Death Notes

Born in Holstein, Denmark
Died in Jersey City, New Jersey
He married Ytie Jansen before 1639. She was born ca 1610 in Olderberg, Germany. Laurens and his wife arrived in New Netherland (New York) in July of 1639 on the ship "The Fire of Troy". This was a private armed vessel, engaged by Captain Jochem Kuyter, also from Holstein, a man of wealth and distinction who sailed from Hoorn, bringing with him farmers, herdsmen and laborers to start a new Colony, located in present Harlem.

Laurens was called "the Great Dane" and also "the Great Shoe" becuase of his great size. He devoted his time wholly to farming

"Laurens Duyts was apparently born and raised on the island of 'Strand' west of the city of Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany (then a part of Denmark). Most of the people on this island made their living by deep sea fishing. In 1634 a catastrophic tidal wave nearly destroyed the island tearing it into 3 separate islands and killing several hundred people. The area where Laurens lived is now the island of 'Nordstrand'. Either as a result of the storm or other reasons, Laurens moved ashore; apparently around the town of Friedrichstadt in an area referred to as Nordfriesland. There are people from this family living in that area today using the spelling 'Dyrsen."

The Court Minutes of Harlem relate that Laurens Duyts of Holstein received sentancing from Stuyvesant on November 25, 1658, for selling his wife, Ytie Jansen, and forcing her to live in adultery with another man, and for living himself in adultery, he was to have a rope tied around his neck, and then to be severly flogged and have his right ear cut off, and to be banished for fifty years. He went across the Hudson River to Bergen (now Jersey City where he died and was buried on January 16, 1668.