The Hallenbecks date from the earliest Dutch settlement of Albany county. A tradition of the family is that Hendrick Hallenbeck was a sailor on the "Half-Moon" with Henry Hudson when he made his first voyage up the Hudson river in 1609. The first record at hand of the branch herein recorded is of Isaac Hallenbeck, who was a descendant of Hendrick and lived in Albany county near the present village of Delmar. He married (first) Catherine A. Provost; (second) ———— Van Der Poel. Descendants of Isaac spell the name Hallenbeck, Hollenbeck and Hellenbeck.
(II) Ephraim G., son of Isaac and Catherine A. (Provost) Hallenbeck, was born in the town of Bethlehem, Albany county, New York. He was a farmer. He married Magdelene Bartlett and had children, including
- Cornelius, who died in Albany;
- Catherine Ellen, born 1828, widow of Peter S. Albright, mother of ten children;
- Isaac B., of whom further.
(III) Isaac B. Hellenbeck, (as he spelled the name), son of Ephraim G. and Magdelene (Bartlett) Hallenbeck, was born in New Scotland, Albany county, New York, 1820, died in Berne, 1878, buried in Mount Pleasant cemetery. He learned the trade of cabinetmaker with John Pangborn, an early settler of the village of Clarksville. Isaac B. Hellenbeck located in Berne where he had a cabinetmaking shop and made furniture, coffins and all kinds of cabinet work. He built up a large business but did not leave it in a very flourishing condition. He was a Democrat and served as poor master and town clerk. He was also in the hotel business for several years at Clarksville. New York. He was a member of the Lutheran church of Berne. He married Maria Relyea, born in Voorheesville, Albany county, in 1827, died in 1900, daughter of Daniel and Dorothy (Wetherwax) Relyea. Daniel Relyea was born in Albany county, died in Schenectady at the age of eighty years. Children of Isaac B. and Maria Hellenbeck:
- Mary, married William White, of Chicago, Illinois; children:
- Leroy,
- Austin,
- Minnie, married Charles Wood, of Slingerlands.
- Susan, died young.
- Sarah, married John D. Simmons, now of Brooklyn, New York; child,
- Raymond, married Jessie Gerard and has a son Gerald J.
- Florence, died at age of eight years.
- Millard F., of whom further.
- Isaac N., died at age of thirty-five years; he married Ada Settle, of Berne; children:
- Pearl, married Joseph Moriarty and has son John;
- Claude;
- George B., married Elizabeth Shultus; children:
- Isaac, deceased;
- Eunice,
- Sarah,
- George Gordon, deceased.
(IV) Millard F., son of Isaac B. and Maria (Relyea) Hellenbeck, was born in the town of Berne, Albany county, New York, October 8, 1858. He was educated in the public schools, and learned his trade of cabinetmaker under his father's direction. When he had reached the age of eighteen years his father retired from business, giving it to his son who carried it on for four years with little prospect of ever making it a profitable business. In 1886 he removed to Altamont, where on a small borrowed capital he opened a furniture store and cabinetmaking shop. He had little to start with except courage and a determination to succeed. He gradually increased his business until he now (1910) has a well established furniture and undertaking business with a well-appointed livery stable. He is rated one of the prosperous and successful men of his village, where his various establishments are a feature of the town's growth and prosperity. He has always taken an active part in village and town affairs, being particularly interested in the success of the Fair Association, having erected on the fair grounds a special building for his own annual exhibit. He is a Democrat in politics and has served as village trustee. He is a member of Noah Lodge, No. 754, Free and Accepted Masons; Noah Chapter, No. 284, Royal Arch Masons, both of Altamont; Voorheesville Lodge, No. 668, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Voorheesville, Altamont Tent, No. 763, Knights of the Maccabees. He married, in Berne, Anna L. Bogardus, born in Berne, November 29, 1858, daughter of Adam M. and Caroline (Bogardus) Bogardus, still living in Berne (1910). She at the age of eighty-five, he at the age of seventy-nine. They have two children who grew to mature years:
- Evelyn, married Charles D. Tubbs, whom she survives, a resident of East Durham, Greene county, New York; children: Harry, Adam, Millard and Florence.
- Anna L., married Millard F. Hellenbeck.
Children of Millard F. and Anna L. Bogardus Hellenbeck:
- Bertha, born August 22, 1877; married Wade Nasholts and lives in Aberdeen, South Dakota;
- Pauline Wood, born February 22, 1899, now attending the public schools of Altamont.
Mr. and Mrs. Hellenbeck and children are members of Lutheran church.