Sussman-Laabs

Henrick Rycke, the immigrant, came to New Netherland, March 1663, on "The Rose Tree", possibly from Zutphen, Netherlands, or Zuydt Dam (South Dam), an unknown location. He was a resident (patentee, 1669) of Flatbush since 1663, but had first settled in Smit's Vly, near present Peck's Slip, as a blacksmith (house and land, 1638). He sold his house and property to Dirck Van der Cleef/Cliff, for whom Cliff St was named. On Feb 5, 1667/8, he bought of Simon Hansen Van Noostrant a Bouwery in Midwout for 3300 gl. In 1677, he lived on Maiden Lane at the East River. In 1678, he went to Flatbush, where, on Apr, 1679, he joined Flatbush DRC. 1687, Oath of Allegiance. On 18 Feb 1677 John/Johannes Smeados [Smeedis], of the City of New York, Mariner, for 2900 guilders, conveyed to Henry Ricken of the same City, Blacksmith, all that house and grounds with the Orchard and peece of Pasture ground and a Broad Alley toward the Water-side...in a certain Place called the Smith's Fly between the houses and Lotts of Jacob Hollabek and Henry Lamberts Moll and Backward to the Shoemakers' Pasture,.. Witnessed by Francois Rombout, Dirick Vander Cliyffe. Rycken sold this land on 11 Aug 1681 to Dirck Van Der Cliff, merchant of New York. This deed was witnessed by John Colier, John Jnians, and John West. Hendrick Rycken was one of the twenty-six Patentees of the town of Flatbush. The Patent was granted by Lieut.-Governor Dongan in 1685. The territory extended eastward to the Jamaica line; Brooklyn, Flatlands, Gravesend, and Jamaica Bay were the boundaries in the other directions. It included all of New Lots, which afterwards became a separate town. A list of the names of the residents "off fflackbush" who took the oath of allegiance to "King James the 2d of Great Britain, from the 26th to the 30th day of September in the 3d year of his Maytsh Raigne Annoque Domine, 1687." The third name in this list is "hendrick Rijken 24 jeare" in this country. "The census of King's County "about 1698" represents Hendrick Ryke living at Flatbush, his wife still living and three children at home. At that time he was the owner of three slaves. The children were the three girls, Gertrude, of the feeble mind, Jannetje, now sixteen years of age, and Ida, named after her mother. Ida married Jan Aertsen, and Jannetje married Tunis Rapalje." His will was signed and witnessed on the 13th of December, 1689. In it, he wrote: I Henry Ryke of Kings County upon Long Island in the Dominion of New England...after directing a decent burial, mentioned eldest son Jacob Rycke twelve shillings in lew of his double portion in consideration of severall benefitts already received out of my estate. Mentioned “my daughter Geertruda a double portion in consideration yt she is defective & simple in mind; mentioned wife Yda all my goods houses lands slaves & all other moveables of linen wooling houshold stuffe actions & credits none excepted dureing her life time to do therwth as wth her owne goods, without any contradiction but she is hereby lyable & bound to aliment & maintaine my children all ready gotten or wch in the future may come to their age or wedlock & to cause their learning for an art or trade to live by...If wife Ida remarries, she to get 1/2 the estate, the remainder to the children. Names chilldren Jacob, Hendrike, Rycke, Yda, Geertruda & Jannetie & all others that may come. Makes provisions for tutors/guardians for underage children. Witnessed by Eglebert Lott, Johanes Van Ekleen, P. D. Lanoy. John Nanfan Esqr. Lieut. Governr. & Comandr. in Chief of the province of New York on 26 June 1704 granted administration of the estate to Yda Rycke widdow relict & executrix. About 1710, Hendrick’s sons assumed the surname Suydam ("Suydam, meaning "South of the Dam").