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AELTJE GERRITS, THE SECOND WIFE OF PETER PRAAL (1672-1748)

Aeltje Gerrits, the daughter of Jan Gerrits and Elisabeth Gysbert, was born
about 1685 on Staten Island, Richmond County, New York [1].  Her paternal
grandfather, Gerrit Jansen van Oldenburg, was born between 1600 and 1610 in
northwestern Germany.  He was an early resident of Manhatten, settling in
the Dutch community.  They called him “Gerrit de Mof or ye Muffe” which
was a derogatory term meaning “the German.”  His name is first found in
New Netherland records in July 1632 when he was foreman of a farm. Gerrit
had numerous financial problems over the next six or seven years, and his
name frequently appeared in court records.

On 21 July 1639, he was charged  “with eloping with a certain widow.
Gerrit pleaded that he and Clara Mattheys were betrothed [2].  He was fined
20 guilders and had to sign a 100 guilder note to obtain Clara’s release
from her contract with Jonas Bronck.”  Gerrit and Clara had the following
children baptized in the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church:

1. Anneken 1 July 1640   (no further record)
2. Jan  4 January 1642
3. Abraham (twin) 28 November 1643 (no further record) 
4. Jacob (twin) 28 November 1643 (died young)
5. Jacob   14 October 1646

After his marriage, he settled down and on 18 April 1653 he purchased land
in New Utrecht, Long Island, New York.  Gerrit must have died before 18
January 1662, when a patent was granted to a neighbor, and the bounds of
the land gave Jan Gerrit’s name in place of his father’s.

Jan Gerrits also appears on record as John and his surname takes many forms.
Besides Gerrits (etc.) he is also called “de Muffe.”  His children used
the name Gerritse or Garrison.

Jan received a patent for 24 morgens of land in New Utrecht, Long Island
on 16 January 1662.  Times must have been hard, as on 26 January 1665, he
declares that he is in debt for 239 pounds and pledged his land as security.
Three years later in March 1668 “John Gerrits and Jacob, his brother,
mortgaged their wheat crop” to the same individual, and they renewed this
mortgage in April 1670.

A draught of a patent, to be granted to John Garretsen, for lands on Long
Neck upon Staten Island, New York was made 1 November 1675, and a survey
of 80 acres was laid out in early 1676.  John married Elisabeth Gysberts
about this time.  Known children:

1. Johannes born about 1678.
2. Jacob baptized 30 May 1680 at Amersfoort (Flatlands) Long Island by the
   minister of the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church “the child of Jan Gerritse
   and Lysbeth Gysbert of Staten Island.” Jacob died before May 1700.
3. Cornelis born about 1682, died by 15 April 1714.
4. Aeltie born about 1685.
5. Elisabeth born about 1688, married Nathaniel Brittain ( 1665-1729)
   before April 1714.  Second marriage 16 April 1737 to widower Abraham
   Brouwer a miller of Brooklyn, NY.

On 26 January 1681, Mr. John Garetson was one of the representatives of the
local people who were appointed to investigate the taxes put upon them [3].
On 12 June1682, the court appointed Danell Stillwell. Jacob Corbett and
John Garettsonn to investigate and straighten out accounts between Antony
Ffountain and Mark Dessoway [4].

In March 1686, another survey was laid out for “John Gerrits De Muff,”
this time for 161 acres lying upon the point of Long Neck, Staten Island,
New York.  However he lost the land, as the merchant Paul Richard took it
for “a debt owed him by John and Elisabeth Gerrytse.”  Paul Richard sold
the land to Andre Canon, and a patent was laid out on 23 December 1686 [5].

On March 1691, John’s brother Jacob and wife Christina gave him a Power
of Attorney, enabling John to sell his land and receive or pay any debts
owed to or by Jacob [6].  Jacob had married Christina Cresson about 1673
and he also settled on Staten Island in 1675.  Jacob and his family moved
to Salem County, New Jersey in 1691.

John died before March 1697 when his widow Elisabeth Garritse bought 178
acres of land at the head of Fresh Kill, Staten Island, later selling
one half of the land on 22 May 1699.  “About this time she married Adam
Cavelier, who on 22 May 1700 recorded his obligation to deliver unto the
children of John Gerritse, deceased, the said land whereon I now live after
the decease of my wife Elisabeth Gerritse the late widow of John Gerritse,
deceased.”  Elisabeth died about 1703, for in January 1704, her oldest
son, Johannes and his wife Hester sold the land on which she had lived.
No further record was found on Johannes.  No one of this family appears on
the Staten Island census of 1706-08.

Aeltje Gerrits married Peter Praal before 13 April 1713. Peter’s first
wife and mother of his children was Maria Christopher, who died after
the birth of their daughter Irene in 1711.  The last record showed that
Peter and Maria were witnesses at the baptism of Christian, the daughter
of JohannesVan Campen on 17 April 1711 [7].

Peter and his wife Aeltje sold forty acres of land to Jon Cocheron on 13
April 1713 [8].  Aeltje’s brother Cornelius, a widower, of Richmond County,
New York, died intestate leaving two young children, John and Elisabeth.
Aeltje and her younger sister Elizabeth petitioned the court that Letters
of Administration be granted to Elizabeth’s husband Nathaniel Brittain.
They were granted 15 April 1714 [9].

Peter and Aeltje were the sponsors at the baptism of Aeltje, the daughter
of Johannes Prall on 11 October 1719. Johannes was Peter’s oldest son
who married Aeltje/Anetje Bas on 17 March 1718 [10].  On 18 August 1740,
Peter sold some land in Elisabeth Town, New Jersey. As Aeltje’s name did
not appear on the deed, it is reasonable to assume that he was a widower [11].

Peter Prall’s will was written on 8 January 1742/3 when he was “in good
health and perfect mind and memory.”  He mentions his wife Elizabeth,
giving her “200 pounds in lieu of her dowery, being a joint agreement
before marriage.” His will was probated on 25 November 1748 [12].

NOTES

1.  Miller, Phyllis J. “The Garrison-Gerritson Descendants of Gerrit
    Jansen Van Oldenburg, alias Gerrit De Mof.” “The New York Genealogy
    and Biographical Record” January 1993 Vol. 124 Number 1 p 1-9.
    This information was extracted from Ms. Miller’s article unless
    otherwise noted. Names often spelled as given in the records.
2.  Clara’s maiden name was Tysons, and she was twenty nine years old at
    the time of their marriage.
3.  Stillwell, John E.  “Stillwell Genealogy” Vol 1 p12.
4.  Ibid p16.
5.  Scott, Kenneth “Andre Canon of Staten Island” “The New York
    Genealogical and Biographical Record” Vol XCII Number 4 p193-8. Andre
    deeded this land to his oldest son, Abraham, who later willed the tract
    to his son David. David married Aeltje/Alida Prall, daughter of Aaron
    Prall (1698-1757) and they resided on this land.
6.  Richmond County, New York Deeds B:177,185.
7.  Bayles, Richard M. “Baptisms of the Reformed Dutch Church of Port
    Richmond” #14 “History of Richmond County, New York” 1887.
8.  Richmond County Deeds B:606.
9.  Richmond County Abstracts of Wills Vol II (1708-1728) Lib 8 p130, 313.
10.  Baptisms of the Reformed Dutch Church of Port Richmond #22
11.  Prall, Richard D.  “The Prall Family” p36.
12.  Richmond County Wills B16:364. Peter’s will was written in 1742/3
     which may indicate that he and Elizabeth were newly married. Elizabeth
     has not been identified. Peter died 21 October 1748.

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