Antony Van Benschoten and Margaret Wells (my great x5 grandparents)

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In a previous post, I shared information about Anthony and Margaret (Decker) VanScoter. They are my great, great, great, great grandparents. Of note, the descendants of Anthony dropped the Ben part of the surname, and began using the name as VanScoter. Thus, Anthony is considered the founder of the VanScoters.

But now we will go back further in time. Anthony’s parents were: Antony Van Benschoten and Margaret Wells. My great x 5 grandparents. You can find more about them on pages 417 to 419 of the VanScoter genealogy book. Antony was born 9/11/1709 in Kingstown (in New York). He married Margaret on 2/14/1730, as recorded in the church books of Kingstown. She was the daughter of John Wells and Cornelia de Duyster and was baptized in the same church on 12/15/1706. Page 417 says:

“Antony and Margaret had their first three children baptized at Kingston. The fourth, Jacobus, was baptized ‘in Menissing’ but the entry thereof was made in the Kingston records along with twenty two other baptisms performed by Domine Mancius of the Kingston church when on a visit to this frontier settlement on the Delaware before a church had been established there. Their six remaining children were all born and baptized in the Delaware valley above the Water Gap and there it must have been that Antony and Margaret ended their days though as to when that was there is nothing to show. Frontier life leaves few records of itself beyond a subdued wilderness.”  (The  book describes life in the Minnisink Valley during the French and Indian war to give a sense of Antony’s life then.)

You can find the list of their 10 children on pages 418-419, born between approximately 1732 and 1749. Child number 9 was Antony – founder of the VanScoters.

Next post we will look at Antony Van Benschoten’s parents.

* NOTE: This is a free wordpress blog, therefore you will see ads. I have NO control over the ads.*

Leota VanScoter and her cat in 1936

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I have not blogged here in a while. I was going far back in the VanScoter line, and I want to go farther back in one or two more posts and share what is known about my great x 5, 6, 7 grandparents. After that, I will begin to move forward to more “recent” VanScoters from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

But meanwhile, here is a photo of Leota VanScoter, my grandmother. It was taken in 1936, and I believe the cat is named Bluebell.

Last will and testament from 1737

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It is hard to know the best order or sequence to share things on this blog. I began with some scanned photos/letters and a last will and testament in my personal possession from the late 19th and early 20th centuries – but then moved back in time in the family tree – highlighting info from the massive VanScoter genealogy book published in 1907.

My last post briefly mentioned baptism records from the 1700’s and that the family, at that time, was Dutch Reformed. So it seemed a logical step to share a related excerpt from the above mentioned genealogy book.

This is an excerpt from the last will and testament of my great x 6 uncle named Salomon Van Bunschoten. It was written on November 24, 1737 – translated from the Dutch and preserved in the records of Kingston, NY. Find it in its entirety on page 661 of the book.

“First, I commend my soul to God Almighty my Creator, and to Jesus Christ my Savior, and to the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier, and my body to the earth from whence it came, to be interred in a Christian manner and there to remain till my soul and body shall be united at that last day and participate in the eternal joy of immortality which God, in his mercy, through the sole merit of our Savior has promised to and prepared for all those who from their hearts do repent and believe, believe, believe.”

I am a practicing Christian, and I was impressed by this clear statement of Christian truth! By the way, I have another blog about Christianity: Enough Light.

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Anthony VanScoter and Margaret Decker (my great x 4 grandparents), founder of the VanScoters

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My last post highlighted my great, great, great grandfather Elias VanScoter and his children. Now I will step back further, and share info from the VanScoter genealogy book about Elias’s father and mother: Anthony and Margaret. This would be my great, great, great, great grandparents. Anthony (Antony) was baptized as an infant on October 12, 1746 in the Delaware valley above the water gap. Also born there. (page 417) They were Dutch Reformed.

It fascinates me that such details (see below) can be known about them – as they lived in the 1700’s and early 1800’s – and here it is 2019! I am thankful this extensive family history was researched and written in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. How amusing that Margaret had extended resentment about a change with the “highway” that moved the road to pass by her kitchen door. Imagine if she saw highways today! I recently had a hideous, imposing, brick commercial building built in view of my home and I am resentful about it. Times change, but the things people get upset about remain the same! I’ll try to get over it, so I’m not remembered for this 200 years in the future!

Also note (below) that it is the descendants of Anthony that dropped the Ben part of the surname, and began using the name as Van Scoter. Thus, Anthony is considered the founder of the VanScoters.

Click the links I have added in this post for further historical/geographical info or for other sources. The link added for Solomon and Lena is from a book: Minisink Valley Reformed Dutch Church Records, 1716 -1830.

Entry from book (pages 606-607)

1545. IX. ANTHONY V.B. m. in the Delaware Valley, Margaret Decker, b. in 1750, bp. Apr. 14, 1754, at Minnisink, dau. of Solomon Decker and Lena Quick. Solomon was b. at Catsbaan, now Saugerties, and Lena at Metschepekonk; they were m. at Mahackemack, June 8, 1745.

According to tradition in the family Anthony and Margaret early passed over into the Susquehanna Valley, and were living above Wilkes Barre at the time of the Wyoming Massacre in 1778. While he, it is said, was helping fight the British and the Seneca Indians, Margaret took her small children and fled on horse-back to a place of safety. Thereafter her brother Isaac, so the story runs, vowed vengeance on the savages and long he camped in the woods and shot every redskin he caught sight of.

Anthony used to carry his brother-in-law provisions, and frequently when depositing these at an appointed spot would find the carcass of a deer hanging there in return.

Anthony and Margaret must have returned from time to time to Minnisink, since four of their children were baptized there, the latest in 1788. The first and only authentic appearance we have of Anthony in the Susquehanna Valley is found in Stewart Pearce’s Annals, wherein “Anthonay Benschoter” is recorded on the first assessment roll of the settlers of Pittston taken in 1796. Until 1806 Anthony and all his family excepting Cornelius, tarried in that general region; in that year he migrated to Allegany Co., N. Y., whither his son Cornelius had preceded him. Here he acquired a large tract of land in the Canaseraga Valley at “Pogue’s Hole” or “Rush Bottom,” where he lived ever after.

Anthony has been described as a rather short, heavy-set man; as very industrious and of few words. He was by nature quiet, and when Margaret who, it is said, was something of a scold would ” get to going” he would simply hold his peace and take himself out of hearing. Mrs Whiting recalled going over with her father Cornelius to see her grandfather once when he was winnowing by hand. He used a large willow screen close-woven and much in shape like a gigantic dust-pan. With this he tossed the grain up and the wind bore off the chaff and dust. Another memory of her’s was the prolonged resentment of her grandmother Margaret when the highway was changed from the elevated ground above the house to the flats below and so made to pass by her kitchen door.

Anthony d. in 1824, Margaret in 1830.

As stated under his father, the descendants of Anthony have unfortunately fallen into the way of dropping the Ben and of using the name as Van Scoter.

[Added note of interest: Anthony’s brother Jacobus is the founder of the Benscoters. page 418.]

Children of Anthony and Margaret:

Solomon, b. in Dec., 1768.
Elizabeth, b.
Elias, b. in 1776.  * my great, great, great grandfather
Lena, b. Feb. 28, 1779.
Lydia, b. July 16, 1783.
Cornelius, bp. June 8, 1784.
Maria, b. Sep. 10, 1785.
Thomas, b. Jan. 29, 1788; d. in 1821; never married
and always lived on the homestead with his parents.
Jane, b.

 

Elias VanScoter and Mary Halstead (my great x 3 grandparents) and his children

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The last post showed the last will and testament of John C. VanScoter, who was:

a child of my great, great, great grandfather Elias VanScoter
a sibling to Merritt (Merik) VanScoter, my great, great, grandfather
an uncle to my great grandfather Frank Miles VanScoter
thus John was my great, great, great uncle.

Got that?

I thought it would be a good time to share details about Elias VanScoter, and his children. Simply because Elias VanScoter was one of the first people to settle the town of Burns in Allegany County, NY in the early 1800’s, there is info available about him in various historical records.

According the VanScoter book published in 1907, pages 617 – 618, Elias was:

“married Feb. 3, 1800, in the Wyoming Valley, Mary Halstead, b. Mar. 10,1786. He, like his father, was a quiet man and industrious – ‘the most industrious man,’ says Alexander Morian* , ‘I ever knew.’  He was tall, six feet in height, but rather spare. He and his wife were among the earliest settlers of the town of Burns, Allegany County, NY, locating there in 1806. There were many Indians in that region at the time, and all the conditions were frontier ones. Elias died on his farm in Burns July 17, 1843; his wife d. Apr. 10, 1854, at the home of her dau. Mary Rockwell at Olean, NY.”

*More about Alexander Morian below.

The children of Elias and Mary:
Selah S., b, Dec. 24, 1801, in Wyoming Valley. **photo at end of post
Theron, b. Nov. 3, 1803; d. May 16, 1839, unmarried.
Merritt, b. Mar. 17, 1806.  ** my great, great grandfather
Jonas, b. July 9, 1808.
Thomas, b. Aug. 14, 1810.
Phillip, b. May 6, 1812.
James, b. Feb. 8, 1814.
Richard, b. Jan. 21, 1817.
Lucinda, b. Jan. 22, 1818.
Anthony, b. Oct. 22, 1820, at Burns.
Delinda, b. Dec. 21, 1823; d. in 1833.
Mary, b. May 12, 1826. ** info about Mary, below, at end of this post
John C., b. June 29, 1829. ** see this post for his last will and testament

That is 13 children, every 1-3 years, over a span of almost 30 years. Note that Mary was married very young – just before turning 14 years old. Elias was 10 years older than her, born in 1776. Their first child was born when Mary was 15, almost 16. Her last child was born when she was 43 years old. I can’t even imagine having all these children, in primitive and frontier like conditions, with no modern conveniences as we have today! No indoor plumbing. No electricity. Etc.

The VanScoter book has details about all these children and their descendants.

In another post I can share more about the father of Elias, that would be Anthony, found on page 606 of the VanScoter book. But for now, in a book entitled: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York (published in 1891) there is a write up on Alexander Morian, son of Lydia VanScoter – sister of Elias. Lydia’s siblings, including Elias, are listed by name. It also mentions VanScoter family history, thus you learn some details about Anthony. See here.

This photo of Lydia Van (Ben) Scoter Morian is found in the Van Scoter book between pages 628 and 629. She would be my great, great, great, great Aunt. Lydia died in 1869 at the age of 85, so this photo is likely from the 1860s, maybe earlier.

lydia

But back to Elias.

Elias is mentioned in this book: Allegany county and it people: A centennial memorial history of Allegany county, New York, published in 1896. See here. Elias came in 1806, from Pennsylvania, to the area that would eventually become Burns, NY in 1826. He settled in the eastern part of the town. 

The town of Burns published a Burns Bicentennial & Sesquicentennial Booklet in 1976. Elias is mentioned in this booklet. On page 11, it says that at least 7 families settled in Burns in 1806. “Also from Pennsylvania and in the same year came Thomas Quick, Elias VanScoter, and Elijah and Daniel Abbott all of whom located in DeWitts Valley, later Old Burns.”  Furthermore, on page 16, is says that in 1826, the founding fathers elected Nathaniel Bennett, Elias VanScoter and Silas Rease as commissioners of highways. Hmmm. I wonder what commissioner of highways entailed in 1826? This info is also found here, an older source referenced above, Allegany County and its people: a centennial memorial history of Allegany County, New York.

It is quite fascinating for me to see my ancestors mentioned in these historical records.

Elias’s daughter Mary is mentioned in the book Beauties and Achievements of the Blind published in 1890. See here. Mary married a blind (from birth) man named Lemuel Rockwell, and a section of this book is a sketch of his life. He was a musician. Note that in the paragraph about Elias and his wife Mary at the beginning of this post, it states that Mary died at the home of her daughter Mary Rockwell.

Well, I think I have shared enough for one post! But I will add a photo of Selah Van (Ben) Scoter found between pages 618 and 619 in the VanScoter book. Selah is the brother of Merritt, and the first born child of Elias and Mary. Selah was born in 1801 and died in 1885. He would be my great, great, great uncle. And my dad’s great, great uncle. I think my dad had a resemblance to Selah, including the odd hairdo (haha). However, when my dad was alive and I told him that I thought he had a resemblance to Selah, my dad was not pleased. Of interest, the VanScoter book says that Selah’s family had their home wrecked by a hurricane. They survived by taking refuge in the cellar. They lost most of their possessions.

selah

Last will and testament, 1898, John C. VanScoter

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In this post, I share the last will and testament of John C. VanScoter. It was written in Erie, Pa on December 16, 1898. The type is fading but I used the edit feature of our photo program to darken it and make it more readable. Click to see enlarged.

This was among the various papers that are in my possession. I initially was not certain who John was, and wondered why it was among Leota VanScoter’s personal effects rather than among a more immediate relative. But it was easy enough to determine.

John C. was the brother of Merritt VanScoter, Merritt being my great, great grandfather and the father of Frank Miles VanScoter, my great grandfather.  John would have been the uncle of Frank. So, John C. is my great, great, great uncle.  So why did Frank end up with his uncle’s last will and testament?

Well, John C. and his wife apparently had no children. The VanScoter book (page 628) states that John and his wife Helen Morrison were “no issue” which means no children. Also, other research does not reveal any evidence of children. The last will and testament makes no reference to children either.

The January 10, 1899 edition of The Buffalo Evening News had an obituary for John that begins  “John C. Van Scoter, one of the best known business men of Erie, Pa., is dead.” I can’t access the rest without paying a fee, but that is not a problem as I found a nice write up about John in Nelson’s Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is a history of Erie County, as well as portraits of governors and representative citizens from between 1790 and its publication in 1896. This book is available for free access through google. See here.

**Genealogy research tip: check the many antique books available for free access through google. **

It says this about John C. VanScoter:

“John C. Van Scoter, loan agent, North Park, Erie, Pa., was born in Allegany county, New June 29, 1834, and is a son of Elias and Mary (Halstead) Van Scoter, natives of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, respectively. He received his early education in his native county.  Opening a dry goods store in Hornellsville, N.Y., he operated it until 1858. In 1860 he came to Erie, Pa., engaging in mercantile pursuits, and later becoming interest in the oil trade, which he continued for four years, when he became interested in lake trade. In 1892 he closed out his lake interests to enter his present business exclusively, having previously devoted a portion of his time to it since 1881. Mr. Van Scoter was united in marriage in 1860 to Miss Helen, daughter of Horace and Hannah (Hall) Morrison, natives of Saratoga County, New York, a Christian lady of rare talent and amiability. She departed this life March 17, 1895. Mrs. Van Scoter was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In politics, Mr. Van Scoter is a Democrat, and is one of Erie’s most respected and influential citizens.”

— You will note in the will (page 1) that John wanted a memorial window for his wife Helen at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  The church still exists up in Erie.

— On page 2 of the will, note is says the balance of his estate goes to the legal heirs of: Selah, Merih, Jonas, Lucinda, Mary. These are his siblings, see page 617-618 in the VanScoter book. See a photo of brother Selah on page 619. Of interest, I think Selah bears a resemblance to my father, which would have been my dad’s great uncle.

Merih? Perhaps it is a k, as in Merik. There was brother Merritt, which seems to be the proper spelling of the name. I have, however, seen it spelled in various other ways in formal and informal family documentation, such as Merik, Merrick, etc. Perhaps they pronounced it with a K sound, despite the t. Or maybe with a “k” is actually the proper spelling? I do not find a relative named Merih. Merih must be brother Merritt. It makes sense that Merritt’s son Frank (my great grandfather) ended up possessing this will.

 

Infancy and childhood of Leota VanScoter, circa 1898 to 1910

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My first post featured letters and related photos from 1918 of my grandmother Leota VanScoter and her pending marriage to Earl Spicer. In this post, we will go farther back in time to Leota’s infancy and childhood.

Here is Leota in infancy in 1898, a few months old. Regarding the history of photography, this is a “cabinet card” – you can google search it, but here is one link.

Next is another cabinet card. In fountain ink on the back it is dated the end of April 1899, making Leota 15 months old. A very large framed version of this portrait hangs on the wall at my father’s home.

I just love the photo below and have had it hanging on the wall in my living room for years. This is Leota in 1901 at age 3.

There is one lovely photo from when Leota was about 10 years old that I am not in possession of. It is a large framed photo that hangs on the wall at my aunt’s house. I actually took a photograph of it, but need to find it in my computer. If I manage to find it, I will add it below at that time. *HERE IT IS:

Next is a school photo from May 1907. It is public school number 7 on Clinton Street in Buffalo, NY. Leota is in the second row, second from right, in dark clothing. Her face is a little blurred. I think this is the 4th grade. According to a chart here, Buffalo public school number 7 closed in 1950 and has since been demolished.

The headline photo for this blog is another school photo. It is the 6th grade at public school number 7 in Buffalo, NY in the year 1909. My grandmother Leota VanScoter is in the second row, 5th girl from right in a dark dress.

Next is a photo from 1910 of Leota and her sister Ethel. It was taken where they lived on Wheelock Street in Buffalo, NY. Leota, older, is on the left.

Finally, it is May 29, 1910 and Ethel VanScoter has a birthday party. On the far left is my Grandmother Leota. Ethel, her sister, is in front of her in white. The smallest child in front is brother Frank.The other children are not identified and must be cousins or friends.

Letters from exactly 100 years ago, including photos

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I have a series of letters mailed to my grandmother Leota VanScoter from her friend Mary Strickland in the years 1918 and 1919. My grandmother was born in February 1898. There is much interesting history here. A photo of the letters:

IMG_5823.jpg

Note my grandmother is located in Buffalo, NY and the letters from Mary are mailed from Whitney Crossings, NY. Whitney Crossings was not actually a town but a post office location at the Garwood station of the railway in Allegany County, NY. Garwood station was named after a business man, whose business led to the need for a railway station. See below for more information. (Also see here in a history of Allegany County if you can’t read the below.)

c604189b-b97d-4779-ab17-86eda02ba2a6My grandmother’s family (Leota’s dad was Frank Miles VanScoter) had a summer home in the Garwoods area. Frank was a conductor on the railroad. I have his 1890’s railroad manual, which I will share in a future post. The VanScoter family took the train to and from Buffalo and Garwoods. Remember that automobiles were still not commonplace, and I am sure the family was partial to the railroad since Frank was a conductor. In fact, my dad says he was told that Frank did not think the automobile would be a success. Frank died on Christmas Eve 1919, so he did not live to see the automobile take over.

The photo on the left, from Leota’s album, I include because you can see a Garwoods sign in the background. This photo was not labeled, and I am not certain of the identity of the two young women. On the left may be Ethel, who is Leota’s younger sister. I feel fairly certain it is Ethel based on other photos, but the photo’s quality makes me hesitant to state so with certainty.

Based on perusing the 6 letters written to Leota from Mary, they were good friends. In one letter, she mentions that there is no flu in Garwoods. Remember that 1918 was the year of the terrible influenza pandemic! More here. She also mentions local boys returning from across the pond. Remember that the US entered WW1 in 1917. Mary shares that she got a job as a station agent at Garwoods. Below is one of the letters.

IMG_5825

This letter was written February 19, 1919. In it she writes:

“It was a shame that Earl put his car in for the winter but then he saved gas. No loss, but some small gain! He will have just that much more to start keeping house on in the spring. Am I not right? I mean cash, not gas to keep house on. Ha! Ha!”

Earl is who Leota married on March 3, 1919. In the first photo of this post, you may have noticed the name changed on one envelope from Miss Leota VanScoter to Mrs. E.W. Spicer. Below are photos from the summer of 2018 of Earl and Leota and…the car. There are lots of these shots. Having a boyfriend or fiance with a car was, at that time, very exciting I am sure! The photos are not high quality in the original, so the lack of clarity is not my scanning ability, even though I do lack technical aptitude!

My dad says he was told that their courtship was strictly monitored. They could not be alone, and Frank kept an eye on them if they sat in the parlor or on the porch. Sister Ethel accompanied them on a drive to Niagara Falls. Last photo below is at Niagara Falls.