Comments on: Ancestry.com Celebrates New York’s 400th Anniversary

By: uzay

uzay — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:15:36 +0000

I am also descended of Jan Peek, my 8th GGrandfather from another line who was born in New Amsterdam in 1615. He was a tavern keeper and trader.

By: Jennifer Lyons

Jennifer Lyons — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:55:37 +0000

As a descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, first Dutch Governor of New York, I appreciate all the New York records.

By: Susan DeAngelis

Susan DeAngelis — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:39:27 +0000

I really enjoyed the 400th New York addition.
A family story passed on generation to generation became confirmed through ancestry.
My GreatGrandfather was a seacaptain.
The family lived on the shore by the East River in 1895. His son William died while swimming in the East river. He got caught on a nail on the dock under the water. Everyone searched for him but no one looking right at the dock area. He was only 13yo. That was 114 years ago and I still feel the pain. In a way he is still alive because through Ancestry he will live on forever and maybe we can all learn from this tragedy.

By: Dennis Carpenter

Dennis Carpenter — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:28:11 +0000

I think I have you beat Rich. My 8th GGrandmother is Anneke Jans Webber Bogardus. She was the wife of Everardus Bogardus, the Domine of the Dutch Reform Church in New Amsterdam. I am also descended of Jan Peek, my 8th GGrandfather from another line who was born in New Amsterdam in 1615. He was a tavern keeper and trader. The town of Peekskill N.Y. about 50 north of New York City was named for the place where he had a trading post.

By: Stefanie Condie

Stefanie Condie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:23:32 +0000

Joanne, the best way to ask for help from the community is to post a message on one of the message boards in the Community section of the Ancestry.com site (http://boards.ancestry.com/). There are thousands of message boards on specific surnames, geographic locations and other topics.

By: Bruce Wills

Bruce Wills — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:58:07 +0000

I feel great the way Ancestry.com achieved the hearts of millions of Americans. All we believe that records are not only records they are responsible to give a picture of our emotional bondage with our ancestors. These genealogy sites mean a lot to us. Whenever I access my favorite site Birth Records I feel proud. These sites have given our ancestors a second life. We are very much owe to them.

By: Joanne Fleming

Joanne Fleming — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:04:00 +0000

I have been looking for Emmett Raths and family. Could not find him inyour ancestry file. Had to mail to MO for a copy of his death certificate to give me when he died. I know when he was born and were he was born. Can not find any more info on line for him. If you could find something for me I would be appreciative. He was born 3 Sept. 1891 in Ottawa County, Ohio. Died in Ashbury, MO. on 6 Oct. 1959. Thank You Very Much Joanne Fleming

By: Stefanie Condie

Stefanie Condie — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:08:20 +0000

Rich, I *love* that you can trace your roots all the way back to New Amsterdam and Ft. Orange. That’s almost as good as being a Mayflower descendant. My American ancestry only goes back to the 1850s…I’m a bit jealous.

By: Rich Kuykendall

Rich Kuykendall — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:19:40 +0000

My ancestors settled in New Amsterdam )New York City later) in 1646. Jacob Luurzsen (van Kuykendall) and brother Jacobus, moved to Albany (Fort Orange), and their progeny spread all over the USA. I am about the 12th generation.

By: Jade

Jade — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:18:48 +0000

The “New York Collections” omits the following from the Colonial and Revolutionary War periods, at least:

Denizations, Naturalizations, and Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New York

New York in the Revolution as colony and state [the version with actual book images, which you have only partially indexed]

New York in the Revolution (Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Vol XV)

I suggest adding them, since what is now listed for the Colonial period is rather sparse.