Jan Baptist Van Eps

  Noted events in his life were:

• Misc: taken captive by the French and Indians when Schenectady burned, Feb 1690. ⁵²⁶ On 8 Feb 1692/3, Wednesday, about 2 o'clock afternoon, we had the alarm from Schenectady, that the French and their Indians had taken the Maquas castles. Soon after we had the news that a young man named Jan Baptist Van Eps (taken at Schenectady 3 years ago) was run over from the French, as they were to attack the first castle of the Mohogs, and came to Schenectady, who related that the French were 350 Christians and 200 Indians," &c. {Colonial Documents,IV,16}. During his captivity he acquired a knowledge of the Inidan language, and was subsequently employed as interpreter and ambassador to the Five Nations.

In 1701, the sachems say,


"Wee have a small right in the Maquase river att Canastagiowne, to witt, five small islands containing about five or six acres between Rosendael and Cornelis Tymesen's, which wee give to Jan Baptist Van Eps and Lurens Claese (Van der Volgen), the two interpretors, to be equally divided between them; Jan Baptist to have the uppermost halfe, and Lawrence the lowermost, and that in consideration because they take much pains in interpreting." {Colonial Documents,IV,906} In 1706 Jan Baptist lived upon the east corner of State and Jay Streets, the latter being his private lane leading to his land in the rear and along Cowhorne Creek, upon which he had a corn mill situated a few rods below the present tan works. [Pearson's Genealogies of the First Settlers of Schenectady]

Jan married Helena Glenn on 9 Jul 1699 in Schenectady, Albany, New York. (Helena Glenn was born on 2 Nov 1681 in Schenectady, Albany, New York.)