Gwen and Christine,
Said Ephraim Brown born 1792 in his paternal homestead on Smull Avenue in Caldwell NJ (built circa 1750, razed by 1992) is my paternal 2nd great grandfather: my father Vincent de Paul Brown's father James Harvey Brown's father James Bogert Brown's (1835~1923) father.
Ephraim's wife was Maria Bogert, daughter of Willem Bogert and wife Elizabeth Demarest. (Elizabeth descends from three sons~~David Jr., Samuel and Jean~~of emigrant French Protestant couple David Demarest and Marie Sohier from (de) Marets in Picardy, France. They were first acquirers and settlers of vast tracts in northern NJ, and are the subject of a book Hugenots on the Hackensack.)
Ephraim's mother indeed was "Ann" born Engeltje (Angela) Van Ness 1754, died after 1832.
But Ephraim Brown's father was Jacob Bruyn born September 15, 1752. His parents were from colonial Second River, NJ~~Johannes Bruyn, Jr. born 1706 and wife Femmetje Messeker. His parents were Johannes Bruyn, Sr. and wife Rebecca van den Boogh (aunt of first NYC First Lady Catrintje de Boogh, wife of Mayor Wilhelmus Beeckman). Rebecca was daughter of Captain Hendrick de Boogh (whose wife's sister was Mrs. Jonas Bronck, etymon of the later river and borough Bronx). "DeBow" is a later variant of their surname.
Johannes Bruyn, Sr.'s parents were Hendrik Hendriksen van Reine (from the Rhineland Palatinate, Germany) and wife Seytje Spier (born 1655 Nieuw Amsterdam), daughter of emigrants from Germany Hendrick Jansen Spier and wife born Magdalena Van Swol, who after living in N.A. a few years became in the late 1600s the first ever German family to move to New Jersey~~at first Bergen and Pemmerpoch (later "Jersey City"), then to Second River and northern and western Essex County. Seytie's brothers Hans and Jan Spier founded Dutch colonial Speertown, which later became Upper Montclair NJ.
Engeltje Van Ness's parents were Catrintje Cadmus born 1714 in Second River NJ (daughter of emigrant Thomas Cadmus) and Evert Van Ness born 1710 in Horseneck, Gansegat, Essex County.
Evert's father Simon Van Ness born in Albany or Rennselaerswyck NY was by a 1701 deed with the Lenni Lenape Native Americans one of about ten mostly Dutch settlers who bought land in northwestern Essex County. Simon bought 300 acres that span Fairfield NJ.
Gwen and Christine, as so far of the six children of Ephraim Brown I've found just one son, James Bogert Brown (my dad's grandfather), I am curious if you descend from him, JBB (and if so, by which of his sons~~Joseph Brown? who I heard "went West ..."; my dad's uncle. Or "Jesse" Brown named in the US Census 1880 for JBB's household, who may be a son. Or do you descend from my grandfather James Harvey Brown (1883~ c. 1932 in Harrison NJ) and wife Margaret/Marguerite MacInnes (1883~1976)? If so, we are first cousins, once or twice removed. My dad had an older brother James Harvey Brown, Jr. (later "Harvey Francis Brown") born 1906 (whose only son Vincent H. Brown born 1941 had a son Vincent, who in turn had a son Vincent). And a sister Agnes born 1907; I don't know if she lived to marry and have children. And a sister Marian born 1915, who by 1940 US Census lived in Franklin NJ and had a daughter Joyce; but Marian died in early 1940s.
Christine, as a descendent of Jacob Bruyn whose grandmother was a "de Boogh" later "DeBow," an apt coincidence that your surname is "Jakubowski." I'd be interested to learn if you descend from Ephraim Brown by any of his five daughters: Catherine Brown (Mrs. William) Budd born 1828; Rachel Brown (Mrs. Charles) Albert born 1829, whose daughter Maria married Marcus Stager, and had a son Harold Stager who died 1918; Eliza also born 1829; or Ann(a) born 1837, or Hester born 1842, whose graves my dad once took me to see.
More info than you queried for, but hope this enlightens your search. Much fascinating material.
