Came to New Amsterdam with his parents, brother Jan, and sister Annetje, in 1650. He settled in Flatlands, LI in 1660. Roelof married first, Neeltje Gerretse Van Couwenhoven in 1660 (6 children). 2nd wife Annetje P. Wyckoff - m. 1675 (4 children); 3rd wife Catryntyne Criegers Hoogland - m. 19 Nov 1688 (no children) Ellis lists this 3rd marriage as 30 Nov.
He settled at Flatlands, where, in 1661, he obtained a patent for forty-six acres of land, and subsequently purchased lands until he must have owned some three hundred acres and the one-half of the mill occupied by his brother John. At one assessment for taxation his ratables were the next highest in the town, and at another subsequently taken they were the highest. He was among the first enrolled as a member of the church of Flatlands, and no doubt among its principal supporters. When a bill was procured for the church, his subscription was the highest on the list. He was appointed by Governor Leisler captain of cavalry in Kings County, and at several different times held the office of justice of the peace and once that of schepen, or judge, and in general in public affairs was among the leading men in the colony.
His will was made 4 September 1704 and proved 3 August 1705, and in recorded in Book 7, page 209 in Surrogate's office of the county of New York. This will with other information concerning him and many of his descendants, is published in a book compiled by Capt. A. D. Schenck. U.S.A., published in 1883 and entitled "Ancestry and Descendants of Rev. William Schenck."
Roelof Martense Schenck devised all his real estate to his eldest son, Martin, who married June 20th, 1686, Susanna Abrahamse Brinkerhoff. He bequeaths to his two youngest sons, Garret and Jan, and to his six living daughters, Jonica, Maryke, Margaretta, Neeltje, Mayke and Sara, and the two children of his deceased daughter, Annetje, sixty and a half pounds each, and makes these legacies chargeable upon the real estate devised to his eldest son.
Roelof had three sons Martin, John and Garret—and seven daughters. Martin was left the homestead at Flatlands, and his descendants have principally remained on Long Island. John and Garret emigrated in 1696 or 1698 to Monmouth County, and together with Cornelius Couwenhoven, who married their sister Margaret, settled in Pleasant Valley on a five hundred acre tract of land purchased of John Bowne, merchant of Middletown.