The founder of the family of Van Schoonhoven in the state of New York came from Holland. He was among the first actual settlers of the state, and members of this family were among the early proprietors of the soil on the Hudson above the Mohawk.
(I) Geurt Hendrickse (Gerrit) Van Schoonhoven probably came from Holland, the land of his birth. He was of "Halve Maan" in 1675. He was a carpenter, and had a farm on Cahoos Island in 1681. He made his will, August 20, 1700,and made his wife executrix. He died January 12, 1702. He married and had issue: Jacobus, see forward; Hendrick, Margareta, Hendrikye, Geertrung and Jacomyntje.
(II) Jacobus, son of Geurt Hendrickse (Gerrit) Van Schoonhoven, was of "Halve Maan." He was buried January 26, 1749. He married, February 17, 1714, Susanna Bratt. Children:
- Geurt, baptized April 3, 1716;
- Geurt, see forward;
- Dirck Bratt;
- Maria, August 12, 1722;
- Anna, September 27, 1724;
- Hendrick, May 6, 1727;
- Susanna, April 18, 1730.
(III) Geurt, son of Jacobus and Susanna (Bratt) Van Schoonhoven, was baptized April 11, 1718. He married, February 3, 1743, Anna Lansing. She was buried in the Lutheran churchyard, March 4, 1744, shortly after the birth of their only child, Jacobus.
(IV) Jacobus (2), only child of Geurt and Anna (Lansing) Van Schoonhoven, was born February 2, 1744, died at Waterford, New York, February 21, 1814. He became a man of prominence prior to the revolution, in which he took an active part with the loyal patriots of his county. He was colonel of the Twelfth Regiment, New York militia, commissioned October 20, 1775. In 1785 his name is attached to a bill of sale as justice of the peace. He was the first supervisor of Half Moon and held that office in 1788-89-90, while that territory was still part of Albany county. He was one of the purchasers of the village plat in 1784, and one of the first trustees. In 1786 and 1791 he was a member of the state assembly, in the latter named year was judge of the court of common pleas, and state senator from Half Moon from 1795 to 1815. He was a merchant and dealer in farm produce. He married, August, 1764, Elizabeth Clute, born December 29, 1739, died January 24, 1820. Children:
- Geurt, born July, 1765, died July 17, 1847.
- Maggy (Mrs. Given), October, 1767, died October, 1844.
- Gerardus, December 14, 1769, died May 10, 1842.
- Hannah (Mrs. Hazard), April 13, 1772, died September 28, 1859.
- Susan (Mrs. Bloore), December 14, 1774, died February, 1885.
- Polly (Mrs. Meyers and Mrs. De Wolf), March 9, 1777, died February 26, 1838.
- Elizabeth (Mrs. Drake and Mrs. Clute), July 7, 1779, died March 2, 1848.
- Jacobus (James), see forward.
(V) Jacobus (3) (James), son of Jacobus (2) and Elizabeth (Clute) Van Schoonhoven, was born November 4, 1781, died at Poughkeepsie, New York, September 9, 1865. He studied law, and in partnership with John Cramer maintained a law practice in Waterford, New York, for twenty-five years. He was supervisor of Waterford in 1817-18, and judge of the court of common pleas in 1820. He was one of the founders of the first bank established in Troy, New York, the Farmer's Bank, located between the towns of Lansingburg and Troy. He removed to Troy about 1820 to take the position of cashier of this bank, of which he afterward became president. For many years he was one of the managers of the Troy Savings Bank, and was president of the Rensselaer and Saratoga railroad. He married, October 1, 1806, Alida Lansing, born June 7, 1789, died August 19, 1824, aged thirty-five years, two months and twelve days. She was the daughter of Jacob A. Lansing, whose ancestors were early settlers in Albany and founder of the village of Lansingburg, now a part of the city of Troy, New York. She bore him six children. He married (second) June 21, 1825, Elizabeth Lane Suydam, born February 16, 1790. Children of first marriage:
- Jacob Lansing, born September 12, 1807, died April 3, 1882.
- William Henry, January 5, 1810, died January 16, 1855.
- Elizabeth, February 8, 1812, died August 12, 1824.
- James, see forward.
- Edward Abraham, March 1, 1819, died April 1, 1839.
- Charles, April 13, 1821, died August 12, 1824.
Child of second marriage:
- Elizabeth Maria, April 9, 1826; married, January 26, 1847, E. N. Crosby.
(VI) James (4), son of Jacobus (3) (James) and Alida (Lansing) Van Schoonhoven, was born in Troy, New York, February 10, 1815, died there February 3, 1850, and is buried in Oakwood cemetery. He was educated in Troy, but while still a young man, having only reached his thirty-fifth year, his career was suddenly terminated by death. He married, June 1, 1841, Catherine Lansing, who died in Troy, in 1898, and is buried in Oakwood cemetery by the side of her husband. Children: Edward, died in 1907, unmarried. Charlotte L., resides on the old Van Schoonhoven homestead in Lansingburg, New York. She is a woman of education and refinement, and a true worthy descendant of her colonial ancestors, who figured so prominently in the settlement of the North Hudson Valley.