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Bastedo
"In 1628, the story goes, the progenitor of the Bastedo's in North
America, having embraced the reformed faith in this contentious Reformation
period, was soon in trouble with the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the church
court, the Inquisition. These Bastedo's fled from Spain and headed for
the Netherlands, the historic refuge for religious dissenters and Protestant
heretics. But within the year, it is said, the Bastedo's crossed to England,
another hospitable land and a jump-off place for a new life in the New
World. They landed eventually in the colony of New York.
At this point the story becomes a bit puzzling. In 1628, where New York
now stands, was called New Amsterdam and was certainly in the hands of
the Dutch. The English were not in firm control of the colony until late
in the 17th century. Indeed, that control just preceded the arrival of
the Dutchman, William of Orange, on the throne of England.
One account states that several of these American Bastedos lie buried beneath
stones still extant in Little Trinity Church-yard on Broadway near Wall
Street in New York City. So, when this trans-Atlantic migration was made,
is not at all clear. However, it is known that Bastedos eventually settled
in what was then called Albany County and owned a large tract of land which
they developed as farmland, where the city of Schenactady now stands. Jacob
Bastedo the progenitor of all the Canadian Bastedos, was born there in
1743."
Many of these facts don't quite add up, but it seems to be the most likely account of the early years of the Bastedos.
"Jacob Bastedo of Schenectady was born in that place, probably on the family farm, in 1743. So far, we do not know the identity of his parents nor the number of siblings. In 1767, he married a girl of Dutch descent, Clarissa Jean vanSlyke, One source says that Clarissa was a great grand daughter of Cornelious vanSlyke "The Trader", who in turn was a grandson of Cornelious Antonissen vanSlyke, a Hollander, and the first patentee of the Katskill (1746). The vanSlykes are said to have come to North America about the same time as the Bastedos (1628)." Much of the vanSlyke land came from OchToch and her son, Jacques, although Cornelious himself had land grants."
Cornelious Antonissen vanSlyke married a Mohawk Indian Princess named OchTochs (Ots-toch).
The above quoted passages about the Bastedos are from information compiled by Edward C. Russell, Ottawa, Ontario. January 1983.