15, Governor Nicholls awarded a patent for the land formerly known as New Utrecht to Jacques Corteljau, Nicasius de Sille, Francis Browne, Jacob Swartout, Robert Jacobson.  The name New Utrecht was retained.

During 1687 some 52 inhabitants took the oath of allegiance to England. They relinquished allegiance to the House of Orange.  The town continued to grow; it appears that residents moved often and sold or transfered land often - I am finding in secondary source materials reference to an abundance of evidence of these transactions.

By 1738, New Utrecht had 282 residents. There is evidene of a school and that decrees, ordering that classes be taught only in English (not Dutch) were ignored.

American Revolution

The English landed in New Utrecht in August of 1776. They quickly occupied residential properties and activity in the town ground to a halt.  The secondary sources detail loyalist among the townspeople.  (no mention of DeGroof so far).  

After the war, the town rebuilt and property transactions resumed; documentation is scant and confusing often because of the variations in names (flipping between Dutch and English conventions) and the loss of many documents during the confusion of the post - war years. 

The DeGroofs in New Utrecht

We know from John DeGroff's pension file that he recalled living on Long Island (specifically the County of Kings) as a boy; Isaac DeGroff confirmed this memory.  John gives his birth year of 1756 - placing the DeGroff family on Long Island,  before the American Revolution.    So far, I find no recod of the family in any town in Kings County at that time.  Neither the 1698 and 1738 Census of Long Island turn up a name that is akin to or similar to De Groff.

The first documentation of Isaac  De Groof and his wife Jannetie Ceftiede,  in New Utrecht is his son Johannes baptism - 1790, August 22 in the Records of the Reformed Church of New Utrecht.  Isaak is also found in the 1790 US Federal Census. (that entry suggests additional children were part of the family).  In 1793 Isaak DeGroof and  and his wife, Jannetie Christeden,  baptise Jannetie on January 22.  Neither baptism had any witnesses recorded.

Jacob DeGroof and his wife Maria Kierstead are also found in these records. In 1795 a Johannes is baptised (Feburary 15, born on January 2) and in 1797 Jane is baptised on April 23 (born April 1).

Another De Groff is found in these church records - Wynette DeGroof - wife of Christopher Stillwell.  in 1796 a daughter Elisa is baptised and in 1798  a son, Isaac is baptised.  I find Wynette also referenced as Lavinia in other family trees (interesting side note - Isaak DeGroof had a daughter named Lavinia perhaps named for this sister).

Theories, Ideas, Next Steps: Review associates, cousins, other family members

1. As John and Isaac reference Long Island - and don't specify a town - I want to explore records from other towns during the Colonial (pre Revolution) era in hopes of finding records of John and Isaac as boys.  Or perhaps documentation of a land purchase by either of one of them.
2. Were John and Isaac the immigrants?  Did they come here to the Colonies (this seems unlikely as John mentions a childhood on Long Island. )
3. Or, was their father (name yet to be found) the immigrant ancestor?
4. Covenhowen is a name I found often in my research - and John married Sarah Covenhowen (admittedly of New Jersey, not Long Island) but I think it is still worthwhile to research that family further for possible clues or information
5. When John joined the American Revolution, he did so in New Jersey -- was that because they were living there and not on Long Island at that time?   
6. Finally, buried in New Utrecht is an Abraham DeGroff who was - slightly- a contemporary of Isaak De Groof (born approximately 6-10 years later.)  I find reference to Abraham in Uncle Jerry's notations - and he had sons named John, Isaac, and Jacob.   Is this another brother of Isaac?  

More on the History of New Utrecht