History of Richmond County, New York, 1887



Cortelyou Family

This name, in some of the old records, is written Correleau; it is of French origin, but was changed through a long residence in Holland, previous to emigration to America. The family was in this country at an early date; Jacques Cortellian (so written by himself) was the surveyor, who, in 1657, laid out the town of New Utrecht, on Long Island, into twenty lots, of fifty acres each, one of which was assigned to him for his residence.

He came to America in 1652, for in 1687, when the inhabitants of Kings county took the oath of allegiance to James II., the name of Jaques Corteljou is found among them, Genealogy with a note attached, that he had then been in the country thirty-five years. He had four sons, all of whom bad been born on Long Island; their names were Jacques, Jr., Cornelis, Pieter, Willem; still, in the assessment roll of New Utrecht for the year 1676, neither of their names appear. The family on Staten Island is undoubtedly descended from that of Long Island, though when the removal took place is uncertain; a part of them remained on Long Island, as in 1738 we find the names of "pijeter kartelijou," and "ailte kartelijou," still at New Utrecht.

The first mention of the name in the church records on Staten Island is that of Jaques, and his wife Jacomyntie. (Jemima) Van Pelt, who had a daughter Debora, baptized December 26, 1720. Aaron, who was born 1726, and died August. 22, 1789, was undoubtedly the son of Jaques and Jacomyntie, as they appear to have been the only family of the name on Staten Island. Aaron had a son Peter, born December 27, 1768, and died February 3, 1857, and he was the father of Judge Lawrence H. Cortelyou. Aaron was one of the original members of the Moravian church.

There was a Jacob, probably a brother of Peter, born August 26, 1760, and died February 7, 1817. There is a record of a Peter, who married Sarah Van Pelt, December 31, 1801.



Source: History of Richmond County, (Staten Island) From its Discovery to the Present Time: Richard M. Bayles: New York: L.E. Preston & Co.; 1887












Cortelyou Genealogy Resources



Cortelyou Ancestry Resources