He came to Schenectady as early as 1664, when he married Catalyntje De Vos, widow of Arent Andriese Bratt. (175-2) His village lot was that of his wife, — Mrs. Bratt, — and his farm lay next west of hindmost farm No. 1, belonging to the Bratt's. The first lock on the canal west of the city, stands upon the southernmost line of his farm, which was the south-westerly half of Poversen originally granted to Benjamin Roberts. (175-3)
He also had a parcel of pasture ground on the north side of Front street, which was patented to him Sept. 10, 1670, — "a lot of ground at Schenectady now in his tenure lying in the pasture or Weyland, having on the east the lot of Theunis Cornelissen's [Swart], and on the west that of John Labatie, — in length 92 rods, in breadth by the river side 15 rods and by the highway [Front street] 17 rods." (175-4) This lot commenced 509 feet English easterly from North street and extended along said street 210 feet English. Its easterly line reached the New York Central Railroad. In 1701 this lot belonged to Harmen Albertse Vedder.
By a former marriage Van Ditmars had a son Cornelis, who married Catharina Glen; after his death she married Gerrit Lansing, Jr., of Albany. As her dower (?) Claas Janse Van Boekhoven, who married her stepmother Catalyntje De Vos Bratt, conveyed to her one quarter part of bouwery No. 10, consisting of 5 1/2 morgens of land. (175-5)
In the massacre of 1690 both Van Ditmars and his son were killed.
Notes
(175-2) The marriage contract was made Nov. 12, 1664; see Braat.
(175-3) See Roberts, Vielè, Douwe Aukes.
(175-4) Patents, 755.
(175-5) Deeds, IV, 37.