Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV, Part 40

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 660

USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV > Part 40

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1606

HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS

tinuing in active business until his death. He was a Republican in politics and became the recognized leader of his town. In the years 1885-86-87 he represented Knox on the Al- bany county board of supervisors. In 1895 he was appointed commissioner of prisons and in 1896 was elected treasurer of Albany county. He served the full term of three years, declining re-election. He was fre- quently a delegate to county and state con- ventions, where he was counted among those whose opinion was of weight. During the administration of President Harrison he was postmaster at Knox, where in private or pub- lic life he was the soul of honor and held the confidence of his townsmen in a degree sel- dom equaled. He was a warm-hearted, gen- erous man and a friend of education. the church, and all good causes, supporting liber- ally the institutions that depended on the pub- lic for their existence. He was a member of the Masonic order and of the Lutheran church. He married, in Knox. November 22, 1865, Eunice Esther French, born in East Worcester, Otsego county, New York, De- cember 12, 1841. At the age of ten years her parents removed to Knox where she comple- ted her studies, being a schoolmate of her late husband. In 1905 she purchased a home in Altamont, New York, where she removed in June. 1906, and still resides. She is a daugh- ter of Alva and Amanda ( Tyler ) French.

Alva French was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, came to Otsego county, New York, later to Knox, Albany county, and died in Guilderland, 1870. at the age of seventy years. He was a Baptist in religion, and a Democrat in politics. Amanda (Tyler) French, born in Knox, 1803. died 1850, was a daughter of Jesse Tyler and a granddaugh- ter of Jolin and Eunice (Crarey ) Tyler, of Connecticut. (This is the family to which John Tyler of Virginia, president of the Uni- ted States, belonged.) Jessie Tyler was a farmer and a carpenter, owning a large farm which he operated in connection with his building operations. Ile was a Whig, and a member of the Reformed church. He died at the age of eighty years; Amanda, his wife at the age of eighty-seven years. She was a Methodist. Children of Alva and Amanda French: 1. Eunice Esther, married Edward L. Barekley and has a daughter, Grace Tyler, born February 6, 1867, a graduate of Albany Girls Academy, resides with her mother at Altamont, New York, unmarried. 2. Sarah, married Ezra Wright, lived in Schoharic county, where he died leaving a daughter Amanda, also deceased. 3. Datus, died in Knox: married Margaret Reid, of Guilder-

land ; child, Mary, married Alber Hansen, of Schenectady. 4. Dorothy, married Edmund Crawford, of New Scotland, died June I, 1910, without issue. 5. Harriet, died at the age of six years.

RELYEA The Relyeas were early settlers in the town of Guilderland, Al- bany county, where they at- tained honorable position. They descended from a Huguenot family of France, one mem- ber of which settled in America prior to the revolutionary war.

(I) Adam Relyea was born in Guilderland, Albany county, New York, in the year 1800. He was a prosperous farmer, living to a good old age. He married Margaret Van Patten and had issue.

(II) Jacob A., son of Adam and Margaret (Van Patten) Relyea, was born February 27, 1831, died May 3. 1907. He was educated in the public schools and grew to manhood on the farm. He later took up farming as a life occupation, possessing a farm in the beauti- ful Helderberg region. He was assessor of his town and otherwise politically important in town life. He was a Republican, and a member of the Reformed church. He mar- ried, January 17, 1852, Nancy Maria, daugh- ter of John P. and Anna Barbara (Crounse) Livingston and granddaughter of Peter I. Livingston. She was born June 21, 1834, on the old Peter I. Livingston estate, in the same house which she still owns and has oc- cupied during her lifetime, with the exception of seventeen years of her married life, when she resided in another part of the town. Chil- dren of Jacob A. and Nancy Maria (Living- ston ) Relyea : 1. Orpha, born August 27, 1853, married Cornelius Hallenbeck, who died October 16, 1894, aged forty-one years ; chil- dren : Alta, Laura N., Anna and Charles H., the three daughters are married. 2. Edward, born April 22, 1856, now a resident of Sche- nectady ; married Julia Sharp and has one son, Lloyd Verner. 3. Anna, born March 16, 1859. resides in Dunnsville, married Frank Coss, deputy sheriff of Albany county ; chil- dren : Alta and Addie, twins ; Addie, deceased : Leland. 4. Jacob H., born August 9, 1872, resides in Albany, train master, Boston & Al- bany railroad, married Sarah L. Crounse, and has children : Amelia and Barton.

(The Livingston Line).

Peter I. Livingston was born in Albany county, New York, where he died December 18, 1838, aged sixty-nine years and nine days. He owned and cultivated the Livingston homestead farm now owned by his grand-

1607

HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS

daughter, Mrs. Jacob A. Relyea. This farm commands a grand view of the "Indian Lad- der" entrance to the Helderberg mountains, and the picturesque scenery together with its fertile. well-kept condition, render the estate unusually attractive. He married ( first ) Maria Warner, who died aged fifty-five years and thirteen days: he married (second ) Eva Frederick. Children of first wife: Aaron and Anna, both deceased. Children of second wife: John P., see forward: Margaret, mar- ried Jacob Van Wormer: Magdalene, mar- ried Jacob Fryer: Catherine N., married Frederick Mynderse.

( II) John P., son of Peter I. and Eva (Frederick) Livingston, was born on the homestead which he later owned, November 20. 1807, died in 1894. He was a farmer, a Lutheran in religious belief, and politically a Republican. He married (first) in Guilder- land. Anna Barbara Crounse, born April 16, 1808, died February 4. 1861, daughter of Conrad and Margaret (Livingston) Crounse : he married (second) Mrs. Catharine (Ostran- der ) Stevens, no issue by this marriage. Chil- dren of John P. and Anna Barbara (Crounse) Livingston : Evaline, born Septem- ber 18, 1831. married Peter Wagoner, died leaving no issue. 2. Catharine, born August 14, 1832, married Isaac Smith, died leaving no issue. 3. Nancy Maria, born June 21. 1834. married, January 17. 1852, Jacob A. Relyea (see Relyea II). 4. Rebecca, born January 10, 1837, widow, living in Pough- keepsie. has three living children. 5. Julia, born March 29. 1839, widow, residing in Greater New York, has one daughter. 6. Peter I., born August 26, 1841, resides in Schenectady, married Mary E. Mann, of Guilderland Center, has one daughter, Meta L. 7. Harriet, born June 15, 1844, married and lives in Union, Broome county. New York. 8. Helen, born September 6, 1846, died young. 9. Helen (2), born February 18, 1849, married and lives in Guilderland Center.

This is an ancient family of LITHGOW Scotland, famed for its schol- ar artists, men of letters and ministers. A noted member of the family, William Lithgow. born in Lanark about 1582, eldest son of James Lithgow, burgess of Lan- ark, and Alison Gahame his wife, published in 1632 a collected edition of his travels under the title of "The Totall Discourse of the Rare Adventures and painefull Peregrinations, of long nineteen yeares Travayles, from Scotland to the most Famous Kingdomes in Europe. Asia and Affrica." He was educated at Lan- ark grammar school and acording to Sir Wal-

ter Scott was "bred a tailor."Ile seems to have started his travel at an early age. He says "neither ambition, too much curiosity. nor any reputation I ever sought, did expose me to such long peregrinations and dangerous ad- ventures past"-but, that "unflerserved Dalida wrong." From Paris on March 7. 1000. he set out on the first of the three journeys of which he gives an account in his "Totall Dis- course," where he claims that his "payneful feet traced over (besides my passages of seas and rivers) thirty six thousand and odde miles, which draweth neare to twice the cir- cumference of the whole earth." It was on the second of his journeys, while passing through Spain, that he was thrown into pris- on in Malaga as a spy and severely tortured. He was released by the intervention of the English consul there and the English ambas- sador at Madrid backed by a division of King James navy. On his arrival at Datford, fifty days after leaving Malaga, Lithgow was car ried to the court at Theobalds and exhibited his "martyred anatomy" to the whole court. "Even from the King to the Kitchen." At the king's expense he was sent twice to Bath, where he recovered his health although his left arm and crushed bones were incurable. Early in 1622 he was sent to Marshalsea pris- on for a long period for assaulting in the presence chamber Gondomar, the Spanish am- bassador, whose empty promises of redress for his sufferings at Malaga had exasperated Lith- gow beyond endurance. In 1624 he preferred a bill of grievance to the House of Lords. which he daily followed for seventeen weeks. without result. In 1627 he left the court for Scotland, traversed the Western Isles and was "kindly entertayned" in Bodick Castle by James "Marquiss of Hamilton." In 1637 he left Scotland mounted on a "galloweigan nagge" for another journey to Russia, but in- stead went to Breda publishing a volume on his return. In 1643 he again left Scotland, embarking at Prestonpans for London. "In all which deserted way between Forth and Gravesend wee found only three ships, two Scotsmen, an Norwegian, and one of the royall whelps lying at anker in Aermouth." Ile published his last work in 1045. From this date all trace of him is lost: the date of his death and the place of his burial are un- known, though there is a tradition that he died in Lanark and hes buried in the church- yard of St. Kentigern there. It is from the same Lithgow family that David C. Lithgow. of Albany, descends.

(1) Robert Lithgow, of Lin Lithgow, Scot- land, the first of the name of whom we have knowledge. married and had children: Gil-

1608

HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS

bert, a teacher of Stevenson, Scotland ; James, a designer ; John, a potter ; William, of furth- er mention ; Elizabeth and Janet.

(II) Rev. William Lithgow, son of Robert Lithgow, was born in Alexandria, Scotland. He was a graduate of the University of Glas- gow ; became a minister of the Church of Christ and has been continuously in the active ministry for the past thirty years, and is still preaching (1911), although eighty years of age. He married Catherine, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Corcoran) Cunning- ham and granddaughter of Alexander Cun- ningham, a soldier of the Crimean war. Chil- dren : Elizabeth, Gilbert, David C., of further mention, Robert, Jessie (or Jesse), Catherine, Margaret, John, William.

(III) David Cunningham, son of Rev. William and Catherine (Cunningham) Lith- gow, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Novem- ber 12, 1868. His preparatory education was obtained in the Glasgow public schools sup- plemented by a course at Glasgow Technical College. Having artistie talent and desire he became a pupil at the Haldean Academy of Art, at Glasgow, where he pursued his studies until 1887, when he went to London and en- rolled as a student at Kensington School of Art under Sir Frederick Leighton. After completing his studies he came to the United States in 1888, establishing himself in New York City, where he remained until 1890. In that year he came to Albany where he opened a studio and still continues (1911) in land- scape and portraiture. He is a member of the Albany Club and a charter member of the Albany Art League. In religious faith he is a Baptist. He married, February 10, 1890, at Altamont, New York, Amelia, daughter of Edward and Augusta (Crounse) Kenholts, both old Albany county families. Child, Mil- lic, born November 4. 1900.

Three generations of the Geiger GEIGER family are herein recorded, each generation claiming a different country as a birthplace. George Geiger, grandfather of Albert Geiger, of Hudson, was a native of Poland, and fled an exile from his native land, taking refuge in Germany. He was a man of ability, and is supposed to have become implicated in some revolutionary movement that placed him under the ban of the government. Ile settled in the province of Würtemburg, Germany, where he lived and reared his family. He was twice married and one of his sons, John, was a noted sculptor of Munich, giving promise of becoming famous in his art, when he was stricken by death at the early age of twenty-five years. The only

record of others of his family is of Leonard, founder of the American branch.

(II) Leonard, son of George Geiger, the Polish exile, was born in Würtemburg, Germany, October 23, 1829. He remained there until 1849 when, to avoid military serv- ice, he came to the United States. He was educated in the German schools, secured a good education and developed a strong genius for invention. He learned the trade of stone and marble cutting, but on his arrival in New York worked for a time for the Hudson River railroad. He did not long remain in that employ, but soon settled in Hudson, New York, where he followed his trade. In 1858 he formed a partnership with James N. Town- send and until 1870 operated a stone and mar- ble yard, doing principally monumental work. In the year mentioned the partnership was dissolved and he continued the business alone for a year or two, then sold out to his former partner and retired from that line of business, devoting himself to his inventions. These in- cluded many articles of value which should have netted him a large fortune, but through the chicanery of those whom he trusted, he received only a small return for the product of genius. Two of his inventions were of the greatest value in military warfare and were universally adopted. His greatest, perhaps, was the breech-loading rifle which he brought out in 1864. While he was well-paid for his invention, the amount was but a trifle com- pared with the value of the invention. Those promoting the gun received large sums. An- other invention was a copper-jacketed bullet, which is yet in use in several of the armies of the world. While his pay for this was to have been $30,000, he really received but a small sum, being swindled out of his right. Mr. Geiger was a Republican in politics, but extremely independent. He joined with the Liberal movement of 1872, and supported Horace Greeley for the presidency. After the overwhelming defeat of his favorite he took little interest in political affairs, Aside from one term as alderman of Hudson, he held no public office. He was reared in the Catholic faith, but after coming to the United States attended the Episcopal church, later be- coming a follower of Robert Ingersoll. He was a member of the Masonic order, charter member of Aquilla Lodge of Hudson, also a Chapter Mason and a Knight Templar. He married, February 14, 1852, Margaret Fire- wig at Hudson, New York, who survives him, residing in IIudson. She was born in Nurem- berg, Germany, and came to the United States in 1850. Children: 1. Frederick, a resident of Hudson. 2. Albert, of further mention. 3.

Ganger

Decorarce

HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS

Emma, married Daniel W. Bugel; four chil- dren : Leonard G., married Mabel Hallen- beck, one child, Leonard; Daniel; Winifred and Gladys, twins. 4. George W., born 1858, died 1869. 5. Fannie, married Thomas J. Zimmer, of Poughkeepsie, New York; chil- dren : Thomas J., Margaret, Gertrude and Leonard G. 6. Rosa (twin). 7. Lillie (twin ), married John Billingham.

(III ) Albert, son of Leonard and Margaret (Firewig) Geiger, was born at Hudson, New York, January 25, 1854. He was educated in the public schools, and after completing his studies entered business life as a clerk, con- tinuing as such in the dry goods business for eighteen years. In 1892 he entered the employ of the New York and Hudson Steamboat Company, and in 1895 was appointed gen- eral agent of the company, with headquarters at Hudson, which position he now holds (1911). He has served eight years in the National Guard, enlisting in the Twenty-third Separate Company as a charter member. Ile is a Republican in politics and served on the board of fire commissioners in 1906-07-08. He is an earnest worker for the good of the sery- ice in the Hudson fire department, which he joined in 1873, and is still on the roll (1911) of J. W. Hoysradt Hose and Chemical Com- pany No. 8, and also was an active member of the Firemen Association of the State of New York in the early years of its existence, serving on many important committees. He is a member of the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias and the order of Elks. He mar- ried. February 2, 1902, at Hudson, Ruth Lud- low, daughter of John Jessup, who died in 1857. During his earlier days Hudson was a great whaling port and Mr. Jessup sailed as a seaman on several whaling trips.

VAN SLYKE The Van Slykes of Cox- sackie, New York, de- scend from Willem Pie- terse Van Slyke, who was in Beverwyck in 1655. He had sons: Pieter, Jacob, Dirck and Teunis. There were Van Slykes, early set- tlers in Beverwyck : Cornelius, whose descend- ants settled in the Mohawk Valley, and Wil- lem, whose descendants settled below Albany in Columbia county, then crossed over into Greene county where they held large posses- sions.

(II) Teunise Willemse, son of Willem Pic- terse Van Slyke, was born at Heyvelt, prov- ince of Utrecht, Holland. He was of Bever- wyck in 1666, when he sent to Holland for his inheritance. He was the founder of the Van Slykes, who settled on the west bank of the Hudson, now Greene county, New York.

In 1678 he purchased and ocowont a farm at Niskayuna, Schenectady Kangusty. New York. In 1713 he built the stronic binuse on the west bank of the Hudson, one mile south of where the village of New Baltiskne nu stand In 1733 he was one of the four umreli officer- who received the deed har the land upon which to build the Dutch Refined thure! at Coxsackie. The Boston ATmange Wwwmil of January 12, 1903, described] the Bable once owned by Teunise Willem-& Van Slyke as the oldest printed Bible on earth, made in Dordrecht, 1518-55, now ownel by Benjamin Fredenberg Van Slyke, of Saginaw, Michi- gan, handed down from father to son, about four hundred years, and containing the fam- ily record. The paper devoted a column and a half to the description of this Bible, which was seventeen inches long. eleven inches wide and five and three-quarter inches thick. The workmanship on the same was equal to that of the present time : the binding was of calf, and the illustrations ( which were beau- tiful), as well as cach initial letter, was all hand work, there being no modern machin- ery ( such as used to-day) at that early period. It was claimed that the Massachusetts Ilis- torical Society offered $10,000 for the book; that an attempt was made to secure it for the World's Fair at Paris; that it took thirty- seven years to make the book, made by Rich- ard Paul Eelbo. It was taken from New Baltimore to Michigan in 1858 by Benjamin's father, Peter J., son of General Pieter Van Slyke, a general in the revolution, son of Gerrit, son of Tennise Willemse Van Slyke. Teunise Willemse Van Slyke's wish was to be buried in sight of the passing vessels on the lludson, and his grave on a knoll in the woods south of his house is yet to be found. The Van Slyke coat-of-arms comes down from the fourteenth century. A clover leaf on one side of a battlement, three fish natant on the other side. He married, February o, 1696. Jannetje, daughter of Henrick Van Wie, a volunteer in the colonial war, in Rensselaer- wyck in 1654. Children, born at Mbany : Beertje, November 15, 1606: Willem, Octo- ber 23. 1698; Hendrick. November 3. 1700: Ida, June 28, 1702; Andreis, September 17. 1704: Gerrit, May 19, 1706: Pieter. Septem- ber 26. 1708: Vida, November 5, 1710; Dirk, March 1, 1713: Agnietje, June 19, 1720; an others.

( 111) Andreis (Andrew), son of Teunise Willemse and Jannetje ( Van Wie) \an Slyke, was born in Albany. September 17, 1704. Ile married Maria Van Benthuysen, born July 16, 1721, daughter of Balthus, born February 22, 1707, son of Paulus Martinse

1610

HUDSON AND MOHAWK VALLEYS

and Catalyntje Barentse Van Benthuysen, the latter daughter of Barent Balthus, of Flat- bush, Long Island, who died before 1660. All the children born after 1747 were baptized in Coxsackie, New York. I. Jannetje, born March 1. 1747, married in the Helderbergs and when over one hundred years of age visited New Baltimore. 2. Baltus, of further mention. 3. Lydia. June 9, 1751, married John Van Den Berg, of Coxsackie. 4. Tunis, February. 1754, married Jane, daughter of Peter Van Slyck. 5. Mary, March 28, 1756. married John Van Pelt, of Staten Island. 6. Catherine, July 3, 1757, married Albert Van Derzee. 7. Gertrude, March 1, 1761. mar- ried - Clow. 8. Alida, May 5, 1765, married Tunis, son of Peter Van Slyck. 9. Jane, married John Reamer. 10. Andrew. born 1704, built the stone house still standing by the New Baltimore depot of West Shore railroad.

(IV) Baltus, eldest son of Andrew and Maria (Van Benthuysen) Van Slyke, was baptized at Coxsackie, Greene county, New York, February 26, 1749, died September 19, 1827. He served in the war of the revolution as private in the Coxsackie company. Albany county militia. He married Annatje Lewis, born November 10, 1751, died November 2, 1819, daughter of Barent, born February 17, 1717, in New York, and Catherine (Van Slyck) Lewis. Children: 1. Andrew, born April 25, 1773, married Matthews. 2. Barent. June 3, 1775, married Jenny Bronk. 3. Catherine, May 3. 1777. lived to near ninety years of age, married Charles McCardell. 4. Maria. December 25, 1779, lived to be very .old. married James Dunn. 5. Jane, October 27, 1780, married Norman Humphrey. 6. Lydia, April 13, 1783, lived to be ninety-seven years of age, married John Van Slyck. 7. Alida. January 7. 1785, lived to ninety-seven years of age, married Henry Ilosford. 8. Teunis, of further mention. 9. Peter, born April 14. 1790, married Sally Coovert.

(V) Teunis B., son of Baltus and Annatje (Lewis) Van Slyke, was born October 14, 1787, died December 18, 1860. He married, December 19, 1812, Judith Bronk, born March 13. 1788, died December 27, 1864, a descend- ant of Jonas Bronck, who came to New Am- sterdam in 1639. purchased land now known as "The Bronx." upper New York City. His son, Pieter Bronck, of Beverwyck, purchased Coxsackie of the Indians. He had a fine col- lection of books brought from Holland when he came in his own ship with family, servants and wealth, and these books are said to be the first library of mention in New York State. Ile met his death, it is supposed, at the hands

of the Indians, although his property was un- disturbed, which may prove that he came to his death in a less horrible manner than by the tortures said to have been inflicted upon him ere death mercifully released him. The belief is that he came to America from Den- mark via Amsterdam. Rev. Everardus Bo- gardus, the first settled minister of New Neth- erland, assisted in the administration of his estate (See Bronk, in this work). The Bronck family had a coat-of-arms, as displayed on a silver cup brought by Jonas Bronck-a shield bearing a rising sun, rayed, with the motto: Ne cede malis ( Yield not to evil).

The descent from Jonas Bronck to Judith (Bronk ) Van Slyke is through his son, Pieter, who married Hilletje Tyssinck. Jan Bronk, son of Pieter, born 1652, married Commetje Conyn, and served in the wars. She was daughter of Leendert Philipse Conyn, in Bev- erwyck, 1655, married Agnetje -. Peter Bronk, son of Jan, married, in Albany, Antje (Anna) Bogardus, born January 22; 1679, daughter of Pieter Bogardus, born April 19, 1644, and granddaughter of Rev. Everardus Bogardus, the first settled minister of New Netherland (See Bogardus genealogy). Peter Bronk, son of Peter, born November 10, 1707, married Rachel Van Hoesen, a descendant of Jan Franse Van Hoesen, who bought Clave- rack, New York, from the Indians in 1662. Ephraim Bronk, born March 1, 1755, served in Coxsackie company, Eleventh Regiment, Albany county militia, was at the surrender of Burgoyne ; married Annetje Knott, born 1756 in New York City, daughter of James Knott, buried in Trinity churchyard, and his wife, Nancy Dunbar. Judith Bronk, born March 13. 1788, married Teunis B. Van Slyke. A descendant of Jonas Bronck, Amelia Cornelia Bronk, widow of Andrew Whitbeck, of Coey- mans, and likewise a great-granddaughter of Hendrickse Van Wie, died in Coxsackie, aged one hundred and three years. Children of Teunis B. and Judith Van Slyke: 1. Hannah Jane, born August 7, 1813. married Benoni Clapper. 2. Ephraim T .. of further mention. 3. Baltus, April 28, 1817, married Esther Garnsey. 4. Barent, October 15, 1819, mar- ried Elizabeth Hawley. 5. Charlotte, April 25. 1831, the only surviving of all the above children, lives at New Baltimore, New York.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV, Part 40

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 660

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 660