HENDRICK I. LOTT HOUSE 1940 East 36th Street

The land that extended along the eastern side of the Strom Kill (Gerritsen's Creek) was called Baes Juriaen's Hook by the Dutch settlers although the reason for that name is not known. In 1636, the property belonged to Huijgh (Hugh?) Aerens. By 1665, it was owned by Steven Coerten van voor Hees (VOORHEES) whose son, Coert STEVENSEN, sold 160 acres for £2,100 to Johannes LOTT of Jamaica on 19 December 1719. Johannes LOTT (b.11 May 1692 in Jamaica - d. 8 April 1775 in Flatlands) was the son of Hendrick LOTT of Jamaica (born in Flatbush, died on or before 14 December 1712) and Catrina De WITT who were married about 1684. He married Antje RAPALJE 1714 and after the purchase of the Flatlands property built a small house on it in which they made their home. He was a prosperous farmer and represented Flatlands in the Colonial Assembly from 1727 until 1747. His son Johannes ( b. 31 December 1721 - d.25 January 1782), who was known as Johannes of New Lots, inherited the house and part of the property. As a member of the Kings County Militia, Johannes Jr. fought in the French and Indian War, was a captain of the militia in 1758-1759 and was later called Colonel LOTT. On 6 April 1745 he married Jannetie PROBASCO (b.24 January 1722 - d.28 October 1802), who was the daughter of Jurian PROBASCO and Catalina SCHENCK, and had four sons: Jurrian, Johannes I. Christopher and Hendrick I. Hendrick I. LOTT (b.3 October 1760 - d.24 February 1840) received all of his father's property by quitclaim from his brothers. On 15 July 1792, he married Mary BROWNJOHN of New York and took her to live in his old home. As its ceilings were too low to suit her urban taste, he remodelled and enlarged the house in 1800. With its two-storey and garret main part and two two-storey wings, it was then the show place of Kings County. It is thought that its east wing was the house built in 1719. Hendrick left his property to his son Johannes H. LOTT (b.20 August 1793 - d.26 February 1874). Johannes H. LOTT married Gashe BERGEN (b.24 July 1797 - d.21 January 1885), the daughter of Simon and Jane (VANDERVEER) BERGEN on 9 December 1817, and had three sons and four daughters. At his death his homestead with fifteen acres of his farm went to his son Henry De Witt LOTT (b.21 June 1821 - d.25 January 1889) who married Ann, daughter of John C. BENNET 28 October 1863. Henry De Witt LOTT had a number of children among whom were John Bennet and Jennie Maria (b.28 September 1869). John farmed the ancestral acres until shortly before his death on 16 November 1923. In 1925, the property was sold except a plot 160 feet by 200 feet on which the house stands. This is now the home of Andrew and Jennie (LOTT) SUYDAMwho were married on 17 December 1890, and their daughter Ellen. There is in existence a parchment-covered copy of Joost van den Vondel's "Collection of Tragedies" published in Holland in 1652 which, tradition says, was brought to New Netherland by Peter LOTT, the progenitor of the LOTT family in America. . Peter, who signed his name as Peter LOT and Peter LODT, arrived from Ruinen, Drenthe, in the Netherlands, in 1652 and settled in Midwout (or Flatbush) where he bought a farm in 1662. He was a schepen or magistrate of that town in 1656 and in 1673 and a patentee of 1687, the year in which he took the oath of allegiance. Both he and his wife Gertruy were members of the Flatbush Church. His children were : Engelbert, Catrina, Peter, Abraham, Johannes and Hendrick who married Catrina De WITT, daughter of Pieter Jansen De WITT and Dorothy VOLCKERS. Pieter Jansen De WITT, who signed himself "Pieter Janse WIT," arrived at New Amsterdam in 1652 and settled in Boswijck where he was a magistrate in 1661, 1662 and 1665. His name is on its assessment rolls for 1675 and 1683, and its census of 1698. He took the oath of allegiance there in 1687. Next Chapter..JEROMUS LOTT HOUSE DUTCH Houses..Index Main Return to TOWN Index Main Return to BROOKLYN Index MAin