Willem Jansen Traphagen (abt. 1616 - aft. 1685)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Note on Name 2 Biography 2.1 Birth and Early Years 2.2 From Lemgo to Amsterdam 2.3 Nieuw Nederland 2.4 Civic and Church Life 2.5 Marriage and Family 2.5.1 First Marriage 2.5.2 Second Marriage 2.5.3 Third Marriage 2.6 Death and Will 3 Sources 4 Acknowledgments

Note on Name

Willem's name is recorded with several variants in different sources. His first name is variously given as Willem (a Dutch form), William (an English form), and Wilman (a German form). His last name appears as Traphagen, Trophagen, Traphage, and Traphagel. Many documents include a patronym of Jansen, Janszen, or Janzen, with or without the last name. ^[1] On at least one occasion he is said to have signed his name "Wilmen Jansen Traphagen".^[2]

Trophagen/Traphagen.

According to an article from Lemgo, the surname Traphagen/Trophagen began as a place name for a village about 4 km/2.5 m. from Lemgo starting in the late 14th century. It has been integrated into Lemgo since 1970. The scribes of the time considered the difference between the two spellings to be unimportant, so that one and the same person was often called Trophages at one time and Traphage at another. The surname itself is generally spelled Traphagen only in America.^[3][4]

Biography

Birth and Early Years

Willem was born in about 1616 (possibly Aug 26) in Lemgo, Lippe, Nordrhein-Westphalen, Germany.^[1][5][6][7] His birthplace was identified as Leunichor, Minnen, Netherlands, by many sources, including Burhans.^[8] Chris Brooks has suggested that the place name Leunichor results from an error by an early translator ^[9] Bergen calls him "a Frenchman from Lemgo," but there is no evidence for a French origin.^[2]

His parents were Johannes Traphagen, a doctor and bailiff of the house at Hemelyck, in the Bishopric of Minnen, under the Duke Van der Lip" and Heledt Delendal.^[10][11] In 1671 he told the court that he was the heir to fiefs in Europe, including "a freehold at Merinen called Corpus Christi bringing in an annual income of one hundred rix dollars [i.e., rijksdaalder], a freehold standing in the Church at Lemigo called Maria Virginia bringing in an annual income of eighty rix dollars, and a freehold at Belleveldt called Maria Salutas bringing in an annual income of sixty rix dollars." (Translation attributed to Jonathan W. Hasbrouck of Kingston, N.Y.)^[12] Brooks observes that Willem "was evidently from a family of some means and orphaned young, as the deposition names his four guardians." One of them, Jan Willems, was the husband of his father's sister Anna and one, Johannes Nichousen, was the husband of one of his mother's sisters and a councilor in Heerfort/Hereford.^[1] It is possible they were chosen since both parents had died. Even if only his father died, however, he would have been considered an orphan and given guardians, who may have decided to apprentice him to a baker.

From Lemgo to Amsterdam

During the 30 Years War, on 15 October 1638, Lemgo was put under siege by a Palatine-Swedish Army, but they lifted the siege after a relief force was detected approaching.^[13][14] The Battle of Vlotho, also called the Battle of Lemgo, occurred 2 days later, about 11 miles away from the town and was a victory for the Holy Roman Empire. Prince Rupert of the Rhine was captured at Lemgo shortly after this battle.^[15][16] It is possible that William Traphagen may have fought in defense of his town in the 30 Years War, but more research is required to ascertain this.

Population Losses in Germany during the 30 Years War.

Lemgo is just about halfway between Dortmund and Hanover, located in an area which saw population loss of more than 33%, and along a main road (red on the map).^[17]

Soldiers Plundering a Farm - 30 Years War

The fighting in this area encouraged the Traphagen family to move to Amsterdam, and at some point Imperial and Swedish troops looted his father's house. His father's house at Echternstraße 94 in Lemgo is on a list of ruined houses in 1651 in the 30 Years War.^[3][1] In 1646, after Willem left Lemgo for Amsterdam, Nederland, he sought employment as a "journeyman baker" under the patronymic Jansen.^[1] During 1647 he was in Lemgo to give power of attorney to his uncle Johannes Nichoesen, a councillor at Herford, and his cousin Anthony Traphagen, a minister to the Calvinists at Almena, probably signaling his permanent removal from Lemgo. On April 10, 1647, he was recorded in the Amsterdam Citizenship Books as a master baker.

Nieuw Nederland

Willem emigrated to New Netherland, probably arriving after 1651, but before 1657. His name first appears in New Netherlands records on 21 Jan 1658. Initially, he was in Nieuw Amsterdam (New York City), primarily in Boswijck (Bushwick), which is part of Brooklyn. Eventually he was banished from that village and went to Kingston, Ulster, New York.

Civic and Church Life

Chris Brooks described him as "a man with a fiery temper that tended to get him into trouble."^[1] He was no stranger to the courtroom.^{[2][18][19][20]}

-1658 Jan 21: William Taphagen (sic), plaintiff, filed a lawsuit against a man named Jan Cees. The case was referred to competent judges.^[21]

-1659 Aug 26: Isaac Grevera (Gravenraedt?) sued Willem for 7½ beavers or sewant (wampum) for half a year's rent, which he was ordered to pay.^[22]

-1660 Feb 17: Isaack Greveraat requested an eviction order in his suit with Willem Traphagen as to rent for house, which was granted.^[23]

- 1660 Feb 24: Willem Traphagen v. Isaack Greveraat. Willem protested against the eviction order after earlier dispute over payment of rent in beavers, but the judgment of 17 Feb 1660 was upheld.^[24]

-1660 Mar 7: Moved into the first house erected by the Pond in Bushwick (Boswijck, Boswick), Long Island, New York.^[25] The last of the six original towns of Brooklyn, Bushwick was settled before "Peter Stuyvesant chartered the area in 1661, naming it Boswijck, meaning "neighborhood in the woods" in 17th-century Dutch."^[26]

-1660 Mar 16: The wife of Hendrik Jansen Spiers demanded one hundred and eighteen guilders for grain sold him, Willem acknowledged the debt, and the Court ordered Willem to pay.^[27]

-1661 Mar 14: Stuyevesant, the Dutch governor urged outlying farmers who were subject to Indian attacks to form towns. He was one of twenty-three men who applied for town rights in the newly chartered town of Bushwick on Long Island.^[28]

• -1662 Mar 24: Signed a petition to the magistrates of Boswyck asking them to move a path since the current one goes over land whose owners will not let them pass.^[29]
• -1662 Mar 30: Contributed 3 fl. to a fund to help "ransom Tunis Craeyen's son Jacob, then a prisoner among the Turks."^[30]

-1662 Aug 11: Willem's wife Joostje was accused of killing a man's pig and Willem was fined 13 guldens or guilders to be paid to the poor fund.

-1663 - In the old Bushwick records on page 28, he was listed as William Traphagen, a private on the muster-roll of the town.^[31]

-1664 Jan 4: The fine for the pig had not been paid and Willem was called back to court and ordered to pay. He called one of the Bushwick magistrates a false judge and was sentenced to appear with uncovered head and beg pardon of God, justice, and the insulted magistrate, plus pay the original thirteen guilders to the overseer of the poor, with Costs.^[32]

-1664 May: He was sentenced to be tied to the stake for taking an insolent letter someone else wrote making fun of the magistrates of Bushwick and using indecent language towards them. He was also to be banished, although "tangled Roots and Twisted Branches" says that "he made a statement clearing his name."^[33][34][35]

It is not known if he left immediately, but in 1666 he was still on the town records in Bushwick/Boswijck. Eventually he moved to Kingston, possibly in 1667-1668. There is no baptismal record in Kingston for his youngest son Hendrick, but some genealogies put his birth between 1666-1668, possibly in Bushwick.^[36][37][38]

-1671 Aug 26: He made the deposition before the Court of Kingston mentioned above, describing his property abroad and his family background.^[39][40]

-1675 Jan 25: The court ordered Willem to pay 9 schepels of wheat that he owed the plaintiff, with Costs.

-1675 May 4: He and the defendant had counter claims about cutting palisades, getting a plow and plowing, and paying 300 schepels of wheat for land sold to Willem. The court ordered them to each prove their assertions.^[41]

-1675 Jul 24: Willem Trophagen requested 10 morgans (20 acres) of land for a plantation. The Court granted the same to the petitioner, subject to the Lord governor's approval. The two land transactions on April 15 1676 and October 2, 1676 seem to be the result - a grant from the Court and a deed from Governor Andros to William. In about 1688, this land is mentioned in the Minutes of Trustees of Kingston.^[1][42]

-1678: As of 1678, Willem Jansen Traphagen was a resident of Ulster County, New York, living on land he owned at Westquansengh, near Kingston.^[43]

-1684 Jul 7: Willem and his third wife Joosie witnessed the baptism of Lysbeth Burhans, daughter of Jan Burhans and Helena Traphagen, his daughter, at the Old Dutch Church, Kingston, Ulster, New York.^[44]

-1698 1 May: A Willem Traphagen is a sponsor for Rebecca Traphagen's twins, Lea and Rachel. She is probably his sister not his daughter, especially since his brother Hendrick Trephagen is also a sponsor. However, this may be why a date of death in 1699 has been posited for Willem Jansen Traphagen, his father.^[45][46]

Marriage and Family

In a statement he made to the court in 1671, Willem Traphagen described his marital history:

"And whereas I was married to Jannetje Claessen Groenvis of Meppelt and had by her a daughter named Helet Traphagen and she dying I was married again to a woman called Aeltje Dirricksen Meermans and begat by her a son Johannes Traphagen and she dying I was again married to Joostje Willemse Nooltryck of Amsterdam and begat by her a daughter named Rebecca and sons Willem and Hendrick Traphagen." (Translation attributed to Jonathan W. Hasbrouck of Kingston, N.Y.)^[47]

First Marriage

Willem filed intentions to marry Jannetje Claes in Amsterdam on October 20, 1646, using the name Willem Jansen and described himself as "van Lemgo."^[48]

"inschrijvingsdatum: 20-10-1646,

naam bruidegom: Jansen, Willem,

naam bruid: Claes, Jannetje

The three known children of Willem Jansen and Jannetje Claesen were all baptized in at Nieuw Kirke in Amsterdam.^[1]

• Joannes (bp. 1 Aug 1647. Died before March 1651 when another son was baptized as Joannes, a Dutch form of Johannes.)
• Helena (bp. 5 Sep 1649)
• Joannes (bp. 5 Mar 1651)

There is no information currently available about Jannetje's date or place of death. It is not known if she came to New Netherland with WIllem.

Second Marriage

On 1 June 1658, he married his second wife, Aeltje Dircks, in New Amsterdam. The record of that marriage describes him as Willem Janszen Traphagen, Van Lemgo (i.e., from Lemgo), widower of Jutge Claes Groenvis, and his bride as Aeltje Dircx, Van Steenwyck (i.e., from Steenwyck, probably referring to Steenwijk, Overijssel, Netherlands).^[49][50][51] They had one child:

• Johannes (bp. 9 Apr 1659 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland, Witnesses Herman Janszen de Draijer, Dirckje Geleijn).^[52]

Aeltje died between 1659 and 1661

Third Marriage

Willem's third marriage to the widow Joostje Willems Noortwyck was in 1661. Intentions were recorded in the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam on 15 Jan 1661.^[50][53][54] Willem Traphagel, Wed r. Van Aeltje Dircx, en Joosje Willems, Wed e. Van Jan Verkinderen,and they were married 6 February 1661, apparently in Breukelen.^[55] Their children were:^{[56][57][58][59][60]}

• Rebecca (bp. 19 Feb 1662- Witnesses: Roelof Jansen, Magdalentie Valincks)
• Willem, Jr.
• Hendrick

Death and Will

Willem made a will dated February 16, 1685 in Kingston, Ulster County, New York,^[61] and died some time thereafter, probably in Ulster County. West, Family Data Collection - Deaths reports that he died February 16, 1683 in Bushwick, Queens, New York, but this is inconsistent with his place of residence and the date of his will.^[62] His name is not on the list of Oaths of Allegiance for Ulster County, 1 Sep 1689, although his three sons, William Traphager Jr., Johanas Traphager, and Hendrick Traphager, are listed. He also was not on the list of those who declined to sign. This suggests that he died before that date, although there are several sources that state that he died in 1699, but without references given. ^[63][1]

The children named in William's will were sons Johannes, William, and Henry and daughters Helena (identified as the wife of Jan Boerhans of Kingston) and Rebecca (identified as the wife of Peter Peterson of Hurley).^[61]

TROPHAGEN, WILLIAM, of Kingston.

Will dated Febr. i6, 1685. "My soule to Almighty God." "To my three sons namely Johannes Trophagen, William Trophagen and Henry Trophagen, all my Land which I att present enjoy withall houses barns" also "three horses with a plow and a wagon and other implements with the proviso that my said three sons shall work upon the land" "and Likewise to maintain me And my wife Joosie so long as both or Either of us shall live." — "My eldest son Johannes Trophagen 50 gilders and my Eldest Daughter Helena wife of Jan Boerhanse 50 gilders being Allotted to them before I married my Last wife Joosie." "The rest of my Estate whether in horses cows hogs either young or old or household stuff shall be equally divided amongst my three sons And my two daughters (to witt) Helena who is married unto Jan Boerhans of Kingston And Rebecca who is married unto Peter Peterson of Hurley." — Wife appointed executor, and after her death "my three aforesaid sons joyntly Executors.

Signed by the testator

Witnessed by Warren Du Mont and Willem Jacobs

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Brooks, Chris. "Willem Jansen Traphagen, 1616-1685, Old Dutch New York" [1]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Bergen, Teunis G. "Register in Alphabetical Order, of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N.Y...." New York: S. W. Greenes Son, Printer, Electrotyper and Binder, 1881. p.306 [2]
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Familie Trophagen/Traphagen blüht in Amerika, aber nicht mehr in Lemgo." Website Alte Hansestadt Lemgo, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland. [3]
4. ↑ Seite „Trophagen“. In: Wikipedia, Die freie Enzyklopädie. Bearbeitungsstand: 23. November 2020, 18:58 UTC. URL: [4] (Abgerufen: 12. Februar 2021, 04:54 UTC)
5. ↑ Burhans, p.5
6. ↑ Scottt, Kenneth. (1976) Early New Yorkers and their ages. National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Vol .64, p.132. [5]
7. ↑ Wardlow, p. 26
8. ↑ Burhans, p.5
9. ↑ Brooks, Chris. "Re: Leunichor." Home > Forum > Surnames > Ostrander, Genealogy.com, 9 December 2005. [6]
10. ↑ Burhans, p.5
11. ↑ Wardlow, pp. 13-14, 23
12. ↑ Burhans, p.5
13. ↑ Guthrie, William P. (2003). "Appendix F: The Action at Vlotho, October 17, 1638", The Later Thirty Years War: From the Battle of Wittstock to the Treaty of Westphalia, Contributions in Military Studies, 222 (illustrated ed.), Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 72-73. [7]
14. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. (2020, March 14). Battle of Vlotho. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:54, February 10, 2021. [8]
15. ↑ Gentles, I. (2007). The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652. London: Routledge. p.219
16. ↑ Royle, T. (2004). Civil War: The wars of the three kingdoms, 1638-1660. London: Little, Brown. p. 293
17. ↑ Population_losses_map.jpg
18. ↑ Burhans, p.4
19. ↑ Provost, pp. 18, 51-52
20. ↑ Cutter, W. Richard. (1912). Genealogical and family history of central New York: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. Vol. I, p.481.[9]
21. ↑ Lintz, 160a, Court Case, p.152
22. ↑ Lintz, 332e, Court Case, p.183
23. ↑ Lintz, 490e, Request, p.210
24. ↑ Lintz, 496c, Court Case, p.211
25. ↑ Stiles, p.8
26. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. (2020, December 20). Bushwick, Brooklyn. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:42, February 10, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bushwick,_Brooklyn&oldid=995403829
27. ↑ Lintz, 511a, Court Case, p.213
28. ↑ Stiles, p.8
29. ↑ Stiles, p.332 (From Dutch Manuscripts, Vol. X, p.97)
30. ↑ Stiles, p.334. (From Dutch Manuscripts, x, part n, 24. Signed Peter Jan De Wit, Jan Corn Zieuw Ryck Leydeeker, Le Selier.)
31. ↑ Stiles, p.8
32. ↑ Stiles, p.9. (From Dutch Manuscripts, Vol. X, Part III, pp.16 & 80.)
33. ↑ Burhans, p.4
34. ↑ Stiles, p.339. (From Dutch Manuscripts, Vol X, Part II, p.215)
35. ↑ Traphagen Genealogy Info. [10]
36. ↑ Brooks: Hendrick Traphagen.[11]
37. ↑ Vandiver: Hendrick Traphagen. [12]
38. ↑ GENI: Hendrick Traphagen. [13]
39. ↑ Burhans, pp.4-5
40. ↑ Holland, pp.702-703
41. ↑ Holland, p.534
42. ↑ Provost, pp. 6 &18
43. ↑ DeGeer, Kent. (6 Nov 2008) The Verified Account of the First Two Generations of the Ostrander Family. Ostrander Family Association. p.15 [14]
44. ↑ Hoes, #374, p. 22
45. ↑ Hoes, #1024, p. 52
46. ↑ Chester, Chris. "The Brouwer Genealogy Database." freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brouwergenealogydata. Accessed 23 Jun 2017. ;http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brouwergenealogydata/index.htm]
47. ↑ Burhans, p.5
48. ↑ Archief van de Burgerlijke Stand: doop-, trouw- en begraafboeken van Amsterdam (retroacta van de Burgerlijke Stand), Ondertrouwregister: NL-SAA-27434415. bronverwijzing: DTB 464, p.82; opmerkingen: Huwelijksintekeningen van de KERK."
49. ↑ Maynard, p. 87
50. ↑ ^{50.0 50.1} Evjen, John O. (1996.) _German Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674. Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630-1674. New York, 1916. Reprinted for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc. p.432. [15]
51. ↑ Purple, Vol. 1X, p. 23
52. ↑ Collections NY Gen. & Biog. Soc.: 1890, Vol. 1, Page 52
53. ↑ Maynard, p. 87
54. ↑ Purple, Vol. 1X, p. 26
55. ↑ New York, Church Records, 1660-1954. Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 8 February 2021. Multiple churches, New York. [16]
56. ↑ Ledley, W. van D. (1957). Index to the First book of records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn. pp. 27 & 29. [17]
57. ↑ Potter, E. Cornelius. (1935). "Genealogies of the B. Franklin Adams, Col. Thomas Baker and James Evans and related families of Zanesville, O., Iowa and California, their descendants to the present generation."Ames, Iowa: Published by author.[18]
58. ↑ Linde, A. P. G. Jos van der., Holland Society of New York. Scholarship Committee., Old First Reformed Church (Brooklyn, N. York. (1983). Old First Dutch Reformed Church of Brooklyn, New York: first book of records, 1660-1752. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co.
59. ↑ Provost, p. 18
60. ↑ van der Linde, A. P. G. Jos (1983) Old First Dutch Reformed Church of Brooklyn, New York: First Book of Records, 1660-1752, New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983). via Chris Chester, "The Brouwer Genealogy Database"
61. ↑ ^{61.0 61.1} Anjou, G. (1906). Ulster County, N.Y. probate records in the office of the surrogate, and in the county clerk's office at Kingston, N.Y.... American Record Series A.:- Wills. Volume I. (From Book of Deeds 1 AA, p.29). New York: Published by Author. p. 46. [19]
62. ↑ West, Edmund, compiler. Family Data Collection - Deaths [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001. Record for: William Jansen Traphagen, Death Date: 16 Feb 1683. Bushwick, Queens, NY, USA.
63. ↑ O’Callaghan, E. B., The Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. 1, (Albany: Weed, Parsons & Co., Public Printers, 1850) pp. 179-181. [20]

• Burhans, Samuel. (1894.) Burhans Genealogy Descendants from the First Ancestor in America, Jacob Burhans, 1660, and His Son, Jan Burhans, 1663 to 1893. New York: Printed for private distribution. [21]
• Hoes, Roswell Randall. Baptismal and Marriage Registers of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, Ulster County, New York (De Vinne Press, New York, 1891. [22])
• Holland Society of New York. (1976). New York historical manuscripts, Dutch: Kingston Papers: Kingston Court Records, 1668-1675 and Secretary's Papers, 1664-1675. (pdf.) Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co. [23]
• Lintz, Rachel; Hilton, Alexandra, and Huizinga, Nena (Archivists). (2020). "Guide to the Records of New Amsterdam, 1647-1862." Series I: Original Dutch records of New Amsterdam. New York City Municipal Archives. Collection No. MSS 0040. [24]
• Maynard, A. S., et al. Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society (Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in the City of New York, 1873. Vol. VI., p. 87. [25])
• Provost, Andrew J., Jr. (Comp.). (1949). "Early settlers of Bushwick, Long Island, New York and their descendants." Vol. I-IV. Typewritten. Darien, Connecticut. [26]
• Purple, Samuel S.Collections of the New-York Genealogical and Biographical Society ] (Marriages from 1639 to 1801 in the Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam and New York City. New York, 1940) [27])
• Stiles, H. Reed. (1884). A history of the town of Bushwick, Kings county, N.Y. and of the town, village and city of Williamsburgh, Kings county, N.Y. Brooklyn, N.Y. [28]
• Wardlow, Arthur C. and Lillian Bucholz Wardlow. (1995) "Traphagen, 1616-19__ : A Family History of the Traphagen Family. Title No 768666. Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen Publishing Company. [29]

Acknowledgments

• This person was created on 14 Sep 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.
• This person was created through the import of Jim Walker gedcom 4 Wikitree may 22 2011.ged on 24 May 2011.
• WikiTree profile Traphagen-10 created through the import of Timerson Family Tree May162011.ged on Jun 6, 2011 by Brad Timerson.
• WikiTree profile Traphagen-20 created through the import of davisfamilytree-1.ged on Sep 1 2012 by Rich Davis.
• WikiTree profile Traphagen-22 created through the import of ReevesFamilyMaster_2012_2012-09-25.ged on Sep 25, 2012 by Keith Reeves.
• Thank you to Robert Haack for creating WikiTree profile Traphagen-26 through the import of romans.ged on Jul 24, 2013.