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A History of the Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times
7: Adult Freeholders — Ahasuerus Marselis

Prof. Jonathan Pearson

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[This information is from pp. 129-130 of A History of the Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times; being contributions toward a history of the lower Mohawk Valley by Jonathan Pearson, A. M. and others, edited by J. W. MacMurray, A. M., U. S. A. (Albany, NY: J. Munsell's Sons, Printers, 1883). It is in the Schenectady Collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at Schdy R 974.744 P36, and copies are also available for borrowing.]

[Copies of this book are available from the Schenectady County Historical Society.]

[The original version uses assorted typographical symbols to represent footnotes. To improve legibility, the online version uses the form (page number - note number.)]

He was a son of Marselis Janse, from Bommel, in Guilderland, Holland, who early settled in Albany. Ahasuerus removed to Schenectady about 1698. (129-3)

By trade he was a shoemaker and had his shop on the south corner of Mill lane and State street. On the 20th April, 1708, Johannes Sanderse Glen, Adam Vrooman, Gysbert Marselis, Jan Mebie and Arent Vedder, trustees of Schenectady, for 5 pounds [$12.50] conveyed to Ahasuerus Marselis two lots on the south side of said town under the hill; — "one lying opposite the house of Gysbert Van Brakel [Col. Robert Furman's corner], 28 feet square, the other on the north-east side of the mill dam adjoining thereto, near the south side of the mill path [Mill Lane] — in length on the west and east sides 64 ft., — in breadth on the north and south sides 34 ft." (129-4)

The first above described lot subsequently became the property of Pieter Fonda; and the second lot in the rear, near Mill creek, was used jointly by Marselis Fonda and Robert Yates, all shoemakers, for their tan vats.

On the 4th May, 1753, Ahasuerus Marselis, cordwainer, quit claimed his interest in the tanyard above described, to Abraham Yates, merchant, to wit, one sixth of the tan pits and land as described below — :

"Whereas Johannes Sanderse Glen, Folkert Symonse [Veeder] and Symon Swits trustees for sundry parcels of land belonging to the Nether Dutch Reformed Church of Schenectady, together with Jacobus Van Dyck and Gerrit Symonse [Veeder] elders, Arnout De Graaf, Harmen Van Slyck Gysbert Van Brakel, deacons of said church did * * * 8th Dec. 1725 quit claim to said Ahasuerus Marselis and Robert Yates a certain piece of ground with the tan pits * * lying to the eastward of said Church's mill and to the south of the house and lot of John Myndertse [now Abraham Doty's], and on the west of a road that is to be left to the west of the fence of Capt. Johannes Bleecker 16 feet wide, for a passage [now Ferry street extended] to the pasture ground of said Church mill, containing in length along the said road 90 feet to a small run of water, thence along said run of water to the said road 65 feet, all Amsterdam wood measure" etc. In 1747, Robert Yates by his will, left his interest in this tan yard to his sons Joseph and Abraham and in 1768 Abraham Yates of the "Mohawk country" quit claimed the same to Joseph R. Yates for ten shillings. (130-1)

In 1723-7, Marselis had a house and lot on the south side of State street, 60 feet front, next east of the present Dunlap store and lot now occupied by the canal. It was subsequently divided into two lots of 30 feet each and occupied by the Van Sices. (130-2)

Notes

(129-3) Annals of Albany, VII, 57; III, 43-5; VI, 292.

(129-4) Dutch Church Papers.

(130-1) Henry Yates Papers.

(130-2) Toll Papers.

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