The branch of the Hilderbrand (Hildebrand) family herein recorded descends from John Hildebrand, born in Holland, came to the United States, settled in Schenectady, New York, married, and was killed by his own truck in 1820. He had children born in Schenectady: Jacob, Henry, Catherine, Harry Adolph, John and two others who died early. Some of the descendants of the emigrant spell the name Hilderbrand.
(II) John (2), son of John (1) Hildebrand, born in Schenectady, New York, October 17, 1817, died in that city, January 4, 1891. He was the youngest of the seven children, losing his father when he was but three years old. He was educated in the public schools and at an early age became an expressman and truckman of the city, building up a large and prosperous business. He became possessed of valuable city property. He was a member of the volunteer fire department from 1836-1844. He was a Democrat, a member of the Dutch Reformed church; his wife became a Congregationalist. He married, in Rotterdam, New York, February 20, 1852. Anna Maria De Forest, born in Rotterdam, June 8, 1836, daughter of John Van Zandt and Eliza (Gregg) De Forest. John Van Zandt De Forest died 1840; married Eliza Gregg and had children:
- Chloe A., married (first) Campbell Dunning; (second) William Strong.
- Catherine, married Matthew Crawford and left a son John.
- Helen, married Charles Gilbo; resides in Rome, New York; children: William and Carrie.
- Anna Maria, married John Hildebrand, whom she survives, a resident of Schenectady.
- Andrew, a farmer of Rotterdam; married Margaret Mabee.
- Barbara, married Theodore Van Vranken, both deceased.
Children of John and Anna Maria (De Forest) Hildebrand:
- Frances, born February 1, 1853, died October 31, 1862.
- Chloe A., born August 18, 1857, died December 12, 1862.
- Richard Van Dermoor, born April 23, 1865; now engineer of Schenectady fire department; married Sarah J. Hugo, born May 25, 1868; children:
- Anne E., born October 3, 1881;
- Ida, born June 11, 1893;
- Frank, born March 1, 1897.
- John, born March 1, 1867; married Jennie McKinney, of Schenectady; child,
- John L., born September 24, 1892.
- James Gregg, see forward.
- Daniel Vedder, born January 7, 1873; married Letitia Dutcher, of Clifton Park, Saratoga county, New York.
(III) James Gregg Hilderbrand, fifth child of John (2) and Anna Maria (De Forest) Hildebrand, was born August 11, 1870. He was educated in the Schenectady public schools, after which he was employed in the works of the General Electric Company for seventeen years, five of which he was an inspector of machines. In 1903 he established a coal business, with yards in Bellevue, tenth ward of Schenectady, where he still continues. He has acquired a substantial property in that section and is rated one of the prosperous business men of his city. He is a Republican and when ward ten was erected he was one of the two first aldermen elected to represent the ward in the city government. In 1908 he was elected supervisor and served for two years. He was a member of the old volunteer fire department and is a member of the Exempt Firemen's Association and first assistant fireman of the present fire company of his ward. He is a member of Truth Lodge, Knights of Pythias, also Reliance Lodge, No. 867, of Schenectady, and the Modern Woodmen. He is an active member, with his wife, of the Broadway Methodist Church, Bellevue, Schenectady.
James G. Hilderbrand married, September 29, 1890, in Rotterdam, Elsie Fisher, born April 30, 1874, daughter of James and Susan A. (Dorn) Fisher. James Fisher was a son of James and Hannah (Fuller) Fisher, the American ancestors of that branch of the Fisher family who settled in Rotterdam, Schenectady county, New York. They were the founders of the Fisher Methodist Episcopal Church in that town, farmers and a highly esteemed family. James Fisher, father of Mrs. Hilderbrand, died in March, 1907, aged eighty-seven years. He was a farmer and an active Christian worker. He married Susan A. Dorn, born in Princetown, Schenectady county, New York, in 1840, daughter of William Dorn, a farmer of that town. A brother of Susan A. (Dorn) Fisher gave up his life in the civil war after the battle of Gettysburg. She survives her husband and resides in Schenectady with her daughter. Mrs. Elsie (Fisher) Hilderbrand is an active worker in the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the church choir. Children of James Gregg and Elsie (Fisher) Hilderbrand:
- M. Grace, died in infancy.
- Markley James, born April 8, 1899.
- Harold Gifford, born May 28, 1902.
- Elsie Mae, born April 19, 1908.