Person:Jan Stryker (3)

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[George Wolley -1- 623316.ged] Jan Stryker was born in 1615 in Holland, apparently the son of Gerrit Stryker. He lived in the small northern village of Ruinen, in Drenthe Province. He married, in Holland, Lambertje Roelofse Seubering, daughter of Roeloff Luccassen Seubering of Drenthe.[1] Jan and his wife came to New Amsterdam, now New York, in 1652, a year after his brother, Jacobus, had immigrated. In 1654 Jan Stryker took the lead in establishing the Dutch settlement of Midwout (now called Flatbush, a section of Brooklyn). He held the office of Chief Magistrate of Midwout for twenty years.[3] In a 1679 survey, Jan described his occupation as armorer and gunsmith. He was the second wealthiest man in Midwout. He served as churchmaster, elder, judge and military leader. Jan was one of two overseers of the construction of the Dutch Reformed Church at Midwout in 1654. Materials were brought from Holland. It was the first church erected on Long Island, and was on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Church Lane.[4] Jan's wife Lambertje died soon before June 21, 1675, when Jan paid 20 guilder for a grave for her. She is buried in the Flatbush Reformed Churchyard.[5] Jan married, April 30, 1679, Swaentje Janse, widow of Cornelius DePotter of Breuchelen. She died in 1686, and Jan married, March 31, 1687, Tuentje Teunissen, widow of Jacob Hellakers.[6] Jan Stryker died March 3, 1697. He is buried in the Flatbush Reformed Churchyard, in Brooklyn.[7] Children: 1. Altje, b. 1632; m. Abraham Jorise Brinkerhoff; d. ca. 1714