My late husband’s ancestors came to Manhattan from Zealand, one of the Netherlands, during the 40 years that it was held by the Dutch.

Peter Minuit in 1624 made a deal with the Lenape, and Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch governor, turned it over to the English Navy in 1664.

The couple who then moved across the Hudson River had nine children in what is now New Jersey.

One of their descendants, John Van Dine, fought for the colony of New Jersey in the Revolution.

A female descendant named Kezia married into the William Allen family, pioneers who gave their name to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Now our grandchildren are the 20th generation on this side of the Atlantic.

The original immigrant was named Gerrett Cornelis Van Duyn. (It is pronounced with a long I, as in “buy” and “guy.” It means “from the dunes”) The spelling was changed to be more English. The wife was Jacomia Swartz from New Jersey, their descendants have moved all over the United States.

Recently there are relatives on my husband’s side in the states of Washington, Utah, Texas, Arkansas, Maryland, and Idaho, as well as Pennsylvania.

Anita Stone Van Dine M.Ed. (ret)

Jim Thorpe

For more stories of our ancestors, see the America 250 special section in today’s newspaper.