Charles Smith, ca 1678, Jamaica, Long Island
Although there are inaccuracies in his brief account of Charles Smith,
son of Peter (1) Smith of Jamaica (NYGB Record, Vol. 85, 1954), author Samuel
Stelle Smith provided a fairly good basis to aid in further research and
documentation.
If the estimate of Charles' date of birth is correct, ca 1678, then he was about twelve years old when his widowed mother Elizabeth married in 1690, Jan Aertsen of Brooklyn. It is probable Charles lived with his mother and step-father in Brooklyn, and if so, he was reared in a Dutch household.
Charles was a cordwainer or shoemaker by profession. It might be interesting to speculate that at the appropriate age, Charles became an apprentice to Thomas Smith of Jamaica, who may have been an older brother and was also a shoemaker.
On 25 Nov 1703, Charles married in the NY Reformed Dutch Church, Alida Van Dyck, daughter of Cornelius Van Dyck and Elizabeth Beeck. She was baptized in the Albany Reformed Dutch Church, 20 Apr 1684.
The first husband of Elizabeth Beeck was Silvester Salisbury. They had four children including daughter Mary/Marytje who married in 1701, Jacob Marius Groen, also known as Jacob Marius. As her second husband, Elizabeth Beeck married Cornelius Van Dyck and had daughter Alida, wife of Charles Smith, and a daughter Elizabeth. The third husband of Elizabeth Beeck was George Bradshaw.
The Marius couple were sponsors for the baptism of one of Charles and Alida Smith's children and one of their grandchildren, and Mary Marius was a sponsor with Jan Aertsen (Jr.) at another. In 1714, Alida Smith was a sponsor at the baptism of her nephew Peter Groen, son of Jacob and Mary Marius Groen in New York.
On 21 Nov 1729, Elizabeth Van Dyk married in the NY Dutch Church, Gerrit Ketletas as his second wife. In her 30 Aug 1750 will, Elizabeth Kettletas of New York, widow, left bequests to Elizabeth Marius Groen, daughter of my sister-in-law, Mary Marius Groen; to Cornelius Smith, son of my sister Alida Smith; to my sister Alida Smith; and to my sister-in-law Mary Marius Groen. The will was proved 30 Aug 1762.
Charles and Alida Smith lived in Jamaica. She was listed as an additional subscriber to the Dutch Church as of 18 Nov 1715. He does not appear in the record with her.
Charles died in March 1749. On 17 Apr 1749, Aladah/Alida Smith, widow of Charles Smith, cordwainer, late of Jamaica, and Peter Smith his son, sold to Jacob Ogden, surgeon of Jamaica, a parcel of land. The sale was made to discharge a debt owed by Charles to the Queens County Loan Office. Witnesses were Cornelius Smith and Thomas Poyer.
Children of Charles and Alida (Van Dyck) Smith: 1) Elizabeth Smith was baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, Tuesday, 10 Apr 1705, sponsors Jan Aertsen and Maria Smith. No further information.
2) Peter Smith, cordwainer, was born about 1706, and died in Jamaica, 15 Apr 1785. He married about 1730, Geertie Maston, probably in Flushing, NY. Her surname is also found as Marston and Masten. She was baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, 25 Mar 1712, the daughter of Frans and Marijtie Maston. Sponsors were Jan Maston, probably her grandfather, and Elizabeth Gardner, her cousin.
The Marston family lived in Flushing, NY, but also owned land in neighboring Jamaica.
In his Jamaica will, dated 19 Mar 1768, and proved Queens County, NY, 17 May 1785, Peter Smith named his wife Charity who was to receive household goods and the income from the estate which was to be sold and the money put to interest. After her decease, the income was to be divided between his nine children: Mary, Elizabeth, Letitia, Peter, Francis, Charles, Sylvester, Richard, and John Smith. The sons were to receive twice as much as the daughters and the two youngest sons, Richard and John, were to be bound out to trades. Executors were his wife and sons Peter and Francis. Wits: Benjamin Thurston, John Vanlien, yeoman of Jamaica, and Robert Hinchman.
The birth order of his children was probably as found in the will.
Did Peter marry about 1748, second wife Charity as Samuel Stelle Smith claims? It is an easy conclusion to reach without further evaluation but two documents indicate that Geertie was also called Charity, which was not uncommon as there are other incidences of the use of both names by Dutch women.
On 5 Feb 1747, Peter Smith, cordwainer, and Charity his wife, of Jamaica, sold to William Lawrence of same place, a tract of land with house, barn and orchard. On 24 May 1749, Jamaica, Benjamin Hinchman attested that he saw Peter Smith and Charity his wife seal and deliver the written instrument, and it was recorded.
On 23 Mar 1748, Francis Marston (aka Frans Maston) of Flushing, wrote his will, proved 17 Aug 1748. He named wife Mary; sons John and Lawrence; daughter Conerite, and daughter Gretie, wife of Peter Smith. The wife and sons were executors and witnesses were Simeon Smith, Cornelius Vandewater, Joseph Smith.
In her baptism record, Geertie Maston was recorded as "Geertie", but in her father's will she was recorded as "Gretie", which is the name Samuel Stelle Smith attributes to her. These names were not interchangeable. Many Dutch names were recorded incorrectly and in some instances, changed permanently due to the difficulty English speaking individuals had in understanding and spelling them.
3) Thomas Smith was born about 1708, and died probably aft. 25 Jan 1762, when a Thomas Smith of Jamaica, cordwainer, and wife Mary conveyed property. He married Maria/Mary Van Beuren before 1740, based on Dutch Church baptism records and family relationships among the sponsors.
Maria Van Beuren was baptized with her twin brother Pieter in the NY Reformed Dutch Church, 21 Jan 1713, the children of Dr. Johannes Van Beuren and Maria Meyer. A graduate of the University of Leyden, Johannes Van Beuren came to New York about 1700, and married Maria Meyer there on 15 Jun 1707.
On 9 Dec 1740, Tammes Smiet and Marya Smiet had daughter Elisabet baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church. Sponsors were Saerls Smiet (Charles Smith, father of Thomas) and Marya van Bueren (mother of Marya).
On 21 Jun 1747, Thomas Smith and Maria Van Bueren had son Thomas baptized in the NY Reformed Dutch Church. Sponsors were Gerrit deGraauw and Elisabet Van Bueren, wife of Englebert Kemmena. Gerrit de Graauw was the husband of Catharina Van Beuren, the sister of Maria. Elisabet Van Bueren was another sister whose husband Englebert Kemmena was a surgeon.
There may have been other children born to Thomas
and Maria.
4) Letitia Smith was baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, 28 May 1711, sponsor Thomas Smith. She married Jan Maston by 1731, based on the Jamaica Dutch Church baptism of their son Jan, 30 Oct 1731, with sponsor Aleda Smeit (Alida Smith). The parents were recorded as Jan and Latiese Masten.
Jan Maston was likely the son of Frans Marston/Maston and the brother of Geertie who married Peter Smith. If so, Jan/John was living in Flushing, NY, in 1748, when his father made a will. A stipulation to the will was that son John was to have the house, land, and farm where he lives, which I bought of Francis Bloodgood, in Flushing.
5) Maria Smith was baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, 12 Oct 1714, with sponsors Dirck and Aeltje Brinckerhoff. The Brinkerhoff relationship appears to be through the Marston/Maston family. No further information.
6) Charles Smith was baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, 8 Sep 1717, with sponsors Jacob and Marytje Marers (Marius). He married 24 Jul 1738, in the NY Reformed Dutch Church, Cornelia Wilkes. She was baptized there, 4 Oct 1713, the daughter of Jan Wilkes and Margritje Dow (Douw).
The Wilkes surname is spelled a variety of ways in records. In 1756, Cornelia's father wrote his will as John Wilx of New York. Among the bequests, he left to daughter Cornelia, wife of Charles Smith, the rents and profits of the house, stables and ground next adjoining to the ground belonging to the house I now live in. And also my house and ground in Jamaica, in Queens County, during their lives, and then to her children. A notation to the published will states that "The house and lots of John Wilx were the north corner of Broad Street and Exchange Place. The eastern end of the lot was sold to the Dutch Church by Charles Phillips". Charles Phillips was the brother-in-law of Cornelia (Wilkes) Smith.
Children of Charles and Cornelia (Wilkes) Smith:
a) Margrietje Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Saerles and Cornelia Smiet, Jamaica Dutch Church, 2 Mar 1740; sponsor Aleda Smiet.
b) Charles Smith, bapt. as the son of Charles Smith and Cornelia Wilkeson, NY Dutch Reformed Church, 8 Mar 1741; sponsors Jan Wilkeson and Sara Wilkeson, wife of Johs. Poel.
c) Elisabeth Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Charles Smith and Cornelia Wilkesse, NYDR Church, 9 Mar 1743; sponsors Johs. Poel and Catharina Wilkesse, young woman.
d) Alida Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Charles Smith and Cornelia Wilkens, NYDR Church, 6 May 1744; sponsors Jacob Marius Groen and Maria Salsberry (Salisbury), his wife.
e) Cornelia Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Charles Smith and Cornelia Willekeson, NYDR Church, 21 Jul 1745; sponsors Johannes Appel and Maria Willekeson, his wife.
f) Jan Smith, bapt. as the son of Charles Smith and Cornelia Willikens, NYDR Church, 30 Nov 1746; sponsors Johannes Poel and his wife Sara Willikens.
g) Letitia Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Charles Smith and Cornelia Wilkeson, NYDR Church, 2 Aug 1749; sponsors Johannes Poel, Sara Wilkeson, his wife.
h) Maria Smith, bapt. as the daughter of Charles Smith and Cornelia Wilkes, NYDR Church, 7 Aug 1751; sponsors Johannes Appel and Annatje Varik.
7) Cornelius Smith was born 22 Jan 1720, and baptized in the Jamaica Dutch Church, 19 Feb 1721, with sponsors Jan Aertsen (Jr.) and Marytje Marers (Marius). He married about 1743, Ann Landon born 13 Jun 1726.
In his family history, Samuel Stelle Smith probably determined the indentity of the wife of Cornelius Smith based on the transcribed Jamaica will of the Rev. Walter Wilmot, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Jamaica. In his will dated 31 Jul 1744, proved 14 Aug 1744, Rev. Wilmot left bequests to the English Presbyterian Church of Jamaica; his mother, Mary "Sawden"; sister Mary, wife of Daniel Goldsmith of Southold; sister Hannah, wife of Obadiah Munson of New Haven; sister Sarah, wife of Abraham Bradley of New Haven; sister Hepsibah, wife of Daniel Moore of Goshen; brother Nathan "Sawden" of Jamaica; and sister Anne, wife of Cornelius Smith of Jamaica.
The surname "Sawden" is an error in transcription and should be "Landon". This was discovered by comparing several wills, including that of Walter Wilmot, and records in Suffolk Co., NY.
The parents of Rev. Walter Wilmot/Willmot were Alexander and Mary (Norris) Willmot of Suffolk Co., NY. In his will written Southampton, 18 Sep 1720, and proved 30 Mar 1721, Alexander Willmot named wife Mary, son Walter (underage), and daughters Mary, Hannah, Hepsibah, and Sarah wife of Abraham Bradley.
After Alexander Willmot's death, the widow Mary Wilmot married 12 Jun 1723, James Landon, cordwainer of Southold, Suffolk Co., NY. The first wife of James Landon was Mary Vaill/Vaile whom he married in May, 1707. She died in 1722. By her, James Landon had in birth order Mary, Joseph, James, Daniel, Rachel, David and John.
In his Southold will written 11 Sep 1738, and proved 26 Mar 1738, James Landon named his wife Mary; six sons Joseph, James, Daniel, David, John and Nathan; and his four daughters Mary, Rachel, Lydia and Ann.
Children of Cornelius and Ann (Landon) Smith, per Samuel Stelle Smith:
a) Wilmot Smith, b 27 Oct 1744
b) Charles Smith, b 3 Jan 1746
c) Sylvester Smith, b 2 Jul 1748
d) Ann Smith, b 23 Nov 1749
e) Cornelius Smith, b 3 Feb 1752
f) James Smith, b 27 Mar 1754; bpt. Newtown, LI, 17 Feb 1760; dy
g) Mary Smith, b 1 Jan 1757
h) James Smith, b 22 Nov 1766; md 31 Jan 1790, Phebe Rider
i) Sarah Smith, b 24 Dec 1770; md 1786, David Lamberson
Sources: NYGB Record, Vol. 85 (1954); Vols. 105-107 (1974-76); Vol 63 (Jan. 1932); TAG, Vol. 69, (Oct. 1994); Records of the Town of Jamaica, Long Island, New York, 1656-1751, Vol. III, ed. Josephine C. Frost, (LI Hist. Soc); Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York, Marriages,11 December 1639 to 26 August 1801, ed. Samuel S. Purple, 1890 (NYGB Soc); Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York, Baptisms, 25 December 1639 to 29 December 1800, (2 Vols.) ed. Thomas Grier Evans, 1901; ed. Tobias Alexander Wright, 1902 (NYGB Soc.); NY Abstracts of Wills, Vol. 4, 1744-1753 (1897); Vol. 5, 1754-1760 (1897) Vol. 6, 1760-1766, (1898) NY Hist. Soc.; Long Island Source Records from the NYGB Record, selected by Henry B. Hoff (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987); "Jacob Milton Bergen, Sr. Family of Long Island New York" Ancestors and Descendants, William Sawyer Bergen, Gateway Press, 1995.
4 Feb 2000
transcribed by Judy Tooman