Descendants of Jan Gerritsen Decker
of New Amsterdam

Decker

Generation #3

Heyltje Gerritse (2Gerrit Janse, 1Jan Gerritsen) Decker

Heyltje Gerritse Decker was christened on 1/10/1686 at the Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston, Ulster Co NY. On 11/25/1704 in Kingston, Ulster Co NY, Heyltje married Hendrick Joachem Schoonmaker b. 8/16/1683 in Kingston, Ulster Co NY. Hendrick and Heyltje settled at Rochester in Ulster Co NY, raising nine children.

While living at Rochester, Hendrick would have spoken with the folks who settled out on the frontier of the Delaware Valley; as they had to pass his home on the Old Mine Road, the north/south thoroughfare in the valley, going to and from the market and the Dutch Reformed Church at Kingston. Of note, the frontier was known as Minisink and was considered to be an extension of the Colony of New York. Even after two generations, residents of Minisink came to find out that they actually lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. [Migration to Minisink]

In 1732 the family migrated up the Old Mine Road to what became Bucks (now Monroe) Co PA where Hendrick purchased land from the Indians. Hendrick and Heyltje lived together in Monroe Co PA until Hendricks death in about 1735. And by 1737, they had their own Dutch Reformed Church of Smithfield TWP. [The Smithfield DRC Church]

In about 1737 in Bucks (now Monroe) Co PA, Heyltje married William Klerck b. c. 1684 Kingston, Ulster Co NY. The next record for William and Heyltje is from 1740 where they gave permission for daughter Catherine to marry Willem DeVoor. 

William and Heyltje probably lived on the Sussex Co NJ side of the river. They disappear from the records after 1745.

Reformed Dutch Church, Kingston, Ulster Co NY: 1/10/1686
Parents Child Sponsors
Gerard Deckers
Margriet Deckers		 Heyltie Hendric Deckers
Magdaleen Deckers
1704 25 Nov; Henderick Schoonmacker, born Kingstowne;
Heyltie Gerritse Decker, born Rochester , both liv Rochester . (b)
THE PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, 2nd series, vol.19, p.763:
"In 1732, Thomas QUICK, Hendrick SCHOONMAKER and others presented a petition to purchase some vacant land on this (the west) side of the Delaware River from the Indians who owned it, and were temporarily refused." 
William DEVOOR... obtained license of marriage for himself and for Catherine SCHOONMAKER of the County of Morris abovesaid, spinster... [w] Tho:s BARTOW Sec'y [consent of] Wyllem KLERCK and wife Heylty KLERCK who was the widow of Henderyck SCHOONMAKER...Wyllem DEVOOR... our Doghter Catryena SCHOONMAKER.

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This site is provided for reference only. Except where specifically cited, information contained is conjecture and should not be considered as fact.
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