The earliest record of the name, which is of good old Holland Dutch origin, was one Gerret Willemese Oesteroem (notice the spelling, which is one of the most peculiar and puzzling of the Dutch characteristics), who came to this country and settled in Beverwyck (Albany), 1631, but all record of his descendants is lost. Hendrick Janse Oesteroem, of Bushwick (Flatbush), Long Island, 1660, had descendants who went to Bergen, New Jersey, and thence up the Hudson river to Kingston, Poughkeepsie and elsewhere. An Ostrom in the Netherlands possessed a coat-of-arms. They were banished from Holland on account of their religion, either in 1600 or 1620. There is a town by the name "Ostromdorp" (village) in the province of Friesland, Holland.
(I) Captain Henry Ostram was born in Holland, November 26, 1741, died near Albany, New York, January 14, 1797. He came to America and settled in Schenectady county, New York, about the year 1765. He enlisted in the war of the revolution, and was a captain in the Third Regiment, Albany county, New York, militia. He married Abigail Davenport, born May 12, 1748. They were residents of Ulster county, New York, for a time. Children:
- John, see forward.
- Thomas, born October 8, 1765, died February 16, 1848.
- Joshua, twin of Thomas.
- Stephen, October 30, 1767.
- Daniel, September 17, 1769; married, January, 1796, Elizabeth Bombsby, and lived in West Charlton, Saratoga county, New York. Children:
- Phoebe;
- Maria (wife of David I. Ostrom);
- Henry, born April 22, 1809, died March 19, 1884, married Grace McCredie, February 2, 1832; children:
- Daniel H., born August 14, 1833;
- Jane Maria, wife of Rev. Joshua R. Kyle, born August 28, 1836, died fall of 1877;
- Elizabeth Johnston, wife of Dr. Carson, of Canandaigua, born October 6, 1841;
- William Henry, born February 1, 1844, deceased;
- Harriet, second wife of Rev. J. R. Kyle, born September 7, 1848.
- Daniel H., married Annie F. Gilchrist, December 22, 1858; children:
- Grace, wife of Edward Whiteside, of South Cambridge, New York, born July 1, 1860;
- Mary Bell, born July 24, 1864, married P. A. Finley, died March 7, 1901;
- John H., born March 5, 1867, married Cornelia Chalmers, November 22, 1898.
- Abigail, January 4, 1782.
- Hendrick, October 10, 1784.
- David, January 17, 1787.
- Oliver, born November 1, 1790, died in Schenectady, September 17, 1896.
(II) John, eldest son and child of Captain Henry and Abigail (Davenport) Ostrom, was born April 1, 1764, in Ulster county, New York, died in the town of Glen, December 20, 1846. He was a militiaman under General Van Rensselaer in the pursuit of Sir John Johnson and of whom reference is made by Jeptha R. Simms, author of "History of Schoharie County," and "Border Wars of New York," also "Frontiersmen of New York." He was attached to the company of which his father was captain, having joined the Albany troops. He came with a brother in 1785 to Montgomery county, where they located a tract of two hundred acres of unbroken land lying in the town of Glen, west of Auries creek, where they cleared the farm of timber and erected a house. This has been brought to a high state of cultivation and still remains in the possession of the family. It is being occupied by the third generation of Ostroms, covering a period of one hundred and twenty-five years. He married, in Montgomery county, February 8, 1787, Anne Lane, born April 14, 1765, died November 4, 1830. Children:
- Henry, born June 30, 1789, died January, 1792.
- Elizabeth, born August, 1791, died January 13, 1858; married John Vedder; children:
- Abigail Vedder, married John P. Yates, of Root; children:
- Peter Yates, born October 19, 1814;
- Catherine Ann Yates, married Dr. Hezekiah Leonardson;
- Oliver Yates;
- Sarah Yates, married James H. Pettingell;
- Dr. David H. Yates;
- Elizabeth Yates, married C. J. Lansing, state senator of California;
- Maria Yates, second wife of Senator C. J. Lansing;
- Stephen Ostrom Yates.
- Maria Vedder, married John D. Still; children:
- Daniel O. Still;
- David V. Still, a prominent physician of Johnstown, New York;
- Anna Still, married Jesse Swabe, of Albany.
- Nancy Vedder, born October 1, 1814, married Peter Yates, a kinsman; children:
- J. Ostrom Yates, born May 18, 1838;
- David H. Yates, born July 5, 1841;
- Theodore Yates, born September 30, 1844;
- Sarah M. Yates, born April 25, 1846, married, February 7, 1871, Milton Pruyn;
- Hezekiah Yates, born May 21, 1848;
- Vedder Yates, born April 17, 1850;
- Edmond Yates, born November 24, 1851;
- Elizabeth Yates, born August 12, 1853;
- Oliver Yates, born April 6, 1855.
- David Vedder, married Anna Schuyler; child:
- Dr. John D. Vedder, of Johnstown.
- John Ostrom Vedder, married Jane A. Lasher, of Sprakers, New York; children:
- Elizabeth, married M. Mount Edwards;
- Anna M., married William B. Dievendorf, of Sprakers, New York.
- Abigail Vedder, married John P. Yates, of Root; children:
- John, born November 30, 1797, died June 23, 1843; married Anna Maria Enders; no issue.
- Daniel, born February 28, 1800, died February 13, 1801.
- David I., born December 15, 1801; married Maria Ostrom, a kinswoman, May 15, 1823; children:
- Elizabeth, born May 19, 1824;
- Ann Maria, November 1, 1825;
- John, April 28, 1828;
- Daniel D., February 21, 1830;
- John, July 23, 1832;
- Phoebe, October 11, 1834;
- David Henry, May 10, 1836;
- Emma, November 4, 1838;
- Abigail, December 28, 1839;
- Abigail Yates, March 6, 1842;
- Stephen, June 25, 1848.
- Ann, born August 28, 1804, died in October, 1830; married Rynear Van Evera; child, Ann Van Evera.
- Stephen, see forward.
John Ostrom married (second), September 21, 1832, Mrs. Nancy Banker, who died September 27, 1832, just one week after her marriage; cholera was then epidemic in Schenectady, and she was one of its victims. He married (third) Mrs. Alida Van Dorn, born [sic] December 16, 1834, died June 12, 1842; no issue.
(III) Stephen, seventh son and youngest child of John and Anne (Lane) Ostrom, was born February 13, 1812, died August 19, 1886. He was born, lived and died on the homestead farm. He married (first), October 31, 1832, Mary Antoynette Schuyler, Rev. Alanson B. Chittenden, of Glen, officiating; she was born February 10, 1816, died May 18, 1839. Children:
- John H., born June 9, 1834; married, March 3, 1857, Rev. Adam H. Van Vranken, of Glen, officiating, Julia C. Quackenbush, born November 25, 1836, died July 28, 1901; children:
- Jacob Schuyler Ostrom, born March 27, 1858, died May 7, 1859;
- Estella Ostrom, born January 11, 1860, married Harvey D. Shelp, September 1, 1880, Rev. Richard L. Schoonmaker, of Glen, officiating;
- Eugene Ostrom, born May 22, 1863, married Winona Van Derveer, July 3, 1884, Rev. C. D. Hainer, of Randall, New York, officiating;
- John Schuyler Ostrom, born June 15, 1874, died December 31, 1909, married Ella Van Valkenburg, January 1, 1896, Rev. Edward C. Hall, of Charleston Four Corners, officiating.
- Mary Antoynette, born March 26, 1836, died November 19, 1841.
Stephen Ostrom married (second) in the town of Glen, October 1, 1839, Rev. Charles Jukes, of Glen, officiating, Anna Maria Edwards, born March 9, 1818, died September 26, 1899. Children:
- Charles Jukes, born November 5, 1840; unmarried; is an invalid and resides on the home farm; is a man of unusual mental attainments; member of Free and Accepted Masons.
- Anna M. Enders, born January 12, 1843 married, March 15, 1882, Richard Winne, Rev. Francis M. Kip Jr., of Fultonville, officiating; Richard Winne was born November 3, 1830, died June 15, 1902, son of Major James and Jemima (Van Cise) Winne; no issue.
- Elizabeth, born May 19, 1845; married, December 29, 1896, Rev. Frank V. Van Vranken officiating, Walter B. Cross, justice of the peace at Fultonville, New York; children:
- Susan Brown Cross, married Dr. Frederick I. Jansen, January 11, 1899, Rev. William Schmitz, of Fultonville, officiating; now residents of Salt Lake City, Utah;
- Antoinette Edwards Cross, born March 4, 1873, married, October 15, 1902, Rev. I. J. Van Hee, of Fultonville, officiating, C. Van Dyke See, of New York City;
- Edward Ostrom Cross, born January 2, 1876, married, July 11, 1903, Florence Anderson, of Midland, Michigan, Rev. G. F. A. MacKelcan officiating; children:
- Frederic S. Cross, born March 18, 1804;
- Elizabeth Ostrom Cross, born September 23, 1905;
- Ruth E. Cross, born September 16, 1907.
- Miriam Collins, born in town of Glen, November 29, 1847, see forward.
- Margaretta Edwards, born November 10, 1850, died November 8, 1876, unmarried.
- David I., born May 30, 1853, died April 5, 1900; member of Free and Accepted Masons; married Mary Van Epps, September 20, 1876, Rev. Francis M. Kip Jr., of Fultonville, officiating; children:
- Victoria Ostrom, born July 31, 1881, married John W. Brill. June 6, 1907, Rev. J. Edward Grant, of Fultonville, officiating;
- Earl, born March 19, 1883, married Ruamy Olmstead Lehman, January 2, 1905, Rev. J. C. Gould, of Northville, officiating.
Mrs. Mary (Van Epps) Ostrom married (second), October 19, 1907, Rev. J. Edward Grant officiating, N. V. Lasher, a farmer of Crescent, Saratoga county, New York, and occupies the old Van Epps homestead farm.
- Stephen, born December 9, 1855, resides on the Ostrom homestead; unmarried.
- Ella Louisa, born September 7, 1858; married, February 21, 1883, Rev. Sidney O. Lansing and Rev. Frank V. Van Vranken officiating, Jacob H. Nellis, of Canajoharie, now of Paterson, New Jersey; children:
- Clara Louise Nellis, born March 15, 1885, married, Rev. George W. Labaw officiating, October 18, 1909, Bird Berdan; child:
- Dorcas Louise, born August 5, 1910;
- Margaret Antoinette Nellis, born February 9, 1887;
- Joseph I. Nellis, born January 1, 1892;
- Grace Van Derveer Nellis, born in August 11, 1896, died September 21, 1897;
- Anna M. O. Nellis, born September 14, 1898.
- Clara Louise Nellis, born March 15, 1885, married, Rev. George W. Labaw officiating, October 18, 1909, Bird Berdan; child:
Anna Maria (Edwards) Ostrom, second wife of Stephen Ostrom, was the daughter of John and Ann (Van Schaick) Edwards, and one of nine children:
- William H., born January 2, 1817, died June 25, 1881.
- Anna Maria, married Stephen Ostrom.
- Margaret Lord, born October 17, 1819, died January 23, 1908.
- John V. S., born February 17, 1822, died July 2, 1887; married Mrs. Mary M. Horsford; children:
- J. S. Glen, a prominent citizen of Glen, now on a tour round the world;
- Edward,
- Mary and
- Geddes H.
- Eleanor E., born July 1, 1824, died October 5, 1896; unmarried.
- Thomas V. S., born July 9, 1827, died May 12, 1852; unmarried.
- James W., born June 18, 1829: died June 17, 1830.
- Antoinette, born May 22, 1831, died August 25, 1899; married James H. Barhyte, of Schenectady.
- Jane born July 9, 1833; married Newton Van Derveer, now of St. Joseph, Michigan.
Ann (Van Schaick) Edwards, wife of John Edwards, was the daughter of John and Eleanor (Geran) Van Schaick.
(IV) Miriam Collins, fourth child of Stephen and Anna Maria (Edwards) Ostrom, was born in Glen, New York, November 29, 1847. She married, September 29, 1875, Rev. J. P. Dysart officiating and Rev. Frank V. Van Vranken assisting, W. Hoagland Baird, born in Charleston, Montgomery county, New York, February 10, 1849, see forward. Children:
- Nellie Ostrom, born October 29, 1877; member of Cayadutta Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, of Gloversville.
- Benjamin H., born June 23, 1884; member of Fultonville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and Johnstown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; he is a Democrat in politics. Married, December 23, 1910, Grace Catherine Mead, Rev. Henry B. Kimmey, of Albany, officiating.
Both children reside at home. Mr. Baird, Sr., is a member of Fultonville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; he is a Democrat in politics, and served two terms as supervisor. Mrs. Baird is a charter member of Caughnawaga Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, also charter member of Mohawk Valley Order of Eastern Star.
(The Baird Line)
Major William Baird, great-grandfather of W. Hoagland Baird, was born in Scotland, February 24, 1704, died 1793, son of Scotch parents who settled in New Jersey directly on their arrival from Scotland. During the war of the revolution Major Baird served in the Second Battalion Somerset County Militia or State Troops. He was captain of the battalion, afterwards first major. He married and reared a family.
(II) William (2), son of Major William (1) Baird, born in Somerset county, New Jersey, December 22, 1742, died October 5, 1830; married, July 23, 1775, Cathnah Hoagland, born February 27, 1753, died July 11, 1887.
(III) Hon. Benjamin, son of William (2) Baird, was born October 11, 1787, died 1873. He was elected a member of assembly in 1846. He married, November 13, 1817, Eleanor Miller, born May 4, 1798, died June 20, 1882.
(IV) William (3), son of Hon. Benjamin Baird, was born September 23, 1818, died July 19, 1893. He married D. Malina Abel, born in Glen, May 10, 1816, died December 6, 1904, Rev. Christian Zabriskie Paulison officiating. Children:
- Mary E., married John H. Serviss, and resides in Closter, New Jersey; child, Ethel, married David D. Ackerman.
- Hepzibah Abel, married M. Mount Shelp; child,
- Willis Baird, a resident of Amsterdam.
- W. Hoagland, mentioned above.