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| Name variously spelt Dietsoordt, Deitsoor, Ditsoort, Ditzoort, Heisoor, Tietsoord, Tetsoort, Tieksoort, Titezoort, tjietsoort, etc... "Oort," in Dutch and German means "Place." A Friesian scholar says "Tietsoort" means "Tiete's Place." Teite is the Frisian form of the name Tieterich or Diederich, "one rich in children or posterity."24 Records show Willem, husband of Neeltje Swart, was in Schenectady as early as 1676. In a petition (not dated, but acted upon Sept 10, 1707), he describes himself as of Ulster Co, NY, a blacksmith, and states that in the year 1690 he was, with others, surprised at a fearful massacre by the French and Indians at "Skenecticut." From "The Bloody Mohawk" by T.W. Clarke (p. 95) The Chevalier de Callieres, in charge of New France (Canada), suggested a bold plan in 1689-90. The plan was that an army of one thousand men should march south to destroy the town of Albany, sail down the Hudson, and capture New York City. The estates on teh Hudson were to be divided among the members of the army of invasion, who should remain there and settle the whole country as a colony of France. The expedition consisted of about 100 Algonquins, and Christian Iroquois an d150 Frenchmen, under command of Sieur LeMoyne St. Helene of Lt. Daillebout de Mantet. Through deep snow and over the ice of Lake Champlain this band pushed south for six days. The weather turned warmer, and brought on the midwinter thaw. The trail led through wet snow, water, and deep mud of marshes. Provisions gave out. Hungry, exhausted, discouraged, the army reached the Mohawk at about 11 o'clock at night. Schenectady in 1690 was a town of some 80 houses and 400 inhabitants. The houses were huddled together and were surrounded by an oblong stockade of 10-foot logs. At each end was a gate, one facing the river, the other opening on Albany road. The town was quite unprepared for an attack. The Liesler Rebellion was in full swing, and many of the men were in Albany. However, they did warn the people of their peril, but Schenectady scoffed at the very idea of danger; built a snowman at each side of the gate in lieu of sentinels. By 11 on Saturday night, Feb 8, 1690, everyone was sound asleep. Quietly through the blizzard, the French and Indians approached the town. Quietly they filed between the snowmen. Quietly they separated to right and left inside the stockade and completely surrounded the village. Then came the warcries. Simultaneously every house was attacked. Doors were battered in. The half-awake inhabitants fell before the swords of the French and the hatchets of the Indians. Men, women and children were treated alike. The slightest resistance on the part of the head of the house meant death for the whole family. The bodies of pregnant women were ripped open. Infants either had their brains dashed out against the doorposts or were thrown into the fires of blazing homes. Sixty people were killed outright, 27 were carried off to captivity. The rest either escaped down the Albany road during the confusion or were left to freeze and starve. Then the town was put to the torch. After this massacre, the French returned to Canada. As soon as word reached them, the Mohawks, who were friendly with the Americans, started in pursuit. The trailed the French to the very edge of Montreal. AT th massacre, Willem was severely wounded and fled with his daughter Gerty to Esopus (now Kingston). From exposure to the extreme cold, Gery lost the use of her legs. At Esopus, Willem was well recieved by the Indians and travelled over the Minnisink on Port Jervis Portion of the Deleware, where the Indians gave him a tract of land at Maugakemeck, in the elbow of the river. He recieved a license to purchase from the Earl of Bellamont Oct 15, 1690, and a deed from the Indians June 20, 1700. These petitions fix Willem at Schenectady in 1676, where he married Neeltje. All of the early church records prior to 1700 are lost. In the 1690's he sold his lot on present State Street to Willem Appel. But as late as 1715, he was the owner of a new lot. In 1713 Pieter Ziele deeded land in Dutchess Co, NY to Willem, and 1714 census he is listed as head of family with 5 children unter the age of 16. Will dated August 9 1722 and proved Oct 29 1722. His estate was taxed 6 shillings. Mentions his wife and 10 children.3 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Last Modified 5 Feb 1999 | Created 11 Feb 2006 by Reunion for Macintosh |