|
SCHUYLER.
The family name of Schuyler was originally
"van Schuyler" when coming to this country,
and by it was meant one residing in a place
of shelter, from the Dutch :schuiler", a
hider; or :schuil", a shelter' and possibly
also from the German work "schuler", a
scholar, the intention being to signify a
family of education, or scholarly the
progenitor of the family in America commonly
wrote his name "Philip Pieterse", excepting
when he singed contracts, deeds or other
important documents, when he added "Schuijler",
which could also be expressed by writing it
"Schuyler", by placing the two small marks
over the letter "y". After the year 1667 he
usually wrote his name in full; but after
1672 he had dropped the name "Pieterse,"
signifying that Peter was his father as one
might now drop the "Junior" after the death
of a father, and he singed his will "Philip
Schuiler". In the early family records he
wrote the names of seven of his children
with the prefix "van". Thus one traces the
transition, with its definite reasons, to
the present form.
The Schuyler
arms: Shield: Vert, a sinister Cubit arm,
vested or, cuffed or, holding on the hand a
falcon sable, beaked, membered, hooded or.
Crest: A falcon as in shield. Motto: "semper
fidelis". Arms as blazoned above were
on the stained glass window in the old Dutch
Church and were a few years ago in the
possession of a Miss Schuyler who showed
them to Mr. M. Roosevelt Schuyler.
Two brothers
of the name of Van Schuyler, Philip and
David, were among the earliest settlers of
Beverwyck, who came to this country from
Holland, and it is from them all of the name
in America have proceeded, which for the
first century and a half after their arrival
was distinctively an Albany name.
Unfortunately by the year 1900 it became
extinct in that city, but was still held in
highest respect in memory. There were many
of them who attained high distinction,
especially in military valor, in
governmental affairs, and as owners of very
large estates. Five of the name were mayors
in Albany, and hardly a more illustrious
name appears in American history than that
of General Philip Schuyler, of the
Revolution.
(I) Colonel
Philip Pieterse Van Schuyler was the son of
Pieter Van Schuyler, of Amsterdam, Holland.
He was the better known of the two brothers
who settled in New Netherland, and is
recognized as the head of the family in
America, or progenitor of the Schuyler
family. He purchased the property four
miles north of Albany, on the public highway
to Saratoga, which has been the home of the
Schuyler family to this day. The original
house on this bouwerie was the residence of
Arent Van Curler, a cousin of the first
patroon, Kilian Van Rensselaer, who came
with the colonists to Rensselaerwyck in
1630. He had married, in 1643, and one his
return from his bridal journey to Holland
settled on his farm known as The Flatts,
even as at present it is styled. After him
it was owned by Richard Van Rensselaer, a
son of the Patroon, who relinquished it when
he returned to live in Holland. The entry
in the account-book of the Van Rensselaer
estate reads: "Debit: Philip Van Schuyler,
for the Bouwery called de Vlacjte (The
Flatts) and the Island, sold to him for 700
beavers and 1,600 florins Holland Money,
together 8,000 florins. Contra; Credit, a
bill of Exchange drawn on Jan Baptist Van
Rensselaer, calculated at 2,400 florins; 650
whole Beavers;
Page 278A--Picture of
General Philip Schuyler-notation-A leader of
the foremost rank among new York's
Revolutionary officers, command the Army of
the North, in whom Washington ever reposed
greatest confidence; Member of the Colonial
Congress, 1779; fist U. S. Senator from New
York State, 1789. Born at Albany, Nov. 11,
1733; died at Albany, Nov. 18, 1804. From
the painting by John Trumbull.
Page 279
5,200 do.; 50 do.; 400
do.; total 8,000 florins". The county
clerk's records show: "Jeremias Van
Rensselaer in his life time That is to say
on the two and twentieth day of June in the
year of our Lord Christ one thousand six
hundred seventy, and two for an in
consideration of the sum of five thousand
Holland builders to him in hand paid Philip
Schuyler his heirs and assigns for ever all
that farm Tract and parcel of Land commonly
called The flatts as also ne Island over
against said flatts commonly called the
great Island of the flatts situate on the
west side of Hudson River in the colony of
Rensselaerwyck in the like manner as the
said farm hertofore has been occupied and
enjoyed by Mr. Richard van Rensselaer".
Colonel Van Schuyler's son, Colonel Pieter
Schuyler, inherited The flatts, and he lived
there twelve years, when he leased it to his
son Philip, who inherited it in turn, but ,
having no children, by his will dated June
28, 1748. He gave the "Great Island" to his
brother Jeremy, and to his brother Pieter he
left The Flatts. In the latter's will,
drawn April 27, 1771, he left it to his
grandson, Stephen Schuyler, and in 1910 it
was occupied by the widow of Richard
Schuyler (Susan Drake), because he was the
son of Stephen R., Schuyler and Catherine
Elizabeth Schuyler, who was the son of Peter
S. Schuyler and Catherine Cuyler, who was in
turn the son of Stephen Schuyler and
Engeltie Van Vechten, whose parents were
Pieter Schuyler Jr. and Catherine Groesbeck,
and his father was Mayor Pieter Schuyler.
In 1910, in the hallway of The Flatts, hangs
the old oil portrait of "Quidor", the Indian
name for Pieter Schuyler, meaning the
"Indian's Friend", and in the brick mansion
standing on the brow of the hill, west of
the Troy road, hands the seven-foot oil
portrait of Pieter Schuyler, first mayor of
Albany, painted in England in 1710, by order
of Queen Anne, and now owned by the children
of John Cuyler Schuyler, uncle of the late
Richard P. Schuyler.
It is
interesting to learn a few facts about this
old mansion, as described by Mrs. Grant more
than a century ago in her famous "Memoirs of
an American Lady:, where she writes:
It is a
large brick house of two, or rather three
stories (for there were excellent attics),
besides a sunk story, finished with exactest
neatness. The lower floor had two spacious
rooms, with large, light closets; on the
first there were three rooms, and in the
upper one four. Through the middle of the
house was a wide passage, with opposite
front and back doors, which in summer
admitted a stream of air peculiarly grateful
to the languid senses. It was furnished
with chairs and pictures, like a summer
parlor. Here the family usually sat in hot
weather, when there were no ceremonious
strangers. One room, I should have said, in
the greater house only, was opened for the
reception of company; all the rest were
bedchambers for their accommodation, while
the domestic friends of the family occupied
neat little bedrooms in the attics, or the
winter-house. This house contained no
drawing-room--that was an unheard-of luxury;
the winter-rooms had carpets; the lobby had
oilcloth painted in lozenges, to imitate
blue and white marble. The best bedroom was
hunt with family portraits, some of which
were admirably executed; and in the
eating-room, which, by the by, was rarely
used for that purpose, were some Scriptural
paintings.
"The house fronted the river, on the bank of
which under shades of elm and sycamore, ran
the great road toward Saratoga, Stillwater,
and the northern lakes; a little simple
avenue of morella cherry trees, enclosed
with a white rail, led to the road and
river, not three hundred yards distant."
The place may be reached by taking a
drive four miles to the north of Albany, or
about one mile beyond the Rural cemetery,
then turning abruptly to the east, crossing
the canal by the "Schuyler's Bridge", and
continuing a fourth of a mile towards the
Hudson. The road passes between rows of
elms evidently a century old, and the
low-brick house stands to the right, facing
the river, while across the road is the old
family burial-ground, containing some sixty
graves, whose rows of invariable brown
sandstone, some tottering to the right or
left, look weirdly like a decrepit army, for
thus have they stood during two centuries,
bearing testimony in verse to the exalted
memory of many a soldier Schuyler. This
head of the Schuyler line was a man much
esteemed by his acquaintances and by
representatives of the Dutch government. He
was the first man in the colony to receive
the commission of captain. He died at The
Flatts, May 9, 1683.
Page 280
For two Holland shirts
to be given to India chiefs; expenses at
Raritan and Woodbridge; on the 17th,
horse hire from Benjamin Cluet's to
Elizabethtown; on the 18th,
expenses at the same place and ferriage from
Davitt's; at New York, charges for
butcher's meat crackers and peas, furnished
for the Indians, and on arrival, for the
comfort and keeping o the Indians, "fourteen
gallons single beer, fish, bread, and
oysters", the expenses for the entire trip,
for all, amounting to but little more than
twelve English pounds. He presented a belt
at the end of each proposition, addressing
them as "brethren" and they him as "Corlaer".
On account of so many and frequent demands
made upon him to treat with the Indians or
engage in campaigns, Arent Schuyler's
business had been seriously neglected. His
brother Brandt and his sister Gertrude (Geertruj)
were both married and had settled in New
York. Albany was then a frontier town and
exposed to attack, so considering everything
he departed for New York about February,
1694, determined to resume business as a
merchant. It was determined at a council
held February 3, 1694, by governor Fletcher,
that as there were one hundred Frenchmen and
fifty French Indians coming into the
Minisink country to debauch the Minisink
Indians, that a trustworthy messenger must
be despatched to seek out their intent.
Arent Schuyler was again selected. He
started the afternoon of the day he was told
of the mission, and the day after reached
the Indian village, eight miles beyond
Hackensack. His conference was favorable,
and after an absence of six days among
dangerous tribes, he returned to New York.
On June 6, 1695, Arent Schuyler and Anthony
Brockholst purchased of the Indians four
thousand acres of land at Pequannock. On
November 11, 1695, they purchased the title
of the East Jersey proprietors to the same
track for one hundred pounds. On May 20,
1697, he received from Governor Fletcher a
patent for land in the Minisink country,
called by the Indians, Sankhekeneck alias
Maghawaem; also a patent of meadow called
Wainsagskmeck, on the Minisink River,
containing one thousand acres. He removed
from New York to Pompton Plains, New Jersey,
about 1702, where he remained until 1710,
when he removed to a large farm which he had
purchased from Edmund Kingsland, on New
Barbadoes Neck, on the east side of the
Passaic river, the deed dated April 20,
1710; the amount three hundred and thirty
pounds. A negro slave belonging to him
accidentally found a copper deposit while he
was plowing. He had turned over a
peculiarly greenish and very heavy sort of
stone. He took it to his master and it was
sent to England to be analyzed. The reply
was that it contained eight per cent copper,
and this opened a means for Arent Schuyler
to obtain wealth. Desiring to reward the
slave he told him that he might make three
requests, to which the fellow replied:
first, that he might remain with his master
as long as he lived; second, that he might
have all the tobacco he could smoke; third,
that he might be given a dressing gown with
big brass buttons, like his masters.
Schuyler ask him to consider and ask for
something less trifling, and the answer was
that for the fourth request he might have a
little more tobacco. Before his death he
had shipped to the Bristol copper and brass
works, England, one thousand three hundred
and eighty-six tons. In 1761, on receipt of
an engine from England, the mine was
extensively operated for four years. Three
miles above the present city of Newark and
opposite the old town of Belleville, on the
Passaic River, Arent Schuyler erected his
mansion. It was built by him in 1710, and
is standing, in excellent condition, at the
present time. It is believed that he had to
send to Holland for the brick that composed
the front, and the other walls of the
brownstone were found at Belleville. It has
been the residence of generations of the
Schuyler family since that time, and its
simple, substantial architecture is a noble
type. In the olden days there was a
magnificent deer park about the house,
stocked with no less than one hundred and
fifty animals of that kind. Arent Schuyler
was most liberal
He was an
officer of the Reformed Dutch Church, and
soon after he settled on the Passaic he
assisted in organizing it at Belleville. He
gave it one hundred and fifty pounds in
1729, as a commencement of a fund for the
pastor's salary, and shortly after added
three hundred pounds. After his death in
1730 his widow and five children, in respect
to his memory, contributed fifty pounds
apiece, and in 1739 John added one hundred
and fifty pounds, arranging for the right to
vote on
Page 283
calling a minister as
also the privilege of signing the all, and
the consistory bound itself and successors
not to invite a clergyman of another
denomination to occupy the pulpit without
his or their consent, provided always that
they were members of the Dutch church.
Colonel Schuyler, however, withdrew from the
church because of a difference, and while
leaving the fund he untied with the
Episcopalians and built a church for them in
the same place.
(III)
Casparus, son of Arent and Jenneke (Teller)
Schuyler, was baptized in New York City, May
5, 1695, died April 13, 1754. He received
from his father a deed for land in
Burlington, New Jersey, at Lossa or
Wingworth's Point, and he owned considerable
property along the Delaware River. The line
of the Schuyler family that sprang from him
became very much distinguished for the
succession of high church dignitaries and
other figures in the learned world that
belonged to it, just as other lines in the
same family gained considerable military
distinction. Among his descendants who
entered the church may be mentioned the Rev.
Livingston Schuyler, Rev. Hamilton Schuyler,
Rev. Cameron Mann. Casparus Schuyler
married in Burlington, in 1723, Mary
Schuyler, a distant cousin.
(IV) Arent
(2), only son of Casparus and Mary
(Schuyler), was born about 1720. He
married, May 19, 1748, Jannetie Van Wagenen.
(V) Arent
(3), son of Arent (2) and Jannetje (Van
Wagenen) Schuyler, was born in 1754. He
married Hester Dey in 1784. Children: 1.
Anthony Dey, mentioned below. 2. Aborn,
born August 29, 1788, married Caroline
Butler, having a son, the Rev. Anthony
Schuyler D.D., born July 8, 1815, a
distinguished member of the Episcopal
church. 3. Peter, who died unmarried.
(VI) Anthony
Dey, son of Arent (3) and Hester (Dey)
Schuyler, was born October 18, 1785. He
married Sarah Ridge, October 25, 1810.
(VII) The
Rev. Dr. Montgomery Schuyler, son of Anthony
Dey and Sarah (Ridge) Schuyler, was born at
New York City, January 9, 1814, died at St.
Louis, Missouri, in 1896. He entered Geneva
(now Hobart) College in 1830, leaving at the
end of his junior year, and was graduated at
Union in 1834. After some years spent in
the practice of law he entered the
Protestant Episcopal ministry. He was dean
of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis for
more than forty years and made many valuable
contributions to ecclesiastical literature.
He married (first) Sarah Sandford; (second)
October 10, 1843, Lydia Eliza Roosevelt,
daughter of Nicholas I. Roosevelt; (third)
Sophia Elizabeth Norton. Children: 1.
Montgomery Roosevelt, mentioned below. 2.
Rev. Louis Sandford, who died a martyr to
yellow fever while ministering to the
sufferers from the epidemic at Memphis,
Tennessee, in 1787.
(VIII)
Montgomery Roosevelt, son of Rev. Dr.
Montgomery and Lydia E. (Roosevelt)
Schuyler, was born at Skaneateles, Onondaga
County, New York, February 18, 1848. He was
educated at the United States naval
Academy. Mr. Schuyler is a prominent
merchant and clubman of New York. he
belongs to the Century, Manhattan, Brook,
Larchmont Yacht, New York Yacht, Fencing,
and Automobile clubs and to the Holland
Society. His out-of-town home is at
Orangeburg, New York.
BROOKS.
John Brooks, the founder of the family in
this county, emigrated from England in 1730
in the ship "George and Annie", landed at
Cape Cod, and later settled in Orange
county, New York, where he died. Among his
children was Jonathan, referred to below.
(II)
Jonathan, son of John Brooks, was born in
1747, died September 25, 1811, in Blooming
Grove township, Orange county, New York. He
was one of the prominent citizens in Orange
County, and owned a large farm, which he
cultivated until his death. He married
(first) Hetty Lewis, and (second) Katherine
Matthews. Children, five by first
marriage: 1. Anne, born 1770. Died
September 25, 1837. 2. Thomas L., 1772,
died September 6, 1841. 3. John I.,
referred to below. 4. Jonathan, 1776, died
June 25, 1828. 5. William W., 1780, died
November 21, 1826. 6. Fletcher, married
the Widow Bodine. 7. Hetty, died
unmarried.
(III) John
I., son of Jonathan and Hetty (Lewis)
Brooks, was born in 1774, died August 7,
1852. He was a prominent farmer and
landholder of Orange County, New York, where
he cultivated a farm of over six hun-
Page 284
dred acres until his
death. He married (first) Hannah Denniston,
and (second) Eliza Denniston. Children,
both by first marriage: 1. Fletcher
Beekman, referred to below. 2. Charles
Edward, married Adeline Cannon and had: 1.
Thomas Lewis. 2. Ann Eliza. 3. Frances
Denniston. 4. John. 5. Edward. 6.
Mary. 7. Harrison. 8. Fletcher. 9.
Henry. 10. Madison. 11. Charles.
(IV)
Fletcher Beekman, son of John I. and Hannah
(Denniston) Brooks, was born on his father's
farm, November 5, 1803, died July 16, 1877,
in Blooming Grove township, Orange County,
New York. He inherited a large tract from
his father, and another of equal extent from
an uncle, both of which he devoted to
general and dairy farming, and the breeding
of fine horses. He was a Republican in
politics, and a Presbyterian in religion,
and was one of the founders of the
Presbyterian Church in Washingtonville, New
York. He married, February 18, 1840, Sarah
E. Welling. Children: 1. Annie, born in
1841, died unmarried. 2. Thomas W., born
March 27, 1844, married, September 14, 1869,
Jennie E. Conkling; children: i. F.
Beeekman, born September 28, 1870, died
march 6, 1809, ii. Walter H., born June 28,
1873, died February 8, 1879, iii, Elizabeth
K., born October 25, 1874, died February 7,
1883, iv. Clarence, born July 16, 1878,
died February 17, 1879, v. William W., born
August 3, 1882, married Gertrude M. Vroom.
3. Virginia, born March 19, 1847, died
March 30, 1908; married David C.
Fitzgerald. 4. Charles, died in infancy.
5. Sarah, died young. 6. Edward, born
august 27, 1852; now living in
Washingtonville, New York. 7. William
Randolph, referred to below.
(V) William
Randolph, son of Fletcher Beekman and Sarah
E. (Welling) Brooks, was born in Blooming
Grove township, Orange County, New York,
August 29, 1854, and is now living there on
the old family homestead, which he inherited
from his father. He received his early
education in the public schools and later
was a student at a school in New York City.
He then assisted his father in the
cultivation of the homestead farm, which he
inherited at his father's death, and which
he still cultivates. He is a prominent
citizen of Orange County, active in the
welfare of the community, and served for
seven years as assessor of the township. He
has also served as one of the trustees of
Washingtonville, and is now one of the
trustees of the Moffatt Public Library. He
is a member of the Grange, and is also a
member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. He is a Republican in politics,
and a Presbyterian in religion, and is one
of the trustees of the church in
Washingtonville. He is unmarried.
MOUNT. The
Mount family is supposed to be of French
origin, the original patronymic, Le Mont,
becoming anglicized after some of the family
settled in England at the time of or
following the invasion of that country by
William the Conqueror. In England the
family and its branches are found chiefly in
the counties of surrey and Buckinghamshire.
In Revolutionary times in America the
Mounts, with two or three exceptions, were
ardent patriots, at least twenty members of
the family having served in the continental
Army, and of these some gave up their lives
for the cause. The family was strongly
identified with the early history of the old
church of Tennent, New Jersey, the names of
many of its members being found in the
baptism, burial and communicant lists of the
church. They are conspicuous too in the
lists of contributors to the building and
upkeep of the edifice. In the neighboring
First Presbyterian Church of Cranberry three
generations of the family were elders. Some
of the original Mount family stock now
reside in England in the counties of
Monmouth, Middlesex, and the southern parts
of the country. Of those who came to
America some settled at an early date in
Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, there
are also prominent families of the name in
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas,
and on the Pacific Coast, most of whom owe
their origin to early ancestors in New
Jersey.
Many members
of this family have married into the leading
families, past and present, in the counties
of Mercer, Middlesex, and Monmouth in New
Jersey. the family ramifications have
extended very widely, though it is not of
course claimed that everybody bearing the
name in America owe their origin to the same
immigrant ancestor, or even have any
relation at all. It is certain that many
bearing the name of Mont or Le Mont, or some
other name akin to these forms, have in
course of time had their name metamorphosed
to the more prevalent and obvious form of
Mount.
The first of
the family or of the name to
Page 285
settle in New Jersey
was George Mount, who died in 1705. He was
one of the original purchasers of
Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
from the Indians in 1665. George Mount
bought land jointly with Benjamin Borden,
who came from Rhode Island, so it is
probably that he also came from the same
locality. George Mount was one of the
founders of the first Baptist Church of
Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, in
1667. He was also deputy to the general
assembly, held at Portland Point in 1668.
He married a lady of the name of Katherine,
but whose other name remains unrecorded.
They had at least three children, Matthias,
Richard and Katherine. Matthais, who lived
at Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey,
died in 1697, having married Mary, and had
children Matthais and Thomas. Richard also
lived at Middletown, like his brother,
Matthais, and also owned land on Cranberry
creek, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He
died in 1715, laving married Rebecca and had
children: 1. Richard and 2. George.
Probably John was also his son; the will of
this John Mount is dated 1772, and in it he
mentioned his children: 1. John, 2.
Catherine, 3. Phebe, 4. Alice; his
grandchildren, Chloe, the daughter of John
and his grandchild; and Joseph, son of
Matthais, deceased. Thomas Mount, who lived
in Shrewsbury, was the son of Matthais, the
son of George, and had four children. the
eldest of them was Samuel, who moved to New
York, and became the ancestor of the Mounts
of that city. he married Margaret, daughter
of Adam Dobbs, and had five children: 1.
Adam, 2. Joseph, 3. Frances, 4.
Thomas and 5. William. It is very probable
that the Mount family here dealt with is
descended from Samuel through one of the
sons mentioned above.
(I) Edward
Mount is the first member of the family here
under consideration directly in line. So
far all attempts to discover the links
binding him to the first George have ailed
though it is almost undoubted that he was
one of the descendants. He lived in New
York City and was a master mason. Polhemus,
whose brother, Aaron Polhemus, was a
prominent silk manufacturer of Paterson, New
Jersey. Children: 1. Elizabeth, married
(first) a Mr. Price, and (second) a Mr.
Hannon. 2. Edward, mentioned below.
(II) Edward
(2), son of Edward (1) and Mary (Polhemus)
Mount was born in New York City in 1839,
died in 1877. He was educated in New York
City, and was a master mechanic or the New
York, New Haven & Hartford railroad. He had
a good deal of ability and a promising
career, but he died before he reached the
age of forty. He was a member of the East
River Yacht Club, and a member of the
Copeston Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons,
New York City. He married Fredericka
Merritt, daughter of Frederick S. and
Elizabeth (Kranz) Merritt, of New York
City. They had one son, James Carr,
mentioned below.
(III) James
Carr, only son of Edward (2) and Fredericka
(Merritt) Mount, was born in New York City,
December 25, 1863. He was educated in the
public school of New York and Philadelphia.
When he grew up he went into the auditing
department of the Well, Fargo Express
Company, and remained there for a year or
two. In 1880 he settled with his uncle at
Highland Falls, New York. On the
organization of the Citizens' national Bank
of Highland Falls, he was made cashier, a
position he still retains. He is a Free
Mason, and a member of the Knights of
Pythias. He served in the Spanish-American
War in the Fourth United States Volunteer
Infantry Immunes.
KREUTZ.
Kreutz is a German surname, and is probably
derived from Kreuz, the German word for
Cross. The name is well-known in Germany,
and is also used in connection with other
words to form compounded surnames. The name
occurs occasionally in the records of the
old emigration from Germany, very often
being slightly changed in an effort to
preserve the pronunciation at the cost of
the orthography, just as the German "Braun"
often becomes "Brown" in this country.
(I) Benedict
Kreutz was born in Trier, the Rhine
Province, Germany, died in Germany in 1909.
He was a tanner by occupation. He served in
the Prussian Army during the year 1848 and
1849. He married Lena Simon, there being
eight children of the marriage. Four of
these children only grew up to adult life.
They were john, mentioned below;
Christina, Louisa, Theresa.
Page 286
(II) John,
son of Benedict and Lena (Simon) Kreutz, was
born in the village of Schoenecken, province
of the Rhine, Germany, January 22, 1854.
His education was obtained in Germany, and
in 1870, at the age of sixteen, he came to
this country, settling in course of time in
Newburg, New York. From Newburg he went to
Highland Falls, where he now lives, leading
a retired life. He learned the baker trade
in Germany, and when he settled in Highland
Falls he engaged in that business, starting
in a small way. He gradually increased his
business, and at his retirement in the year
1908, he had the largest business in that
section of the county. He was one of the
incorporators of the First national Bank of
Highland Falls, and is now second
vice-president in the same institution. Mr.
Kreutz is a Mason, belonging to West Point
Lodge, No. 877, Free and Accepted Masons,
and a charter member of the same lodge. He
is also a member of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and of the Knights of Pythias.
He married in 1879, Sophia Gerken, born in
1851, in New York, daughter of Julius and
Johanna (Rolfs) Gerken, of German descent.
There have been eight children of the
marriage, four of whom are now living,
namely: 1. Mary, who is at home with her
father; 2. Theresa, who is a teacher in
the high school at Yonkers; 3. John,
mentioned below; 4. Eleanor, who is at
school at the present time in New Haven,
Connecticut; 5. Arthur; 6. Sophia; 7.
Benedict; 8. Adelaide, all of whom died
young.
(III) John
(20, only son of John (1) and Sophia (Gerken)
Kreutz, was born at Highland Falls, new
York, October 9, 1883. He is now in
business in Eaton, Colorado.
FORSYTH. This
surname as far as concerns its place of
origin, is prevalent chiefly in Scotland.
The name is in all likelihood derived after
the Norman fashion from Forcett (whence also
Fawcett), a township in the wapentake of
Gillingwest in the North Riding of York
shire, England. Most genuine Scottish names
are patronymic in origin, that is they are
derived from the surname of some near or
remote ancestor with mac, after the Gaelic
fashion, or some other prefix or suffix
attached. Whether the family in its
earliest days originated in Yorkshire, or in
some other county in the north of England or
in Scotland, it is certain that it is
chiefly with Scotland that the family and
the family name are associated. There are
five families of the name, nearly all
situated with their subsidiary branches
north of the Tweed, who are the possessors
of legalized coats-of-arms. The chief of
these shields heraldically described is:
Argent a cheval, engraved between three
griffins segreant vert, armed and ducally
crowned or. Crest: A demi griffin vert,
armed and ducally crowned or. |
