Johannes (Clute) Cloet (1635 - bef. 1684)

Born 1635 in Nürnberg, Middle Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Ancestors

Died before 11 Dec 1684 before age 49 in Albany, New York

Problems/Questions Profile managers: New Netherland Settlers WikiTree [send private message] and Bill Dunkley [send private message]

Jan (Clute) Cloet was a New Netherland settler. Join: New Netherland Settlers Project Discuss: new_netherland

Biography

Jans was born in 1635. He emigrated from Nürnberg and was settled in Beverwyck, New Netherland, by 1656. He was a fur trader and large landowner in and around Albany. ^[1][2] He was the son of Jacob Clute. ^[3]

He is said to have purchased a garden behind Fort Orange in 1657. In 1663, he purchased a lot on the hill from Sander Glen. In 1666, he purchased a number of varied items from the estate of Cornelis Bogardus. In 1669, he purchased an island in the Mohawk at Canastigione. In 1670, he was one of a number of owners who sold land at Coxsackie. In 1681, he liquidated his holdings on the Murderers Creek - which flowed east into the Hudson.^[2]

In 1674, "Lieutenant Jan Clute" was among those invited to the funeral of Jeremias Van Rensselaer.^[2]

In 1679, his name appeared on a list of Albany householders and he was assessed one of the highest taxes on the community-wide levy.^[2]

He may never have married, as he willed his estate to his nephew, Johannes Clute.^[2]

He died before 11 December 1684, when his will passed probate^[2]

Will

The will of Captain Johannes Cloet of Albany was dated July 23, 1683. It was proved on December 11, 1684. Heirs mentioned are his nephew Johannes Cloet jun., brothers Jacob, Barent, Evert, Clement, sisters Annetje and Engel Cloet, living at Niewen Roy, in the Lant van der Marken, No executor was named. Witnesses: Mr. Cornelis van Dyck, Magistrate Dirck Wessells (ten Broeck) and Robert Livingstone, secretary. Publication was in Albany Co. Records, Court Minutes, 1680-5, p. 618. ^[4]

Full text of his will: ^[5]

In the name of God, Amen. On this day, the twenty-third of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and eighty-three, before me Robert Livingston, secretary of Albany, colony of Renselaweswyck and Shinnechtady, and the hereinafter named witnesses, came and appeared Capt. Johannes Cloet, being at present weak in body, but in full possession of his mind, memory and understanding, as clearly appeared, who, considering the shortness and frailty of human life, the certainty of death and the uncertain hour thereof, and whishing therefore to forestall the same while the Lord God still leaves him time by proper disposition of his temporal estate to be left behind, he hereby declares that deliberately, without inducement, persuasion or misleading on the part of any one, he has ordained and concluded this, his present last will and testament, in form and manner following.

First and foremost, he commends his immortal soul to the gracious and merciful hands of God, his Creator and Redeemer, and his body to a Christian burial. And whereas, on the 17th of April 1677, he made a certain testamentary disposition, he hereby cancels and makes null and void the same and all other donations made in writing, by whatever name they may be called.

And coming now to his principal disposition, last will and final desire, he hereby appoints and institutes his nephew, Johannes Cloet, Jun., his sole and universal heir to all his property, real and personal, Negroes, Negresses, money, gold, silver, coined or uncoined, jewelry, clothes linen, woolens, household effects, etc., which upon his death he shall vacate and leave behind, both in this country and elsewhere, but with the express condition and reservation that his said heir shall have no right to sell, alienate, trade, convey, or mortgage the farm at Canastagioene, with the house, barn and hay barracks, under any usufruct [sic] thereof as long as they live, and when he Johannes Cloet, shall be dead, his present wife, Bata van Slichtenhorst, alone shall enjoy the income or rent thereof as long as she lives, behoof of the children whom the said Johannes Cloet, Jun., has, or during his marriage may procreate, to be equally divided among them after the death of the father and mother aforesaid.

Likewise, it is the testator’s will and desire that his aforesaid heir, Joh. Cloet, Jun., shall at the first opportunity pay the debts here in this country and then within the space of six years after the death of the testator make over a sum of eight hundred guilders Holland money as a donation to the testator’s brothers and sisters at Niewen Roy, in the Lant van der Marken, to wit. Jacob Cloet, Barent Cloet, Evert Cloet, and Clement Cloet, his brother and Annetje Cloet, and Engle Cloet, to be equally divided among them or their heirs.

All of what is hereinbefore written, he, the testator, declares to be his last will and testament, desiring that after death the same may have its full force and effect, whether as will, codicil, donation, gift in anticipation of death, or otherwise, as may be most suitable, even though some formalities required by law or custom should have been omitted, neglected or not inserted or observed herein, requesting that before all lords, courts or tribunals where the decedent's property may be located he may receive the utmost benefit hereof and that by me the secretary, one or more instrument therefore may be delivered to be used as may be proper.

Actum in Albany, at the house of the testator, dato ut supra, at about nine o’clock in the forenoon, in the presence of Mr Cornelis van Dyk and Mr. Dirk Wessells, commissaries, as witnesses hereto invited, and signed and sealed by the testator.

Sources

1. ↑ Evjen, John O. 1916. Scandinavian immigrants in New York, 1630-1674 with appendices on Scandinavians in Mexico and South America, 1532-1640, Scandinavians in Canada, 1619-1620, Some Scandinavians in New York in the eighteenth century, German immigrants in New York, 1630-1674. Minneapolis, Minn: K.C. Holter. p. 405-406.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Bielinski, Stefan. Jan Clute. "The People of Colonial Albany." New York State Museum. Updated 12/31/2012. Accessed July 09, 2015.
3. ↑ A source is needed for this information.
4. ↑ Fernow. Calendar of Wills. page 95. https://ia802703.us.archive.org/27/items/calendarofwillso01fern/calendarofwillso01fern.pdf Note: Fernow mistakenly identified Bata van Slichtenhorst, the wife of his nephew, as this man's wife.
5. ↑ Will of Johannes Clute, New York State Museum website. Notes: Will dated July 23, 1683. Proved on December 11, 1684. Printed in Court Minutes of Albany volume 3, pp. 499-501. Edited by Stefan Bielinski.

• Van Laer, Arnold J. F. Minutes of the Court: Of Albany, Rensselaerswyck and Schenectady, 1680-1685. Vol. III. Albany, New York: University of the State of New York, 1932. 499-501.

Acknowledgements

• Entered by Bill Dunkley, Monday, October 6, 2014.
• Abstract of will inserted by Meehan-411 4 July 2017.