Through most of the records on this ancestor he is simply known by his patronymic name, Theunis Eliasen, meaning Theunis, son of Elias. Many of the Dutch in New York, when they were asked by the British to choose a stable surname used the term Van —— to signify their origin, the village they were born in. In this case it was Van Bunschoten although the spelling of this varied - it was softened to Van Benschoten later. Bunschoten is a small town, at one time walled, on a tidal-way of the Zuyder Zee (IJsselmeer) and a few miles south of that.

There are various records of Theunis after his first appearance at Kingston (old name Esopus), New York 3 April 1671 as wirness to transaction between Regnier Van der Coelle and Henry Pawling. In 1682 he was appinted to a committee to be reviewers of chimneys and all places where fires are lit to make sure they were clean soas not to be dangerous. Roofs were of thatch, so the precaution was necessary as a fire-preventative. When signing papers he used a trident symbol that is seen as his profile photo.

He was prominent in town affairs and was one of the original Trustees of the Corporation of Kingston and so named in the charter granted by Gov. Dongan in 1687. He served at least nine terms as Trustee. The Trustees were collectors of Quit-Rents among other duties. This group also elected him as a Magistrate. He was a deacon of the Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston from 1685-1698. In 1698 he was elected an Elder of the church.

He purchased pieces of land at various times as there are land records extant. In 1712 he transferred to his son-in-law, Mattys Van Steenbergen (our ancestor), “a certain house-lot in Kingston – Scittuating and Lying att the South of ye Street to the East of the Lott of ye Deakons where the Domine Lives and to the West of the Lott of the heirs of Col. Stephen Van Cortland and to the north of the Lott In ye possession of Arien Van Vliet.”