HISTORY OF THE VAN PATTEN FAMILY
Prepared by Dr. H.D. Hunt
Submitted by Mike Winner
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FOREWORD
The small (4- x 6-inches) booklet contains halftone photos of Ryer VanPatten (1789-1875) and his wife, Mary Ann Spence VanPatten (1789-1876). It is presumed that the booklet was privately printed after the 1903 reunion, because there are no indications of a publication date or publisher.
The VanPatten genealogy has been traced back to the early 1600’s, originating
in Petten, Holland. The allied Schermerhorn family also can be traced back
to that time period to the village of Schermerhorn. Both families were
prominent in the founding of Schenectady, N.Y., and there are many documents
recording their presence in that area. The most recent published
and updated family history was by Lois Patterson in August 1958:
Patterson, Lois, 1958, Van Patten Family History: Tully, N.Y.,
Marathon-Tully Independent Press, 37 p.
This old reunion tract was scanned and reproduced exactly as printed including a few obvious misspellings and variants on the modern spelling of words; a few surnames contain variable spellings. A couple of omissions of letters with the most probable additions are indicated by brackets [ ? ]. Lists of family surnames and place names are provided at the end of the history for a convenient reference.
HISTORY OF THE VAN PATTEN FAMILY
as Prepared and read by the Historian at the Family Reunion in 1899
DR. H. D. HUNT, HISTORIAN.
Written in 1899. Revised in 1903.
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[Page 2 is blank.]
History of the Van Patten Family.
Beginning with Ryer Van Patten, the head of this branch of the family, I am enabled to through the kindness of W. A. Van Patten of Schenectady, N. Y., to trace the lineage back even to, if not before the middle of the 17th century.
Many years ago it was the custom of the Dutch Reform Church, to record the births, marriages and deaths.
Such a record found in the village of Schenectady, N. Y. shows the following:
Ryer VanPatten
1789-1875
Mary Ann Spence VanPatten
1789-1876
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James Van Patten, son of Phillip, was born March 3rd, 1749, and Married to Margret Heemstraat, of Rensselaeruyck, N. Y. Apr. 1st. 1775.
Seven children were born to this couple, namely: Mariae, Born March 17th, 1778; Richard, born Apr. 4th, 1784; Ryer, born June 15th 1789; Lana, born Nov. 11th, 1793; and Arrent, born May 11th, 1797. The records of the births of Phillip and Aseneth are not found, presumably recorded in books that have been lost or in some way destroyed, yet the above is sufficient to make it clear and unmistakable that we are on the correct ancestral line.
Following this back we find: Phillip Van Patten, son of Arent, was born July 9th, 1704 and was Married to Gusie, daughter of Johannis Schermerhorn. Arrent Van Patten son of Class Frederickson was born 1678, was married to Maud Jennet Ji, daughter of Phillip Conyae of Albany, or Kaxhakki, Oct. 4th, 1703. Class Frederickson Van Patten,
4
Both from records and from tradition it is shown that Arrent Van Patten had a contract in 1711 to build forts, which was evidently a contract with the British Government, for in 1714 he received a patent of 500 acres of land in the Mormus Kill.
It is fairly and conclusively shown that this family was at one time possessed of a large estate in Schenectady, but by some strange and peculiar manipulation of titles they were defrauded of their rights and once robbed of their all, and left penniless, it seems to have been impossible for them to procure such assistance as would secure to them justice, and place them again in possession of that which they had lost.
Ryer VanPatten, the head of this branch of the family, was born as we have seen, in Schenectady, N. Y. June 15th. 1789. He died in Preble, N. Y. Feb. 16th, 1875, and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, at Preble, N.Y. Of his brothers and sisters, Phillip married Rosana Sager; Aaron married, Abigal Rod-
5
Ryer came to Tully, N.Y. with his parents in 1807. They settled on the hill near where is now Vesper Village.
He married Mary Spence, Feb. 2nd, 1809. She was born in County Down, Ireland, Feb. 2nd, 1787. She died Sept. 23rd, 1876, and as buried by the side of her husband with whom she had lived nearly sixty years.
She was one of a family of seven children. Namely: Robert, Sally, Mary, Ann, Grace, Eliza and one died in infancy.
She came to this country when she was 12 years old, with her parents, James and Mary Spence, who were obliged to flee their native country on account of factional warfare which threatened their lives; they came in a sailing vessel that was nine weeks out of sight of land, “strange contrast with the ocean travel of to-day.”
Her parents first settled in the Mohawk Valley but soon came end settled north of where is now Tully village. After clearing and paying for a farm he found his title was
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Of his children, Robert was twice married. His first wife was Ann Savage, his second wife was Jane McRoe. Sally married Dr. McNish, Ann married Thomas Bittles, Grace married James McKee, and after his death she married Johnathon Luther. Eliza married Hofney Smith.
Ryer Van Patten and his young wife begun housekeeping in what is known as Bennet Hollow in the town of Preble, N. Y. That valley was at that time a wilderness, and there that young man still in his “teens” and his young wife, determined to build them a home.
Strength, energy, determination and economy were the stock and tools with which this young couple were provided; with these and these alone, they started to carve out of the wilderness a home. The magnitude of that task can scarcely come within the range of the imagination of the young couple of to-
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How had all this been brought about? The weary feet, the sunburned brow, the sinewy arms of Ryer Van Patten alone could answer and explain.
It requires no great stretch of imagination, for one to see in his mind’s eye, that young couple from Monday morn to Saturday eve grapling with the stern and ardorous duties that must have presented, as they did to all pioneers, and that they never faltered however great the difficulties is evidenced by the success that crowned their efforts.
Now while your minds are fixed upon the contemplation of something of those scenes, imagine if you can the pleasure that the Sabbath morning must have brought to that humble household, the wife having been brought up in the Presbyterian faith, to her and her household the Sabbath was a day of
8
All these children lived to mature years of men and women.
Nancy married Martin Van Dewalker Feb. 29th, 1831. They lived together fifty- four years. He died June 3rd, 1885. She lived until Dec. 12th, 1897, and died at the home of her daughters in Preble village, N. Y.
9
Ann has been twice married; her first husband was Nelson Van Camp who enlisted into the U. S. Service during the war of the rebellion and in the service. Three children was the result of this union; Frank, Ella, and Belle. Frank married Letitia Long and brought her to his mother’s home to live, where she soon became one of household in all that expression implies.
Ella is the wife of Joel Gillette of East Scott; they have six children, Earl, Mabel, Eva, Estella, Carl, and Caroll.
Bell’s husband is Herbert Z. Nichols of Buffalo, N. Y. They have one child a daughter Grace Belle.
Ann’s present husband is Armenus Nichols. Their home is one of the many happy homes of the Van Patten family.
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Eugene has for his wife Phebe Park[er?], a sister of Riley’s first wife, no children having blessed this union they adopted a boy Fred who is a bright ray of sunshine in their home, they live on the old homestead in Christian Hollow.
Emily married Joshua Smith of Tully, N. Y. and went with him to live in his father’s family where she remained several years, during which time she buried an infant daughter, and a son just budding into manhood, and finally her husband; soon after which she and her sister Mary removed to Preble Village where they have a very comfortable and pleasant home. Emily took a second husband but in a little more than a year she was again left a widow.
Margrette Van Patten married Andrew Strail of Tully, N. Y. he was a blacksmith and pursued his vocation all his life in Tully
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Six children were born to them; Benjamin who died in infancy, Jane, Sarah, Theron who died at the age of 16 from the effects of a shot fired from a gun in the hands of another person, but whether through accident of design was never clearly determined.
Jane and Sophia still cling to single blessedness; they with Helen live in the house where they were reared and where their parents died.
Helen’s husband is G. G. Dean a veterinary Surgeon by profession. He came into the family and filled the place of a son, until the death of the father since which time he has been the head of the household; they have one child Lewis, and if by acts of kindness, care, and solicitude that are showered upon and about this boy for his comfort and well being, one were to select the mother from among these three ladies it would indeed be a difficult task.
Sarah married Edward Lock and soon after their marriage they removed to the state of Kansas, where they learned and
12
Mary Ann Van Patten married Dix Hobart and lived many years in Preble. About thirty years ago he sold his farm in Preble and removed to Virgil, N. Y., where he purchased a farm which he continued to occupy most of the time until his death, which occurred in Jan., 1890, at the home of his younger daughter in Preble where he and his wife were spending the winter.
Three children were born to this couple, Mary, Louisa who died in infancy, and Emma Ann.
Mary married James Shevalier of Virgil, N. Y., where they lived on a farm until her death, which occurred Feb. 1898, at the home
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The daughter’s husband is Daniel Barry. They live near Blodgett Mills, N. Y., and have three children, Claud, Cleon and Carold.
DePuy married Cora Tarbox, they live in Virgil on a farm.
Emma, the youngest daughter of Dix and Mary Ann Hobart, is the wife of Dr. H. D. Hunt of Preble, they have two children, D., S. and Iva V.
John Ryer Van Patten married Betsy Egbertson, she died March, 1899. They had always lived in Bennett Hollow and for many years owned and occupied the lands cleared and first tilled by his father. He added largely to these acres until now it is one of the largest and most productive farms in the town; he also purchased the farm upon which his good wife was reared, and where her father and mother lived and died, and several other farms in Preble and Tully, so that as his sons have come to manhood and started in life for themselves he has furnished each one with a farm.
Since our last reunion he, appreciating the
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Their children were eight in number. Namely, Deborah, Mary, Ryer, Rosolvo, Aster, who died in infancy, Andrew, William and Lorenzi.
Deborah’s husband was Lyman Gay of Preble, where they lived many years, during which time he was mainly engaged in mercantile pursuits, then they removed to Chittenango, N. Y., where he engaged in hardware business which he continued until his death.
He left two children, Harlan and Mary.
Harlan succeeded to his father’s business and still continues it.
He has for his wife De Etta Keeler, they have two children, Edna and Angeline.
Mary married Mabie Babcock, they have two children, Gay and Josephine, two children thus far seems to be the limit in this
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Mary, second daughter of John Ryer and Betsey became the wife of John Mogg now of Clay, N. Y., she died leaving two children, Seymour and Clara L.
Seymour’s wife was Anna Preor of Parish, N. Y.; there are thus far two children in this home, Andrew and Marion.
Clara is the wife of John C. Hamlin, formerly of Woodard, N. Y., they now reside in Liverpool, N. Y., four children make merry this home, Maurice M., Edith Louisa, John Mogg and Carrie.
Rosolvo stayed at home with his parents until all his brothers and sisters had gone from the parental roof, then he married Lucy Masters of Otisco, N. Y., and brought her to the old home to assist him in caring for his aged parents in their declining years.
They have one son Glenn, who now busies himself most of the time keeping his grandfather out of mischief.
Ryer lives on his large farm north of Tully
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Andrew has been twice married, his first wife was Eliza Roe, his present wife was Ann E. Smith of Tully; they are surrounded by all things that their industry and frugality can procure for them, but the Van Patten family, from present appearance would be in a sorry plight if it had to depend upon this scion for its perpetuity, but happily this is not so, for in the house of William who has for a wife Laura Etta Ackles is found a true VanPatten family of the old school; eight children and all at home.
Lula, Blanch, Clara, May, Betsy, John, James and Anna, if boys seem to be lacking in this family, some of the girls have reached the age where they can soon supply that deficiency.
William now lives upon, owns and tills the soil where his grandfather felled the first trees of the primeval forest.
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Aseneth married Barnet Egbertson;
they had three children, Orange, Jane and Etta. The father died while the
children were quite young.
Orange volunteered to serve
his country in the war of the rebellion and was killed in battle.
Jane became the wife of
Henry Baldwin, of Preble. She died very suddenly leaving one child Belle,
now Mrs. LaGrand Fisher of Homer, N. Y., she has one child Hazel.
Etta is the wife of L. P.
Norton, of Homer, N. Y. Her mother lived with her several years before
her death, and died at her house when she lived in Bennett Hollow.
Etta has one daughter, Clara,
now the wife
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Sarah Louisa married L. F. Barrett, Oct. 15th, 1845, and died July 26th, 1849; she had two children, Leonora Ann, born Jan. 30th, 1846, and died July 18th, 1849. Milton Jerome, born Aug. 12th, 1847, and died July 5th, 1849. Thus did this husband within the short space of twenty-one days, see first his son, then his daughter, and lastly his wife, torn from him by disease. He after[ward?] married Margrette Spence, a niece of Mary Ann Spence-Van Patten, thus by a second link binding himself to our family; they have children, Eliza Jane, Nancy, Louisa and Jay William.
James had for his first wife Louisa Bacon of Otisco, N. Y. There was by this union one child now Dr. Lou Van Patten of Anta Vesta, Iowa. After the death of his wife, James went to St. Charles, Illinois, where he engaged in the drug business which proved profitable and he still continues it; there he married his present wife. She was Jane A. Clark.
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Cordelia married Seth Hobart. They own and for many years occupied the farm north of and adjoining that of her parents, after her father’s death her mother and sister Caroline who was never married, and had always remained at home with her parents to care for and cheer them in their declining years, made her house their home until the mother’s death.
Some years after Cordelia and her husband re-moved to Preble Village where they now reside and soon after Caroline purchased a house and lot adjoining that of her twin sister where she lived alone but where she could not only see the light in the house of her twin sister, but also the light in the house of many of her kin.
She died Feb. 4th. after a short illness, surrounded by many of her relatives.
Since writing the above a daughter has been born to Rosolvo and Lucy Van Patton,
20
Thus have we traced the blood of the Van Patten family into the veins of 117 persons and have shown that the affinity of love has drawn 69 from other families to them.
Little wonder that this should be a proud family. Proud, not alone of their numbers, but proud of their name, proud of their family history; for in tracing this record the writer has not in a single instance found that a single one who boasts of the Van Patten blood has ever been arraigned at the bar of justice charged with the commission of any crime; neither has society been obliged to with-hold its welcome on account of any immoral act of a Van Patten, nor has the alms-giver ever had to enter the house of a Van Patten, for that noble self-reliance and independence, that sturdy industry, that practical economy which must have been so strongly
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Self-reliance or rather family reliance is the one great family characteristic, for it is seldom a Van Patten goes outside the family for council or advice except it be in matters that require a special training and education to enable one to advise.
Another note-worthy fact is found in the evidence of filial affection that must have been an almost constant lesson in that parent household which generated that strong attachment and family affection that is wrapt around and about this family in such a way as to enable so many of them to gather together as are here to-day.
Family differances of opinion, if they ever arise, are settled in the family and outsiders are seldom or never privileged or forced to hear our family trials or differances, for every
22
Many of us assembled here to-day, have to trace our ancestral blood to some other family, yet we can proudly boast, that in the veins of the children that follow us is mingled our blood with the blood of Ryer Van Patten.
Such is the heritage we have for our children, and there should be no suspicion, nay not even the shadow of suspicion, that this fair name will ever be soiled by even the least or youngest of these that are with us to-day; that crimson strain of nobleness, of right, of justice, which came from the head of this family and seems to have placed its stamp upon its every member, from generation to generation as the years of understanding have been reached by them, must never blanche.
What brighter rays, what happier thoughts could be reflected or brought out in the contemplation of family history than that which ours presents; for in each generation can be traced that true love of home and home life which alone makes family history resplendant
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ADDITION.
Four years ago the historian suggested the prophecy, that the family of William and Etta Ackles-Van Patten possessed the material that might serve to carry our family through another century; that prophecy is being fulfilled.
Lula, their oldest daughter has taken the Vail without entering a convent and she takes much pride in exhibiting her little Vail whom she calls Horace William, now a few weeks old.
Blanche has become the wife of Henry C. Crofoot, a scion of one of the old and honored families of Preble; they are about to seek a home in the state of California.
Clara also sought out one of the oldest and largest families of the town from which to choose her husband, Joseph H. Cummings,
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May has found Blyss for the family and more Blyss for herself in the person of the little infant son that has recently come to please her and her husband, who was a native of the state of Vermont.
D. S. Hunt has entered another of the old and influential families of the town and taken for his wife Collena Van Hoesen.
Frank Wood has taken for his wife a Mrs. Cleveland-Ayres; they live in Virgil, N. Y., and have two daughters.
A son has been born to John and Clara Van Buskirk, he is named Jean, also a third daughter to Ryer and Sarah Van Patten, Mable.
Death has claimed but one from our circle, Seth Hobart, who died Jan. 25th, 1903.
Thus have we added fourteen to our number and lost but one; if this ratio of increase, by the grace of and through the loving kindness of Him who governs all things, be continued, he who writes up the history of our family at the end of this century will well earn the title of Historian.
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SURNAME LIST
AcklesBabcock
Bacon
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett
Barry
Bennett
Bittles
Blyss
Clark
Cleveland-Ayres
Conyae
Crofoot
Cummings
Dean
Egbertson
Fisher
Gay
Gillette
Hall
Hamlin
Heemstraat
Hobart
Hollenbeck
Hunt
Keeler
Lock
Long
Luther
Masters
McKee
McNish
McRoe
Mogg
Nichols
Norton
Nostrant
Parker
Park[er?]
Preor
Rockwell
Rodgers
Roe
Sager
Savage
Schermerhorn
Shevalier
Smith
Spence
Strail
Tarbox
Vail
Van Atta
Van Buskirk
Van Camp
Van Dewalker
Van Hoesen
Van Patten
VanBuskirk
VanPatten
Wood
PLACE NAME LIST
AlbanyAnta Vesta, Iowa
Bennet Hollow
Blodgett Mills, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
California
Chittenango, N. Y.
Christian Hollow
Clay, N. Y.
East Scott
Elmwood Cemetery
Homer, N. Y.
Ireland
Kansas
Lafayette
Liverpool, N. Y.
Mohawk Valley
Mormus Kill
Otisco, N. Y.
Parish, N. Y.
Preble, N. Y.
Rensselaeruyck, N. Y.
Schenectady, N. Y.
Scott, N. Y.
St. Charles, Illinois
Tully, N.Y.
Vermont
Vesper
Virgil, N. Y.
Woodard, N. Y.
Submitted 28 August 1998
-6129- person to view the this page since 28 August 1998