The earliest Ostrander of whom there is record in New York annals is Peter, a French Huguenot, who fled to Holland and thence to America with wife and three children. He settled at Esopus (Kingston), New York, where he died.
(II) Peter (2), son of Peter (1) Ostrander, of Kingston, was born in Holland, 1650, settled in Kingston with his father and there married, January 16, 1676, Rebecca Traphagen.
(III) Hendrick (Henry), son of Peter (2) and Rebecca (Traphagen) Ostrander, was born and reared in Kingston, New York. He became a large land owner and farmer. He married, May 12, 1724, Elizabeth Van Bommel.
(IV) Wilhelm, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Van Bommel) Ostrander, was born April 29, 1743. He was a lieutenant in the Fourth Regiment, Ulster county militia, during the revolution and was at Burgoyne's surrender. He married, November 2, 1771, Sarah, daughter of Dene Relyea, a French Protestant. Wilhelm and Sarah were the parents of nine sons and one daughter.
(V) Philip, son of Wilhelm and Sarah (Relyea) Ostrander, was born in Dutchess county, New York, 1775, died in the town of Duanesburg, Schenectady county, New York, 1850. Philip was a versatile character, had no settled occupation, but was always engaged in some profitable enterprise. He was a well-known Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married, in Dutchess county, Eva Sager, born in that county, of early Dutch ancestors, died in Schenectady county when past ninety-five years old. Children:
- Jane, born in Dutchess county, New York, 1800, died 1894; she was most wonderfully preserved for her great age, being quite active and reading without glasses; she married Joseph Durfay, a farmer, whom she survived, he dying at the age of eighty years.
- Philip, of whom further.
- Peter, born 1806, died unmarried at Guilderland, aged twenty-five years.
- Charles, born 1808, accidentally drowned in Black Creek; he married Sarah Stafford and left a son, Charles J., and others.
- Henry, born 1810, died 1897; married Eliza Bumzey, of Knox; children: George, Abraham, William, Edward, Edith, Charles, Elizabeth.
- Abraham, born 1812, settled near Syracuse, New York, where he died at the age of fifty years; he married (first) Eliza Judge; (second) Jane Gray, having issue by both wives.
- Edward, born 1814, died at Syracuse, New York; married Nellie Cheeney and left a son, William, and a daughter.
(VI) Philip (2), son of Philip (1) and Eva (Sager) Ostrander, was born in Duanesburg, Schenectady county, New York, being the first child born there to his parents, February 16, 1804, died in the same town, April 3, 1899. He was a farmer, carpenter and merchant; a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married, in Guilderland, Albany county, August 7, 1840, Catherine Shoudy, born in Guilderland, August 14, 1823, who survives him, a resident of Schenectady, although in her eighty-eighth year she is very active, with clear mind and memory. She does a great deal of fine sewing without the aid of glasses and keeps up a course of modern reading. She is a devoted Methodist. She is a descendant of John Shoudy, born in Germany, who came to the United States with his parents when twelve years of age, settled with them in Guilderland, where he died at the age of seventy years. He was a small, wiry, energetic man; a blacksmith by trade. He was a member of the Lutheran church and a Democrat. He married Catherine Kiser, born in Holland, of a wealthy Dutch family. The Kisers, for reasons unknown, left wealth and position to seek a home in the New World. They had twelve children, all of whom married and reared families. The sons all learned and worked at the blacksmith's trade. John, Israel, George, Henry, Michael, Nicholas, Peter, Magdalene, Catherine, Margaret, Barbara and Rebecca. Nicholas, the sixth son of John, was born in Albany county in 1800, died in 1876. He followed the trade of blacksmith all his days. He married Maria Vrooman, born in Albany county, 1800, died 1863. She was a daughter of Andrew and Nancy Vrooman, of Dutch ancestry. They had several sons, Maria being the only daughter. Children of Nicholas and Maria Shoudy:
- John, born 1821; married Nancy Fryer; children: Nancy, Eliza, Margaret, George, Alfred and Milo.
- Catherine, married Philip Ostrander.
- Margaret, born 1825, died 1900; married Harmon Kettle, who survives her, a resident of Newago, Tioga county, New York, aged ninety years; children: Erskine, Marshall, William, Malinda and Ann.
- James, born 1827, died 1907; married Rosa Gill, who survives him, a resident of Delancy; children: Lulu, Minnie, Alice, Hazel, Charles and Harry.
- Nancy, married James Broacham, a farmer, who died 1897; she survives him, a resident of Princetown, Schenectady county; children: Myra and Lela.
Children of Philip and Catherine Ostrander:
- Mary, born May 1, 1841; married John Delamater, of Albany, New York, who was killed by a railroad train in 1887; children:
- Walter, of Oneonta, New York;
- Horace, of Schenectady;
- Earl, of Delancy;
- Elizabeth, deceased;
- Ada, deceased;
- Edith (twin of Ada), of Delancy;
- Mattie, of Oneonta.
- William J., a soldier of the civil war; wounded in battle, died at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, at the age of eighteen years; member of One Hundred and Thirty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry.
- Margaret A., of whom further.
- Maria E., born 1844; died 1869; married Darwin Mott, of Cobleskill, New York, also deceased; children: Lester and Nettie, both married and have children.
- Adelia, born 1846; married Hugh Mott, whom she survives, a resident of Alplaus, New York; children: Viola and Bertha.
- Sarah J., born 1850; married Sanford Becker, of East Cobleskill, New York, died November, 1910; has a son Arthur.
- John M., born August 4, 1853; educated in public schools, now helps run sister's homestead; married Mary I. Hunt; children: Darwin P., William K., Elliott H., Margaret, Albert B., at home.
- George, born 1858; resides in Schenectady; married Amanda Frederick; children: Ernest, Martha, Gertrude, Hattie. All married and have issue.
(VII) Margaret A., daughter of Philip and Catherine (Shoudy) Ostrander, was born November 27, 1842. She was reared and educated in Guilderland, and has for many years owned and operated a well-improved, well-stocked farm of one hundred and eighty acres on Norman's Kill. She married (first) in Guilderland, John Lenegor, a soldier of the civil war, a private of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, Captain Van Deusen's company. He enlisted in 1861, leaving wife and infant son at his country's call. He was killed during the battle of Aluska, Florida, in 1862, and was buried with a brave soldier's honors on the field of battle. He had five brothers in the same company, one, Abraham, being killed. He left one child, William Ellsworth, born December 3, 1860; married Emma Van Duren and has sons:
- Willard, married Belle Gross;
- Lloyd, unmarried;
- Abraham, at home.
Margaret A. married (second) Jacob Pangborn, born 1843, died October 12, 1884; a farmer; left one child, George, married Nettie Cotten; children:
- Margaret, married William B. Grover and had daughter Dorothy;
- Frank J., unmarried;
- Sarah J., unmarried.
Margaret A. married (third) William Willie, born March 16, 1842, died October 23, 1906, adopted son of Peter Ball. No issue. Margaret A. married (fourth) December 24, 1907, William F. Ellers, born in Rotterdam, Schenectady county, June 22, 1864, son of Henry and Ann (Dubber) Ellers, born in Germany, came when young to United States, married in Schenectady county, and died in Rotterdam, New York. William F. Ellers is a Democrat, and both he and his wife attend and are generous supporters of the Lutheran church.