John D. Ryer

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 4 Aug 1800, Morrisania, Westchester, New York, USA
• Census: 6 Aug 1810, Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA
• Census: 1 Jun 1830, Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA

Family/Spouse: Grace Lavina Tippett. Grace was born in Abt. 1746 in New York, USA; died in Aft. 1830 in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Ryer was born on 22 Jan 1766 in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA; died on 7 Apr 1850 in Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA; was buried on 9 Apr 1850 in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA.
2. Jane Ryer was born in Abt. 1777 in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA; died on 31 Oct 1862 in West Farms, Westchester, New York, USA.
3. William Ryer was born on 4 Mar 1781 in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA; died on 20 Oct 1851 in Yonkers, Westchester, New York, USA.
4. Phoebe Ryer was born on 4 May 1788 in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA; died on 1 Apr 1866 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; was buried in Evergreens Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Hendrick Michaels
• Also Known As: Hendrick Michaelse
• Occupation: 5 Apr 1771; yeoman farmer
• Residence: 5 Apr 1771, Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA
• Will: 5 Apr 1771, Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA
• Probate: 6 Nov 1789, Pelham, Westchester, New York, USA

Notes:

The largest sale of Bronx real estate which ever took place, involving a plot of 3,332 acres, or something over five square miles, to wit: the sale of the Manor of Fordham by the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the City of New York, was inaugurated on September 29, 1753.

On this date a notice was nailed on the door of the English Parish Church in the village of Westchester by Joost Vredenburgh. We know little about Vredenburgh, except that according to his affidavit he was a shoemaker. His two official companions were farmers, Hendrick Michaels, who spells his own name "Magiesle", and Benjamin Corsen. Michaels was the ancestor of the present Ryer family, well known in Bronx real estate, one of Hendrick Michaels' sons having been named Ryer and the succeeding generation having taken their father's first name instead of his last. The descendents of Benjamin Corsen are known by the name of Corsa and both families continued to be active in the Fordham Manor Church. Hendrick Ryer was an Elder and James Corsa was a Deacon in the year 1823.

source: Attwood, Frederick L. History of Fordham Manor Reformed Church, 2703 Reservoir Avenue, Bronx, New York, 1696-1946. Bronx, NY: Fordham Manor Reformed Church, 1946.

Hendrick married Jane. Jane was born in Abt. 1715 in New York, USA; died in Aft. 1771 in Westchester, Westchester, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Reyer Michielsen
• Also Known As: Reyer Van Kortryk
• Also Known As: Ryer Bastiensen Michaels
• Also Known As: Ryer Michelsen
• Also Known As: Ryer Michelsen the Elder
• Arrival: 1663, New Amsterdam; Arrived to New Amsterdam on the ship De Bonte Koe (AKA The Spotted Cow)
• Immigration: 1663, New Netherland
• Residence: Bef. 16 Apr 1663, Schoonrewoerd, Leerdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
• Departure: 16 Apr 1663, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
• Residence: 5 Feb 1674, Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA
• Residence: 7 Jul 1733, Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA
• Will: 7 Jul 1733, Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA
• Probate: 20 Dec 1733, Westchester, New York, USA

Notes:

In the name of God, Amen. “I, Ryer Michelsen, the elder, of the Manor of Fordham, in the County of Westchester, being now about four score years of age, and of sound and perfect memory.” It is my will that my 3 sons, Ryer, Hendrick, and Tunis Michelsen, shall have the use and benefit of all lands, meadows, rights, and privileges in Westchester County, until July 1, 1736, and then all my lands are to be sold “for the most that can possibly be got,” and each of my sons is to receive £18. And all of my personal property of horses, cattle, and sheep are also to be sold. I leave to my eldest son, Ryer Michelsen, 40 shillings as a preference for his birthright. And whereas it happened that in the life time of my eldest son, Michel Michelsen, deceased, I was bound for him for his only debt to Benjamin Corsa, for the payment of £21, 8s., on or before February 17, 1725, the same is to be paid out of 1/7 of the money, and the rest is to go to his son, Ryer Michelson. I leave to my daughter Mary, wife of Benjamin Haviland, £5. To Michel Michelsen, the second son of my deceased eldest son, Michel Michelson, £5. And whereas it so happened, that for the only debt of my son-in-law, Joseph Haviland, I and Benjamin Corsa became bound to Michael Furman, “in the sum of 20 odd pounds,” the same is to be paid out of 1/7 of the money, and also an account of money which the wife of said Joseph Haviland is indebted to me, “and has left her cupboard and glass in pledge for the same.” And the overplus is to be paid to my said daughter Sarah, wife of Joseph Haviland. The rest of the money is to be divided among my 3 sons, Ryer, Hendrick, and Tunis, and my daughters, Hannah, wife of Leonard Vincent, deceased, and Jane, wife of Benjamin Corsa. I leave to my son Ryer, and my loving friend Peter Keer, executors.

Dated July 7, 1733. Witnesses, Isaac Turner, Benjamin Betts, Roger Barton. Proved, December 20, 1733.

source: New York Historical Society. Collections of the New York Historical Society for the Year 1894. New York: New York Historical Society, 1894.



Ryer Michaelson, Fordham

Directs all land to be sold after July 1, 1746. Mentions sons Ryer, Hendrick and Tunis, and “Ryer Michaelson, eldest son of my son Michael,” and his second son Michael, “my daughters Mary wife of Benjamin Haviland,” and Sarah wife of Joseph Haviland, Hannah wife of Leonard Vincent, Jane wife of Benjamin Corsa.

Witnesses.

ISAAC TURNER
BENJAMIN BETTS
ROGER BARTON
Dated July 7, 1733.
Proved Dec. 20, 1733.

source: Pelletreau, William S. Early Wills of Westchester County, New York : from 1664 to 1784: a Careful Abstract of all Wills (nearly 800) recorded in New York Surrogate's Office and at White Plains, N.Y. from 1664 to 1784 : also the Genealogy of "the Havilands" of Westchester County and Descendants of Hon. James Graham (Watkinson and Ackerley Families): with Genealogical and Historical Notes. New York, NY: F. P. Harper, 1898.



Ryer Michaelson the younger, Frederick Michaelson and Tunis Michaelson, sons of Ryer Michaelson ye Elder, late of ye Manor of Fordham, yeoman, dec’d., to Benjamin Corsen of ye same place; land on Bronxes river, commonly called the Great Plain, within ye bounds of Fordham, Apr. 26, 1736.

source: Totten, John Reynolds, ed. The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 53. New York, NY: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1922.



Reyer Michielsen, named in some curious proceedings, under 1674, married, in 1686, Jacomina, daughter of Jan Tibout, and settled in the town of Fordham. He took part in building the church there, in 1706, and a stone bearing his initials may now be seen in the carriage house wall of Mr. Moses De Voe, who took it from the foundation of the old church, which stood upon Mr. De Voe’s farm. Reyer died in 1733, aged 80 years, having had eight children, to wit: Michiel, Reyer, Hendrick, Teunis, Hannah, who married Leonard Vincent; Mary, who married Benjamin Haviland; Sarah, who married Joseph Haviland, and Jane, who married Benjamin Corsa. The sons of his son Michiel (being Reyer and Michael) retained the name of Michaels, but other of Reyer’s sons took the patronymic Reyers. Hence have descended the two families of Westchester County, and other sections of this State, named Ryer, and Michael, or as also written, McKeel or Mckeel. The name Reyer is said to come from ridder, a knight.

source: Riker, James. Revised History of Harlem: Its Origins and Early Annals. New York: New Harlem
Publishing Company, 1904.



Reyer Michielsen, eldest son of Michiel Bastiaensen, was b. at Schoonrewoerd, Holland, in 1653, coming in 1663 with his parents; he m. April 15, 1686, Jacomyntje, dau. of Jan Tibout, settling at Fordham, where he took part in building the church, of which he was an active member.

A mortgage given by John Archer to Cornelis Steenwyck, of New York, in 1676, gave him full title and possession of the Manor of Fordham, which passed under his will and by certain deeds, to the Dutch church of New York. In getting possession, the church met with great opposition from the town of Westchester. This led in 1688 to a forcible entry by the officers and friends of the church. Elijah Barton, engaged with his father, Roger Barton, to keep possession for and in behalf of the town of Westchester, when on July 16th, in the afternoon, there came a great company of men with Nicholas Bayard, of New York, demanding admittance.

This being refused, Reyer Michiels and Teunis De Key, at Bayard's word, broke open the door and the Bartons were ousted and roughly handled.

With Bayard were also Nicholas Stuyvesant, Johannes Kip, Isaac Van Vleeck, Michiel Bastiaens and his wife, and sons Bastiaen, Reyer, Michiel, Hendrick Kiersen, and Jacques Tourneur. Also, “in the exploit” was Hannah (or Anna) Odell.

The Westchester authorities issued a warrant July 20th, “to take the bodies of the said Reyer Michiels, with the said complycetors”, but the church maintained its hold and the lands were ultimately sold.

Reyer Michielsen died in 1733, having had children, Michiel, Reyer, Hendrick, Teunis, Hannah, Mary, Sarah, Jane, Jacomyntie, Johannes, some of whom being called Michiels and others Reyers.

source: Abbott, John Howard. The Courtright (Kortright) Family Descendants of Bastian van Kortryk, a Native of Belgium who Emigrated to Holland about 1615. New York: Tobias A. Wright, 1922.

Ryer married Jacomina Tibout on 15 Apr 1686 in First Collegiate Church of Harlem, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA. Jacomina (daughter of Jan Tibout and Sara van der Vlucht) was born in Abt. 1665 in Schoonrewoerd, Leerdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; died in Fordham Manor, Westchester, New York, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Jacomyntie
• Also Known As: Jacomyntje Tibout

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Michiel Bastiaensen Van Kortryk
• Arrival: 1663, New Amsterdam; Arrived to New Amsterdam on the ship De Bonte Koe (AKA The Spotted Cow)
• Immigration: 1663, New Netherland
• Residence: 1663; Upon arriving in New Amsterdam, Michael Sebastiansen Van Kortrijk and his brother, Jan, settled at Stuyvesant's Bouwery, also known as the Great Bowery or Peter Stuyvesant's farm. This property was the largest of the six original estates, or boweries, established by the Dutch West India Company in the colony of New Netherland. Known as Bowery No. 1, it included the modern-day areas of the East Village and Stuyvesant Town.
• Residence: Bef. 16 Apr 1663, Schoonrewoerd, Leerdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
• Departure: 16 Apr 1663, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Notes:

Of Oblinus' companions on board the de Bonte Koe (Spotted Cow), Demarest went to Staten Island, Journee and Bogert to Brooklyn, and the Bastiaensen brothers to Stuyvesant's Bouwery, though they all soon after came to Harlem. The Bastiaensens, it may be observed, were the ancestors of the entire Kortright or Courtright family, in the States of New York and New Jersey, and also, through other branches, of the families of Ryer and Michiel (now Mekeel and McKeel, -- a Dutch metamorphosed into a Hibernian name!) of Westchester and other counties of our State, and that of Low, in Somerset County, New Jersey but distinct from the Lows of Ulster county, named in a preceding note.

source: Riker, James. Revised History of Harlem: Its Origins and Early Annals. New York: New Harlem Publishing Company, 1904.



Michiel Bastiaensen, of whose history up to his emigration, in 1663, we have before spoken, had, so far as known, five children, viz.: Reyer, born 1653; Metje, born 1655, who married Hendrick Kiersen: Annetie, born 1658, who married John Odell (ancestor of the Fordham Odells); Bastiaen, born 1662, and Aefie, born 1665, in New York, who married Jacques Tourneur.

source: Riker, James. Revised History of Harlem: Its Origins and Early Annals. New York: New Harlem Publishing Company, 1904.



Michiel Bastiaensen (Van Kortryk), born 1620, at Leerdam, Holland, also married and removed to the village of Schoonrewoert, not far from Leerdam, where his children Reyer, Metje, Annetie, and Bastiaen were born, his fifth child. Aefie, born in Harlem. They all came in the Spotted Cow in 1663, with Jan and his family, and soon came to Harlem, later making their home at Fordham.

source: Abbott, John Howard. The Courtright (Kortright) Family Descendants of Bastian van Kortryk, a Native of Belgium who Emigrated to Holland about 1615. New York: Tobias A. Wright, 1922.

Jan married Sara van der Vlucht. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]