The name of the emigrant ancestor of the Starin family of Montgomery county was Ster, signifying in Dutch, Star. This he soon changed to Stern and later to Starin or Staring, names that are used by the family interchangeably down to the present. He founded a family that has been prominent in the civil and military history of the Mohawk Valley, from her first settlement down to the present day. Forty of the name served in the revolutionary war, while a great number fought in the war of the rebellion. Perhaps the best known member of the family was Commodore John W. Starin, member of congress and owner of the vast fleet of steamers, tugs, lighters and bargers that, bearing the flag with a star followed by the word "in" was so familiar a sight in New York harbor, on the Hudson river and Long Island sound, and founder of beautiful "Glen Island" in the sound, which he first purchased for a summer residence, but instead beautified and threw open to the public. He was of the fifth generation in America. The family seat was at "German Flats," where the ancestor was induced to settle by the liberal inducements that were being offered to Protestant settlers by the government of Queen Anne of England. It was a wonderfully fertile and beautiful section, along the Mohawk river, and is now a most prosperous section.
(I) Nicholas Ster (afterward Stern and Starin), founder of the American family, was born in 1663, on the banks of the Zuyder Zee in the Province of Guelderland, Holland. He emigrated to America in 1696, bringing with him six children and a second wife. He came in one of the ships of the Dutch West India Company and landed at New Amsterdam. He was posssesed of some means and was soon engaged at Fort Orange (Albany) in an extensive trade with the Indians. In 1705 he removed to German Flats, where he secured a tract of land and ever afterward lived. He fell heir to a large estate in Holland, which he never returned to claim, saying: "I already have money and land enough and would not cross the great water again for more." He was twice married but the names of his wives are not preserved. He married in Holland and his six first children were born there, three by his first wife, whom he brought to America with him, Frederick, Valentine and Adam. By his second wife: Joseph, Tunis and Catherine, born in Holland, Margaret, Elizabeth and Rickert, born in Fort Orange, New York. Shervice, Eve, Nicholas, Philip F. A. and Gertrude, born at German Flats, New York, fourteen in all. Nicholas died in 1759, aged ninety-six years.
(II) Philip Frederick Adam, son of Nicholas Starin, was born at German Flats, New York, in 1715, died in 1795. He learned the trade of machinist and had a smithy where he wrought. He was in great demand among the settlers of the valley for the repair of their agricultural implements and firearms. A well and authenticated tradition of the family is that one day while at work at his forge three Indians entered and ordered him to at once drop the work he was doing and attend to a job for them. He did not at once comply with their demand whereupon one of the Indians drew a knife and plunged it into his abdomen. Philip F. A. Starin, though frightfully wounded, drew a red hot iron bar from the fire and with one blow laid the savage dead at his feet. The other two at once fled. He recovered from this terrible wound and lived many years after. He married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of John Evertson, of Holland; (second) Elizabeth Simmons, of German Flats. His children were all born in the town of Glen, Montgomery county. By first wife he had:
- Frederick, born 1744, (see forward).
- Nicholas, born 1749; married (first) Catherine Reichtmeyer; (second) Mary Cunningham; he was a revolutionary soldier and fought at Oriskany.
- John, born August 31, 1754; married Jane Wemple; he was an Indian interpreter; fought throughout the revolutionary war; was in the Continental army under direct command of Washington; after the war he kept an inn on the south bank of the Mohawk opposite Caughnawaga; he led the choir in the old Dutch church at Caughnawaga; he was the grandfather of John H. Starin (Commodore).
- Philip, born 1757; married and had issue.
- William, born September 7, 1758, died at Charleston, New York, March 25, 1825.
- Adam, born 1762; received a superior education for his day and was a teacher in the schools; later a merchant and farmer; married ———— Sterling and lived to be nearly one hundred years old, dying in 1859.
Children by second wife:
- Elizabeth, born 1765.
- Sarah, born 1767.
(III) Frederick, eldest son of Philip F. A. and Elizabeth (Evertson) Starin, was born in 1744, died April 1, 1826. He was a farmer, owning and cultivating a large tract of land in the town of Charleston (now Glen), Montgomery county, New York. He was a leading member of the Dutch church at Caughnawaga over which the Rev. Abraham Van Horn was pastor for forty-five years. He married Elizabeth Frank, born in 1746, died November 11, 1835, a descendant of Stephen Frank, who came from Holland in the ship with Nicholas Ster. Children:
- John F., (see forward).
- Philip F., born May 12, 1775, died August 2, 1798; unmarried.
- Jacob F., born June 20, 1785; married Harriet Schermerhorn; at the time of his death he was an elder of Rev. Abraham Van Horn's church.
(IV) John Frank, eldest son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Frank) Starin, was born in Glen, Montgomery county, New York, January 6, 1773, died October 9, 1847. He was a farmer and a highly respected member of the Dutch Reformed church under Rev. Van Horn. He was a deacon from 1816 until 1822 and an elder in 1828. He married, in Glen, in January, 1792, Hannah Hughtner, born in 1773, died December 22, 1850. They had one child, Abraham.
(V) Abraham, only son of John Frank and Hannah (Hughtner) Starin, was born on the homestead farm in Glen, October 14, 1803, died October 8, 1881. Here he resided nearly his whole life and gained a high reputation as one of the most intelligent and practical farmers of the Mohawk Valley. He was a man of shrewd observing character, and was credited with many original sayings. A few years before his death he retired from active life and settled in Fultonville, where he died. He married, in Root, Montgomery county, May 19, 1825, Catherine Dievendorf, born January 22, 1806, at Currytown, New York, died April 3, 1883, daughter of Judge Henry J. Dievendorf, sister of Elizabeth, who married William B. Dievendorf, her cousin, and a descendant of Jacob Dievendorf, the emigrant. Children:
- John H., born January 22, 1828, died in New York City, October 14, 1889; married Catharine Fox.
- Jacob H., (see forward).
- David Hamilton, born August 17, 1833; removed to New York and in 1872 was quarantine commissioner of the port of New York.
- Hannah Elizabeth, born September 4, 1838; married (first) Henry Clay Yost; (second) Douw Henry Heagler.
- Margaret Ann, born May 10, 1844; married, October 29, 1873, Charles Rickard, a druggist of Fultonville, New York.
- Levi Abraham, born July 11, 1846; married, June 9, 1870, Martha, daughter of Barney Gardinier; he is a leading and prominent farmer of the county; a leader in the Farmers' Institute and president of the County Agricultural Society.
(VI) Jacob H., son of Abraham and Catherine (Dievendorf) Starin, was born on the farm in Glen, Montgomery county, New York, August 10, 1830, died September 14, 1883. He was a man of sterling character, and a successful farmer, although in his latter years he did not actively engage in farming, but leased his land on the share plan. He married, February 14, 1854, Elizabeth Ellen Van Evera, born January 23, 1836, daughter of Peter and Nancy (Leonardson) Van Evera, granddaughter of John R. and Mary Elizabeth (Yates) Van Evera, and great-granddaughter of Rinear Van Evera, the immigrant from Holland. The Van Everas were early settlers in Montgomery county, and people of prominence. Peter Van Evera was born in the town of Root, March 23, 1803, died January 28, 1891, in Fultonville, New York. His wife, Nancy (Leonardson) Van Evera, was born in Root, February 10, 1808, died there September 21, 1884. Mrs. Elizabeth E. (Van Evera) Starin since the death of her husband has conducted the business and managed the estate with a marked degree of success. Children:
- Anna L., born December 1, 1855, died in 1862.
- Ada C., born April 10, 1857, died February 2, 1859.
- Jennie Alice, (see forward).
- Kate, born August 17, 1864, died January 8, 1866.
(VII) Jennie Alice, daughter of Jacob H. and Elizabeth E. (Van Evera) Starin, was born at Glen, New York, February 9, 1859, died November 11, 1902. She was well-educated, particularly in music. She married, October 15, 1884, Oscar F. Conable, born in Cortland, New York, October 9, 1856, educated at Cornell College, and is cashier of the Fultonville National Bank founded by John H. Starin, who was president of the bank until his death.
(The Conable Line)
John Cunabell (now Conable), the ancestor, was born January 25, 1650, died in Boston, Massachusetts, April 10, 1724.
(II) Samuel, son of John Cunabell, was born in 1690.
(III) Samuel (2), son of Samuel (1) Cunabell, was born in 1717.
(IV) John, son of Samuel (2) Cunabell, was born in 1749.
(V) David, son of John Cunabell, had a son Frederick.
(VI) Frederick, son of David Conable, born in 1825, is a resident of Cortland, New York, where he has been closely identified with the business interests of that city for many years. He married Fidelia Bond.
(VII) Oscar F., son of Frederick and Fidelia (Bond) Conable, married Jennie Alice Starin. Child,
- Starin D., born February 19, 1892, met his death by accidental drowning, May 23, 1908.