USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II > Part 20
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(III) Richardson, son of Francis and Su- sannah (Matthews) Thurman, was born in
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New York City, May 1, 1755, died at Thur- man, New York, April 6, 1806. He located on the Thurman patent in Washington, now Warren county, New York, and was a large landowner. He served in the Washington county militia, and was commissioned major, November 6, 1793, by Governor Clinton. He married, in 1799, Catherine Low, and had issue.
(IV) James Low, second son of Richard- son and Catherine (Low) Thurman, was born at Thurman, now Warrensburg, War- ren county, New York, July 30, 1783, died there November 13, 1826. He was a man of wealth and importance in the countv. He was sheriff of Warren county, receiving the appointment from Governor Clinton, March 16, 1818. In 1820 he was a member of the state legislature, representing the counties of Washington and Warren. During the war of 1812-14, he received a lieutenant's com- mission dated April 13, 1814, from Gover- nor Daniel D. Tompkins, and was engaged at the battle of Plattsburgh. He was widely known among the public men of his day, and enjoyed the personal friendship of De Witt Clinton, Governor Tompkins, Aaron Burr and other eminent men. He married, Sep- tember 27, 1802, Catherine Cameron, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, coming to Warrens- burg, New York, when fifteen years of age. They were parents of five sons and five daughters, two of whom died in childhood.
(V) Richardson Harrison, third son of James Low and Catherine (Cameron) Thur- man, was born in Warrensburg, Warren county, New York, July 12, 1811. He was educated in the schools of his native town and Lake George. His first employment was as a clerk in the store of George Pattison. After the death of his father in 1826, being then fifteen, he left home and went to Keese- ville, Essex county, New York, where he was successively employed from January, 1827, until September 1, 1831, by Forsyth & Pea- body, Pope & Ball and their successors. On the latter date he removed to Troy, New York, where for five years he was in the employ of Sillman, Grant & Company, and White. Baker & Monell, merchants of that city. In 1836 he became associated in bus- iness with Alsop and Jared H. Weed, which connection existed until 1854, when it was dissolved. From 1854 until 1863, he was en- gaged in mercantile business solely on his own account. From 1851 he had been iden- tified with the banking interests of Troy and his natural aptitude for the details of that business caused him to finally engage perma- nently in banking business. In 1851 he had
assisted in organizing the Union Bank of Troy, and was one of the first board of di- rectors. In 1863 he organized the First Na- tional Bank of Troy, of which he was the first and only cashier from its organization, in 1863, until the charter expired and it passed out of existence, February 24, 1883. In 1866, he organized the State Knitting Company of Cohoes, New York, in company with others, and was one of the first trustees of this, also secretary and treasurer from its organization until his death, December 4, 1897. He was gifted in an eminent degree in all that pertained to trade and commerce and thoroughly posted in all laws and rules governing monetary transactions, this the re- sult of years of close study and observa- tion. His career was a successful one, well earned and deserved. He married, May 18, 1836, Catherine L. M., daughter of Philip Van Buskirk, of Troy. Two children were born to them: Harriet L., deceased, and Sa- rah, now (1909) a resident of Troy, New York. Mr. Thurman was a member of the Washington Volunteers, the first organized fire department in Troy, New York.
(The Van Buskirk Line).
Van Boskeick, Van Buskirk, Boskeick, Bus- kirk. This name is from Bos and Keick, and with the Van signifies "from the church in the woods."
The American ancestor of Catherine L. Van Buskirk (Mrs. Richardson H. Thurman) was Laurens Andriessen Van Boskeick (Van Bus- kirk), who came to America from Holstein, Denmark, in the summer of 1655. The first record of him is in New Amsterdam, in a deed made to him June 29, 1656, for a lot on Broad street of that town. He was then un- married and was a turner by trade; after- ward he was in business as a draper. Shortly after the settlement of Bergen, New Jersey, he purchased the tract of land previously granted to Claus Carstersen, the Norman, at Minkakwa, now Greenville, New Jersey. He took the oath of allegiance to the king of Great Britain, November 20, 1665. He was a man of more than ordinary ability for the times, and soon acquired great influence among his neighbors. When the country was recaptured by the Dutch and the people expected a for- feiture of their lands, he with three others appeared at Fort William Hendrick, August 18, 1672, that "then plantations be confirmed in the privileges which they obtained from the previous Patroons." When a contest arose between the town of Bergen and the inhabi- tants of Minkakwa and Pemprepogh concern- ing fences and the support of a schoolmaster,
Het Thinman ,
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he again appeared before the council to plead the cause of his neighbors. Under the act of November 7, 1668, for the marking of horses and cattle, he was appointed "Recorder and Marker for Minkakwa," April 6, 1670, and "Marker General" for the town of Bergen, October 8, 1676. On the last named day he was also appointed "Ranger" for Bergen, with power to name deputies "to range the woods and bring in stray horses, mares and cattle". He was commissioned a member of the Bergen court, February 16, 1677, February 18, 1680, and president of the same. August 31, 1681, and president of the county court, August 31, I682.
He was a member of the governor's council for many years, appointed first March 18, 1672. To him belongs the honor of hold- ing the first commission to administer "Crown- er's quest law" in the county, having been appointed January 18, 1672, to hold an in- quest on a child who had died under suspicious circumstances. Jointly with others he pur- chased, January 6, 1676, a large tract of land, then known as "New Hackensack," upon which he resided as early as 1688. He mar- ried Jannetje Jans, widow of Christian Barent- sen, September 12, 1658. With her he re- ceived a fortune consisting of about one hun- dred and forty-four florins "Heavy money, ten wampuns beads for one stiver." He also received with his wife, four sons, children of her first marriage. Laurens and Jannetje Van Buskirk both died in 1694, and left four sons : I. Andrus, a member of the sixth provincial assembly of New Jersey, 1710. 2. Laurens (2), a member of the fifth provincial assembly of New Jersey, 1709. 3. Pieter, married Trintje Harmanse. 4. Major Thomas E., see forward.
(II) Major Thomas L. Van Buskirk, fourth son of Laurens A. and Jannetje Van Buskirk, was born about 1658. In a list of the mem- bers of the Hackensack (New Jersey ) Dutch Church his name appears with that of his wife as members prior to 1700. His will, which is recorded in the office of the secretary of state at Trenton, New Jersey, is dated Hunterdon county, New Jersey. (Liber 5, page 539, 1743 to 1748). He probably was resident of Hackensack, Bergen county, New Jersey, as that was where his fourth son was born, and was the home of the two succeeding generations. Laurens and Andrus, his broth- ers, lived at Saddle River, Bergen county, while Pieter, the other brother, lived at Con- stapels Hoeck (Constable Hook), which he owned and where descendants yet reside. He married, about 1688, Marietje Hendrickje Van der Linde, who bore him children : John, Abra-
ham, Pieter, Laurens (3), see forward; Isaac, Michael, Fitze, Geertruy and Margrietje.
(11I) Laurens, fourth son of Major Thom- as E. and Marietje H. (Van der Linde) Van Buskirk, was born at Hackensack, New Jer- sey, about 1704. He married, May 7, 1726, Sara, baptized in 1708, daughter of John Ter- hune, of Flatlands and Hackensack, and his wife Elizabeth Bartholf, daughter of Rev. Guillam Bartholf, the first settled pastor of the Dutch church of Hackensack. Sara sur- vived him, and married (second) Cornelia de Reamer, June 2, 1741. Laurens and Sara Van Buskirk had three children living at the time of their father's death : I. Altje, baptized in 1727. 2. Jan (John), baptized in 1729. 3. Hendrickja, baptized in 1732. See "Hacken- sack marriages," and "New York Genealogi- cal and Biographical Records," page 159.
(IV) John, second child of Laurens and Sara (Terhune) Van Buskirk, was baptized at Hackensack, New Jersey, in May, 1729. He removed to Athens, Greene county, New York, and later settled on the Hoosick patent, at Hoosick, Rensselaer county, New York, With nine others, September 27, 1770, he petitioned the government for ten thousand acres of land in New Hampshire, county of Gloucester, and within the province of New York. (See "New York Colonial Papers," vol. xxvii, page 102). He married, about 1750, Esther Van Horn, born about 1729, died April 4. 1807. (See Dutch Ref. Church, Athens and Greene county history ).
(V) Martin, son of John and Esther (Van Horn) Van Buskirk, was born February 18, 1755, died May 18, 1828. He was a resident of Hoosick, New York, and built the first bridge across the Hoosick river at that point. The village is now called "Buskirks Bridge." He was a soldier of the revolution, in the Second Company, Fourteenth Regiment, New York, in active service from July 23 to Oc- tober 13, 1779, from May 17 to June 17, 1780, and from October 10 to November 24. 1781. He was under Captain Jacob Yates, March 4, 1780, Colonel Peter Yates regiment, and under Colonel Lewis Van Woert. (See "New York Rev. War Rolls.") He married, February 8, 1780, Maria, born November 29, 1760, died February 17, 1842, daughter of Philip Van Ness, of an early Rensselaer county family. They were parents of ten children, among whom was Philip Van Ness, of whom further. (VI) Philip Van Ness, eldest son of Martin and Maria (Van Ness) Van Buskirk, was born November 2, 1780, died October 28, 1865. He was a resident and in business at Lansingburg, Renssalaer county, New York. He married, April 22, 1801, Wealthea Ann
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Day, born August 31, 1780, died January 18, 1843.
(VII) Catherine L. M., daughter of Philip Van Ness and Wealthea Ann (Day) Van Bus- kirk, was born February 9, 1815, died De- cember 9, 1884. She married, May 18, 1836, Richardson H. Thurman, of Troy, New York, and had issue. (See Thurman.)
JENKINS Several of this name came to this country at an early date. Edward of Scituate, Massa- chusetts, is the probable ancestor of the branch of the family that settled in Hudson, New York. A branch is of Welsh descent and was founded in this country by David Jenkins about the year 1700. This is the Chester county, Pennsylvania, family. John Jenkins, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, came over in the "Defence" and settled in Plymouth, Massa- chusetts, and is the founder of many of the Jenkins families. Edward Jenkins came from England as an employee of Nathaniel Tilden in or prior to 1643, in which year his name first appears in the town records of Scituate, Massachusetts. He was one of the Conihas- sett partners in 1646; in 1647 was made a freeman. He kept an ordinary for several years, and was representative to the general court in 1657. He died at Scituate in 1699, and his will discloses the fact that he was one of the liberal Puritans then residing there, for in that document he says: "It is my will, that bread and beer be served at my funeral. Also that a sermon be preached." At that time among the more rigid Nonconformists, funeral sermons, or even prayers, were forbidden be- cause the established church observed these practices. The maiden name of his first wife is unknown. In 1684 he married (second) Mary Ripley, widow, of Hingham. His chil- dren of record were Thomas, Edward and Mary. The line of descent from Thomas can- not clearly be traced. A descendant of his settled on Martha's Vineyard and reared a family.
(I) Joseph Jenkins, of Martha's Vineyard, died May 8, 1763. He was the father of seven children, of whom Lemuel (second) and Marshall (fourth) located in Hudson, Colum- bia county, New York, then called Claverack Landing. They were among the original pro- prietors of that city, which was founded in 1785 by a few enterprising merchants from Providence, Rhode Island, Edgartown, Mar- tha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. Besides Lemuel and Marshall Jenkins, who were from Edgartown, there were Thomas, Seth, Charles and Deborah Jenkins, all but Thomas from Providence. Thomas was a very
prominent, wealthy man and with his gold headed cane made a very imposing figure. They were all possessed of means which they employed in such ways as would most en- courage the business interests of the place. It is said of the Jenkins family that they brought with them to Hudson more than a quarter million of dollars. When the town became a city in 1785, Seth Jenkins was appointed by the governor the first mayor, and for the next thirty years a Jenkins was mayor of the city. Numerous and influential as they were, how- ever, at that time, there is now scarcely one of their descendants residents of the city to whose early prosperity their forbears so largely con- tributed, and with whose early history the name is so inseparably connected. Thomas Jenkins died in 1808, while in New York City temporarily. His remains were brought to Hudson and buried according to the rites of the Society of Friends, to which he belonged. No stone was erected over him; and the spot cannot be identified. The relationship between Thomas, Seth and Marshall, was very close- probably uncle, nephew and cousin. They were closely related also in business and city affairs.
(II) Marshall, son of Joseph Jenkins, was born at Martha's Vineyard, July 22, 1744, died in Hudson, New York, 1811. He removed to Hudson, New York, where he is shown by the records to have been a member of the common council in 1787. The Jenkins family was very prominent in all branches of the city government. The first three mayors of the city were Seth, Thomas, and Robert Jenkins, for the years 1785-1813, appointed by the gov- ernor, and the name appears frequently in various offices down to 1850. Marshall Jen- kins by his first wife was the grandfather of General William Jenkins Worth, famous in American history as the hero of two wars, 1812 and the Mexican. His statue stands in New York at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue (Madison Square). His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Gov- ernor Thomas Mayhew, of Martha's Vine- yard.
(III) Marshall (2), son of Marshall (I) and Elizabeth (Mayhew) Jenkins, was born at Hudson, New York, and died there. He married Sarah, a daughter of Thomas Jenkins, and had issue. In 1812 he was a member of the common council of Hudson, having pre- viously served as assistant.
(IV) Edgar, son of Marshall (2) and Sarah (Jenkins) Jenkins, was born in Hud- son, Columbia county, New York, February 25, 1805, died in New York City, November 9, 1846. He was a merchant, and soon after
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his marriage settled in New Orleans, Louisi- ana. Returning north he became an auction- eer of New York City. In 1837 he moved to Fort Gratiot, Michigan, where he was lessee of the fishery, and kept a store for supplying the soldiers at the fort. In 1843 he returned to New York City and resumed his business of auctioneer, remaining there until his death three years later. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a Democrat. He married, October 20, 1831, at Albany, New York, Mary Elizabeth, born at Plattsburgh, New York, December 19, 1812, died at Sche- nectady, December 10, 1875, daughter of Reu- ben H. Walworth, chancellor of New York, and his wife, Maria Ketchum Averill. (See Walworth.) She survived him and resided at Saratoga Springs and Schenectady until her death. Her grave, with that of her husband, is in Greenridge cemetery, Saratoga Springs. Children : I. Walworth, born November 8, 1832; entered United States Military Acad- emy, West Point, graduating 1853; served in regular army through the entire civil war, attaining rank of captain and brevet major ; was in first battle of Bull Run; later in com- mand at Louisville, Kentucky ; at close of war resigned from the army. 2. James Graham, July 18, 1834; lawyer; during President Cleveland's first term was appointed assistant judge eastern district of Wisconsin. During President Cleveland's second term he ap- pointed him circuit judge of the same district ; Judge Jenkins is now ( 1909) living a retired life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 3. Edgar Mar- shall, see forward. 4. Clarence Trumbull, May 25, 1838; a merchant. 5. Frances Walworth, married Frederick B. Hawley, of Albany, New York.
(V) Edgar Marshall, son of Edgar and Mary Elizabeth (Walworth) Jenkins, was born in New York City, September 12, 1836. He was educated in the Columbia grammar school of New York, Troy (Vermont) Con- ference Academy, Kingston Academy, Ulster county, New York, and Poughkeepsie Colle- giate School, where he was graduated, class of 1852. He made a specialty of mathematics, and so far distanced the other students in that branch that he was in a class alone. Leaving school, he at once entered the service of the state of New York, as civil engineer for the constructive work on the Erie canal, which position he held until 1860. For a short time he was with the Pennsylvania railroad in New Jersey, as assistant engineer. In 1861 he entered the employ of the Pacific Steamship Company and went to California as purser. He remained with them until 1865, when he returned to Schenectady. For the next three
years he was treasurer of the Watervliet Turnpike and Railroad Company, resigning in 1869. In that year he became registrar of Union College, so continuing for fourteen years, resigning in 1883. In 1885 he was appointed chief examiner of the civil service commission of New York state, resigning in 1886 on account of poor health. In 1904 H. S. Barney, founder and head of the large department store bearing his name in Sche- nectady, died, and Mr. Jenkins was appointed one of three trustees of the Barney estate, and the manager. When the H. S. Barney Com- pany was formed he was elected president of the company, the largest concern of its kind in the city. During his many years of resi- dence in Schenectady, Mr. Jenkins has been intimately connected with the public and offi- cial life of that city. Politically he is a Demo- crat, and as the representative of that party was elected and served two years as city sur- veyor ; as city recorder four and one half years; president of the board of water com- missioners three and one-half years. He was a competent and faithful city official and served his city well. Many of the city's sub- stantial improvements were constructed dur- ing his official life, and his practical engineer- ing knowledge and skill was of the greatest benefit to the city. Advancing years has com- pelled his partial retirement from active life, although his interest in all that concerns the public good is unabated. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Union College, and past master of St. George's Lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons, the charter of which was granted in 1774. He is also past high priest of St. George's Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, both of Schenectady. He is a mem- ber of the Mohawk Club, of which he was president for several years and trustee for eight. He is the oldest elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady, of which he was trustee for many years. In all these he has always been an active working member and unfailing friend.
While in the Pacific mail service he mar- ried, at Panama, Central America, October 27, 1861, Fannie Myers, born July 14, 1838, in Kinderhook, New York, died September 10, 1879. They have no issue. She was a daugh- ter of Major Mordecai Myers, born in 1776, died in 1871, a veteran of the war of 1812, in which he was wounded. He was past grand master of the Grand Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of New York, a member of the state legislature, and several times mayor of the city of Schenectady. Major Myers married Charlotte Bailey, sister of Admiral Theororus Bailey, second in command under
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Farragut, and one of the small force of men landed from the warships who marched through the streets of hostile, defiant New Or- leans, to the City Hall and demanded the sur- render of the city. Major Myers and wife were the parents of ten children, of which Fannie (Mrs. Edgar M. Jenkins) was the youngest. Another child was Colonel Theoro- rus Bailey Myers, who was prominent social- ly in New York and Washington, D. C., and married a daughter of Sidney Mason, of New York City. He was a well known writer on historical subjects, his best known work be- ing: "Letters and Manuscripts of all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence," "The Tories or Loyalists in America," and "One Hundred Years Ago."
Chancellor Reuben Hyde WALWORTH Walworth was of the fourth generation in this country and descended from William Wal- worth, of Fishers Island, Suffolk county, Long Island, New York. William, who emi- grated to America from near London, Eng- land, 1689, is the progenitor of all the Wal- worths of America. He claimed to be a descendant of Sir William Walworth, who was lord mayor of London at the time of the rebellion of Watte Tyler in the reign of Rich- ard II. The arms of the family of London and Suffolk is thus described by Burke : Gules, a bend engrailed. argent, between the two gaibs or, Crest : a cubit arm vested or, cuff argent, the arm grasping a dagger sinister im- brued gules pommel and hilt or, Motto: "Strike for the laws." He came to America in 1689, at the special instance of Fitz John Winthrop, then major general, commanding the forces of the colony and afterwards gov- ernor. It was Winthrop's desire to introduce upon Fishers Island the English system of farming, with which Walworth was known to be well acquainted. He was the first lessee and settler upon the island. To it he carried his young wife and here most of his children were born. He was the sole citizen and could say, "I am monarch of all I survey." He was above all town meetings, sheriffs, constables and law officers. He made his own roads and mended them. No man unless a Winthrop had a right to hunt there. How long his in- dependence lasted is not known, probably not since the revolution, when New York became a sovereign state. On this island he resided for nine years in safety. The Indian wars of Connecticut did not alarm him. There was some danger from French privateers, but the real danger that finally drove him to the mainland for safety was from the pirate,
Captain Kidd. This was about 1699. He settled in Groton on Fort Hill. Here he passed the remainder of his days. He died in 1703. His will and the record of it was burned at the time of the capture of New London by Benedict Arnold. He was a Con- gregationalist, and he and his wife were bap- tized at New London, January 14, 1691-92, at which time the record states: "William Walworth and wife owned the Covenant and were baptized with their infant daughter Martha." In 1690 he married Mary Seaton, who came from England on the same ship with him. She was an orphan. She remained a widow forty-nine years, and died January 14, 1752. She was left with seven children. She was a woman of rare wisdom and ability. She increased the value of the estate, and the children all began life with an increased equal share with her of the estate. All the sons were farmers and seem to have had ample means which they freely invested in more land. The daughters married and lived outside Groton with husbands of ample fortune. Children : I. William (2), born on Fishers Island, Jan- uary, 1694, died May 17, 1774; married, Jan- uary 16, 1720, Mary, daughter of Captain Samuel Avery. 2. John, see forward. 3. Thomas, born on Fishers Island, May, 1701; married Phoebe Stark, of Groton. 4. James, twin of Thomas, died before attaining his ma- jority. Daughters were: Martha, married, November 10, 1715, John Stark. Mary, mar- ried Abiel Stark. Joanna, youngest, married and continued to reside in Groton.
(II) John, of Groton, second son of Wil- liam, of Fishers Island, and Mary (Seaton) Walworth, was born on that island in 1696, died 1748, buried in Wrightman cemetery, as is his wife and several of his children. He was a wealthy farmer and ship builder and owner. His inventory mentions four negro servants, fifty horned cattle, eight hundred and twelve sheep, a stud of thirty-two horses and seventy-seven ounces of wrought silver plate. He was appointed cornet of a troop of dragoons in the Eighth Connecticut Regi- ment and afterwards captain. In November, 1718, he married Sarah B., only child of Cap- tain Richard Dunn (2), and his wife, Hannah or Elizabeth Bailey, of Newport, Rhode Is- land. She died November 1, 1778, in her seventieth year. Children: I. Samuel, mar- ried Hannah Woodbridge. 2. Sylvester, sol- dier of the revolution and victim of the Fort Griswold massacre; his name is preserved on the tall monument that overlooks his burial place, Ledyard cemetery, and the scene of the massacre, he married Sarah Holmes, of Ston- ington. 3. William, married Sarah Grant, of
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