USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume I > Part 51
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(IV) Melgert, son of Melgert Wynantse and Ariaantje ( Verplanck ) Van der Poel, was baptized in Albany, and resided in Kinder- hook, New York, until his marriage, when he removed to Poelsburgh, where he died. He married, May 17, 1696, Catharina, daughter of Lourens (Laurence) and Elbertje (Evert- se) Van Alen. She inherited a large estate from her father, who was a son-in-law of de Bruyn, to whom a large patent of land on the Hudson river had been granted. Children, and dates of baptism: Elbertje, February 3. 1697, married Martin Van Deusen, Decem- ber 23, 1719; Ariaantje, September 3, 1699; Lourens, January 26, 1701, married, October 29, 1726, Ariaantje Van den Bergh; Maria, January 10, 1703, married, November 8, 1724, David Groesbeck; Johannes, see forward ; Abraham, February 9, 1707, married, October 26, 1738, Elizabeth Quinlen ; Jacobus ( James), April 17, 1709, married, October 16, 1740, Neeltje Huyck : Isaac, October 14, 1711, mar- ried Anna -; Catryna, December 16, 1716.
(V) Johannes, son of Melgert and Catha- rina (Van Alen) Van der Poel, was born on his father's estate in Kinderhook, New York, March 4, 1705, died there April 11, 1777; but was interred in Poelsburgh. It is thought that he was a widower (having married on
November 8, 1736, but to whom unknown) when he married Annatje ( Nautje or Annie), daughter of Dr. Samuel and Catharine ( How- arden) Staats. This marriage took place on May 5, 1743, at the house on the Flatts (be- tween Albany and Troy) of Madam Schuy- ler, "The American Lady," whose niece and adopted daughter she was. His wife was the granddaughter of Major Abraham Staats, sur- geon, who came to Rensselaerwyck in 1642, with Dominie Megapolensis, and whose wife was Catrina Jochemse Wessels. Major Staats was a prominent leader during Leis- ler's administration of the government, and probably left New York to settle in Poels- burgh soon after its collapse. Children : Isaac, see forward; Maria, married, Novem- ber 19, 1762, Laurence Van Dyck : Catherine, married John Pruyn, October 27, 1767; Eltje, baptized April 22, 1750, married John Van Valkenbergh: Sarah. married (first) John Van Alstyne, (second) Colonel Jacob Scher- merhorn.
(VI) Isaac, son of Johannes and Annatje (Annie) ( Staats) Van der Poel, was born in Kinderhook, December 8, 1747, and was bap- tized in Albany, December 25, 1747, with Philip Schuyler and Geertruy Lansing as sponsors. He died in Chatham, Columbia county, New York, December 25, 1807. He was commissioned adjutant of the Seventh regiment ( Kinderhook district ), October 20, 1775, and was removed from this position for disaffection to the American government. He afterwards joined the British forces and com- manded a company of refugees on Staten Island. While acting in this capacity, he was taken sick, and it is said that through the in- fluence of his mother with her relative, Gen- eral Philip Schuyler, a pass through the Amer- ican lines was secured for him. She brought him to her home, cared for him tenderly until his complete recovery, and then returned him to his company on Staten Island. His estate was confiscated by the government, and he was thus rendered almost penniless. He was a man of extraordinary intellect, and of a frank, noble and generous nature, but he never enjoyed a day of peace after the mis- taken step he took in the revolution. Fol- lowing his marriage, he purchased a small farm in the village of Chatham, over the hill and about a mile and a half from Kinderhook lake, where he passed the remainder of his days quietly.
Isaac Van der Poel married Moyca ( Mayke, or May), daughter of Jacobus (James), of Pompaonie, and Elizabeth (Van Dyck Huyck. She was born October 17, 1758, died
in Stuyvesant, New York, No-
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vember 20, 1827. and was interred in the Kinderhook cemetery. Her mother was the daughter of Arent and Heyltie (Van Alen) Van Dyck, who had, beside Moyca. children named Arent and Burger. Arent Van Dyck, the maternal grandfather of Isaac Van der Poel, was one of His Majesty's jus- tices of the peace for the colony. He was a gentleman of education and talents, and the general scribe for the region in which he lived. He was a lineal descendant of Hen- drick Van Dyck, who was the attorney-gen- eral of the Dutch province of New York, and who came from the West Indies with Gover- nor Stuyvesant. He and Stuyvesant were two obstinate Dutchmen, and seem to have quar- reled all the way from the West Indies to New York. Children: Anne, born January 3, 1785, died September 5. 1787; James, see forward; Anne, July 30, 1789, died April 3. 1793: Elizabeth, January 19, 1791, married Lucas J. Van Alen, January 16, 1815. died August 23, 1833 : John. August 24, 1796, mar- ried, January 14, 1823. Sarah W. Oakley, died October 27, 1851 : Aaron, February 5. 1799. married (first). September 3. 1821, Harriet Baldwin, who died in April, 1837; married (second), April 2. 1839, Ellen Mc- Bride.
(VII) James, son of Isaac and Moyca (Huyck) Van der Poel, was born in Kinder- hook, Columbia county, New York, January 10, 1787, died in Albany, October 3. 1843. He was a judge and most highly respected all his life by members of the bar and ac- quaintances generally. For many years pre- vious to his appointment to the bench, Judge Van der Poel had acquired a high reputation at the bar and was prominent in both public and professional life among the eminent men of his day in Columbia county. As a circuit judge of the third judicial district of the state, he was distinguished for learning, abil- ity and promptitude, for rapid and clear- sighted views of the law and the facts, as he was also in his intercourse with his fellow- citizens for all manly and honorable qualities. But if his public life was honorable and ele- vated, his domestic living was eminently beautiful. He was truly the venerated and beloved center of a family circle that appre- ciated the great and good qualities that shed lustre over his life and sustained and cheered the long period of his illness. To all, indeed, who were allied to him by the ties of family or kindred, or who came within the circle of his friendship, he was an object of the highest respect and the warmest attachments. Judge James Van der Poel married, April 19, 1808, Anna, born July 19. 1782, daughter of the
Rev. George Jacob Leonard Doll ; she died in Albany, March 14, 1855. Children: Eliza- beth, born May 22, 1810, married, June 22, 1841, John Van Buren, died November 18, 1844; Susan Christina, February 16, 1812, married, September 10, 1833. William Coop- er, died March 30, 1841 ; Sarah Ann, April 26, 1816, married, December 2, 1835, James M. French, died November 30, 1857; Mary, June 25. 1818, died April 9, 1821 : Isaac. see for- ward: Harriet, June 6, 1824, married, Septem- ber 10. 1844, Joseph Christopher Yates Paige, died at Albany.
(VIII) Isaac (2), son of Judge James and Anna ( Doll) Van der Poel, was born in Kin- derhook, May 7. 1821, died at his home in Al- bany, No. 59 Eagle street. December 28, 1868. He was buried in the Albany Rural cemetery. He received a classical education at Williams College, where he was graduated with the very highest honors. He prepared for the profession of law and became eminent in prac- tice. He attained high public position ; was assistant adjutant-general under Governor Horatio Seymour, and on the death of Adju- tant-General Temple, succeeded him in office, serving on the governor's staff. In 1861-62 he was in charge of New York state military supplies. In 1867 he was corporation coun- sel of the city of Albany. He was an elo- quent and pleasing speaker and popular on the lecture platform as well as in demand as a political speaker. He was an ardent Demo- crat, very pronounced in his views, yet strongly anti-slavery and a strong advocate of the preservation of the Union. He was a valued contributor to the columns of the Army and Navy Gasette, and other service maga- zines, having an unusual knowledge of mili- tary matters. During the civil war he served as a member of the Albany board of alder- men and warmly espoused and advocated all patriotic measures adopted by the city for the raising and care of troops. He was a mem- ber of the Dutch Reformed church and liberal in its support. He always retained a lively interest in his college fraternity, Sigma Phi. Isaac Van der Poel married, May 14. 1850, Susan Foster, born at Harrisburg, Pennsyl- vania, June 30, 1832, died at her home, No. 453 State street, Albany, October 11, 1907. She was the daughter of Adams and Mary (Keith) Foster. She was one of the most interested of those concerned in the movement inaugurated by Bishop Doane for the institu- tion of the Cathedral of All Saints. To all manner of church work she was devoted so long as her health permitted, teaching in the Cathedral's Sunday school for a great many years, and giving very largely of her time to
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the promotion of the charitable works of that congregation. Her kindly word and act have brought cheer to many an individual in suf- fering, worry and want, and no one in the large congregation was more missed when her ministration ceased. Children: Isaac, born at No. 5 Oak street, Albany, June 8, 1851, married in Brooklyn, New York, May 21, 1896, Minnie Buckmaster, no children; Mary Keith, born at Albany, November 26, 1854, married, Albany, December 21, 1875, Marcus T. Hun ; James, born at Albany, Sep- tember 27, 1857, residing in 1910 at No. 453 State street, Albany ; Henry Adams, born at Albany, October 28. 1861, died at New York, February 8, 1898, married Grace McClure Ol- cott ; child, Henry Adams; Susan, see for- ward.
(IX) Susan, daughter of Isaac and Susan ( Foster) Van der Poel, was born in Albany, New York, August 12, 1866. She received her education at St. Agnes' school in that city and is a member of the Cathedral of All Saints. She married, Albany, June 3, 1903, Joseph Pacificus Ord, Bishop William Cros- well Doane officiating, and they reside at No. 459 State street, Albany. Child: Susan Van der Poel Ord, born in New York City, April 22, 1908.
Joseph Pacificus Ord was born at Monterey, California, April 30, 1852. His father was Pacificus Ord, born at Cumberland, Mary- land, in 1816, died at Washington, D.C., May II, 1900, son of James Ord, born in England, and Rebecca Ruth (Cresap) Ord, of Cumber- land, Maryland. His mother was Maria Lou- isa ( Pogue) Ord, who was born in Maryland, died in California in 1854, daughter of John S. and Lucinda Elizabeth Lee (Snow) Pogue. His parents were married in New Orleans in 1849, and took up their residence in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Ord received his education at Yale, graduating in the class of 1873, and was a member of the college society, Skull and Bones. For a number of years he was vice-president of the General Electric Company at Schenectady, and by pro- fession is a lawyer. He is a member of the Fort Orange club, the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society, the Country Club, and the University Club of New York City. His summer home is at Westport, Essex county, New York, and his residence is No. 459 State street, Albany, New York.
WILLETT The family name of Willett is sometimes to be met with in history spelled Willet or Willets, and as such is in common use in vari- ous sections of the country, also other varia-
tions in less nsnal degree. The family has: gained an enduring place in American his- tory, several members having achieved snc- cess and greatness in the early generations, down through the American revolution and' later.
(I) The progenitor of this family in Amer- ica was Captain Thomas Willet, or Willett,. who came from Leyden, Holland, where he- had been sojourning with other Puritans, to. Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1629, or the- spring of 1630, when twenty years of age. He was sent to Penobscot, Maine, to super- intend a trading house, but returned shortly and engaged in the carrying trade between New England colonies and New Amsterdam, acquiring landed interests in 1645. He was- a navigator from 1651 to 1664, when, on the- request of Colonel Nicholson, he accompa- nied him on his expedition of the English against the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. On the change of the charter of the city of New York to an English form, he was ap- pointed the first mayor of that city by Gov- ernor Richard Nicolls, June 12, 1665, and' held that office again in 1667. When the. Dutch retook the colony in 1673, his property in New York was confiscated. and he retired" to New England, settling in Rohoboth, or- Swansea, later known as Seconek, Massachu- setts, and died there August 3, 1674. ( This town, with adjacent land, set off as in Rhode. Island, in 1747, hence some accounts state he retired to Barringtown, Rhode Island. ) Thom- as Willett married, July 6, 1636, Mary, daugh -- ter of John Brown, of Swansea, who died January 8, 1669. They had fourteen children, one of them, Thomas, who became a soldier, was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Octo- ber 1, 1646; was major commanding the. Queens county militia, and summoned them to. meet the French under the Marquis Denon- ville in 1687; was a councillor under Sir Ed- mund Andros. Samuel, fourteenth child' of Thomas and Mary ( Brown) Willett, was born October 27, 1658, settled on Long Island, where he became the sheriff of Queens county, and practiced the belief of a Quaker. He had three children. Edward, eldest child' of Samuel Willett, was born in 1701, died in New York in 1794: child, Marinus, born in Jamaica, Long Island, July 31, 1740. He. served with distinction as lieutenant in Gen- cral Abercrombie's expedition against Fort Ticonderoga in 1758, and participated in the· capture of Fort Frontenac; was a leader in the Sons of Liberty in New York City; in. August, 1777, while second in command at Fort Stanwix (Rome, New York), he led a. sally against Colonel Barry St. Leger, thus-
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giving the victory to the militia at Oriskany ; joined Washington's army in 1778, and ac- companied General John Sullivan's expedition against the Six Nations. He died in New York City, August 23, 1830.
The Willetts of the second and third gen- erations had produced large families, residing for the most part in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in Rhode Island, New York City, Long Island, and the upper part of New Jersey.
(I) Thomas J. Willett was born October 15, 1812, in New Jersey. He was a carriage manufacturer by trade. He married Phoebe Breese, born May 20, 1817. Children : John Crigen, born May 30, 1837; Oscar D., March 12, 1839; Willis L., December 21, 1840; Eu- gene Merritt, August 12, 1842, see forward; A. Cyrene, April 19, 1844; Josephine E., July 18, 1846; Gertrude L., July 20, 1848; Robert Allen, November 3, 1858.
(II) Dr. Eugene Merritt, son of Thomas J. and Phoebe (Breese) Willett, was born in Nunda, New York, August 12, 1842. He was educated in the schools of his native town, learned dentistry, and practiced in Albany many years, where he became one of the most prominent in his profession. He was a mem- ber of the Dutch Reformed church, active in all that church undertook and holding several offices in its conduct. Dr. Willett married Laura Phelps, September 22, 1870, daughter of Avery Phelps. Children : Edward Cyrene, born September 3, 1871, see forward; Frances Eugenia, born December 12, 1873, died March 13, 1908; Eugene Russell, August 22, 1886.
(III) Edward Cyrene, son of Dr. Eugene Merritt and Laura (Phelps) Willett, was born in Newark, Wayne county, New York, September 3, 1871. He was reared in Albany, educated in schools of that city, where he pre- pared for the College of Dentistry, and as- sisted his father for a number of years in his profession. He, however, gave up dentistry and took up the mineral water business, in which he continued with success. His com- panionable nature made many friends for him and he gained a wide circle of acquaintances by affiliation with a number of organizations, in which he took considerable interest. He became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. holding the office of district department grand master of the Albany district No. 1, of Phoe- nix Lodge No. 41, of the former society. He is a member of the Albany Encampment No. 58; Royal Welcome Rebekah Lodge No. 272, and Jabel Santorum No. 89, O. O. H & P. Mr. Willett married, November 8, 1891, Har- riet May, born May 24. 1873, daughter of Frank and Idelia (Keller) Cramer. Children :
Herbert Cyrene, born May 23, 1903; Helen Martina, March 6, 1906.
The American chronicle of this TRACEY branch of the Tracys begins in the early part of the nineteenth century with Dr. Daniel Tracey (who changed the spelling of the name). Of an Irish branch of the well-known English family, and by much the eldest of four orphaned children, a graduate of Trinity College and of its medical school, he was a practicing physician residing in Kings county, Ireland, when the accidental death by drowning of a younger brother, to whom he was fondly attached, led him to de- cide on a change of residence to Canada. Af- ter a shipwreck in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, he arrived in Montreal in the year 1825, hav- ing with him his brother, John, then a lad of fourteen years, and his sister, Ann, aged fif- teen. This sister afterwards married Charles Wilson, who later became mayor of the city of Montreal, and a senator for life of the Do- minion, and was made knight commander of the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Pius IX.
Canada was then in an agitation over pub- lic grievances growing out of the "Family Compact," and other abuses of administration. Dr. Tracey, espousing the popular cause, founded at Montreal and edited The l'indica- tor, the leading anti-government newspaper in the English language published in the lower province. He attacked the government so fiercely that he was arraigned before the legis- lative council on a charge of contempt, and, refusing to retract, was committed to prison. A local history of Quebec relates that on the night of his condemnation, the jail was sur- rounded by a crowd cheering and singing pa- triotic songs. Some of the youthful patriots in this crowd afterwards became leaders of the Conservative party and government min- isters. In the spring of 1832 Dr. Tracey was put up for parliament for Montreal West, and after an exciting election, lasting thirty days, was elected by a majority of three votes. He died of the cholera in 1832 without taking his parliamentary seat. In 1837 the rebellion broke out. It was speedily crushed. After hanging all the leaders that could be caught. the English government granted the principal reforms contended for by the rebels.
(I) John Tracey, who as a child had been an inmate of his brother's home, had obtained his education and was engaged in business at the beginning of the rebellion. Although he took no part in the outbreak, word was brought him privately that an information was to be lodged against him. He quickly left Canada and came to the United States,
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settling in Albany in 1839. After traveling in the South, he decided on New Orleans as a location, but did not long remain there. He returned to Albany. where he later became established in successful business and promi- nent in civic public life. He was a member of the Democratic party, a friend of Governor Seymour and other public men of his day, re- ceiving and entertaining them socially at his home. His residence in Albany for twenty- four years was the old Schuyler Mansion, in which he had a life tenancy during the life- time of Mrs. Millard Fillmore, widow of President Fillmore. He served as alderman from the old First ward; member of the board of police commissioners and of the board of education ; in 1872 was defeated by a narrow majority as a candidate for the state senate; was a trustee of the Albany Savings Bank, was a member of the board of trade. He was a Catholic in religion, and deeply interested in the welfare of his church and the various charities under her control. He was trustee of the Cathedral of the Im- maculate Conception. St. Agnes Cemetery, St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum and a governor of Albany City Hospital. He married, in Can- ada, Maria McCarthy, daughter of a retired English army officer. Lieutenant Charles Mc- Carthy, a soldier under Wellington, debarred from higher rank through his religion and re- fusal to take the oath of abjuration. John Tracey died July 12, 1875. Maria McCarthy Tracey, born in the Isle of Wight in 1812, died February 5, 1880. There were nine chil- dren of this marriage, four only of whom survived infancy.
(II) Colonel John (2) Tracey, son of John (1) Tracey, was born November 29, 1843. He graduated at Mount Saint Mary's College, Emmettsburg, Maryland, where he took his A. B. and after a course at the Albany Law School was admitted to the bar and began . to passage many important measures, one of practice in the office of Peter Cagger. After which was "to enforce the eight-hour law on government premises." So well was his work appreciated that in 1890 he was again elected to congress. He was especially honored by President Cleveland, and was his spokesman on the floor of the house. He rounded out his last congressional term full of honors, leav- ing a record without a stain, and at the time of his death was the national chairman of the Gold Democratic party. He took strong ground on sound money, tariff and labor questions. He was quiet, unassuming in manner, sunny in disposition, firm in his opin- ions, an ideal, true and courageous standard bearer. Ile held many positions of honor and trust outside of his political ones. For nine- teen years he was a trustee of the Albany Sav- the breaking out of the civil war he entered the army as a lieutenant, and served on the staff of Brigadier-General Michael Corcoran, commander of the Irish brigade, seeing hard service in the Army of the Potomac and be- ing mentioned in dispatches for conspicuous gallantry. He was mustered in as major of the Eighteenth Regiment, New York Light Cavalry, October 15, 1863 : was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, December 28, 1864, with rank from November 25. 1864. He was mus- tered out June 12, 1865, at New Orleans, Louisiana, with the brevet rank of colonel, being then in command of his regiment. In 1867 Colonel Tracey married Katherine Clin- ton Vernam, who survives her husband, and
resides in New York City. Their children are Minnie, Ernest Clinton and Katherine.
(II) Charles, son of John (1) Tracey, was born in Albany, New York, May 27, 1847, died in the same city, March 24, 1905. He attended primary schools, then entered the Boys' Academy, where he was graduated in the class of 1866. He had a natural aptitude for military drill and was major of the cadet battalion. In 1866 he went abroad, visited the Holy Land, and remained in Europe some time, and during the period enlisted and served two years in the Pontifical Zouaves, returning home in 1869. In 1870 he went to Rome and took part in the siege of that city against the king's forces. He was captured and held a prisoner for a time. He returned to New York City and engaged in business. He there organized the Catholic Union, and became its first secretary. He then returned to Albany, which was ever after his home. After returning from his military career in Rome. Pope Pius IX. conferred upon him the order of St. Gregory the Great with the rank and title of Chevalier. His life from this time was devoted to the public service. He was an unwavering Democrat, and first held sev- eral entirely honorary offices. He was on the staff of Governor Tilden with the, rank of colonel, and under Governor Robinson was commissary-general. In 1887 he was nomi- nated and elected to congress to fill a vacancy. He at once took a leading position in the house, and the first fruit of his labor was the bill for "the continuance of the manufacture of large cannon at Watervliet." In Septem- ber the appropriation for the Watervliet gun factory was passed and signed by President Cleveland. In 1888 he was renominated and elected for a second congressional term. He served that term with especial credit and bene- fit to his district. He introduced and forced
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ings Bank, as was his father; was a director for fifteen years of the National Commercial bank ; trustee of the Boys' Academy; St. Ag- nes cemetery ; manager of St. Peter's hospi- tal, trustee of the House of Refuge, at Hud- son, appointed by Governor Cleveland and re- appointed by Governor Hill. He was a Cath- olic in religion, and the beauty and purity of his life is thus expressed by a friend :
"He kept the faith, he chose the purer thought, L'pheld the truth and spoke with cleanly lips, Untarnished walked the halls where men are bought
And served his country more than politics. Tol'rant of weakness in his fellowmen, Impatient only of the gross and vile, His life was plotted on a noble plan, He viewed the future with a trustful smile. Gentle and true he leaves an honored name
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