Individual Details

Tryntje Jacobse Jacobs

(1621 - Bef 12 May 1677)

Tryntje was born about 1621 in The Netherlands.  Her family name is unknown.  It is possible that the Jacobs in her name refers to Tryntje, Jacob’s wife. Tryntje is the Dutch diminutive for Catherine, so I guess we can think of her as “Cathy Jacobs.”  She married four of the most prominent men of the early history of New Amsterdam and Bergen, New Jersey.
 
She first married Jacob Walichsen Van Winkle in 1642.  They were likely married in the Netherlands while Jacob was on a return trip there from New Netherland.  The first two of their six children were also born there.  One of the six children was Walling Van Winkle (not our direct ancestor); Wallington, New Jersey is named for him.
 
Jacob Stoffelszen was from Zurich, Switzerland and had come to New Netherland in 1639.  Tryntje married Stoffelszen on August 17,1657 which is right after Jacob Van Winkle died.  It seems to have been common that widowed persons remarried very quickly after the death of a spouse.  Jacob was a property owner, including owning people; he is mentioned as suing his step-daughter over the ownership of a Negro:  she wanted half-ownership of the person and Jacob thought he should have full ownership.  Tryntje and Jacob had two children both of whom died young.
 
After Jacob Stoffelszen died, Tryntje married Michael Tadesen in 1668. Michael was born in Hoorn, Netherlands but was in New Netherland by 1644.  He bought a house in New Amsterdam in 1652.  He was banished for a time in 1656 after he was found to be selling liquor to the Indians.  While he was banished, he lived on Long Island.  He owned a ship (described as a yacht) which he used for trading along the coast to Delaware.  He died in 1670.
 
Caspar Steynmets was born in Holland and came to New Amsterdam in 1631.  He settled in Albany and developed trade with the Indians.  He learned the language of the local tribes and was able to act as interpreter.  He organized a militia company and eventually served as captain.  He was involved in both farming and trading and became well-to-do.   Tryntje married Steynmets in 1671, her fourth marriage and his third.  They had a double wedding with Tryntje’s son Walling who married Walling’s step-sister Catherina who was the daughter of Michael Tadesen.  Caspar brought nine children into the marriage including a one year old.  Tryntje died in 1677.
 
Source:  Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674 by John Oluf Evjen published 1916(Minneapolis, MN:  K.C. Holter)
 

Events

Birth1621Netherlands
Marriage1642Netherlands - Jacob Walichsen "Jacob Walichsen Van Hoorn" Van Winkle
ImmigrationAbt 1648New Netherlands
Marriage17 August 1657Jacob Stoffelszen
Marriage8 January 1668Bergen Dutch Reformed Church, Bergen, New Jersey, British America - Michael Tadesen (Van Yderstyne)
Marriage15 March 1671Bergen Dutch Reformed Church, Bergen, New Jersey, British America - Casper Stynmets II
DeathBef 12 May 1677Bergen, New Jersey
Burial12 May 1677Bergen, New Jersey

Families