The family has no record of John Garretson Von der Hoff other than a photo graphic reproduction of the land survey of his plantation situated on Chri stiana Creek near Wilmington, Delaware. He was one of 3 brothers that ca me to America and settled at or near New Castle, De. The above mention ed land survey is probably the oldest Garretson document in America. T he original is 16" by 12" and if the verbal information is correct it is t he custody of the Public Archives Commission, Hall of Records, Dover, D e. This land survey is dated November 16, 1684 Our Garretson linea ge in America comes through him. No records are available to tell the da te and place of birth of John Garretson Von der Hoff. There are no recor ds of his wife's name nor the number of children he had other that it is k nown that he had a son Casparus, born in 1676 through which our Garrets on lineage continues. However another source reveals that John Garretson 's wife was one Ann Prior and that they were married in 1657 in New Castl e, De. It cannot be proven at this time that Ann Prior was Casparus' moth er. If they were married in 1657 and Casparus was born in 1676 this is a s pan of 19 years a little unusual but certainly not impossible. This wou ld also imply that other children were born to the marriage. We will assu me that Casparus was born to Ann Prior Garretson.

The following facts and notes and items are taken from the book "Six Colum biana County, Ohio, Pioneer Families, Family 5. William Leech (1776-186 5) and Jane Garretson: Ancestors and Descendants" by William Brooke Fetter s, copyright 1998, Bowie, MD. :

(1) in 1694 Jan Garretson signed his will "Jan Gerritsen" Using naming cu stoms of the time, the first name of Jan Gerritsen's father was Gerrit t he ending sen meaning "son of." Jan named his first son "Garret Garretson ." The "vanderhofe" probably meant "from the farm-estate."

(2) Jan, Fetters believes, may have been the Dutch seaman whose ship ran a ground on Long Island in 1657. He was living in the New Castle area of De laware in 1660.

(3) According to Fetters, the earliest record of Jan is a document dat ed 1 Apr 1676, giving a 440 acre piece of land on the south side of Christ ianna Creek, next to Nonesuch Island to John Ogle and John Garretson. Jo hn's dwelling house was near the SE bank of the Christina River (ie. Chris tianna Creek) about three miles west of the town of New Castle.

(4) Jan Garritsen died between his will signing date, 28 Nov 1694 and t he date the will was proved, 5 Mar 1694/5. The will mentions his wife An n, and sons Garret, Casper and Conrelius and also mentions unnamed daughte rs. Neighbors Robert Hutchinson and Robert Dyer signed the will as witnes ses. Fetters places his birth year as about 1635 which would mean he w as about 59 when he died. Fetters given no maiden name for wife An n. He speculates that she may have been a daughter of a neighbor of Jan' s, namely John Ogle, Robert or Ralph Hutchinson, Andrew Tilly, or Charl es Rumsey. I (David Herzog 1 Jun 1999) have seen her name as Ann "Prio r" and will leave it at that for now.

(5) (per Faith Keahey) John Garretson left Holland on 21 Dec 1656 with h is brother Hendrick (Henry) aboard the ship Prins Maurits. Their broth er Paul was on one of the accompanying ships either the Bear or the Gelder sche.

• Married: ABT 1677 in New Castle County, Delaware

1. Casparus Garretson b: BET 1676 AND 1684 in New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
2. Garrett Garretson b: 4 AUG 1681 in New View, New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
3. Mary Garretson b: BET 1682 AND 1692 in New View, New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
4. Cornelius Garretson b: 1685 in New View, New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
5. Catherine Garretson b: ABT 1688 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware