Joost Casperse, ancestor of the Springsteens, of Newtown.

This spring terminated the existence of the village of Aern- 
hem, on Smith's Island. It was broken up by order of the Direc- 
tor and Council, upon the ground that it might hinder the pro- 
gress of the new village of Bushwick, and the following year 
the tenantless cottages were removed upon the request of the 
magistrates of the new settlement, who feared they might be 
again occupied. Bushwick was planted in 1660, by a company 
of French, joined by a few Dutchmen, among whom was Joost 
Casperse, ancestor of the Springsteens, of Newtown. The 
succeeding year, upon invitation of the inhabitants, the 
Director-general visited the new village on the 14th of March, 
and conferred upon it the name of Boswyck, signifying a 
hamlet in the woods. The occasion was propitious, and the 

From Annals of Newtown by James Riker 

https://archive.org/stream/annalsofnewtowni00rike_0#page/n9/mode/2up