Bergen County Archives — New Jersey Genealogy

Biography of James B. Vredenburgh of Hudson County

Genealogical history of Hudson and Bergen counties, New Jersey

James B. Vredenburgh is of Holland descent, the respectability of which has been strengthened by intermarriage with the Coles, Schuremans, Van Dorns, Brinckerhoffs, and other of the most prominent Holland families. Isaac Van Vredenburgh (1), a well-to-do citizen, resident, and burgher of the City of Hague, in Holland, had a son who bore the somewhat elongated name of William Isaacsen Van Vredenburgh (2), who, while yet a very young man, enlisted as a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company and came to America in May, 1658, on board the good ship “Gilded Beaver.” He seems to … Read more

Genealogy of Charles E. Voorhis of Bergen County

Charles E. Voorhis is a descendant in the eighth generation from Steven Coerts Van Voorhees, the first American ancestor of the family in America, whose pedigree has been written in the sketch on page 83 [John J. Voorhees]. One of Steven’s children, Albert Stevens Voorhees (2), emigrated with his father to America in 1660, and located with the rest of his family at Flatlands, Long Island, where he married (1) Barentie Williamse, (2) Tjelletje Wizzelpenning, and (3) Elina Vander Scheur. He was living at Flatlands as late as 1683, as the assessment roll then shows. He removed with his family, … Read more

The Vandelinda Family of Bergen County

Pieter Linde was a native of Belle, a town on the road from Bruges to Ghent in Flanders. He was a physician, and came to America in 1639 with his wife, Elsie Barents. The shipping records show that, on April 18, 1639, he paid to David Pietersen de Vries and Frederick Pietersen de Vries 140 Carolus gelders ($56) for passage for himself and wife to New Amsterdam, where he settled and followed his profession until the death of his wife in 1643. On July 1, of the following year (1644), he entered into a marriage contract with Martha Chambers, or … Read more

Biography of Moses E. Springer of Bergen County

Moses E. Springer, the leading undertaker of Englewood, New Jersey, was born August 5, 1827, in New York City, where he resided until 1857, when he went to Wisconsin, where he remained two years. His education was acquired partly in the public schools, but chiefly through his own exertions and by those means which an ambitious youth finds amid the active employments of life. Thrown at an early age upon his own resources, he manfully paved his way in the world, picked up here and there valuable bits of information, and rapidly acquired a practical experience which has served him … Read more

The Sickles Family of Bergen and Hudson County

The Sickles Family had much to do with the early settlement of Hudson and Bergen Counties. Zacharias Sickles, the common American ancestor of the family, was a native of the City of Vienna, Austria, who soon after reaching manhood drifted to Amsterdam, Holland, where he entered the military service and was sent with a fleet on a cruise to Curacoa, where he remained until 1655. In the service he attained the rank of Adelborst or Cadet. In 1655 Governor Stuyvesant paid a visit to the island where Sickles was on duty. The latter accompanied the Governor to New Amsterdam and … Read more

The Schuyler Family of Bergen County

The New Jersey branch of the Schuyler family, now very numerous in the western and northern pars of Bergen County, are now descended from Philip Pietersen Van Schuyler, born in 1628 at Amsterdam, Holland, who, with his brother David, emigrated to America in 1650 and settled first at Fort Orange (Albany), New York, on December 12, 1650. Following his arrival at Albany he married Margaretta Van Schlectenhorst, of Nieuwkirk, Holland, her father being then manager of the Colonie of Van Rensselaer. He was a magistrate at Albany in 1656, 1657, and 1661. In 1662 he received permission to plant a … Read more

The Ryerson Family of Bergen County

The Ryersons are the most numerous to-day of any family in the western part of Bergen County. The original surname of the family was “Reyertzoon.” The family were numerous in Amsterdam, Holland, as early as 1390, in which year one William Reyertzoon was Burgomaster of the city. Another member of the family filled the same office in 1414 and 1418. Members of this family held prominent positions in Amsterdam up to 1585. Many of them took an active part in the expulsion of the Spaniards from Holland, for which two of them were banished by the Spanish king, and another, … Read more

Biography of Daniel Rutan of Bergen County

Daniel Rutan was located at Esopus on the Hudson River prior to 1700. The place of his nativity does not appear, but he was no doubt a Hollander. His sons, Abraham, Daniel, Jr., and Peter, came to New Jersey and located at Aquackanonck (Passaic) as early as 1702. In 1703 Abraham married, at Hackensack, Mary Rutan, probably a near relative of his. In 1710 Daniel married Ann Hanse Spier, of Bergen, whose parents were then living at Passaic. In November, 1713, Daniel’s brother Peter located at New Barbados (west of Hackensack), here he married Gertrude Vanderhoff. The Vanderhoffs and Rutans … Read more

Genealogy of James A. Romeyn of Bergen County

The Romeyns, Romaines, and Romains, of Bergen County, claim to be of Italian lineage, which they trace to one Giacomo de Ferentino, an Italian gentleman who settled at Rongham Manor, Norfolkshire, England, in the early part of the thirteenth century, and married an English lady, Isabella de Rucham, by whom he had issue two sons, one James A. Romeyn of whom was Peter. This Peter was sent to Rome to be educated, and on his return took the surname of Romaeyn (Peter the Roman). He married a daughter of Thomas De Leicester. Many of Peter’s descendants became noted men in … Read more

Biography of Milton T. Richardson of Bergen County

Milton T. Richardson, a well known publisher of New York City and for two terms President of the Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, was born in Westford, Massachusetts, on the 7th of February, 1843. He is the son of Thomas Richardson and Mary Fletcher, a grandson of Abijah and Elizabeth (Livingston) Richardson and of Peletiah and Sally (Woodward) Fletcher, and a great-grandson of Thomas and Hannah (Colburn) Richardson. On his father’s side he is descended from Ezekiel Richardson, one of three brothers who came to this country from England in 1630. His mother’s family–the Fletchers–are equally old residents … Read more