Youngest child of his father's first wife, and last born before coming to America in March 1663. They had 9 children, and lived near Freehold NJ in 1709.
Gysbrecht Thyssen (who became known both as Geisbert, and also as Gilbert Lane), from Liege, Belgium, b. about 1652; emigrated with his father in March 1663; d. 1727; m. about 1672, Jannetje Adriaense Lambersen. He was a member of the New Utrecht Dutch church in 1677 and a deacon in 1683, but seems not to be among those taking the oath of allegiance to the English Government in 1687. However, he was living there in 1698, when his name appears on the census roll as "Gysbert Tysse," with himself, wife and seven children ("Doc. Hist. of N.Y." Vol. 3, p. 88); evidently his two older sons were then living away from home. In 1706 he was assessed there for eighty-three acres of land, purchased in 1700 of his half-brother, Adriaen.
That he had become a prosperous agriculturist on Long Island is evident from the fact that he could make two large purchases of land in Monmouth Co., N.J. in 1709 and '10; a large farm for himself and a smaller one for his son Cornelius. On Apr. 23, 1709, he purchased of Rev. Alexander Innes, of Middletown, 460 acres of land in Middletown twsp., for £5 10. It is described in the deed as bounded by Swimming River, Robert Morris, Daniel Applegate, and Hop River. (Trenton Deeds, Book I, p. 387). This he made his homestead, for he removed to Monmouth Co. in that year. In the same year, the "Reformed Congregation of Freehold and Middletown" was organized in what is the present village of Marlborough, and "Gisbert Laenen and Jannetie Lammerse" are recorded as two of the organizing members, along with members of the Van Deventer, Wykoff, van Doorn, Schenck, Cowenhoven, etc., families.
On Feb. 5, 1710, he purchased 200 acres in the adjoining township of Shrewsbury, of Tobias Hansen, of Dover, N.H., for £50, (Monmouth Deeds, Book D, p. 138). This tract he conveyed to his "loving son, Cornelius," June 5, 1711. Geisbert was then nearly sixty years of age, and Cornelius, who probably married that year was twenty-six. The second son, Matthias, did not marry until the next year; and three years later, May 20, 1715 Geisbert conveyed the homestead of 460 acres to his son, Matthias; consideration £500. (Monmouth Deeds, Book E, p. 344). Matthias is the son who represents the Somerset line, as it was his children who migrated to Somerset.
Geisbert lived twelve years after conveying his homestead to Matthias. Of Geisbert's eldest son, Adriaens, who was probably living in 1727 when his father died in Monmouth Co., no further trace of has been found.
The draftsman of his will, evidently an English lawyer, used the name "Gilbert Lane," the English equivalent for Gysbrecht, and for Geisbert, but it took another century for the Dutch to go out of use. Geisbert's signature to his will was by mark. This will, dated Nov. 7, 1720, was probated May 17, 1727. (Trenton Wills, Book B, p. 66). In it he names his sons "Adriaens, Cornelius, Matthias, and Joseph who is blind," and his daughters, "Moika Langstreet, Catherine D'Hart, Mary van Sicklah and Jane," and "grandchildren born of my daughter, Williamea Hendrickson, deceased, wife of William Hendrickson, deceased." The three sons first named were executors. His real estate was directed to be sold and the money divided into eight parts, to be equally given to eight of his nine children; the other child, Joseph, being blind, was to have a fund set apart out of the estate for his support.
Geisbert's wife, Jannetje, must have lived thereafter with her son, Matthias, as on June 16, 1732, etc., he gave bonds to his co-executors to contribute £8 yearly for the support of his mother, "Jane Lane." (Monmouth Deeds, Book H, pp. 67, 107).