VAN BRUNT - CROPSEY HOUSE



15th Avenue between 83rd & 84th Streets

	On 21 February 1683 Jacques CORTELYOU conveyed property that lay just outside 
the New Utrecht "house lots" to Anna VAN BORSUM. By 1715 this property belonged to 
the town of New Utrecht but shortly afterwards was owned by Nicholas VAN BRUNT 
(baptized 31 August 1684). 

	Nicholas VAN BRUNT married Roelif VERKERK'S daughter Mayke in March 1714.
It was probably he who built the house on his new farm in which his son Roeloffe was 
born previous to 1717 and which Roeloffe later inherited. 

	Roeloffe VAN BRUNT married Elsie SNEDEKER. He died about 1768 and his property 
was sold to Colonel Rutgert VAN BRUNT of Gravesend who conveyed it to Arian HEGEMAN 
for �000 on 14 October 1790. Since then, it changed hands many times before it was 
bought by the Bay Ridge Improvement Company about 1900. 

	It has had many tenants including Dr. Robert WATERS, Walter PENGEL and James CROPSEY. 
It was after the latter had married Jane WYCKOFF of Gravesend on 14 October 1808 that 
he took her to live in the old house. They remained there until 1811 when they moved 
into their own home in Unionville, New Utrecht. 

	Amongst the Dutch settlers the title of Boss (Baes) was a mark of respect and 
their descendants continued to call certain men "Boss." James CROPSEY was one of those men. 
To his associates he was Boss CROPSEY. 

	But he was Colonel CROPSEY also, because he held that office in the Kings County
Regiment of Horse Artillery that was known as the Buckskins. He was a man of worth in his 
community, an elder in the church for many years, assessor at different times and justice 
of the peace. By trade he was a master carpenter. 

	James CROPSEY and his wife Jane are buried in the cemetery adjoining the New Utrecht Church. 
On his stone is carved: 

		Col. James CROPSEY. who after a useful and estimable life, 
		died Nov. 6, 1861, aged 75 yrs. 11 mo. and 22 da. 

	He was born in New Utrecht 14 November 1785, the son of Harmanus CROPSEY 
(b.22 September 1753 - d. 7 October 1830) and his first wife Anna CONOVER who died shortly 
after her child's birth. 

	Harmanus then married Elizabeth LAWRENCE of Staten Island who was so young that her 
guardian would not allow her to go to New Utrecht to live. So Harmanus CROPSEY moved to Staten 
Island leaving his baby son with the CONOVERS. 

	Three months after his second wedding, his bride died. Later, he married Elizabeth RENEAU 
by whom he had a large family. He never returned to New Utrecht to live but remained in Staten 
Island. He is buried in the New Dorp Moravian Cemetery. 

	Harmanus was a lieutenant in the New Utrecht militia and during the battle of Long Island 
was taken prisoner. He was put on one of the prison ships anchored in New York Bay. There he 
made a friend of an English guard who promised not to see him if he jumped overboard. So 
overboard Harmanus went and soon swam safely to shore. 

	His parents were Caspar Casparse (CROPSEY) and Margarietje BARKELOO 
(about 1730 - d. 12 October 1799) who were married 27 May 1749. 

	Caspar, or Jaspar as his name was sometimes written, was one of three brothers who arrived 
in New York and were sold into bondage to pay for their passage. Two of the brothers were taken 
up the Hudson, but Caspar's master lived in New Utrecht. 

	There the young lad worked hard and prospered, and in time owned his own farm. Because of 
his integrity he became a respected member of the community. He was a deacon in the church in 
1772, 1773 and 1777 and was later an elder. 

	He believed so firmly in the American cause that before the battle of Long Island he gave 
the American army nineteen head of cattle, three horses, eighty-eight bushels of wheat and 
fifty-six bushels of rye, the total value of which was �4.4.0 After the war the government 
repaid him the full amount. 

	Caspar Casparse died prior to 1800. 


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