Peter Boice (Boyce, Buis, Boyes, Boys, Buys)

 Is that enough alternative spellings for Revolutionary War veteran Peter Boyce? 

Oh wait, I forgot one, Biess.

And yes, I was able to confirm that he was "from" Bethlehem.

According to D.A.R. records, Peter Boyce was born circa 1760 in Poughkeepsie and died February 9, 1817 in Bethlehem N.Y. His wife was Abigail/Abby Brown. Peter served with the 2nd New York Regiment as a private under Captains Hallet and Hamtramck.   

One interesting thing about Boyce is that he served with the Continental Army. Most of the veterans I have researched so far served with the Albany County Militia. 

During the Revolution there were three main elements: The Line (Continental troops under George Washington), The Levies (troops that were called up by the states for shorter terms of service as needed) and The Militia (called out by states usually with a term of service of three months for local defense).

Boyce was born in Poughkeepsie. One record states that he was baptized in 1756 with the name Petrus Buys. He enlisted in 1776 and served with the 2nd New York Regiment through 1783. With such a long term of service, Ancestry has many pages of his records including several Company Muster Rolls.  

After the war, the question for me becomes, how did Peter end up in Bethlehem? 

First some more documented info about Peter and Abby. Note the locations where these events happened. 

Peter Biess, son of Johannis and Abigail Brown, of Josiah were married March 17, 1786 in the Dutch church in Schoharie. The entry says that both lived at Beaverdam.

A record from the Dutch Reformed Church Records "Schenectady, Berne and Schaghticoke, Book 5"* indicates their son John was baptized in 1787. Next I find that they had two children baptized at the First Reformed Church of Bethlehem. Peter Buis and Ebby Buis had a child named Jacob baptized on August 10, 1794.  Then Peter  Boyes and Abigail Brown had a daughter Hannah baptized on September 14, 1800.**

Abby Boyce made an application for a widow's pension. She declared on November 16, 1838 that she was a resident of the Town of Bethlehem, aged 77 years, that she "married Peter Boyce, or Boiss, a solider of the United States in the Revolutionary War and served as such in the Second New York Regiment." She goes on to state that at the time they were married she "resided at a place called Beaverdam" and her husband "lived in a place called the Helleberg"***. 

If I am sorting it all out correctly, after the war, Peter landed in the town of Berne, married and had one child there, then the family turns up in Bethlehem. Where exactly in Bethlehem is still a question. (And remember that up until 1832 Bethlehem included all of the town of New Scotland.) Abby is found in the 1820 census living in Bethlehem. She must have been a property owner as she is listed individually with a total of 5 people in her household.  Right next to her in separate household is John Boyce whom I am think must be her son. 

Sadly, I cannot find any burial records for either Peter or Abby. If found, that might indicate where they lived.   

A summary of the Boyce data from a 1924 search of the pension records. 

++++++++++++++

*Those are widely divergent locations geographically.  I am going to make the call for Berne as that makes more sense.  

** This info is from the book Records of the People of the Town of Bethlehem which also has many entries for husband and wife Peter Boise and Elisabeth Stiles. I am thinking this Peter might be a son of Peter and Abby but don't have any records to that effect. 

*** Beaverdam is an old hamlet name in the town of Berne, and Helleberg is the old name for the the Helderbergs.  Today we know that as the Helderberg Escarpment, the ridge west of Albany. You might know Thacher Park, the state park with the wonderful views that rests along the ridge. 

And if you are ready for a side quest, go to Archive.org or your local library and see if you can round up a copy of the book Old Hellebergh by Arthur B. Gregg.  

https://archive.org/details/oldhelleberghhis00greg/page/6/mode/2up?q=beaverdam

The chapter on the Revolution is fascinating. I looked up Beaverdam and came up with this lovely bit.

That period of tranquility which had existed from the day of first settlement was broken abruptly at the beginning of the revolution. While at no time was there the gruesome slaughter of inhabitants that occurred at Beaverdam, Gallupville, Schoharie, or Cobleskill, there is every indication that our locality suffered more than any other from the enemy within its own bosom – the Tory. Every reference to “Helleberg” is one of loyalist activity. 

Now, also if you are like me, you've got to look up the "gruesome slaughter of inhabitants." Start here with the story of what happened to the Dietz family of Beaverdam, aka Berne.

https://albanyhilltowns.com/The_Dietz_Family_Massacre

And a last thought on Tory activity in the Hill Towns, I hope you have seen the historic marker at Thacher Park about the Tory Cave.

+++++++++++++++++++

If you have made it all the way down here and didn't get distracted by the gruesome, below is a transcript of part of Abby's application for her widow's pension. When applying, one had to have testimonials. Abby's was from Hugh Mosher who knew both of the Boyces since he was ten years old. 

State of New York
Albany County

I Hugh A. Mosher of the Town of Bethlehem in the said county being duly sworn disposed  as follows

I am fifty five years of age. I am well acquainted with the within named Peter Boyce, in his life time, and knew him from the time I was of the age of ten years until the time of his death. He has been died about twenty years. He died in the Town of Bethlehem where he resided many years.  He left the within named Abby Boyce his widow, with whom I have been acquainted about forty five years. She has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband.

I have frequently heard him speak of his service as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and have head him relate incidents that occurred during the war and have no doubt that he was a solder as within stated

Subscribed this 16^th day of November 1839        Hugh A. Mosher

Marytje Slingerland, daughter of Abraham and Rebecca

This is not a Revolutionary War veteran story, altho if you are following along and read the previous post, Abraham was a veteran. I could be writing about the challenges that Rebecca faced running the mills and estate at Normans Kill while her husband and sons were away at war.  Or the fact that Rebecca's family, the Viele family, was quite prominent especially in the Schenectady area. Several of her direct ancestors were killed in the Schenectady massacre that happened February 8, 1690.

This post however is about their daughter Mary, spelled the Dutch way - Marytje - in both Rebecca and Abraham's wills.  Mary's story as revealed in the wills is very curious to me. I could have a lot of fun speculating. 

But first the facts.

Mary was child number six of Abraham and Rebecca's eight kids, born December 16, 1769.  

Abraham signed off on his last will and testament July 13, 1784.  He was 54 years old and concerned about the welfare of his children. All are mentioned in one way or another, summed up with the item that begins "I do give and bequeath unto my beloved children namely Tunis, Peter, Albert, Abraham, Stephen, Catriena and Marytje all and singular the rest of my estate real... to share and share alike and to their heirs and assigns forever." *

The older boys, Teunis age 27, Peter 24 and Abraham 22, were given funds and the mills on the Normans Kill.  Abraham ordered that the younger boys, Albert age 11 and Stephen as 9, "shall be given common Schooling out of my estate and then be put to a trade and be maintained until they come to twenty one years."

Which brings me to the girls, Catriena, age 19 and Marytje age 15.

"Item I do give, bequeath, desire and order that my two daughters namely Catriena and Marytj, they and each of them, shall have out of my estate at the day of their … marriage …  sixty Pounds money... and if in case it should happen that they or either of them should remain unmarried until my wife’s decease shall have the sum of sixty Pounds ... but if Marytje happens not to marry, to be maintained by the rest of my heirs out of my estate if she should be in want."

To me this section reads like Catriena would be able to take care of herself (either by marrying or able to receive her 60 pounds) but that Marytje needs extra care. Why was Abraham so worried about Marytje? Was it just her age? Altho 15 doesn't seem that young. Surely he expected her to marry as he seemed to expect Catriena to. Why did he anticipate that Marytje would be in want but not Catriena?

The  following items mentions the girls as well.

"Item I do order and give and bequeath unto my two daughters namely Catriena and Marytje all my household furniture and my wife wearying apparel to them their heirs and assigns for ever after my wife’s decease."

Things regarding Marytje get even more interesting when we look at her mother's will. Rebecca very specifically excludes Marytje's husband Gerit Van Wie.

Signed with her mark on January 27, 1792, Rebecca's will begins "I Rebecca Slingerlandt, widow and relict of Abraham Slingerlandt late of the town of Water Vliet in the county of Albany being weak in body but of sound of mind and memory do make this my last will and testament."

Rebecca herself was about 60 years old, daughter Marytje about 23.

After a lot of verbiage related to bequests to her sons Peter, Abraham and Albert we get to this most interesting item:

“And also one horse, one cow, my riding chair and harness, one iron stove and the equal half part of all my household furniture which I have acquired since the death of my husband in trust for the maintenance of my daughter Marytje and her children during her natural life so that her husband Gerit Van Wie shall and may have no manner of claim or right to and after the death of my said daughter Marytje." 

The next item determines that a sixth part of the residue of her estate be designated for the “maintenance and support of my daughter Marytje and her children in like manner as herein above expressed so that the same may not fall into the hands of her husband the said Gerrit Van Wie.”

And then this item "If at anytime it should happen that the income of the estate hereby devised to my daughter Marytje should prove insufficient for her support and she be unable to maintain herself it is my will and I do order and direct that my other children herein above named to wit Peter Abraham Albert and Catherine and my granddaughter Mary and their heirs shall maintain and support my said Daughter Marytje during such her inability."

I am so curious about Marytje's story. Why does she need such support? Why can't she receive her inheritances directly like her sister Catherine?  And what is up with her husband Gerit Van Wie? Why was Rebecca so adamant that nothing should come to him?  She does not make similar remarks about Catherine's husband, Johannes Van Der Werken. Van Der Werken is specifically named in a different passage of the will with no commentary. 

Marytje's parents were both very concerned that she be taken care of after their deaths. And it reads to me like she could not do it herself. And yet she married. Maybe they didn't approve of the wedding? Maybe Van Wie was a ne'er-do-well who just married Marytje for her money? After all, those mills and farms on the Norman Skill were still in the family and still generating income. 

I am going to do a little digging to see if I can find out more facts about Marytje Slingerland and her husband Gerrit Van Wie.  But I think I might just have to write some fiction just to fill them in.

+++++

* There are two versions of Abraham's will available on Ancestry. They are not too hard to read, but I have smoothed out some of the writing and punctuation.  The .... represent sections I left out that did not add meaning to the quote. In my opinion of course - happy to provide the original copies of the will if you want to decipher them.   Same for Rebecca's!

++++++

So my look into Mary and Gerrit quickly turned up this tidbit from a genealogy book about the "first settlers of the ancient count of Albany" under the Van Wie family name.  Note the date of birth for their daughter Jannetje. 

VAN WIE, Gerrit, m. Mary Slingerland, Jan 10, 1790. Ch: Jannetie, b. March 12, 1790.

Gerrit and Mary got married in Janaury, and their daughter was born just two months later. 

And her mom Rebecca was still mad about it two years later when she wrote her will. 

Abraham Slingerland: His Revolutionary War Service and his Mills on the Normans Kill

 Our list of Revolutionary War veterans "from" Bethlehem includes the name Abraham Slingerland.

It turns out two of Abraham's sons also served, Peter and Teunis.  And to make things extra fun, these are NOT the Teunis and Peter Slingerland mentioned in my previous blog post.  One of those named Teunis from the previous post is Abraham's nephew, child of his older sister Hester and her husband Wouter.  This is also the Teunis who was married to Rachel Bogart. And isn't it funny that I have to keep track of the various Teunis Slingerlands by using their wives' names.

Abraham Slingerland (1730-1784ish*) married Rebecca Viele (1732-1792) in 1756 in the Dutch Reformed Church at Albany. He and Rebecca had eight children baptized in the church between 1757 and 1775. 

I don't believe it is stretching things too much to say that Rebecca and Abraham were "from" Bethlehem. Remembering of course that Bethlehem didn't become Bethlehem until after both of them died. I get at this from several documents including Abraham's last will and testament and his son Peter's Revolutionary War pension application. And then the cherry on top is the 1767 Bleeker map of Rensselaerswyck.

Let's take a look at the will.

Abraham describes himself as being a yeoman of the county of Albany and Colony of Rensselaerwyck. A few paragraphs in he states this

"Item I do give and bequeath unto my two beloved sons namely Peter and Abraham all that estate I have at Normans Kill where I now live with utensils therein to belonging, together with the saw mill and fulling mill and utensils to them belonging, to them and either of their heirs and assigns forever after my wife's decease or remarriage."

Did you catch the reference to his mills at Normans Kill? 

Now on to his son Peter's pension application. Peter Slingerland made his application in 1833 when he was 73 years old and living in the town of Maryland in Otsego County. 

The application details his four terms of service. Peter volunteered at the time of the wheat harvest in 1775 and marched to Lake George "to guard the frontier against the enemy" (2 1/2 months service). He volunteered again in the spring of 1776 when his militia company was ordered by Gen. Schuyler on an expedition to Johnstown "for the purpose of taking Sir John Johnson." When they arrived there they found out Johnson had fled to Canada so Peter's group marched back to Albany (10 days service). Next he volunteered "at the time of planting corn" as early as May 20, 1776 where he served at Fort Hunter for 2 months. And finally about the first of June 1777 Peter volunteered and was marched from Albany to Saratoga where he served until after the surrender of Gen Burgoyne "at least 4 months." He was "engaged in the transportation of baggage and provisions for the American army."

All of Peter's terms of service were under the Captaincy of his father Abraham Slingerland, Albany County Militia under the command of Col. Quackenbush (we've seen this man referred to as Quakenbos in previous blog posts). The first term of service included his brother Teunis. 

This is a transcript copy. The application packet I looked at on Ancestry has Peter's detailed declarations.

Now all of that is well and good, but I am trying to get at where the family lived. In Peter's application he states that he was "born on the 4^th of March 1760 in the town of Albany in the state of New York about two miles from the city of Albany – that he resided in the said town of Albany until he was about 40 years of age at which time he moved to the town of Schodake in the state of New York where he lived until … he moved to the town of Maryland in the county of Otsego" 

Peter's application continued "That during the whole war of the Revolution this deponent served with his father Abraham Slingerland who was a Captain in the militia of the state of New York and who owned mills and a tavern in the town of Albany aforesaid"   

Did you catch the "town of Albany" .. "about two miles from the city of Albany" part?  

Which brings me to the 1767 Bleeker map. Hopefully in the picture you can see the number 14 with its little sketch of a house on the Normans Kill just outside of Albany. Number 14 is identified as being Abraham Slingerland's place. For reference, number 16 is Philip Schuyler's place which still stands today.

The mills, tavern and estate of Abraham Slingerland and his heirs were in the town of Bethlehem from 1793 until it was annexed by the City of Albany in 1916.  So, I think we are safe to claim all three men, Abraham and his sons Peter and Teunis, as being Revolutionary War veterans "from" Bethlehem. 

+++++

* the "ish" is because his will is signed July 13, 1784 but his executors were sworn in on Janaury 23, 1786. So he must have died between those dates but I don't have any document of an exact date of death. Rebecca's will was signed Janaury 27, 1792 and her executors appeared in court in September of that year. I cannot find a burial record for either Abraham or Rebecca.  I suspect they were buried in the church lot of the First Reformed Church which was later moved to Albany Rural, but that is just a guess. 

John Oliver and Aaron Oliver

 In our list of Revolutionary War veterans 'from" Bethlehem, we find John and Aaron Oliver. 

John (1758-1838) and his wife Antje Redley (aka Anna Radliff, 1766-1836) are remembered at the family plot located just off of Fisher Blvd in the hamlet of Slingerlands. 

Nearby (at least as the crow flies) over on Meads Lane is the burial place of Aaron Oliver (1760 - 1800) and his wife Christina Brott (1770-1853). 

As far as I can figure out, John and Aaron were brothers, children of John Oliver (1738-1815) and Maritie Sixberry (aka Mary Sixby). 

John and Mary (Johannis & Maritje)'s marriage record.

John (Johannis) Oliver's baptismal record from July 30, 1758

Researching Aaron (also spelled Arent and Aront) was pretty straightforward. He is listed one time in New York and the Revolution with the Third Regiment of the Albany County Militia Land Bounty Rights as Aront Olever. 

On that same page (number 224 of Volume One for those of you keeping track,) we also have John and John Jr. I believe this is the two Johns, father and son, listed above.  In the same volume, there are two John Olivers in Albany County Militia - Third Regiment as enlisted men. The Fifth Regiment has just one.

The one interesting bit I found was that John Oliver of Bethlehem New York was rejected for a pension because he did not serve six months. This has to be John Jr as the eligibility for those with militia service was not enacted until 1832.   I'd be really curious to track down his application which would  have detailed his service.*

The Oliver family has deep roots in Bethlehem and New Scotland, and there of plenty of people named John including John M. Oliver who was Bethlehem's town supervisor from 1947 to 1959.

Land records indicate that in 1789 John & Arie Oliver rented 130 acres from the Van Rensselaer's. Nearby in 1800 John Oliver rented 152 acres. Both are in the vicinity of where the two cemeteries listed above are located. 

The 1866 maps of Bethlehem and New Scotland indicate the reach of  Oliver family farms. Someone with more tech skills than I could stitch together these two maps to show the farms along modern day Meads Lane, Fisher Blvd and Font Grove Road. 

1866 maps of New Scotland (left) and Bethlehem. Oliver farms are circled in blue. Match red dots for the modern rail trail with New Scotland Road just below. Match green dots for Delaware Avenue. 

The Oliver family was very involved in the old Jerusalem Reformed Church that was located half way between modern Unionville Reformed and Jerusalem Reformed Churches. Records indicate that between 1798 and 1802 John Oliver and Anna Redley had four children baptized (Antje, Aron, Selie and Elyse). 

Then we can get into the weeds of several other John Olivers. John Oliver and Eva Wedeman had five children baptized between 1805-and 1820. This was a nephew of the John married to Anna, son of his brother Evert. Then we have another John Oliver (haven't figured out how he is related) married to Margerit Baumes who had four children baptized between 1819 and 1825. All together too many John Olivers to keep track of.

And just to add another fun entry... on  July 1807, Christianna Bratt widow of Aarent Oliver sponsored the baptism of Arent and Maria, children of John Wedeman and Maria Oliver.  

Historic marker on Fisher Blvd (before it was repainted) noting the burial site of John Oliver and John Sager.

A home related to the Oliver Family still stands today (barely!)on Meads Lane. Photo taken in 2009. 

This Oliver family home was located near the modern intersection of Fisher Blvd and Orchard St.
It was demolished in the 1980s. 

John M. Oliver was supervisor from 1947-1959.
Not sure how or even if he was related to our Rev War veterans. 

+++++++++++++

* The Park Service has a great website on the pension system. Check it out here:

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-veteran-and-widow-pensions.htm

Rachel Bogart Married Tunis Slingerland, a Rev. War veteran

The page from Records of the People of the Town of Bethlehem that does NOT give Tunis' wife's name

This is supposed to be a series about Revolutionary War veterans "from" Bethlehem. And it will be. But first I have to deal with Tunis Slingerland's wife. It drives me crazy that her name is not listed in several of my usual sources.  

Please meet Rachel Bogart. As recorded by the First Reformed Church of Albany, she married Tunis W. Slingerland on May 31, 1777. 

They had one son that I know of. His name was Douw B. Slingerland, born in 1782. There might have been other children, but so far no documentation.

Douw's baptismal record. Note the witnesses, Barent and Willempje Bogert. I think these might be Rachel's parents.

Tunis died in 1795 at the young age of 44 and is interred in the small burial plot off of Creble Road where Jane and William Winne are also interred. I've always wondered why he was buried there across the street from the Winne homestead.  I think he and Rachel must have lived nearby. The 1800 census provides a glimpse.

Above is page 195 and 196 of the 1800 census for Bethlehem. In order we have Solomon Russel, Myndert Bogart, Cornelius Winne, Peter Winne, Rachel Slingerland, William Winne, Daniel Winne, Mary Winne and John D. Winne. Notice the Bogart name, and so many Winnes (and we are going to skip over the distressing fact that most of those Winne's were slave holders). While we can't know for certain, this grouping suggests a close geographical connection to these families. Rachel's household has two women in it, one aged between 16 and 26, and one, likely Rachel herself, aged over 45. 

After this census, I lose track of Rachel.  One source suggests she died in 1833 but I can't find any documentation.*  I did find her son Douw's last will and testament. He also died young, in 1836 at age 54, and distributed quite a bit of property. He mentions his wife Ann (who is also a Bogart) and the rest of his 6 children including a daughter named Rachel.  

All right, getting back to Tunis...

What is fun about Tunis (or Teunis as it is more commonly spelled**) is that there are three men named Teunis Slingerland from our area with documented service in the Revolutionary war. And, because families are complicated, one of them was a loyalist.

Pop over to this blog post for some info on the Teunis who was a loyalist. You will also get some info on James Selkirk, another Revolutionary War veteran "from" Bethlehem.

https://bethlehemnyhistory.blogspot.com/2021/07/our-town-bethlehem-july-2021.html

Another Teunis is Captain Teunis A. Slingerland  (1722-1805). He and his wife Agnes Witbeck (1727-1811) are buried over in Jerusalem Cemetery in Feura Bush.  There are many other Slingerlands remembered there including Revolutionary War veterans Cornelius and Peter. We could get into the "what does it mean to be from Bethlehem" discussion again because none of these veterans appear on the Bethlehem list. Yet in many ways they were part of our town's history including the fact that the cemetery was in Bethlehem until 1832 when the Town of New Scotland was split off.  Anyway... Captain Teunis served in the Third Regiment of the Albany County Militia. 

Rachel's husband Tunis, born 1750, was the son of Wouter and Hester Slingerland.  According to New York and the Revolution, he was an enlisted man serving under Captain John Scott with the First Regiment of the Albany County Militia. And that is about all I know about Rachels' husband's service. 

+++++++

* She did die 1833. Thank you Robb H. for the death notice published in the Spectator (New York) on July 15, 1833.

**You might be curious to know that Teunis is the Dutch form of the name Anthony

William Winne and Jane Van Alystyne

Part of my ongoing look into Revolutionary War veterans "from" Bethlehem brings me to William Winne. And of course it turns out there are more than one.  First some info on the William Winne buried at the family plot on Creble Road where this historic marker stands. *

William Winne (1735-1812) was the sixth child of Pieter D. Winne and Rachel Van Alen.**

(I've mentioned Peter D. and Rachel in plenty of other blog posts. Just use the search function to find them all.) 

Jane Van Alstyne (1749-1833) was the daughter of William Van Alstyne and  Christina Van Allen. 

I don't know exactly when William and Jane wed, but I do know they bucked the trend of Winne families having like a million children. They had none.*** The couple appear to have lived their lives in the family homestead that William inherited from his father. The locally famous, Dutch style house still stands across the street from the small family cemetery where William and Jane are interred. (Creble Road near 9W.)

Above on the left is the house on Creble before it was restored, on the right is an example house that used to stand in Albany. Below are floor plans of the Creble Road house. Both images from the Dutch Barn Preservation Society's Fall 1999 newsletter

The Winne House on Creble Road in 2008.
The stone ell was probably added during William and Jane's tenure.

William and Jane each filed separate wills in which their properties and possessions were left to a variety of nieces and nephews. Since both William and Jane lived to advanced ages, these nieces and nephews were often "grand", that is the grandchildren of their siblings. William was concerned with his farms and orchards and made quite a few individual cash bequests. Jane distributed cash bequests, shares in the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike Road and household items like a bed and a looking glass. Reading the wills, it appears that William and Jane were comfortably well off. Not super rich, but certainly not poor. 

William's gravestone.  Jane's is lying on the ground behind.

"A list of the Names Belonging to Captain William Winne on the West Side of the River"
Col. Vandenbergh's regiment, 1777. Lots of Bethlehem folks on this list!

Given the family's penchant for using the same first names over and over (so many Peters, so many Daniels, so many Williams), it is no surprise that there are two William Winnes with documented Revolutionary War service. The documents pretty consistently refer to Captain William Winne and William D. Winne.

The one above, A List of Names Belonging to Captain William Winne on the West Side of the River, lists three other Winnes, John D. Winne (who I wrote about in another blog post - check that one out for the description of his time in service from his pension application.  It mentions Capt. Winne a lot.) Peter Winne, and William D. Winne.

Our trusty reference, New York in the Revolution, has several William Winnes, including the Captain who served under Col. Gerrit G. Van Den Bergh and Col. Henry Quackenbos in the Fifth Regiment of the Albany County Militia. Further along in the book are the Land Bounty Papers. These list militia men who were ready and willing to serve, but perhaps did not. Albany County Militia (Land Bounty Rights) First Regiment has a William Winne as an enlisted man, and the Third Regiment, under Capt. John Vanderheyden and Abraham Veeder, has William Winne and William D. Winne as enlisted men. 

Ancestry has a number of documents regarding William Winne's company. I like the one below the best,

"A Pay Roll of Capt William Winne's Company of Col B. Van den Bergh's Regt of Albany Militia to apprehend Tories from the 12th to the 16th of May 1777"

So, a William Winne was certainly out and about in the Albany County area searching for Tories. The question is, which one is this blog post about? The one married to Jane, son of Daniel and Rachel? Honestly, I have no idea.  I do think they are two different people.

Maybe the Creble Road grave is the Captain's. He would have been 44 in 1776, a mature man. As opposed to his nephew John D. who would have been about 18.  And I can't find any other info about William D. Winne. There is also a mention of Willem Winne in the People of Colonial Albany Project. This Willem Winne was the uncle of our William (married to Jane).  The PCA account ties in both the title captain and the land bounty rights of the third regiment. Honestly, the article just muddies the water even more, possible mixing up one of the many William Winnes.  Hop over here to read it. 

https://exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/w/wmwinne3121.html

 And I'll leave this dive into William Winne's service here. As I have said before, there are just too many Winnes!

+++++++++++++++++++

*Also interred in this small burial ground (only 4 known graves) is Tunis Slingerland and  "his wife". Tunis was a Revolutionary War veteran and part of another locally famous family. I have questions! Why was he interred here, away from other Slingerland family plots? And more importantly, who was his wife?!  Even my reliable Records of the People of the Town of Bethlehem turns up blank with her name. 

** A kind of morbid side note, Peter D and Rachel really wanted a child named William. Their 3rd and 4th children were both named William, and both died young. One was born in 1725 and died the same year. The next was baptized December 8, 1728 and died sometime in 1729. Then they had a daughter, Jannetje, born 1732.  Their next son was William, the one  I am writing about here, who died when he was 77.

***This is according to work done by Florence A. Christoph and Peter R. Christoph in an article entitled "Winne Residents of the Parker House and Their Ancestors". The Parker house is the Dutch style Winne house still standing at 28 Creble Road pictured above and in other blog posts.  

Andrew Conning and his Last Will and Testament

One way to get a glimpse of folks from long ago is to look at their last will and testament. 

Andrew Conning, a veteran of Captain Vanderheyden's Third Regiment of the Albany County Militia during the Revolutionary War*, signed his February 9, 1827. 

In it he makes $100 bequests to each of his five daughters, (oldest to youngest) Judith (who married Peter Van Guysling), Anna (Moses Wallice), Ellen, Elizabeth (Matthew Pinkney), and Phebe. 

Also in there are his three sons who were still living at the time: Andrew, James and Alexander. Plus he mentions his deceased son William. (He left $5 to his grandson William, William's son).

The person he does not mention is his wife Betsey Wood who died February 3, 1827, just a few days before he signed off on his will. 

He directs his executors "my body I commit to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my children." Which they did in a small burial ground on the family farm. Conning's land was on both sides of New Scotland Road near the intersection of modern day Couse Lane and Maple Avenue.   

Betsey Wood Conning 1762-1827 (pic from Findagrave)

Andrew Conning 1747-1827 (pic from Findagrave)

What I find really interesting in his will is the fact that he is concerned with the deposition of his land, some of which he didn't even have the deed or lease to yet.  Conning directed that his son Alexander receive 30 acres of land which "is supposed to be part of my farm of which I have not obtained a lease of Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq." Then he states that if the lease doesn't come thru, Alexander can have 20 acres of the his own farm.  

The same land is involved with the daughters' bequests as well. They get their $100 immediately "should I obtain a lease of certain lands now in my possession of Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq." If no lease happens, their legacy gets paid out over a number of years.

These two bequests point to the time when Bethlehem was part of the Manor of Rensselaerwick and land was leased from the Van Rensselaer's for payment of annual rent. These leases could be passed down via a will and are often referenced in deeds (sometimes called indentures) for local properties.  The manor was established in the mid to late 1600s and continued to be a thing until the Anti-Rent Wars that occurred after Stephen Van Rensselaer's death in 1839.

And apparently, Andrew's grandson, also Andrew, was still fighting with the Van Rensselaer heirs in the 1840s. Here's a quote from Allison Bennett's article "Country property in town" dated February 4, 1987:

It was his grandson, Andrew Conning, who on May 20, 1848 had litigation with Stephen Van Rensselaer concerning two separate parcels of land in this area, one of 97 acres and one of 120 acres, on the east side of New Scotland Road. The younger Andrew Conning was responsible for building the gracious brick dwelling that stands today at 1458 New Scotland Road. Originally, the house served as the focal point of a country farm, but now it is within the hamlet of Slingerlands and the farm land has been gobbled up by housing development and the Cherry Avenue Extension leading to New Scotland Road.

Also, I love her turn of phrase "gobbled up". That is certainly still happening in Bethlehem today!

William Conning's house, about 1987, from Allison Bennett's article which was published in the Spotlight.

++++++

* In the book New York in the Revolution, Conning's last name is spelled Connag, reflecting his Scottish heritage.  Other online resources indicate he and his family were associated with the Presbyterian Church, a church with strong Scottish roots. Also, this is the only place I find that spelling which is interesting.  

And in case you are curious, below is my transcript of the will that is available on Ancestry. I did not write out the codicil (dated March 22, 1827). In it he notes that he received deeds to land from his sons.  But I really don't know how that is related to the leases he mentions in the will. 

Andrew Conning

The Record of his last Will and Testament    September 8^th 1827. And of the

Codicil thereto.

 

In the name of God Amen. I Andrew Conning of the Town of Bethlehem in County of Albany and State of New York, do make and declare this my last Will and Testament: Fist I resign my soul into the hands of the Almighty, and my body I commit to the Earth to be buried at the discretion of my children, and my worldly estate real and personal, I give and devise as follows.

First

I give and devise to my youngest Son James Conning all that part of my farm lying and being on the south east side of the road leading from the Old New Scotland Rod to Archibald McCormick’s to have and told during his natural like, and at his death the descent to his natural heirs.

Secondly

I give and devise to my second Son Alexander Conning and his lawful heirs thirty acres of land adjourning lands now owned by Robert Hall Jun to contain a suitable proportion of cleared wood lands to be adjusted by the Executors hereinafter mentioned, the above thirty acres is supposed to be a part of my farm of which I have not obtained a lease of Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq, and in case a lease is not obtained, then in lieu of the above I give and

{page break}

To him the same Alexander, twenty acres of my [old?] farm to be located by the Executors hereinafter mentioned, to contain a suitable portion of cleared and wood land, to have and to hold during his natural life, and after his death to descend to his lawful heirs. The wood on the same to be used only for building on and fencing the above premises, and fuel for his families us.

Thirdly

I give and bequeath to my oldest son Andrew Conning Jun all the remaining part of my lands and tenements and personal estate on condition that he pays all my lawful and honest debts, and the legacies hereinafter named.

Fourthly

I give and bequeath to my oldest daughter Judith wife of Peter Van Guysling, also to my second daughter Anna wife of Moses Wallice, also to my third daughter Ellen, also to my fourth daughter Elizabeth wife of Matthew Pinkney, also to my fifth daughter Phebe, and also to my sixth daughter Charlotte, each the sum  of One Hundred dollars to be paid as hereafter directed should I obtain a lease of certain lands now in my possession of Stephen Van Rensselaer Esq, but if such lease be not obtained, then the sum of One hundred dollars, to be reduced, twenty five percent [wiggly line] viz to each of my above named daughters one year after my deceased the sum of Ten dollars, and ten dollars to each annually thereafter until the said legacies be discharged.

Fifthly

I give and bequeath to my grand-son William Conning the son of my deceased son William Conning, the sum of five dollars, to be paid one year after my decease.

I do hereby appoint my trusty and well beloved friends viz my Son Andrew Conning Jur, the Rev. Thomas Holliday and Thomas Lloyd Executors of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made, In Witness whereof I have hereby set my hand and seal the ninth day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven.

Andrew Conning

+++++ 

October 24, 2025

Please enjoy these photos of Andrew Conning's grave that were recently shared with me by Tim Beebe.