The Barkuloo branch can best be described as the group from New Utrecht and/or Brooklyn,Kings Co.,New York. Although all Bartlow and Burklow branches could also make the same claim based upon their ancestral ties to the immigrant, Harmen Janse Lubberdinck van Borculo(c1626-c1672), identifying the "progenitor" of a major branch by its surname "uniqueness" required identifying just the one common forefather from which all Barkuloo lines must descend. This didn't necessarily involve having to begin with the earliest known ancestor, or even the immigrant himself. For example, William Harmense Barkeloo(c1666-p1738), a son of the immigrant, Harmen, is also responsible for the Barkelow(now mostly Bartlow) lines that emerged from Hunterdon County,NJ through his eldest son, Jacques(c1698-1780). So, in lieu of this common-forefather requirement, somewhat superficial but useful for generating an uncomplicated decendancy, the most logical candidate became Harmanus Barkeloo(c1705-c1752), the only other son of William and Maria(Cortelyou) Barkeloo.
By 1710, only two of Harmen Janse Lubberdinck van Borculo's four sons remained in the New York area. His two oldest, Reynier Van Burkelow(1659-1713) and Harmen Van Burkelow(c1662-1729) had long since joined religious movements and settled near Philadelphia, initially, then resettled south in areas along the Upper Chesapeake Bay in Cecil County, Maryland and Bombay Hook Island, Delaware. Of Harmen's remaining sons, Jan Harmense Barkeloo married circa 1683, a woman named Margaret, and settled in Northfield(now Port Richmond), Staten Island, while William Harmense Barkeloo remained in New Utrecht, on Long Island. The latter learned the trade of surveying in the employ of Jaques Cortelyou(1621-1693), teacher, businessman, prominent surveyor and, unknowingly, his future father-in-law. Jaques Cortelyou also lived on Long Island but had acquired a sizeable plantation that encompassed most of New Utrecht and what is now South Brooklyn. Jaques Cortelyou, also a common ancestor of all Barkuloo and Bartlow branches, apparently commuted to New York City regularly. He is best known for laying out the streets at the tip of Manhattan Island, perhaps the most expensive and exclusive real estate on the planet. William Harmense Barkeloo didn't marry his boss's daughter until four years after Coretelyou's death so it's not even known whether her father would have approved.
By 1683, Harmen's widow, Willempken, had remarried and was living with her second husband, Hans Harmensen, in Constaple's Hook(now Bayonne,NJ). This meant that son Jan's residence in Northfield on Staten Island was probably less than one lineal mile from his mother's home, requiring, however, a short boat ride for visitations. William, on the other hand, would return to his old stamping grounds in New Utrecht, Long Island, at "The Narrows", near Fort Hamilton. Although six or seven miles from his brother Jan's home on Staten Island, today William could have driven 4,200 feet across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to Staten Island and avoided the lengthy boat ride he must have endured in 1700 to visit relatives there.
The close proximity of these sons of Harmen Janse van Borculo who remained in the New York City area had the effect of producing some consistency in the spelling of their surname. "Barkeloo" tended to be the earlier phonetic interpretation by church clerics with the eventual transition to Barkuloo occurring before 1800, and achieving some permanency shortly thereafter. Although both spellings exist today, the Barkuloo variation predominates, which is why it was chosen to represent the entire branch.
Jan Harmense Barkeloo's disappearance from Northfield DR church records and local tax lists by 1708 presupposes an early death. Only four daughters have ever been identified, putting the extension of his branch as a surname carrier in serious jeopardy. Without sons to continue his line, Jan's status as a potential forefather of Barkeloo bearing descendants would have all but disappeared with him, if his disappearance from Northfield Reformed Church records was due to his death and not a sudden resettlement elsewhere. His three known daughters married, and their lines are traceable into the 1740's. The sudden reappearance of a Barkuloo line on Staten Island in the 1740's cannot be ignored as a possible extension of Jan Harmense Barkeloo, from a yet unknown son.
An Abraham Barkuloo(d.1767), assumedly born about 1720(perhaps a few years earlier), began appearing in Northfield DR Church records from 1747-1754. He marries Catrina Ellis(b.c1724), d/o of Bastian and Sarah (Nevius) Ellis before 1747. Catrina appears to be a mature woman in her mid-20's. Perhaps Abraham was actually in his 30's, putting his YOB closer to 1710. That would almost assure a stronger speculation of him being a son of Jan Harmense Barkeloo(c1665-p1708). Abraham and Catrina had issue, among them sons, Cornelius(1747-1783) and Garret(b.1750) baptized at Northfield DRC. In a coincidental note, an emigration of Northfield parishioners, and ministers, to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, began in the early to mid-1700's, including one or more daughters of Jan Harmense Barkeloo. If the connection from Abraham and his son, Garret(b.1750) to the Garret Barcalow(1780-1863) line of Bucks Co.,PA can be made, it would resolve that old and difficult "orphan" line.
In the absence of clear documentable extensions of any Barkuloo line but those of Harmanus Barkeloo(1705-c1752), Harmanus becomes, by default, the forefather of my Barkuloo genealogy.
Harmanus and wife, Sarah(Terhune) Barkeloo, had a large family, but only two sons who passed on this rare surname. Harmanus Barkuloo,Jr.(1745-1788) and Jaques B. Barkuloo(1747-1813) had 18 children between them, including nine sons. Three of the four sons of Harmanus,Jr.: Harmanus H.(1773-1842); Rev. George Barkulo(1775-1832), of Dutchess County, and William(1782-1867), remained in New York State. Only John Barkuloo(1773-1849) settled elsewhere(Dearborn Co.,IN.). Rev. George Barkulo had but one male heir, Judge Seward Barkulo(1808-1879). Harmanus H. had ten children, only four attaining adulthood, and then only two who produced sons who passed on the name. John Barkuloo, however, made up for it by having four wives, and twelve children. His branch is responsible for all Barkuloo lines from Wisconsin and Minnesota, among others.Jaques B. Barkeloo fathered five sons: Harmanus J., Everet, Henry, Jaques J., and Johannes J., four of whom emigrated to Hamilton and Butler Co's, Ohio. Everet remained in New York. Johannes did not marry. These branch lines tend to use the Barkeloo spelling.
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