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by Roxy Triebel
treebz65@hotmail.com

Tangled Roots and Twisted Branches

SCHEPMOES

The following information is taken from my grandmother's book, "Tangled Roots and Twisted Branches" (published 1987), with some minor reformatting for the web.  This book is known to contain some errors.  If you have any corrections or additions, please contact me.

The origin and meaning of the name are not certain.  It may be taken from the name of the house the family lived in - situated next to the New Church in Delft.  The name is made up of two words:  "Schep" from "Scheppen", which may be from the verb meaning "to ladle".  "Moes" may mean sauce or stew.  The Dutch for "applesauce" is "appelmoes", so the name Schepmoes could have been the name of a sauce or stew served with a ladle.

This family lived originally in Delft, Holland.  Pieter Jansz Schepmoes was listed in Delft as early as 1576.  He was the owner of two houses for which he was listed in the Hearth Tax.  In 1605, he was listed as a Skipper and Mariner, and was married, as a widower, in Delft, to Neeltje Joosten, who lived in the brewery "De Dubble Passer" ("The Double Divider").  He must have died that same year.  In November 1605, his widow married to Jan Hermanz, skipper of the "Haywagon".

The record of the oldest ancestor of this name that I have found was JAN HUYGENSZ SCHEPMOES - the father of Pieter Jans Schepmoes.  He was a member of the Church in Delft in February 1574, a shoemaker, who died 25 September 1576.  Have record of two sons:  Pieter Jansz and Huych Jansz.  The children of Pieter Jans Schepmoes by his first wife (do not have her name) were Jan Pieter Schepmoes and Abraham Pieter Schepmoes.  This family were engaged in the making of the famous Delft ware along with Heyndrick Beuchelz Van der Burch.

The name Schepmoes died out in Holland in the 18th Century.

  1. Jan Pieter Schepmoes died 24 June 1608.  There is no record of his wife's name.  He had at least two sons.

    1. Jan Jansen Schepmoes, born at Delft 1605, was a mariner.  He was the progenitor of the Schepmoes family in America.  He married at Amsterdam, Holland 27 December 1631 to Sarah Pieters (The PIETERS family took the name of OSTRANDER in America).

      Jan Jansen Schepmoes was in New Amsterdam (NY City) in 1638.  From Van Laer's HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS, we find that the passengers of the ship DOLPHIN (Jacob Teunesen, skipper) declared that they were not provided for, according to the agreement "23 meals even though the weather was favorable for cooking"; also, with the promised rations they did not receive bread for three weeks.  Much of the food was mouldy.

      Among the passengers was JAN JANSEN SCHEPMOES, wife and two children.  They were in New Amsterdam 23 April 1638.  In August 1641 he sold his house there, with all that was fastened by earth and nail, to George Baxter and Walter Hartford.  This was located in Manhattan.  On 2 May 1641, he signed a contract with Thomas Chambers, an English carpenter of Esopus (Kingston) to build a house in Esopus - 30 feet long, 20 feet wide, enclosed all around, covered with clapboards, tight against the rain; inside, a partition, a bedstead and pantry - also two doors and a couble one, and one single basement window.

      From Vol. 4 Munsells' AMERICAN ANCESTRY pg 16:  JAN SCHEPMOES ordered not to lodge any sailors or tap wine; in case he acts to contrary, being obliged to leave Manhattan; recommended to support himself by farming - 24 June 1638.

      JAN JANSEN SCHEPMOES was dead before 7 October 1656, when his widow, Sara Pieters married in NYC Dutch Church to William Couch from England.

      From HOLLAND SOCIETY BOOK 1900:  JAN JANSEN SCHEPMOES died January 1656; widow Sara Pieters listed children 26 October 1656 as:  William, Anna, Adeleaide, Jasje, Ursula, Dirck, Sarah.  Each child received 800 guilders from their father's estate.

      I have record of seven children (of JAN JANSEN SCHEPMOES and Sara Pieters -- RT).

      1. Anna, baptized 1641, married Henry Colyer
      2. Aeltje, baptized 3 September 1645, married:
        • I:  Jan Eversen Ketelas
        • II:  after 1680 to Gerritt Hardenburgh

      3. Jobjie, baptized 6 January 1647, married Gerrit Hotenburg (is this the same as Gerritt Hardenburgh that her sister Aeltje above married? -- RT)

      4. DIRCK, baptized 2 September 1648.  He was a Captain in the Militia.  He married:

        • I:  to Maria Williams and they had six children.
          1. Johannes, baptized 7 April 1672 in New York, Captain of the Militia of Town of Hurley, Ulster County, NY / 1st Regiment.  He married on 18 February 1696 to Neeltje Garrits (born Hurley, NY, widow of Peter Crispell).  Jan / Johannes Schepmoes was married II:  to Engletjen Jans, widow of Jan Van Hoesen - a resident of The Flats, Albany County, NY, but the only child listed for him is MARY, who married SIMON VAN WAGENEN.
            1. Mary, baptized 1 May 1698 in the Kingston Dutch Reformed Church, married Simon Van Wagenen.

          2. Ragel, baptized 31 March 1678 at Kingston Dutch Reformed Church, married 28 September 1703 (same church) to Bernardus Swarthout.
          3. Lea, baptized 4 January 1680 at Kingston Dutch Reformed Church, died young
          4. Lea, baptized 4 September 1681 at Kingston Dutch Reformed Church, married 28 September 1703 (same church) to Barent Van Wagenen
          5. William, baptized 9 June 1684 at Hurley, married:
            • I:  Geertry Davis at Kingston Dutch Reformed Church
            • II:  3 June 1711 to Catherine Tappen

          6. Rebecca, baptized 6 November 1687, Kingston

        • II:  at the Kingston Dutch Reformed Church to Margriet / Grietje Tappen, daughter of Jurian Tappen.  Dirck and Margriet had one child.
          1. Anne, baptized 3 September 1704, Kingston, married 8 July 1725 to Johannes Jansen (baptized 7 November 1706 at Kingston Dutch Reformed Church)

        Dirck J. Schepmoes (Skipmouse) was owner of property in Ulster County 5 September 1676.  He owned property between Kingston and Hurley.  There is an old stone house still standing on what is now known as the "Elmendorf Tract" - half-way between Hurley and Kingston on old Rt. 209.  A sign says "Pleasant Valley Farm 1688" -- see map and picture 19 February 1681 - Dirck J. Schepmoes sold to Jan Lauwerson a stone pudt - probably a stone quarry.  (All this information is as of 1987 - I have not been to the area myself and can't say what it's like now -- RT)

      5. Tryntje, baptized 22 June 1652
      6. Sara, baptized 12 april 1654, married:
        • I:  1672 to Johannes de Wanderling from Holland
        • II:  Dirck Jansen

      7. Ursel, baptized 1 January 1659 , married Dirck Franzen

      From HARDENBURGH GENEALOGY:  children of Jan Jansen Schepmoes and his wife Sara Pieters:

      1. Abraham, 25 December 1643, died young
      2. Aeltje, 3 September 1645, married:
        • I:  Jan Evertsen Ketelas, died 1680
        • II:  Gerrit Hardenburgh

      3. Jogje, 6 January 1647
      4. Dirck Janse, 23 June 1648, married:
        • I:  Maria Williams
        • II:  Margrietje Tappen

      5. Tryntje, 23 June 1652
      6. Sara, 12 April 1654, married 1672 to Johannes de Wanderleer, may have married II:  Dirck Jansen
      7. Ursel, 1 January 1659, married Dirck Franzen
      8. Anna, married Henry Coyler, died 1690

    2. William Jansz Schepmoes was listed as an apprentice goldsmith in the Guild at Delft in 1615.

  2. Abraham Pieter Schepmoes

Historical Manuscripts:  Van Laer Vol. I:  pp 3; 42; 64  Schepmoes

Declaration of passengers of Yacht DOLPHIN:  that Captain failed to provide the stipulated rations of food during passage voyage.  Passengers were not provided with 23 meals; had no bread for three weeks; among passengers was Jan Jansen Schepmoes, his wife, and two children.  See N Y Col. MSS 2:139

Investigated 15 April 1638:  Passengers refused to pay, but later were ordered to pay.

3 September 1638:  Declaration settling argument about former ownership of sloop sold to Jan Jansen Schepmoes by Mr. Oldingh, Captain Taylor, Maryn Andruansen, and Hendrick Gerritsen Lectthadt co-jointly.

Jan Jansen Schepmoes sold house and plantation and all fastened by earth and nail for 520 guilders - last to be paid November 1643; if not paid by then, must pay 200 pounds tobacco annual rent.

Items included with property:

1/2 Turnips 1 cross cut saw (as is) 1 adze
3 beds parsnips 1 chisel 1 skepel peas
3 sows 1 iron pot (as is) 1 grindstone
1 barrow pig 1 kettle; 1 pan
5 iron wedges 4 empty casks 6 hens
2 iron sledges 2 wooden bowls
4 axes 8 skepels wheat 2 leaven skins
1 shovel 2 wooden hammers
2 spedes 1 skepel salt
2 hoes

WILL OF MARGARET SCHEPMOES / widow of Captain Dirck Schepmoes / Kingston dated 8 April 1725, proved 18 February 1728 (lists the following beneficiaries -- RT).

References:

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© 1987 by Dorothy E. Smith and 2004 by Roxy Triebel or the original contributor.
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