It is hard to know the best order or sequence to share things on this blog. I began with some scanned photos/letters and a last will and testament in my personal possession from the late 19th and early 20th centuries – but then moved back in time in the family tree – highlighting info from the massive VanScoter genealogy book published in 1907.

My last post briefly mentioned baptism records from the 1700’s and that the family, at that time, was Dutch Reformed. So it seemed a logical step to share a related excerpt from the above mentioned genealogy book.

This is an excerpt from the last will and testament of my great x 6 uncle named Salomon Van Bunschoten. It was written on November 24, 1737 – translated from the Dutch and preserved in the records of Kingston, NY. Find it in its entirety on page 661 of the book.

“First, I commend my soul to God Almighty my Creator, and to Jesus Christ my Savior, and to the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier, and my body to the earth from whence it came, to be interred in a Christian manner and there to remain till my soul and body shall be united at that last day and participate in the eternal joy of immortality which God, in his mercy, through the sole merit of our Savior has promised to and prepared for all those who from their hearts do repent and believe, believe, believe.”

I am a practicing Christian, and I was impressed by this clear statement of Christian truth! By the way, I have another blog about Christianity: Enough Light.

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