Gerrit Freer Papers (1677-1840)

Finding Aid Completed by Eric Roth, July 17, 1999

Collection ID: MSS.070
Volume: 1 folder, 22 items.
Acquisition: Unknown.
Access: Unrestricted.
Copyright: Request for permission to publish materials from these records should be discussed with the Archivist and Director of the Huguenot Historical Society.
Digital Access: Digitized in 2022, hosted online in New York Heritage through Southeastern NY Library Resources Council (SENYLRC).

Biographical Note 

Gerrit Freer C-7 (1) was baptized on April 30, 1727 to Hugo Freer and Brejen Terpenning. On March 14, 1748 he married Maria Freer C-54 (bp. 1729), daughter of Jonas Freer and Catrina Stokerad. Between 1749 and 1773, Gerrit and Maria Freer gave birth to 10 children. According to Ralph LeFevre, Gerrit resided in the hamlet of Butterville in the town of New Paltz, New York (2). Gerrit Freer is also listed as signer of the Articles of Association and as private in the 1st Ulster County Regiment under Col. Johannis Hardenbergh during the Revolutionary War (3). Gerrit Freer died in 1804.

Collection Description

The papers primarily document the settlement of Gerrit Freer's estate in New Paltz after his death in 1804. Records include his will (1804), and bound and loose estate inventories, receipts and quit-claim deeds (1804-1808). Other records include a fair copy of the New Paltz Patent (1677), legal documents concerning the division of the lands within the patent (1703, 1713), bonds of Gerrit Freer to Isaac Hasbrouck, Jacob Hasbrouck, Jun., Philip LeFevre and Joseph Hasbrouck (1754, 1761, 1796, and 1799, respectively), a sale of slave to Jonathan LeFevre (1796), guardianship papers of Sarah Sluyter under the care of Peter LeFevre (1797), quit-claim deed between Ezekiel Elting and Peter LeFevre (1823), will of Johannis LeFevre (1831), and vendue list of Daniel LeFevre (1840). Papers are arranged chronologically.

Other collections at the Huguenot Historical Society Library relating to the Freer family include the Cyrus Freer Papers (1889-1916), the Hugo Freer Family Papers (1677-1721), and the Wilhelmus and Moses Hasbrouck Family Papers (1753-1897), which contain records of Johannis Freer (1725-1797), and other Freer family members. Researchers may also want to consult the Bible and Religious Book Collections and Ciphering Book Collection, which also house items with Freer family history.

Notes

1. Heidgerd, Ruth. The Freer Family: Descendants of Hugo Freer, Patentee of New Paltz. The Huguenot Historical Society, New Paltz, NY, Inc. (1968). Unless otherwise noted, all genealogical information is taken from this source.

2. LeFevre, Ralph. History of New Paltz and Its Old Families. Fort Orange Press, Albany NY (1909): p. 359.

3. Heidgerd, Ruth P. Ulster County in the Revolution.... Ulster County Bicentennial Commission (1977).