Warning: This post will be a long one, because this ancestor has 17 children and at least 117(!!) grandchildren. Second warning: All names, first and surname, are subject to many variations. I have tried to choose the most commonly used spelling but don't let that stop you from pursuing people with other spellings who are in the same area at the same time and whose other characteristics indicate a match, or at least a hint. With all that said, let's try to build this family, who of course have several marriages into other of our families, or to cousins or closer in other families entirely. This part of the family tree is more of a tangled bush.
Peter (Pieter, Petrus) Demarest (De Maree and other spellings) is the son of Jean (Jan, John) and Jacomina De Ruine Demarest and was born in 1683 in Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey after the family had moved there from various locations in New York, including New Amsterdam. He first married Maretie (Marie, Mary, Maretjie, etc.) Meet, the daughter of Jan and Gerritjie Mandeville Meet, and had seven children with her before she died in 1720. I will refer to her as Mary, simply to limit confusion with her successor, Marie. Peter next married a significantly younger Marie Batton, the daughter of Jacques and Margrietje Sans Batton, and they had eleven children together. Peter died in 1763 in Bergen County, New Jersey, as part of a well respected and somewhat prosperous family.
Peter and Mary's first child was Jacomina, born in 1710 and died in 1763 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen County, New Jersey. She married Johannes Ackerman (Akkerman) the son of Laurents and Giertjie Egbert Ackerman. Their children are Laurens, Peter, Jan, Grietje, Maryte, and Aaron. (Note the various spellings of the first names. This is what makes genealogy so much "fun".)
Maria was born in 1712 and died in 1763, about four months before her older sister. She married William Ruttan, the son of Paulus and Marie David Ruttan, Their children are Harmanes, Elizabeth, Maria, Abraham, Peter, Paulus, Leah, Jacob, William, David, and another William. Peter and William were Loyalists in the Revolutionary War, and went to Canada at the end of the War. What a heartbreak for the Demarest family in general, who have many names listed in Revolutionary War records as patriots, soldiers, and tax payers.
Lea was born next, in 1713. I show her death date as the same as sister Maria's. If these are correct, then perhaps there was an epidemic of some sort going around. I'd like to investigate this further. She married Samuel Demarest, the son of David and Maria de Baun Demarest. I'll be getting back to this branch of the Demarest family with my next post. Of course, this was some sort of cousin relationship. Their children are Antjie, Marie, Petrus, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel, John, Cornelius, Tryntje, Lea, and Samuel.
And then, a son, named Petrus of course. He was born in 1715 and died in 1780 at New Bridge, New Jersey. He married Aaltjie (not sure I've chosen the best spelling for that name!) Van Hoorn or Horn, the daughter of Barent and Jametje Hessels Van Horn. Their children are Marie, Antia, Peter, Jan/John, Cornelia, Margaret, and James and/or Jacobus.
I know least about Rachel. She was born in 1716 and died "before 1763", which gives a bit of leeway. She married Johannes Loots, the son of Jan and Hilletje Paulus Loots, and that is the last I can trace her. It's possible that she died soon after her 1736 marriage, perhaps in childbirth. It's also possible that she left the area and no one has made the connection yet. I have not found records of any children for her. Her husband's 1764 will makes no mention of a widow or of children.
Trentje was born in 1718 and died in 1795. She married Laurense Verwey, son of Jan and Catryn Ackerman Verwey. Their children are Sara, Maria, Catherine, Petrus, Geertje, Jan, Lowerans, and Laurens. Again, there are many spellings for some of these names.
Mary and Peter's final child is Sara, born in 1720 and died in 1804 in Schaalenburgh, New Jersey. She married Cornelius Van Houten, the son of Roelof (Ralph) and Jannetje SPier Van Houten. Their children are Roelof, Abraham, Jannetje, Jena, Jan, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jacomintjie, and Annetje.
Mary seems to have died in 1720, perhaps in childbirth, and Peter married Marie Batton in 1722. He certainly needed someone to help him take care of 7 children, and this 18 year old must have thought she was up to the task, and then some.
Peter and Marie's first child was a daughter, Margretje, born in 1723 and died in 1790 in Bergen County, New Jersey. She married Jan Bogert, son of Roelof and Elizabeth Bertholf Bogert. I have located just three children for this couple-Roelof, Peter, and Hendrick. Both Margretje and Jan lived into their 60's so it is possible there are more children, as yet not located.
Elizabeth was born in 1725 and died in 1763 in Bergen County, New Jersey. I have been unable to confirm the death date, so perhaps it is simply "before 1763". She married Laurens Van Buskirk, the son of Andrew and Jacomyntje Demarest Van Buskirk. (Yes, she is a descendant of Jean and Jacomina Re Ruine Demerest. Don't say I didn't warn you!) Their children are Maria, Jacominte, Peter, Marietje, Aanatie, Laurent, Margaret, and possibly Jemima. (It's possible that Jemima and Jacomnte are one and the same, but the birth dates I found are confusing.)
Hester was born in 1728 and died in that death year of 1763, (in May) in New Barbadoes, Bergen, New Jersey. She married Abraham Ackerman, the son of Johannes and Maria Wakefield Ackerman. (This is the third time I've found a connection to an Ackerman family, and surely they are connected in some way.) Their children are Maria, Elizabeth, John, Jannetje, Peter, Hester, Johannes, and Maria.
Yet another daughter, Lydia, was born in 1730 and died in 1770. This makes nine of the first ten of Peter's children daughters, who were loved but not likely as valued as sons would be. She married another Abraham Ackerman, the son of Johannes and Jannetje Lozier Ackerman. Their children are Petrus, Maria, Johannes, Maria, David, Margretje, and Abraham.
And then, finally, a son, a half brother for Petrus although the two were about 17 years apart in age. John was born in 1732 and died in 1809 in Hackensack, New Jersey. He married Willimpie Bogert, the daughter of Jan and Antje Westervelt Bogert. Their children are Antje, Peter, John, Jacobus, Maria, Margretjie, Cornelia and another Cornelia.
Jacobus was born in 1735 and died in 1807 an Kinderkamack, New Jersey. He married Maretje Smith, the daughter of Philip and Rebecca Earle Smith. This is the first marriage of these children where the bride (or groom) does not appear to come from a thoroughly French or Dutch family. Their children, however, have mostly French/Dutch names-Peter, Philip, John, Jacobus, David, Rebecca, Maria, and Margretje.
David was born in 1738 and died in 1820 in Hacksensack, New Jersey. He married Hester Brower, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Ackerman (that name again!) Brouwer. Their children are Petrus, Elizabeth, Petrus again, Maria, Abraham, Margretjie, Abraham, John, David, and James.
Maria was born in 1740 and died in 1810 in Kinderkamack, New Jersey. She married Richard Heaton or Eaton, the son of John and Mary Van Hooghkerk Heaton. Their children are John, Petrus, Maria, Elizabeth, Richard, Jacobus, Margretje, Lucas, Hester, and Lucas again.
Another daughter, Annatie, was born in 1743 and died in 1787 in Bergen County, New Jersey She married Jan (John) Banta, the son of Cornelius and Rachel Wiert Banta. Their children are Rachel, Rachel, Maria, Cornelius, Peter, Maria, Margaret, Henry, and John.
Samuel, the last son, was born in 1745 and died in 1835 probably in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey. He married Wilimena Banta, the daughter of Hendrick and Anneje DeGroot Banta. Their children are Maria, Peter, Elena, Samuel, John, Catalynte (Catherine), Annatie, Wilimena, Margrietje, Jan, and Jacobus.
Finally born 38 years (less two days) of her oldest half sister, Magdalene was the last child of Peter and Maria. She married Peter Stuyvesant (I don't know whether he was a descendant of the famous one of New Amsterdam), the son of Benoni and Pryntje Preyer Stuyvesant. Their children are Peter, Johannes, and Mary.
I believe that most, if not all of the men mentioned as children of Peter and his wives would have fought or served in some capacity in the Revolutionary War, and the older ones perhaps in the French and Indian War. I have found men of the same names and from Bergen County in various lists, but as we know, there was more than one John or Peter or David or (fill in the blank) Demarest in Bergen County at the time. Regardless, and in spite of the two sons of Maria Demarest Ruttan, most of this family supported the cause of American freedom.
But Mary and Marie are heroes, too. They each had a large family, and raised good people. That was the ultimate sign of success then, and raising good people is still one of the main values of their descendants.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete