Ethel, Two comments: 1) I believe the dates in the church register at that time were banns, not the actual marriage. Though the marriage usually was contracted soon after, there were occasionally delays. Given her age at the time, the marriage may not have been consumated till much later, as is supported by the baptism of her first known child when she was 16. As an example, Adrian Hegeman and Martha Remsen were married at least 6 months after their banns were published: banns: Year 1714. The 3 December the marriage banns were registered of Adriaan Hegeman, young man, born and residing in Midwood, and Martha van der Beek, young lady, likewise born and residing in Midwood. Married the ___ by me. V. Antonides. [Flatbush Church Records vol 1, p 307] Adrian's father's will: In the name of the Lord, Jesus, Amen. In the year 1715, the 15 day of June, in Kings County, Island of Nassau, in the village of Midwout, in the presence of the undersigned, the worthy ABRAHAM HEGEMAN declares his will to dispose of his temporal affairs, .... I leave to my son Adrian, who is un-married, a proper outset out of my estate, ... Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume XI - - unrecorded wills prior to 1790), UNRECORDED WILLS. page 177. (Written in the Dutch language.) 2) Is it possible the Vroutje is a nickname (meaning darling wife) and not her actual given name? If so, could Vroutje's given name be Margaret. The court case would be very unusual for a 14 year old girl, especially if she were only engaged at the time. Could this case be in regards to Vroutje, the mother, and not her daughter? Are there similar cases of neglect on the part of Vroutje? Are there other other records where the mother may have been mistaken for the daughter? Mike Morrissey > From: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2011 10:31:49 -0400 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [DUTCH-COLONIES] Cozyn Gerritsen Cozyn and Vroutje Gerrits > > * * A Brief Timeline on > Margariet aka Grietje Cozyn.* * > > 5 May 1641. Baptism: Child: Margariet d/o Cozyn Gerritzen was bp 5 May > 1641. [NYDC 2:12] > > 19 April 1654. Marriage: Grietje Cosyns to (1) Herman Theuniszen VanZell > 19 April 1654. [NYDC 1:18] > The above Margariet is 12 years, 11 months old. > > 6 Sept 1655. Hendrick Pietersen, plft vs Grietie Cosyns, deft. [RNA > v2:160] > > Pltf. says, deft. made use of his horse, and rode thereon, and also let it > stray in the woods. Requests, that she be condemned to search for the > horse and deliver it to him when found, at her own expense. Deft. says, pltf’s > horse broke into her buckwheat, and as she wished to lead him from her > land she sat on him and brought him to the Fresh Water, to prevent any further > damage. Maintains that she is not bound to satisfy pltf’s demand. Parties > being heard, it was decided by the Court that the deft was justified to > bring the horse from her land to prevent damage. Wherefore pltf’s demand is > dismissed. > Minutes of the Court of Burgomasters and Schepens 1653-1655 [RNA > V1:352,353] > EKK: The above Margariet is 14 years, four months and a married woman of > one year, four months. > Did Hendrick Pietersen take a child to court? Is that legal? Why > isn't her husband with her or > mentioned in the court record? It mentions 'her buckwheat' and > "her land" Did she own land? > It is a hard to believe story for a 14 year old child. > > 24 Feb 1658. Grietje Cozyn becomes a mother. > The above Margariet is 16 years, nine months. > > Witsuntide 1662. Margarette Cozine married (2) Jan Haring. [Bible > record]. She has seven children. > > 4 March 1685. Grietie Cozyns married (3) Daniel De Clark. NYDC 1:56] > No issue. > -------------------------- > > Any and all suggestions welcome. Best regards, Ethel Kay Konight