The is a theory out that the Vanderveer family of America descends from aristocratic family Van der Veer and Van Borsselen in the Netherlands. This theory has Cornelius Van der Veer of Flatbush, Long Island being the son of Cornelis Van der Veer and not of Jan Cornelius Dominicus. The source of first line is a work by Louis P. DeBoer (1913) which traces this particular line back over ten generation through one Wolfert Van Borsselen, I Van Der Veer. Many reputable genealogists believe the DeBoer work and cite it thoroughly. I am of the other school that believes this is total bunk.
DeBoer was an esteemed researcher in his age, and I wouldn't say he fabricated his information. But the work was commissioned by a wealthy Long Island family, and at that time it was fashionable for affluent families to claim aristocratic roots. DeBoer did what his clients wanted, and probably simply found a common name and went with the easy answer. The Wolfert Van Borsselen line is, in itself, legitimate, and their are those that do have connection to this line. But I do not believe Cornelius Janse (Dominicus) Vanderveer is one of them, and that DeBoer is wrong in linking him to this to this line.
In DeBoer there is no real evidence to make the vital connection between Cornelius Vanderveer and Cornelis Van der Veer, who DeBoer claims is his father. This might be a simple connection or assumption to make, but there is little support for it. The connection with the Dominicus family is, however, fully documented, particularly in the research of C.G. William and Mapes. These works, sadly, despite the soundness of their material are often ignored by genealogists fascinated with the ancient aristocratic line.
There are many researchers who have thoroughly debated this issue, and I barely touch on some of the aspects of the debate. But those that come across this should be aware of the two schools and wary of accepting information that is not throughly documented.
William J. Hoffman in "The Dutch Ancestry of the Van Der Veer Family" (1948) contains the following of the subject (obtained from the Vandiver family website of Steve Vandiver)"
" On the 20th of June 1706, there appeared in the office of Notary Public Cornelis van Aansurg at Dordrecht, Netherlands, "the Honorable Dominicus Dominicussen van der Veer, living at Midwout in the Province of New York," who submitted two powers of attorney. Of these the first one is of pertinent interest to the Van der Veer family and was executed at New York on Nov. 20, 1705. (O.S.) In it Tryntje Jillis, widow and heir of the late Cornelis Dominicus, (more commonly known as Cornelis de Seeuw*), and her children appointed their beloved and trusted son and brother, Dominicus Dominicussen van der Veer, to collect in their name all sums of money due the estate of the late Cornelis Dominicus, as joint heirs of the same. The power of attorney was to apply to all outstanding debts in any part of Europe with special reference to any part of the seven provinces of the United Netherlands and especially to collect a debt from Jacob Dominicus, his heirs or assignees; the said Jacob Dominicus was then living or had lived in or near the city of Ter Goes on the island of South Beveland in the province of Zeeland. The debt was for 3230 gulden as was evident from a note executed by Jacob Dominicus on Mar 24, 1671; in it he declared that he owed his brother, Cornelis Jansz Dominicus, that amount, in payment for land "situated in Zeeland," and he promised to pay him 1200 gulden in May 1672, and similar sums in each following May until the total had been paid in full. The power of attorney listed those who executed it as follows: Tryntje Jillis, widow of Cornelis Jansz Dominicus, and her children Jan Dominicus, Daniel Polhemus husband of Neeltje Dominicus, Jan Dorland husband of Maria Dominicus, Isaac Remsen husband of Hendrickje Dominicus, and Jan Couwenhoven husband of Jacoba Dominicus, all of whom signed the document.
"The second power of attorney, under the same date, was given to Dominicus Van der Veer by his mother-in-law Cornelia van Wesel, at that time the wife of Marten Schenck. In it she empowered her son-in-law, then living in Midwout and on the point of leaving for England and Holland, to settle her share of the estate of her late husband, the Rev. Wilhelmus Lupardus, and her late mother, Margarita de Vries, widow of Rochus van Wesel. Dominicus transferred both powers of attorney to Hendrick Taay, merchant of Dordrecht, who was a brother-in-law of Cornelia van Wesel and consequently an uncle of Dominicus Van der Veer's wife, Maria van Noortwyck. (Rec. v.68, pp.24-30). From this document it is evident that the family name used by Cornelis Jansz in his native Zeeland was Dominicus and not Van der Veer, the surname by which he was known in New Netherlands. But what is more important, the document had established the fact that the family owned land in the neighborhood of the city of Goes, thereby locating the place where further search might prove to bring results.
"I have already stated in my previous article, a brief search showed no definite connection with the fatherland but indicated that the name Dominicus was a well-known one in and around the neighborhood of Goes, the largest city on the island of South Beveland; consequently, the family to which the settler undoubtedly belonged had been located but the exact connection had still to be established. Fortunately, a study of this family, written by Mr. J.J. Polderman, appeared in the March-June 1945-46 issue of De Nederlandsche Leeuw, the leading genealogical magazine of the Netherlands. It was the first in a series of articles dealing with South Beveland families; from it, and from additional information obtained by corresponding directly with Mr. Polderman, the ancestry of Cornelis Jansz Van der Veer, whose emigration to the new world was unknown to the latter, has been definitely established.
"[Footnote:] *The original has "de Leeuw", i.e. the lion, obviously a mistake. In the old script the L and S are quite similar. "
William J. Hoffman's 1948 book "The Dutch Ancestry of the Van Der Veer Family" contains the following (as transcribed in the webpage of Steve Vandiver):
"Cornelis Jansz Dominicus, also known as Cornelis Jansz Seeuw (the man from Zeeland), and as Cornelis van der Veer, is, in all probability as I have shown, the child baptized at Wemeldinge Mar 3, 1623.While still a young man his father died and it appears that he contracted debts through unsuccessful business ventures. In 1649, he sold one half of a 'hoeve' to his brother Jacob and we know for the notarial record that he disposed of considerable property in 1671. Finally he decided to emigrate to New Netherland and in February of 1659 he boarded the good ship, 'Otter'. His name and occupation on the West India Company's Passenger List appeared as Cornelis Jansz Van der Veer, Farmer, (NYYB, 1902, p.10), and apparently settled on Long Island which must have reminded him of his native land. Why he dropped the fine old name of Dominicus, being the only one of his family to do so, and adopted the of Van der Veer is not known; it may be he intended to break forever with the past and to start a new life beyond the seas. Van der Veer is translated as "from the ferry," of which means of transportation there were quite a few in his native archipelago; only a quarter of a mile from his birthplace was the ferry of Bergen op Zoom on the mainland.
"When leaving for New Netherland Cornelis, apparently, had not disposed of all his holdings. That he appointed his brother, Jacob Jansz Dominicus, to look after his interests is evident from the following 'schepen' record in the archives of Wemeldinge, dated Dec 24, 1661 (Inv. Lasonder 3605), which reads in part: "Appeared before schepens, as indicated below, Jacob Cornelis Rombouts declaring that he lawfully owes Jacob Dominicus as representing his brother Cornelis Dominicus who is absent from this country, the sum of XXX£VI sch(ellingen) and XXV D(uyten) landpagt (rent of land) due since 1659," the year Cornelis left for New Netherland. He presently agreed to borrow the amount at 5% interest and to date the debt back to 1659. The first installment was to be paid on Christmas Day 1662, and yearly payments of both interest and principal were to be made thereafter until the entire debt was liquidated; this was expected to be done in three years. As security he gave a mortgage on his house (described), and his personal belonging and his own person. The document was signed and sealed Dec 24,1661, in the presence do Christian Foortsen and Adr. de Wagemaker (the cartwright), schepens. It was not until two years after Cornelis has sailed to the New World that his name as Cornelis Jansen Vanderveer first appears in records, together with six others, when they petition Gov. Peter Stuyvesant, on Jan 13, 1661, for a patent of land on the Canarisse (CDNY14:501). It is possible that the grant of sixty morgens of land in Midwout, Mar 12, 1661, to Cornelis Jansen refer to him and also the mention of Cornelis Jansen having land next to a parcel of which Gerrit Snedicker had purchased there in 1684; however, we are not certain as there were others here at the time who had the same Christian name and patronymic.
"On Oct 27, 1661, Anthony Jans bought from the Orphan Masters 18 morgens of plain and meadow land, containing two small house lots, on the east side of the road and abutting on the Canarisse Flats (Flat. Deeds Lib. A, p.109). He sold this on Mar 20 1670, to Wil. And Thomas Willets and then in turn, conveyed it in 1677 to Cornelis Jansen Vanderveer. There is a record of sale of land, on Sept 2, 1672, before Jacob Joosten clerk at Midwout, by Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw and Cornelis Slecht, to Cornelis de Seeuw an again, on Oct 21st of the same year, of a sale by Johannes Christoffel of land at Midwout to Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw (Flat. Deeds Lib. A pp 64-65). On Jan 7, 1678-79, Louis Cornelisse sold Lots Nos.32 and 33 of woodland in New Lots to Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw; later in the same year the latter conveyed then to Stoffel Jans. However, on Apr 2 1680, Cornelis de Seeuw was listed as the owner of two lots on the "New Lotts at Midwout."
"In a transaction, dated Feb 24, 1678-79, Jan Jans sold land south of his farm to Cornelis Jansen Van der Veer for two thousand guldens and the following year the latter sold land in Midwout, owned in common with Thomas Lamberts, to Cornelis Berrien. In this last conveyance Cornelis signed the document as Cornelis Jansz Seeuw while his name in the instrument itself was Cornelis Jansen Vanderveer, thereby proving that these two names were used by one and the same person. (Flat. Deeds Lib. A, pp.126-37. Another proof of his identity, is that in the same year Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw and Cornelis Jansen Van der Veer appear as constable (CDNY 14:745). Finally in July 1681 Cornelis bought of Jan Jansen Fyn land in Midwout which had formerly belonged to Margritta Provost (Flat. Deeds Lib. A,pp.143-45). Together with his son-in-law, Daniel Polhemus, he erected on his property a corne mill or grieze mill, with dwelling house" an the barn which belonged to it was on "a certain kill or creeke call Fresh Kill, all within the limits of Flatbush towne patent." This property later came into the possession of his son Dominicus.
"In 1683, Cornelis Van der Veer is listed on the Assessment Roll of Midwout as owner of one hundred acres of land and in the Flatbush Census of 1698 his household consisted of one man, one woman, and four children; two other children had already married and started households of their own. Cornelis died before Feb 22, 1703, when his wife paid for a grave in the church at Flatbush for her husband. She was Tryntje Mandeville, daughter of Gillis Jansz Mandeville, who mentions her in his will dated Sept. 15, 1696, and his wife Elizabeth Hendricks."
The following is from "The Vandivere Family" by Jerry D. Vandiver copied from a Van der Veer webiste:
"Cornelius Janse (Dominicus) Vanderveer was probably the unnamed son of Jan Cornelisse Dominicus that was baptized 03 March 1623 in Wemeldinge, Zeeland, The Netherlands. The evidence consists of records in Zeeland concerning him and his brother Jacob Janse Dominicus between 1649-1658. In specific, references to Jacob selling property as "curator of the land of brother Cornelius Jansz Dominicus" explain that Cornelius was "out of the Country." These later records more or less correspond with Cornelius' arrival at Midwout in New Amsterdam (Flatbush, New York) aboard the vessel "de Otter" on 17 February 1659. A document dated 20 June 1706, filed by his son Dominicus in Dordrecht, The Netherlands, makes reference to the sale of property and provides the final proof of the identity of Cornelius Janse Vanderveer.
Cornelius received a patent for land in 1661 from Governor Stuyvesant. He married Tryntie Mandeville, daughter of Jillis Mandeviewll and Elsie Hendricks, around 1669. In 1678, Cornelius purchased a 100 acres farm in Flatbush, which was located in the present day 26th & 32nd wards of Brooklyn. This property remained in the family until the early 1900's.
He died in February 1703 in Flatbush, Kings Co., New York at the approximate age of 80. Cornelius and Tryntie had 6 children that reached maturity and possibly 3 others who died young."
Additional notes from Jerry D. Vandiver:
"1) In the Documentary History of New York by E. B. O'Callaghan, MD, volume 3, page 137, a "Census of 1698 at Flatbush (Midwout)" lists the following:
Cornelius Vanderveer - 1 man; 1 woman; and 4 children
Jan Vander Veer - 1 man; 1 woman; and 2 children
Since daughter Neeltje married in 1685 to Daniel Polhemus, the number of children including Jan checks out at 6.
2) On 5 May 1704 an agreement is filed between:
John Cornelisse Vanderveer
"Minikes" Vanderveer
Daniel Polhemus (husband of Neeltje)
John Durlant (husband of Marykje)
Hendrickje Vanderveer and
"Coba" Vanderveer
with "Tryntje Vanderveer, widow and relict of Cornelius Vanderveer, late of Flatbush, Kings Co."
3) The document mentioned above dated 20 June 1706 was signed by the following:
Treijnte Jillis, widow of Cornelius Jansz. Dominicus, commonly called Cornelius de Zeeuw
Jan Dominicus (son)
Daniel Polhemus, and his wife Neeltie Dominicus
Jan Dorlant, and his wife Maria Dominicus
Isaack Remsen, and his wife Hendericje Dominicus
Jan Cowenhoven, and his wife Jacoba Dominicus
This document gave power of attorney to "Dominicus Dominicussen van der Veer" to collect 3,200 guilders from "Jacob Jansz. Dominicus," Cornelius' brother. Interestingly, the document was indirectly enclusive of all 3 names by which Cornelius was known - Dominicus, de Zeeuw and van der Veer. (Though "Zeeuw" was transcribed into Dordrecht court records as "Leeuw," it is obvious that this was misinterpreted or is misread due to handwriting styles. It is also logical, since "de Zeeuw" means "of Zeeland," where Cornelius was originally from.)
This list of 5 children giving power of attorney to the 6th again matches the list above.
Upon review of records, it is apparent that Cornelius may have had 3 children that died young, evidenced by the purchase of burial shrouds. There are 4 other children traditionally name as follows: Cornelius (no records to date); Jacob (no records to date, it appears that Jacob Jacobsson of Penn's Neck may have been mistaken as Cornelius' son); Michael (mistaken relationship, actually Cornelius' grandson); and Peter (most likely the mistaken assumption of a relationship to Pieter Corneliszen Vander Veene --[no known relation])."
The following is from Blake's "Pioneers of Johnson County, Indiana" (this after the book incorrectly subscribes to the Van Borsselen theory):
"Cornelius Jansen Vander Veer, who was the first American progenitor of the American branch, arrived in Brooklyn, New York [New Amsterdam], from Zeeland on the ship "Otter" in February, 1659. During the next century the descendants became thoroughly Americanized. At the time of the Revolutionary War they lived in Somerset, New Jersey. Peter Vandivier I fought on the side of the American colonists. After the war he moved his family to Mercer County, Kentucky, where his son Peter II was born in 1785...."
This sketch then goes on to discuss the family of Peter Vandivier. This Peter, I think, is Petrus VanDerveer (son of Jan and Seytje VanDerveer) and brother of Cornelius (husband of Sarah Tilton and father of Garret Vandivier). The branch of Cornelius VanDerveer also moved from Somerset Co., NJ to Mercer Co., KY, and his son Garret would, like his cousin Peter, would migrate to Johnson Co., IN.
Teunis Bergen's "Genealogy of the Lefferts Family" (1878) contains information about one Cornelius's descnedants (from a different branch than ours, but with data on Cornelius):
"David G. Vanderveer was a descendant of Cornelis Janse Vandeveer, who emigrated to this country from Alkamaar, a free city on the the North Holland canal, of 9835 inhabitants in 1841, in the ship Otter in Feb., 1659. Feb. 24, 1677-8, he bought a farm of Jan Janse in Flatbush where he took up residence."
From the Vanderveer Family website of Steve Vandiver (www.buxx.com):
"Cornelius Janszen Van Der Veer b. 1622 or ~1642 d. bef 22 Feb 1703
"He is believed to have left Amsterdam and arrived in the America on Feb 17, 1659 on the ship De Otter , landing at Midwout, what is now Flatbush, NY. On 13 Jun 1661 Cornelius was one of six persons who petitioned Gov Stuyvesant for a patent of land, who authorized a survey. In Feb 1678 he purchased a farm in Flatbush for about 2600 guilders or $1274 current US dollars. In 1683 The Assement Roll of Midwout lists him as having 100 acres. This land became known as the 26th and 32nd ward of Brooklyn and was owned by his descendents until 1906. He and his son-in-law Daniel Polhemus, erected a grist mill on Fresh Kill in Flatbush, which came into the hands of his son Dominicus, and later his grandson Cornelius. He died in Feb, 1703 in Flatbush, NY.
"In 1672, he married Tryntje [Grietje] De Manderville b.1654 in Guildeland, Holland, daughter of Gillis De Manderville and Eltje Hendrickson. She died in Flatbush, NY. She arrived the America in 1659 with her parents. Different records refer to her father leaving Holland 12 Feb 1659 on the ship De Trouw ( Faith) or arriving on Apr 1659 on the Moesman (The Market Gardener). A ship listing of the Moesman in Apr 1659 show Gillis Mandeville as a passenger."
Steve Vandiver also includes the following:
"Origins of Cornelius Janszen Van Der Veer
"The origins of Cornelius Van der Veer is in question at present, one version based on the book "The Van Der Veer Family in the Netherlands" Louis P. DeBoer - Published 1913 and work by John J. Van Der Veer in 1912, which indicates that Cornelius came from Allkmaar, Holland, The Netherlands. While DeBoer's book is a good match for the movements of the Dutch people during the colonial period, the connection to the Van Borsselen family is probably optimistic. Curious is that the village of Borssele is just a few miles from Kloetinge where the other opinion indicates he's from. The second opinion is that he may have been called Cornelius Jansz Dominicus based on a document from Dordrecht, The Netherlands dated 20 Jun 1706. This document states that Dominicus Domincussen Van Der Veer of Midwout, New York is to recover monies owed his father Cornelius Dominicus by a brother named Jacob Dominicus living near the city of Goes. Clearly within this document it refers to Cornelius Van Der Veer's family in New York and lists him as using the name Cornelius Dominicus and Cornelius Leeuw. Cornelius used the name Cornelius De Seeuw on several occasions in New York, but the use of Leeuw is somewhat of a question however since that translates to Cornelius Lion and Cornelius Seeuw translates to Cornelius of Zeeland. Zeeland being a providence in south part of the Netherlands, containing the villiages of Veere, Kloetinge, Goes, Welmelding, and Borssele, all of which have been associated with the Van Der Veer and Dominicus names. From other unconfirmed references I have recently found, Cornelius Dominicus of Kloetinge, did have a brother Jacob Dominucus of whom was selling land on Cornelius Dominicus's behalf. In serveral land transactions dated 19 May 1957, 22 Jun 1657, 15 Feb 1658, and 22 Mar 1658, Jacob is taking care the property of Cornelis who is listed as out of the country and in one reference to a land transaction dated 15 Feb 1658 in Wemeldinge, it refers to Cornelius being out to the county and his property heavily in debt. This may have prompted him to leave for Niew Amsterdam to seek his fortune. I have yet to find a record to indicate where Cornelius Dominicus left for or where Cornelis was between 19 May 1657 and until his arrivial in New Amsterdam in Feb 1659. Veere is approx 25 miles away from Kloetinge and therefore quite possible that Cornelius Dominicus adopted Van Der Veer in favor of Dominicus in Niew Amsterdam."
Steve Vandiver also includes these four children which Jerry Vandiver does not:
-- Cornelius, b. c. 1673
-- Jacobus Cornelise, b. Oct. 20, 1686 Flatbush, Kings, NY
-- Michael, b. Flatbush, NY
-- Pieter, b. Flatbush, NY.
Cornelius Janse Vanderveer was also known as Cornelis Jansen de Seeuw. He was also known as Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw, (the man from Zeeland). He was also known as Cornelis Jansz Dominicus. It is unknown why he dropped the name of Dominicus, being the only one of his family to do so. He was baptized on 3 March 1622/23 at Wemekdinge, Zeeland, Netherlands. He was the son of
Jan Cornelisse Dominicus and
Neeltje Kempe. Cornelius Janse Vanderveer sold land he sold one half of a "hoeve" to his brother Jacob and we know from the notorial record that he disposed of a considerable property in 1671. In 1649. He resided at at Alkmaar, North Holland, Netherlands, in 1659. He decided to Emegrate to New Netherland and in February 1659, he boarded the good ship , Otter. His name and occupation on the west India Company's Passenger List appeared as Cornelis Jansz Van der Veer, Farmer. On Jan 13, 1661 Cornelis Jansen Vanderveer, with six others, petitioned Gov. Peter Stuyvesant for a patent of land on the Canarisse. When leaving for New Netherland, Cornelis, apparently, had not disposed of all of his holdings. He appointed his brother, Jacob Jansz Dominicus, to look after his interests is evedent from the following schepen record in the archives of Wemeldinge, dated Dec 24, 1661, which reads in part: "Appeared before schepens, as indicated below, Jacob Cornelis Rombouts declaring that he lawfully owes Jacob Dominicu, as representing his brother Cornelis Dominicus who is absent from this country, the sum of XXX L, VI sch(ellingen) and XXV D(uyten) landpagt (rent on land due) since 1659," the year Cornelis left for New Netherland. He presently agreed to borrow this amount at 5% interest and to date the debt back to 1659. The first installment wast to be paid on Christas Day 1662, and yearly payments of both interest and principal were to be made thereafter until the entire debt was liquidated; this was expected to be done in three years. As security he gave a mortgage on his home (described), all his personal belongings and his own Person The document was signed and sealed Dec 24, 1661, in the presence of Christian Foortsen and Adr, de Wagemaker (the cartwright), schepens. He married
Tryntje Mandeville, daughter of
Yellis de Manderville and
Elizabeth Hendricks, in 1667 at Flatbush, Kings County, New York. There is a record of a sale of land, on Sept 2, 1672 before Jacob Joosten clerk at Midwout, by Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw and Cornelis Slecht to Cornelis de Seeuw and again on Oct 21, 1672, of a sale by Johannes Christoffel of land at Midwout to Cornelis Jansz de Weeuw on 2 September 1672. Cornelius Janse Vanderveer sold land land was conveyed to Cornelis Jansen Vanderveer formWill and Thomas Willets, which they obtained from Anthony Jans on Mar 20 1670, described as 18 morens of plain and meadow land, containing two small house lots, on the east side of the road abutting on the Canarisse Flats in 1677. Further proof of his identity, is that the names Corneliz Jansz de Seeuw and Cornelis Jansen Van der Veer appear as constable in 1679. On Jan 7, 1678/79, Louis Cornelisse sold Lots nos. 32 and 33 of woodland in New Lots to Cornelis Jansz de Seeuw; later in the same year the latter conveyed them to Stoffel Jans. However, on Apr 2 1680, Cornelis de Seeuw was listed as the owner of two lots on the "New Lotts at Midwout." In a transaction, dated Feb 24, 1678/79, Jan Jans sold land south of of his farm to Cornelis Hansen Van der Veer for two thousand guldens and the following year the latter sold the land in Midwout, owned in common with Thomas Lamberts to Cornelid Berrien. In this last conveyance Cornelis signed the document as Cornelis Jansz Seeuw, while his name oin the instrument itself was Cornelis Janszen Vanderveer, thereby proving that these two names were used by one and the same person. In July 1681, Cornelis bought of Jan Jansen Fyn, land in Midwout which had formerly belonged to Margritta Provost. Together with his son-in-law Daniel Polhemus, he erected onhis property "a corne mill or grieze mill, with dwelling house" and the barn which belonged to it was on "a certain kill or creeke called Fresh Kill, all within the limits of Fratbush towne patent." This property later cane into the posssession of his son Dominicus. In 1683, Cornelis Van der Veer is listed on the Assessment Roll of Midwout as the owner of one hundred acres of land.
Cornelius Janse Vanderveer appeared on the census of 1698; In the census of 1698 his household consisted of one man, one woman, and four children; two other children had already married and started households of their own. Cornelis died before Feb 22, 1703, when his widow paid for a grave in the church at Flatbush for her husban.