The Courter family did purchase land in Bergen County as one of the many original landholders in NJ.  From there they moved West into today Passaic and Morris County.

 

The first Courter descendant arrived in NY about 1641.  He had no children but his brother, Harmen, came to US in 1660

 

see notes below

 

1641  Ship Passenger Lists NY & NJ 929.3747 B7915 states the following. Special conditions mentioned in contract between Wouter van Twiller engaged Gerrit Courten van Voorthuizen, 21 years old, on the 13th Nov 1641 to go to New Netherland to sow, to mow, to plow, to dig ditches and to do farm work in the Gelderland manner.

The Dutch did not use first and last names.

So Guert would have been Gerrit and he would be the son of Couerte.  He was from the area of Voorthuizen in the area of Gelderland in Holland in 1641.

 

1646  This is from a copy of book without title sent to me by Elizabeth Wescott Jan 19, 1998:
"He is first mentioned on Dec. 18, 1846, when he rented with Wouter Aertsen the bouwery of Wouter vanTwiller on Mahattan Island (CDM-36)."

 

1647  "He married Oct 13 1647 Geertje Jacobs."

 

1657  "He was confirmed in his rights as a Small Burgher on ? 13, 1657, his name appearing as Gewit Coerten (RNA-VII-152) and on ? 13, 1657, he sold a house and lot in Manhattan (Valentine's Manual-595)."

 

1661  "In 1661, he was a resident of Communipaw (HSYB-100-32)

 

1668

 

12 May 1668

 

Phillip Carteret to
Guert Coerten
1st Patent at Bergen for 7 tracts of land

 

1st tract begins at stake leads from roan town of English Neighborhood (easterly corner of lot #35 beloning to Adrian Post)
N75.50W32c18l to stake middle of road
N23.30E5c26l to first mentioned road to a stake
S75.50E31c to first mentioned road
along road S10.15W5c26l to beginning

 

2nd tract is lot #48 begins at stake (southerly corner lot of Frederick Phiipse's patent marked #47)
N56.20W29c60l to stake by road
S33W2c53l along said road to a stake
S56.20E29c90l to a stake
N30E2c53l

 

description that follows this deed said it was 14 X 150 rods = 3 1/2 morgens

 

3rd tract stake (east corner lot of Adrian Post #55)
N55W29c10l to a stake by road
N39E3c60l along said road to a stake
S54.50E29c30l to a stake
S41.45W3c60l

 

description it is a wood lot 19 X 150 rods = 4 8/? morgens.  It is owned by Aaltje VanWinkle in 1764.

 

4th tract upland and meadow #91 stake near the road leading form town of English Neighborhood (S corner of lot of Arent Lawrence #92)
N67.30W9c24l
N43W32c47l to Bridge Creek
returning to stake to place of beginning
S16.05E5c60l along road to a stake
S10W8c61l along road to a stake
S51W7c95l to stake
N63W7c75l to stake
S88.20W4c87l to stake standing near small brook
N4E1c6l to stake top of hill
N9.30W1640l stake edge of of meadow
N44.20W14c53l to Bridge Creek
then up along creek several courses  and until it comes to other line that strikes said creek

 

description  E of Samuel Edsall on Creapel Bosch with meadow = 27 acres owned by Garret VanRypen and in 1764 to his son George who sold it to Garret Newkirk.

 

5th tract garden plot #94 NW side of town
Beginning NW side of street (S50W2c68l from stake which last stake stands 30l from E corner of Widow Van Riper's house on

 

1668  He became a member of the Bergen Church 8 Jul 1668, and was dismissed.
Guert Coerten had no children.

 

Guert is mentioned in RNA I:298; II:277 and NJ Wills, I:101 (1671).

 

1671
 5 Feb 1671 (NJA-XXX-558).  In Guert's will he annuls testament made with his wife Geertje Jacobs Duenaers who he married on 15 Jan. 1657. because she had been unfaithful to him.  He, also, annuls testament of March 24, 1664.

 

"In his will he mentions Pieter Hesselse, the son of his sister;
Thomas Jurianses, oldest son of Ryckje Hermans (his niece);
Henricksen Smack, oldest son of Guertje Harmens, his brother's daughter Jan Harmensen, his brother's son;
and makes his universal heir his brother Harem Coerten."

 

The article continues with information about him in later dates even though will probate stated he died bef 1671.

 

There is a conflict in dates of marriage that should be checked.

 

Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. II 1730-1750. Part II
Appendix

 

Page: 558
Name: Guert Coerten
Date: 05 Feb 1671
Location: from Voorthuysen in Guelderlant, now living at Bergen

 

Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. II 1730-1750. Part II
Appendix

 

will of (in Dutch). Made before Claes Arentsen Toers, constable of Bergen. Annuls testament made with his wife Geertje Jacobs Dueunaers January 15, 1657, because she has been unfaithful; also testament of March 24, 1664; and names as legatees the son of his sister, Pieter Hesselse, brother Thomas Jurianses, oldest son Ryckje Harmens, Mathys Hendricksen Smack, oldest son of Guertje Harmens, his brother's daughter, Jan Harmensen, brother's son, Christyntje Claes, dau. of Claes Christiansen, universal heir brother Harmen Coerten.

 

Yearbook of the Holland Society of New York: 1902.
List of Passengers, 1654 To 1664

 

Source: From New York Colonial Mss., Vol. 14, PP. 83-123
Date: 12 Feb 1659
Ship: "De Trouw*" (The Faith), Captain Jan Jansen Bestevaer
Name: Harmen Coerten
Comment: from Voorhuysen, wife and five children, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 17 years old

 

1659  He arrived in New Amsterdam from Voorthuysen in Gelderland on the ship "De Trouw" (The Faith) on the 12 Feb 1659.  He had five children with him aged 17, 9, 8, 6, 5 according to the Holland Society Year Book for 1902, p. 9. The Captain of the ship was Jan Jansen Bestavaar.  He settled in Utrecht (K-66).  Later he moved to Bergen.

 

1664  Documents of the Colonial History of NY, Vol. 2 pp. 480-481 shows he was a resident of New Utreht part of Brooklyn, NY on 14 Feb 1664.  "In a declaration made at New Utrecht 14 Feb 1664 at the request of the Sheriff of Midwout and Schepens of the Village of New Utrecht, respecting the Violent Conduct of John Schot.  Harmen Coerten is described as aged 54 years."   (DCHNY-II-480)

 

The information here is from Paul Courter

 

Harmen was at the British take over of New Amsterdam:

 

                                      DIVERS DECLARATIONS
                                    RESPECTING THE VIOLENT
                                     CONDUCT OF JOHN SCHOT

 

        BEFORE ME,  PELGROM CLOCQ,  BY THE  RIGHT HONABLE DIRECTOR- GENERAL  AND COUNCIL  ADMITTED  A NOTARY  PUBLIC RESIDING IN THE  VILLAGE  OF  MIDOUT,  IN  NEW   NETHERLAND,  AND  THE UNDERNAMED  WITNESSES,  APPEARED JACOB  HELLAKENS, AGED  52 YEARS, CRISTIAEN
        ANTHONYS, AGED 42 YEARS, JAN VAN DEVENTER, AGED 35 YEARS, THEUMIS IDEND,  A  SINGLE MAN,  AGED 25  YEARS,  HARMEN COERTEN, AGED 54 YEARS, ADRIAEN WILLEMSEN, AGED 27 YEARS,  JAN VAN CLEEFT, AGED 36 YEARS, AND TREYNTJE CLASS,  A PREGNANT WOMAN. AGE 46  YEARS, WIFE
OF RUT JOOSTEN,  ALL INHABITANTS OF  THE VILLAGE OF NEW UTRECHT, WHO HEREBY DECLARE AND TESTIFY, ON THIER TROTH, IN FAVOR AND FOR  THE ENDS OF JUSTICE, ON THE REQUISITION AND AT THE REQUEST OF MR.  ADRIAEN HEGEMAN, SHERIFF OF  THE VILLAGE OF MIDOUT, ECT., BY AND IN THE PRESENCE OF  MR. BALTASAR DE VOS AND FRANCIS  DE BRUYN, AT PRESENT SCHEPENS OF THE VILLAGE  OF NEW UTRECHT HERE, THAT IT IS
TRUE AND TRUTHFUL  THAT ON  SATURDAY, THE 12TH  OF JANUARY LAST,  JOHN SCHOT, CAPTAIN OF  A TROOP OF HORSE AND FOOT,  CAME TO THEIR VILLAGE, MAKING GREAT NOISE. THE  AFORE-SAID JOHN SCHOT, STANDING  ON THE BLOCK-HOUSE, SPOKE IN ENGLISH, BUT ALL THAT THE ABOVE NAMED  ARYEN  WILLEMSE  COULD  UNDERSTAND WAS  JOHN  SCHOT  SAYING: THIS COUNTRY AND ALL AMERICA FROM VIRGINIA UNTO BOSTON, BELONG TO KING   CHARLES. THE ABOVE NAMES DEPONENTS ALSO  JOINTLY DECLARE THAT JOHN
SCHOT WENT INTO  THE BLOCK-HOUSE AND  EXAMINED THE LITTLE CANNON WHICH HE UPSET WITH THE CARRIAGE.  AND HIS MEN, HAVING AFTERWARDS REPLACED IT,  BY HIS ORDER,  SETTING IT  IN THE KINGS'S NAME, IN ANOTHER PORT-HOLE OF THE BLOCK-HOUSE, WHICH HE CALLED THE KING'S PORT, THEY FIRED A SALUTE ON THIS OCCASION.

 

JACOB HELLAECKENS FUTHER DECLARES ALONE,  THAT JOHN SCHOT CAME  TO HIM,  AND UNDERSTANDING THAT  HE, DEPONENT, WAS  A MAGISTRATE, ENQUIRED IF HE  WILL SUBMIT TO  THE KING'S AUTHORITY AT PRESENT?
        
WHERE-UNTO THE DEPONENT ANSWERED: THE KING IS OUR FRIEND ALREADY, FOR WE ARE NOT AT WAR; BUT I REMAIN UNDER THE LORD TO WHOM I HAVE  SWORN ALLEGIANCE. THEN JOHN SCHOT SPOKE: AS YOU WILL NOT CONSENT,
        THEN YOU MAY SEE WHAT WILL COME OF IT.

 

        JAN  VAN CLEEF  DECLARES, IN  COMMON WITH  ALL THE DEPONENTS EXCEPT TREYNTIE AFORESAID, THAT JOHN SCHOT SAID: YE SHALL NOT ANY LONGER LOOK UPON PIETER  STUYVESANT YOUR GOVERNOR, BUT ONLY AS A PRIVATE  MAN,  FOR  HE IS  A  GENERAL  NO MORE;  HE,  JOHN SCHOT,
FORBIDDING THEM, THE DEPONENTS, TO GIVE  HIM ANY PROPERTY OR MAKE HIM ANY PAYMENT;  AND (IF THEY MUST  GIVE OR HAD GIVEN  ANY, THAT HE, JOHN SCHOT,)  WOULD INSIST  TO PIETER STUYVESANT  FOR IT AND
CONSTRAIN HIM THEREUNTO BY THE SWORD.

 

        TREYNTIE CLAES, WIFE OF RUT JOOSTEN, DECLARES THAT WHILST IN HER  HOUSE  AN ENGLISHMAN  OF GREAT  FLATT,  A SMITH,  CAME ALONG MAKING CONSIDERABLE  NOISE  AND  UPROAR,  INQUIRING  FOR MATTHUS PICSTAERT, THREATENING TO RUN  HER THROUGH WITH A SWORD WHICH HE HELD  IN HIS  HAND CLEAR OUT  OF THE SCABBARD,  AND POINTED THREE
  DIFFERENT TIMES AT HER, THE DEPONENT'S BREAST, CALLING OUT, WHERE IS THE MAN? SO THAT, EVENTUALLY, ALL THE ENGLISHMEN CAME INTO HER  HOUSE AND STILLED  THE FURY;  SHE, THE DEPONENT,  BEING IN GREAT  DREAD AND TROUBLE.

 

        FURTHER  DEPONENTS SAY NOT,  BUT ARE WILLING  TO CONFIRM BY OATH, IF NEEDS  BE, ALL THE AFORESAID. THRU DONE  AND EXECUTED IN THE VILLAGE OF NEW UTRECHT ABOVEMENTIONED, ON THE 14TH FEBRUARY 1664,
IN THE PRESENCE OF ME BALTASAR DE VOS AND FRANCOYS DE BRUYN. SCHEPEND,  AS  WITNESSES, WHO  HAVE  SIGNED  THE ORIGINAL  MINUTE REMAINING WITH ME, THE NOTORY, AS WELL AS THIS COPY.
                        (SIGNED)
                                             ARIAEN WILLEMS HIS MARK

 

                                             HARMEN COERTEN HIS MARK

 

                                             TREYNTIE CLAES HER MARK

 

                                              JAN CLEEF HIS MARK

 

                                             CHRISTIAEN ANTONIS HIS MARK

 

                                             JAN VAN DEVENTER,
                                             JACOB HELLAKENS,
                                             THEUNIS IDENS,
                                             B. VOSCH,
                                             FRANCOIS DE BRUYNE.   12

 

end of Paul Courter info

1665    Harmen Coerten took the oath of allegiance in the Town of Bergen on 22 Nov. 1665.  (History of Hudson County, NJ by Charles H. Winfield, p. 103).
On p. 83 History of Land Titles in Hudson County he is listed as owning property next to Guert Coerten, his brother.

 

1671  In the NJ Colonial Documents p 146 he is listed as the universal heir of his brother Guert Coerten on the will dated 5 Feb 1671 and recorded 1 June 1671.

 

1677  In the year 1677 he was a witness of a child born to Pieter Hesselse and Elysabet Gerrits according to the Bergen Reformed Church written in the Holland Society Year Book, 1976 p. 24.

 

1689  His death is recorded in Death and Membership Record, Bergen, NJ (Holland Soc. Yearbook, 1915, p 105).

Judy Ullman

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