Old Bergen Church Cemetery

The Van Wagenen Family

Bergen settlers, magistrates, and owners of the Apple Tree House

The Van Wagenen monument in the cemetery

The Van Wagenen family owned the Van Wagenen House on Academy Street for over a hundred years. The property was held by a Dutch family, the Gerritsen/Van Wagenen family, from 1688 to 1947. The home is also known as the Apple Tree House, from the story that General Washington and General Lafayette met under the shade of an old apple tree in its orchard as they discussed strategy for the Revolutionary War.

The City of Jersey City bought the endangered building in 1998 and renovated the interior while making the building more accessible. It is now home to the Museum of Jersey City History.

The Van Wagenen House on Academy Street, also known as the Apple Tree House

Gerrit Gerritsen van Wagenen (1635–1696) arrived in New Amsterdam with his wife, Annette Hermans, in December 1660 and settled in Communipaw. On 16 October 1662 he was appointed one of three schepens — magistrates — for the Bergen area by Director-General Stuyvesant, who governed the region for the Dutch West India Company.

At about this same time Gerrit Gerritsen and others petitioned Director-General Stuyvesant for a clergyman for Bergen, and Gerrit pledged six florins annually toward the clergyman’s support. On 18 June 1663 he was named one of three commissioners to enclose Gemoenepa (Communipaw) with long palisades for defense against raids.

By means of the Acquackanonk Patent, Gerrit was one of fourteen settlers who purchased land in the Bergen area to settle on and build the community that would become known as Bergen Village.

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