Lot: Jacobus Van Orden Farm (Original Grants and Farms)

Lot
Jacobus Van Orden Farm
Lot Group
Original Grants and Farms
Property Was Used in 1660 For:
Full Stokes Entry (See images below)
THE JACOBUS VAN ORDEN FARM

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The farm of Jacobus van Orden comprised

A. All of lot three of the Weylandt patent.

B. All of lots one, four, five and six of the same patent east of the old road to Greenwich (the Fitzroy Road).

C. Part of the common lands of the city of New York, west of the Bloomingdale Road as far as the easterly ends of lots three, four, five and six of the Weylandt.

Wessel Pietersen, from Norden in Oost Vrieslandt, the founder of this branch of the Van Orden family in New Amsterdam, married Josyntje Thomas, van Utrecht, May 19, 1668.

— Marr. in Ref. Dutch Church, 33. Their eldest son, Wessel, baptised Oct. I, 1671 {Baptisms Ref. Dutch Church, 103), married Jacomyntje, daughter of Johannes van Couwenhoven, April 20, 1693. — Marr. in Ref. Dutch Ch., 74.

Wessel Pietersen and Jacomyntje had two sons, Johannes, baptised Oct. 11, 1696 {Baptisms Ref. Dutch Church, 239), and Jacobus, baptised Jan. 30, 1706 {ibid., 313). They had also five daughters.

In the baptismal records, the father is called Wessel Pieterse, until June 3, 171 1, when Anna was baptised; then and thereafter his name appears as Wessel van Norden. His descendants modified it to Van Orden.

This family is not to be confused with that of Peter Caspersen van Naerden, the ancestor of the Van Nordens of New York; nor with the line beginning with Wessel Evertsen van Naerden.

For a short time after their marriage, Wessel and Jacomyntje lived on the Peter de Groot farm, near the Van Couwenhovens, at Nortwyck. See recitals in Z,!^fr D^^i/i, XXXIIT. 435 (New York). By 1696, they occupied the farm later known as the Samler farm.

Wessel Pietersen van Orden, son of the founder and son-inlaw to Johannes van Couwenhoven, became the owner of a large part of the land which Van Couwenhoven had owned in the Weylandt patent. He also acquired a considerable tract in the common lands, all of which became vested in his son Jacobus van Orden. His elder son, named Johannes, after his grandfather van Couwenhoven, is not found in the records; possibly he died young.

No will of Wessel Pietersen van Orden has been found; nor any deeds from the Van Couwenhoven heirs, either to him or to his son. Jacobus, the owner of this farm.

Jacobus van Orden married Christina Sabrisco (Zabriskie), April 25, 1730. — Marr. in Ref. Dutch Ch., 151. By his will dated Oct. 8, 1772, proved Nov. 12, 1782 {Liber Wills, XXXV: 126, New York), he devised £10 to his son, Jacobus, as his heir, and the residuary estate after the death of his widow, Christyntje.

To his daughters, Jacomyntje, wife of Isaac Schultz, Elizabeth, wife of Richard Dawson, and Magdalena, wife of Thomas Tibbett Warner, certain specified parcels of land. His death occurred earlier than February, 1780. Recitals in Liber Deeds, XL: 588 (New York).

Jacobus van Orden, Jr., died unmarried and after his mother. His will, dated Feb. 4, 1782, proved Nov. 12, 1782 {Liber Wills, XXXV: 130, New York), left his estate equally to his sisters, Jemima (Jacomyntje) and Magdalena, and the children of his deceased sister, Elizabeth, namely, Charles and James Dawson, sons of Richard Dawson, and John O'Brien, son of Henry O'Brien, the second husband of Elizabeth.

Both wills were proved the same day.

A brief history of the Weylandt patent is necessary to the study of the farms included in its area. The Jacobus v.in Orden farm and the Glass House farm of Rem Rapelyea occupied all of the patent except lot two and the westerly part of lot one, which were p.art of the Franklin and Robinson tract.

An entry in the Common Council Minutes, Jan. 9, 1760, is very illuminating. An abridged extract follows:

The committee appointed May 10, 1758, to inspect the encroachments upon the Corporation lands in the Out Ward reported: "The Patent Commonly Called the Weylandt Patent . . . Extends from the North River Two hundred and Ten Rods so that it Crosses the Great Kill road . . . but Still leaves a Vacancy Between its South East Boundry and the Bloomandal Road which of Course Belongs to this Corporation. This Patent is divided into lotts from the River Backwards being six in Number: the Ends of the Northeastermost four of which Lotts . . . have been extended up to Bloomendal Road . . . this Land is Possessed by Jacob van Orden who has built his house Barn and other Improvements upon it and have hitherto Claimed it as Belonging to him. The Rest of the Weylandt is nearly right in its Boundaries." — M. C. C, VI: 199.

The Weylandt patent, nearly 300 acres in area, extended along the Hudson River from the south side of the Clapboard Valley (which was included in the grant) to the Great Kill. Its depth into the woods, 210 English rods; 3465 ft.; about 3/5 mile.

The Clapboard Valley was a small semi-circular meadow between aSth and 30th Sts. A little stream meandered northwesterly through it till it fell into a bay which indented the river near the line of the present 29th street, about 200 ft. west of Tenth Ave. The Randel Map shows it clearly; the Ratzer Map shows the brook, but not the little bay and meadow. The name seems to indicate that the meadow was fenced with staves or "clap-boards," a term still used in provincial England. In 1647, the "Burgher's clapboards" enclosed part of Augustyn Heerman's grant. — Vol. II: 395.

The description in the Weylandt patent is not well drawn. It may be interpreted thus: Beginning at the southwest side of Clapboard Valley; stretching from the strand upon an east and south line into the woods; thence to the corner of the land of Thomas Hall & Co., so along their land to the river; along the river to the southwest corner of the Clapboard Valley, etc.

Weylandt may be translated as meadow land.

Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Cornelys van RuyvEN, Allard Anthony & Paulus Leenderts. Patent dated Aug. i, 1668. — Liber Patents, III: 75 (Albany).

"Whereas there is a Certaine Parcell of Land upon this Island Manhatans towards ye North Ryver lying and being on ye South West syde of Clapboards Meadow or Valley Stretching from ye Strand upon an East and by South lyne into ye woods to ye Corner or Point of ye Land granted to Thomas Hall & Company so alongst ye aforesaid Land by their lyne or lymitts to ye Ryver two hundred & Tenne Rodds also & from thence alongst ye Ryver syde to ye aforesaid Southwest syde ye Clapboards Valley aforenamed Part of w* said Land was heretofore, that is to say, upon ye 25th day of Aprill, 1653, Granted by Governo'' Stuyvesant unto Allard Anthony & Paulus Leendertse Van de Grift as an adition to their ffarme or Bowery, but upon good Consideration they have since surrendered ye same Now ye said peice of Land lying very Convenient for Comonage for ye Cattle & Horses belonging unto Cornelys Van Ruyven, Allard Anthony & Paulus Leendertse who have faxmes or Boweryes neare adjacent & for ye betf Improvement of the said Land Know y« that by vertue of ye Commission & Authority unto me given, &c. ... I have given, &c. unto . . . [the parties] to be in Comon betweene them, togeth' with the said Clapboards Valley or Meadow Ground & all other Meadow Woodland Pastures . . . Creeks . . . Kills &c. to said parcell . . . belonging or appertaining," &c.

When they procured this patent the patentees surrendered a parcel of land which had been granted to them by DirectorGeneral Stuyvesant, April 25, 1663. That grant has not been found of record. It is discussed in the Thomas Clarke farm history.

When the Burgomaster's Bouwery was confirmed to Anthony and Vander Grift, Governour Nicolls made the same condition; that they should surrender a large tract north and east of that bouwery, which had been granted to them, April 25, 1663. See discussion, with the Mandeville farm.

It is improbable that two separate grants were made on that day, of which no trace has been found.

The surrendered patent evidently covered a large part, if not all of, the middle tier between the Burgomaster's Bouwery

and the Weylandt Patent. Public policy demanded that there should be a common pasturage ground here. The land was so used until 1680.

As early as April, 1669, the farmers beyond the Freshwater entered a vigorous protest against the patentees fencing in their land here "whereby the pasture of the cattle will be much abridged."

The only concession the farmers gained was an order that roads should be left from the woods to the waterside. — Rec. N. Am., VI: 176, 179, 181, 183, 193, 194.

The Weylandt Patent was divided into six lots. The division lines ran back from the Hudson River on a course S. 56° east.

In order that the history of these lots may be clearly understood, the compiler has numbered them from one to six, beginning from the south. They are not so numbered in the records. Lots I and 2 were owned by Allard Anthony. Lots 3 and 4 were owned by Cornells van Ruyven. Lots 5 and 6 were owned by Paulus Leendertsen van der Grift.

A. Lot Three of the Weylandt Patent

This was Cornells van Ruyven 's most southerly lot, called lot 3 of the Weylandt in this compilation.

Cornelis van Ruyven to Jacob Pietersz de Groot. Deed delivered June 22, 1674. — Collections, N. Y. Hist. Soc, 1913, P- 31-

Conveys "one sixth part in the meadow situated on this island Manhatans between Clabbord's valley and the Great Kill of the same extent as per deed obtained on Aug. i, 1668, of Gov Nicols."

Jacob Pietersen de Groot to Jacob Corneussen Stille. Deed dated June 9, 1694. Not found of record; recited in Liber Deeds, XXXIII: 435 (New York).

Conveys same parcel of meadow.

Jacobus Cornelissen [Stille] to Johannes Benson. Bill of sale dated Dec. 6, 1699. — Harlem Recs., VIII: 9, in N. Y. P. L.

Refers to the same land, with other property.

Jacob Stille and Mary, his wife, to Johannes Benson. Deed dated May 16, 1701. Not found of record; original in De Peyster Deeds, Vol. I, 1701-1784, in N. Y. Hist. Soc.

Conveys (with other property) "a parcel of Land Situate, lying and being upon New York Island beginning at Hudsons River aforesaid and is bounded on the north side and south side thereof by the Lands of John Cowenhoven the full length and breadth as the Lotts are laid out There Together with," &c.*

Johannes Benson, of the Basses Bowery, neare the City of New York, Yeoman, and Elizabeth, his wife, to Ffolcart VAN HousA, of Albany, within the Province of New York, Yeoman. Deed dated May 10, 1707. Not found of record; original in De Peyster Papers, Vol. I, in N. Y. Hist. Soc. Consid., £542.

Conveys same as preceding instrument.

Volckert van Husem, of Shapocanikan, alias Baasen Bouwerie, mortgaged his lands to Derick Benson for £170, Sept. i, 1711. — Liber Deeds, XXX: 228 (New York); original in De Peyster Papers, Vol. XIII, in N. Y. Hist. Soc.

in March, 1721, he gave another mortgage for £114, 9s., 6d., to Duane, Henderson, Kelly and Bergen, subject to the earlier mortgage.— Z,/<J(t Deeds, 233 (New York); original in De Peyster Papers, Vol. 11, in N. Y. Hist. Soc.

These mortgages covered lot 3 of the Weylandt, and other property.

Volckert van Husem sold all of the land which he had

*Lot 4 west of the road, never belonged to John van Couwenhoven; east of the road it did belong to him. Therefore, this lot was really bounded northerly partly by Johannes Thommasse.

bought from Captain Benson to a syndicate headed by Anthony Duane, Sept. 17, 1724, except this lot of the Weylandt (see the Warren farm, Greenwich House parcel).

Nothing has been found to prove when or from whom Wessel Pietersen van Orden bought lot 3, but it seems probable that he purchased it from Van Husem between 1721 and 1724, when the latter sold the rest of his mortgaged lands. The history of lot 4 proves that Wessel Pietersen Van Orden owned this lot earlier than 1737. Jacobus van Orden seems to have inherited this lot from his father.

B. Lots One, Two, Four, Five and Six of Weylandt Patent (East of Fitzroy Road)

Johannes van Couwenhoven, grandfather of Jacobus van Orden, owned lots one and two of the Weylandt in 1675. See recitals in the Franklin and Robinson farm. He bought lot five in Aug. 21, 1677, from Jacob Leendertsen van der Grift, brother of the original patentee. See the recitals in the Glass House farm. Evidently Jacobus van Orden inherited all of lots one and five east of the Fitzroy Road.

A diligent search has failed to determine the source of his title to that part of lots four and six of the Weylandt east of the road. The early history of those lots will be found with the Glass House farm.

C. Part of the Common Lands Without doubt the land between the Bloomingdale Road and the easterly boundary of lots three to six of the Weylandt had been in possession of Jacob Van Orden or his ancestors for many years before the committee, appointed May 10, 1758, made its report to the common council in January, 1760, referred to earlier. When Van Orden was summoned before the board, Jan. 9, 1760, he "Offered Either to purchase or hire of his Corporation all the Land held By him Belonging to this Corporation if the same Could be Agreed for on Moderate Terms: and the Benefit of his Buildings be Saved to him which he hoped this Board would not take the Advantage of tho the same are Erected upon the Land Belonging to this Corporation."—A/. C. C, VI: 200.

Van Orden and the city must have reached a satisfactory agreement. Nothing further found in the records.