The great-grandfather of James C. Fursman was William Fursman, who died in Dutchess county, New York. He married Letitia Van Aylst, whose ancestors came from England to America about the year 1700. The family was first at White Plains, New York, where two brothers of the name settled. During the revolution the family remained loyal to their king and as a consequence suffered loss of property.
(II) Jesse Budd, son of William and Letitia (Van Aylst) Fursman, was born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1810, died in Washington county, August 5, 1875, and is buried in Greenwich cemetery. He was a farmer of the town of Easton, Washington county, where he removed in youthful manhood. He was active in the Democratic party and represented Easton on the Washington county board of supervisors. He was a member of the Greenwich Methodist Church and was active in its affairs. He married Barbara Ann Hulst (originally Holsaerdt), November 25, 1831 (see Hulst VII). Children:
- William Henry;
- Louise, died in infancy;
- Edgar Luyster, of whom further.
(III) Edgar Luyster, youngest son of Jesse Budd and Barbara Ann (Hulst) Fursman, was born at Charlton, Saratoga county, New York, August 5, 1837, died at Troy, New York, April 2, 1910. He was educated in the academies of Greenwich and Schuylerville. Fort Edward Collegiate Institute and Troy Conference Academy. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854, moved to Troy in 1867, where he was a law partner of Judge James Forsyth for eight years. He formed a partnership with William A. Beach and later became a member of the firm of Smith, Fursman & Cowen and had a very large practice. He was elected county judge of Rensselaer county, November, 1882; reelected in November, 1888; elected to the supreme court bench November, 1889; sat in criminal branch of supreme court in New York City in 1897-98-99-1900; was assigned by Governor Odell as an associate judge of the appellate division of third department, 1901, resigned October 10, 1902. He was president of the Young Men's Christian Association for several years; was a commissioned colonel of the New York National Guard and judge advocate on the staff of General Carr for three years. He was a trustee of the Victory Cotton Manufacturing Company; director of the Troy City Railroad. He was an able practitioner, a learned and just judge and a capable business man. Politically he was a Democrat. He was a leading member of the Masonic Order, belonging to Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and Shrine. He married, June 13, 1860, Abbie Minerva, daughter of James Payne and Abbie (Mulford) Cramer. Child:
- James Cramer, of whom further.
(IV) James Cramer, only son of Edgar Luyster and Abbie Minerva (Cramer) Fursman, was born in Schuylerville, New York, August 4, 1861.
Mr. Cramer was educated at Troy Academy, Williston Seminary, Northampton, Massachusetts, and for two years a student at Williams College. Deciding to follow the profession of law he abandoned his college career and entered the law firm of his father, Smith, Fursman & Cowen. In 1882 he was admitted to the bar. He remained with his perceptors until 1887, later practicing with Charles D. Kellum, then the silent partner of the law firm of Merritt & Ryan. After Mr. Merritt's retirement, the firm of Ryan & Fursman succeeded, continuing until the death of Mr. Ryan in 1895; Mr. Fursman then conducted the business alone. After the retirement of Judge Fursman from the supreme bench, he was associated with his son James C., until his death. He is an able successful lawyer and merits the high enconiums bestowed upon him by his brethren of the bar. He is a Democrat in politics and served on the county committee for many years. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the college fraternity, Sigma Phi. He married, April 13, 1887, Delia Lewis Sherrill, daughter of James H. and Ellen (Lewis) Sherrill (see Sherrill VII).
(The Hulst Line)
Johannes Holsaerdt came from Holland to America in the year 1684. The name of his wife is not preserved, but he had sons, Johannes (2), Anthony and Benjamin.
(II) Johannes (2), son of the emigrant, Johannes (1) Holsaerdt, was born in Holland about the year 1678. He came to America with his father, married and had a son, John.
(III) John, son of Johannes (2) Holsaerdt, married and had a son Anthony and a daughter Barbara.
(IV) Barbara, daughter of John Holsaerdt, born 1731, died 1782. She married, December 21, 1754, Matthias, born November 23, 1729, son of Peter and Ann (Barrialo) Luyster. Children: Annie and John.
(V) Annie, daughter of Matthias and Barbara (Holsaerdt) Luyster, was born in 1757, died November 11, 1825. She married Peter Hulst (as the name was then written), aged sixty-four years, six months, also a descendant of Johannes Holsaerdt. They had a son, Matthias.
(VI) Matthias, son of Peter and Annie (Luyster) Hulst, was born October 13, 1790, died February 25, 1826. He married, September 19, 1810, Jemina Budd, granddaughter of Gilbert and Deborah (Searles) Budd. Children:
- Barbara Ann, born July 15, 1811, of whom further;
- Henry M., May 20, 1813;
- Gilbert, March 25, 1821.
(VII) Barbara Ann, eldest daughter of Matthias and Jemina (Budd) Hulst, was born at Schodack, Rensselaer county, New York, July 15, 1811; married by Reverend Van Santwood at Schodack, November 25, 1831, Jesse Budd Fursman (see Fursman II).
(The Sherrill Line)
The Sherrills are an old family of Devonshire, England, dating beyond the Norman conquest. The American ancestor is Samuel Sherrill, born about 1649, in Ireland, of English parents, died in Easthampton, Long Island, New York, April 29, 1719. He married ————, daughter of Samuel Parsons; she died September 10, 1722. Children: Recompence and Elizabeth.
(II) Recompence, only son of Samuel and ———— (Parsons) Sherrill, was born in Easthampton, Long Island, about 1678. He was a member of the town militia and a man of prominence. He married (first) in Easthampton, November 10, 1702, Sarah Parson, died November 25, 1712. He married (second) October 1, 1713, Margaret Cady. He had six children by first wife, who were all living April 5, 1719, when they were baptized and with their father joined the church: Elizabeth, Recompence (2), John, Henry, Sarah and Joanna. By his second wife he had six children, Elisheba, Samuel, Jeremiah, Jacob, of whom further; Jemima and Abraham.
(III) Jacob, son of Recompence and his second wife, Margaret (Cady) Sherrill, was born in Easthampton, New York, 1722, baptized June 23, 1723, died there July, 1801. He was one of the signers of the Articles of Association, dated Easthampton, May 5, 1775, and was an ardent patriot. He married (first) August 11, 1746, Abigail, born 1721, youngest daughter of Lewis and Mary Conkling. He married (second) Clemens, born February 8, 1738, died August 8, 1820, daughter of Deacon John and Clemens Huntling. Children by first wife: Abigail, Samuel, Daniel, Jeremiah, of whom further; John, Abraham, and Rebecca. Children of second wife: Phoebe, Mary, John Huntling, Jonathan, Jacob, Jacob (2), Samuel, Nathaniel, Esther and Lewis.
(IV) Jeremiah, son of Jacob and his first wife, Abigail (Conkling) Sherrill, was baptized in Easthampton, New York, December 10, 1750, died January 14, 1840, in Franklin, New York. He was one of the signers of the list associators of Easthampton, May 5, 1775. On the first call to arms he responded, enlisting March, 1775, in Captain John Hurlburt's company, Colonel Henry B. Livingston's regiment of New York troops. He re-enlisted the second time in Captain John Davies' company of the same regiment. In October, 1832, he was granted a pension for his revolutionary service. He ended his days at the home of his daughter, Vashti, in Franklin, New York. He married, in Easthampton, Elizabeth Hand. Children: Vashti, Darius, Melinda, Abigail, Jeannette, Jeremiah, Caroline and Charles.
(V) Darius, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Hand) Sherrill, was born in Easthampton, New York, 1781, died at Sandy Hill, Washington county, New York, November 17, 1848. He left Long Island in 1792 with his uncle, Captain Israel Hand. He Was associated with him in the leather business, later was the owner and proprietor of the "Coffee House" at Sandy Hill, Washington county, New York, so well known to travelers of that day. In 1832 he was elected sheriff of Washington county and removed to Salem, the county seat of Washington county. After the expiration of his term he returned to Sandy Hill where he ever afterward lived. He married, at Sandy Hill, in 1804, Mary, daughter of Solomon Day, a descendant of Robert Day, who was of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636, and later founded the city of Hartford, Connecticut, with the Rev. Thomas Hooker and his company. Mary was a lady of the old school, very dignified and of great pride. Children: John Forest, Belvidere, Charles, James Hitchcock, of whom further, Rebecca, May, Benjamin, Franklin, George B., Matthew D.. Henry, Captain of Company I, Sixteenth New York Heavy Artillery in civil war.
(VI) James Hitchcock, son of Darius and Mary (Day) Sherrill, was born in 1810 at Sandy Hill, New York, died March, 1885. He married Ellen Lewis. Children: Sumner, James D., Louisa H., Fanny G., William, Nathan, Ellen, Mary, died in childhood; Livingston, Delia Lewis.
(VII) Delia Lewis, daughter of James Hitchcock and Ellen (Lewis) Sherrill, married James Cramer Fursman (see Fursman IV). Children:
- Edgar Luyster, born January 30, 1888, educated in the public school, graduating from Troy high school, 1906; he is assistant superintendent of the Interstate Shirt and Collar Company, of Troy;
- Ellen Louise, graduate of Emma Willard school, class of 1910;
- James Sherrill, September 20, 1896, student of the Troy high school.