Peter Smith of Jamaica

                            Peter Smith of Jamaica, Long Island                            

  

In his article, Peter Smith of Jamaica, Long Island, and Some of His Descendants, published in the NY Gen. & Bio. Record, Vol. 85, 1954, Samuel Stelle Smith mentioned most of the available records regarding the first known Smith of this line on Long Island.  The records are few. 

The origins of Peter (1) Smith are unknown.  He was first noted in the 11 Oct 1671 will of John Hadden, Jamaica, where he was to receive a horse.  The will was proved 27 Oct 1671, and there is no indication there was a family relationship.   

An order was issued to Peter Smith as under-sheriff to arrest Daniel Lane of Brookhaven, Long Island, 21 Jun 1672.   

In 1680, Peter Smyth with William Creed and Thomas Williams, were  witnesses to the 5 August will of William Ruscoe of Jamaica.   

Two letters were written by Peter Smith of Jamaica, to Secretary Nicholls.  One included a copy of his commission and the other, 21 Sep 1680, was in regard to a supply of rum and sugar.   

On 14 Jun 1681, he and Caleb Carman and William Creed, all of Jamaica, were given a tract of land by a group of Indians.   

He served as Clerk of the Kings County (NY) Court in 1682-83.  In 1683, he and William Creed were executors of the will of Samuel Barker of Jamaica.  On 6 Feb 1683/84, either he or his son Peter (2) Smith was witness to a Jamaica deed between Samuel Dean and Jonas Wood.  

Little is known about Elizabeth, wife of Peter Smith.  Whether she was his only wife and/or the mother of all his children cannot be determined.

Her name appears once in the Jamaica Town Records when she testified as the wife of Peter Smith, 5 Sep 1682.   

The children of Peter (1) Smith as given by Samuel Stelle Smith were Peter, Thomas, Charles, Mary, and perhaps other daughters, however there is some question as to whether Mary was a daughter.   

Peter died before 4 Jan 1690.  On this date, his widow Elizabeth married in the Flatbush Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, NY, as his third wife, Jan Aerse/Aertsen, “of the Ferry”, Brooklyn.  Although Elizabeth’s origins are also unknown, it is likely the Dutch influence on the Smith family came about after this marriage. 

The first wife of Jan Aertsen is unknown.  They had at least one son, Jan Aertsen, Jr.  His second wife was Adriaentje Bleijck, widow of Johannes Nevius.  By her, Jan Aertsen, Sr. had four known children. 

As his wife, Elizabeth was mentioned with Jan in several 1694/95 Brooklyn land records.  She was named in his 1707 Brooklyn will as receiving a life-time interest in his house and other benefits, all of which reverted to his three sons with Adriaentje after Elizabeth’s death.  These three sons were also bequeathed his 700 acres in Somerset Co., NJ.  

A list of freeholders and inhabitants taken 16 May 1713, ‘Brookland’, Kings County, Nassau Island, did not include widow Elizabeth Aertsen.  Her step-sons Aert and Capt.  David Aertse were enumerated.  If Elizabeth were living at the time, according to the terms of her husband’s will, it is likely she would have been recorded.  The date of her death is unknown but believed to have been 1710-1713.   

 

Sources: NYGB ‘Record’, Vol. 85, 1954 & Vol. 117, Oct 1986; NY Hist. Soc. Abstracts of Wills, Vol. 1, 1665-1707 (1892); Records of the Town of Jamaica, Long Island, New York, 1656-1751, ed. Josephine Frost (Long Island Hist. Soc.); Long Island Source Records, selected by Henry B. Hoff, (Genealogical Publishing Co.,1987); Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Flatbush, Kings County, New York, Vol. 1, 1677-1720, David William Voorhees, (The Holland Society, 1998); Joannes Nevius and His Descendants, A Van Doren Honeyman, 1900.

21 Jan 2000

transcribed by Judy Tooman

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