The Schermerhorn Family of Venango County, Pennsylvania

This family was established in the Mohawk Valley of New York state by Jacob Janse Schermerhorn, born 1622 in Waterland, Holland. Although in 1654 his father was a resident of Amsterdam, Holland, Jacob Janse died in Schenectady, New York, 1689. At an early day he settled at Beverwyck (Albany), where he became prosperous as an Indian trader and brewer. He made his will, May 20, 1688, and in it devised property worth 56,822 guilders (about $23,000). His estate was considered very large at that time and was exceeded by few except the patroons and men of high official rank. He married Jannetje Legers, daughter of Cornelius Legers Van Voorhoudt. He mentions in his will, May 20, 1688, children:

Children

1. Ryer. Of whom further.
2. Symon.
3. Helena. Married Myndert Hasmense Van Der Bogart.
4. Jacob.
5. Machledt. Married Johannes Beekman.
6. Cornelius.
7. Jannetje. Married Caspar Springstein.
8. Neeltje. Married Barent Ten Eyck.
9. Lucas.

(II) Ryer Schermerhorn

Ryer, eldest son of Jacob Janse Schermerhorn, settled in Schenectady, New York. He was one of the five patentees named in the patent granted in 1684, and in 1700 was the sole survivor of the original owners of the township. There were about eighty thousand acres of land in the Schenectady patent, all of which, after the death of the other four patentees, came under his charge and management as trustee, except a few farms that had been granted before. This one man power became distasteful to the people, who petitioned for a new charter which should give them the power of choosing five trustees to hold office three years. The new charter was granted, but Schermerhorn paid no attention to it, nor to his newly appointed trustees. He still continued to act as sole trustee for the town in receiving rents and profits thereof and in prosecuting suits-at-law in his own name only, without giving any account thereof; this too in spite of his suspension from office by the governor. The secret of his stubborn persistence in the duties of the trusteeship was the fact that the first patent of 1684 was still binding and he as the sole survivor of the trustees was vested with all the power and authority originally granted to the five trustees named in the first patent. The fee of the land was in him, his heirs, assigns and successors, and could only be alienated by death, or release in due form. The secured charter was amended and on May 25, 1714, he appeared before the governor and council and after a full hearing for all matters against him was suspended from “acting further as trustee of the said towne”, but he continued obstinate and disregarded the demand of the new trustees for an accounting to them of his official acts. They then commenced suit against him in the court of chancery, he and his friends in turn instituting counter suits in the same court. These several suits and others continued down to the death of the second Ryer Schermerhorn in 1795, a period of nearly one hundred years, and were only settled by the New York legislature passing an act, March 26, 1797, which took all powers and duties in relation to the common lands, conferring them upon the mayor, aldermen and commonalty of Schenectady. A commission was appointed under the act which finally settled all claims and closed their accounts, August 10, 1798. In 1690 he was a member of the provincial assembly from Albany county and justice of the peace. In 1700 he was appointed assistant to the judge of the court of common pleas. He was a man of unusual ability, firm will, undaunted courage, great strength and powers of endurance. His mills on the Schuylenburg Kill, together with Farm No. 4 of Van Cuyler’s “Bouwerie” was held in the family two hundred years. He made his will, April 3, 1717, and died February 19, 1719, leaving two daughters and three sons, all of whom had families.

He married, July, 1676, Ariantje Bratt, widow of Ulmer Often, who had left a daughter Tryntije (Catherine), and also property in Holland and America. This caused special contracts and agreements at the time of her second marriage safeguarding her interests and those of her child.

Children mentioned in will

1. Jan (John, Johannes). Inherited the homestead.
2. Catalina. Married Johannes Wemp.
3. Jannetje. Married Volkert Simonse Veeder.
4. Jacob. Of whom further.
5. Arent.

(III) Jacob Schermerhorn

Jacob, son of Ryer Schermerhorn, died July 4, 1753. He inherited “8 Morgens (16 acres) of the Hindmost Bouwery, 21½ morgens of woodland” and a lot of land in the village of Schenectady. He married, October 20, 1712, Margarita ———, died May 22, 1741, daughter of Johanna Teller, and granddaughter of William Teller, the first settler of the name in New Amsterdam, and a trader in Albany for fifty years, removing thence to New York. In 1692 he was one of the associate trustees with Ryer Schermerhorn under the famous first patent of Schenectady and the last but him to survive.

Children

1. Ryer.
2. Johanne.
3. Jacobus. Of whom further.
4. William.
5. Arent.
6. Andries.
7. Simon.
8. Susanna. Married John Visger.

(IV) Jacobus Schermerhorn

Jacobus, son of Jacob Schermerhorn, was born January 3, 1720, died July 28, 1782. He was a farmer and owned land in different parts of the town. He married, September 4, 1762, Annatje, died September 7, 1770, daughter of Peter Vrooman.

Children

1. Jacob. Born July 21, 1763, died April 26, 1787.
2. John (Johannes). Of whom further.

(V) John (Johannes) Schermerhorn

John (Johannes), son of Jacobus Schermerhorn, was born January 29, 1765, died January 7, 1814. He married Catharine Bratt (Bradt), born June 29, 1764, died September 13, 1817, daughter of Jacobus and Elizabeth Bratt, a descendant of Arent Andries Bratt, an early settler of Schenectady.

Children

1. Jacob. Of whom further.
2. Elizabeth. Died in childhood.
3. Annatje. Died in infancy.
4. Eva. Died in infancy.
5. Jacobus Bratt.
6. Annatje. Married Anthony Van Slyck.
7. Elizabeth. Died in infancy.
8. Simon. Born April 23, 1802.
9. Arent Bratt. May 4, 1804.
10. Peter Vrooman. May 11, 1806, died May 26, 1853, married Catharine Clute.

(VI) Jacob (2) Schermerhorn

Jacob (2), son of John (Johannes) Schermerhorn, was born in Rotterdam, Schenectady county, New York, March 26, 1789, died there April 20, 1849. He inherited part of the old Schermerhorn estate and added to it by purchase. He was a farmer, a strong Democrat and a member of the Reformed Dutch church, as had been his ancestors. He married Maria Vedder, who died August 19, 1832, aged forty-five years.

Children

1. John. Of whom further.
2. Simon.
3. Catherine.
4. Anna.
5. Sarah.
6. Alida.

(VII) John (2) Schermerhorn

John (2), son of Jacob (2) Schermerhorn, was born in Rotterdam, New York, 1815. He settled in Herkimer county, New York, where he spent his life engaged in farming, dying at an advanced age. He and his wife were Methodists. He married Sybill Brown, born in Herkimer county, New York, where she died.

Children

1. George.
2. Jacob.
3. Lansing.
4. John.
5. Orville. Of whom further.
6. James.

All born and spent their lives in Herkimer county.

(VIII) Orville Schermerhorn

Orville, son of John (2) Schermerhorn, was born in Herkimer county, New York, died there in October, 1869. He was educated in the public schools, and was a farmer all his life. He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Baptist church. He married Mary Elizabeth Harder, born at Rossie, St. Lawrence county, New York, April 24, 1842, who survives her husband, a resident of East Bradford, Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Jacob Harder, born in St. Lawrence county, New York, 1807, died 1891. He was a stone-cutter and passed his entire life in his native county. He married Jane Ann Collins, born in Amsterdam, New York, died in St. Lawrence county. She had brothers and sisters: James Collins, deceased; William Collins, now living in Tonawanda, New York; Morgan Collins, of Dunkirk, New York; Elizabeth Collins, deceased; George Collins, died in Jersey City, New Jersey, 1910.

Child of Orville Schermerhorn

1. Edward Edgar. Of whom further.

(IX) Edward Edgar Schermerhorn

Edward Edgar, only child of Orville and Mary Elizabeth (Harder) Schermerhorn, was born at Sprague’s Corners, St. Lawrence county, New York, December 15, 1867. He was educated in the public schools of St. Lawrence, finishing at Lawrenceville Academy, of which he is a graduate. He supplemented his academic study with a course at the New York State Normal School at Potsdam, whence he was graduated, class of 1889. This qualifying him to teach in the New York public schools, he passed two or three years engaged in that profession before his graduation. After leaving normal he secured a position in a graded school in McKean county, Pennsylvania, teaching there from 1889 until 1891. In the latter year he was appointed principal of the borough school of Kendall, which borough is now included in the city of Bradford, Pennsylvania. He continued in that position until 1899, when he was appointed principal of the third ward school of Bradford, remaining there until 1908. In that year he was elected superintendent of schools for the city, a position he now fills (1912). The school system of Bradford—already an excellent one—has been placed upon a still higher plane of efficiency by Superintendent Schermerhorn, who is not only a most efficient teacher but an official of unusual executive ability. He is well known in educational circles and stands among the leaders in his profession. He is a constant student, and since graduation has systematically followed courses of study and reading, thus making his mind a storehouse of knowledge and keeping pace with modern thought, invention and discovery. He is a Republican in politics, and an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been financier of the local lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen for the past ten years; is a member of Union Lodge, No. 334, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Knights of Maccabees.

He married, July 24, 1887, Minnie Adelle Gillespie, born at Pike farm, Venango county, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1868, daughter of Robert B. Gillespie, now a resident of Sistersville, West Virginia, engaged in the production of oil.

Children

1. Vivian. Born at Red Rock, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1891; married, July, 1911, Owen A. Fleckenger, a teacher of manual training in the schools of Bradford.
2. Victor E. Born at Bradford, November 18, 1894, now a student in high school.
3. Dorothy B. Born at Bradford, December 5, 1906.

Robert B. Gillespie first came to Pithole, Venango county, at the time of the excitement caused by the discovery of oil, and has since been engaged in oil production in various fields as discovered. He was born in New Athens, Clarion county, Ohio, November 2, 1835, married Julia Lucetta House, born in Macomb, St. Lawrence county, New York, March 21, 1840, died October 22, 1909.

Their children

1. Minnie Adelle. Of previous mention.
2. Norman L. Born 1870, died in 1872.
3. Frank J. Born June 2, 1872, at Millerstown, Perry county, Pennsylvania; married Delpha Mason, at Hebron, West Virginia. Frank J. Gillespie is an oil well contractor in West Virginia; children:
   1. Naomi. Born December 5, 1903.
   2. Fred. September 23, 1905.
   3. Esther. September 30, 1906.
4. Blanche. Born in Millerstown, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1877; married Rev. Gregory Blakeley, a minister of the Methodist church, now stationed at Parsons, West Virginia; child:
   1. Gregory Jr. Born September 24, 1901.

John J., father of Robert B. Gillespie, was a native of Bellair, Ohio, where he died at the age of seventy-two years. He had four children, two of whom are living—John, at Woodsfield, Ohio, and Robert B., as stated. Julia Lucetta House is a daughter of Isaac House, who married Mary Tamar and died at Pope’s Mills, St. Lawrence county, New York.

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.