| Notes |
- Abigail Hopton - birth and death dates unknown
Annetje Van Dyke - 1602 born Staten Island died 1686 in New York buried Gravesend. According to findagrave she was married later to William Foster (dates unknown) and William Wilkens who died 1676.
Lt Nicholas Stillwell Born Staten Island, New York.
Burial: Unknown, Dover, Staten Island, Richmond Co. NY.
The Stillwells were descended from one of the most influential and important families, which first settled in New Amsterdam (New York) in the late 1630's while it was still controlled by the Dutch. The family originated in Surrey England. The progenitor of the family in America was Lt. Nicholas Stillwell, 1603-1671. To escape religious persecutions in England he went to Holland. There he offered his services as a soldier to Elizabeth the queen of Bohemia in support of Protestantism. After suffering defeat at Prague, he was one of the queen's escort during her flight to Breslau. It is rumored that he married one of her maids of honor, Abigail Hopton. Extensive research had yet to prove that that marriage happened. After the disbandment of the queen's army he and other family members came to New Amsterdam. He emigrated with his family to New Amsterdam, apparently in the 1640's. The Stillwells eventually settled at Graves End on Long Island with the Lady Moody colonists. Lt. Nicholas Stillwell commanded forces against the Indians in Virginia and later aided Governor Claybourne in MD. He owned one of the original 20 acre farms at Graves End. and eventually resided on 200 acres near Graves End. He was a lieutenant and commander in charge of the expedition against the Indians in the Esopus war. After completing that mission successfully he returned to New Amsterdam and served as a friend and confident of Gov. Peter Stuyvesant, the last of the Dutch governors before the English takeover of New Amsterdam.
His second son was Captain Nicholas Stillwell 1636-1714/15. He served as a justice and a constable at Graves End for a number of years. He also served as captain of the Graves End militia. From 1691-1698 he was a member of the colonial assembly from King's County NY. In 1693 he commanded the King's County contingent of men with the Fletcher expedition to Canada against the French and the Indians. He was a man who received many honors during his lifetime. He was also well educated which was an exception in the times in which he lived. Source: Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, vol. II, pp146-147.
Source: Genealogy of the Miller and Pursel Families page 143 LT. NICHOLAS STILLWELL was born 1609, died 1671. The first of the Stillwells in America came from Surrey England 1635 to York Co., Va. He was appointed tobacco viewer of Virginia 1639. He was Lieut, in the war against the Indians 1664; removed to New Amsterdam, N. Y„ 1646 to Gravesend, L. I. 1649; magistrate there 1649-63; Lt. under the Dutch Esopus War 1663; married before 1647 Anne an English woman.
It is said that between Nicholas Stillwell and his daughter Ann's husband, Nathanial Brittain, there was more than ordinary affection.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stillwell-18
Biography: Lieut. Nicholas Stillwell (1603 Dorking, Surrey Co., England - 12/28/1671 in Dover, Staten Island, NY) married Anne/Annetje (maybe) Van Dyck (~1618 Guilford, Surrey Co., England-?) ~1642. An Overview of the Life and Times of Nicholas Stillwell the Progenitor.
The following material is quoted from Stillwell, John E. (1929). The History of Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell, Progenitor of the Stillwell Family in America, with Some Notices of the Family in the Kingdom of Great Britain, pages 86-88. New York City: [no publisher is named] All that is now known concerning Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell has been recited. Perhaps more may come to light, but enough has been rescued, to establish him as one of the most conspicuous and stirring figures of his eventful time. At this late day he seems like an adventurer of fiction, or a hero of the romantic past. With his great natural force he dominated his fellow man, who during his long career perpetuated him in public office, both elective and appointive; and in private life he was the chief adviser of Lady Deborah Moody and a host of his fellow townsmen. Though possessed of a martial spirit, he was free from the swashbuckling and buccaneering qualities which in that day were prone to accompany prowess. Likewise his deportment was such that he avoided the many scandals and lawsuits common to his time, in the vicinity of New Amsterdam. His persistent activity, ready exposure to hardship, and the age he attained, justly creates the impression that he was a man of great physical strength and robust constitution. He was ever foremost where valor was called for, or where Dutch resistance to English aggression was needed. His sense of loyalty to his benefactors was paramount to all personal interests, and the intensely Dutch authority, T. G. Bergen, Esq., who was never accused of favoring any person or thing English, paid him the merited compliment of saying that he never swerved from his allegiance to the Dutch, which is more than could be said of many of his English neighbors. That he was hasty and passionate of speech under excitement, we concede, but it was only by a handful of malcontents and wrongdoers, against whom he had fearlessly stood alone in the turbulent moments, that he was called unreasonable and a disturber of the peace.
1609 -- Nicholas Stillwell Jr. was born at Collopmore/Colletmore, Dorking, Surrey, England.
Nicholas Stillwell was a son of Nicholas Stillwell Sr. and Alice (Unknown).
Circa 1630 -- Nicholas Stillwell Jr., and Abigail Hopton at England.
Circa 1638 -- Nicholas Stillwell Jr moved from Leyden, Holland, Dutch Republic to Fort Amsterdam, New Netherland.
1639 -- Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell Jr. held the position of tobacco viewer at lower side of parish to the Eastern Side of Capt. Uby's creek, Charles River County, Virginia. Charles River County was an early appellation for York County, which, with James City County and Warwick County ranging along the southwest of it, and Elizabeth City County, abutting on the southeast of it, occupied the peninsulas created by the York River, on the northeast, and the James River, on the southwest, and terminated at Point Comfort, in Elizabeth City County, where the peninsula ends in a broad projection into Chesapeake Bay.
Circa 1642 -- Nicholas Stillwell and Anne (Unknown) married at New Netherland.
November 25, 1646 -- Nicholas Stillwell Jr. sold land at Manhattan Island, New Netherland (now New York City, New York County, New York):
"Before me Cornelis Van Tienhoven, Secretary of New Netherland, appeared Nicholas Stillewel who declared in the presence of the undersigned witness, that he sold to Jan Jansen Schepmoes, his house and lot heretofore occupied by ensign Gysbert de Leuw, situate on the North side of the Graft on the Island of Manhatan, and promises to deliver proper deed and conveyance ot the afore said house and lot, for which lot and house Jan Jansen Schepmoes promises to deliver to the above named Nicholas Stillevell in payment, his plantation heretofore occupied by Nicholas Sloper, situate on the Island of Manhatan near George Hom's plantation, of which plantation Schepmoes also promises to deliver a proper deed in form, which contract parties declared they have made and that Nicholas Stilwell must move out of the house next May day [i.e., May 1, 1647]. If said house be burned before May, Scepmoes retains his plantation.
Done the 25th November A[nn]o 1646 in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland."
This is the mark of Nicholas Stillewell Ian Inason Schepmoes
Witnesses: Gysbert De Leeu
This is the mark of George Homs
To my knowledge
Cornelis Van Tienhoven, Secretary
January 1649 -- Nicholas Stillwell was nominated for and confirmed as one of the magistrates of the town of Gravesend, Long Island, New Netherland (now Kings County, New York).
1653 -- Nicholas Stillwell moved from Gravesend, Long Island, New Netherland to New Amersfoort (Flatlands), Long Island, New Netherland (now Flatlands, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York City, New York).
July 1, 1663 -- Nicholas Stillwell was appointed an Ensign by the New Netherland authorities during the Esopus War against Native Americans.
July 6, 1663 -- Nicholas Stillwell was commisioned by New Netherland authorities a Lieutenant of an English Troup.
1671 -- Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell resided at Dover, Staten Island, Richmond County, (now New York City), New York.
December 22, 1671 -- date of Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell's will at Staten Island, Richmond County, New York.
"In ye name of God, Amen, I, Nicholas Stillwell of Staten Island in ye terrtoryes of his Royal highness, James Duke of York in America, Husbandman, being sick and weake in body, but of perfect and sound understandin, Thanks bee rendered to Allmighty God for the same, doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following, Viz: Imprimis: I give and bequeathe my Soull unto ye hands of Allmighty God who gave it in hopes he saved in and through ye Passion, merritts and mediacon of Jesus Christe my only Savior and Redemer and my bodye to ye earth to be buryed in decent and Christian like Buryall according to ye discretion of my executix hereafter named.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my well beloved and affectionate wife Anne Stillwell all my whole estate consisting of Lands, Housing, Corne, Oxen, Kine, Horses, Mares, Sheep, Swine, removeables whatsoever being and lying upon Staten Island aforesaid or elswhere with all maner of debts whatsoever belonging unto mee. And
I do hereby constitute and appoint my said wife to be my full and sole executrix of this my last will and testament.
Revoking all former wills and Testaments by mee formerly made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale ye 22nd day of December in Annon 1671.
Nicholas (x) Stillwell his marke (Seal)
Sealed and Delivered in the presence of N. DE Meyer Richrd Charlton.
December 28, 1671 -- Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell died at Staten Island, Richmond County, New York.
Nicholas' first wife was Abigail Hopton the daughter of Sir. Robert Hopton of Hopton Priory, England.
Nicholas Stillwell the ancestor of the Family in America was an Englishman, who came from Leyden, in Holland, about 1638, after the death of his first wife Abigail Hopton, bringing with him his two only children Richard and Nicholas.
He settled on Manhattan Island and married Ann Van Dyke.
Circa 1665 -- Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell moved from Gravesend, Long Island, New York to the south eastern shore of Staten Island, New York.
Emigrated to New Netherland in 1638. He was in the military and a farmer.
Name: Lieutenant Nicholas Cook Jr. /Stillwell/
Name: Nicholas /Stillwell/ II
Birth: 1603 Colletmore Near Guilford, Surrey, England
Military Service, New York
Arrival: 1635 -- Nicholas Stillwell arrived at Virginia
Marriage: 1630 New Amsterdam, New Netherland
1640 New Amsterdam, New Netherland
1648 United States
1654 Gravesend, Long Island
1671 Staten Island, Richmond, New York
Residence: Virginia
Death: December 28, 1671 Staten Island, Richmond, New York.
December 22, 1671 Staten Island, Richmond, New York.
Church records: July 9, 1651 -- Thomas, Nicolaes Stillewel, Anna. Wit[nesses]: Thomas Hall, Marritie Geerards, Susanna Bresert.
November 13, 1653 -- Daniel, Nicolaes Stilwell. Wit.: Pieter Wolfertszen, Jean Vaen, Hester Ter Neuf, Mary Arbecq.
January 13, 1663 -- Jeremias, Nicolaes Stillewill, Annetje. Wit.: Frans Joosten Bruijn, Hans Stijn, en sijn huysvrouw. [49]
Legacy
Stillwell Avenue, a major two-way north/south thoroughfare in southern Brooklyn and the central section of Coney Island, and begun in 1926, was named after settler Nicholas Stillwell (1603-1671), who had a farm in the area and became the progenitor of an influential Brooklyn family by the same name.
https://archive.org/details/earlymemoirsofst00stil
Early memoirs of the Stilwell family, comprising the life and times of Nicholas Stilwell, the common ancestor of the numerous families bearing that surname, with some account of his brothers John and Jasper and incidentally a sketch of the history of Manhattan island and its vicinity, under the Dutch, with some contributions to a genealogy of the family
by Stilwell, Benjamin Marshall, Publication date 1878.
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
FIRST GENERATION
NICHOLAS STILWELl, the first of the name, and common ancestor of the family, born in England. Married, 1st, Abigail, daughter of Robert Hopton, of Wytham, Somersetshire, by whom he had two sons
A.Richard, born 1634
B.Nicholas, born 1636
In 1638, in company with las two brothers, John and Jasper, he emigrated to America, bringing with him his two sons, and settled on Manhattan Island, where he married, 2d, Ann Van Dyke, a Hollander, by whom he had six children:
C.William, baptized May 11, 1648
D.Thomas, baptized July 9, 1651
E.Daniel, baptized November 13, 1653
F.Jeremiah, baptized January 13, 1661
G.Anne, born in 1643
H.Abigail, born in 1645
Nicholas died at Dover, on Staten Island, Dec. 28th, 1671. His will, dated Dec. 22d, 1671, is recorded in the Surrogate’s office, New York, Liber 1, of Wills, p. 168.
His widow survived him; and from the Town Records of Gravesend it appears that on the 21st of June, 1672, Ann Stilwell of Dover, upon Staten Island, bought from John Jansen his house and grounds, at Gravesend; and that on the 2t9th of December, 1672, she was there married to William Wilkins, one of the first settlers, and for many years a magistrate of the town. The record of the marriage is as follow:
“1672, Dec. 29. William Wilkins and Ann Stilwell, widow, both of Gravesend, were pronounced man and wife, by Capt. James Hubbard, Justice.”
The record of the baptism of the children of Nicholas is preserved in the Dutch Church, New York.
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1603 - 1671 (68 years)
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