New Jersey recorded wills, Lib. F pp. 476-477 - the clerk's register copy of the will of Dirk Westbroek of Namenock, Wallpeck Township, Sussex Co., made 12 September 1755, proved 8 December 1757. DGS 7600570 images 580-581.

What this document records

Record

A clerk's register copy of a yeoman's will with its attestation clause, the probate deposition and the executors' qualification.

Book pages

476-477

Text as written: opening

In the name of God Amen I Dirk Westbrook of Namenock in the Township of Wallpeck in the County of Sussex in the Province of East New Jersey yeoman being very Sick in Body but of Sound and perfect mind memory and understand (thanks be given to Almighty God therefore)...

Text as written: eldest son birthright

Item I give Devise and bequeath unto my well beloved Son Joseph Westbroek five pounds currant lawful money of New York to be paid unto him by my Executors first of all out of my Estate FOR HIS BIRTHRIGHT BECAUSE HE IS MY OLDEST SON

Text as written: the four sons

Item I give further Devise and bequeath unto my four well beloved Sons as namely Joseph Westbroek, Abraham Westbroek, Johannis Westbroek and Terck van Keuren Westbroek all my Lands Tenements Houses outhouses barns Barcks Orchards Gardens and every the Improvements thereunto belonging or appertaining which are situate lying and being in the Province of New Jersey and New York or elsewhere together with all my money in Cash or which is Due to me either by Mortgages Bonds bills notes or book Debts whatsoever to be equally divided among them each the just fourth part thereof

Text as written: the widows provision

Six weeks after the decease of my dearly beloved Wife Janneke Westbroek or as soon as She Marries She is to quit all Claim of this my abovementioned Estate, but as long as She remains my Widow She is to remain in full possession and Master Provided She is not to bazzel away any part thereof unlawfully.

Text as written: the four daughters

Item I give Devise and bequeath unto my four well beloved Daughters as namely Marya Westbroek wife of Johannis C Westbroek, Sarah Gunsalis wife of Jacobus Gunsalis, Elizabeth Westbroek and Lidea Westbroek Six hundred pounds that is to say to each One hundred and fifty pounds currant lawful money of the Province of New York to be paid unto them in three years time after my dearly beloved Wife Janneke Westbroeks death or decease

Text as written: survivorship

and also if any of my above named Daughters should come to Dye or decease without Heirs of their own Issue then their or either of their Shears shall be equally Divided among the Survivors of them

Text as written: executors and date

Lastly I do hereby make nominate constitute and appoint my well beloved Sons herein above named to be my Executors of this my last Will and Testament... In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this twelfth day of September Annoq. Dom: 1755.

Text as written: attestation

Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his Presence and at his request Subscribed our names as Witnesses hereunto Dirk [his mark] [seal] Westbroek Cornelis [his mark] W Westbroek, Philips Wandrmeitt, William Ennes.

Text as written: probate

Be it Remembered that on the eighth day of December one thousand Seven hundred and fifty Seven Before me Thomas Bartow duly authorized personally came Cornelis Westbroek and William Ennes two of the within Witnesses who being duly Sworn on the holy Evangelists do Depose that they were present and Saw Dirk Westbroek the Testator within named Sign and Seal the within written Will and heard him Publish and Declare the Same to be his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound mind and memory to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe and that at the Same time Philips Wintermote the other Witness was present and Signed as a Witness as did they also Sign as Witnesses in the Testators presence. / Tho: Bartow

Text as written: executors qualified

Be it also Remembered that at the Same time Joseph, Abraham and Terck vanKueren Westbroek three of the Executors within named came before me and were qualified for the due performance of the within Will

Reading notes: dirk westbroek could not write he signed by mark

"Dirk [his mark] [seal] Westbroek", read at 4x - the words "his mark" written above and below a small symbol between the given name and the surname, with the clerk's seal circle beside it. The witness Cornelis Westbroek signed by mark as well. THE TRIP PREP ASKED FOR "his signature or mark". It is a MARK, and that closes the question: there was never a Dirk Westbroek autograph to find, in this copy or in any original. (Note that even the mark here is the CLERK'S rendering of it - this is a register copy, per [A.216] - so what the page attests is that the testator marked rather than signed.)

Reading notes: the will does not give janneke s maiden name or her father

THE CENTRAL NEGATIVE, and the reason this reading matters to Janneke (Westbrook) Cooper. The prep said "Janneke (Westbrook) Cooper grades 'van Keuren is her maiden name, Wesbroek her husband's' as probable; this could settle it." IT DOES NOT. She appears twice and both times as "my dearly beloved Wife Janneke Westbroek" - her husband's surname and nothing else. No maiden name, no father, no birthplace, no kin. WHAT THE WILL DOES SUPPLY IS INDIRECT: the fourth son is named TERCK VAN KEUREN WESTBROEK, with "van Keuren" carried as a compound name. In Dutch colonial naming a mother's maiden surname passed to a son in exactly that position is commonplace. THAT IS A PATTERN ARGUMENT, NOT A STATEMENT - the will never says whose name it is - and it belongs in Janneke (Westbrook) Cooper with a grade, not here.

Reading notes: the widow is not an executor and holds only while she remains a widow

The four sons are executors; Janneke is not, exactly as the prep expected. Her provision is unusual enough to record in full: she is "to remain in full possession and Master" of the whole estate for as long as she remains his widow, and quits all claim six weeks after her decease OR as soon as she marries. There is no dower entry and no renunciation, because the will makes its own provision instead.

Reading notes: eight children confirmed and now named with their relationships

[A.215], the published abstract, says eight children. The register copy names all eight and adds two marriages the abstract does not: Marya is "wife of Johannis C Westbroek" and Sarah is "wife of Jacobus Gunsalis". Elizabeth and Lidea are unmarried at the date of the will, since they are named in their own right. Sons: Joseph (eldest, with a birthright legacy of five pounds), Abraham, Johannis, Terck van Keuren. Daughters: Marya, Sarah, Elizabeth, Lidea.

Reading notes: a witness appears under two names

The attestation lists "Philips Wandrmeitt" and the probate deposition calls the third witness "Philips Wintermote". Same Christian name, same position in the instrument, so they are very probably one man and one of the two is the clerk's error. Both are recorded as written and neither is corrected.

Reading notes: the surname spelling varies within the same copy

The body and the devises read WESTBROEK; the marginal note on image 580 reads WESTBROOK; the volume's index reads "Westbrook Dirk" ([A.216]). One clerk, one sitting, three spellings. No standard form should be inferred from any of them.

What this document does not say

No maiden name or parentage for Janneke, no ages for anyone, no death date for the testator, no inventory, no land described beyond "in the Province of New Jersey and New York or elsewhere", and no indication of which son is which age beyond Joseph being the eldest.