Welcome to our family.  I hope you find some informtion on our website that is 
helpful in your family research.  

The Van Riper's of New Jersey are a diverse family.  Many of the Van Riper's in the 
state have no direct relationship with Juriaen Tomassen in 1650 (the original Van 
Riper in the colonies).  Juriaen was from Reypen (Ripen, Ryp or Rype), a small town 
about fourteen mles north from Amsterdam.  Juriaen Thomasse (Uriah, son of Thomas) 
Van Riper arrived in this country aboard the vessel "T' Bonte Koe" (The Spotted Cow), 
sailing from Amsterdam on 16 April 1663.  He was also known on board as John (from 
Ripen), which was the origin of the name Van Riper. 

With thirteen others, he received a grant patent on March 16, 1684, for a tract of 
land extending from the Third River up the Passaic to the Falls, thence Garret Rock, 
along the fact of the steep rocks, southwesterly to the present county line, thence 
to the mouth of the Third River. This grant was called "Haquequenunck", a name which 
until recently was preserved in the title of the former Township of Acquackanonk. 
There is mention of all of them in a tattered document, yellow with its centuries of 
age, called: Schedules of lands in New Ark and Surveys of lands and to whom 
conveyed".  It shows that before the Revolution, Nutley’s Passaic River front had 
been divided among five proprietors: Van Riper, Vreeland, Speer, Joralemon and King.

Juriaen Thomasse Van Riper, a native of the city of Ripen, married Reyke Harmsse four 
years after his arrival. Among the grandchildren of Juriaen and Reyke was Abraham, 
born January 25, 1716. He would later marry Elisabeth Bradbury on November 28, 1747.

Members of the family have moved to Ohio, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois, 
Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and further west in the early years.

There is controversy as to where the family originated.  Most researchers have the 
family coming the Netherlands, while Charles Winfield in his "History of Hudson 
County" cites the family as coming from Denmark (North Jutland).  I, as with most 
family members, agree with the Dutch connection, although a connection from the Dutch 
roots with Danish roots may be present, more research is needed on this aspect.

Descendants took the names Jurianse - now Yereance, Auryansen, while others, taking 
the name of the city from which their ancestor hailed, became Van Ripe, Van Ripen, 
Van Riper, Van Ryper, Van Rypen, Van Reiper, Van Reyper, Van Reypen and Van Reipen.  
Other related names from Northern New Jersey and the New England area are Van Ness, 
Vreeland, Dey, Van Houten, Penn, Riker, and Van Vorhees.  This family tree also 
contains the surnames Bowman, McGlaughlin, Nabergal, Rupe and Northrop of SE Ohio.

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The information contained herein is a compilation of many people and from many 
sources.  Errors are bound to exist, and duplications are always possible, with the 
amount of information being used and the many sources.  The tree is only as accurate 
as the information I've received, so if you see any errors, please email me and I 
will gladly fix them.  Where sources are available, they are cited and in many, 
information quotations are made.  Photos will be added to include copies of support 
documentation.  All information submitted, preferably with sources, will be verified 
if possible, prior to inclusion in the tree.  Information without sources will be 
accepted.  Please ensure that all copyrighted material is properly cited and 
referenced.

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I look forward to meeting 'new' cousins and sharing information. Email me and I'll be 
glad to help you out in any way I can. The names of the living are blocked for
security reasons. The password option is only to see those names. If you need 
something pertaining to the current living generation, please email me. 

My thanks to all those people who have done research that I have used, and many 
thanks to all those who have contributed to this website or will provide 
contributions.

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