The Roll of the Dead

Tonight is the anniversary of the Schenectady Massacre, which took place over the night of February 8 and 9, 1690 – 323 years ago.

And so now, the roll of the dead. The most thorough and reliable account is Pearson’s “History of the Schenectady Patent,” and so we can’t do better than his account of the residents who were lost. Pearson took the often published list of the dead and drew little vignettes of their homes and their lives, and as a result we can still have some sense of these early settlers who were massacred in the cold night. (The number after each name entry represents the number of dead, as the writing of the time wasn’t always clear.)

List of ye People kild and Destroyed by ye French of Canida and there Indians at Skinnechtady twenty miles to ye Westward of Albany, between Saturday and Sunday ye 9th day of February 1689/90.

“Myndert Wemp kild 1”
He was the eldest son of Jan Barentse Wemp (Wemple) who owned half the great island west of the town and died in 1663, leaving another son Barent and two daughters. Myndert’s house lot was on the west side of Washington street a little north of State street. His son Johannes was carried away to Canada but was redeemed and lived many years afterwards.

“Jan Van Eps and his sonne and 2 of his Children kild 4”
Jan Van Eps was the only son of Dirk Van Eps and Maritie Damens … With Jan Van Eps were also killed three of his children, and a fourth, Jan Baptist, then seventeen years of age was carried away by the French. He remained with the Indians three years, but finally escaped in one of their excursions against the Mohawks. On account of his familiarity with the language of the natives, he was often employed by the Governors of the Province as an interpreter. The Van Eps house lot was on the north corner of Church and State streets and embraced about two hundred feet on each street … .

“Serg’t Church of Capt. Bull’s compy 1”
“Barent Janse [Van Ditmars] killd and Burnd his sonne kild 2”
His son’s name was Cornelis – a young man of mature age, the husband of Catharina Glen, daughter of Sander Leendertse Glen. The elder Van Ditmar’s in 1664, married Catalyntie De Vos, widow of Arent Andriese Bratt, one of the earliest settlers of Schenectady, by whom she had six children, all living at the time of her second marriage. At the time of the massacre she was living with her family on her village lot – on the east corner of Washington and State streets, and it was here that Van Ditmars and his son Cornelis were slain.

“Andries Arentse Bratt shott and Burnt and also his Child 2“
He was the eldest son of Arent Andriese Bratt and Catalyntie De Vos above mentioned, and lived on the same ample lot (200 ft. square), as his mother, on the north side of State street. In the massacre his wife, Margareta Jacobse Van Slyck, and two other children were spared.

“Maria Vielè wife of Dowe Aukes and her two children killed, 3
and his Negro Woman Francyn,1
Maria Alolff Wife of Cornelis Vielè Jun’r Shott 1″
These five persons were killed in one house, standing on the south corner of Mill lane and State street next the ancient church. Aukes kept an Inn there; Vielè was uncle of his wife and subsequently became heir of his property. At the same time Arnout Cornelise Vielè, brother of Aukes’ wife, was carried away to Canada.

“Sweer Teunise [Van Velsen] Shott and burnt his wife kild & burnt, 2
Antje Janz daughter of Jan Spoor kild & burnt, 1
Item 4 Negroes of ye said Sweer Teunise ye same death, 4
Enos Talmidge Leift. of Capt. Bull kild & burnt. 1″
All in one house. Van Velsen’s house was next east of Douwe Auke’s above mentioned, on the south side of State street, now numbers 54 and 56. He was the town miller and directly in the rear of his house stood his corn mill on Mill lane. As he died without heirs, his estate was divided among his wife’s children, the Wemps, a portion being reserved for the church.

“Hend: Meese Vrooman & Bartholomeus Vrooman kild & burnt, 2
Item 2 negroes of Hend: Meese ye same death 2″
He lived on the north side of State street where the New York Central railroad crosses. All the Vroomans in this vicinity are his descendants through his two sons Adam and Jan.

“Gerrit Marcellis and his wife and Childe kiled, 3”
He was son of Marselis Janse of Albany. At the time of his death he was residing on the lots now occupied by McCamus & Co’s stores.

“Rob’t Alexander sould’r of Capt Bulls Shott 1”
He was probably quartered in the blockhouse at north angle of the village at the corner of Front and Washington streets.

“Robert Hesseling.” Residence unknown 1
“Sander ye sonne of gysbert gerritse [Van Brakel] kild & burnt 1”
He lived on the east corner of Ferry and State streets.

“Jan Roeleffse de goyer burnt in ye house 1”
He was the son of the famous Annke Janse, and lived upon the lot of Mr. G. Y. Van de Bogart opposite the Court House. He left no descendants.

“Ralph grant a souldier in ye fort shott 1”
“David Christoffelse & his wife with 4 children all burnt in there house 6”
His house lot was on the east side of Church street now occupied by the late Mrs. Volney Freeman. He was the son of Christoffel Davids of Albany, an Englishman by birth.

“Joris Aertse [Vander Baast] shott and burnt, Wm Pieterse kild 2”
His house lot was on the south corner of Church & Union streets.

“Joh: Potman kild his wife kild and her scalp taken off 2”
His house stood on the lot on the north corner of Ferry and Union streets where Mr. Barney now lives. He was the ancestor of the Putmans of this vicinity.

“Dom[ini]e Petrus Tassemaker ye minister kild and burnt in his house 1”
“Frans Harmense [Van de Bogart] kild 1”
His house lot was on Front street and near the north gate. His son Claas was carried away, but was afterwards redeemed.

“Engel the wife of Adam Vrooman shot and burnt her child the brains dashed out against ye wall 2”
Her maiden name was Engeltie Blom. Vrooman’s house stood on the lot on the west corner of Front and Church streets. His son Barent and a negro were carried away to Canada.

“Reynier Schaats and his sonne kild 2”
He was the son of Dom[ini]e Gideon Schaets of Albany; surgeon and physician of the village as well as justice of the peace. His lot was on the north side of Union street, now owned by the county of Schenectady.

“Daniel Andries & George 2 souldiers of Capt. Bull 2”
“A french girl Prisoner among the Mohogs kild 1”
“A maquase Indian kild 1”
“Johannes ye sonne of Symon Skermerhorn 1”
“3 Negroes of Symon Skermerhorn 3”
He probably lived on the west corner of Church and Union streets – the Tomlinson lot.