|
He married, January 8, 1850, Mary Kingsland,
born March 12, 1831, died July 19, 1910,
daughter of Rodman and Mary (Kingsland)
Brown. Children: 1. Cornelius Wallace,
born December 5, 1850, died November 24,
1870. 2. Robert Speir, born January 29,
1853; married, April 26, 1904, Mary Louise
(Pierce) Read, daughter of James F. Pierce,
of Brooklyn,. 3. Mary Kingsland, born
September 24, 1855, died September 22,
1870. 4. Jennie Castle, born August 8,
1858, died January 24, 1861. 5. Florence
Gibson, born November 14, 1862, married,
June 7, 1887, Rev. Edward M. McGuffey;
children Alice; Dorothea Drake, died in
infancy; Kingsland Drake. 6. George Crocker,
born September 11, 1808, died march 15,
1885. 7. Edith Stuyvesant, born July 3,
18--. 8. Agnes Maude, born April 4, 18--.
(VI) John Stuyvesant, son of John Schermerhorn
and Ann (Van Nest) Bussing, was born in
new York City, September 21, 1838. He
acquired his early education in Columbia
college Grammar School when it was located
in Park Place, in close connection with
the college. For thirty-three years he
was engaged in the banking and brokerage
business on Wall Street, under the firm
name of Gelston & Bussing, the partnership
being dissolved by the death of the former.
Both partners were members of the New
York Stock Exchange. This house was one
of the oldest firms with continued and
unchanged membership, and one of the most
conservative in the street. It passed
unscathed through the many exciting experiences
of Wall Street. it stood unswervingly
for perseverance, energy, honesty, upright
dealing, strict integrity and close attention
to the interests of customers. Mr. Bussing
retired from active business in 1898,
and since that time has devoted himself
to various forms of philanthropic work.
Mr. Bussing has always been actively
identified with Christian work, filling
many positions of trust and honor. For
thirty-three years he was one of the consistory
of the Collegiate Reformed Church of New
York, and as an elder served on its finance
committee. "His calm and clear judgment
in the solution of serious problems gave
him an influential voice in all important
decisions. His wise and zealous loyalty
tot he Collegiate Church has contributed
largely tot he conservation of its interests
and influence in the denomination and
in the church at large." For a long
period he was connected with the Young
Men's Christian Association as one of
its board of managers, and later as one
of the advisory board, and also served
in the same capacity on the board of the
Young Women's Christian Association, and
as chairman of its finance committee.
He was trustee of the Northern Dispensary
from 1875 to 1882, and served as president
of the New York Bible Society. He has
long been identified with the Hospital
Saturday and Sunday Association of New
York City, was one of its founders, and
as one of its board of managers, was actively
interested in its work. In 1885 he was
elected treasurer of the Board of Domestic
Missions of the Reformed Church of America,
and held the position for twenty-one years,
giving the work an active, vigilant sympathy.
He was also treasurer of the Industrial
Educational Association, treasurer of
the Board of Trustees of the Interdenominational
Committee of the Young Men's Christian
Association, and director in the City
Mission and Tract Society. In 1899 he
became a member of the committee of the
General Synod which had care of the grounds
and property of the Theological Seminary
at New Brunswick, New Jersey. Through
his efforts and liberality great improvements
were made in the furnishing and decoration
of Hertzog Hall and also in beautifying
the surroundings, making the seminary
a fit and attractive abode for the sons
of the prophets. In 1904 he was elected
a member of the Board of Superintendents
of the same institution.
Page 49
Mr. Bussing served for over seven years
in the Twenty-second Regiment, National
guard of the State of new York. During
the civil war he went to the front with
his regiment in 1863, and received his
honorable discharge as first lieutenant
of company A from governor Fenton. He
is one of sons of the Revolution, being
eligible because of the service in the
Revolutionary War of his great-grandfather,
John B. Field, and is also a member of
the Society of Colonial Wars and of the
St. Nicholas Society, which, is largely
composed of old Knickerbockers.
Mr. Bussing married (first) in 1873,
Kate, daughter of James and Maria (Kinney)
Breath. Their two children, Kate and Anna,
died in infancy. He married (second) October
31, 1882, Emily Morton, daughter of Henry
T. and Sarah E. (Barstow) Jenkins. Mr.
bussing is residing at the present time
(1912) at No. 26 East 10th Street, New
York City, his home for the past thirty
years.
EAGLE. The
surname Eagle would appear to have been
originally applied to a person of an ambitious
or soaring disposition. There are several
legendary stories of eagles which may
have originated the name, as for example
that of De Aquila (Lat. Eagle), of which
it is said: "The surname of this
family was originally assumed from Aquila
in Normandy, so denominated by reason
an eagle has made her nest in an oak growing
there when the castle was first building."
Eugenulf de Aquila accompanied Duke William
into England at the Norman Conquest. The
family were banished by Henry II, and
probably never returned, as their name
does not occur in more recent times, but
some hold that the modern name Eagle,
or Eagles in England is a translation
of the Latin surname. In Ireland the surname
Eagle and Eagleton are often translations
or adaptation from the Gaelic, O"Hiolracain.
In a book called "The Modern Irish
Gentry" the only mention of the Eagles
and Bulls were in the following couplets.
The following is a brief summary of the
family names that came into Ireland with
the Cromwellian settlement, or with the
Revolution:
"The Parrots, Eagles,
Cocks,. And Hens,
The Swallows, Snipes, Pyes, Robins, Wrens.
Our Bulls and Bears, and Wolves and Hares,
Strong, Steeds and Hunters, Colts and
Mares."
The coat-of-arms of the eagle family
is as follows: Sable six lions argent,
three, two and one. Crest: A lion's gamb
erect and erased or grasping an eagle's
leg erased at the thigh gules. See Fairchild's
"Book of Crests." Also Burke's
"General Armory." The coat-of-arms
of the Eagles family is as follows: Or
a fesse between three eagles displayed
azure. Crest: Two lions' pays in a saltire
ppr.
(I) Henry Eagle, first American ancestor
of the branch of the Eagle family here
dealt with, was the son of George Eagle,
surgeon in the British Army, and was born
in the city of Dublin, Ireland, in the
latter part of the eighteenth century,
and died in New York City, in 1852. He
came to this country about the year 1795
and settled in New York. he became the
major of an Irish brigade belonging to
the troops of New York, and during the
war of 1812 was stationed at Long Island
and assisted in preparing earthworks near
Fort Greene. The family residence was
on the southeast corner of Broome Street
and Broadway (No. 764 Broadway). At that
time that section of the city was in the
country, a mile and a half distant from
the settled portion of the city. the two
brothers of Henry Eagle were in the British
military service; one was a surgeon, the
other went to the East Indies, rose to
the rank of Major, married a lady of title
and died in 1814.
Henry Eagle, married (first) Christiana
Bull, of Waterford, Ireland, who died
in 1816. Their children were: !. John,
died unmarried. 2. Eliza Bennis, married
Dr. Thomas Ogden. 3. Ellen, married Abijah
Smith. 4. Christiana, married Rev. John
Messenger. 5. Henry, of whom further.
Henry Eagle married (second) Eliza Nelson,
Their children were: 1. Robert Nelson.
2. William. 3. Horatio. 4. Matilda. 5.
Caroline. 6. Maria, died young.
(II) Henry (2), son of Henry (1), and
Christiana (Bull) Eagle, was born in New
York City, April 7, 1801, died there,
November 26, 1882. He entered the United
States navy on New Year's Day, 1818, and
passed about a year on the seventy-four
gun ship "Independence", then
used as a schoolship for midshipmen in
Boston harbor. It was the custom of the
period for midship-
Page 50
men to go into he merchant service to
gain experience. Midshipman Eagle sailed
in the frigate, "Macedonian,"
under command of Captain Downs, for the
Pacific Coast of South America, then passing
from the feeble grasp of Spain. Seven
days after leaving Boston the vessel lost
her masts in a severe storm, but succeeded
by the aid jury masts in reaching Norfolk,
Virginia, where damages were repaired.
While at Panama an incident occurred illustrating
his generous impulses, not yet fully curbed
by conventional rules. A young English
surgeon, named Kernan, belonging to the
expedition of Sir George McGregory, had
been captured with others during the attack
on Porto Bello, and marched across the
country to Panama, where he was placed
in the chain gang and condemned to be
a street scavenger. The owner of a drug
store ascertained his profession, obtained
permission to employ him. Midshipman Eagle,
who visited the store, learned the facts,
and taking another midshipman into his
confidence, rescued and secreted the prisoner
on board the ship, though fired on six
or eight times while making the attempt.
On demand of the viceroy, Captain Downs
made search, without discovering the surgeon
until after he had put to sea. One of
the most valued souvenirs in possession
of Commodore Eagle's family is a letter
written by Kernan, warmly expressing his
gratitude for deliverance from a captivity
which would doubtless have ended in death.
The frigate returned to Boston in June,
1821.
After being stationed at the Brooklyn
navy yard until the latter part of 1822,
Midshipman Eagle took a voyage as sailor
on the American ship, "Beaver",
to the East Indies and China, without
special incident, except that he came
near being lost overboard in a heavy squall.
His salary on this cruise was half pay
from the government, $115 per annum. After
this voyage he was for a time on duty
in the Navy yard, and was then transferred
tot he man-of-war brig, "Enterprise,"
fitting out for a cruise in the West Indies
after pirates. Five or six months were
passed in this way when the vessel was
totally wrecked on the uninhabited island,
called Little Curacoa. One of the lieutenants
and Midshipman Eagle, were sent to Curacoa
to charter and prepare a vessel for taking
home the officers and crew. This was satisfactorily
accomplished, And on his return he was
order to the sloop of war, "Erie,"
of the Mediterranean Squadron. The squadron
touched at several of the Grecian Islands.
Some weeks were spent at the port of Symrna,
and then the fleet separated, and the
"Erie" sailed for Algiers, arriving
there just after the British consul had
been falsely accused by the Bey of appropriating
to himself a portion of the English tribute
and had embarked for Malta. During the
year 1824 the "Erie" visited
the Bay of Naples
Midshipman Eagle was commissioned lieutenant,
March 3, 1827, and in that and the following
year cruised again in the West Indies
and in the sloop-of-war, "Natchez",
where on one occasion he commanded the
launch, and with another boat's crew attacked
and routed a pirate schooner. Returning
he was sent to the Brazils in the frigate,
"Hudson", the flag-ship of the
squadron, and remained on the station
for some years Lieutenant Eagle attached
to the receiving ship at New York, and
in 1834 sailed again for the Brazilian
station in the sloop, "Erie",
where he passed a second period of several
years. He was stationed at the rendezvous
in New York in 1840, and the following
two years cruised in the Pacific Ocean
on the sloop-of-war, "Yorktown",
when he was placed in command of the schooner,
"Shark", and served two more
years on the Pacific station. He was commissioned
commander, June 4, 1844. On his return
he was detailed to superintend the construction
of the Stevens iron battery at Hoboken,
to which he devoted several years, acting
as inspector in New York in 1846. The
Mexican war called him to the gulf, where
he commanded the bomb vessel, "Aetna",
and a division of five vessels of the
squadron. Taking Frontera, the seaport
of the fertile province of Tabasco, in
southern Mexico, he was appointed civil
and military governor of the province
and collector of the port. The imports
were principally from this country. He
performed the duties of his dual office
so acceptably, increasing the revenue,
opening schools, and encouraging people
to industry, that on the restoration of
peace they south him to remain, declaring
that he had
Page 51
lightened their burdens and elevated
their condition. Subsequent to the war
he was on special service. In 1853 he
was sent to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and
adjacent waters, in command of the steamer,
"Princeton", of the home squadron,
to protect the interests of our fishermen.
After a year or more spent in this service,
Captain Eagle was, in November, 1854,
ordered to cruise in the "Princeton",
in search of the missing sloop-of-war,
"Albany", commanded by his old
friend, Commander Gerry, who had sailed
from Aspinwall, September 25, 1854. After
a fruitless cruise of two months through
the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies,
all hope was abandoned; the "Albany"
was never heard from. He was commissioned
captain, September 14, 1855.
On the first overt act of rebellion in
1861, he was the bearer of important communications
from the commandant of the Brooklyn Navy
Yard to Washington. Having accomplished
his mission, he asked for immediate active
service. The only command then available
was that of the gunboat, "Monticello",
which he willingly accepted, arriving
in Hampton roads within a few days after
the fall of Fort Sumter. During the remainder
of April and the month of May he blockaded
the James and Elizabeth rivers. On May
19, 1861, he made the first naval attack
of the war, and silenced the guns of the
battery at Sewell's Point, one of the
defenses of Norfolk. In connection with
this memorable attack, he subsequently
received an official letter from Hon.
Gideon Welles, then secretary of the navy,
in which was stated: "the Department
cannot withhold the expression of its
high appreciation of your promptitude
and gallantry." The command of the
Frigate, "Santee", was now ready
for him, and he sailed for the Gulf, and
passed two years principally in blockading
Pensacola, Florida, and Galveston, Texas,
during which time hew captured several
vessels, including the privateer, "Royal
Yacht". While blockading Galveston,
Captain Eagle requested of Farragut that
he be assigned to duty in the contest
on the Mississippi River, to which Farragut
wrote in reply: "Your turn will come,
I hope soon, for active employment in
rougher work." This wish to have
Eagle with him in the Mississippi fight
was not, however, to be realized, for
the "Santee" although a splendid
frigate, was unfit and unable to do the
work of a steamer in running past forts,
etc. It was Captain Eagle's Misfortune
that in volunteering so soon for service,
he had to be given a sailing vessel. He
received his commission as commodore,
July 16, 1862, and on January 1, 1863,
having reached this age of sixty-two,
was placed on the retired list, although
he was on active duty for his country
until 1867. He was prize commissioner
in New York in 1864, and a part of 1865,
and for a year later inspector of light
houses of the entire Gulf Coast.
From the year 1870 he was a member of
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion
of the United States, and after serving
fro two or three years as vice-commander
he was elected commander and occupied
that station for two successive years.
Commodore Eagle was also a member of the
Association of Mexican Veterans. Among
his life-long friends were such men as
William E. dodge, Admiral Farragut, Hamilton
Fish, Wilson G. Hunt, Alexander S. Webb,
and others distinguished in our state
and national history.
Commodore Eagle married, in 1833, Minerva,
daughter of Sheldon Smith, a gallant Connecticut
soldier of the war of 1812, and at one
time a part owner with Cornelius Vanderbilt,
of the steamboat, "Caroline",
which plied between Bridgeport and New
York. After selling his interest to Mr.
Vanderbilt, he went to Newark, New jersey,
where he planned and constructed its reservoirs
and water works. He was also associated
with Anson G. Phelps in founding the manufacturing
village of Birmingham, Connecticut, and
afterwards in promoting its interests.
His death occurred in 1863. Surviving
children of commodore and Mrs. Eagle:
1. Clifford F., served as captain in the
Union Army during the Civil War. 2. Clarence
H., of whom further. 3. Isabel C., married
Fitch W. Smith, of New York. 4. Ida M.,
married Thomas H. Messenger, of Brooklyn.
(III) Clarence Henry, third son of Henry
(2) and Minerva (Smith) Eagle, was born
in New York City, February 7, 1857. He
was educated at the Columbia Grammar School
and the College of the City of New York.
After leaving college he went in a stock
Page 52
broker's office as clerk, and later opened
an office of his own. In 1889 he left
stock broking for the printing business,
in which he is still engaged. He was a
private and corporal of the Seventh Regiment
National Guard of New York; 1883-86; major
and inspector of rifle practice of the
First Brigade Staff National guard of
New York, 1886-88, General Louis Fitzgerald
commanding. He was the crack rifle shot
of the Seventh Regiment, and was on the
Creedmoor Rifle Team during the eight
years he was with the regiment. He is
a member of the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion, Military Order of Foreign
Wars, of the Veterans of the Seventh Regiment,
of the Society of Colonial Wars, Sons
of the Revolution, Society of American
Officers, Veterans Corps of Artillery,.
Society of 1812, Naval Order of the United
States, Aztec Club of 1847, Society of
American Wars, New York Yacht Club, Atlantic
Yacht Club, Adirondack League Club and
Alpha Delta Phi college fraternity.
Mr. Eagle married, November 2, 1887, Lizzie
Matilda, daughter of Enoch and Eliza (Van
Auken) Ketcham. Children: 1. Mildred,
born August 28, 1888, married Herbert
Nelson Fell, February 28, 1912, child,
Sylvia Elizabeth, born January 1, 1913.
2. Henry, born July 7, 1890, graduated
from Princeton University in June, 1912.
(The
French Line)
A great many families bearing the name
of French claim their descent from Rollo,
Duke of Normandy, who settled in France
and in 910 A. D., formally adopted the
Christian religion, taking at his baptism
the name of Robert, Count of Paris, who
was his god-father. He had already conquered
the province of Normandy, which was ceded
to him in due form by Charles the Simple
of France, King, who also gave him in
marriage his daughter, Gisela, A. D. 912.
Antiquarians have brought to light what
are supposed to be about forty variations
of the surname, French, among then being
Frene, Freyn, Freyne, de la Freyne, de
la Fresney, Frainch, Ffrenche, and Frenche.
The ancient motto of one branch of the
family was "malo mori quam foedari"--"Death
rather then dishonor." It is said
that "of the seventeen families of
French mentioned by Burke are quite a
variety of armorial bearings, the dolphin
and the fleur de lis being the most conspicuous."
From Harlovan, the third son of Rollo,
descended Sir Maximilian de French, whose
son Sir Theoples French (or Freyn) went
iwht William the conqueror to England,
and fought in the battle of Hastings.
This was the first branch of the French
family planted in England, and from that
descent of Rollo are supposed to be many
of the families later found in both England
and Ireland.
(I) William French,
the immigrant ancestor of this family,
was born in Halsted, County Essex, England,
March 15, 1602, died At Billerica, Massachusetts,
November 20, 1681. He came to America
on the ship "Defence," with
the Rev. Thomas Shepard and his brother
Samuel, Roger Harlakenden and George and
Joseph Cooke, in the summer of 1835. He
settled first in Cambridge, and in 1652
was one of the original proprietors and
first settlers of Billerica. He was lieutenant
of the militia and afterwards captain;
was the first man chosen to sit in the
"deacon's seat," 1659; commissioner
to establish the county rates in 1659;
selectman in 1660, and for nine years
in all; was on the committee to examine
children and servants in reading, religion
and catechism in 1661; was the first representative
or deputy to the general court at Boston,
elected 1660, and taking his seat in 1663.
A tract written by him entitled "Strength
out of Weakness," in which he gives
a detailed account of the testimony of
an Indian convert to Christianity, was
published in London and afterwards republished
in the "Massachusetts Historical
Society Collections." He bought part
of the old Dudley farm in Billerica, and
his house stood near the turnpike, east
of the Bradford road, neat Ralph Hill's
house. Hill called him brother in his
will. French was a tailor by trade. He
married (first) a woman whose baptismal
name was Elizabeth and who is surmised
to have been sister to the Rev,. Zachariah
Symmes. She died March 13, 1668. He married
(second) May 6, 1669, Mary, widow of John
Stearns, daughter of Thomas Lathrop, of
Barnstable, Massachusetts. His widow married,
June 29, 1689, Isaac Mixer, of Watertown.
His
Page 53
estate was divided December 6, 1687,
between the widow and three daughters--Mary
sharp, and Sarah and Hannah French. Children
of William and Elizabeth French: 1. Francis,
mentioned below. 2. Elizabeth, born 1929-31,
married a man of the name of Ellis, of
Watertown. 3. Mary, 1833. 4. John, 1635.
5. Sarah, march, 1638. 6. Jacob, March
16, 1639-40. 7. Hannah, February 2, 1641-42,
died June 20, following. 8. Samuel, December
3, 1645, died July 15, 1646. 9. Samuel,
after 1646, pioneer in Dunstable, Massachusetts.
Children of William and Mary (Lathrop-Stearns)
French: 1. Mary, born April 3, 1670, married
Nathaniel Dunclee. 2. Sarah, October 29,
1671; Married (first) a Sharp, who died
in military service, married (second)
Joseph Crosby. 3. Abigail, April 14, 1673,
died April 13, 1674. 4. Hannah, January
25, 1676; married, October 5, 1693, John
Child, of Watertown.
A descendant of Lieutenant William French,
himself named William French, a resident
of Dummerston in the New Hampshire grants,
was the celebrated victim of the Westminster
massacre in 1775. As this was the direct
result of the first organized resistance
to British authority in the American colonies,
William French has been claimed as the
first martyr to the cause of American
independence. On his gravestone is this
quaint inscription:
"In memory of William
French
Son to Mr. Nathaniel French, who
Was shot at Westminster, March ye 13th.,
1775,
By the hands of the cruel Ministerial
tools
Of Georg ye 3d, in the Corthouse at 11
o'clock
At night in the 23d year ofd his Age."
"Here WILLIAM FRENCH
his Body lies
For Murder his Blood for Vengeance Cries
King Georg the third his Tory Crew
That was a Bawl his head Shot threw
For liberty and his Country's Good
He Lost his Life his dearest blood."
(II) Francis, eldest son of William
and Elizabeth French, was born in England
in 1625. He came to America with his father.
He went to Milford, Connecticut, in 1650,
and settle din Derby in 1654, being one
of the three first settlers. He married
Lydia Bunnell, of Milford, April 10, 1661.
She died April 1, 1708. Children: 1. Lydia,
born August 21, 1662. 2. Elizabeth, June
20, 1664. 3. Ann, August 10, 1666. 4.
Mary, September 28, 1670. 5. Samuel, January
6, 1672, died 1677. 6. Susan, June 6,
1675. 7. Francis, mentioned below. 8.
Hannah, November 16, 1679.
(III) Francis (20, youngest son of Francis
(1) and Lydia (Bunnell) French, was born
at Derby, Connecticut, February 11, 1677,
died April 11, 1751. He was a man of positive
and energetic character, and resided on
his father's homestead. he was high priest
of Solomon Chapter, Free and Accepted
Masons, for about twenty years. He married,
September 2, 1703, Anna, born 1670, died
January 11, 1744, daughter of Rev. John
and Bridget (Thompson) Bowers. Children,
born at Derby were: 1. Samuel, mentioned
below. 2. Charles, February 14, 1707.
3. Israel, October 8, 1709. 4. Francis,
1710. 5. Mary, February 6, 1712. 6. Hannah,
1716. 8. Nathaniel, October 28, 1717.
(IV) Samuel, eldest son of Francis (2)
and Anna (Bowers) French, was born in
Derby, Connecticut, July 23, 1704, died
February 2, 1783. He married, December
17, 1733, Martha Chapman, born in 1714,
died October 29, 1780. Children: 1. Noah,
born January 15, 1753. 2. Mary, October
31, 1736, died July 25, 1743. 3. Sarah,
mentioned below. 4. John, April 15, 1741,
died October 17, 1761, at Crown Point,
a soldier in the French War. 5. Mary,
July 26, 1743. 6. Martha, October 18,
1747.
(V) Sarah, second daughter of Samuel
and Martha (Chapman) French, was born
July 16, 1738, died August 13, 1805. She
married Abraham Smith, born May 17, 1734,
at Norwalk, Connecticut, the marriage
taking place December 5, 1756. The tombstones
of Abraham and Sarah Smith are in the
old Uptown graveyard of Derby, and on
his grace is the bronze marker placed
there by the Sons of the Revolution to
mark "A Patriot's Grave." Abraham
Smith served in the Revolutionary War.
He died February 13, 1796
(VI) Abijah, son of Abraham and Sarah
(French) Smith, was born at Derby, Connecticut,
October 3, 1764, died march 6, 1826. He
married Eunice Chatfield, born march 23,
1766, died April 14, 1856.
(VII) Sheldon, son of Abijah and Eunice
(Chatfield) Smith, was born March 16,
1791, died September 19, 1863. He married,
December 19, 1813, Polly Summers, of Bridgeport,
Connecticut, born April 7, 1798, died
November 19, 1871.
Page 54
(VIII) Minerva, daughter of Sheldon
and Polly (summers) smith, was born July
24, 1816, died October 17, 1904. She married,
August 6, 1833, Henry Eagle, (see Eagle
II). Children: 1. Edward. 2. Elma. 3.
Adela. 4. Leila. 5. Clifford. 6. Clarence
H. 7. Isabel C. 8. Ida M.
PHOENIX.
Alexander Fenwick or Phoenix, the immigrant
ancestor of the Phoenix family, was born
probably in Scotland, and was living near
Wickford, Rhode Island, as late as July
29, 1679. He arrived in New Amsterdam
(now New York) in 1643, and remained there
for a number of years. In 1652 he removed
to Rhode Island, where he purchased large
tracts of land in Narragansett. He married
(first) ------. He married (second), Abigail
Sewall, probably the daughter of Thomas
Sewall, and born August 16, 1650. She
was living May 13, 1717 when mention is
made of her by her grandson, Charles Brown,
son of her daughter, Abigail. Children:
1. Jacob, mentioned below. 2. Alexander,
who is called "of Albany" in
the record of his marriage in the Dutch
Church, New York, October 29, 1704; he
was living as late as February 15, 1710;
he married Helen Van Vorst, widow of Isaac
Montagnie; their children were: 1. Hester,
baptized in the Dutch Church, New York,
June 1, 1707, died in childhood. 2. Alexander,
baptized in the Dutch church, New York,
April 3, 1709. Died in childhood. 3. Cornelia,
born September 9, 1711. 4. Hester, June
13, 1714. Alexander, April 22, 1716, who
was a freeman in 1752. There were daughters
belonging to Alexander and Abigail (Sewall)
Phoenix, but their names are not given.
(II) Jacob, son of Alexander and Abigail
(Sewall) Phoenix, was born at New Orange,
(Now Albany), New York, and baptized at
the Dutch Church in New Amsterdam (now
New York) October 8, 1651. He purchased,
November 2, 1685, the bouwerie, known
as Klinkenbergh, behind the present village
of Athens, New York, and January 11, 1686,
a house on the north side of "Bever
Straat," between Broadway and New
Street, where he lived until the date
of his death. He was a member of the Dutch
Church; became a freeman of New York in
1698; was living as late as June 24, 1727,.
He married at the Dutch church, December
4, 1686, Ann (Van Vleeck) Beach, widow
of William Beach, and daughter of Tielman
Van Vleeck (the first schout or sheriff
and president of the court at Bergen,
New Jersey) by his wife Magdalena. We
find no mention of her after March 11,
1705. Children: 1. John baptized at the
Dutch Church, New York, January, 1687.
2. Alexander, May 5, 1689, died in childhood.
3. Alexander, mentioned below. 4. Jacob,
November 4, 1694, later a member of the
Blue Artillery Company, in 1738; living
June 18, 1742, died before February 28,
1757, married Elizabeth, probably daughter
of Cornelius and Mary (Claes) Beek, baptized
March 16, 1701, living June 18, 1742,
died before February 28, 1757.
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