1687 Fottman (Footman) of Captain Thomas Gershames Company, Professional Soldier for Dutch West India Company
The founder of the Keator family in the US and Canada, Melchior (Melchert, Melker, Melgert) was a professional soldier in the employ of De Westindische Compagnie (Dutch West India Company) and no doubt was retained in a similar capacity by the British after they captured Nieuw Amsterdam and renamed it New York in 1664. His name appears as the defendant in a court martial held 28 Dec 1671. It seems that as a soldier he liked his schnapps too well, and under the influence of this potent beverage, on Christmas Day 1671, stepped over a low picket fence and purloined a pair of socks from a widow's clothesline. He was adjudged guilty and sentenced to "run the Gantlope once the length of the fort...stript to the waste." Evidently he was not permanently cashiered, as he was still a member of the fort's garrison in 1674, the date of his marriage.
Under the date of 8 Apr 1674, in the marriage records of the old Dutch Church in New York appears the following item:
"Melchior Claeszen, j.m. Van Amsterdam, en Susanna Richards, Wed, Van op fort, beyde wonende alhier." Translation: "Melchior Claeszen, young man (i.e. unmarried) from Amsterdam, and Susanna Richards, widow. From at the fort, both dwelling in this place." Susanna Richards was probably the widow of a British soldier, possibly (according to contemporary church records) Susanna Verplanck, the widow of Pierre Richards.
Late in 1674 or early in 1675, Melchior moved, or was sent, to Marbletown, where he settled probably near the present village of Rosendale, where the next three generations of the Keator family lived. From the beginning, he was a soldier of the local militia. The last record of him is dated 21 Sep 1701, when he and Susanna acted as witnesses to the baptism of their granddaughter Lelie. He probably died shortly thereafter.
Married: 8 APR 1674 in Dutch Church, New York City
Children
1. Johannes KEATOR b: ABT 1674 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
2. Nicholas Melchertsen KEATOR b: 1675 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
3. Rut Richard KEATOR b: ABT 1676 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
4. Mary Melchertse KEATOR b: ABT 1677 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
5. Melchert KEATOR b: ABT 1677 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
6. Elizabeth KEATOR b: BEF 8 DEC 1678 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
7. Anna KEATOR b: BEF 18 JUN 1682 in Marbletown, Ulster County, NY
Melchoir Claessen Keator 
