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PEERSEN

Annetje Matthyssen, daughter of Mathij Jansen van Ceulen, was born at Fort Orange, New Netherlandt(New York) in 1645. She married Peer Jan Hendrickse on 25 March, 1668, in the Dutch Reformed Church of Kingston, New York. In following with Dutch Patronymic tradition, their 8 children all bore the surname PEERSEN. This became the official family surname in 1687, as the British colonial government outlawed patronymics and required families to declare and keep their surnames. Toward the end of the 18th century, two variations came out of this family name: PEERSON and PEARSON.

Peer Jan Hendrickse was most noted for being a part of Colonel Cragiers Militia in 1663 during the rescue of the women and children that had been captured during the Esopus Indian raid on Kingston that same year. One of those rescued, Tjaatje DeWitt, would later marry Annetje's brother, Matthys Matthyssen. Tjaatje's sister Jannetje and Janneken Van Vliet were also amoung those rescued from the Esopus.

For anyone researching this family, the pre-1800 history can be found in a book titled:
The Descendents of Mathijs Jansen van Ceulen
written by
D G Van Curen .
For more information, or to order a copy of the book:
BOOK ORDER PAGE

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