He was born in 1641. His wife was Aeffie daughter of Arent Bratt and Catalyntje De Vos. They had eight children, all of whom reached mature age and had families save one.
They both died in 1728, she at the age of 78 years, and he aged 87 years and five months.
At his first coming to Schenectady in 1664, in company with Isaac Cornelise Swits, he hired Willem Teller's bouwerye gelegen op Schanechtede bestaende in woonhuys, Schuerberg en bouwlant in twee parcelles genomeneert… Van de landmeter No. 5, &c. (186-1)
Oct. 23, 1668, Van Petten and Cornelis Cornelise Vielè bought the two bouweries numbered 8, of Marten Cornelise Van Esselsteyn and mortgaged the same the same day to Van Esselsteyn for 220 beavers. Vielè's moiety, — the hindmost farm, — he sold to Jurriaen Teunise Tappen, and Van Petten conveyed the foremost farm to Jan Baptist Van Eps. (186-2)
On the 30th Jan., 1686/7, the Glens sold to Claas Van Petten a piece of land between the river and the lake in Scotia, comprising 12 morgens of land. (186-3) And on the 6 April, 1704, John Jacobse Glen, eldest son and heir of Jacob Sanderse Glen, eldest son and heir of Sander Leendertse Glen, both deceased, bought back the above mentioned 12 morgens of land, giving Van Petten in exchange therefor, "a piece of land now in his possession adjoining the lot of Reyer Schermerhorn, — being the foremost lot No. 3 and two morgens of land (186-4) out of the hindmost lot No. 3." (186-5) The above mentioned foremost lot No. 3 remained in the Van Petten family more than 100 years, and until it was purchased by the Schermerhorns who owned the adjoining farm.
Van Petten built his dwelling house upon the south end of this farm at the foot of the sand bluff. (186-6)
In the above exchange with Glen, Van Petten also received a house lot in the village, a part of the Glen lot. This lot extended from the lot of Mrs. Benjamin Willard No. 36 Washington street, to that of the late Judge A. C. Paige No. 42.
For many years after Van Petten obtained possession of farm No. 3, the boundary line between him and his brother-in-law Schermerhorn, was in dispute; finally a compromise was effected in 1714-16, according to a survey made by Philip Verplanck and mutual releases were executed, Schermerhorn reserving to his use the right of way over the lane or road along the west side of the division fence from Van Patten's house to the river road. This lane as well as the division fence are now removed. (187-1)
Notes
(186-1) Not. Papers, I, 439.
(186-2) Deeds, II, 741; IV, 325.
(186-3) Deeds, IV, 330.
(186-4) Conveyed by Claas Van Petten to his son Claas, March 6, 1713-14; Deeds, V, 358.
(186-5) Deeds, IV, 324, [Ante, page 116, Glen. — M'M.]
(186-6) He had egress from his house by a lane running northerly across the flats to the river road along the boundary line between farms Nos. 3 and 4.