| SHOVE.
The family of this name is not very
numerously represented in New England,
but has furnished many excellent citizens,
and has ornamented the work of the clergy
in several localities, especially in Taunton
and Danbury, Connecticut. The earliest
records show that there was a widow, Margery
Shove, at Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1643.
She was probably the mother of Rev. George
Shove, whose birthplace has not been located
after much research by genealogists.
(I) Rev.
George Shove was the third minister at
Taunton, Massachusetts, where he was
ordained pastor, November 17, 1665, and died
April 21, 1687. It is probably that the
minister as not substantially supported as
we find that he was an extensive dealer in
real estate which was due perhaps to the
necessity of his finding other means of
support than that afforded him as a
minister. He was one of the original
proprietors of the Taunton north Purchase
which included what is not the towns of
Norton, Easton, and Mansfield. He married
(first) July 12, 1664, Hopestill, daughter
of Rev. Samuel Newman, of Rehoboth,
Massachusetts. She died March 7, 1673, and
he marred (second) February 18, 1675,
Hannah, daughter of Rev. Thomas Waller. She
died December 22, 1685, and he married
(third) December 8, 1686, Sarah, daughter of
Thomas Farwell. Children of the first
marriage: 1. Edward, died young. 2.
Elizabeth, born August 10, 1666. 3. Seth,
mentioned below. 4. Nathaniel, January 29,
1669. 5. Samuel, June 16, 1670. 6. Sarah,
July 30, 1671. Of the second marriage: 7.
Mary, born August 11, 1676. 8. Johanna,
September 28, 1678. 9. Edward. Octo-
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ber 3, 1680.
10. Yetmercy, November 7, 1682.
The last is usually spoken of in the records
as Mercy Shove.
(II) Rev.
Seth Shove, second son of Rev. George and
Hopestill (Newman) Shove, was born September
10, 1667. He graduated at Harvard College
in 1687, and taught school in Newbury,
Massachusetts, and at Danbury, Connecticut.
He was ordained clergyman at the latter
place October 13, 1697, was the first
minister of the church in Danbury and spent
the remainder of his life engaged in the
ministry there; he died October 3, 1735.
His house was occupied as a garrison during
the Indian troubles in early days. When the
British burned Danbury in 1777, all its
records were destroyed, ad consequently no
record of his marriage or children appear,
but tradition states that for several
generations the line of descent was
continued through sons named Seth.
(V) Herman K.
Shove, a descendant of Rev. Seth Shove, was
born 1794 and died 1866. He married Olive
Blakely, and had issue. Levi shove, a
brother of Herman K. shove was born in
Danbury, married Abigail Weed of that town
and was among he early settlers of Warren,
Connecticut, where he lived and died.
(VI) Henry
Shove, born about 1830, son of Herman K. and
Olive (Blakely) shove, resided in Warren,
where he was a farmer, an active member of
the Methodist Church, and a Whig in
politics. He married Fanny Lane and their
children were: 1. John W. 2. Frank D.
3. Edward H. 4. Garwood. 5. Jennie 6.
Levi A. the daughter became the wife of
Harley Beeman.
(VI) Levi
A., youngest son of Henry and Fanny (Lane)
Shove, was born May 4, 1855, in Warren, and
died at Brewster, New York, November 22,
1906. In 1875 he settled in Brewster where
for many years he conducted a successful
livery business. He was an ardent
Republican in political principle, and
served as a trustee of the village of
Brewster, being also a member of the fire
company of that place. He married, October
18, 1876, Flora Eliza, born October 8, 1856,
in Kent, Connecticut, daughter of Ralph and
Harriet M. (Benedict) Howland, of that town.
Ralph Howland was born May 31, 1817, in
Kent, and died there, January 2, 1869.
Harriet M. Benedict was born December 23,
1816, and died April 20, 1897. They were
among the active and useful members of the
Methodist Church. Their children were: 1.
Justina Maria, born October 13, 1843,
married Lehman T. Peet. 2. Sherman William,
August 11, 1844. 3. Mark Benedict, October
29, 1846. 4. Mary Frances, December 18,
1853, became the wife of Charles T. Chase.
5. Flora Eliza, of previous mention. 6.
Eveline Amanda, October 11, 1857, died
September 10, 1875. The only child of Levi
A. Shove is Florence Howland Shove, born
January 8, 1880, in Brewster; she was
educated in the Brewster public schools and
Lyndon Hall, Poughkeepsie. She is one of
the active member of the Brewster Methodist
Church, and is connected with the Cecilian
Society, and the Women's Christian
Temperance Union.
VAN DUZER.
The surname of Van Duzer is Dutch
in origin, and in its original form is
said to be derived from a word or appellation
meaning "a place of many waters."
Its probably derivation is from the name
of a hamlet of about five hundred inhabitants
in Noord Braband, in the Netherlands called
Deursen. This was according to one
method adopted by the Dutch emigrants
who came to these shores in the establishment
of surnames, such a name indicating that
the emigrant to whom the name was later
applied, was originally from ("van")
Deursen in the Netherlands. This
method, as well as that of deriving the
family name front the name of the father
or grandfather with some prefix or suffix
indicating descent attached, prevailed
in New Amsterdam or New York during the
Dutch occupation and for some time after.
This particular name, Van Deursen or Van
Duzer, was in early days spelled ina variety
of ways that have continued to this day.
this was nearly the case with every type
of surname, Dutch as well as English,
German and the like in origin, in the
early days of colonial settlement.
The name as written down phonetically,
that is it was written down as it struck
the hearer's ear and as the writer at
the moment chose to render its orthography,
and this confusion of sound and orthography
resulted in an absolute absence of rule,
the same writer or copyist
Page 137
often rendering the
same name with different orthography,
a number of times in the same document.
The result of this may be seen in the
name here dealt with, perhaps as well
as in any other. Thus it has
been rendered and is found today as Van
Deusen, Vandeusen, Van Duzen, Van Deuse,
Van Deussen, Van Dorsen, Van Dozer, Van
Duce, Van Duesen, Van Dueser, Van Dueson,
Van Deuzer, Van Duzer, Van Deursen and
Van Deurse.
(I) Abraham
Pietersen Van Deursen, the immigrant
ancestor in American of the Van Duzer family
here health with, was born at Haarlem,
Holland, baptized there November 11, 1607,
and died in New Amsterdam or New York in
some year following 1644, when his youngest
child was born. He married in 1629 and a
few years later came to America. He is
recorded as being in New Amsterdam in 1636
and lived in the Heerewegh Straat or
Broadway, carrying on the occupation of
miller and innkeeper, trading also in land
and cattle. He married, in Haarlem,
Holland, December 7, 1629, Tryntje Melchiors.
Children: 1. Teunis, born in 1631 in
Haarlem, Holland. 2. Marytje, born in 1632
in Haarlem, Holland. 3. Isaac, mentioned
below. 4. Jacob, born in 1638 in New
Amsterdam. 5. Pieter, born in 1642 in New
Amsterdam. 6. Melchior, born in 1644 in
New Amsterdam.
(II) Isaac,
second son of Abraham Pietersen and Tryntje
(Melchiors) Van Deursen, consequently
bearing the sobriquet after the Dutch
fashion of Abrahamszen, was born in New
Amsterdam in the tear 1637, died in New
Amsterdam some time after 1677. He was a
resident of New Amsterdam the greater part
of his life. He married, April 5, 1659,
Jannetje Jans. Children: 1. Abraham, born
in New Amsterdam in 1659. 2. Jacobus, born
in New Amsterdam in 1662. 3. Geertruyd,
born in New Amsterdam in 1665, died young.
4. Geertruyd (2), born in 1666. 5. Isaac,
mentioned below. 6. Sarah, born in 1677.
(III) Isaac
(2), youngest son of Isaac (1), and Jannetje
(Jans) Van Deursen, and Consequently bearing
the Dutch sobriquet of Isaacsz, was baptized
May 1, 1670, died in New York some time
after 1727, the year in which his youngest
child was born. He was made a freeman,
August 30, 1698. He married, April 24,
1697, Metje Christaens. Children: 1.
Isaac, mentioned below. 2. Christian,
baptized in 1700. 3. Catryna, born in
1702. 4. Jennecke, born in 1705. 5. Lea,
born in 1715, 6. Shadrach, born in 1727.
(IV) Isaac
(3), eldest son of Isaac (2) and Metje (Christaens)
Van Deursen, and consequently bearing the
sobriquet of Isaacsz, was born in New York,
baptized in New York, February 6, 1698, died
in Cornwall, Orange County, New York, March
30, 1792. On the military roll of Orange
County, New York, in 1715, his name appears
as Ysack Van Dures, and in his will, dated
June 14, 1783, as Van Duzer, which spelling
has since been followed by his descendants.
He resided at Tappan, New York, in 1718.
From there, he appears to have gone to
Ramapo, where he lived from the year 1724
tot he year 1748. Later he settled in
Cornwall, Orange County, New York. At
Cornwall he figured as a large landowner,
possessing one thousand Acres. He married
(first) in 1718, Argenetie Laroe, (second)
in 1723, Elizabeth Rosenboom, of New York.
Children by first marriage: 1. Wiberech,
baptized in 1720. 2. Isack, baptized in
1721, both this child and the fist being
baptized at Hackensack, New Jersey.
Children by second marriage: 3. Augneitje,
born in 1724. 4. Tjerck, born in 1726. 5.
Martha, born in 1728. 6. Marrytje, born in
1730. 7. Elizabeth, born in 1732. 8.
Catherine, born in 1734. 9. Leah, born in
1736. 10. Antje, born in 1738. 11.
Jannetje, born in 1741. 12. Christopher,
mentioned below. 13. Maria, born in 1749.
(V)
Christopher Van Duzer, youngest son of Isaac
(2) and Elizabeth (Rosenboom) Van Deursen,
was born in 1743. He passed his youth and a
great part of his adult life at Cornwall,
Orange county, New York. he was a captain
in the Cornwall regiment of foot during the
Revolutionary War, and his record was a very
creditable one. He served at Haverstraw,
Ramapo, Fort Montgomery, Minisink, New
Windsor, and Fishkill. His widow as a
Revolutionary pensioner. He married (first)
Juliana Strong, born in 1750, died in 1770;
(second) Juliana Tusten, sister of
Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Tusten, who was
killed by Indians at the battle of Minisink,
New York, July 22, 1770. Child by first
marriage: 1. Juliana, born in 1770.
Children by second marriage: 2. Isaac,
born in 1773, married, June 29, 1794,
Keturah, daughter of Selah and Keturah
(Strong) Reeve. 3. Abigail, born in 1775.
4. Elizabeth Tusten, born in 1777, married,
in 1797, Selah Reeve, Jr. 5. Ann, born in
1779. 6. Mary, born in 1781. 7. Benjamin
T., born in 1784. 8. John, born in 1780.
9. William, born in 1788. 10. Abigail,
born in 1790. 11. Susan, born in 1792.
12. Selah, mentioned below.
(VI) Selah,
youngest son of Christopher and Juliana (Tusten)
Van Duzer, was born at Cornwall, Orange
County, New York, October 28, 1796, died
September 20, 1874. He was president of the
New York National Exchange Bank, New York
City, and resided in Lake Mahopac. He
resided for a considerable part of his life
at Cornwall and at Warwick. He married
(first) in 1818, Margaret Van Alstyne, born
in 1800, died in 1830, daughter of Abraham
and Margaret (Hill) Van Alstyne. He married
(second) January 9, 1833, Arianna
Somerville, born in 1807, died in 1886,
daughter of Archibald and Mary (Hingham)
Somerville. Children by first marriage: 1.
Edward, born in 1819. 2. William Austin
Seeley, born in 1820, died in 1905. 3.
Selah Reeve, mentioned below. 4. Margaret
Josephine, born in 1827, died in 1856,
married, in 1853, James Dewey, born in 1815,
died in 1884. Children by second marriage:
5. Archibald Somerville, born in 1834, died
in 1870, married, in 1864, Sarah Fairchild.
6. Charles Francis, born in 1836, died in
1862, was lieutenant of the Untied States
infantry. 7. George, born February 22,
1839, died January 15, 1904. 8. John
Bingham, born in 1840, died in 1865. 9.
Mary Somerville, born in 1844, married, in
1886, John Sayre Martin.
(VII) Selah
Reeve, son of Selah and Margaret (Van
Alstyne) Van Duzer, was born in New York
City, December 9, 1823, died at "Rozenhof",
his home at Newburg, Orange County, New
York, December 27, 1903. He was one of the
most prominent wholesale druggists in the
United States. He retired from active
business in 1893. In 1854 he made his home
in Newburg and purchased the premises south
of the Ramsdell Homestead, adding greatly to
the conveniences and beauty of the place.
At his conservatories were always to be
found in great abundance the choicest of
flowering and foliage plants, particularly
chrysanthemums. He also owned one of the
Thousand Islands, where he erected a
beautiful house, and owned a winter house in
Thomasville, Georgia. Mr. Van Duzer was of
a charitable disposition and appeals to him
for help were always heeded, and what he
gave was freely given and utterly without
ostentation.
He married,
May 15, 1850, Catherine Mathews Sayre, born
in 1828, died April 25, 1904, at
Thomasville, Georgia, daughter of Jonas and
Rachel (Mathews) Sayre. Children: 1.
Selah, born April 19, 1851, died July 6,
1892. 2. Henry Sayre, born February 26,
1853, a lawyer, at one time was major and
judge advocate of the First Brigade National
Guard of New York. 3. Frederick Conkling,
born February 15, 1856, married, September
12, 1878, Lois Marion Miller, resides in
London, England, 4. Katherine Sayre, born
August 5, 1858, married January 20, 1887,
Frank Vincent Burton, son of Josiah H. and
Lucia ( Clark) Burton, resides in Newburg:
children: 1. Lucia Clark, born November
21, 1887, married, May 28, 1910, Morgan, son
of John Morgan and Josephine G. (Ireland)
Wing, and has one child, Morgan Jr., born
February 1, 1889. 2. Frank Vincent, Jr.,
born September 26, 1891. 3. Van Duzer,
born October 26, 1895. 4. Margaret, born
January 31, 1899.
GANSEVOORT.
The original ancestors
of the Gansevoort families of the Hudson
and Mohawk Valleys in New York State lived
in a town called Ganzfort, which was situated
on the borders of Germany and Holland.
Wesselius Gansefortius, otherwise known
in his own day as Wessel Gansevoort and
also as John Wessel Gansevoort, was born
at Groningen, Holland, in the year 1419,
in a house standing in the Heerestraat,
near the Caroliweg, and which can be recognized
to this day in the front stone.
The arms themselves appear to present
an emblem of agriculture and commerce,
from which it may be assumed that the
Gansevoorts of early times were engaged
in those avocations. And besides
the family name of Gansevoort (doubtless
derived from the village of Ganzfort,
in Westfalen), he bore
Page 139
in later times among
men of eminent learning the name of Basilius,
and the title of Lux Mundi (light
of the world), and also the name of Magister
Contradictionis (Master of Contradictions
or Debates). For this latter title
he is probably indebted to his continuous
attacks against the errors and abuses
of the church. He also has been
referred to and mentioned as the forerunner
of Luther, and he favored the school of
absolute nominalism in philosophy.
He was a leader in the Pre-Reformation
movement in Holland, and ranked among
the most learned men of his time; was
an intimate friend in early life of Thomas
a Kempis, studied at several of the great
schools of Europe, and was offered and
declined a p[professorship at Heidelberg.
At Paris he was the instructor of two
men who afterwards achieved wide fame,
Reuchlin and Agricola, and subsequently
he visited Rome when Sixtus IV was Pope.
He had been on terms of intimacy with
Sixtus when the latter was superior-general
of the Franciscans. It is related
that he was asked by Sixtus what favor
he could do for him, and in answer Wessel
asked for a Greek and Hebrew Bible from
the Vatican library. "You shall
have it," said the Pope. "but
what a simpleton you are; why did you
not ask for a bishopric or something of
that kind?" "Because I did not
want it," replied Wessel, a reply
truly characteristic of his high tone
and independent spirit. On religious
subjects his views were broad and deep,
and he promulgated with boldness the doctrines
of the Reformation forty years in advance
of Luther, who held his character and
attainment in high esteem and who published
an edition of part of his works.
His name, still retained by the family
in this country, is reverenced in Groningen,
his native city, where in 1862 an ancient
tablet to his memory was restored by the
authorities of the city and placed in
the large church with demonstrations of
public regard.
The Hon.
Harmanus Bleecker, when minister to The
Hague, stated that there was no doubt of the
descent of the family from this philosopher,
and papers in possession of the family of
the late Judge Peter Gansevoort, of Albany,
show the fact more clearly. In 1860 his
tomb at Groningen was visited by Judge
Gansevoort and his son, and a few days
previous to their arrival the remains had
been disinterred and were lying in the
cloister of the Holy Virgins, to which place
they had been removed from the chapel of the
University to make room for modern
improvements. His tomb also had been
removed and was lying in pieces ready to be
re-erected. It was of the medieval style
and surmounted by a bust of Wessel, such as
was usually placed over tombs of that
description. The bust was of marble, but,
like that of Shakespeare at Stratford, it
had been painted in different colors. It
showed him to be a man of intellect and
benevolence, and the inscription on the tomb
was elaborate and magniloquent. The bones
of the body were in perfect preservation and
were regarded by those in charge with great
reverence, and they were re-interred with
ceremony. It is a somewhat singular fact
that at the time of the arrival there of
Judge Gansevoort and his son, the house of
their ancestor Wessel Gansevoort was being
demolished to make room for a more modern
building. It contained above the front door
a marble slab on which was carved the same
coat-of-arms as that borne by the family in
America, viz.: 4 quarters, a ship and
wagon.
Wesselius Gansefortius died October 9,
1489. It is said that during his
last sickness he complained that through
various considerations and reflections
he felt his belief in the great truths
of the Christian religion shaken, but
not long before his death he was heard
to exclaim with great thankfulness, "I
thank God, all these vain thoughts have
gone, and I know nothing but Christ and
Him crucified." Such then are
some of the qualities and characteristics
of the great scholar and philosopher,
who, without doubt, is the remote ancestor
of the family of the Gansevoort surname
purposed to be treated in
these annals.
It is not known in what year the first
Gansevoort emigrated to the Low Country
of Holland, but it is known that the first
of the surname on this side of the Atlantic
Ocean appeared in New Netherlands in the
year 1660.
(I) Harme
Van Gansevort (he so wrote his name in all
of his business and family transactions so
long as he lived) came to American and
settled at Catskill, on the Hudson River, in
1660. There he had an ex-
Page 140
tensive manor, doubtless
acquired from the Indians, but afterward
his lands were granted to others.
It is related by one chronicler of the
family history that Harme lived for sometime
at Catskill, on an estate more recently
owned by the Van Vechten family, and that
he was unjustly deprived of his property
by one of the Dutch governors who went
by water from New Amsterdam to Albany,
and on his passage up the river anchored
his vessel opposite Catskill creek.
There the Governor went ashore wit his
secretary or aide, and was hospitably
entertained by the proprietor. The
secretary expressed his admiration of
the estate, solicited a grant of it from
the governor, and secured it. In consequence
of this, Harme Ganzevort, who had no other
title to the land than that of possession
and the consent of the Indian owners,
was compelled to leave and locate elsewhere.
From Catskill he removed with his family
to Albany where, having been brought up
to the trade of a brewer, he set up in
that business and continued it so long
as he lived. His home and brew house
were at the corner of Market Street and
Maiden Lane. This property had been
kept in the family and on the site now
stand Stanwix Hall.
Harme Van
Ganesvoort (or Van Ganzvort) died July 23,
1710. He was a man of character and
ability, a member of the Lutheran Church.
Of his means he gave to the society of that
church a lot of land on which to erect a
house of worship, and beneath the pulpit in
the church his remains were buried. The lot
is on South Pearl Street, where the market
house was built in later years. his wife
was Marritje Liendarts, who died in 1742.
Children: 1. Elsie, married 1689, Francis
Winne. 2. Maria. 3. Auguitie, married,
1698, Teunis Williams. 4. Anna, married,
1692, Jacobus De Warren. 5. Lysbeth,
married, 1701, Johannes De Wandelaer. 6.
Hillitie, married, 1706, Albert Van Derzee.
7. Caterine, married, 1714, Asent Pruyn.
8. Leonard, born 1681 (see post). 9.
Rachel, born 1686, married Teunis Hamerin.
10. Lydia, born 1690. 11. Rebecca, 1693.
12. Hendrick, 1696.
(II) Leonard
Gansevoort (Liendart Van Ganzvort), son of
Harme and Marritje (Liendarts) Van Gansvort,
was born in Albany, in 1681, and died there
November 30, 1763. He succeeded his father
in the ownership of the brewery and its
business, and continued t as his principal
occupation. He is remembered as a man of
small stature, of placid and serene
countenance, and of upright character. He
married, in 1712, Catherine De Wandelaer,
who survived him and it was ina large
measure through her strong character and
superior business abilities that her husband
was enabled to accumulate a comfortable
fortune. One of her descendants writing of
her said that "her activity of mind made her
quite a business woman and rendered her a
great blessing to her husband, who was a
quiet, moderate man." Children: 1. Harme,
born 1712, (see post). 2. Henry, born
1716, died 1746. 3. John, died young. 4.
Sarah, born 1718, died 1731. 5. Johannes,
born 1719, died 1781, married (first) 1750,
Marritje Douw, (born 1725, died 1759)
married (second) Elsie Beekman, daughter of
Jacob. 6. Maria, born 1723, died 1739.
7. Peter, born 1725, died 1809, married,
1751, Garrithe Ten Eyck. 8. Elsie, born
1728, died 1753. 9. Aguitie, born 1730,
died 1731. 10. Elsie, died 1761.
(III) Harme,
son of Leonard and Catherine (De Wandelaer)
Gansevoort, was born in Albany, and baptized
there, April 20, 1712, and died there May 7,
1801. He was a merchant in Albany and
carried on an extensive business, importing
his goods from Europe. He inherited from
his father the brewery property and
continued it in connection with his other
business interests. He also appears to have
been somewhat engaged in public affairs, and
it is evident that he was a man of excellent
understanding and business capacity. From
September 25, 1750, to 1760, he was clerk of
the County court and of the court of common
pleas, clerk of the peace and of the
sessions. In 1763 he purchased and caused
to be brought over from England what
probably was the second hand fire engine
ever used in Albany, paying therefor the sum
of $397.50. he married, May 29, 1740,
Magadalena Douw, born august 1, 1718, died
October 12, 1796, daughter of Petrus and
Anna (Van Rensselaer) Douw. Petrus
(sometimes written Pieter) Douw, was born
March 24, 1692, died August 21, 1775, son of
Jonas Volkertse Douw of Manor Rennselaerwyck,
Page 141
who married (first)
November 14, 1683, Magdalena Pieterse
Quackenboss, and married (second) April
24, 1696, Catrina Van Witbeck, widow of
jacob Sanderse Glen Jonas Volkertse
Douw was the eldest son from Frederickstadt
and was in Beverwyck as early as 1638.
He died in 1686. He had his house
on the west corner of State Street and
Broadway, which property is now owned
by his descendants. He was a trader
and brewer, and in connection with Jan
Thomase he dealt quite largely in real
estate. Their brewery was located
on the east half of the Exchange block
lot and extended to the river. this
they sold in 1675 to Harmen Rutgers, son
of Rutger Jacobsen. In 1663 they
bought of the Indians, Schotack or Apjen's
(Little Monkey's) Island and the mainland
lying east of it. Captain Douw also
owned Constapel's Island, lying opposite
Bethlehem, half of which he sold in 1677
to Pieter Winne. In 1672 he owned
Schutter's Island, below Beeren Island,
which he sold to Barent Pieterse Coeymans.
He married, April 19, 1650, Dorotee Janse,
from Breestede, Holland. She was
a sister of Rutger Jacobsen's wife, and
died November 2, 1681. He died in
1686. Anna Van Rensselaer, wife
of Petrus Douw, was born January 4, 1718,
daughter of Killian and Maria (Van Cortlandt)
Van Rensselaer, granddaughter of Jeremias
and Maria (Van Cortlandt) Van Rensselaer,
and great-granddaughter of Killian Van
Rensselaer, merchant of Amsterdam, Holland,
who married (first) Hillegonda Van Bylet,
and (second) anna Wely. Killian
Van Rensselaer, son of Jeremias, was the
first lord of the Manor of Rennselaerwyck.
Children of Harme and Magdalena
(Douw) Gansevoort: Sarah, born 1741,
married John Ten Broeck. 2.
Peter, born 1742, died 1743. 3.
Anna, born 1744, died 1794, married 1778,
Cornelius Wyncoop. 4. Catherine,
born 1747, died 1749. 5. Peter,
born 1749, (see post). 6.
Leonard, born 1751, died 1810, married,
1770, Hester Cuyler, born 1749, died 1826.
7. Henry, born 1753, died 1755.
8. Hendrick, born 1757. 9.
Catrina, died 1761.
(IV) General
Peter Gansevoort, Jr., son of Harme and
Magdalena (Douw) Gansevoort, was born in
Albany, in 1749, where Stanwix Hall now
stands, and died in his native city, July 2,
1812, at the age of sixty-three years. On
July 2, 1775, he was appointed by congress a
major in the Second new York Regiment. In
August, of that year he joined the army
which invaded Canada under Montgomery. In
March, 1776, he was made lieutenant-colonel,
and on November 21 following became colonel
of the regiment. In July, 1776, he was
colonel commanding at Fort George, on Lake
George. In April, 1777, he took command of
Fort Stanwix (afterward called Fort
Schuyler), on the present sire of the city
of Rome, and made a gallant defense of the
post against the British under St. Leger,
which was the first blow to their great
scheme to sever New York from the residue of
the confederacy, and by thus preventing the
cooperation of that officer with Burgoyne,
contributed most essentially to the great
and decisive victory at Saratoga. For this
gallant defence the thanks of congress were
voted to Colonel Gansevoort. In the spring
of 1779 Colonel Gansevoort was ordered to
join General Sullivan, in an expedition
against the Indians in the western part of
New York. At the head of a chosen party
from the army he distinguished himself by
surprising, by the celerity of his
movements, the lower Mohawk Castle, and
capturing all the Indian inhabitants of the
vicinity. In 1781, the Sate of new York
appointed him brigadier-general, and
afterwards he filled a number of important
offices, among which was that of
commissioner of Indian affairs and for
fortifying the frontiers. He also was
military agent and a brigadier-general in
the United States Army in 1809, sheriff of
Albany County from 1790 to 1792, a regent of
the University of the State of New York from
1808 until the time of his death, and one of
the first board of directors of the New York
State Bank in 1803.
The foregoing
account is hardly more than a very brief
outline of the career of one of the bravest
and most determined soldiers, and patriots
of the Revolution, an officer whose courage
never was doubted, whose achievements as a
commanding officer were fully appreciated,
but whose splendid service never was more
than half rewarded. And it has remained for
one of his descendants, a granddaughter, to
cause to
Page 142
be erected an appropriate
memorial of his noble record and unselfish
patriotism; and all honor is due Mrs.
Catherine Gansevoort Lansing, for the
gift which marks the place of old Fort
Stanwix--"w fort which never surrendered,"
and the fort from which the first American
flag was unfurled in the face of the enemy.
The "General Peter Gansevoort Statute,"
in bronze, stands in the circle in the
East park, Rome, New York, facing the
west. The figure is in full uniform,
heroic in size, seven feet two inches
tell, standing at ease in military position,
the left foot slightly forward.
In the right hand is held the letter of
St. Leger demanding the surrender of the
Fort, while the left hand rests on the
hilt of the sword. The pedestal
rests weighs nearly three tons and stands
on a base weighing twenty tons, and the
whole rests on a solid concrete foundation
nearly four feet thick. On the outer
edge of the flag walk around the monument
is a stone coping of Barre granite, rock
finish, the same material on which the
statute rests, the coping being a foot
wide and a foot thick. On the front
tablet of the monument appears this inscription:
Brigadier-General peter Ganzevoort, Jr.,
Colonel in the Continental Army,.
He served under Montgomery in Canada in
the campaign against Quebec in 1775, and
in 1777 he successfully defended Fort
Stanwix against the British forces and
their Indian allies under St. Leger, thus
preventing their junction with Burgoyne
at Saratoga. He took part in the
campaign of 1779 under General Sullivan.
He was in active command at the outbreak
of the War of 1812, and died on the second
day of July of that year at the age of
61.
On the rear tablet this inscription appears:
Erected
near the site of
FORT STANWIX
at the
request of Peter Ganzevoort,
Henry S.
Ganzevoort, U. S. A., and Abraham Lansing,
all of
Albany, N.
Y.
Presented to
the City of Rome by
Catherine
Gansevoort
Lansing,
A. D. 1906.
of Captain Volkert Janse Douw, who came |
