The Minor Family of Somerset

"Grietje Van Ness, the mother of this great family, should als
o have consideration. She contributed much to the family she he
lped to found. Even among the Dutch of that time there were dis
tinctions of station, and she ranked high. Many of the plain pe
ople carried no family name. With them there was thecoupling o
f the name of the father and child, like Pieter Claesen, meanin
gPieter, son of Claes. Others of apparently higher social or p
orperty advantages carried a family name from one generation t
o another. Grietje Van Ness was of this latter class."
"Considering the prominence of Cornelis Van Ness, oncan but won
der what old world connection between the two families there ma
yhave been which led to the marriage of Grietje Van Ness and Pi
eter Claesen,who so recenlty had been a laborer of the farm o
f Simon Walischez. Her superior education and rank must have be
en of immense importance to her young husband when he took up hi
s new duties in Amersfoort."
"The Church at Beverwyckwas burned together with the Church rec
ords, among which, it is thought werethe records of the marriag
e of Pieter Claesen and Grietje Van Ness and of thebirths of th
eir first two children. Nicholas nad margrietje.