HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 85

piece of land on Long Island, adjoining the farm of Rapalie on the east, and that of Peter Montfoort on the west, “in the breadth 350 paces, and so straight into the woods.” In a second patent, dated December 1, 1643, the land is described as lying

“on the bend of the Marechkawieck, betwixt the land of Jorse (George) Rapalie on the east side, É and the land of Peter Montfoort on the west side; extending along the marsh 88 rods; and along the land of the said Jorse Rapalie, in a southerly direction, into the woods, 210 rods; and behind, in the woods, in the breadth, 88 rods; the breadth (i.e., length) to (i.e., from) the marsh to the marsh, 210 rods: making and amounting in all to 28 morgen.”1

In 1647 Montfoort’s widow received a grant of an addition to the rear of the above land, of the same breadth, and one hundred and ninety rods in length. The Montfoort land, which had a river or meadow front of about 1,078 feet, was identical with that now located between Hamilton and Grand avenues, and described on our map as farms late of John and Jacob Ryerson. These were sons of Martin, who originally owned the whole tract, and who was a descendant of Marten Ryerse,2 an emigrant from Amsterdam, and first husband of Annetie, daughter of Joris Janse de Rapalie.

XVIII.

JONIS (GEORGE) JANSEN DE RAPALIE, who is supposed to have been a proscribed Huguenot, from Rochelle in France, came to this country in 1623, in the ship Unity, with Catalina Trico, his wife, and settled first at Fort Orange, near Albany, from whence he removed, in 1626, to New Amsterdam. Here, in the occupancy of a homestead on the north side of the present Pearl street, and adjoining the south side of the fort, he resided for more than

1 Patents, G G, 40.

2 Marten Ryerse was a brother of Adrlaen Ryerse, of Flatbush. The patronymic, Ryerse, was retained by Marten’s descendants, who are now quite numerous, and known as Ryersons. Adriaen had two sons, Elbert and Marten Adriaense. The first settled in Flashing, and his posterity bear the name Adriance; while Marten remained in Flatbush, and his descendants form the Martence family. See Riker, Hist. Newtown, 269, W.