Before 7th Great Grandfather Casper Kimber arrived in Orange County, New York my research led me to Jamaica, Long Island, New York where I found he was a member of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica.
Illustration from History of Queens County, N. Y.
W. W. Munsell, 1882
page 325
Casperus
Kimber first appears in the records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of
Jamaica, Long Island, NY June 10, 1712. He was a godparent or sponsor along
with Mary Kimber to Marten, child of Daniel Phillips and Catrina Phillips.[1] I believe Casperus was
still a young man at this time—perhaps Mary Kimber was a sister or even mother.
Casper
Kimber and Femmetje Williamse were married about 1720. Femmetje Williamse,
daughter of Johannis Willemse and Magdalena Winants, was baptized May 29, 1695.
I located Femmetje’s baptism in the Holland Society Year Book, 1897, Volume 10,
‘First Book of Records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Brooklyn, New York’
among two sheets not belonging to the Brooklyn Church records labeled as a ‘THIRD
LIST’, page 193. It’s not clear from the Holland Society Year Book which church
this baptism belongs with. Her godparents were Jacob Fardon and Femmetje
Fardon.
Four
of Casper and Femmetje’s seven children were baptized in Jamaica. Their son,
George (who was my ancestor), and a daughter Maria would have been born about 1725
and 1723 respectively were not included in the Church’s baptisms. Another son,
Petrus, was baptized April 14, 1743 in Orange County, New York.[2]
Machdeleen
(Magdeleen), Casper and Femmetje Kimel’s daughter, was baptized at the First
Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island Oct. 2, 1722. Her godparents were
Hannes Welemson and Machdellen Wellemsen.[3]
The
next child baptized in Jamaica was Johannes Cimbel on Jan. 1, 1727. His
godparents were Johannis Wellemsen and Leena Willemsen.[4]
Tuen
Koevert and Doortie Koevert were godparents for Jacobus Kimmel’s baptism on
Dec. 26, 1728.[5]
There
were no godparents or witnesses to Elisabet Cimbel’s baptism Dec. 27, 1730.[6]
The
last recorded date that Casperus Kimber appears in First Reformed Dutch Church
of Jamaica records was Sunday, Aug. 27, 1732 when Kas Kimbel and Leena Willemse
were godparents for Johannes, child of Matys van felse and Marytie van velse.[7]
[1]
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1974, Records of the First
Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, Volume 105, page 147
[2]
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Minisink Valley Reformed
Dutch Church Records, 1716-1830 (Printed for the Society 1913), page 107
[3]
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1975, Records of the First
Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, Volume 106, page 92
[4]
Ibid, page 202
[5]
Ibid, page 207
[6]
Ibid, 1976, Volume 107, page 37
[7]
Baptismal Record of First Reformed Dutch Church of Jamaica, Long Island, New
York 1702-1733, copied from the original record by Josephine C. Frost