Abt. 1630 – 1709/1712
From VAN EATON & Allied Families, by Steven Earl Coulter, 1974:
Jan Broersen Decker, born about 1630, was from Husum, a town in Denmark, now in Germany. He served one Jacob Hay or Huys in Santa Cruz and Curacao, West Indies, in 1646, then went to New Netherland (now New York state) and settled at Esopus (now Kingston, N.Y.) in 1658. He was listed as “Jan Broersen, from Husum” on the muster roll of militia at Esopus on March 28, 1660. As “John Broerson Decker,” he took the oath of allegiance in Ulster Co., N.Y., on Sept 1, 1689. He married 1st, Heiltie Jacobs, the mother of his children. She died before Dec 1679. As a resident of Marbletown, N.Y., he married 2nd, on Dec 24, 1679 at Kingston, Willemtie Jacobs; she was widow of 1st, Albert Gerretsen, and 2nd, Jan Cornelisse of Gottenburgh, Sweden. Jan Broersen Decker died between 1709 and 1712. Jan Broersen Decker & Heiltie Jacobs had 8 children:
1. Broer Jansen Decker, b. about 1655; m. Cornelia Tappen
2. Jacob Jansen Decker, m.l) 1678, Belytie Bastiaansse; m.2) 1702, Sara Minthorne
3. Gerrit Jansen Decker, bpt Feb 16, 1662; m. 1684, Magdalena Willemz Schut, dau of Willem Jansen Schutt of Shawangunk, Ulster Co., N.Y.; Willem d. 1722.
4. Grietje Janse Decker, bpt Aug 31, 1664; m. 1685, Gerrit Jansz Decker
5. Maddelen “Magdalena” Janse Decker, bpt Oct 3, 1666; m. 1687, Johannes Westbrook (see p. 72)
6. Cornelis Jansen Decker, d. March 4, 1702; m. 1695, Elsje Ten Broek
7. Titje Janse Decker, m. 1687, Jan Gerritzen van Campen
8. Fietje Janse Decker, bpt June 18, 1671; died young, or may be Titje, #7
Decker references: “Jeurian Teunissen Tappen of Albany & of Kingston, New York, & his descendants,” by Lewis D. Cook, in The New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, vol XCVII, #4, Oct 1966, p. 215-217. “Olde Ulster” magazine, vol 2,
p. 244-245.