CROPSEY.
This name is variously recorded in American history and legai
(hjcuments, viz. : Kasparse, Casi>arse, C'asperts, Caspersen, Grasper,
Crepse, Cra]isey, Cropsy. and Ci"opsey, which latter mode stands as
final with all Eastern descendants.
The first Cropseys in America were Joost (/asi)arsc, or Kas-
parse, his brother, Johannes, and their mother, (Jeertje. They emi-
grated from Gronigen, Holland, in 1652, but were not Ilollandei's.
There is every proof that Germany was originally the parental coun-
try. Joost and Johannes Casparse were, by name and comjilexion,
identified with Germany — Holland having no - ('aspeis " unless they
be of German extraction.
The name is forever preserved in the T'nited States, where there
exist three towns: Cropseyville, New York; Cropsey. Nebraska;
Cropsey, Illinois, and New Utrechfs beautiful driveway, ("ropsey
avenue. lieside this, many descendants have conspicuously distin-
guished themselves in American history, both East and West.
Joost and Johannes settled on Lcmg Island, but not till KKJl does
record appear of their land, or public services. In KKio, on the old
Bushwick muster-roll appear the names of privates Joost and Jo-
hannes Caspersen, Melle Caspersen, and Jan Caspersen, ensign. In
1GS3, Johannes Kasparse was assessed for five morgans of land and
some cattle, amount of tax being £77. In 1687, Joost and Jcdiannes
took the oath of allegiance in Breuckelen.
Joost Casparse married, June 10, l(i63, Catharine, daughter of
Abraham ]>othie, and widow of Peter Prae. His second marriage was
to Magdalen Jans. His children were : Johannes Casperse, baptized
March 16, 1697, at Flatbush. Cathren Casparse, baptized February
(>. 1681, died an infant. Cathren (second), Casparse, married in 1700
to Johannes Taxsel. Jann<^tje Cas]iarse, bajttized A])ril 6, 1684. Joost
Casparse, Jr., the first, die(i :lay 21, 1729. (In English the Dutch
HISTORY OF STATEN ISLAND. 73
word •• .Tddsi "■ has become Jasi)(>]- or Casper.) He married, first.
,Maria Slnim; second, ou Auiiust It. Kiitl!. ^VyIlt.je Jurex, aiui. third, on
July 2S, l(ii»5, Jenuetje Jacolis. His chihlron were Derrick, Abraham.
David, (xertrude, Melle. and .laspcr.
Casper Casparse purchased lauds oritiiuallv owned by ilichael Ilajia
]Jeriien. located by the presi'ul Sea lieach I'erry, fool of Sixty-lifth
street, liay i;idi;e. The hrst Cropsey liomestead was built there.
Camper married, -May 27. JT4!». .Mar-relje (.Maria) Barkah.o. The
cidldren o! Casper and .Maria were: .Jacobus or .Tames, Audries or
Andrew, N'alentiue, Ileudrick or Henry, -Tohanues or .John, Harmanus
or Harnu)n, AMllhelnuis or William, Maria, Sarah, and Catherine.
Jacobus, Just mentioned, lived until 18:;(>. The Christian name of
Jus wife, whona he married October 14, ISIO, was ^Maria. Their chil-
dren were .Jaques, William, and James Edward. Audries or Andrew
Cropsey Aas born in 1750, and died about ISOd. 1I(^ married Eida
Kyerso'n, of the Wallab.uit. I'.rooklyn.
Tile cliildr.'U of Andrew and Ida wen- .lasi.ei-. ui;u-ried; Jacob, who
died about 171S; Nancy, wlio marri(Ml William II. DeXyse. and Je-
rome Kyerson Cropsey, who married lOlizabeth \'illiams, of Staten
Island. They had one i hild, Andrew Jackson ( 'ropsey, born 1816, and
died in 1803. He uiarried Louisa M. Hardy. Their children were
Jerome H., Andrew (i.. William H.. Annie K.. Ada H.. Harry N., and
Ella.
In the direct line from Joost, or .Jasper Casparse. Jr., comes Au-
dries, or Andrew, whose children are mentioned above; Harmanus or
Harmon, born September 2, 1753. (He was a. deacon iu the New
Utrecht Dutch Reformed Church; served in the Eevolution, in Col-
(mel Coveuhoven's Kin^s County ^lilitin as a lieutenant.) He mar-
ried, first, Ann Co veiihoven; second, I':iizabeth Kezeau. Issue: Har-
mon B., Jasper, .Maria, Sarah. Jacob It., and Elizabeth.
Harmon B., Just mentioned, became a prominent man on Staten
Island. He was for a long time manager of old Eichmond County
Mall, in Kitdimond. He was sheriff of the county in 1828; State
S