Walling Jocobse Van Winkle (1650–1725) was an early settler of the Northern

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

area and the namesake for the town of

Wallington, New Jersey Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 11,868, an increase of 533 (+4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 11,335, which in turn reflected a dec ...

, where he had built a home.History
Borough of Wallington. Accessed February 15, 2011.

Family history

He was the son of Jacob Walingen (sometimes spelled Waligh) (b. 1599 d. 8/17/1657). Jacob along with his brother Simon Waligh (b. unknown d. 3//1649) were the first of the Van Winkle family to arrive in America from the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

in 1630. The brothers were given parcels of land to farm from the Kiliaen van Rensselaer

estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representativ ...

which included Papscanee Island. Simon purchased a plantation on

Manhattan Island Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York. Located almost entire ...

but was killed shortly after by

Native Americans Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

in Pavonia (modern day

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

). Jacob spent many years after this event traveling between the Netherlands and the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

colony of

New Netherland New Netherland () was a colony of the Dutch Republic located on the East Coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod. Settlements were established in what became the states ...

negotiating for land purchases within certain parts of the colony. Jacob became a member of

Council of twelve men The Twelve Men was a council of citizens chosen by the residents of New Netherland to advise Director Willem Kieft on relations with the Native Americans in the wake of the murder of Claes Swits. Elected on 29 August 1641, the temporary council wa ...

which was the first representative official body within the states of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, New Jersey, and

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. After unsuccessfully trying to start a community along the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...

and drive out the encroaching

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

settlers, Jacob settled down to farm a large parcel of land located in Pavonia. A particularly severe out break of hostilities between the natives and the colonists known as the

Peach War The Peach War, sometimes called the Peach Tree War, was a one-day occupation of New Amsterdam on September 15, 1655, by several hundred Munsee, followed by raids on Staten Island and Pavonia. 43 colonists were killed and over 100, mostly wome ...

forced survivors, including Jacob, to flee to

Fort Amsterdam Fort Amsterdam, (later, Fort George among other names) was a fortification on the southern tip of Manhattan Island at the confluence of the Hudson River, Hudson and East River, East rivers in what is now New York City. The fort and the island ...

. After peace was restored Jacob returned to Pavonia and rebuilt his farm. Jacob entered a trade guild in 1657 but died shortly after, leaving behind a wife and seven children.

Personal history

The Dutch custom in the 17th century was that the son would take the father's first name as their last name (Jocobse=son of Jacob)

References

Van Winkle RE website
1650 births 1725 deaths People from colonial New Jersey People from New Netherland American people of Dutch descent People from Wallington, New Jersey {{US-bio-stub