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Today Anneke Jans Bogardus is one of early New York State's (literally New Netherland's) most famous citizens. But such was not the case during her own lifetime. Anneke Jans was born in Flekkeroy, a village on an island of the same name in Vest Agder, Norway, and four miles south of the city of Kristiansand. The only real facts that have become known about Anneke Jans as she arrived here in 1630 are that she was: (1) a resident of Amsterdam just before coming to New Netherland, (2) a daughter of Tryntje Jonas, van Maesterland, a midwife, (3) sister of Marritje Jans, (4) the wife of Roelof Janszen, van Maesterland, employed in early 1630 in Amsterdam, to be a farmer at Rensselaerswyck, and (5) the mother of two [not three] accompanying children. Sara and Tryntje Roelofs, who were born in Amsterdam {Lijntje died before the trip} In 1638, when Everardus Bogardus married Anneke Jans, she was the widow of a farmer, Roelof Jansen, by name. After the death of her husband, the dominie, Anneke Jans, with her family, returned to Beverwyck (Albany), and there bought a residence on the north side of Yonkers (now State) street, where she died in 1663. Just previous to her death she made her famous will, which provided for the disposal of her estate, both personal and real, which was considerable in amount. It included in the real property, the farm of sixty-two acres — called the "Dominie's Bouwerie," reaching from Broadway to the Hudson river, and from Warren to Christopher streets, in New Amsterdam (now New York City), all of which was afterward claimed by the corporation of Trinity church and became the subject of unending litigation by the heirs of Anneke Jans Bogardus, who have sought to possess the land which they considered their rightful inheritance.
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