For the early settlers of modern day Harlem, guarding the settlement wasn't easy. Indian raids were devastating and newly arriving intruders were kept at a distance. According to "New Harlem past and present", the authorities commanded that no strangers were permitted to cross the ferry at New Harlem. This photograph of the first ferry, which was very close to Daniel Tourneur's home, was taken around 1903.
My paternal grandmother, Ethel Daniels, descended from Daniel Tourneur via the Dykeman family (Dyckman). They were among the early settlers of New York City.
In order to secure the settlement, the Governor, Anthony Colve, successor of Nicholls, ordered the men of New Harlem to organize a militia in 1673. The roster, containing 24 courageous and honorable men, follows:
Company 1
Jan Nagel, Corporal
Joost van Oblinus, Private
Jean Delamater, Private
Jean le Roy, Private
Robert Hollis, Private
Company 2
Simeon Cornier, Corporal
Lubbert Gerritsen, Private
Samuel Pell, Private
Jacque el Roe, Private
Baren Waldron, Private
Samuel Demarest, Private
Company 3
Jan Dyckman, Corporal
Arent Harmanse Bussing, Private
David Demarest Jr, Private
Jan Tinker, Private
Conradus Hendrickson, Private
Cornelis Theunissens, Private
Company 4
Adolph Meyer, Corporal
Laurens Matthyssen, Private
David Demarest, Private
Daniel Tourneur, Private
Jochem Engelbert, Private
Meyndert Journeed, Private
If any of these brave men was your ancestor, get your commemorative certificate on
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Sources:
New Harlem past and present; the story of an amazing civic wrong, now at last to be righted, by Carl H. Pierce, W.P. Toler, and H.D. Nutting, 1903.
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