Will of Anneke Jans - 1663


In the name of the Lord, Amen. Know all men by these presents, That this day, the 29th of January, 1663, in the afternoon, about four o’clock, appeared before me, Derrick Van Schelluyne, notary public, in the presence of the witnesses hereafter mentioned, Anneke Janse, widow of Roeloff Janse, of Master Land, and now lastly widow of Reverend Everardus Bogardus, residing in the village of Beverwyck, and well known to us, notary and witnesses; the said Anneke Janse lying on her bed in a state of sickness, but perfectly sensible and in the full possession of her mental powers, and capable to testate, to which sound state of mind we can fully testify. The said Anneke Janse considering the shortness of life and certainty of death and the uncertainty of the hour or time, she said Anneke Janse, declared after due consideration without any persuasion, compulsion, or retraction, this present document to be her last will and testament, in manner following:

First of all recommending her immortal soul to the Almighty God, her Creator and Redeemer, and consigning her body to Christian burial, and herewith revoking and annulling all prior testamentary dispositions of any kind whatsoever, and now proceeding anew, she declared to nominate and institute as her sole and universal heirs her children, Sara Roeloffson, wife of Hans Kierstede; Catrina Roeloffsen, wife of Johanes Van Brugh; also Jannnettije and Rachel Hartgers, the children of her deceased daughter, Fytje Roeloffsen, during her life the wife of Peter Hartgers, representing together their mother’s place; also her son Jan Roeloffsen, and finally, William, Cornelius, Jonas, and Peter Bogardus, and to them to bequeath all her real estate, chattels, money, gold and silver, coined and uncoined, jewels, clothes, linen, woolen, household furniture, and all property what soever, without reserve or restriction of any kind, to be disposed of after her decease and divided by them in equal shares, to do with the same at their own will and pleasure without any hindrance whatsoever; provided never the less with this express condition and restriction that her four first born children shall divide between them out of their father’s property the sum of one thousand guilders, to be paid to them out of the proceeds of a certain farm, situate on Manhattan Island, bounded on the North river, and that before any other dividend takes place; and three of the children at the time of their marriage received certain donations, and as Jan Roeloffsen is yet unmarried, he is to receive a bed and milch cow; and to Jonas and Peter Bogardus she gives a house and lot situated to the westward of the house of the testatrix in the village of Beverwyck, going in length until the end of a bleaching spot, and in breadth up to the room of her, the testatrix, house, beside a bed for both of them and a milch cow to each of them, the above to be an equivalent of what the married children have received. Finally, she, the testatrix, of what the married children have received.

Finally, she, the testatrix, gives to Roeloff Kierstede, the child of her daughter Sara, a silver mug; to Annatje Van Brugh, the child of daughter Catrina, also silver mug; and to Jannettje and Rachel Hartgers, the children of her daughter Fytje, a silver mug each; and to the child of William Bogardus named Fytje also a silver mug; all the above donations to be provided for out of the first moneys received and afterwards the remainder of the property to be divided and shared as aforesaid. The testatrix declares this document to be her only true last will and testament, and desiring that after her decease it may supersede all other testaments, codicils, donations, or any other instruments whatsoever; and in case any formalities may have been omitted, it is her will and desire the same benefits may occur as if they actually have been observed; and she requested me, notary public, to make one or more lawful instruments in the usual form of this, her, testatrix, last will and desire.

Signed, sealed, and delivered at the house of the testatrix in the village of Beverwyck, in New Nitherland, in the presence of Ruth Jacobse Van Schoonderweert and Evert Wendell, witnesses. This the X marks of Anneke Janse with her own hand.

Rutger Jacbous, Evert Jacobus Wendell, D. V. Schelluyne, Notary Public, 1663.

notes

Will dated January 29, 1663. Printed in Abstract of Wills volume 28, pp. 487-90.

[Note from printed text] Anneke Janse, was the wife of Roeloff Janse, who came to New Amsterdam about 1631. In 1636 he obtained a grant from Governor Van Twiller for a farm or Bowers of about 62 acres, which has long been a bone of contention between the heirs of Anneke Janse and Trinity Church in New York. Roeloff Jansen died about 1637, and his widow soon married Rev. Everadus Boguardus, and lived with him at what is now No. 23 Whitehall street, New York. Dominie Bogardus was lost at sea, by the wreck of the “Princess,” in which he was returning to Holland. His widow then went to Beverwyck, and died there. She was buried in the yard of the Old Dutch Church in Albany. Her house and lot in Beverwyck were sold by her heirs to Dirck Wessells. “Bounded east by land of Jonas and Peter Bogardus, and west by Evert Janse Wendell. Being 2 rods 81/2 feet wide, and 5 rods 9 feet long The price was 1000 guilders in good whole merchantable beaver skins, at 8 guilders a piece. June 21, 1663. It was on the east corner of State and James streets."

Transformed by JP


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first posted 12/15/05; last updated 12/5/14