92 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

his time, on the farm in the Waaleboght, patented to her late husband, Hans Hansen Bergen, and her petition probably alludes to those lands. No evidence exists on the Colonial records as to any grant to her, either from the government or the Indians, of 200 morgen, except her statement in the petition. “From this petition,” says the family historian, “has probably arisen, with the aid of a little stretch of the imaginatien, the story of the Indians having presented her with a farm, in consideration of her having been the first-born white child in the colony.”

When, upon the conquest of the colony of New Netherland, by the English, in 1664, the inhabitants were obliged to take out new patents for their farms, Boagaert, Sarah’s second husband, embraced the opportunity, as it would seem, to take out the new patent for Hans Hansen’s 200 morgen in his own name, instead of that of Hans' children, who were rightfully entitled thereto. At least no record has ever been found of their possession of any portion of their father's estate, nor any evidence of any compensation made to them therefor by their step-father. It is possible, however, although not very probable, that compensation may have been made, and that the written evidence has disappeared in the lapse of time. If Bogaert defrauded the orphans, it can only be said that it was not an isolated case, the records showing that others, similarly situated at that time, took out the new and confirmatory patents in their own name. By virtue, therefore, of this confirmatory patent, which was dated April 5th, 1667, the whole property, excepting that tract known and designated on the map as the General Johnson Homestead Farm, remained in the possession of Bogart, and was divided among his heirs.

The above-mentioned “Homestead Farm” was probably purchased from BOGART by Rem Jansen Vanderbeeck, the ancestor of all the Remsens in this country,1 who, in 1642, had married Jannetie, a daughter of Joris Janse de Rapalie.2 He resided at Albany for

1 Riker (Hist. Newtown, 386) says his trade was that of a “Smith,” and he came from Jeveren in Westphalia. A valuable and interesting genealogy of the family may be found in Riker's work. The name of Vanderbeeck seems to have been dropped in the second generation.

2 It is of this lady that tile curious tradition remains, that she was taken, when a child, across from Governor's Island to Long Island, in a tub. (See Appendix, 5.)