There are many blanks in early Colonial records especially relating to the names of those coming to New Netherland. The records in Holland of the West India Trading Company were sold as waste paper in 1821. This wanton destruction combined with the silence of family records on the subject leaves only the tradition that Wessel Ten Broeck, the American ancestor of the Ten Broecks of America, came to the colony of New Netherland with Peter Minuit, the first director-general, in 1626. Where he married and his children were born, is not known. Children:
- Wesselse, born 1636, died at Kingston, New York, November 25, 1704.
- Dirk Wesselse, see forward.
- Hendrick Wesselse, resided in New York City.
- Cornelia Wesselse, married at Albany, October 16, 1687, Dominie Laurentius Van den Bosch, fourth pastor of the Kingston Dutch church.
The descendants of the eldest son, Wesselse, known as the "Kingston Ten Broecks," erected the house known as the "Senate house of the State of New York," in which the first constitution of the state was adopted and proclaimed in April, 1777. The house stands in the heart of Kingston, and being now owned by the state, serves as a museum for an interesting and valuable collection of portraits, relics and curios. Hendrick W., the third son, married and resided in New York, and left many descendants. Cornelia W. seems to have left no descendants.
(II) Dirck Wesselse, second son of Wessel Ten Broeck, was born December 18, 1638, died December 18, 1717, at his bouwerie (estate) Clermont, New York. There is no record of his youth. He had an excellent education, was a ready writer and speaker, master of the Indian language, and became a most valuable citizen, and one of the foremost men of his time. He was a good business man, as this entry in 1657 relating to a shipment of skins and pettries testifies: "Derik Wessils 5000 beaver skins." In 1663 he is spoken of as a "free merchant" in Albany. The charter of "the ancient town of Beverwyck, or Albany" was granted July 26, 1686. Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck was named first in the list of aldermen for the city. Following the first election under the charter he was made recorder, serving for ten years. In 1696 he was appointed mayor of Albany by Governor Fletcher, the fourth to fill the office. The office of mayor carried with it that of justice of the peace, as did that of recorder and alderman. In 1691 he was elected a member of the first provincial assembly, re-elected to the second, third, fourth and fifth. His greatest service to the colony, however, was as Indian commissioner, and as political agent to Canada, the latter appointment being four times repeated. As Indian commissioner he rendered valuable service, having the confidence of the Indians and the high regard of the colonial authorities. October 2, 1716, Governor Hunter gave him an honorable discharge from the Indian board, where during thirty years he had worked for the peace and security of the colony and for the protection and civilization of the Indians. In the war against France he served as a volunteer in times of danger. He was advanced to the rank of captain, then to major under Colonel Peter Schuyler, and was thereafter always known as "Major Wesselles." He owned land and a house in Albany, and great tracts of uncultivated land on a tract in Saratoga county. A descendant, General Abraham Ten Broeck, led his men to victory in the battle ending in Burgoyne's surrender. His home bouwerie consisted of two tracts of one thousand two hundred and six hundred acres, respectively, lying one on both sides of Roelof Jansen Kil, the smaller on the Hudson river, both included in the territory erected into Livingston Manor in 1686. Here he retired after laying down the cares of public life. He was a faithful active member of the First Dutch church, and had a seat in the gallery. In 1673 he was a deacon, and in 1675 assumed charge of the "Book of Income and Expenditure." The record of his death written in the Dordrecht Bible by his eldest son reads: "My father Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck died on September 18, 1717, aged 78 years and nine months." He married, in Albany, in 1663, Christyna Van Buren, born May 19, 1644, died November 24, 1729, daughter of Corneles Maessen and Catalyntje (Martensen) Van Buren. Children: six sons and seven daughters; of these two, twin sons, died in infancy; eleven reached maturity, married and reared families containing many distinguished men and women.
(III) Samuel, ninth child of Major Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck, was born in 1680, died July 31, 1771. He inherited that part of the farm on the Roelof Jansen Kil in the section where the Ten Broeck family is the most ancient, now lying entirely in Columbia county. Here he passed his entire life. He married, November 7, 1712, Maria Van Rensselaer in the "two steeple church in Albany." She was a daughter of Hendrick Van Rensselaer, and sister of the wife of his younger brother Johannes. They had eight children, six of whom married and reared families.
(IV) Hendrick, third child of Samuel and Maria (Van Rensselaer) Ten Broeck, was baptized March 24, 1717, died at Claverack, New York, 1796. He married, October 14, 1743, Annatje Van Schaick, baptized October 22, 1722, daughter of Anthony and Anna (Cuyler) Van Schaick. They had ten children, four of whom married.
(V) Hendrick (2), youngest son of Hendrick (1) and Annatje (Van Schaick) Ten Broeck, was baptized at Claverack, October 26, 1766, died June 11, 1839. He married, at Waterford, New York, March 23, 1797, Martha Comstock, who died February 26, 1832, aged sixty years. They had two children, Henry and Samuel.
(VI) Henry, eldest son of Hendrick (2) and Martha (Comstock) Ten Broeck, was born February 21, 1798, died August 18, 1868. He married Maria Van Vechten, who died January 13, 1867, aged fifty-six years. Children:
- Martha, married Henry Lape.
- Jan Van Vechten, see forward.
- Henry, lives in New York city, unmarried.
- Edward Francis, married Fanny Austen.
- Samuel Augustus, married Sarah Walters.
- Mary, unmarried, lives in Troy, New York.
(VII) John (Jan) Van Vechten, eldest son of Henry and Maria (Van Vechten) Ten Broeck, was born in Waterford, New York, 1841, and is now (1910) a resident of Bath, New York. He was connected with R. H. Macy & Company of New York City. He married September 3, 1873, Mary L. Potter, born August, 1844; died April 17, 1880. Child, Harry Albert.
(VIII) Harry Albert, son of John (Jan) Van Vechten and Mary L. (Potter) Ten Broeck, was born in Waterford, New York, September 13, 1874. He was educated in the public schools of Troy and Watervliet, and in private schools. He began his business life with the firm of Nims & Knight, of Troy, where he remained four years. In 1881 he went with F. W. Sim & Company, jewelers of Troy, continuing until 1899, since which time he has been continuously in the jewelry business with the firm. He is now (1910) with C. B. Alexander, formerly Alexander & Williamson, of Troy. In 1898 he joined Company A, Second Regiment, New York National Guards, then the One Hundred and Sixth Separate Company. He served nine years, and was corporal. He now belongs to the "Old Guard" senior company, Troy Citizens' Corps. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the North Reformed church of Watervliet, New York, where he resides. He was for several years librarian of the Sunday school, and an active church worker. He is a member of the Masonic order. He married, June 31 [sic], 1903, Amelia Elizabeth Snyder, of Albany, New York, daughter of John Snyder, born in Germany.
John Snyder, father of Amelia E. (Snyder) Ten Broeck, was born at Frankfort-on-Main, Germany. He was educated in the schools of that city, and served the required time in the German army, ranking as an officer. He came to the United States and settled first in the town of Coeymans, Albany county, New York, and in 1873 located in Albany, New York, where he was engaged as a merchant in the gentlemen's clothing trade until his death in 1895. He was a member of the English Lutheran church, and acted with the Republican party. He married, in Troy, New York, in 1870, Eva Magdalene Berger, born in 1847 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Children:
- Elizabeth Carolyn, born 1871, died 1905.
- John Valentine, 1872.
- Caroline Louise, 1874.
- Frederick, 1876.
- Amelia Elizabeth, 1880; married Harry Albert Ten Broeck.
- Charles Henry, 1882.
- Frank, 1883.