Dutch-Colonies-L Archives

From: Dorothy Koenig <>
Subject: [D-Col] Meddaugh and Van Vliet
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 17:12:28 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Art, In your original message to ROOTS-L you said, "I am trying to
find the spouse and children of John Meddaugh, born 25 Feb 1802, son of
Aert Joris Meddaugh and his wife Lena Van Vliet. Any information greatly
appreciated. Thank you, Art Travis."

I am sending a copy of this reply to the Dutch-Colonies List as well,
since some Middag and Van Vliet descendants might see your question and
know the answer.

In looking at the published baptismal records for the Poughkeepsie Dutch
Church and the New Hackensack Dutch Church in Dutch County, New York, I
found the baptisms of 7 children of Aert Middagh and his wife Helena/Lena
Van Vliet:

Joris Middagbap. 2 Nov 1783, Poughkeepsie
Elizabeth bap.18 Sep 1785, New Hackensack
Annbap.27 Sep 1789, New Hackensack
Lenabap.30 Oct 1791, Poughkeepsie
Gertjebap.14 Sep 1794, Poughkeepsie
Catherinebap. 9 Oct 1796, Poughkeepsie
Johnbap.11 Apr 1802, New Hackensack

On page 109 of the New Hackensack Marriage Register we find

3 Jul 1822 John Middagh to Mary Warren
7 Nov 1822 John Travis to Helen Middagh

One could think that here is your John (born 25 Feb 1802) and his older
sister Lena/Helen (born 13 Oct 1791).

HOWEVER, your John Meddagh (born 1802) had an older first cousin, another
John Middagh, son of Jacobus Middagh and his wife, Sarah Middagh. (Jacobus
and Sarah were first cousins, and "Middagh" was her maiden name as well as
her married name). The older John Middagh was born 27 Mar 1797 and
baptized at New Hackensack on 23 Apr 1797. It might have been he who
married Mary Warren.

The only baptism at which there were any wirnesses' names recorded was at
the baptism of Aert Middag and Lena Van Vliet's oldest child -- Joris.
The witnesses were Joris Middag and his wife Elizabeth, the paternal
grandparents. Though her marriage record in the Poughkeepsie Church
[Banns on 15 May 1752; Marriage on 20 June 1752] gives
her name as Elizabeth Pels, she is actually believed to have been
Elizabeth PALEN baptized in the Kingston Dutch Church on 13 Oct 1728, the
daughter of "Gysbert Peeling" and "Hilletjen van Vliet".

It looks as if Aert Joris Middag and his wife Helena/Lena Van Vliet may
also have been cousins at some remove through their mutual Van Vliet line.

Are you by chance a descendant of John Travis and Helen Middagh?

Dorothy

This thread:

• [D-Col] Meddaugh and Van Vliet by Dorothy Koenig <>