Gerrit Wolfertse Van Couwenhoven1

#1591, (1610 - before August 1645)
Father*Wolfert Gerritsz Van Couwenhoven1 (1580 - 1662)
Mother*Neeltje Jacobsdochter1 (c 1584 - )

Family

Aeltje Cornelis b. s 1615
Children 1.Willem Gerritse Van Couwenhoven10 (1636 - )
 2.Jan Gerritse Van Couwenhoven10 (1639 - )
 3.Neeltje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven11 (c 1641 - )
 4.Marritje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven12 (c 1644 - )
Birth*1610He was born in 1610 at Amersfoort, Netherlands.1 
by 1630He accompanied Wolfert Gerritsz Van Couwenhoven and Neeltje Jacobsdochter by 1630 to New Amsterdam, New Netherland.2 
Marriage*say 1637He married Aeltje Cornelis, daughter of Cornelis Lambertsen and ____ _____, say 1637.3 
Baptism25 September 1639He sponsored the baptism of Neeltje Jacobs Van Couwenhoven on 25 September 1639 at Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam, New Netherland.4 
Death*before August 1645He died before August 1645.5 
The locality modifier "Van Couwenhoven" appears in New Amsterdam church records as early as 1649 when Jacob Van Couwenhoven is named as a sponsor for the baptism of Janneken Backerus. In 1651 appearing as a sponsor for the baptism of Albert Albertsen is Wolfert Gerritszen Couwenhoven, the head of the immigrant family. Earlier records use the familiar Dutch naming convention - given name with patronymic, i.e., the name of the father. In these cases we will find Wolferts sons as Pieter Wolfertszen, Gerrit Wolfertszen and Jacob Wolfertszen (as appears in the records of the Church at New Amsterdam). Only later is Van Couwenhoven (or by some Kouwenhoven) taken by the family as a surname.
Bergen's Register of the Early Settlers of Kings County (1881) states that the family migrated to New Amsterdam from Amersfooort in the province of Utrecht. The modifier "Van Amerfoort" as sometimes found in lieu of "Van Couwhoven" in the early colonial records. In New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, a 1939 contribution "The Van Kouwenhoven-Conover Family" says of Wolfer Gerritse that "it is certain that he came from an estate named Kouwenhoven in the neighborhood of the city of Amersfoort in the Netherlands." In the same publication, in 1997–1998, the contribution "Wolfert Gerritse in the Netherlands" states "there is more than one Couwenhoven in the vicinity of Amersfoort — not only a Couwenhoven to the northwest in Hoogland but also one on the east [actually west] near Zeist and one southeast in Woudenberg." This article includes many of the Dutch church sources to support the Amersfoort origins of the family. The same author, in 2004, comments "[the] farm Kouwenhoven is located in the neighborhood Coelhorst within the former district Hoogland, which is now a part of the district Amersfoort."
Finally, in the last mentioned work (129:3, p. 113), citing a 1639 contract, "the name Couwenhoven was used at this time in Amersfoort in reference to Wolfert's deceased brother Willem."6,7,8,9 

Citations

  1. [S1176] Teunis G. Bergen, Register in Alphabetical Order of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N. Y. (New York: S. W. Green's Sons, 1881), pp. 77–81.
  2. [S672] A. J. F. van Laer, editor, Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts (Albany: University of the State of New York, 1908), p. 158, citing V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.35b (extract in V. R. B. Mss 36). "Instructions from Kiliaen van Rensselaer for Bastiaen Ianssen Crol, commis at Fort Orange, 12 Jan 1630."
    I have engaged Wolffert Gerritssz, farmer, to direct provisionally all my affairs concerning the farms and purchase of cattle, [asking him also to] show [said Gerritssz] every favor as to what he may need for me for that purpose, also to cause to be made what he may want in the way of hardware or other things and to charge the same to my account, and if he needs any carpenters, for the erection of my houses, barracks, barns, sheepfold or other buildings, to accommodate him therewith if they are not more needed for the Company . . .
    If it is a good acorn year there, that Wulffert Gerritssen or his foreman have a good quantity bought up for me to be kept for the winter as feed for the hogs . . .
    And inasmuch as Rensselaer has agreed to plant a colony, and is thereby bound to support 50 people in that country, he must necessarily have many animals or will otherwise not be able to maintain his colony. Wolffert Gerritssz shall therefore try to obtain as many animals as possible from this one and that one . . .

    And "Instructions to Wolfert Gerritsz," 16 Jan 1630.
    Amersfoort, this 16th of January 1630, in Amsterdam Wulfert Gcrritssz aforesaid is engaged by Rensselaer, his service to begin on his arrival in that country. He is bound for four summers, but Rensselr. may end the contract after one or two summers.
    The annual term of service of Wulfert is agreed upon to be from April to November, when all the winter seed is in the ground ; and if it is very necessary he must stay through the winter and he shall receive 20 guilders for each month of service being at his own expense as to board.

    Footnote, p. 161: "In the N. Y. Col. Mss, he is occasionally referred to as Wolfert Gerritsz van Couwenhoven. Couwenhoven is a farm or country seat about four miles northwest of Amersfoort."
  3. [S1029] Teunis G. Bergen, The Bergen Family or the Descendants of Hans Hansen Bergen (Albany, N. Y.: Joel Munsell, 1876), p. 252, without date, location or citation.
  4. [S1171] Thomas Grier Evans, editor, Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York: Baptisms From 1639 to 1730 (New York: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1901), p. 10. Neeltje, dau. of Jacob Wolphertz [mother's name not given], bapt. 25 Sep 1639; sponsors Gerrit Wolphertszen, David Provoost, Philip Gerritszen, Neeltje Wolpherts, Anneken Jans. This was the first recorded baptism in the Church for which records are preserved.
  5. [S666] Samuel S. Purple, editor, Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York: Marriages from 11 December 1639 to 26 August 1801 (New York: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1890), p. 13. Elbert Elbertszen, j. m. from Nieukercken, and Aeltje Cornelis, wid. of Gerrt Wolfertszen; 27 Aug 1645.
  6. [S1176] Teunis G. Bergen, Early Settlers of Kings County, p. 81.
  7. [S1643] Lincoln C Cocheu, "The Van Kouwenhoven-Conover Family", The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 70, 71 (1939–1940): p. 232.
  8. [S1647] Willem van Kouwenhoven, "Wolfert Gerritse in the Netherlands", The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 128:210–218, 129:21–31, 109–120 (Oct. 1997, Jan./Apr. 1998): p. 212.
  9. [S1638] Willem van Kouwenhoven, "Wolfert Gerritse in the Netherlands: Further Thoughts", The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 135:4 (Oct. 2004): p. 252.
  10. [S1176] Teunis G. Bergen, Early Settlers of Kings County, p. 78, without naming location or source.
  11. [S1171] Thomas Grier Evans, Records of the RDC in NY: Baptisms 1639–1730, p. 11. Neeltje, dau. of Gerrit Wolfertszen [mother's name not given], bapt. 20 Sep 1641; sponsors Wolfert Gerritszen, Huyge Aertszen, Hester Simons.
  12. [S1171] Thomas Grier Evans, Records of the RDC in NY: Baptisms 1639–1730, p. 17. Marritje, dau. of Gerrit Wolfertszen [mother's name not given], bapt. 10 Apr 1644; sponsors Wolferts Gerritszen, Pieter Wolfertszen, Tryntje Huygens, Marritje Philips.