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NOTES: Will of Jan Simonse van Arsdalen was written 1736, proved 29 April 1756 (Surrogate's Office, City of New York; Liber 20, page 1), mentions the children and his wife. Order of birth for those children without birth/baptsim dates is insecure. Unger; van Alstyne; NJHS Proceedings, Vol. 11, N.S.
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Children by Marijtie Baltusdochter:
1. Sijlijntje Simonsdochter van Arsdale
Children by Pieterje Claesen van Schouw:
1. Geertje Simonse van Arsdale
2. Cornelis Simonse van Arsdale
3. Jannetje Simonse van Arsdale
7. Maretje Simonse van Arsdale
NOTES: Sijmon signed his name with this spelling, although the "ij" has often been misinterpreted as a "y." (Autograph signature, notarial act, 10 May 1652, Streekarchiefdienst Hollands Midden, notariele archieven Gouda; inv. # 292, folio 94) and autograph signature on his letter of 9 September 1698 to his brother Joost Jansz van Arsdale (Streekarchiefdienst Hollands Midden, archief weeskamer Gouda, inv. # 616).
Family tradition says Sijmon came to America to explore the possibility of establishing a pottery works, and that he was awaiting the ship to transport him back to the Netherlands when he received word that his wife and children had died of plague, which news decided him to remain in New Netherland. The Netherlands family had an artisan tradition, which lends credence to the first allegation. Whether he was due to return to the Netherlands on the very ship which carried the news of his family tragedy is, perhaps, a dramatization. Perhaps not; worse coincidences happen, and transportation was not so readily available in his day. At any rate, there was a considerable traffic between New Netherland and the home country, so there is no reason to coubt that he was prepared to return, even if only to collect his family and bring them to America. And, there is no reason to doubt that, learning of their deaths, he found no good reason to return home, choosing instead to make the best life he could in the New World.
The discovery of several records, wills, transactions, and the letter dated 9 September 1698, from Sjmon Jansz van Arsdale to his brother Joost Jansz van Arsdale, in the archives of Gouda, by E. Th. R. Unger, were published in his article, "Voorts weet ick neit meer te schrijven," Jaarboek van het Centrall Bureau voor Genealogie," (Deel 50, 1996, pages 179-198) and in privately hired correspondence by American descendants. [Translated, the article reads "I know nothing more to write."]
Sijmon's brother, Philip, had a daughter, Geertruijt van Haesdaele, whose 1707 will, written with her second husband, Pieter Verveen, specified that 1,000 guilders was to be set aside as a legacy for her uncle, Symon Jansz van Haesdaelen of New Netherland, or his heirs. She died in 1727. In 1733, "Crelis Sijmoen van A..., Jan Sijmonsen van Aerdale, and P(h)ilip Vokers, husband of Mettie Sijmonsen van Aersdale," petitioned the Gouda Orphan's Court for the amount of money (plus interest) bequeathed by "the late Geertruy van Aersdal, who died in Gouda June 1727."
Geertruijt had been on the board of the Orphan's Court. In 18th century Netherlands, this was a charitable position which was fairly popular among well-to-do women, not unlike many of the committees and boards which direct today's charities. Without necessarily partaking of the daily toil and labor of providing for the poor and needy, it provided a sort of atonement common in the teachings of the Dutch Church; that those who have should assist those who have not. A social, but benevolent, stewardship.
Sijmon's land records, will, and letter make it clear that he took up farming in America.
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Jan Pauwelsz van Aesdaele
Geertje Philipsdochter Halters
NOTES: Jan Poulussen van Aersdael made his mark on a notarial document, 10 May 1652, which was also signed by sons Symon Jansz van Aersdael and Philip Jansz van Aersdael (Archief Weeskamer Gouda, Inventory # 292, folio 94; reproduced in "Voorts weet ick niet meer te schrijven," by E. Th. R. Unger, Jaarboek van het Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie, Deel 50 (1996), page 189). In this document, Jan and his sons agreed to not divide the inheritance of Geertje Halters; that Philip may live and work in the larger house, that his father may live and work in the same house, and that the house next door will be rented out. From the Jaarboek, we also learn that Jan was accepted as a member of the Reformed Congregation in Gouda, 20 July 1642; that he had been a carpet weaver, but later was a mustard maker. Geertje joined the Reformed Church 19 July 1643.
Jan Pouluszn van Aersdael agreed, 10 March 1654, to become guardian of the underage children of the late Jan Poulissen van Aesdaele and his wife Geertje Philips.
Philip Jansz was a linen weaver in the Naaijerstraat, Gouda. Joost was a typesetter. He lived for a while in Leiden after 1659, then moved to Gouda, where he rejoined the church, 9 October 1661 (having been accepted as a member 12 October 1659). He later traveled to Amsterdam, returned to Gouda in 1672, and retrned again to Amsterdam, where he lived in the Egelantierstraat, 1698.
Herr Unger assembled a number of documents regarding the van Aersdaeles reaching back to the earliest years of the 16th century, but proofs of relationships were not discovered. Based on patronymics and locales, Charles Vanorsdale has suggested the following as a likely ancestry:
Pauwel Pauwelsz van Aeysdale, born say 1560, Nukerke, Oost Vlanderen. He married Fiermijne Holters, 31 March 1588, Gouda, Holland. He was probably the son of Pauwel Joostensz van Haesdale.
Pauwel Joostensz van Haesdale, born say 1530, was living in Aalst, Oost Vlanderen, Belgium, in 1559. May be the son of Joosten van Haesdale, who was born c1500, Alst, Oost Vlanderen, Belgium.
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NOTES: Often given withe the alternate surname Wyckoff, an error thoroughly discussed and show to be without foundation by C. A. Hoppin, "Washington Ancestry," Volume III, pages 173 - 182.
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4. Pieterje Claesen van Schouw
5. Cornelis Claesen van Schouw
7. Gerbrant Claesen van Schouw
NOTES: See Hoppin, op. cit. Claes has no relationship with the Wyckoff family. Sometimes found with the surname Meutelaer, which translates as "grumbler, whiner, complainer," and which was sometimes applied to the Dutch Sea Beggars, a group of freebooters from well before Claes' time. It is possible that Claes' father or grandfather was a Sea Beggar; it is also possible that Claes grumbled about the poor quality of the land he inhabited in New Netherland, on what was then known as Meutelaer's Island, later called Bergen's Island.
On May 5, 1640, Claes stated his age as 35 years. In 1664, he stated that he was aged 67 years, which would make his birth in 1597. We may suppose that his memory was sharper in 1640, but no proof has been discovered to support either date as certain.
Metje Herberts (Harpentse) is a likely possibility for Claes' wife. See Dutch-Colonies Digest Volume 99, Issue # 159 (1999), for discussion between D. Koenig, B. Stevens and C. Vanorsdale
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