It isn’t often that I have an opportunity to prove new lines of my husband because his family jumped all over the place – that applies to both his paternal and maternal ancestors.
Today, though, I not only found success, but the crumb trail leads to a completely new location. I’m excited, as Dave’s 10X great grandparent, Adam Dingman, married in Haarlem, Netherlands, but his marriage banns stated he was 29 years old, a purse maker and of ANTWERP! Belgium is an entirely new research world for me! I’m not sure how far I’ll get since the time frame is already back in the 1500s, but it’s an exciting find nonetheless.
Adam Dingman married Janneke Gerritsdottir, aged 21 years old with permission from her mother, “from Wezele” (Wesel, Germany today), soon after 15 September 1601, when one of two banns was published.
There are some online comments that Adam Dingman was a Huguenot, but I’ve found no proof of that. However, the family was Protestant and there was much turmoil and persecution of non-Catholics in this time period.
Little else is known about their lives, except that their five children were baptized at the Haarlem church:
- Gerrit, baptized 20 December 1604
- Rachel, baptized 11 October 1606
- Adam, baptized 10 May 1609
- Anna, baptized 28 August 1611
- Janneke, baptized 27 November 1617
The only child for whom further information has been found is Gerrit. Gerrit Dingman, from Haarlem, aged 24 and living on Molen Straat, married Janneke Teuwis, daughter of Hans, who lived on Weterings Gracht soon after their intentions were recorded on 25 January 1629 in Amsterdam.
Gerrit Dingman and Jannetje Teuwis were the parents of five known children, all baptized in Haarlem, Netherlands:
- Adam, baptized 27 August 1630; died young
- Adam, baptized 31 August 1631; died New York; married Aeltie Jacobse Gardinier, c1660
- Willem, baptized 25 September 1633
- Gerrit, baptized 1 February 1637
- Rachel, baptized 15 April 1635
Exactly when Adam Dingman settled in New York is unknown, but he appears in Greenbush, New York records by 1663. He married Aeltie Jacobs Gardinier sometime before 1677, when Adam bought a farm in Kinderhook from his father-in-law, Jacob Janse Gardenier. Both are just south and slightly east of Albany.
Adam Dingman did well in his new home, becoming a prosperous freeholder. He served the community as overseer of the roads and fences and appears as a “referee” in more than one court case, assessing damages.He also served as a deputy sheriff for two terms.
Adam Dingman and Aeltie wrote a joint will, dated 19 November 1683. I’ve not been able to locate it in Albany records online, but it appears in the New York Calendar of Wills:
Aeltie predeceased Adam, but it isn’t clear whether her portion of the 1683 will was probated. Adam wrote a second will much later in life, dated 21 January 1721. It was proved in court on 20 March 1721, so Adam died sometime within that eight week period of time.
Adam and Aeltie (Jacobse Gardinier) Dingman were the parents of seven children:
- Janneke, born c1670; died after her father; married Pieter Barentse Cool, 5 February 1688 (bond), Albany County, New York. Pieter Cool was executor of his father-in-law’s will.
- Jacob, born c1675; married Eva Swartwout, 9 October 1698 (bond), Ulster County, New York
- Sara, born c1677; died 1747; married Johannes Van Alen, 3 July 1697 (bond), Kinderhook, New York
- Rachel, born c1680; married Pieter Ostrander, 4 June 1704 (bond), Kinderhook, New York
- Josyntje, baptized 28 September 1684; married Pieter Van Alen, 7 January 1705 (bond). They had no children.
- Gerrit, baptized 16 January 1687; married Cornelia Gardenier, 22 January 1714 (bond)
- Catalyntje, born c1690; married Johannes Barheit, 3 March 1718 (bond), Kinderhook, New York
We’ll look at the last two generations until they intertwine with the Stufflebean family in a couple of days.