Caljer/Calyer Fam, New Amsterdam, 1640
I note in recent months on these forums an effort on the part of several researchers to tie all the “Colliers/Collyers/Colyers/ etc.” into one untidy bundle.I don’t think this project has much hope of success, but perhaps I will be proven wrong.
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One family or group of families which has not had much attention is that group descended from Jochem Caljer (or, Calyer), and distributed in the early generations in New Amsterdam/New York, Long Island, the Hudson and Mohawk valleys, and northern New Jersey.Considerable work on the family was done in the 20thcentury by William Miller Collier (1867 – 1956), of Lodi, New York, distinguished attorney, diplomat and President of George Washington University. Another work, in which Mr. Collier collaborated, was the “Calyer Family,” a 90 + page section of “Early settlers of Bushwick, Long Island, New York and their descendants,” by Andrew J. Provost, (Darien, CT., 1949-1963). The “Calyer Family” is available online at
I offer the following as just the briefest introduction to new students of the “Caljer/Calyer” family:
“Jochem (1) Caljer,” European origin uncertain, but likely France, probably came to New Amsterdam with wife Magdalena Waele about 1640, and died there in 1658. (“Caljer Family,” p. 2.) In most cases, the spelling of the surname was changed within a generation or two.
Children of Jochem and Magdalena Calher were, per the “Calyer Family,” pages 14 – 15:
1. Jacob (or, Jochem) (2) Caljer, bapt. New Amsterdam Dutch Church, March 9, 1642. Probably
died young.
2. Jeuriaen (or, Jurian) Caljer, bapt. NADC, March 13, 1644. He mar. Elizabeth Cornelius Van der Hoeven. His family is continued in the book.
3. Annetje Caljer, bapt. NADC March 11, 1646. Whether she married or had children is undetermined.
4. Michael Caljer, bapt. NADC June 6, 1650. Twin of Dorothea. Married twice and had children by both wives. (Michael was the ancestor of William Miller Collier’s line, per the book. As the descendants moved up the Hudson and the Mohawk River, they adopted the spelling “Collier.” While some of the “Caljer/Calyer” lines are followed to 1950, or so, Mr. Provost, after a few generations of the descs. of Michael, refers the student to the published works of William Miller Collier.)
5. Dorothea Caljer, twin of Michael, bapt. NADC June 5, 1650. Married “Wouter Gysberts(Veresheur)” and her family is continued in the book.
6. Jacobus Caljer, bapt. NADC Feb. 11, 1653. “Married twice and had issue.”
Wade Collier
“Colliers of Massachusetts” Project