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 many 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.
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* 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!
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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.
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