Thomas Jacobs Verdon (abt. 1633 - bef. 1699)

Born about 1633 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Barber van Imbroeck — married Jun 1655 in New Netherland

Husband of Jannetje Claes — married 1 Jun 1659 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland

Husband of Elsje Jeurians — married 26 Apr 1696 in Dutch Reformed Church, New York City, New York Co., NY

Descendants

Died before 3 Nov 1699 before about age 66 in Gowanus, Kings, Province of New York

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Biography

Birth

A court record (see below), shows that Thomas was the son of Jacob Verdon and Maria Thomas Badie. He was born in New Netherland, because the record of his oath of allegiance, in 1687, lists him as a "native." ^[1]

Macy^[2] makes a convincing case that Thomas was born about 1633. The reasoning is indirect and begins with his sister:

1. The last child of his sister, Marie, was baptized on 7 May 1678. If Marie had been born before 1628, she would have been more than 50 years old at the time of that birth. Her first marriage occurred in April 1645. Because of the extreme shortage of women in the new colony, it is likely that she would have married prior to the typical age of 18, so after 1627.
2. Because Marie's husband, Adam Brouwer, was listed before her brother Thomas in the 1663 petition to the orphan's court (see Court records, below), it is likely that she was the first child.
3. Their father died before November 1634. So Thomas would have been born about 1633 (making him aged about 22 when his only child was baptized), and given the typical two-year spacing, she could have been born about 1631, making her aged 14 at first marriage--young but plausible considering the shortage of eligible brides. For example, two other young women, Maria and Jannetje Rapalje, sisters, each married before their 14th birthdays, in 1640 and 1642 respectively.

Marriage

Thomas was married three times--the second wife being a notably older woman and the third notably younger.

1. Macy ^[3] states there is no church record of his first marriage, "possibly due to the loss of the Long Island church records for the period." Because Thomas and Barber van Imbroeck baptized their only child on 19 March 1656, it would appear that they were married in 1655, possibly in Breucklyn.
2. Thomas married Jannetje Claes in New Amsterdam, 1 June 1659.^[4][5]
3. Thomas married Elsje Jeurians in New York, 26 April 1696^[4], after registering intentions on 12 April^[6]

Totten's research^[7] uncovered informative agreements made prior to the second marriage. (All parentheses and brackets are Totten's.):

Wednesday, December 18, 1658: Mr. Paulus Van der Beek appeared before the board of Orphan Masters in the place of [i.e., as guardian] Thomas Verdon's son [i.e., Jacobus Verdon] and was [directed] that when Thomas Verdon comes, he is to make a settlement of his wifes estate. [That is his first wife's (Barbara Imbroeck's) estate...]

A later record informs us that the child was about 3 years old, named Jacobus. Thomas promised 50 florins and advised the court that additional property in Holland owned by the deceased mother may eventually yield more money. Questions were raised about the distribution, but the eventual outcome does not appear in the records.

Whereas Janneke Bones, widow of Tobias Teunissen, is about to become the wife of Thomas Verdon, widower of Barbara Imbroeck, and whereas she has now four living children of whom three are by her first husband, called Herman, Neetje and Urbanus Urbanus and he fourth Teunis Tobiassen by her last deceased husband, to whom before her marriage, their paternal inheritance must be proved .... Done June 19, 1659.

In later records, she also agreed to pay 50 florins to each child.

These and other entries noted by Totten, determine the names of Thomas's other wives and the names of the wives' other children, and set bounds on the dates of their births.

Children

Thomas had only one child, by his first wife, Barbara. Jacobus Verdon was baptized 19 Mar 1656. ^[8] According to Dutch baptism customs, he was probably born a few days prior. He was certainly born after 8 January 1656, because a court record three years hence notes that he was not yet aged three. ^[9] The witnesses to the baptism were Paulus Vander Beeck (step-grandfather), Gysbert Van Imbroeck (mother's brother) and Aeltje Braconye (maternal grandmother).

Court record

Since his father's death, before November 1664, Thomas's mother, Marie Thomas Badie, had remarried twice--first to Willem Adrianensz Bennet, second to Paulus van der Beeck. On February 8, 1663, Thomas entered into legal action to gain his share of his father's estate. The Minutes of the Orphan Masters of New Amsterdam^[10] read as follows:

Thursday, February 8, 1663 ... Adam Brouwer, Tomas Verdon and Arien Willemsen appearing produce an extract from the Record of Resolutions of the Court of Breucklen, dated January 24, 1663...they request, that Master Paulus be ordered, to let them have their fathers property, for which purpose the following order is made:

Adam Brouwer, Tomas Verdon and Arien Willemsen, all children by previous marriages of the wife of Paulus van de Beecq ... request, whereas up to date they have not received their father's inheritance, that they may have it from Mr. Paulus van de Beecq, who has hitherto retained it. The Orphanmasters decide, as persons and property are not within the jurisdiction of this City ... and therefore petitioners must address themselves to the Director General and Council of N. N.

It's unclear whether the action was ever successful.

The record demonstrates that sometime between 1 June 1659 (his second marriage) and 8 February 1663, Thomas Verdon had moved from New Amsterdam to Breucklen.

A secondary source ^[11] states that he resided on a farm between modern 20th and 25th streets in Brooklyn. Much of this area is park land now.

Thomas and his wife, Jannetje Claes Bonen, became members, by certificate from New York, of the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church on 4 July 1680. ^[12]

The record of his third marriage, to Elsje Jeurians, on 26 April 1696, suggests that he had removed to Gowanus by that time. ^[13]

Occupation and Civic Responsibilities

Other than being a farmer (as noted above), Thomas's occupation is unclear.

At one time in 1656, he was appointed as "Beer Carrier": ^[14]

8 April 1656 -- Tomas Verdon requests by petition, as before, that Burgomasters and Schepens would be pleased to favor him with the office of Beer Carrier together with Barent Jansen, whereas he, being a native of this country, has been driven away from his [place?]. Whereupon it was endorsed and disposed--The petitioner Tomas Verdonck is accepted to the office of Wine and Beer Carrier, with Barent Jansen, and in place of the departed Beer Carrier, according to prevously issued instructions, and has consequently taken the proper oath of allegiance in Court, and is confirmed in the aforesaid office. Done in the Court of Schout, Burgimasters and Schepens, absent Allard Anthony. This 8th April 1656.

It is known that he held some positions of civic responsibility in Brooklyn. For the years 1661 to 1664, he served as a Magistrate. ^[15] The post of Constable was typically given to a former magistrate; he was appointed at the end of his 1664 term. ^[16]

Loyalties

It is possible that, in 1673, Thomas served as a private in the 2nd company of Capt. Cornelis Steenwyck's militia of New Orange (the name of the colony when the Dutch briefly re-established rule prior to the Treaty of Westminster). ^[17] However, it is more likely that this record would be attributed properly to his son.

After English rule returned, Thomas took the Oath of Allegiance in September 1687. He was listed as a "native" of the colony and a resident of Brooklyn. ^[18]

Death

We know that Thomas died, presumably in Gowanus, before 3 November 1699, when his third wife was recorded as a widow: ^[19]

Int. pub. November 3, 1699: m. November 21, 1699, Pieter Janszen Boeckolt wedr v. Lysbeth Pater and Elsje Jeuriaens, wede V Thomas Verdon, beyde woonende alhier, were married.

Additional research Needed

The following paragraph was included, without source, in a prior profile of Thomas. I (Jim Moore) have found sources for much of the content and included appropriate parts within the current profile. However, the portions in italics has eluded me.

Thomas is one of those ancestors, that historians like. One that has more than just a birth, marriage, and death record. On 19 Jun1659,Thomas and his intended wife, Jannetye came to the Orphan Board, for the protection of their minor children. This was done, so that Thomas' son Jacobus and Jannetye's four children, by other marriages, would not lose their inheritance, if their sole remaining parent died. This was the date, that Thomas and Jannetye entered into a marriage bann, which was a public declaration of their intended marriage. It was either read in a church, for three consecutive Sundays or posted publicly for three weeks, allowing the public time to declare, why the two shouldn't marry. Thomas was told that he had to settle his deceased wife's estate, before he was able to marry Jannetye. He claimed that his wife, held estates in Holland, and the only 14 florins were to be his sons, when she had died. After this first hearing, Paulus Van der Beeck and Joannes Monjeer de la Montagne were awarded guardianship of Jacobus. Three days later, on the 21st Paulus and Joannes came to the Orphan Board and accused Thomas of withholding three florins, from the estate, that was due Jacobus. Paulus and Joannes then received the right to incur debts and credits,for equity purposes, for Jacobus. Jacobus was around three years old during this time. Thomas and Jannetye was married in 1661, probably in July or August. Jannetye's children were Herman Urbanus, Neeltye Urbanus, Urbanus Urbanus and Teunis Teunissen. They were ages 17, 15,10, and 8. In the 1683 Tax list, Thomas owned 2 horses, 4 cows, and 8 morgens of land, which was approximately 13 acres. A morgen was an amount of land that varied in size, for it was the amount of land, that an ox, could plow in a day.^[20]

Source Notes

1. ↑ O'Callaghan, The Documentary History of the State of New-York, "The Roll of Those who Have Taken the Oath of Allegiance in Kings County," image 501ff, especially 502 (of p. 429), "Thomas Verdon native".
2. ↑ Macy, “Some New Light on Aeltje Braconie and Maria Bade,” pp. 26-27.
3. ↑ Macy, "Some New Light on Aeltje Braconie and Maria Bade," p. 27, footnote 36.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Valentine, image 752 (of p. 644). The cited list begins on image 650 (of p. 556).
5. ↑ Purple, image 76 (of p. 23). "Thomas Verdon, Wedr. Van Barber Imbroeck, en Jannetje Claes, Wede. Van Tobias Toemszen."
6. ↑ Wardell, pp. 20-21, Thomas Verdon.
7. ↑ Totten, p. 111.
8. ↑ Evans, p. 41.
9. ↑ Banta, images 12-13 (of pp. 8-9), "Jan. 8, 1659...Tomas Verdon says he has a little son, Jacobus, now approaching his third year, and that his wife is deceased".
10. ↑ Fernow, pp. 229-230.
11. ↑ Salter, image 492 (of p. xxvii), "Fardon".
12. ↑ Totten, p. 113.
13. ↑ Totten, p. 113; citing MDC, p. 82. Thomas Verdon wedr van Jannetje Claes, en Ytie Jeuriaens, wede van Theunis Ten Eyck d'Eeste wonende op Gujanes en twede alhier were married"
14. ↑ Wardell, pp. 20-21; citing Fernow, Berthold, ed., Records of New Amsterdam, 7 vols., 1897 (on CD), vol. II--Minutes of the Courts of Burgomasters and Schepens, 1656 to August 27, 1658, inclusive, p. 84.
15. ↑ Wardell, p. 20.
16. ↑ Furman, image 63 (of p. 58), Thomas Ffardon.
17. ↑ Valentine, Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York, image 492 (of p. 424) "Muster Roll", 2nd company, Jacob Verdon.
18. ↑ O'Callaghan, "The Roll of Those who Have Taken the Oath of Allegiance in Kings County," image 501ff, especially 502 (of p. 429), "Thomas Verdon native".
19. ↑ Totten, p. 113; citing MDC., p. 91.
20. ↑ SOURCE NEEDED.

Sources

• Banta, Theodore M., compiler. Dutch Records in the City Clerk's Office New York, Part I: Calendar of the Orphans' Court, Synopsis of Books of Notaries Public, List of Autographs in the Early Records. Reprinted from the Holland Society Year-Book of 1900. New York: The Knickerbocker Press, 1900. Online page images. Internet Archive. https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-72637-101/dutch-records-in-the-city-clerks-office-new-york-part-in-dutch-records-in-the-city-clerks-office-new-york-part : 2019.

• Evans, Thomas Grier, editor. Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York: Baptisms from 25 December, 1639, to 27 December, 1730. Reprinted from Collections of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Vol. 2. New York: Holland Society, 1901. Indexed online page images. American Ancestors. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB469/i/12787/1/0 : 2019.

• Fernow, Berthold. The Minutes of the OrphanMasters of New Amsterdam 1655 to 1663 (New York : Francis P. Harper, 1902). Digital page images. Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/minutesoforphanm01newy : 2019).

• Furman, Gabriel. Notes, Geographical and Historical relating to the Town of Brooklyn in Kings County on Long Island. Brooklyn: A. Spooner, 1824. Online page images. MyHeritage. https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-90100-128183071/notes-geographical-and-historical-relating-to-the-town-of-brooklyn : 2019.

• Macy, Harry, Jr. “Some New Light on Aeltje Braconie and Maria Bade.” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 142 (2011): 21–38.

• O'Callaghan, E. B., compiler. The Documentary History of the State of New-York. Vol. 1. Albany: Weed, Parsons & Co., 1850. Online page images. MyHeritage (https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-90100-444266503/the-documentary-history-of-the-state-of-new-york-vol : 2019.)

• Purple, Samuel Smith. Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York: Marriages from 11 December, 1639 to 16 August, 1801. Vol. 1. of Collections of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. New York, NY, 1890. https://archive.org/details/recordsofreforme01coll.

• Salter, Edwin. A History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties: Embracing a Genealogical Record of Earliest Settlers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and their Descendants. Bayonne, N. J.: E. Gardner & Son, 1890. Online page images. Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/genealogy-glh17158225/ : 2019.

• Totten, John Reynolds. “Verdon Family Notes.” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record LXIV, no. 2 (April 1933): 105–32.

• Valentine, D. T., Clerk of Common Council. Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York. New York: Edmund Jones & Co., 1862. Online page images. MyHeritage. https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-90100-79211753/corporation-manual-new-york-ny : 2019.

• Wardell, Pat. "Early Bergen Families." WikiTree (Space:Early_Bergen_County_Families : 2019).

Supplementary Sources

These were retained, without judgment, from prior versions of the profile.

• Gesner, Anthon Temple,. The Gesner family of New York and Nova Scotia : together with some notes concerning the families of Bogardus, Brower, Ferdon, and Pineo. Middletown, Note: Errata tipped in at p. [3]. Includes bibliographical references.

• Hallenbeck, Elsie O.. Our Van Horne kindred. United States: unknown, 1982. Note: "This book is a revision of 'Our Kindred' ... published in 1888 by my grandfather, Abram Van Horne."Includes index.

• Oliver, Frederick L.. Oliver-Miner ancestors and descendants. Newton, Mass.: Priv. print., 1956. Note: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Acknowledgments

Jim Moore re-researched and rewrote this profile in May 2019.

Prior versions had resulted from mergers, GEDCOMs, and contributions by Keller-Freeland-Ferris Family.ged on Feb 27, 2012 by Elizabeth Tapia, Newman Family Tree.ged, Lent_Vise_2011-05-11aa.ged by Bryan Sypniewski, Johnson Family Tree 2011-08-24.ged by Rosemary Palermo, and Beaman Family Tree.ged.