Individual Details
Jan Joosten Van Meteren
(1634 - Bef 13 Jun 1706)
Jan Joosten Van Meter(en) arrived at the Dutch Colony called New Netherlands at New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1662, coming from Tiederwelt, with his wife and five children ranging in age from 2 to 15 years. Different genealogies cite April 12, August 31, or September 12, 1662, for his arrival. The 'New Netherlands Register' gives it as August 31, 1662, but then again, Jan Joosten from Tiederwelt with wife and five children ages 15, 12, 9, 6, and 2 1/2 years are contained in the list of passengers arriving in the "Ves" (Fox) at New Amsterdam 12th September, 1662. (Passenger lists 1657 - 1664. Doc History, New York. Vol. III, pp. 52-63, Year Book Hist. Coc. N.Y., 1896) At least there seems to be agreement on the year, 1662. However, Jan himself must have been in America at an earlier date because in 1661 he was appointed, together with Allard Heymans Roosa and Jan Geitssen, to serve on a committee to superintend the enclosing of New Village, also called New Dorp (which later became Hurley).
Shortly after their arrival, the family travelled north up the Hudson River to create their new home in Wyltwick (was also called Esopus, now Kingston). Wyltwick was one of several settlements such as New Village/New Dorp (Hurley), Marbletown (Mormel) and New Paltz, founded by the Dutch and French Huguenots between 1660 and 1680 about 60 miles up from the bay. The settlements were built in the fertile valleys on the west shore of the Hudson among the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
Hardly a year later, on June 7, 1663, the Minnisink Indians raided the new settlements on the Hudson, burning the villages of Hurley and Wyltwick (Kingston) and taking captives. Several settlers were killed and wounded. The captives included Joosten's wife Maeyken and two of his children, along with Mrs. Catherine Blancham du Bois, wife of Louis du Bois, and her baby daughter Sara. They were rescued months later by Captain Martin Kreiger and his company of Dutch soldiers. It is presumed that his son, Jan Joosten, was one of those carried away, because of his later association and travel with the Indians. (A dramatized story of their rescue is told under Catherine Du Bois). The attack started what became known as the Second Esopus War.
At Wyltwick, Jan Joosten took up farming and speedily became prominent in the community. He was appointed referee in a lawsuit in 1665, and was elected schepen (a minor judiciary position) which gave him jurisdiction in all civil actions under the sum of 100 guilders ($60). He could also pronounce sentences in criminal cases subject to appeal. Jan Joosten was elected deacon in the Dutch Reformed church in 1667 and witnessed or sponsored baptisms at the homes of his friends and relatives. He was re-elected schepen in 1668.
The Indians weren't the only other inhabitants to trouble the settlers at Wyltwick. In 1667 the outrageous conduct of the English garrison enraged the Dutch Colony. A few years earlier, in 1664, New Amsterdam had been taken by the British and renamed New York. Jan Joosten took no sides but acted as mediator in keeping the excited inhabitants from committing any rash act, which would only have resulted in the destruction of their lives and property. During his term of office, on September 5, 1669, the name of Wildwyck was changed to Kingston by the English. Jan Joosten and his fellow Dutch magistrates were not consulted about the change.
After the rebuilding of New Dorp (Hurley), Jan appears to have settled there. Through an adjustment of the boundaries between Hurley and Marbletown on March 30, 1669, Jan's property, together with that of seven of his fellow citizens, was annexed to Marbletown. He appears to have had property at Marbletown two years before this.
After the Dutch re conquest, Colve became governor of New Netherlands. Jan Joosten, Louis DuBois, Roelof Hendericksen and Jan Broersen, were appointed magistrates of Marbletown and Hurley in 1673 in place of the appointees of the formal English government. Governor Colve appointed Jan Joosten to serve a second term. He also was appointed justice of peace for Esopus and was present at the Court of Assizes in New York, October 4-6, 1682. After the overthrow of the Dutch government and coming under English rule, all the inhabitants of New Netherlands had to swear allegiance to the English King. Jan Joosten was among those who swore allegiance to the English in Ulster county, NY, on September 1, 1689.
Even though Jan Joosten was prominent in the Esopus section of the colony of New York, he must have considered prospects more promising in the southern part of the county. He obtained land grants in the province of East Jersey through a period extending from 1689 to the year of his death, 1706. At an advanced age he moved with his family, except his son Joost, to Salem Co. in the colony of New Jersey. He and another, probably his son-in-law Jan Hamel of Esopus, Ulster County, NY, who had married his daughter Geetje Crom in 1682, jointly bought on October 18, 1695, from Edward Hunlocke, the deputy governor of Wingerworth, Burlington Co., a plantation of five hundred acres, located at Lassa (Lazy) Point on the Delaware River, about twenty-three miles northeast of Philadelphia. This property was on the path used by Dutch traders travelling between the settlements on the Delaware and the lower Hudson, now the city of Burlington. He seems, the next year, to have returned to Ulster county, NY, but to have retained his interest in the New Jersey property until 1699, when by deed conveyance, he transfers his share to Jan Hamel.
He and his son Jan Joosten next appear as individual purchasers of certain lands in Somerset county, New Jersey. In 1700 he made a large individual purchase of land along the South Branch of the Raritan River, near the present town of Somerville. The plantation aggregated 1835 acres and also included six slaves, a Negro man, woman, and four children. His grandsons, Jan, Hendrick, and Isaac Van Meteren first bought three thousand acres and later three thousand more. The Van Meterens were among the largest early property owners and the most prominent residents of southern New Jersey. He probably settled and died near Raritan (now Somerville), New Jersey.
Jan Joosten's will, filed with inventory of his personal property in Burlington Co. Surrogates Office, dated June 13, 1706, was written in Dutch. His wife was to retain full possession of the entire estate, including lands. houses, personal property, money, gold and silver, coined and uncoined. After their deaths, the property was to be inherited by their children: Jooste Janse to have one half of the entire estate first; Jooste and Gysbert to have the land at Marbletown, Jooste one half and the other half to be divided between them; Geertje Crom to have the land at Wassenmakers; the children of Lysbeth, deceased, to have their portion in money from the other heirs.
Shortly after their arrival, the family travelled north up the Hudson River to create their new home in Wyltwick (was also called Esopus, now Kingston). Wyltwick was one of several settlements such as New Village/New Dorp (Hurley), Marbletown (Mormel) and New Paltz, founded by the Dutch and French Huguenots between 1660 and 1680 about 60 miles up from the bay. The settlements were built in the fertile valleys on the west shore of the Hudson among the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
Hardly a year later, on June 7, 1663, the Minnisink Indians raided the new settlements on the Hudson, burning the villages of Hurley and Wyltwick (Kingston) and taking captives. Several settlers were killed and wounded. The captives included Joosten's wife Maeyken and two of his children, along with Mrs. Catherine Blancham du Bois, wife of Louis du Bois, and her baby daughter Sara. They were rescued months later by Captain Martin Kreiger and his company of Dutch soldiers. It is presumed that his son, Jan Joosten, was one of those carried away, because of his later association and travel with the Indians. (A dramatized story of their rescue is told under Catherine Du Bois). The attack started what became known as the Second Esopus War.
At Wyltwick, Jan Joosten took up farming and speedily became prominent in the community. He was appointed referee in a lawsuit in 1665, and was elected schepen (a minor judiciary position) which gave him jurisdiction in all civil actions under the sum of 100 guilders ($60). He could also pronounce sentences in criminal cases subject to appeal. Jan Joosten was elected deacon in the Dutch Reformed church in 1667 and witnessed or sponsored baptisms at the homes of his friends and relatives. He was re-elected schepen in 1668.
The Indians weren't the only other inhabitants to trouble the settlers at Wyltwick. In 1667 the outrageous conduct of the English garrison enraged the Dutch Colony. A few years earlier, in 1664, New Amsterdam had been taken by the British and renamed New York. Jan Joosten took no sides but acted as mediator in keeping the excited inhabitants from committing any rash act, which would only have resulted in the destruction of their lives and property. During his term of office, on September 5, 1669, the name of Wildwyck was changed to Kingston by the English. Jan Joosten and his fellow Dutch magistrates were not consulted about the change.
After the rebuilding of New Dorp (Hurley), Jan appears to have settled there. Through an adjustment of the boundaries between Hurley and Marbletown on March 30, 1669, Jan's property, together with that of seven of his fellow citizens, was annexed to Marbletown. He appears to have had property at Marbletown two years before this.
After the Dutch re conquest, Colve became governor of New Netherlands. Jan Joosten, Louis DuBois, Roelof Hendericksen and Jan Broersen, were appointed magistrates of Marbletown and Hurley in 1673 in place of the appointees of the formal English government. Governor Colve appointed Jan Joosten to serve a second term. He also was appointed justice of peace for Esopus and was present at the Court of Assizes in New York, October 4-6, 1682. After the overthrow of the Dutch government and coming under English rule, all the inhabitants of New Netherlands had to swear allegiance to the English King. Jan Joosten was among those who swore allegiance to the English in Ulster county, NY, on September 1, 1689.
Even though Jan Joosten was prominent in the Esopus section of the colony of New York, he must have considered prospects more promising in the southern part of the county. He obtained land grants in the province of East Jersey through a period extending from 1689 to the year of his death, 1706. At an advanced age he moved with his family, except his son Joost, to Salem Co. in the colony of New Jersey. He and another, probably his son-in-law Jan Hamel of Esopus, Ulster County, NY, who had married his daughter Geetje Crom in 1682, jointly bought on October 18, 1695, from Edward Hunlocke, the deputy governor of Wingerworth, Burlington Co., a plantation of five hundred acres, located at Lassa (Lazy) Point on the Delaware River, about twenty-three miles northeast of Philadelphia. This property was on the path used by Dutch traders travelling between the settlements on the Delaware and the lower Hudson, now the city of Burlington. He seems, the next year, to have returned to Ulster county, NY, but to have retained his interest in the New Jersey property until 1699, when by deed conveyance, he transfers his share to Jan Hamel.
He and his son Jan Joosten next appear as individual purchasers of certain lands in Somerset county, New Jersey. In 1700 he made a large individual purchase of land along the South Branch of the Raritan River, near the present town of Somerville. The plantation aggregated 1835 acres and also included six slaves, a Negro man, woman, and four children. His grandsons, Jan, Hendrick, and Isaac Van Meteren first bought three thousand acres and later three thousand more. The Van Meterens were among the largest early property owners and the most prominent residents of southern New Jersey. He probably settled and died near Raritan (now Somerville), New Jersey.
Jan Joosten's will, filed with inventory of his personal property in Burlington Co. Surrogates Office, dated June 13, 1706, was written in Dutch. His wife was to retain full possession of the entire estate, including lands. houses, personal property, money, gold and silver, coined and uncoined. After their deaths, the property was to be inherited by their children: Jooste Janse to have one half of the entire estate first; Jooste and Gysbert to have the land at Marbletown, Jooste one half and the other half to be divided between them; Geertje Crom to have the land at Wassenmakers; the children of Lysbeth, deceased, to have their portion in money from the other heirs.
Events
| Birth | 1634 | Holland, Gelderland, Thielerwarrd |  | ||
| Marriage | Abt 1656 | Holland, Dreuth Province - Macyken Hendryjkson (Hendricksen) |  | ||
| Will | 16 Dec 1681 | | |||
| Death | Bef 13 Jun 1706 | Raritan, Burlinton Co., New Jersey, | | | |
| Probate | 13 Jun 1706 | New Jersey, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Macyken Hendryjkson (Hendricksen) (1624 - ) |
| Child | Joost Janse Van Meteren (1656 - 1706) |
| Child | Gysbert Janse Van Meteren (1660 - ) |
| Father | Melchior Van Meteren (1604 - ) |
| Mother | Arience Anneken (1608 - 1656) |
| Sibling | Gysbert "Gilbert" Van Meteren ( - ) |
Notes
Birth
Thielerwaard, Guelderland Province, southeast of Utrecht, between Tiel and Gorincham.Will
His will named his wife Macyke as his primary heir, with their property, following her decease, to go to their children. Jooste Jans, being the eldest son, was to have the largest share of his parent's estate, including three-fourths of the land at Marbletown, New York. Gysbert would have the remaining one-quarter. Daughter Geertje was to have the property at Wassamker's land. The children of Lysbeth, who was already dead by this time, were to receive gifts of money. For some unknown reason, daughter Cathrin is not mentioned at all. Maybe it was because she was married and had already "received her portion and so disappears from consideration in the distribution of his property."Death
This date is the filing of his inventory for his will.Probate
An inventory of Jan Joosten Van Meteren estate, dated June 13, 1706, shows that when he died he had a little more than £235 worth of personal property, including six Negro slaves - a man, a woman, and four children, all worth £145.(State of New Jersey archives)
Endnotes
1. Smyth, Samuel Gordon, A genealogy of the Duke-Shepherd-Van Metre family : from civil, military, church, and family records and documents (Lancaster, Pa.: New Era Print Co., 1909, 480 pgs.), p. 10.
2. Smyth, Samuel Gordon, A genealogy of the Duke-Shepherd-Van Metre family : from civil, military, church, and family records and documents (Lancaster, Pa.: New Era Print Co., 1909, 480 pgs.), p. 12.