He came to New Netherland about the year 1645, as boatswain of the ship Prince Maurits (120-2), and purchased a house of Jacob Roy in New Amsterdam. About ten years later he became a resident of Beverwyck where he purchased a house lot and remained until 1663, when he hired a bouwery of 25 or 30 morgens at Schenectady of Gerrit Bancker and Harmen Vedder. (120-3)
He married Rebecca, daughter of Philip Du Trieux of New Amsterdam, and had six sons and four daughters; of whom Symon, Abraham, Philip, Dirk and Claas were captured by the French and Indians and carried away to Canada in 1690. The year following they were redeemed.
Symon Groot's home lot in the village, was on the northerly side of Union street 100 feet westerly from Church street; fifty feet front and extending through to Front street more than 400 feet. It remained in the family several generations. (120-4)
He also owned a small island which came into his possession in 1667, described in the confirmatory patent, Aug. 9, 1694, as "a small island in the Mohawk river within the town of Schenectady possessed for twenty-seven years, to wit, a certain small island lying in the Mohawk river to the north of the Hoek (121-1), or point of Reyer Jacobsen's [Schermerhorn] and to the southward of the island belonging to Joris Aertsen [Van den Baast] and to the westward of the island lately belonging to Sweer Teunissen deceased [Van Slyck's], containing five morgens or ten acres." (121-2)
This was subsequently owned by Jillis Fonda.
Notes
(120-2) In 1654, he had a claim against the Dutch West India company for services rendered of 684 guilders. — Deeds, II, 43; Albany Co. Rec., 207.
1659, he owned a lot in Beverwyck next south of Uldrick Kleyn's. — Albany Co. Rec., 268.
1659, offered the same for sale — size 4 rods x 7 1/2 rods, house 20 ft. sq. — Ibid., 274.
1660, had a lot south of Pieter Vrooman's on the Third kil, Albany. Ibid., 283.
1662, proposing to remove to Esopus he empowered Jan Withart to sell his house and lot in Beverwyck. — Not. Papers, I, 79, 271.
1667, 2 May, he had patent for a lot without the town of Albany, which passed into the possession of Jan Withart. — Albany Co. Rec., 145.
(120-3) This lease ran for 6 years at a rent of 500 guilders and included with the land, a dwelling house, barn, ricks, six draft horses including a mare, six milch cows, two sows, etc. Not. Papers, I.
(120-4) Deeds, III, 324.
(121-1) De Bakker's Hoek.
(121-2) Patents, 1466.