Person:Jan Osterhout (6)

Jan Jansen Oosterhout was born in 1630 in the market town of Oosterhoudt in the northern part of the province of Brabant. Arriving at New Amsterdam about 1650 on the ship Coddleback, he married there in 1653, according to the records of the Collegiate Reformed Protestant Church, Annatjen Hendricks. By her he had two children - Hendrick, baptised 4 Oct 1654, who apparently died before 2 February 1656 when they had another Hendrick baptised. His first wife having died, he remarried at Kingston on February 18, 1663, Annetje Jellise of Zaltbommel, Gelderland, Netherlands. They had ten children. Jan Jansen was called the Brabranter, and settled in the area known as Brabrant, over the Esopus Creek, off what is now Route 28 out of Kingston. Brabrant Road is still there.

In 1658, Jan obtained a lot inside the old stockade at Wiltwyck (Kingston), and was one of the original lot owners. On October 8, 1666; Jan conveyed to Mattbys Blanshan from Artois a house and lot in Wiltwyck. In 1669. he was granted five acres north of Kingston on the Esopus Creek. On May 21 1671 Jan, with Jan Burhans, applied for a right of way over the Great Bridge which crossed the Esopus Creek property in the vicinity of Leggs Mills. The court granted the right of way on condition they pay one scheppel of wheat for every morgan of cleared land.

An Ulster County court record for 23 Nov. 1666:

• Warnaar Hoorenbeeck, plaintiff vs Jan Jansen van Oosterhout, defendent. Plaintiff demands 13 sch. of wheat, balance for a wagon. Defendant admits the debt and agrees to pay the 13 sch. of wheat in eight or ten days. The honorable court orders defendant to satisfy plaintiff's demand.

When the British took over New Netherland in 1664, the Dutch people adapted very well to most aspects of the new government. The issue of having to quarter British troops in their homes created problems that led to violence in Wiltwyck however. The following is an excerpt of a list of complaints by citizens of Wiltwyck in February of 1667 to the magistrates of the town.

• The Dutch also armed themselves to counter the abuses by the British. A British captain reported that "50 or more of the inhabitants were in arms against us." Among the officers who headed the rebellious citizens was Jan Jansen Oosterhout, a "Corprall".
• At the first "Rising of Ye Burgers against us" the captain had made them return to their homes and did not report the incident to his superiors. He later stated that he regretted not having reported and "ashamed Yt he should excuse or countenence such a stoubern people as they bee."

In 1689 the governor ordered all citizens take an oath of allegiance on September 1. In Ulster County, Jan Jansen van Oosterhout is on the list of those who took the oath. (Documentary History of NY 1:281). He was known as the "Brabranter." His name is Anglicized on the list to read "John Johnson van Osterhoudt"

• References: "Old Dutch Post Star", Saugerties, New York, 27 June 1974, p. 79
  • Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, Vol XIII, p. 406 - 411.
  • Documentary History of New York, Vol 1, pp. 173-175.

1. ↑ Walter D. Thomas. Osterhout Family
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2. ↑ Internet
   White Genealogy.

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3. ↑ His will is dated 13 Mar 1687/88.