This is one of the oldest families of the Mohawk Valley; has been prominent in Schenetady from the earliest period of its history, and descendants two and a half centuries later are found occupying high positions of trust and honor. These descendants are to be found not only bearing the name of Mynderse, but also that of Van Inveren, the name of the town in Holland from which the immigrant ancestor came. As will be seen in the following record the intermarriages of the heads of each generation connect the present with the principal early settlers of Schenectady and the Dutch pioneers of Albany. Maria Wemp (Wemple) was a daughter of Jan Wemp and a granddaughter of Jan Barentse Wemp, who came to Beverwyck in 1643 or 1645. Married Maritje Mynrdertse, who after his death married Sweer Teunise Van Velsen, "the village miller," both of whom perished in the Indian massacre of February 9, 1690. Sarah Swart was a daughter of Esaias and Eva Jan Schoenderwoert (alias Van Woert) and granddaughter of Teunis Cornelise Swart, one of the original proprietors of Schenectady, who married Elizabeth Van der Linde. Geerdriy Van Slyck was a granddaughter of the first settler of the name in Beverwyck, and Annetje Vedder was of the fourth generation from Herman Vedder, the "founder." Other prominent and familiar names will be noted in the record.
Two brothers, Myndert and Carsten Frederickse, came to Beverwyck from Holland and were among the early settlers. They were smiths and followed their trade there. Among their landed estate was the property now the corner of Broadway and Spanish (now Hudson) street, Albany. They were members of the Lutheran church, of which Myndert was an elder and Carsten deacon in 1680. The latter died about 1690, leaving four children. Myndert Frederickse was armorer to the fort in 1697. He made his will, March 21, 1703-04, proved May 1, 1706, in which he speaks of "My house hard by the church on Cow Street" (now Broadway) and of "my church book with silver clasp and chain." He married (first) Cathalyn Burchard (Burger) in New Amsterdam, August 5, 1656; (second) Retertje Teunise Van Vechten, in 1663. At the date of his will he had five living children:
- Frederick, born in 1657;
- Burger, 1660;
- Neeltje, married Hendrick Douw;
- Reiner and
- Johannes, who settled in Schenectady.
(II) Johannes Myndertse or Mynderse, son of Myndert Frederickse, of Albany, settled in Schenectady in 1700. By trade he was a blacksmith and armorer to the fort. Like most of the other residents of the village, he was an Indian trader. In 1723 he was arrested by the sheriff of Albany County and brought before the Albany conmon council for having, contrary to the ordinances of the city of Albany, "received into and harbored in his house Indians with beaver and other peltry." This was a serious charge, as the Albany traders claimed excusive privileges with the Indians. He was fined ten pounds, which he refused to pay, whereupon the sheriff was ordered to keep "said Mynderse safely in the common jail." But he shortly escaped, and as a punishment for his negligence the sheriff was ordered to pay Mynderse's fine and cost. Mynderse appealed his case to the supreme court of the province, sitting in New York City, and gained his case; he received from the common council damages which with fees and costs amounted to forty-one pounds nine shillings and three pence. It is believed the decision effectually established the rights of citizens of Schenectady to the same privileges of trade as the citizens of Albany. Johannes Mynderse made his will, May 4, 1754, proved September 7, 1757, wherein he speaks of his three sons, Myndert, Jacobus and Reynier, and distributed his estate between them. He then owned property on the west corner of Mill lane and State street, also on the north side of State street, where he had a blacksmith shop and a bolting house. He married Geertruy, daughter of Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck, and granddaughter of Cornelise, the first settler of the family in Beverwyck. Children:
- Myndert, see forward.
- Margaret, baptized in Albany, June 8, 1707; married Pieter Groenendyk.
- Jacobus, baptized April 22, 1709, in Albany.
- Reynier, October, 1710.
- Petries, April 19, 1718.
(III) Myndert, son of Johannes and Geertruy (Van Slyck) Mynderse, learned and followed his father's and grandfather's trade of blacksmith. He inherited under his father's will lot No. 93 State street, Schenectady, and the blacksmith shop next east of it. He made his will in 1761, proved July 18, 1763, and speaks of wife Maria, sons Johannes, Barent and Harmen, and daughters Geertruy, Margareta and Sarah. To Johannes he gave his house and blacksmith shop. He married, January 15, 1736, Maria, daughter of Jan and Sara (Swart) Wemp (Wemple). Children:
- Geertruy, baptized July 11, 1736; married Petrus Vander Volgen.
- Parach, January 7, 1739.
- Margareta, September 28, 1740.
- Johannes, see forward.
- Margareta, May 27, 1744; married Teunis A. Swart.
- Barent, February 8, 1747.
- Harmen, July 2, 1749.
- Sara, December 26, 1752.
(IV) Colonel Johannes (John) Mynderse, son of Myndert and Maria (Wemp) Mynderse, was baptized October 18, 1741, died October 29, 1815. He was also a blacksmith, judging from the fact that to him his father left by will his blacksmith shop and tools. Many of this generation are borne upon the revolutionary rolls of New York state as soldiers both in the line and in the Albany county regiments. John Mynderse was captain of the Second Regiment, Albany county militia, commanded by Colonel Abraham Wemple. He was colonel of militia after the revolution and a man of prominence. He married Annetje, daughter of Simon and Maria (Truax) Vedder, granddaughter of Arent and Sarah (Groot) Vedder, and great-granddaughter of Harmen Albertse Vedder, the first settler of the Vedder family in America, and trader in Beverwyck before the year 1657. She died March 9, 1825. Children:
- Simon, baptized January 23, 1785.
- Simon (2), baptized June 10, 1787.
- Barent, born July 17, 1790, died March 8, 1860; married Catherine Douw Ten Eyck, who died December 14, 1852, daughter of Barent and Annatje (Hoffman) Ten Eyck, a descendant of Conrad Ten Eyck, of New Amsterdam, New York.
- Aaron, see forward.
- Maria, born January 8, 1797, died October 25, 1805.
(V) Aaron, son of Colonel John and Annetje (Vedder) Mynderse, was born in Schenectady, New York, November 3, 1793, died September 14, 1834. He married, in Schenectady, Anna Maria, daughter of Rev. Herman Vedder, of Gallatin, Columbia county, New York, and his wife, Harriet (Van Vranken) Vedder, who was the daughter of Maus Van Vranken, of Schenectady. Children:
- Barent Arent, see forward.
- Harriet Vedder, born 1830, died 1868; married Peter Edward Van Alstyne, son of Adam Van Alstyne, an early settler of Kinderhook.
- Anna McClellan, born 1832, unmarried.
- Mary Lynn, born 1833, died September 18, 1834.
- Catherine Douw, born December, 1834, died March, 1902, unmarried.
(VI) Barent Arent (or Aaron) Mynderse, M.D., eldest son of Aaron and Anna Maria (Vedder) Mynderse, was born in Schenectady, New York, June 15, 1829, died October 2, 1887. He was educated in the public schools; entered Union College, graduating in class of 1849. He chose medicine as his profession. He was graduated from Albany Medical College, with degree of M.D., in 1853, and was for years a leading physician and prominent citizen of Schenectady. He was curator of Albany Medical College; president for eight years, 1879-87, of Schenectady board of education; member of the Delta Phi fraternity of Union College; director of the Mohawk Bank of Schenectady; one of the organizers and member of the board of censors of the Schenectady County Medical Association; member of the congregation of the First Dutch Reformed Church, and a Democrat in politics. He married Albertina Sanders, daughter of General Leonard William and Helen (Livingston) Ten Broeck; born April 23, 1835, died November 13, 1900, a descendant of Major Dirk Wesselse Ten Broeck, born in 1642; was of Beverwyck in 1662, and founded the Ten Broeck family in the Hudson Valley. Children:
- Helen Livingston, born September 13, 1867; married Edwin McClellan, of Cambridge, Washington county, New York, now a prominent wholesale druggist of London, England; no issue.
- Herman Vedder (see forward).
- William Ten Broeck, born August 1, 1871; Union College, class of 1893; Delta Phi Fraternity; architect of Schenectady; married Sarah Hulme Wilson, born in Clermont, Columbia county, New York, May 12, 1871, daughter of Harold and Mary E. (Sanders) Wilson, and granddaughter of Judge William Henry Wilson, of Clermont, New York, and his wife, Anne (Hulme) Wilson, daughter of one of the old and aristocratic families of Philadelphia. Mary E. Sanders was a daughter of Judge John Sanders, a writer of note and editor of New York. He married Jane Livingston, a direct descendant of Robert Livingston, first "Lord of the Manor," Columbia county, New York.
(VII) Herman Vedder Mynderse, M.D., eldest son of Dr. Barent Aaron and Albertina Sanders (Ten Broeck) Mynderse, was born in Schenectady, New York, May 29, 1861. He prepared for college in the Schenectady schools, entered Union College and was graduated with degree of A.B. in class of 1884; entered Albany Medical College and was graduated with degree of M.D., class of 1887. He at once began the practice of his profession in his native city, where he is still actively engaged in general practice. Following the example of his honored father, he has given freely of his time to the varied business and other interests of Schenectady. He has been a director of the Mohawk National Bank since 1891; was first vice-president for several years, and in 1908 was chosen president; is now and has been for several years trustee of the Schenectady Savings Bank; he is a member of the Schenectady County and State Medical societies; American Medical Association and member of medical staff of Ellis Hospital, Schenectady. He is an active member of the Delta Phi fraternity of Union College; president of the Village of Scotia, from 1894 to 1900, (his home); deacon and former member of the consistory of the First Reformed Church, and a Democrat in politics. Dr. Mynderse married, October 1, 1900, Helen Louise Douw, born in Poughkeepsie, New York, July 30, 1864, daughter of John De Peyster and Mary (Lanman) Douw. John De Peyster Douw was born in Albany in 1812, died in Poughkeepsie, New York, February, 1901; he was a lineal descendant of Hendrick Douw, the early settler. He was a prominent business man of Albany for many years, and a man of large means and extensive interests. His wife, Mary (Lanman) Douw, was a daughter of Charles Lanman, of Connecticut, and sister of Charles Lanman, for several years secretary to the Japanese embassy at Washington, D. C. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Douw:
- Mary L., married Morris Ferris, of New York City; children:
- Mary, married Joseph Roberts, of New York City;
- Morris J., an attorney of New York City;
- Van Wyck.
- Margaret L., married Edward N. Townsend, of Garden City, Long Island.
- Charles G., civil engineer; unmarried in Schenectady, New York.
- William D., died young.
- Helen Louise, married Dr. Herman Vedder Mynderse; they have no children.