Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume I, Part 49

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 656

USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume I > Part 49

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(The Clute Line).

The earliest period this name appears in the records of Albany is in 1656, when three of the name, Captain Johannes, Johannes his nephew, and Frederick Clute, came to Bever- wyck from Nuremberg. Captain Johannes was a trader and a large land owner at Loon- enburg, Niskayuna. Albany, etc. He was held in high esteem among the Indians from whom he obtained extensive tracts of land. It is not known that he had any family. On his death his property passed to his nephew, Jo- hannes Clute the "Boslooper." Johannes (nephew) married Baata, daughter of Gerrit Slichtenhorst, and reared a large family, heads now of widely scattered families.

(I) Andrew Clute, great-grandfather of the Cohoes family, was born in Holland and when a boy was brought to America, settling in Albany, New York. He married and had issue.

(II) Andrew (2), son of Andrew (1) Clute, of Albany, was born in Albany, New

York, 1799. In 1820 he removed to Mont- gomery county, where he remained until 1842, following the business of farming. He re- tired to Albany where he died in 1849. He was a member of the Dutch church and a Whig in politics. He married Maria, born August 15, 1795, died 1864, daughter of Charles Hemstreete, of Albany county, a de- scendant of an early Dutch family, "Heem- straat." Charles Hemstreete was the owner of a great part of the land on which the city of Cohoes is built. When the Erie ca- nal was built he was so much opposed to its construction that he sold his land and re- moved to Mechanicsville. While he died a wealthy man, had he remained in Cohoes his land would have brought him greater wealth.

(III) John, son of Andrew (2) and Maria (Hemstreete) Clute, was born in town of Glen, Montgomery county, New York, Au- gust 10, 1830, died at Cohoes, New York, October 29, 1906. He was educated in the district schools, and early became connected with the manufacturing interests of Cohoes. He learned the trade of machinist with George Gage with whom he remained until 1852, in Waterford, where the Gage machine shops were located. He then removed his business interests to Cohoes, where for a short time he was with The Cohoes Manufacturing Com- pany. January 1, 1863, he formed a part- nership with George Campbell, under the firm name of Campbell & Clute, for the purpose of manufacturing machinery for use in the knitting mills. The demand for such machin- ery was very great, and the company pros- pered to an unusual degree. Their product was shipped to every manufacturing part of the Union and to foreign countries. Some years before his death the company was in- corporated as the Campbell & Clute Machine Company, with Mr. Clute as president and principal stockholder. Besides his immense manufacturing interests he was largely inter- ested and prominently identified with the banks of Cohoes. He was president of the Manu- facturer's Bank, trustee and director in others. He retained all these business interests and official positions until his death. He was largely interested in real estate, owned several farms and was a lover and breeder of fine stock, especially horses. He was exceedingly public-spirited and interested in all that per- tained to the welfare of his city. He was a Republican and served for fourteen years as water commissioner of Cohoes, also doing duty upon the fire board of commissioners. He attended the Presbyterian church.

He married (first) December 23, 1852, Ada- line, born December 23, 1829, died January

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18, 1866, daughter of Robert Winne, of Wat- erford. He married (second) June 1, 1868, Cordelia Brewster, of Waterford. Children, all by first marriage: I. Elizabeth, graduate of Egbert high school; married George H. McDowell, of George H. McDowell & Com- pany, Knitting Mill, Cohoes, and vice-presi- dent of the Cohoes Savings Institution. Chil- dren: i. John Clute McDowell, born January I, 1879, died November 18, 1893; a gradu- ate of Yale University ; ii. Howard G., in busi- ness with his father in George H. McDowell & Company ; iii. Harry V., died in infancy ; iv. Helen Adaline; v. Frederick Blaine, as- sociated in business with his father ; vi. Laura E., student at the Emma Willard school : vii. Frances Louise, died in infancy. 2. Adaline Margaret, also was educated at the Egbert high school where she graduated in class of 1877; she married Harvey S. Greene, (see Greene VIII).

VANDER VEER

This family name, written Vander Veer ("From the Ferry"),

was borne by one of the earliest Dutch set- tlers of Long Island, New York, Cornelise Janse Vander Veer was one of the founders of the town of Flatbush, having emigrated from Alkmaar, Holland, in the "Otter," and landed at Flatbush, February, 1659; was en- tered on the ship list as a farmer, and a fac- simile of his signature shows that he spelled his name Vander Veer. Among his descend- ants there is much diversity in regard to spelling their surname. A great-grandson of Cornelise Janse in one bond dated May 29, 1765, spelled it as follows : Vander Veer, V. D. Veer, Van Der- veer, Van Der Veer. It would seem that over a century ago members of this Dutch family were somewhat undecided at to the correct spelling of their surname. Sons of the founders of this family settled in the Raritan Valley of New Jersey, in Monmouth county, and after the revolution ascended the Hudson and Mohawk rivers to Montgomery county, New York, always with unerring instinct set- tling upon rich and fertile land. They fur- nished officers and soldiers for the revolution. The farms of two of the allied families formed a portion of the battle field of Monmouth -that of Albert Couwenhoven (Conover ), and on which was located the famous spring around which the soldiers lay thick, dying from freely drinking the cold water; among the bodies of the dead the women and chil- dren of the family found their way in order to carry water to the helpless, while the men did their part in the actual combat.

In the war of 1812-14 they participated, as well as in the war with Mexico, and the great civil war, where one of this family gallantly led his men, though severely wounded, refus- ing to yield until the battle was over, when soon after, with a soldier's fortitude, he went to his long rest. One of the Albany family was in the Spanish-American war, which com- pletes a remarkable military record. The an- cestry of the Albany line entitles them to membership in all patriotic orders of the Uni- ted States based on military or colonial for- bears. While this is true, the descendants of the first Vander Veer have earned recogni- tion for themselves, and their names adorn the rosters of some of our most noted in- stitutions and organizations, placed there through individual achievement. From the earliest days of American history their path- way may be traced by their deeds as soldiers, pioneer farmers, merchants, manufacturers and professional men. In the professions the name is an eminent one, not only in theology, but ever best as well in the divine art of heal- ing, where it is pre-eminent.

Through intermarriage, the descendants of Cornelise Janse Vander Veer are connected with a great many of the earlier Dutch set- tlers in eastern New Jersey and the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys of New York state. By a marriage of a Vander Veer with a Sarah Martin the family connects with Philip Schuy- ler and Margarita Van Slichtenhorst through their son, Colonel Philip (Quidor) and second wife, Maria Van Rensselaer, also Surgeon and Mayor Abram Staats, the first physician in the colony of Rensselaerwyck. By the mar- riage of a later Vander Veer with Margaret E. Snow, descent is traced to Isaac Aller- ton, of England, who came over in the "May- flower" and was the fifth son to sign "the immortal compact."

(I) Cornelise Janse Vander Veer, of Hol- land, came of a family of considerable distinc- tion, dating back to an early period. The reading of the family coat-of-arms indicates this. The foil denotes that some action in de- fense of the Trinity has been performed by him to whom the arms were first granted. The cap of dignity in crest denotes the family to have been of noble origin. The wolf's head in heraldry denotes courage and determination while the ragged edge of head indicates some great feat of valor had been performed. Mot- to: Aut in veniam, aut faciam (Whatever we attempt, we do). Several tales are told among the descendants of Cornelise Janse Vander Veer regarding his coming to this country, the most frequent one being that two brothers sailed for America, became shipwrecked and

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were picked up by a Spanish vessel held for ransom, and eventually returned to Holland, one to remain, while Cornelise Janse later came to the new world. Landing in Flatbush, February, 1659, from ship "Otter," he bought a farm in 1678-79, February 24, from Jan Janse Fry for 2600 gulden, in Flatbush, lying south of Fry's farm, from which it is evi- dent he was a resident at this date. The pur- chaser's farm referred to in the above de- scription was probably a tract of 2600 mor- gans in Flatbush, patented March 12, 1661, by Governor Stuyvesant to Cornelise Janse, lying on the north side of the land of Jan Swediker. His name is on the patent of Flatbush, 1685, and his official papers bear date of 1678-80.

About 1672, Cornelise Janse Vander Veer married Tyntje, daughter of Gillis de Man- deville and Elsjie Hendricks. An inscription on a plate over the gate at the entrance of Rowen, Normandy, France, from whence the de Mandevilles originally came, shows that they had achieved great distinction in the ear- ly history of that ancient city. Cornelise Janse and Tyntje Gillis (De Mandeville) Vander Veer had children. In the records of these children all have suffix Cornelissen, meaning son or daughter of Cornelise. Children : I. Cornelise Cornelissen, baptized about 1677 ; married Jannetje Van Nostrand. 2. Neeltje Cornelissen, married, August 13, 1685, first wife of Daniel Polhemus. 3. Jan Cornelis- sen, married, January 6, 1695, Fennuetje Ber- gen. 4. Dominicus Cornelissen, see forward. 5. Maria Cornelissen, baptized July 30, 1682. 6. Hendrickje Cornelissen, baptized August 17, 1684: married Johannes Wyck (or Wyc- koff). 7. Michael Cornelissen, married Be- litje 8. Jacoba Cornelissen, baptized April 29, 1686; married Jan Willemse Van Couwenhoven. 9. Pieter Cornelissen, bap- tized April 29, 1686. 10. Jacobus Cornelissen, baptized October 29, 1686; married Cathe- rine -

(Il) Dominicus Cornelissen, third son of Cornelise Janse Vander Veer, was baptized November 16, 1679, in Flatbush, Long Island. His name appears in the Flatbush records in 1704-27-40 in relation to salt meadows and church funds in said town. In 1736 he was sheriff of Kings county. Late in the seven- teenth and carly in the eighteenth centuries the Dutch had taken all of the agricultural lands on the west end of Long Island, conse- quently many of the second generation of this Holland stock were forced to seek tillable acres in East Jersey. A few years after 1746 the Axtell patent in New Jersey was sold to Long Island men, the inhabitants of the Rari- tan Valley and of the vicinity of Flatbush

being at this time in close alliance. About 1750, Dominicus Vander Veer (as he signed his name) was persuaded to locate on his pat- ent along the Raritan river. He married (first) Jannetje -; one son, Cornelise, born 1700, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey; married (first) Jannetje Wyckoff: (second) Marytje Smock. Dominicus Vander Veer married (second, license dated January 28, 1703), Ma- ria Margaretta Van Orteck. Children : 1. Tu- nis, see forward. 2. Jannetje, baptized June I, 1709. 3. Jacobus, of the Raritan, baptized December 10, 1721 ; married, May 25, 1745, Fannetje Strycker. 4. Dominicus, baptized November 3, 1723 ; married, July 3, 1748, Eliz- abeth Lequeer. 5. Catlyntje, baptized July 25, 1725 ; married Jacobus Lefferts. 6. Neelt- je, baptized July, 1727 ; married, July 9, 1749, first wife of Peter Lott, of Long Island. 7. Jeromus or Jeremias, of Long Island, bap- tized March 30, 1729; married Elizabeth Dit- mas. 8. Arntje, baptized October 17, 1731 : married Cornelise Van Duyn. 9. Jan, bap- tized August 19. 1733. 10. Cornelia. 11. Hen- drick, of Monmouth county, New Jersey ; married Neeltje Van Cleef.

(III) Tunis, son of Dominicus Cornelissen Vander Veer, was born about 1704, on Long Island, and later was a resident of Freehold, New Jersey. He married, about 1723, Alchie, (laughter of Gerret Roelofse Sclienck and wife Neeltje Coertsen Van Voorhees. Most of the Vander Veers living in and about Monmouth county are the descendants of this couple, among them the late Vice-President Garret A. Hobart, on his mother's side. The farm of Tunis Vander Veer formed a portion of the battlefield of Monmouth. All the buildings were burned by the British, and on the re- turn of the family, which had taken refuge in the left wing of Washington's army, only a cat and pair of fowls could be found. On the roster of the New Jersey revolutionary troops are not to be found the names of Tunis and his sons, save one, his namesake, who was later taken prisoner at Sandy Hook and detained in the old "Sugar House" eighteen months. Tunis, the father, with his six sons and a grandson (Jacob's son Tunis) all took part that day, and the father rode as aide-de- camp for Washington ; his son Garret was a prisoner for some time; his wife communica- ted with him by concealing letters in loaves of bread. Monmouth county suffered severe- ly from the depredations of the British army, particularly in and about Freehold, where they exceeded all the others through the state. Fe- rocious and lawless as the British soldiers were, they were ontdone by the refugees who took up arms against friends and former

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neighbors. Between them occurred scenes of ferocity and incidents of individual daring to fill a volume of horrors. In order to protect their wives and daughters, and save their property from these awful dangers, the men of determination and influence drew up arti- cles of agreement to suppress the raiders. The original is to be found in the secretary of state's office at Trenton, and attached to it will be found the names of Tunis Vander Veer and his sons. Children of Tunis and Alchie (Schenck) Vander Veer: 1. John, of Marl- boro, New Jersey, born November 8, 1724. 2. Phebe, married John N. Voorhees, of New Brunswick, New Jersey. 3. Garret (see sketch). 4. Nelly, baptized January 2, 1734; married (first) Hendrick Voorhees. 5. Jacob, see forward. 6. Tunis, baptized April 19, 1739; married (first) Jane Hance; (second), -. 7. Cornelise, of Holmdel, New Jer- sey, baptized May 24, 1741 ; married (first) 1761, Jannetje Williams; (second) 1764, Ma- ria Conover. 8. Alchie, baptized 1745 ; mar- ried James Connelton. 9. David, baptized Sep- tember 25, 1748; married, February 28, 1765, Catherine Conover.

(IV) Jacob, son of Tunis Vander Veer, born May 5. 1736, died July 24, 1806. He married (first ) October, 1759. Alchie Wyc- koff, born July 21, 1736, daughter of Gerret Gerretse Wyckoff and Alchie Gerretse. Mar- ried (second) (supposed) Anna Clayton ; she married after his death at Glen, New York, October 17, 1812, Tivis Follic (Matthias Van Valkenburgh). Jacob Vander Veer and his first wife, Alchie (Wyckoff) Vander Veer, came from along the Raritan river, New Jer- sey, into the Mohawk Valley, and located in Florida, Montgomery county, a few miles south of Amsterdam, New York. Jacob was one of many who came with Washington at the time (1780) the troops came to subdue the Indian depredations. Finding the valley so rich and beautiful a country, he purchased a farm containing buildings and improvements from John Watts, the father-in-law of Sir John Johnson. He remained a year, sowed and reaped a crop of wheat, which he sold for one dollar per bushel, and thus paid off his indebtedness of $1100. He then returned to his family in New Jersey, who ere long came with him to the new home. Not long after her coming to this home, his wife died, and is buried on the farm beside Jacob. The farm was left to his youngest son Asher, with the reputation of being the best cultivated and best equipped buildings in the township. Chil- dren of first wife: I. Nelly, baptized August 3, 1760; married Warner. 2. Tunis, baptized May 29, 1762, (was a bachelor). 3.

Catherine, baptized August 3, 1763; married Cobis, or James Sutfan, of Cranberry Creek, New Jersey. 4. Garret, see forward. 5. Phebe baptized May 17, 1767, died young. 6. John, married 7. Samuel, married Betsey Denison. 8. Alchie, married Timothy Gor- dan. 9. Anna, born 1779: married William Stillwell. Children of second wife: 10. Thomas, born 1783, drowned July 19, 1800. 11. Joseph, born 1784, accidentally killcd De- cember 3, 1794. 12. Asher, born May 17, 1787, married Asenath Elliot. 13. Sally, married, February 25, 1813 (first wife) Elisha Cady. 14. Polly, married, December 30, 1810; (sup- posed) Cornelise Mount.

(V) Garret, son of Jacob Vander Veer, was born July 4. 1765. He came with his parents from New Jersey into the Mohawk Valley. At the time of their coming there was a general exodus from this state westward. Albert Cou- wenhoven and his wife Patience located near Garret's new home. They had occupied in New Jersey the adjoining farm to his grand- father, Tunis Vander Veer. They brought with them a daughter Rachel, born April 18, 1768. She, as a child of ten years, helped to carry water on that terrible day in June. 1778, from the spring on her father's farm. There are living in the present generation (1910) those who have heard from her lips the story of that day. The night before the battle her father's house was used as a shelter for the women and children of the neighborhood. She told with pride of the good night visit made by Washington accompanied by Lafayette. The former shook hands with them, followed by a kiss from Lafayette, and then the two sought their night's rest under a nearby tree. The following day she witnessed the meeting between General Washington and General Lee, and says: "What General Washington said to General Lee was not expressed in very nice language." Time passed, and on Febru- ary 29, 1788, in her father's home at Glen, she married Garret Vander Veer. For a few years they lived on and worked the farm of a cousin (or as then commonly called Uncle Peter Couwenhoven) in the town of Florida ; in 1801 they took up new land in the town of Root ; here Garret died, April 19, 1813, leaving his wife with nine sons and three daughters to rear. Children: I. Alchie, born July 29, 1789 ; married Cornelise Fero. 2. Albert, born April 18, 1791 ; married Margaret Fero. 3. Jacob, born August I, 1793; mar- ried Martha Willett. 4. Peter, born Decem- ber 18, 1796; married Jane Walker. 5. John G .. born May 10, 1798: married Ann Voor- hees. 6. Thomas, born October 14, 1800, died young. 7. and 8. Thomas and Joseph, twins,

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born March 23, 1802, Thomas married (first) Roba Hoag; (second) Mary Mercy Corbin, widow of James Carr. Joseph married Har- riet Allen. 9. Abraham Harris, see forward. 10. Patience, born July 9, 1807, died young. II. Katherine, born June 4, 1810, died young. 12. Garret, born May 9, 1813; married Mary Allen. The descendants in Montgomery coun- ty are numerous, filling all stations in life, but usually are farmers of substance and prominence.

(VI) Abraham Harris, eighth son of Gar- ret and Rachel (Couwenhoven ) Vander Veer, was born in the town of Root, Montgomery county, New York, June 18, 1804, died Au- gust 19, 1888. He was one of the founders of the village of Leatherville (Rural Grove), where in partnership with Henry Stowitts he established and operated a large tannery. He was reared in the Dutch church, but his wife was a member of the Christian church. He married, September 27, 1826, Sarah Martin, daughter of Barent P. Martin and first wife, Hester McGraw, of Fort Hunter. Sarah Martin was of an early English Martin fam- ily who first located in New Hampshire ; later a branch settled in the Piscataway Valley, New Jersey, and at Albany and Fort Hunter. Children : 1. Rachel, born September 27, 1827, died young. 2. Esther, born January 14, 1830, died May 30, 1909; married, June 10, 1852, John Craig ; children : i. Janet, died young ; ii. Ada, married William J. Walker, five chil- dren ; iii. Marcia, died October 4, 1899, mar- ried Martin Van Buren, two sons; iv. Stuart, died young; v. Marion Mead; vi. Margaret, died November 1, 1895; married Robert P. Thorn, Jr., three sons. 3. Patience, born March 17, 1832, died March 7, 1902; mar- ried, June 20, 1855. Charles W. Marselius ; children: i. Willard Charles, M.D., died De- cember 24, 1893, married Gertrude Wheeler ; ii. Sarah, married (first) Dr. Frank O. Cor- nell: (second) Rev. Enoch Powell; two sons; iii. Esther, married Franklin Potter Toll; two children ; iv. Marcia, died May 13, 1901 ; mar- ried George H. Brewster ; two sons. 4. Mar- tin, born May 6, 1834; married, February I, 1860, Katherine L. Potter ; children : i. Katlı- erine Potter ; ii. Bradford Martin, died March 14, 1895; iii. Rollin Garret, died young; iv. Marcia Moulton. 5. Garrett, born August 28, 1836, died February 24, 1864; married, De- cember 18, 1861, Margaret Kline; child, John Craig, died young. Garrett was made captain of Company A, One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment New York Volunteers. At the bat- tle of Olustee, Florida, he was four times se- verely wounded, but refused to leave the field until the figlit was ended; his men, in relays

of four, carried him on a stretcher through the woods and swamps a distance of nineteen miles to Barbers: he then was placed in an open car, crowded with suffering men, rode all day Sunday and until after midnight on this train, which at times was drawn by mules. At Jacksonville he was placed on a hospital boat and carried to Beaufort, South Carolina, where he died shortly after his arrival and was buried there, attended to his grave by many of the wounded members of his regi- ment and his brethren of the Masonic frater- nity. Later his remains were brought to Ful- tonville, New York. Post Vander Veer, Grand Army of the Republic, at Fonda, New York, is named in his honor; at the time of his death he had been promoted to lieutenant- colonel and his commission was even then in transit. General Seymour caused a redoubt in the fortifications at Jacksonville to be named Vander Veer in honor of his memory, and noticed his gallantry in general orders. 6. Jane Ann, born November 1, 1838, died May 18, 1910; married (first) Aaron Lillen- back: (second) Charles E. Shires; children of first marriage : i. Abraham H., died young ; ii. Albert V., married Ella A. Mosher ; eight children ; iii. Garret V., married Adele L. Whitaker; iv. Mary L., died young ; v. Lucy Kate; vi. Martin Aaron, died young. 7. Al- bert, see forward. 8. Putnam Enders, died young. 9. Sarahı E. F., died young. 10. Wil- lian Putnam Enders, born March 1, 1851.

(VII) Albert, seventh child and third son of Abraham Harris and Sarah (Martin) Van- der Veer, was born in Root, Montgomery county, New York, July 10, 1841. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Canajoharie, Union Free School, Palatine, and in Canajoharie Academy. At the age of eighteen and nineteen he studied medicine un- der the direction of Dr. Simeon Snow (see forward), of Currytown, New York, and later was a student under Dr. John Swinburne, a physician and surgeon of renown in Albany, afterward attaining a national reputation. In 1861 he attended a full course of lectures at Albany Medical College, and in 1862 a second course at the National Medical College, medi- cal department, Columbian University, now the George Washington University, from which he was graduated December 23, 1862. In May, 1862, he enlisted in the United States Medical Corps, one of the original "One Hun- dred Medical Cadets" called to service by the surgeon-general of the United States army, they having studied medicine two years and attended one full course of lectures and pass- ing a satisfactory examination, to act as in- ternes in the military hospitals. After tak-

Albert VanderVeer

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ing the examination he was assigned to Co- lumbia College Hospital, and was soon in- formed by Dr. Crosby, surgeon-in-charge, that if they (he and two or three other cadets) would arise early and attend to all their dress- ings they could have from 2 to 8 in which to attend lectures, graduate, and get their di- plomas. · After passing a New York state ex- amination he was commissioned in December, 1862, assistant surgeon of the Sixty-sixth Reg- iment New York Volunteers, and ordered to join his regiment at Falmouth, Virginia. Soon after he was detailed as assistant to one of the chief operators at brigade hospital, Third Brigade, First Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. In June, 1864, on the recommendation of every officer in the regi- ment, he was appointed by Surgeon-General Quackenbush and Governor Seymour, of New York, surgeon in charge of the regiment, with the rank of major. Soon after he was ap- pointed one of the surgeons of the First Di- vision hospital, Second Army Corps, and placed in charge of an operating table. Here he gained his first actual experience in opera- tive surgery that was henceforth to be his specialty. He was with his regiment in all their battles after the first Fredericksburg ex- ·cept Ream's Station, when ill, up to the sur- render at Appomattox. At that historic event he had the pleasure of witnessing the meeting between General Grant and General Lee. He was mustered out of the service in September, I865.

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Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume I, Part 49

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 656

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 656