From The Bergen Family by Teunis G. Bergen, Albany, N.Y., 1876, beginning on page 98:20
5. MICHAEL or "MIGGIEL" HANSEN Bergen, baptized Nov. 4th, 1646, in New Amsterdam; living as late as Jan. 22d, 1731, and died about 1732; m. Femmetje Theunis, daughter of Theunis Denyse1 (sometimes written Nysen,
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[Footnotes on Page 98]:1Teunis Nyssen emigrated as early as 1638, from Bininck or Bennekom, in the Sticht of Uythuyzen, a village near Arnhem, containing 212 houses and 900 Inhabitants, in the province of Gilderland, in the Netherlands, and died prior to August, 1663. According to the records of the New York Dutch church, he married Feb. 11th, 1640, Phabea Faelix, of Jarleston, England, who is known on other records as the widow of Hendrick the boor, who may have used the surname of Faelix. Phabea or Femmetje was the daughter of
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John Seals, an Englishman from Devonshire, written Jan Celes on the Dutch Colonial Records, who-came to New Amsterdam from New England as early as 1638, at which date he was a planter on Manhattan Island. Seals married Maria Robberts or Robertson, Femmetje being his only child of whom we have any account. His farm, commonly known as old Jans's land, and marked 37 on the farm map, on page 463 of Valentine's Manual of 1852, lay north of and adjoining the cripplebush (swamp), a miry outlet of the collect, or fresh water pond, now occupied by the lower part of Canal street, and extended along the river to Charlton street. In his latter days, Seals seems to have become irritable, and as a consequence he figures in court on charges of shooting his neighbor's hogs, and committing other damages. "In 1643, several cattle, belonging to the government, strayed in the woods, and messengers were despatched to look them up. When they came to Old Jans plantation by the swamp, they saw that the woman residing on said Old Jans plantation had driven with a goad the cattle into said swamp, so that they sunk into it over their backs; but as they were strong and well in flesh, they finally got through the morass." In 1645, Seals was in some way wounded, on which he made a will, dated April 7th, of that year, in which he devises to "Tonis Nyssen," his son-in-law, the half of all the means and effects he leaves behind, and to his wife, Marritje Robbers, the other half, until she marry or die: if she marry, then to have the use of said half during life, with privilege to dispose of 200 gl. by will out of the estate, as she may see fit, the remainder of her half, after her death, to go to "Tonis Nyssen," or his children and heirs. Seals died soon after executing the will, and in August 9th following, his widow m. Thomas Gridy or Grydy, an Englishman, and widower, 60 years old, who afterwards resided in Gravesend, got in trouble with George Baxter in 1656, and was sentenced to be publicly whipped, and to be banished the province for twelve years. Nyssen or Denyse administered on the estate, and April 3d, 1647, obtained a patent for "Old Jans Land" from Governor Kieft, in which it is described as extending "on the south side from the land and valley belonging to Everhardus Bogardus, minister, and on the north side to Cornelis Maersen, thence along the Negroes plantations to the Cripplebush of said Bogardus. It runs in breadth along the strand 50 rods, from the strand along the cripplebush south-east by east 150 rods, along the cripplebush to the Negroes land it stretches east by south 45 rods; along the Negroes plantation upwards
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North North West 60 rods; towards the strand downward North West by West 37 rods; along the cripplebush of Cornelis Maersen it runs North West by North 27 rods; along the cripplebush up to the strand Westerly 40 rods." June 11th, 1651, Teunis Nyssen conveyed these premises to Augustyn Heermans, who on the 11th of May, 1655, sold them to Rut Jacobsen, of Fort Orange, as per E. B. O'Callaghan. (See New York Corporation Manual, of 1820, p. 922, etc.) After Nyssen's death, Femmetje, his widow, married, August 24th, 1663 (Brooklyn Dutch Church records), Jan Cornelissen Buys, whose name appears on the list of small burgers of New Amsterdam in 1657, by whom no account of any issue, and died prior to June, 1667. Prior to 1639, Nyssen appears to have possessed or occupied a plantation on Manhattan Island, and Dec. 21st, 1643, there is an acknowledgment of his on the Colonial Records, of being indebted 400 carolus guilders to Cornelis Dircksen Hooglandt for the purchase of cows. Dec. 1st, 1646, he bought for 160 gl. of Leendert Arenden, a house and lot on the great highway opposite the company's garden on said island, which he sold May 13th, 1649, to Govert Loockermans. March 28th, 1647, he obtained a patent for a lot north of the public wagon road, and east of the company's land on Manhattan Island, which he also sold on the 13th of May, 1649, to Govert Loockermans. He also obtained a patent for a plantation and meadows at Gowanus, in the vicinity of Fourth and Fifth avenues and Carrol and President streets, where he at one time resided. The following abstract from a deed or agreement in the possession of Garret Brower, of Gowanus, of Nyssen to Adam Brower, throws light on the location of Nyssen's Gowanus farm: "This 1st day of April Anno 1654, appeared before me Dirck Schelluyne, pub. Notary, &c., Theunis Nyssen, farmer, living in Gouwanes upon the Long Island, & declared the said Nyssen to have granted &c. to Adam Brouwer, the which also appeared & this gift accepted, to wit:--Certain parcell of Bushland (woodland) limeting easterly after (in rear of) his house and land, broad 45 rods (551 f. 3 in.) proceeding to the highway (probably the old road from Gowanus to Brooklyn), and his land so far in the Bush (woods) as ye patent of Thennis Nyssen doth contain (extend); likewise so much ground whereupon Adam Brouwers house is built as ye said Adam for the present hath brought in hedge (fence), & also ye meadows fore (in front) of his house, limiting & proceeding to the East from a small creek in (to) a great creek, & so forth to the Bushland where the meadow doth
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stop, all laying on Gouwanes aforesaid, for which abovesaid gift the said Adam Brouwer doth promise on ye behalf of ye said Theunis Nyssen to be in his service the time of 18 days in this present month of April, & in the month of April 1655, 18 days, all without any cost of ye said Theunis Nyssen, being ye said Nyssen bound in the month of April 1655 aforesaid, when the last 18 days of service are satisfyed on ye behalf of ye said Adam Brouwer of ye aforesaid land & meadows to deliver lawful letters of possession & transport &c." In 1655 he bought a plantation in Flatbush, of Evert Duyckingh, for 660 carolus guilders, where he probably resided in 1656, for on the 13th of Dec., 1656 (as per Valentine's Manual of 1861, p. 591), "Teunis Nysen of Midwout" conveyed to Cosyn Gerritsen, a lot in New Amsterdam, patented to him Dec. 5th, 1643. He resided in Brooklyn in 1658 and 1661, and in said years was a magistrate of said town. Nyssen's children were: Jannetje Teunis, baptized Dec. 24th, 1641, m. Jan Hansen Bergen; Marretje Teunis, baptized April 3d, 1644, m. Derick Janse Wortman; Aartje Teunis, m. (supposed) Theodorus Polhemius; Annetje Teunis, baptized Feb. 28th, 1646, m. Hieronomus Rapalje; Elsje Teunis, baptized May 14th, 1648, m. Garret Snedeker; Femmetje Teunis, baptized April 3d, 1650, m. Michael Hansen Bergen; Dionys (Denyse) Teunis, baptized April 12th, 1654, m. (1st), Oct 22d, 1682, Elizabeth, daughter of Theodorus Polhemius, m. (2d), Aug. 12th, 1685, Helena, daughter of Jacques Corteljou, and widow of Claas (Nicholas) Van Brunt; Jan Teunissen, baptized April 12th, 1654, m. Catalina Tunis, daughter of Tunis Gysbertse Bogaert; Cornelis Teunisen, m. Aug. 23d, 1687, Neeltje, daughter of Tunis Gysbertse Bogaert, who, with his brother Jan Teunissen, settled on the Raritan, near Somerville, N. J., and whose descendants retain the surname of Tunisens, in place of that of Denyse. The descendants of his son Dionys, form the Denyse family of this vicinity and of New Jersey.The following is a fac simile of John Seals's signature:-- [Sorry, image not available at this time--Webmaster]
142 John SEALS. Born in 1594 in Devonshire, Eng. One source says he was born in 1607 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York. John died in 1645 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York. Alias/AKA: Jan SEALES.
In about 1618 John married Maria ROBERTS, in Brooklyn, Kings, N.Y.
They had one known child:71 i. Femmetje Jans (1619-1666)
143 Maria ROBERTS. Born in 1591 in England. One source has her born in 1609 in Brooklyn, Kings, N Y. Maria died in New York, New Amsterdam. Alias/AKA: Maria/Marritje ROBERTS/ROBBE/ROBBERTS/ROBERTSON.
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[Page 99]Nysse or Niessen), of Gowanus, and sister of Denyse Teunis, the ancestor of the Denyse family of King's county and New Jersey. Femmetje was baptized April 3d, 1650, in New Amsterdam.
March 10th, 1661, his name appears to the petition hereinbefore referred to in the account of Jan Hansen, to
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[Page 100]the governor and council for more land. May 15th, 1664, he obtained from Gov. Stuyvesant a patent for 20 morgens at New Bedford in the Wallabout.
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which at the time he probably resided. November 19th, 1679, the names of "Michael Hansz Bergen and Femmetje Teunis, his wife," appear on the list of members of the Reformed Dutch Church of Brooklyn, among the residents of the Walebocht, and from 1680 to 1685, he appears to have held the office of deacon in said church.
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but at present of Andriese Jurianse,1 southeast of the meadows; cast 68 rods, southeast 30 rods, further the maize land2 up to against the woods, northeast by north 60 rods, in the woods northeast by east 85 rods, in breadth in the woods to the land of said Andries Jurianse northwest 87 rods, again to the maize land next to the aforesaid Andrics Juriansen, southwest and southwest by west 55 rods, the maize land through to the first descent southwest a little southerly 137 rods, containing 19 morgen and 105 rods; also yet another parcel of land joining the above mentioned land, thereafter to said Cornelisse allowed and on his patent noted, great about 9, or 10 morgcn, so that the whole land contains about 29 morgen
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[Footnotes on Page 104]:
1Andries Juriansen, on Andries ?? ??, m. Annetje Pieters, widow of Jan Evertse Bout. She, after the death of Andries, m. Jan Janse St??ts, of ??. In 1674, he had a law suit with Albert Cornelysen Wantenaer.
2By maize land is meant land used by the Indians in the cultivation of ?? ?? or ?? torn, which, on account of being partly cleared, was very desirable to early settlers.
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as it more particularly by the patent can be seen: with the above to be included the meadows by said plantation located, and by Albert Cornelyse previous to this bought of Theunis Niessen, dec'd, which he promises to describe by the patent or deed from said Theunis Niessen." The boundary in the original patent of Gov. Kieft, of Feb. 22d, 1646, for this land to Huych Aerts Van Rossem,1 accords mainly with the description in the above agreement, and is as follows: "a piece of land lying at Mareckkawieck,2 on the marsh of Gouwanos Kill, the maize land as well as woodland, lying on the southeast by the land of Jan Evertse along the marsh, east 68 rods, southeast 30 rods, further along the maize land till to the woods northeast by north 60 rods, in the woods northeast by east 85 rods, the breadth in the woods till to the land of said Jan Evertse, (Bout,) northwest 87 rods, again to the maize land next to the land of the aforesaid Jan Evertse southwest and southwesterly 55 rods, through the maize land to the first descent southwest a little southerly 137 rods, amounting in all to 19 morgen and 105 rods." Endorsed on the patent is also "yet another adjoining parcel granted so as his land to contain by the measurement of the surveyor 29 morgen." A confirmatory patent for these premises was granted, June 21st, 1667, by Gov. Richard Nicolls to Albert Cornelysen (Wantenaer), who is stated therein to have married Trientye, the widow of the said van Rossum,3 in which the boundaries accord with the
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[Footnotes on Page 105]:
1Huych or Huyg Aertsen's name appears first in the Colonial Records, on the 31st of January, 1639. June 14th, 1643, as per Reformed Dutch Church records, of New York, "Huyg Aertsen, widr. of Annetje Theunis, m. Tryntje Harders, wid. of Hendrick Holst." In 1646, Huych was a magistrate of Brooklyn.
2The Indian name of Brooklyn.
3He m. Tryntje, Feb. 23, 1648, in New Amsterdam, her name on the marriage record being "Tryntje Herders Van Tunningen."
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