Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York

Description

This is a collection of the oldest extant marriage records of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York City (formerly New Amsterdam). While the vast majority of the marriages were performed in New York, a number of the 17th-century entries reflect marriages performed outside the city. The marriage records were transcribed and edited by Samuel Purple and first published by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society in 1890. They span the period from 1639 to 1801 and are arranged in chronological order. Each of the more than 10,000 marriage entries includes the names of the bride and groom and the date and place of the marriage. In some instances, particularly for the earlier records, the name of the presiding minister is given; in still fewer instances, a nugget of information is provided about one of the parties to the ceremony, such as his/her place of origin. Every person named in the records can also be found in the extensive name index at the back of the book. Rounding out the volume is a list of ministers of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York, with their dates of tenure, and a very informative Introduction, which accounts for the evolution of church policy and custom in New Amsterdam as it related to marriage.