The Roosevelt Genealogy, 1649 - 1902, compiled and published by Charles Barney Whittelsey, Hartford, CT, 1902.
ROOSEVELT GENEALOGY
1. CLAES MARTENSZEN VAN ROSENVELT arrived in
New Netherland, now New York, in one of the most memorable
years in the history of his time, for it was about 1649, when the
Dutch government was seriously embarrassed. A contest had
been waged between the people and the Sovereign of England,
as it had long before been carried on in the Netherlands. Oppo-
sition had been succeeded by revolt and civil war. Charles the
First was beheaded in front of his own banqueting hall, and
England declared a republic. The shock which troubled Europe
was felt in America. In that year Winthrop died. The Dutch
and other traders were forbidden to trade with the New England
savages. Arms were brought to New Amsterdam from Holland,
the people fearing that war would break out with the savages.
Public opinion was running strong against Stuyvesant. Food
was scarce. The winter was so cold that "ink froze in the pen."
About this time a Burgher government was demanded, and dele-
gates were sent to Holland. Katskill and Claverack were settled.
Stuyvesant opposed the reformers. Fort Nassau was demolished.
Esopus (N. Y.) and Newtown (L. I.) were settled. The Burgher
government was conceded to Manhattan. War was declared be-
tween the English and the Dutch nations. The Dutch built forti-
fications across New Amsterdam. In 1652- 1653 all business
was at a standstill, and the people were under arms, not knowing
when an attempt would be made against the Colony. The next
year the Dutch found danger still greater, as Cromwell had dis-
patched a fleet to America, and as the fleet was leaving New
England for New Amsterdam it was met by a vessel bringing
news of peace between England and Holland. Later, in 1655,
the Colony awoke one morning to find itself in possession of the
Indians, but Stuyvesant established quiet by presents instea.d of
by arms.
Claes Martenszen van Rosenvelt was among the numerous
Holland colonists who came over to New Amsterdam in 1649 or
1650, undoubtedly bringing with him his wife, Jannetje Samuel-
Thomas. In Munsill's American Ancestry, Vol. VI., p. 19, we
find the statement that he emigrated to New Amsterdam, with his
wife, in August, 1649. No record of their marriage in New-
Amsterdam has been found, but it is a matter of record in the
"Court Minutes of New Amsterdam, August 6, 1655," that "Jan-
netie Hamel, wife of Nicholas Martensen, declares," etc. The
baptismal records of their children in the Reformed Dutch church
of New York City are signed by their parents as Claes Martenszen
van Rosevelt - Jannetje Samuels - Jannetje Thomas, as shown by
the records herein given,
Styntie Claes Rosevelt was admitted member of the church
November 28, 1678. Claes Rosevelt was admitted December'4,
1679, to th^ Reformed Dutch church of New York, where they
and their descendants have attended for 250 years.
Their children were :
2 CHRISTIAEN, bap. in Reformed Dutch Church of N. Y., Oct. 23,
1650; par .'Claes Martenszen; wit. Herman Smetman, Beckje en
Fytie. This child died in infancy.
3+ELSJE, bap. in [Reformed Dutch Church of N. Y., Feb. 11, 1652;
par. Claes Martenszen Van Rosewelt; wit. Thomas Hall, Lys-
beth Dircks, Alfje Van Tienhoven; m. Hendrick Jillish Meyert.
4+ANNA MARGARIET, bap. Aug. 29, 1654; par. Claes Martenzen
Van Rosenvelt; wit. Hendrick Hendrickszen, Margriet Lou-
mans; m. Heynians Alderste Roosa.
5+CHRISTINA, bap. in iReformed Dutch Church, N. Y., July 30,
1656; par. Claes Martenszen, Jannetje Samuels; wit. Garret Co-
erton, Christina Grevenrats; m. 1st, Nicalsie de la Montague;
2d., John Hammel.
6+NICHOLAES, bap, in Reformed Dutch Church of N. Y., Oct. 2,
1658; par. Claes Martenszen, Jannetie Thomas; wit. Nicholas
Velthuysen, en syn huysor, Aeltje Bicker; m. Heyltje Jans
Kunst.
7 ANNA, bap. in Reformed Dutch Church, N. Y. Sept. 10, 1662; m.
Jan Van Dalfsen de Vries from Haarlem, Holland.
"Jan Van Dalfsen de Vries, from Rockland County and his wife Anna
Van Raasvelt, joined the church in New York. Feb. 27, 1702. He died
about 1712 at Tappan, where he had served as 'voorleser.' " (Riker's
History of Bap. records copied from Church records, Harlem, p. 532.)