Person talk:Anthony Jansen (1)

Anthony Jansen Westbrook, one man or two? [4 March 2023]

I wrote the following primary as notes to myself but would like to get feedback on my thinking:

Admittedly, the name, Anthony Jansen Westbrook, would seem likely to be unique. Nonetheless, I think there were two.

William Westbrook's The Westbrook Family of New York (1974) states that Anthony Westbrook resided in both Flatbush, Long Island and Albany, New York. Various online websites, like Wikitree, repeat this claim. Some sources claim he traveled between Flatbush and Albany regularly, but I think the Anthony Jansen Westbrook of Albany and Anthony Jansen Westbrook of Salee and Flatbush are most likely two different people for the following reasons: 1) It would seem geographically challenging for one man to travel regularly between Albany and Long Island. By ship or horse, it is a long way. In particular, Anthony Jansen Westbrook is living in Albany in 1660, 1662, and 1664. Anthony Jansen "Westerbook" purchased some land in Flatbush LI in 1661 (and sold it in 1670). This seems unlikely behavior for one man. 2) Anthony Westbrook of Albany was well a respected man of the court. Anthony Westbrook of Flatbush Long Island often found himself in court for charges such as trespass. Such differences in personality would seem unlikely for one man. 3) Anthony Jansen Westbrook died in Ulster County in 1727 (CHECK). Anthony Jansen of Salee, LI died in Gravesend, Kings, NY in 1676 or 1672 (CHECK). I am still working on this. I see claims he died in Kingston and New Paltz. I have not found primary death records. 4) Genealogists researching the Anthony Westbrook who died in Ulster County may have confused the small town of Flatbush in Ulster County with Flatbush, LI. Flatbush in Ulster is only 30 miles from Warwarsing which Anthony's son Johannis resided. 5) Most of what is written about Anthony Westbrook is from secondary sources and I suspect an unfounded inaccuracy is being repeated.--PEBlood 09:01, 4 March 2023 (UTC)