The Rapelje Family

The Rapalje Coat of Arms

Joris Jansen Rapelje (also called George) was born on April 28, 1604 in Valenciennes, a town in Northern France, long considered a Protestant stronghold in the province of Hainaut, but was conquered by Spain in the 1500s. Then, in 1677, under Louis XIV, Valenciennes was recaptured for France. Joris was born there during the time of Spanish occupation and his family was surely under duress. 

Joris was the youngest child of Jean Rapareilliet, probably born to a woman other than Jean's wife, Elizabeth Baudoin, but possibly adopted by her. Joris did not know his father, since his father, Jean, died when he was less than 2 years old. He also would not have known Elizabeth, since she also died in 1606. It is not known if he ever knew his genetic mother, but it seems possible that his father would have employed the services of some woman, perhaps a mistress, perhaps Joris' genetic mother, to raise his family. Jean was born about 1552 in Valenciennes, Nord, France. Jean died after 1602. One source says buried on 23 Feb 1606 in Valenciennes, France. In about 1599, Jean married Elizabeth Baudoin, and she birthed 8 and raised 9 of the following children until she died in 1606.

Joris' surname, Rapelje, was a vulgar "Dutchification" of the French or Walloon name "Rapareillet". The variations of the spelling of his surname suggests that, although born in the Spanish occupied Hainaut Province of France, he may have spent some time in Walloonia, Flanders, now a part of Belgium. Once in America at New Amsterdam, he was said to have come from La Rochelle, France, indicating that he may have lived there as well, or at least had some trade in La Rochelle (possibly through Catalyntie's father). His middle name, Jansen, suggests that he was the son of Jan (in Dutch), or Jean (in French). 

Walloon Church of Amsterdam

Joris, a 19 year old illiterate textile worker (weaver) and Catalyntie (Catalina) Jeronimus Trico (b. 1605, France), his 18 year old bride were married in the Walloon (Protestant - Huguenot) Church at Amsterdam, Netherlands, Jan. 21, 1623/24 and had no family to witness the ceremony. Four days later, their ship sailed to America. Catalyntie's maiden name, Trico, is also a "Dutchification" of Tricault, her original French surname. The possibility does exist that they first came to America on separate ships, he on the Unity in 1623, and she on the Niew Nederlandt in 1624, or vice-versa. Another possibility is that Joris first arrived in 1623 on the Unity, then returned to Holland to marry Catalyntie and they both returned to New Amsterdam on the Niew Nederlandt in 1624. In the Bergen family history, published in 1876, it is asserted that they both came to the "Mannatans" on the Unity, commanded by Arien Jorsie, and were part of 18 families which remained on-board to go to Fort Orangie (Now Albany), where they lived until 1626. New research has Catalyntie arriving on the Niew Nederlandt in 1624, which brought a number of Huguenot refugees from La Rochelle. They were among the earliest settlers to "New Netherland".

Joris and Catalyntie had 11 children: 

The Rapalje Children, 1768, John Durand,
New-York Historical Society.
Descendants of Joris Jansen Rapelje

· Sarah b. June 7, 1625; d. 1685  m1. Hans Hansen Bergen  m2. Tunis G. Bogart 

· Maria b. Mar. 11, 1627; d. 1685  m. Michael Vandervoort

· Janetje b. Aug. 18, 1628  m. Rem Vanderbeek 

· Judith b. July 5, 1635; d. 1726  m. Pieter Pietersen Van Nest 

· Jan b. Aug 28, 1637; d. 1663  m. Maria Frederickse (Lubertson) 

· Jacob b. May 28, 1639; shot and killed by Indians while on the front steps of the Tap House on Pearl Street. 

· Catalina b. Mar. 21, 1641  m. Jeremias Westerhout 

· Jeronimus b. June 25, 1642; d. 1690 m. Anna Denise 

· Annetje b. Feb.8. 1646  m1. Marten Ryerson, m2. Joost Franz. 

· Elisabeth b. Mar. 28, 1648; d. 1712  m. Dirck Hoogelandt. 

· Daniel (1650-1725)  m. Sarah Klock.

The Rapalje family were first employed at Fort Orange, in what would eventually become Albany, New York. Fort Orange was being erected by the Dutch West India Company as a trading post on the west bank of the Hudson River. It became the company's official outpost in the upper Hudson Valley. 

Property of the Rapelje Family, Brooklyn circa 1835

By 1626, Dutch authorities relocated most settlers from Fort Orange to Fort Amsterdam at the southern end of Manhattan Island. The Rapeljes established a residence near the East River, and were among the earliest purchasers of land in Manhattan, later building two houses on Pearl Street near the Fort. In 1637, Joris Jansen Rapalje purchased about 335 acres around Wallabout Bay in what is now Brooklyn. Rapelje's son-in-law Hans Hansen Bergen acquired a large tract adjoining Rapelje's. After a few years of farming, Joris and Catalina opened a small tavern or "tap house" on the north side of what is now Pearl Street, abutting on the Fort, where they managed the tap-house and grew vegetables and served their guests. Later, their daughter Sarah and son-in-law, Hans Hansen Bergen, took over the tap-house, but Hans died in 1654. Today the land where the Rapalje’s farm stood is an industrial park under the direction of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. 

In 1641 Joris was elected member of a board of twelve men to consult with Governor Kieft on account of the dangerous situation the confronting the Colony due to the unrest among the Indians. This was the beginning of representative government in the Dutch portions of America, and the board availed itself of the opportunity to strengthen such institutions by an attempt to limit the arbitrary power of the Governor, for which they wished to substitute a more democratic system. According to their plan four of their number should become members of the Permanent Council. The representative body was, however, abolished the following year. 

There were troubles in 1660. Rapalie petitioned to be allowed to leave his house standing on his farm for the present, which application appears to have been denied. At this period, in consequence of the Indian troubles, an order had been issued for those residing outside of the villages to abandon their dwellings, and remove to the villages, which were fortified, for safety. He asked permission to create a village opposite Manhattans and was refused. 

Early view of a farm belonging to descendants of Joris Jansen Rapelje

In 1662 Rapalje became a member of the Reformed Dutch Church of Brooklyn. Joris Jansen Rapelje died in Brooklyn New York 21 Feb 1662 at 57. 

Home of the Rapelje Family foot of 34th Street & North River

From that point onward Catalina was known as the "old widow from Valenciennes" as she continued to raise her large extended family and grow vegetables on her farm in Brooklyn. In 1680 a group of Labidist visitors reported that, "M. de la Grange came with his wife to invite me to accompany them in their boat to the Wale Bocht, a place situated on Long Island, almost an hour's distance below the city, directly opposite Correlaer's Hoeck, etc. This is a bay, tolerably wide, where the water rises and falls much, and at low water, is very shallow and much of it dry, etc. The aunt of de la Grange (Catalyntie Trico), is an old Walloon from Valenciennes (her husband not her), seventy-four years old. She is worldly minded, living with her whole heart, as well as body, among her progeny, which now number 145, and will soon reach 150. Nevertheless, she lived alone by herself, a little apart from the others, having her little garden and other conveniences, with which she helped herself." 

She and Joris became the ancesters of over a million North Americans and author Russell Shorto called Joris Jansen and his wife Catalina "the Adam and Eve" of New Netherland.

Brooklyn's Rapelye Street is named for the family. The spelling of the Rapelje family name varied over the years to include Rapelye, Rapalje, Rapareilliet, Raparlié, Rapalyea, Raplee, Rapelyea, Rapeleye, Rappleyea as well as others. Rapelje, Montana is named for a descendant, and an early descendant, Capt. Daniel Rapelje, founded the settlement which became St. Thomas, Ontario.

Michael Pauluzen Van der Voort

Michael Pauluzen Van der Voort (approximately 1615 to 1690) - was an early resident of New Amsterdam and an early settler of Talbot County, Maryland. In New Amsterdam, in 1640, he married Marretje Maria Rapelje. Michael’s enterprises included real estate, shipping, tavern keeping and, in Maryland, planting tobacco. Michael is the ancestor of many in the United States who spell their name Vandervoort, Vanderford, Vandiver, Vandevert, Vandaveer or similarly.

Michael was born about 1615 in Dermonde, Flanders, in what is now Belgium. It is believed that his ancestry traces back to Artus Van der Voort, who lived near Turnhout, North Brabant. Various records suggest that Van der Voorts were well-to-do burghers in Amsterdam and Ghent. 

Michael may be related to Cornelis van der Voort (1576–1624), a Dutch portrait painter whose house Rembrandt later occupied.

New Netherland and Marriage

There is no definitive record of Michael’s presence in New Netherland until his marriage, on November 18, 1640 under the auspices of the New Amsterdam Dutch Church.  The marriage was among the first seven to be recorded in New Amsterdam, founded in 1625. Michael married Maretje Maria Rapelje, a daughter of two of the earliest settlers on New Netherland, Joris Jansen Rapelje and Catalina Trico. Maretje was born May 16, 1626 and was only 13 yrs., 11 months old when she married Michael. Joris and Catalina were Huguenots. 

Unlike the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, founded by Puritans escaping religious persecution, New Netherland was founded by the Dutch West India Company seeking profits. The area was good for farming and was the best location in North America for trading with the Indians and with Europe. One result of this unique founding was that the colony welcomed settlers of all religious persuasions from all over the world. Another effect was the predominance of the commercial spirit, which led settlers to participate in multiple businesses at the same time. A third effect was the keeping of thorough records, particularly having to do with property.

From these records, many not translated or published until late in the twentieth century, we can learn some surprising things about Michael and Maretje. On May 6, 1623 Abraham Rycker won a suit against Michael for the overdue first payment on land sold to him. At one time Michael owned several lots on Pearl Street (which still exists in downtown Manhattan) and built a house on one of the lots.

Michael and Maretje probably moved to the Wallabout Bay area of Brooklyn in about 1647, following Joris Rapelje who had bought land there in the 1630s. At some point Michael expanded into the shipping business. In 1653 Maretje demanded payment of the money Michael had earned with his sloop in fetching palisades for the city.  Undoubtedly these palisades were requisitioned by Peter Stuyvesant to augment the wall built in 1653 to repel a possible attack by the English (not by Indians as folklore would have it). Wall Street, a rough track at the time, was named after this wall.

In 1655 Michael was granted a license to sell wine and beer by the “small measure” on the condition that he also lodge strangers. The records refer to Michael as an “Old Burgher”, indicating that he had reached a certain prominence in the local community. The last reference to Michael in New Netherland was in a suit he brought in 1659 against Hendrick Pieterson.

Maryland

Michael’s first appearance in Maryland records was on March 16, 1661 when 300 acres  were “laid out” for him at the head of Corsey’s Creek in Talbot County.  Author Ledley says, “No doubt Michael removed to Maryland to grow tobacco, as the New Netherland government had previously encouraged its people to settle there and supply the product and Michael had a brother-in-law interested in the tobacco trade.”

Michael acquired more land from the Maryland colony by inducing others to come inhabit the area alongside him. It is a testimony to his reputation that he was influential enough to accomplish this. It is unknown whether the new settlers came from the New Netherland colony or directly from Europe. In the records of this English colony, Michael’s name was first anglicized to Vandefort, Vandeford, and ultimately Vanderford. Michael came to own 1,300 acres.  in the area before selling 350 acres “called Vanderford” to Robert Smith in 1681.

Children and Descendants

Michael and Maretje had nine children, not all of whom survived to adulthood or had children. Paulus Michaelis Van der Voort was the couple’s eldest surviving son and was baptized January 3, 1649 in the Dutch Church of New Amsterdam. He probably moved to Maryland with his parents before returning to the Bedford section of Brooklyn where he died in 1681 and where his descendants lived for several generations. Michael is the ancestor of all those in the United States who spell their name Vandervoort, Vandervort, Vandevort, Vandifort, or Vandivert, except descendants of possibly later immigrants from Holland. Among his descendants is William Plutarch Vandevert, pioneer of Central Oregon and founder of the historical Vandevert Ranch.

Stuart Benson Clark> Anne Garnett Emory> Francis A. Emory> John Martin Groome Emory> Charles Emory> John Emory> Catherine van der Voort> Marritje "Maria" Rapelje> Joris Jansen Rapelje & Catalina Trico