In 1637, Joris Jansen de Rapalje "Notes for: Jan Joris Jansen (Rapalje) De_Rapalie " from the Janssen Verheul families in Canada and Holland database purchased about 335 acres around Wallabout Bay and over the following two years, director Kieft of the Dutch West India Company purchased title to nearly all the land in what is now Kings County and Queens County from the indigenous inhabitants.