Parentage of Pieter Pietersen Ostrander
and his Sister Tryntje Pieters

[This is a copy of the article I compiled that was published in the July 1999 Issue of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. It has been edited here and sources not displayed. See the Record for the full content and sources.]

Original:

Den 26 October 1652

    Compareerden alsvoren [i.e. voor Heeren Mr Johannes Blaeu] pieter pieterss van A[msterdam] bontwerker, wedu[wnaar] van luytje jans woon[ende] opde Fluwelenb[urg]wal & Tryntje vande Lande van A[msterdam] woon[ende] inde bloetstraet out 35 jaer geen ouders hebbende geassit^r met jan vandelande haer broeder
[In the margin]
Hij de weescamer te voldaen hij heeft den 6 novemb 1653 bewijs gedaen

pieter pierts              X

Translation:

October 26, 1652

    Appeared as before [ i.e. before the gentleman Mr. Johannes Blaeu] Pieter Pietersen from Amsterdam, furrier, widow of Luytje Jans, living on the Velvet Ditch and Tryntje vande Lande from Amsterdam, living on Blood Street age 35 years having no parents, assisted by Jan Vandelande her brother.
[In the margin]
He satisfied the Orphan court he has completed proof November 6, 1652.

Pieter Pietersen     Her  X Mark

    This couple did have a son named Pieter baptized May 11, 1653 in the Nieuwekerke but no other children were located. And while it is possible they are the parents of Pieter Pietersen Ostrander other questions arise from information found in the Marriage Intentions. Tryntje is listed as 35 years old, rather old to be starting a family and Pieter Pietersen is listed as a widow with an unknown number of children and probably between 30 and 40 years of age. His occupation as a furworker rather than a soldier runs contrary to the ships passenger list. While it is possible he changed careers, it seems unlikely that a man over 40, a furrier with a family, would take on the dangerous life of a soldier. If the children’s ages on the ships manifest are correct (8, 4 and 2 in 1660), then a November 1652 marriage would be too late for this to be the couple on the Bonte Koe. Thus it appeared that Pieter Pietersen and Tryntje Van der Lande could be eliminated from consideration.

    The records of the Court and Secretary at Kingston in Ulster County, where Pieter Pietersen Ostrander and Tryntje Pieters lived, were checked a few entries for a Pieter Pietersen were found between 1665 and 1668. He was a man with financial problems having trouble making ends meet. But in no way does this shed light on whether this Pieter Pietersen had a wife and children. However, recently discovered information in the Notarial records at the Rijksarchief in Amsterdam provides an identity for this Pieter Pieterson:

The location of Pieter’s birthplace would tie in with early legends of his parentage, but Amsterdam was a large city with many immigrants to New Netherlands passing through.

    No surname has been connected with Tryntje Pietersen while Pieter Pietersen only used the surname "Van Ostrande" at the baptism of his youngest child in 1706. However his sons are found using various forms of the surname including Van Norstrant, Van Noostrant, Van Ostrand, Van Oostend, Van Ostrander, Ostrande, and finally Ostrander. The first two of these variations prove valuable when considering information discovered and discussed later.

    That Pieter and Tryntje were brother and sister can hardly be disputed. Besides having the same patronymic, they stood witness at the baptisms of each others children and gave the same names to some of their children, names which cannot be attributed to their spouses’ families. To illustrate this, the children of both couples will be listed along with their baptismal sponsors.

Hendrick Albertszen Ploegh and Tryntje Pietersen

Albert, born abt 1673 at Kingston, m. Rachel Pier, widow of Arie Frans.
Jacob, bap April 24, 1675, Wt. Jan Borhans and wife.
Pieter, born about 1677 at Kingston.
Geesje, bap April 6, 1679, d.y., Wt. Jacob Rutse, Rebecca Traphagen.
Jan, bap May 5, 1681, Wt. Jan Hendricksen, Annetje Mattysen.
Geesje, bap July 22, 1683, Wt. Rebecca Willems [probably Rebecca Traphagen], Harmen Pier
Maria, bap Feb 28, 1686, Wt. Hendrick Adriance, Geesje Pier
Rebecca, bap February 3, 1689, Wt. Teunis Pier, Annetje Hendricks.
Arent, bap January 28, 1692, Wt. Jan Oosterhout Sr, Annetje Oosterhout.
Geertje, bap June 8, 1694, Wt. Paulus and Lysbeth Paulusen.
Willem, bap Dec 25, 1696, Wt. William de Meyer, Catherine Bayard.
Abraham, bap April 9, 1699, Wt. Abram Gaasbeck, Lydia de Meyer.

Pieter Pietersen and Rebecca Traphagen

Pieter, b. ca 1680.
Willem, bap. September 24, 1682, Wt. Johannes Traphagen, Geesje Pieterse.
Arent, bap. October 5, 1684, Wt. Hendric Albertsz, Tryntje Pieters.
Catrina, bap. September 5, 1686, Wt. Hans Burhans, Lena Traphagen, d.y.
Johannes, bap. September 23, 1688, Wt. Anthony Creupel, Catrina Post.
Teunis, b. January 16, 1690, no baptismal record.
Hendrick, bap. September 18, 1693.
Hermanus, bap. November 10, 1695, Wt. Herman Pier, Jannetje Pier.
Lea (twin), bap. May 1, 1698 , Wt. Hendrick Trephagen, Hilletje Burhans.
Rachel (twin), bap. May 1, 1698, Wt. Willem Trephagen, Sarah Kierstede.
Geesje, bp. May 19, 1700, Wt. Pieter DuBois, Jannetje Burhans.
Rebecca, b. about 1702.
Jacob, bap. January 13, 1706 Albany DC, Wt. Pieter and Geesje Ploegh

    Research has been published in the Record in 1939 concerning the descendants of Arent and Geesje Pier, but nothing that would indicate a reason for the close baptismal relationship with the Pietersen’s. Arent Teunisen appears on the Account Book of the West India Company for passage on the Jan Baptist which embarked from Amsterdam May 9, 1661.

Amsterdam in N. Nederlant...Arent Teunissen van Amsterdam debiter vor vracht en costgelt dat hij A°: 1661 op 9 mei per 't Schip Jan Baptist is haerwaerts gecomen. ---ƒ36:0 -- voor vracht van sijn Vrou en 2 kinderen van 7 en 4 jaaren -- ƒ72:0

[At New] Amsterdam in New Netherland...Arent Teunisen from Amsterdam indebited [to the Company] for passage and board, he came here 9 May 1661 by the Ship John the Baptist --36 guilders. For passage of his wife and 2 children age 7 and 4 years-- 72 guilders.

    The baptismal records of the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church show that Geesje delivered a child shortly after arrival:

Arent Theuniszen     August 10, 1661     Mr. Evert Pietersen
Geesje Jans              Herman

Jannetjen, baptized July 12, 1664.
Geesje, baptized May 25, 1668.
Tuenes, bap before August 21, 1673.

    The Trouwen index at Amsterdam was checked for any Arent Teunise or Theuniszen that married a Geesje Jans between 1650 and 1660. Only one couple was found but it matched perfectly:

    Here is a couple that was married in time to emigrate to New Netherlands in May 1661, have a child baptized in August 1661, and for the bride to possibly have had children who would bear the patronymic Pietersen.

The full record of the Marriage Intention was located showing the following:

Original:

Den 2 Octob 1660

mans doot copie is ingebracht
Compareerden alsvoren [i.e. voor d^e heeren den p: weverineen & And: Tholincx, Comm.] Arendt Teunis van A[msterdam] slotemaker out 21 jaeren, geasst^r met Jannetje Arents syn moeder woon[ende] inde Palmstraet & Geesje Jans van Norden wede[uwe] van Pieter Carstense woon[ende] inde goutsbloemstraet
[In the margin:]
Sij heeft den 14 octob 1660 der weescamer voldaen ende paer t 3^degebot voore [ ]n 31 Octob[er] 1660

    They were married at the Nieuwekirke in Amsterdam by Domine Menho July 14, 1654. The finding of Norstrant or Norstrand as the place of origin of Pieter Carstens is valuable in that on at least two occasions, sons of Pieter Pietersen Ostrander were called Van Norstrande or Van Nostrande, while Van Ostrande was used in other baptisms. The marginal notation is also of interest in that Pieter may have had at least one surviving child living at his marriage to Geesje Jans, probably by his wife Tryntje Thijssen.

    The Trouwen Index was checked prior to 1654 and only one marriage entry was located for a Pieter Karstensen and a Tryntje Thijssen but it occurred in 1623. At first it was rejected because of the time span but further research in the actual Marriage Intentions showed unexpected results:

    Initially this marriage intention presented some problem as to the possibility of a 49 year old widow marrying in 1654 a 21 year old woman. But no other marriages were found for a Pieter Carstensen and a Trijntje Thijsen from 1623 to 1654 and the birthplace for this Pieter Carstensen closely matches the groom of 1654 that it is felt there is little doubt that this is the correct Pieter Carstensen. It is uncertain the exact number of children the couple may have had because of the large number of Pieter Carstensens having children baptized in the Lutheran Kerke during that time and that the mothers name was not listed in the baptismal entry. However two baptismal entries are of note and will be entered here:

    No other children can be added with surety . At Pieters marriage to Geesje Jans in 1654 they appeared before the Weescamer making it likely that he had a child under the age of 25. It is uncertain when Tryntje died. A check of the begraven index from 1628 to 1653 shows only two entries for a Trijntje Thyssen: one was buried June 8, 1636 and lived on the Lauriergracht and the other died September 9, 1635, the original entry not located. Both women were buried in the Karthuizer Kerkhof. Pieter was located in the membership list for the Oude Lutheran Kerke, the date of which is uncertain but appears to be 1625-35:

    Only one child for Pieter Karstens and Geesje Jans could be located with certainty in the D,T,B Index and the corresponding record in the Baptismal Register of the Amsterdam Oude Lutheran Kerke confirmed this to be the couple and child we were searching for:

    This would confirm that Geesje Jans gave birth to a child named Pieter Pietersen who would have been nearly four years old when the family emigrated to New Netherlands. Coupled with the origin of Pieter Carstensen at "Nortstrant" and that sons of Pieter Ostrander were at times designated Van Noortstrant, there is little doubt that this is Pieter Pietersen Ostrander. No other children were located for this couple, but the Amsterdam Lutheran Church in this time period rarely lists the name of the child’s mother. There were several baptisms noted between 1650 and 1660 for children with a father named Pieter Carstensen and there may have been as many as three Pieter Carstensens having children baptized in the Lutheran Kerke during this period. Two of these children were daughters named either Tryntje or Catrina:

    Of these two children the latter, Catrina seems possible as the name is a form of the name Tryntje and Pieter Pietersen named a daughter Catrina rather than Tryntje. But the baptismal sponsor for the first child, Seijtie Pieters could, by her patronymic, be the child of Pieter Carstensen by his first marriage standing sponsor to a namesake child of her mother, making this a more plausible choice.

    The possible burial of Pieter Carstensen was located by the D,T,B Index in the Karthuizers Kerkhof:

    This would prove that Pieter Carstensen had two under age children alive at his death and confirm the identity of the children on the Jan Baptist in 1661 with Arent Teunisen Pier and his newly married, pregnant wife Geesje Jans as her children by her first husband, namely Tryntje Pieters, aged about 7, and Pieter Pieterse (Ostrander), age 4.

    These findings show that published accounts of the descent of Tryntje Pietersen and Pieter Pietersen Ostrander from the Pieter Pietersen, adelborst who arrived on the Bonte Koe in 1660 are unfounded. They were in actuality the children of Pieter Karstense van Nortstrant of Amsterdam, and that Pieter Pietersen Ostrander’s mother, Geesje Jans, was the mother of two important families in early New Netherlands: the Ostranders and the Piers. Information discovered allows us to construct a pedigree:

Pietersen\Ostrander

    Pieter Carstensen was born abt 1605 on the island of Norstrand or nearby at Husum in Schleswig-Holstein. Coupled with the name of his father, Carsten or Kersten, and the fact that his children were baptized in the Lutheran Church in Amsterdam, it would seem that a German, Frisian or Danish origin is probable. It is uncertain when Pieter Carstensen came to Amsterdam, possibly as a child with his father, though no record of the latter has been found there. At his first marriage in 1623 he had no parents living, at least not in Amsterdam and was an apprentice shoemaker living on the Goutbloemtraet in Amsterdam.

Probable children of Pieter Carstense and Tryntje Thyssen:

    Pieter married second July 14, 1654 in the Nieuwekerke at Amsterdam, Geesje Jans, born about 1632 at Norden in Oost Friesland, the daughter of Jan Doets and an unknown wife. He was by then an innkeeper on the Palmdwarstraet in Amsterdam. Geesje was living at Amsterdam on the Palmdwaerstraet at the time of her marriage. Pieter was probably buried September 21, 1659 in the Karthuizers Kerkhof in Amsterdam.

Children of Pieter Carstense and Geesje Jans:

    After the death of her first husband, Geesje married second with Amsterdam intentions dated October 2, 1660 Arent Teunisse Pier, born at Amsterdam about 1639, the son of a Teunis ( ) and Jannetje Arentsen. They embarked for New Netherlands May 9, 1661 on the Jan Baptist and settled at Kingston on the Hudson River in Ulster County, New York.

Children of Arent Teunisse and Geesje (Jans) Pier: