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Directory to Local History Images & Documents |
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Many viewers interested in local history have used this website as a resource of information. As this site is quite large with over 1000 images and articles, we are providing quick links in this box that will take you directly to articles or gallery albums containing local history.
Old local area photos click here.
Images of Underground RR Activity in Salem area, Lewelling house, Ruel Daggs Case click here.
Village Views, early images of area towns click here.
Early Maps/Surverys, 1785 U.S., 1846 Iowa, 1837 Jackson Twp click here.
O.A. Garretson was prolific writer of local history in the early 20th century with many of his articles published in the Iowa Journal of History and Politics. To view his articles about the Underground RR, Lewellings, Lowell, Pilot Grove, Indian Jim, Battle of Athens, Spanish Archeology, Civil War, Lincoln Pole Raising and more click here.
You can find articles about the Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant, and Muscatine RR, Ruel Daggs Slave Case, East Grove, and more in this section. To see a listing, click here. |
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View all articles for this topic.
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Posted by Joel_Garretson on Apr 28, 2008(1057 Reads)
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 1656
In The Prince Maurice
Sailed from Amsterdam December 21, 1656
Left Texel December 25, 1656
Arrived at Long Island March 8, 1657; wrecked
Destination of Colonists: South River, New Amstel
Jacob Alrichs, director
Alexander D'Hinoyossa, Lieutenant
Evert Pietersen, comforter of the sick
[died before Oct 10, 1661(1).]
Gerrit van Schweringen, Supercargo
Jan Barents, (Barentsen), chief boatswain
[died before Oct 10, 1658(2).]
Jan Gerritsen, sailor
[died before July 16, 1660(3).]
Joost Theunissen, sailor
[died before March 7, 1662(4).]
Dirck Cornelissen Haen, mate
Peter Cornelissen Mol, carpenter
129 souls in all including colonists, free mechanics, soldiers and attendants.
J. Alrich reports:
"We proceeded with them on the proposed voyage, and after some storm and other obstacles, reached the vicinity of the Manhattans. ...through ignorance of the skipper and pilot who were never on this coast, having neared the shore in the evening, she immediately grounded, and so shoved, which continued afterwards harder and harder, that we were not for a moment, sure of our lives, and seeing no escape in the morning, we unanimously resolved to save ourselves on a broken coast, which we, some days alter, understood to be Long Island. An agreement was made with the skipper of the Beaver to charter the passengers to the Colony on the South River. The Beaver set sail from New Amsterdam on April 16 to the South River, arriving at New Amstel, April 25th, with about 125 persons for the Colonie from the ship Prince Maurice, including 50 persons who arrived on other ships.
Thirty-eight soldiers, with the [Captain Martin Kreiger of New Amsterdam]5 and Lieutenant, marched over land because there was no room in the Beaver to allow of their coming by water. The ship experiencing contrary wind, the soldiers, on that account, started somewhat later from the Manhattans, and therefore arrived at the fort six days later than me."
1Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York,
E. B. O'Callaghan, Albany Weed Parsons and Co., ©1858, Holland Documents II, p 181.
2ibid. p 54
3ibid. p 180
4ibid. p 181
5Commissioned December 5, 1656; History of the State of New York,
James Romeyn Brodhead, ©1853, Vol I, pg 631.
Compiled from:
Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, E. B. O'Callaghan, Albany Weed Parsons and Co., ©1858, Holland Documents II, p 8-10, 179-181.
Documents relating to the Dutch and Swedish Settlements on the Delaware River, B. Fernow, ©1877, p 184.'
Note: Thanks go out to Bernie for allowing us to post this information.
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350th Anniversary of the Departure of the Prins Maurits
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Posted by Bob_Harrison on Mar 11, 2008(634 Reads)
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My name is Bob Harrison - I live in Cedar Rapids and have been corresponding for a few months with Joel regarding a common event in our family histories. I was amazed to find your website and see your article regarding your ancestor's immigration from Holland on the Prins Maurits in 1656 - one of my ancestors was on that ship as well!
While he wasn't a Garretson, his name was Garrett - Garrett Van Swearingen. Gerrett was the son of a Dutch noble family and was appointed to the post of "super cargo" (officer in charge of the cargo) for the ship "Prins Maurits" which sailed for America from Texel, Holland 350 years ago today. I'm sure you know the rest of the story, but I think its a real coincidence that the descendents of those shipmates ended up living so close to each other in Iowa.
My third great grandfather (Daniel Swearingen) settled in Oskaloosa in the early 1840's (he lived near Fairfield for a year or so before that). And for those of you who are familiar with the HBO Series "Deadwood", Daniel was Ellis Albert Swearingen's father (so the real Al Swearingen was actually from Oskaloosa before moving on to Deadwood).
Anyway, I just wanted you all to know how much I appreciate this website and all of the work you've obviously put into it.
Here's a link to I site I found some time ago covering Dutch immigration, genealogy and the history of "New Netherland". This is a good article about the Isle of Texel, where the Prins Maurits departed from on her last voyage.
http://olivetreegenealogy.com/nn/mm_2.shtml
'
Note: Bob submitted this last year and unfortunately I didn't get it posted with all the turmoil I've had with PC's etc.. It is amazing to hear from families whose ancestors immigrated from Holland over 350 years ago on the same ship with John Garretson. The link Bob provides is posted in our links section.
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Schout Gerrit van Swearingen- 1661
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Posted by TSwearingen on Mar 11, 2008(1034 Reads)
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I first came upon this site at the Swearingen Genealogy Forum, I was attracted because our Swearingen ancestor was aboard that ship. Gerrit first arrived in the New World aboard the Prince Maurice as an employee of the Dutch West India Company. Gerrit "was appointed supercargo, on the "Prince Maurice" which was to go to New Amstel, DE (first called Fort Casimir, now New Castle) in support of the Dutch colonists there. The ship sailed on 25 December 1656 but was severely damaged by storms near the end of the journey. The 180 passengers went ashore at Long Island on 8 March 1657. The ship called "Beaver" was sent from New York and on 25 April 1657 the passengers "tooke possession of the Fort now called Newcastle and the soldiers of the West India Company quitted the same." (Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1684-1689)1
After reading the transcripts of the J Alrichs, I doubt Gerrit's position as "supercargo" was either 1) true at all or 2) ended with the wreck of the Prince Maurice. I would have expected some mention of the failure of the "supercargo" on the ship.
We know how that turned out. Gerrit presumably made his way to New Amstel with the others and in about 1659 married Barbara de Barrette, a Huguenot. Interesting since Gerrit was Roman Catholic.
Shortly after their marriage Gerrit and his wife returned to Amsterdam where Gerrit tried to persuade the Dutch government not to give up entirely on the Delaware colony, but he returned to New Amstel.
In 1661, Gerrit van Schweringe, wife, man-servant and maid sailed from Texel aboard the Pumerland Church.
The name was listed in a book titled "Immigrants to the Middle Colonies", Edited by Michael Tepper. Published in 1980 by Genealogical Publisher Company. Included in this book were the "Delaware Papers." Among other things listed was both the original Dutch and translated version of the manifest of a ship bound for the colony of New Amstel on the South River. '
Note: One of our viewers, Tricia, submitted this fascinating account of the voyage of the Prince Maurice which very closely matches our own historical records regarding this same voyage that Jan Gerritz (English translation John Garretson) was aboard. There are some minor differences in the account but that is to be expected from something that happened over 350 years ago. We invite our readers to read other accounts of this voyage in the Photo Gallery in Garretson Family Album - John Garretson Van Der Hoff
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Posted by pilotgrove53 on Mar 10, 2008(442 Reads)
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This is a great website. I do occasional research about some of the small towns in northern Lee County. That includes ghost towns such as Old Pilot Grove, Cottonwood, Clay's Grove, and Mertensville. The article about Old Pilot Grove written by O.A. Garretson was excellent. Without that article, very little would be known about that defunct town. I also saw the four photos related to Old Pilot Grove on your website. Can you and your viewers provide any additional information and/or photos related to Old Pilot Grove or the early days of New (current) Pilot Grove? I've never seen a photograph of Old Pilot Grove, any building in it, or any person who lived there.'
Note: If anybody has anything information regarding these towns, please contact the writer or this website. Hopefully we can dig up some new information. J.Garretson
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Garrettson Family Bible, York, Pennsylvania
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Posted by ladyyork on Mar 10, 2008(473 Reads)
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I live fairly close to the Newberrytown, Pennsylvania area where John Garretson, as you say may be buried. I also am not far from Red Lands, near Lewisberry, Penna. I have for several years been working on the Prowell Family History of which is my husband's family. They lived in Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania. Ann Prowell married Elijah Garrettson and after she died, he married Ann Nichols. They are buried in Salem Cemetery, Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania. Last year I was fortunate to obtain a large family bible that has the name Garrettson imbossed in gold on the front cover. Inside is family history dating back to George W Garrettson, who was born at Lewisberry, Penna. September 16, 1828. The Garrettson family has always been important to me, as it always seems to be there in doing my Prowell research. I go back to land grants in Warrington Township and Dover, Pa. area where William and Joseph Garretson are mentioned. I certainly will stay in touch with your website and look for new articles. Maybe some will reflect back on the York County, Pennsylvania area and would love to see some old photo's of the area if any are available. I appreciate all the time and effort that goes into doing one's family history. I have been doing the Prowell History for the past 5 years or so.'
Note: Many thanks to Darlene for sharing this new information on the Garretson website.
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