The JOHN LEFFERTS Homestead


Erected previous to, and rebuilt during the Revolution




	No one can estimate the good this historic structure has accomplished. 
Situated at the gateway to Flatbush, the tired man of business, wearily 
riding home at dusk, sees first, as he enters Flatbush, this beautiful 
old Duteh house, nestling low dovm in a group of grand old maples, and his 
tired mind finds refreshing thoughts of the suburban home to which he is going, 
of the quaint old town, cooler in summer and warmer in winter than Brooklyn, 
with its society as old as New York's Knickerbocker stock.

	To-day a scion of this old family occupies the homestead; in fact, members 
of the LEFFERTS family have occupied this land since; it was granted to 
Lefferts PIETERSEN van HAGEWOUT, founder of the LEFFERTS family. He married 
Abagail VAN NUYSE, daughter of Aucke JANSE, founder of the VAN NUYSE family. 
He is spoken of elsewhere in this book. LEFFERT'S death occurred
December 8th, 1704. As he came to this country with his parents, Pieter JANSE 
and Femmetje HERMENS, in 1660, he must have died in the prime of life. 
An examination of the records shows that he was assessed in 1676 L104 for stock 
and land, a considerable property for a man of his youth to have acquired at that 
time. In 1688 he had increased his worldly goods in the eyes of the assessors to L174/10.

	His son, Pieter, occupied his father's farm. He was born May 18th, 1680; 
died March 18th, 1774, and married Eyte SUYDAM, who died September 25th, 1777. 
As a man of affairs; Pieter was County Treasurer from 1787 to 1772. 
He was also prominent in church. In 1767 he conveyed to his son, John, for a 
consideration of L1400, the homestead farm in Flatbush.

	Jan LEFFERTS, the above mentioned son, was born March 16th, 1719, and 
died October 20th, 1776; married first, April 29th, 1746, Sarah MARTENSE, 
born November 23rd, 1727; died December 30th, 1762. He married second, 
Lemmetje VANDERBILT, on April 17th, 1765; born May 25th, 1720; 
died April 17th, 1782. He was Judge of the Court of Sessions and Common Pleas 
from 1751 to 1761, one of the County Judges from 1761 to 1770, and first 
Judge from 1770 until his death. Town Clerk of Flatbush 1778 to 1776, and 
delegate to the Provincial Congress. He was a man of great wealth.

	His son, Pieter LEFFERTS, born December 27th, 1758; died October 7th, 1791; 
married first, May 18th, 1775, Jannetie LEFFERTS; and second, June 7th, 1784, 
Femmetie, daughter of Evert HEGEMAN and Seytie SUYDAM, his wife. He was a 
well-known patriot and Lieutenant of Militia of Flatbush. His home was burned 
during the Battle of Flatbush by the Americans, because the British were 
shooting from behind it. Later Mr. LEFFERTS rebuilt it as we see it to-day, 
after the original design. Mr. LEFFERTS was a state Senator, and a Judge of 
the Court of Sessions and Common Pleas.

	John LEFFERTS, son of the above, was born December 14th, 1785, and died 
September 18th, 1829. He married June 3rd, 1828, Maria LOTT LEFFERTS. The 
greater part of his life after he passed his majority was spent in public office, 
which showed how much the people thought of him. From October 1811, to September, 1818, 
he held the office of County Treasurer. In 1818 he was a Member of Congress. 
In 1821 he was a Member of the State Constitutional Convention, and from 
1821 to 1826 a State Senator.

	His son, John, born August 12th, 1826, inherited the homestead, and
:named first Eliza I., daughter of James LEFFERTS, of Bedford, born April 18th, 1881; 
died November 18th, 1867. He married second, February 1st, 1871, Helena A. EVANS, 
born July 30th, 1840. Mr. LEFFERTS died April 18th, 1898, honored and loved by 
all with whom he came in contact.

	James LEFFERTS, a son of Mr. John LEFFERTS by his first wife, owns the old 
homestead and with his family occupy it. It would not be right to omit 
mention of Gertrude L. LEFFERTS, eldest child of Senator John LEFFERTS.  
She was born April 16th, 1824, and married, July 8th, 1846, Judge John VANDERBILT, 
who died March 16th, 1877. Her life was largely spent in charitable pursuits. 
She was the author of an interesting book entitled "Social History of Flatbush," 
and was respected by all who knew her for her nobleness of mind.

	We have traced the ownership of this house, from father to son, for eight 
generations, or nearly two hundred and fifty years.  The house, of course, is 
not so old, but is it not a lesson to our modernism, that these good people, 
their ancestors and descendants, who lived on or near this spot, prospered 
in one locality for so many years?


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