The Ancestry of Christoffel Deyo

"Most of their time was spent trying to prove themselves wrong—because ... you can fall in love with a hypothesis and it can really trick you." (Quoted in Madeline Drexler's Secret Agents: The Menace of Emerging Infections, Penguin Books, 2003.)

A Christopher (Christoffel) DeYoe is listed in the Marlborough, New York censuses of 1790 and 1800. In 1790 he is living next door to Dennis Relyea, and in close proximity to two Walters families, one headed by Mary Walters. Also in proximity (in 1790 only) is Hendrick Deyo. David Van Vliet is next to Christopher in the 1790 census.

The New Marlborough, New York Census of 1800 gives the following information for Christopher DeYoe at Plattekill, New York (which is in Marlborough): one male child born after 1784 and before 1790, one male child born after 1790 and before 1800, two female children born after 1790 and before 1800. Christopher is listed as having been born after 1755 and before 1774, as is his wife.[1]

By 1810 Christopher and his family are living in Minden, Montgomery County, New York.[2] In the 1810 Census, his surname is spelled 'Deo'. The Census reports that he was born on or after 1766, as was his wife. Dennis Relyea is again a neighbour. Christopher's family consists of: one male child aged 10 through 15 and three female children under 10, one female aged 16 through 25. His wife is aged 26 through 44, as he is himself. The single 'male child' is likely Dennis Deyo, born 1800 (and thus 10 years of age in 1810). Sylvanus Deyo, b ca 1802, whose descendants believe him to be a child of Christoffel and Nancy Deyo, is missing in the 1810 Census.[3] Benjamin Deyo, b ca 1787, the first son of Christoffel and Nancy, would have been 23 years of age in 1810. A Benjamin Deyo, aged 16 to 25, married with two daughters under the age of 10, is listed as resident in Herkimer County, New York.[4]

Christopher Dego (Deyo) is listed in the 1820 United States Census, as living in Cicero, Onondaga County, New York. His family consists of one female older than 45, two females 16 through 25 and one female 10 through 15.[5]

Who was Christoffel's father? There are several possibilities, which I have listed below in order of their likelihood:

Benjamin Deyo (1725-1798)

Pro: (1) Christoffel may be a son of Benjamin Deyo [Henricus, Pierre, Christian]. (2) Christoffel named his first son Benjamin. (3) Benjamin (1725) had a brother named Christoffel. (4) Christoffel's putative brother Benjamin B. Deyo had a son named Christoffel.

Con:

Things to check: (1) A will for Benjamin Deyo.

Hendrick Deyo (1731-1805)

Pro: Christoffel may be a son of Hendrick Deyo [Henricus, Pierre, Christian].

Con:

Things to check:

Christoffel Deyo (1728-)

Some have speculated that Christopher was a son of Christoffel Deyo [Henricus, Pierre, Christian].

Con:

Things to check:

Hendrick Deyo (1747-1800)

Pro: Christoffel may be a son of Hendrick Deyo [Isaac, Christian, Pierre, Christian] and Jannetje Schut. (1) Jannetje's sister Brechje Schut, b ca 1744 was a witness (along with Dennis Relyea) to the christening of Christoffel's son Benjamin in 1787. (2) Hendrick Deyo had a brother named Christoffel. (3) Hendrick Deyo and Jannetje Schut were married in 1768, and their daughter Maria was born May, 1769. Christoffel could have been born in 1770 or 1771 (which would make him 16 or 17 when his son Benjamin was born in 1787). Maria, their first child, was born in May, 1769. However, Jannetje would have been eighteen in 1767; she could have given birth to Christoffel before or shortly after her marriage. (4) The Hendrick Deyo living next to Christopher in the 1790 Marlborough Census may in fact have been his father. Henry died in 1800, and would not be listed in the 1800 Marlborough Census. (5) It could also be significant that Hendrick's sister Magdalena Deyo married Simon Relyea, who is present in Marlborough in 1790. (6) Christoffel's putative brother Benjamin N. Deyo was born in New Hurley, New York on Oct 7, 1775. This Benjamin married Amanda Hall; Christoffel named one of his daughters Amanda. (7) Perhaps significantly, all of Hendrick's sons moved away from New Paltz.

Con: (1) There is only a small window for Christoffel to have been born to Hendrick and Jannetje Deyo (if he is to be old enough to have a child in 1787). (2) There is no record of a child named Christoffel belonging to this family. (3) Hendrick could easily be Christoffel's uncle.

Things to check: (1) A will for Hendrick Deyo;