Friday, October 14, 2011

The Dykeman Origins in Early New York

Jack’s maternal line (Dykeman) ascends from the earliest European families who chose to settle on Manhattan Island around the time the English wrestled control of the colony from the Dutch in 1664. Our immigrant ancestor, Jan Dykeman, journeyed across the Atlantic around 1666.


The image above shows the connection of Jack's mother, Ouida Dykeman to Jan Dyckman. Notice the difference in the surnames – this is caused by the turmoil of the American Revolution when a Loyalist faction of the Dykeman family moved to Canada to resettle on lands provided by the British government. 

Jan presumably came to the New World with very little, but became a prominent figure in the community. Arriving at a time that Dutch rule changed to English rule; he must have been involved in many impressionable and turbulent dealings. He married twice and was involved in numerous business transactions that led to him becoming a prosperous land owner in upper Manhattan (called New Harlem at the time) when he died in 1715.

Since the earliest European colonists to New York came from the Netherlands, the Dutch called the area New Netherlands. New Netherland consisted of settlements mainly along the Hudson, Delaware, and Connecticut Rivers, which today are parts of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.[1] 

-CLICK TO ENLARGE-
The name New Amsterdam was given to the growing Dutch village on the lower tip of Manhattan, and was a very diverse place both in terms of customs practiced and languages spoken.  Many of the original Dutch documents from the seventeenth century are currently being translated, transcribed and published through an ongoing project in Albany called the New Netherland Project and Institute

12 comments:

Kats 'n K9s said...

I am a direct descendent of Jan Dykeman via Moses > Gilbert > Tillotsen Libby > Orland S > Evelyn Irene ( who was my grandmother ). They are from the Jemseg Dykemans. I am from Rhode Island originally from the original Anthony family, one of the founding families of the colony. My grandfather James Howard Anthony met Evelyn Dykeman when she was in Newport attending nursing school. They married around 1929 and they lived between St. John NB and Newport RI, eventually staying permanently in RI. My closet Dykeman relatives are living in Ontario and NB as far as I know. Virtually all the elders have passed away. Not sure if you know who Bryan Ballard is but he has TONS and TONS of information on the Dykeman family ( his wife is a Dykeman ).

Sharon Anthony Connors
sm.connors@gmail.com

John Dykeman said...

Hi "cousin "
So just some background : my grandfather was Grover Dykeman who was the (one of) younger brothers of Orland and who stayed on the farm in Jemseg. My uncle Norman has some old photos including one with Great grandparents and their large family. All the men have dimpled chins which my brother and I both have. Nice looking for fellows. Also Jan Dyckman of Harlem and his defendants is a handy book for Dykeman / Dyckman family since 1660. We bought our copies from Dyckman House in New York.
Regards
John Dykeman
Johndykeman@aol.com

Unknown said...

Do you know if there was a Wallace Dykeman in the family line? My grandfathers name was Wallace Dykeman .. he passed away early 1990's

Unknown said...

hi my name is clarence dykeman very interesting artical my grandfathers name was clarence albert dykeman he was born in 1886 his fathers name was hazen they were from acton new brunswick canada it close to harvey bout 20 miles from fredericton nb im kina doin a little family tree of my own i can connect us to the dykemans of new amsterdam my email address isdykemanm@bellaliant.net

Caol DeLis said...

My great grandmother was a Dyckman. Now I know why my mother talked about dimples in the chin!!!! She gave birth to my grandfather Evert Rich.

Unknown said...

Greetings Folks...

My Grand Father was Edward Percy Dykeman who lived in Saint John NB. Two of his three sons remain; Ernest and Frank (Frank is my dad).

The oldest son; also Percy or better known to us as: Puddy, is survived by sons David and Brian, and daughter Joanie...

I'm trying to pull together some of the history, and appreciate what I've found here.

Cheers!

Unknown said...

I'm a Dykeman in Ontario. My father came to Ontario in 1957-58. My grandfather Frank was born and died in New Brunswick. Anyway nice reading some history on the name.... Cheers from Canada.

Unknown said...

I lived in Saint John but have no memory of it as I was 2 and moved to Ontario at 3. Anyway I've visited New Brunswick many times and highly recommend it for a visit. All places as my mother said are nice for a visit. You don't know what it's really like until you live there. Anyway......

Leigh Desormeau said...

Hello there! I hope someone is still reading the comments here.

My mother is a Dykeman, father and grandfather Marvin Dykeman. I'm trying to find info on our family as everyone directly linked to us is either dead or doesn't know anything. I'm trying to find evidence that we're of Jewish descent and seeing the 'Moses' type names is very, very encouraging. Thanks in advance! <3

Unknown said...

Hello all, my name is Patricia Dykeman. My Father was Gerald Alan Dykeman, my Grandfather was Almerian Dykeman of Fayetteville, New York where he grew up with four brothers. Im still looking for more informatiin on our geneology of the rest if my family. Nice to see all the wonderful Dykeman's.

CJ said...

I believe my 4th great grandmother to be Catherine (Cataline) Dyckman, born 1808 to Sampson Benson Dyckman and Rachel Goetschius. I have found her baptism record, but no record of a marriage to Collin Shephard/Shepherd about 1829/30. She died in 1837 leaving behind my 3ggrandmother Margaret August and a son Henry Baird. Any suggestions about where to look for the marriage?

Unknown said...

Did your Dykemans live in the Stoney Creek / Hamilton area.