Jan Jansen Wanshaer ³

   Other names for Jan were Jan DeCaper, Jan Jansen Van St Ubis, Jan Jansen Van Tubingen, Jan Janszen Van St Obyn, Jan Janzen Van St Cubis, Jan Kipshaven, Jan Van St Berriers, Jan Van St Obyn, Jan VanSam, Jan Wanshaar and Jan Wanshaer Van St Benen.

  General Notes:

OCCUPATION: Wanshaer was a ship's captain and owner and was commissioned by Governor Peter Stuyvesant to use one of his vessels in the defense of New Amsterdam; as such he can be considered one of the first "naval officers" commissioned in America.

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NOTES FROM "History of The Wanzer Family in America" by William David Wanzer (1920)

Wanzer, Wanser, Wonser, Wanzor, Wansor, Etc. - It is not strange that the descendants of Jan should have chosen different ways of spelling Wanshaer, when it became fashionable to change and shorten names. It seemed to take several generations, however, before such changes became permanent. For instance, Abraham, of the Anthony branch, spelled his name four ways during his lifetime. There is not a doubt, but all Wanzers, no matter how the name is spelled, originated from the one Jan Jansen Wanshaer, No. 1, of New Amsterdam, born in Holland in 1621, and the remainder of the family are the posterity of Abraham, Johnnes, Jacob, Hendricks, Robert, Jan, and Carel.

Wanshaer Family [taken from New York General Records Book 7, 1876, Page 122] - The head of the family was in New Amsterdam as early as 1644, following the vocation of pilot... He was admitted to the rights of a burger (citizen) Apr 18, 1656, and was one of the substantial and respected citizens of the city. His name, and that of his wife, is recorded in the list of old members of the Dutch church, or those who joined the church between 1649 and 1660... Jan's business seems to have been that of a ship merchantman, and we find in 'Dutch Calendar Mss. pg.30, Nov. 26, 1644' that he formed a partnership with Anthony Carol, Christopher Pieterson, and Abraham Philip in purchasing the frigate "LaGrace". This was a good-sized ship, larger than a sloop or brig, probably with batteries on two decks and likely carried from 28 to 60 guns.

Jan Jansen Wanshaer lived in New Amsterdam, now New York City, on Brouwer street (Stone Street), at present between Broad and Whitehall streets. It was among the first streets built upon; and was in line of the first road laid out along the East river... the name Brouwer street, or Brewers street, came from the fact that two breweries were built on that street. It was the first street in the city to be paved with stone. The ordinance for same was passed in 1657. After this it was called Stone street...This street then was the broadway of the town. Hendrick Henderson Kip's two sons, Isaac and Jacob were brothers-in-law of Jan and lived, the three families, side by side on Brouwer street. They had a clear view of the East river and no doubt anchored their crafts there.

In book by James Grant Wilson, "The Memorial History of New York" Vol 1, page 305, Jan Jansen Wanshaer was recorded a citizen of New Amsterdam as one of the 204 residents there in 1657.

Jan Jansen Van St Obyn was one of the signers of the petition to Stuyvesant to surrender New Amsterdam to the English, as with the lack of soldiers and ammunition they would not be able to beat off the robbers.

  Other Information:

• Occupation: Ship's Captain.

Jan married Baertje Hendricks Kip, daughter of Hendrick Hendricksen Kip Sr. and Tryntie Lubberts, on 17 Jan 1649 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland.^{1 2} (Baertje Hendricks Kip was born about 1628-1629 in Amsterdam, Netherlands ⁶.)

  Marriage Notes:

Reformed Dutch Church