This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/VRB.2ACE/1814.2 Message Board Post: Hi Linda, Abraham was b 7.13 1771 and baptised by Rev. Johann Friederich Reiss in that year in St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Churchtown, Columbia Co. The sponsors were Abraham Esselstein and Margaretha Weis. This is from the book "Baptism Record of St. Thomas Lutheran Church Churchtown, Columbia County, New York (Lutheran Church of Claverack) 1760-1899 transcribed by Arthur C.M. Kelly, Kinship, Rhinebeck, NY 1969, page 15, No. 324. The actual citation is: "Johannes Esselstein and Catharina bpt Abrahaa [probably a typo] b 7.13. Also Hillsdale was once known as Nobletown. The records for the Hillsdale church begin in the year 1776. From the book "Baptismal Records of Reformed Dutch Church Hillsdale, New York (Krum Church) (Dutch Church of New Claverack) 1776-1849 by Arthur C.M. Kelly, Kinship, Rhinebeck, NY 1970, page 1, No. 13 4.1.1777 Johannes Esselsteyn and Catharina Esselsteyn bpt Isak, sponsors: Andries Cool and Christina Cool. No other baptisms for Johannes and Catharina in either book. By the way Ysselstein is a town in the Netherlands and some times the name was cited as van Esselstein and various other spellings. Hope this helps, Susan