Abraham Rycken (1616-1689)

He is supposed to have emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam in 1638 as in that year he received an allotment of land from Governor Kieft for which he afterwards took out a patent in 1640. His land was located in Breuckelin at the Wallabout and was near or possibly within the lines of the Battle of Long Island (1776). In 1642, he resided at New Amsterdam on the Heeren Gracht (Broad Street) and was one of the early landowners of that locality. In 1654, he obtained another grant of land at the Poor Bowery to which he subsequently removed, afterwards adding to his domain the 413-acre island in New York Harbor that is still known today as Riker's Island. He married Grietje, daughter of Hendrick Harmensen and they were the parents of eight children.