|
BIOGRAPHY OF
ABRAHAM OOTHOUT ZABRISKIE
ABRAHAM OOTHOUT ZABRISKIE belonged to one of the most numerous
and eminently conspicuous families of Bergen County. In Poland
the name was "Sobieska," and Albrect Sobieska was the
first of the family in America.
It has been claimed by many of his descendants that royal
blood coursed in Albrecht's veins, because he was a brother of
John III., the last king of Poland. James Sobieska (the king's
father) and his wife, Theophila, had but three children: Mark,
John (the king), and a daughter. Mark was killed in the battle
of Batog, leaving behind no issue; John, the king, had two sons,
James and Alexander, both of whom died childless, as did also
the king's sister.
Albrecht Sobieska (who in America was known as Albert Zabriskie)
was a cousin of the king of Poland. That fact, however, did not
make royal blood flow in his veins, for the crown of Poland when
attained by King John was not inheritable. That quality had long
since been forcibly taken from it. None of John's ancestors had
ever worn it, and John was elected to wear it. Hence, there was
no more inheritable quality in it than in the Presidency of the
United States. There was, however, noble blood in Albert's veins.
His ancestors for two centuries had been Palatine nobles of Poland-famous
generals who had fought long and bravely in the cause of their
country, distinguished for their virtues in peace and for their
courage in war. Albert's cousin John, upon his merits alone,
not only became king by the voice of the people of his native
country, but he had also become one of the greatest warriors
of the sixteenth century. Albert's father was a soldier, but
the son had no taste for the favorite calling of a long line
of noble and warlike ancestors. Born at Zolkiew in Poland, in
1638, he frew up in the shadow of the church and school, receiving
a fair education. His turn of mind was such that his father had
early hopes of seeing his son in the pupil preaching the Reformation.
To that end he sent Albert to a Protestant school in Holland.
The strict rules and Puritan tents of the institution were not,
however, relished by Albert, and he soon ran away. While roaming
about from one city to another, without occupation or funds,
he was seized by the government authorities of Prussia and pressed
into the army. Watching his opportunity he escaped to Amsterdam,
early in 1662, from which port he sailed to America in the ship
"Fox," reaching New York in August of that year. For
ten years he seems to have wandered among the settlements about
New York without any settled purpose in life; but in 1676 we
find him at Bergen (Jersey City), where he met, and on December
17 of that year married, Miss Machtelt (Matilda) Van der Linden,
daughter of Yost Van der Linden, a young lady then twenty years
of age and native of the City of Brussels Belgium, whose brother,
Roloff Van der Linden, was destined later to become, like her
husband, one of the largest landowners in Bergen County. The
marriage ceremony was solemnized in the Dutch Reformed Church
at Bergen, near what is now "the Five Corners."
In the year of his marriage (1676) Albert made his first purchase
from the Hackensack and Tappan Indians-a tract of 1,067 acres-abutting
south on Captain John Berry's purchase, extending north one and
five-eighth miles, and from the Saddle River east to what is
known as Sprout Brook. This tract was known as "Paramus"
or "The Point." On this he built his family mansion,
and spent his life in agricultural pursuits. Much of it is still
occupied by his descendants, who have become numerous in Bergen,
Hudson, and Passaic Counties. It has been said that the Indians
captured his eldest son, Jacob, and refused to give him up to
this father until he should be taught the Indian language; that
the father acquiesced; that the boy mastered the language, and
the chief of the tribe then gave the father title to his lands.
This is probably only tradition. At any rate, the deed recites
the consideration to have been wampum (white and black), peltries,
clothing, rum, and implements of husbandry. In 1682 Albert obtained
from lady Carteret grants of several tracts of land adjoining
his first purchase, principally one of 420 acres on the east
and extending to the Hackensack River. In 1679 the Indians in
some way (not stated) became indebted to Albert, and to liquidate
such indebtedness the sachems verbally agreed to convey to him
2,000 acres in Rockland County, N. Y. This agreement was not
performed until 1702, when Albert agreed to take lands in New
Jersey instead of Rockland County lands. Accordingly, the sachems
of the tribes deeded him 2,100 acres in Bergen County, north
of his first purchase, and fronting west on the Saddle River.
Albert's patents are known as the "Paramus" and "New
Paramus" patents. Altogether Albert must have owned more
than 4,000 acres in Bergen County. Much of this was afterward
claimed by Peter Sonmans, whose claims to it were not released
until 1731-35, long after the death of Albert. In his day he
was considered a very wealthy man. He was highly respected, not
only for his great liberality, but for his integrity, and above
all for his fair dealings with the savages, who esteemed his
highly. He understood their language and frequently acted as
their interpreter. In 1686 he helped to organize the "Church
on the Green" at Hackensack, of which he was one of the
first members. He took an active part in civil affairs and was
the first Justice of the Peace for Upper Bergen County, to which
office he was commissioned by Governor Hamilton in 1682. He died
September 11, 1711, having been one of the most active and enterprising
of the pioneer settlers of his county, and his descendants are
noted for the same qualities. His wife survived him, dying in
1725.
His children (of the second generation) were (1) Jacob A.,
born about April 12, 1679 (married Ann Alberts Terhune), and
had ten children; (2) John A.; (3) Joost A., born in 1687 (married
November 12, 1712, Christina Casparus Mabie), and had eight children;
(4) Christian A., born July 3, 1696 (married May 28, 1714, Lea
Hendricks Hopper), and had five children; and (5) Henry, born
in 1696 (married Gertrude Hendricks Hopper), and had four children.
John A. Zabriskie, of the second generation, was born at Hackensack
about 1682. He married (1) September 20, 1706, Elizabeth Claes
Romeyn, who was born in 1683 at Graves End, L. I., and died near
Hackensack, N. J., in 1712. He (2) married against December 6,
1712, Margaretta Johns Durie. He succeeded to the ownership of
part of his father's lands. In 1720 he bought of Samuel Des Marest
(2) a large farm at what is now Hawroth, N. J., some of which,
until very recently, was owned by the descendants of his eldest
son Albert. It extended from the Schraalenburgh road west to
the Hackensack River. Some of his lands were claimed by Peter
Sonmans, but were released to Zabriskie about 1761, by Hans Spier,
agent of Sonmans.
John Zabriskie (2) was a farmer, but was active in township
and church matters. He died in 1766. His second wife survived
him. His children of the third generation were four by his first
wife and nine by his second wife, to wit: Albert, Matilda, Nicholas,
Christina, Elizabeth, John, Jacob, Elizabeth, Peter, Joost, Rachel,
Cornelius, and Christian.
Of the above named thirteen children Jacob J. Zabriskie, of
the third generation, born near Hackensack, July 27, 1718, married,
in 1743, Sarah Varrick, a descendant of an old aristocratic family
of New York. Their issue of the fourth generation was a son,
John L. Zabriskie, baptized February 27, 1752. He died April
24, 1782. He married December 7, 1775, Lena Lansing, of Albany,
N. Y., where she was born October 5, 1750. She died April 26,
1826.
John L. Zabriskie's widow, after his death, married (2) November
14, 1786, General Abraham Oothout. John L. Zabriskie (4) had
issue one son, John Lansing Zabriskie (5), who married Sarah
Barrea. He was a prominent clergyman at Greenbush, N. Y., and
had issue two children of the sixth generation: John Barrea Zabriskie
(a prominent physician at Flatbush, L. I.) and Abraham Oothout
Zabriskie (the subject of this sketch).
Abraham Oothout Zabriskie, LL.D., of Hackensack and Jersey
City, was born in Greenbush, N. Y., June 10, 1807, and when four
years old went with his parents to Millstone, N. J. He received
an academic education and matriculated at Nassau Hall, Princeton,
in 1823, becoming a member of the junior class when only sixteen.
He was graduated from that institution in 1825, read law with
James S. Green, of Princeton, and was admitted as an attorney
in November, 1828, and as a counselor in 1831. He practiced in
Newark two years and in Hackensack nineteen years, and in 1838
was appointed Surrogate of Bergen County and was re-appointed
in 1843, serving in all ten years. He not only learned how to
frame statements of execution and administration, but acquired
a full knowledge of ecclesiastical law as pertaining to estates
of descendants, and also evinced a method and accuracy that distinguished
his life.
In 1842 he was appointed Prosecutor of the Pleas of Bergen
County and became master of the principles of criminal law. Later
he often acted as counsel in criminal and civil cases, and in
cases involving land titles. He became familiar with the duties
of a practical surveyor and also with the proprietary history
of New Jersey, and understood every patent in the old "Field
Book of Bergen County," and the common lands assigned to
each patent. He was regarded as a formidable adversary in all
case involving title to land, and was for several years Supreme
Court Reporter to 1855. In 1844 he removed to Jersey City, and
in 1850 he was elected State Senator and served three years.
He was a member of the committee of citizens which framed
the charter of Jersey City, passed March 18, 1851; was the author
of the "Long Dock Charter" of 1856; and from 1856 to
1866 was a Director of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation
Company. In 1859 he was appointed by Governor Newell Chancellor
of New Jersey, but the Senate refused to confirm him, and the
State, during that memorable struggle, was without a Chancellor
for a year. In 1866 he was nominated by Governor Ward and confirmed
by the Senate as Chancellor, and began his official duties May
1, 1866. He performed the duties of that office with a promptness
and ability that have never been surpassed by any of his successors.
He took a prominent part in the great railroad war as opposed
to the monopoly, and for an expression used in a public speech
earned the sobriquet of "Captain of the Pick-axe Guard."
He was an eminent jurist, an able and learned lawyer, a sagacious
business man, and officially connected with several corporate
enterprises. He traveled extensively, and while on a trip to
the Pacific slope died at Truckee, California, June 27, 1873.
He married (1) April 7, 1836, Sarah Augusta Pell, born September
9, 1810, died April 3, 1845. He married (2) January 2, 1848,
Julia M. Halsey. His children of the seventh generation were
Abraham, Lansing, Sarah A., and Augustus. Of these, Abraham (8)
was commissioned Adjutant of the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers,
October 18, 1861, promoted to Major February 10, 1862, to Lieutenant
Colonel December, 1862, and subsequently to Colonel. He died
May 24, 1864, of wounds received in the battle of Drury's Bluff,
Va. Sarah A. (8) is the wife of Franz Ernst de Bille, a native
of Denmark, who is at present Danish Minister to England.
Lansing Zabriskie (8), now deceased, was a prominent lawyer
in Jersey City, as is also his brother Augustus, at the present
time. Augustus and Sarah have children of the ninth generation.
Source: Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties,
New Jersey, Editor, Cornelius Burnham Harvey, The New Jersey
Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900, page 49-53.
|
