vital records sources
go to Marritje Remsen's page

Douwe was a farmer in Jamaica. When he was born, the family probably would have called him Douwe Van Ditmarssen. This was simplified over the years to Douwe Ditmars. I've chosen to use the earlier spelling to help differentiate between the Douwes. This Douwe Ditmars, variously spelled, appears in Jamaica town and church records in the 18th century, but there's only one instance of a designation of "Sr." or "Jr." to differentiate between the two adult Douwes, father and son, in the early 1700s and the next father and son named Douwe in the later 1700s. Douwe Ditmars of this biography was paid 20 shillings for being one of Jamaica's Overseers of Highways in 1744, called "Jr.," and one of two town tax assessors in 1751,1 His father was about 83 in that year and surely not apt to be elected to do that.


Douwe's:2

In the name of God amen, I, Douwe Ditmars of Jamaica in Queens County on the Island of Nassau in the Province of New York, yoeman, being in perfect health of body and of perfect mind and memory thanks by given unto God. Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form

Imprimis it is my will and I do order that in the first place all my just and lawfull debts and funeral charges shall be duly paid and satisfied out of my moveable estate by my executors as soon as conveniently my be after my decease

Item I give and bequeath unto Marrytie my dearly beloved wife the whole and sole use, incomes, benefits and profits of all and singular my dwelling house, barn, tenements, orchards, gardens, lands, meadows and real estate whatsoever I have in Queens County above said with the sole use and benefit of all my moveable and personal estate to possess, use and improve the same to the best advantage that she may or can and to take and receive the benefits, incomes and profits thereof to and for her own maintainance and support and to and for the support and maintenance of my daughter Antye for and during so long as time as she my said wife Marritye shall continue and remain my widow

Item I give, devise and bequeath unto my son Douwe Ditmars all and singular my lands, meadows, buildings and real estate whatsoever I have in Kings County in the Province of New York...which being in consideration of his first birth right. I also give, devise and bequeath unto...Douwe Ditmars (after my said wife Marritye shall cease to be my widow either by death or remarriage) all and singular my dwelling house, barn, tenements, orchards, gardens, lands, meadows and real estate whatsoever I have in Queens County...or elsewhere...

Item it is further my will and I do order that my said son Douwe Ditmars or his heirs, Executors or administrators shall pay unto my daughter Lybethye now the wife of Jeromus Vanderveer or to her heirs or assigns the sum of seven hundred pounds current money of New York and to my daughter Antye or to her heirs or assigns the sum of eight hundred pounds of like money...the sum of one hundred pounds unto my said daughter Lybethye...and the sum of one hundred pounds unto my said daughter Antye...on the first day of May which shall come first after my said wife...shall cease to be my widdow either by death or remarriage and then yearly and every year thereafter on the first of May the sum of one hundred pounds unto each of them...until the whole sum...be paid.

Item...I do order that after the remarriage or decease of my said beloved wife Marritye...all my moveable and personal estate shall be equally divided amongst my three children Douwe, Lybethye and Antye... each of them an equal proportion...it is further my will...that if my said daughter Antye shall not come to marry or not to housekeeping before the division is made of my moveable and personal estate that then her portion of my said moveable and personal estate as also the said eight hundred pounds which my said son Douwe Ditmars shall pay unto her shall continue and remain into the hands of my executors hereafter named until such a time as she shall come to marry or come to housekeeping except they pay to her so much thereof as for her maintainance and support at al times when occasion shall require.

Item...if my said daughter Antye shall happen to dye without issue that then her portion as well the said eight hundred pounds as her share in the moveable and personal estate shall be equally divided between my said son Douwe and my said daughter Lybethye to be for them and their heirs and assigns forever and lastly I do nominate and appoint my well beloved son Douwe Ditmars and my son in law Jeromus Van Derveer both before named executors of this my las will and testament...this third day of September in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and sixty two.

Douwe Ditmars

...[witnesses] Steven Willemsen, Jacob Snedeker, Johannes Lott, Junr.

Be it remembered that on the eighth day of April one thousand seven hundred and seventy personally came and appeared before me Henry Dawson, Surrogate of [Queens] County Jacob Snedeker & Johannes Lott Junr. both of Kings County yoemen.....[took oath as witnesses to the will].

children of Douwe Van Ditmarsen and Marritje Remsen:

i. Douwe, bap. 6 September 1723, sponsors Douwe Ditmars & Ariantje Van Duyn
ii. Leybetie bap. 25 December 1724, sp. Joris Remsen & Leybetie Remsen
iii. Catryntje bap. 4 November 1726, sp. Douwe Ditmars & Ariantje Van Duyn
iv. Jan bap. 5 January 1729, sp. Rem Remsen
v. Ariantje bap. 2 April 1731, sp. Johannes Ditmars & Bregie Ditmars, d. by 3 March 1738
vi. Jan bap. 9 November 1733, sp. Rem Remsen & Leybetie Remsen
vii. Ariantje bap. 3 March 1738, sp. Abraham & wife Bregie Ditmars

vital records sources:

1.
Records of the Town of Jamaica, Long Island, New York vol. 3 (Brooklyn:Long Island Historical Society, 1914), 402, 407.
2. New York County Surrogates Court, Abstracts of Wills vol. ?, corrected in NYCSCAW, Vol. 12.