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IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS - 11/16/2008
(by Richard Townsend - OpEd Columnist - November 19, 2008)
The advent of the Vreeland family
Michiel Jansen Van Broekhuysen was born in 1620 in Scrabberkerche, South Brabant, Zeeland, the Netherlands. He immigrated to New Amsterdam on the ship “Rensselaerwyck” with his wife and two children in October of 1638.
After a brief period of farming, he established a lucrative fur trade. He first settled in Greenbush, opposite Fort Orange (Albany, N.Y.). Prior to April of 1644, approximately seven years after arriving, he empowered Arent Van Curler to settle with Patroon Van Rensselaer for all accounts and differences, effectively releasing him from indenture. 
Michiel Jansen Van Broekhuysen took the name Vredelant after the prominent city in Holland, which was located far inland from the seaport. Many people from Vredelant were compelled to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Once in New Netherlands, after his release from indenture, he assumed the surname Vreeland, which meant Peace Land.
Jansen then settled in 1746 in the village of Comminipaw in Hudson County above Jersey City on the bouwrerie (farm) owned by Jan Evertsen Bout.
In 1747 he purchased his land in Pavonia, where he was appointed to represent Pavonia in the “Council of Nine.” This council represented the colonial residents in Bergen (Jersey City) and the surrounding area. He was a signer of the application for the first municipal government in New Netherlands on July 26, 1649, and held a seat on the Council of Nine until 1650.
Jansen’s positive dealings with the American Indians proved invaluable when, during an Indian uprising and raid on Pavonia in 1655, every man in Pavonia was killed except for him and his family.
Jansen married Fytje Hartmanse Wessels some time before 1638 in Holland. She was born in Cologne, Rheinland, Germany, in 1611. One son, Nicholas, made the journey to New Netherlands. The other child’s name is unknown to me. Together, Michiel Jansen and Fytje had 12 children: Cathrijn, Cornelius, Jannetje, Nicholas, Class, Elias, Enoch, Pryntje, Hartman, Ariantje, Johannes and Cornelis, who died as an infant.
Cathrijn Michelse married Walling Jacobs Van Winkel, son of Jacob Wallings Van Winkel and Tryntje Jacobs. Cornelius Michielsen Vreeland married Metje Braecke, daughter of Dirck Claesen Braecke and Echtje Jacobs. Jannetje Vreeland married Dirck Teunissen Van Vechten, son of Teunis Cornelise Van Vechten.
Class Vreeland married Annetje Maria Gerbrants. Elias Michielsen Vreeland married Grietje Jacobse Van Winkel, daughter of Jacob Van Winkel and Tryn Willems. Enoch Michielsen Vreeland married Direkje Meyers. Pryntje Vreeland married Adries Claesen. Hartman Michielsen Vreeland married Maritje Braecke, sister of Metje, mentioned earlier. Johannes Michielsen Vreeland married Claestje Breacke, sister of Mejte and Maritje. Of these children, Hartman Michielsen captures our attention.
Hartman Michielsen Vreeland was a fur trader like his father. He was named after his maternal grandfather. His mother was involved in several real estate ventures in New Amsterdam (Manhattan).
Hartman approached his mother looking for a loan to purchase property along the Passaic River. She agreed to loan him the money on the condition that he name the island after her father. Hence, Hartman Island in the Passaic River became the first purchase by a white man in what is now Passaic County.
On that island he established a trading post with the American Indians. Later, he purchased two tracts of land totaling 278 acres at “Haquiquenanck” (Acquackanonk = Passaic). This tract included 158 acres on the west side of the river and 120 acres on the other side of Vreeland Brook.
This tract was later known as the Dundee Section of the city of Passaic. The island became known as Dundee Island after the Dundee Manufacturing Company. Hartman Michielsen was one of the 14 patentees in the Acquackanonk Patent, which did not include Hartman’s Island, which he owned outright. He and Maritje lived in Hudson County in a place called Rechpokus on land that was part of Maritje’s inheritance.
We have mentioned this Acquackanonk Patent many times in these articles. The patent stretched from the northern boundary of Newark to a location above the Great Falls, and from the Passaic River to the mountains near Great Notch and Garret Mountain, covering more than 11,600 acres.
The 14 patentees were Hans Diedericks, Hartman Michielsen Vreeland, Juriaen Thomasse, Adriaen Post, Gerrit Gerritsen, Elias Michielsen Vreeland, Cornelius Michielsen Vreeland, Johannes Michielsen Vreeland, Symon Jacobse, Cornelis Roelofse, Walling Jacobsen, John Hendrick Spier, Cornelius Lubbertse and Abraham Bookey. Each of these men were Dutch, and all but one were related by blood or marriage.
Many of the names of these early immigrants were changed from patronymic names to names that designate their origins in Holland. As I mentioned earlier, Van Broekhuysen or Michielsen became Vreeland. Thomasse was changed to Van Riper. Gerritsen was changed to Van Wagoner. Jacobsen was changed to Van Winkel. Roelofsen became Van Houten. Lubbertse became Westervelt or Van Blarcum.
Hans Diedericks married Grietje Warnaerts, and their son Wander Hansz Dedricks married Aeltje Van Wagoner. Jurian Tomasse Van Riper married Aeltje Van Winkel, daughter of Symon Van Winkel and Antje Arianse Sip. Adrian Post married Catrina Gerritsen Van Wagoner. Cornelis Roelofse Van Houten married Magdaleentje Van Giesen.
Walling Jacobsen Van Winkel married Cathrijn Michelse Vreeland, daughter of Michiel Jansen Vreeland. John Hendrick Spier married Sarah Dey, daughter of Theunis Dircksen Dey of the Dey Mansion of Preakness, and is believed to have been the last surviving patentee. Cornelius Lubbertse Westervelt was the son of Lubbert Lubbertsen and Geesje Roelofse Van Houten. Abraham Bookey is the only one of the 14 that is not related to the others to my knowledge.
As you can see, the band of Dutch immigrants controlled all of Paterson, Clifton and Passaic and then divided and sold all of the land by 1710, becoming wealthy, influential families.
We have covered the migration of most of these families into Pompton Township. In our next article we will cover the members of the Dey family as we follow in their footsteps.
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