SIMON SIMONSE (son of Simon) VAN ARSDALE was born 18 April 1726 in New York or New Jersey, the son of SIMON JANSE (son of Jan) VAN ARSDALE and JANNETJE ROMINE/ROMEYN. SIMON JANSE married JANNETJE ROMINE on 30 October 1716 in New York, likely in the Dutch Reformed Church. They may have lived in Flatlands, Kings County, New York, and for a time in New Jersey between 1720 and 1730, before migrating to Southampton twp, Bucks County, Pennsylvania where SIMON JANSE made his will on 8 September 1766.
This surname has an incredible array of variant spellings in records, including VAN ARTSDALEN, VAN ARSDALEN, VANARTSDALEN, VANARSDALE, VANAUSDAUL and more, making it at times difficult to trace the family.
SIMON SIMONSE Sr married on 24 January 1751 ELSJE KROESEN/KREWSON, likely in the Dutch Reformed Church in Philadelphia (listed in records as the German Reformed Church?). They had at least ten children. The couple lived solely in Southampton twp, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and never moved or migrated. Three of their children, JOHN, ELIZABETH and MARY, married the orphaned children of MATTHIAS FENTON (see previous blogpost).
On 19 August 1775, SIMON SIMONSE enlisted as a private in the Southampton, Bucks County Pennsylvania Milita, rank of Pvt, under Capt JOHN FOLWELL. His son SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARSDALE Jr and son-in-law JOSHUA PRAUL also enlisted on that date, under Capt JOHN FOLWELL. This was the same regiment that MATTHIAS FENTON enlisted in, on that same date.
I was unable to find information about when exactly SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARDSALE Sr was mustered out, or if he re-enlisted at any time during the war.
However, while researching, I did discover that SIMON SIMONSE Sr was a slave holder. He was taxed on 3 "servants" i.e. slaves between 1779-1790. As I said in my previous post, this was a surprise. Apparently in the 1700s the Dutch Reformed Church turned a blind eye to the fact that their parishioners (and indeed some of their ministers) owned slaves. His father SIMON JANSE also owned slaves.
SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARSDALE Sr died 17 March 1795 in Southhampton, twp, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Apparently he died intestate, and there was no will. However, on 1 August 1796 the Bucks County Orphans Court recorded that his estate had been settled, listing his surviving children and their spouses:
Jacob and CORNELIA Vandergrift
SIMON Vanartsdalen Jr
Joshua and JANE Praul,
Abraham and MARGARET Lefferts,
JOHN Vanartsdalen,
ELIZABETH Vanartsdalen
MARY Vanartsdalen
Heirs of SIMON Vanartsdalen, late of Southampton twp, agree to settlement of estate.
SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARSDALE Sr is in the lineage of my paternal grandfather, ALONZO COX HUBER
Sources:
--History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania by William Wiatts Hart Davis
--Bucks County Pennsylvania Orphan Court Records 1685-1852 by Thomas G Myers
--Pennsylvannia in the War of the Revolution by William Henry Egle
Have a great day!
Betty
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