Two brothers of this name were early settlers of Schenectady, Frederick Cornelise, who was proposed by Secretary Ludovicus Cobes in 1676 as one of the magistrates of the village, and Teunise Cornelise Swart, from whom all the families in the Schenectady section are descended. The family came originally from Holland, and have always been prominent in the Mohawk Valley. As a family they have been wealthy and influential. Teunise Cornelise Swart was one of the original proprietors of Schenectady, and received allotment No. 10 on the "Groote Vlachte" (great flat), and a village lot on the east corner of State and Church street, 200x170 feet. He married Elizabeth Van der Linde, and died about 1668. His widow married Jacob Meese Vrooman, who was killed in the massacre of 1690. She married (third) Wouter Wythoff, of Albany. Teunise Cornelise Swart had children: Cornelise, born 1652, settled in Ulster county; Esaias, remained in Schenectady county; where descendants are numerous, as well as in Schoharie county; Adam; and two daughters. The most prominent member of the early family was Judge Peter Swart, of the town of Fulton, Schoharie county, born January 13, 1752. He enrolled in the militia at the age of sixteen, and served as private six months; was appointed corporal, and served one year; was appointed sergeant in Captain Henry Hager's company; in 1778 was appointed ensign of the same company; in 1786 was appointed major; in 1798, lieutenant-colonel. In 1784 he was appointed justice of the peace, and in 1796 one of the judges of the county, an office he resigned in 1818; in 1798 he was elected member of assembly; in 1806 was elected member of congress, and in 1816 was elected senator. He married Cornelia Becker, and left issue. It was to this Schoharie family that Wouter Swart belonged. He met a tragic death, being found dead in the woods. One of his sons, Peter Swart, was a successful farmer, and had quite a local reputation as a poet. He was well-known, universally liked and respected. He left two daughters by his first wife, Helen and Christina, the first leaving a daughter Anna, who married Peter Clark.
(I) Martin, son of Wouter and Catherine (Van Olinda) Swart, was born April 1, 1796. He was a prominent man of his community, where he was familiarly known as "Judge." He was well-known and highly-respected. He married his cousin, Nancy Swart, who died February 27, 1782 [1882?], in her seventy-second year. They were both active members of the Reformed church. Children:
- Mary, died on the Schoharie homestead, very old, unmarried.
- Catherine, unmarried, died on the homestead.
- Henry Hager, see forward.
- Peter, a civil engineer and surveyor; married Elizabeth Clapper, who survives him, a resident of Cobleskill.
- Cornelia, died on the homestead at the age of fifty years, unmarried.
- Caroline, married William Hutton, who was killed by the explosion of a gun he was carrying; their son, Franklin Swart Hutton, was graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, June 12, 1895, promoted in the army to second lieutenant of the Second Regiment Infantry, July 9, 1898; promoted first lieutenant, and was in the Cuban campaign, engaged at San Juan Hill and at the siege of Santiago; January 1, 1899, he was assigned to the Fourth Regiment Infantry, and served in the Philippine Islands, February 28, 1901, he was promoted captain, and transferred to the Twelfth Infantry, September 4, 1902; February 28, 1905 he was promoted major of the Philippine scouts, and August 5, 1910, sailed for Manilla [Manila] where he joined his regiment, Twelfth Infantry. He married Rose Murland, in Virginia, she was a native of Tennessee, but latterly a resident of New York City.
- Amanda, married (second) Lewis S. Johnston, and resides on the old Schoharie homestead; she had a son Raymond Letts, who was drowned in the Schoharie river at the age of fifteen years.
(II) Henry Hager, eldest son of Martin and Nancy (Swart) Swart, was born in Cobleskill, Schoharie county, New York, January 31, 1832, died in Schenectady, November 12, 1906. He received a good education in the public schools, and in 1850 located in Schenectady, where his subsequent life was passed. He had a decided liking for mercantile life, and began his business career as clerk in the dry goods store of Baringer & Company of Schenectady. He advanced rapidly, and in 1859 became junior partner of H. S. Barney & Company. He was a business man of the highest order, and a potent factor in the upbuilding and development of the Barney Company, later to become perhaps the leading business house of the Mohawk Valley. He was careful and conservative in his methods, yet never timid, and when a line of action was decided he threw into the movement all his great energy and capacity. He was refined, courteous and gentle in his manner, with a charm of voice and disposition that drew and held all hearts to him. He was domestic in his tastes, finding his greatest delight in home and family. His energy and deep interest in the store management led him to overtax his strength, which perhaps shortened his useful life. He was a member of the Reformed church, and stood high in the Masonic order, belonging to St. George's Lodge, Chapter and Commandery. He was past master of the lodge, and for many years its treasurer. He was not active in politics, but always acted with the Republican party. He married, February 15, 1865, in Schenectady, Maggie E. Putman, born in Schenectady, and educated in private schools. She was a graduate of the old Castle Institute (see Putman VII). Child:
- Martin Putman, born November 29, 1865, at Schenectady, where he received his primary and secondary education in the public schools, completing his studies at Union College; after leaving college, he entered mercantile life and became assistant manager of H. S. Barney & Company; he remains with that well-known house and occupies a responsible position. He is a member of St. George's Lodge, F. and A. M., and the Mohawk Club. He married Harriet, daughter of Levi Clute, a prominent hatter and furrier of Schenectady.
(The Putman Line)
(III) Johannes, eldest son of Arent (q. v.) and Lysbet (Akkerman) Putman, baptized October 21, 1711, was killed by the Indians during the revolution. His wife died when her son Arent (Aaron) was six years of age. They lived in western New York, then a wilderness. A short time after the beginning of the revolution, Johannes and his second son David were captured by the Indians, and the old man not being well able to travel was killed. David was carried away and kept three years. He was killed while cleaning a well. The name of the wife of Johannes Putman cannot be given, and but five of her nine children:
- Aaron (Arent), see forward.
- David, married after 1778 and had children; died previous to 1800; (was the Indian captive).
- Henry, died prior to 1829 in Canada, whither he had removed.
- Mary.
- Sarah.
(IV) Aaron, eldest son of Johannes Putman, was born June 13, 1745, died in Schenectady, August 1, 1830. He married (first) at Schenectady, February 21, 1772, Elizabeth De Spitzer, died May 18, 1797, in her forty-third year, daughter of Dr. Ernestus De Spitzer. Aaron married (second) Cataline Van Schaick, who died December 22, 1836, in her eighty-seventh year. Children, all born in Schenectady:
- Geurtruy, died in infancy.
- Ernestus, who was twice married, and has numerous descendants in the middle west and in Colorado.
- Johannes, died in infancy.
- Johannes (John), see forward.
- Barbara, married Oliver Springer.
(V) John, son of Aaron and Elizabeth (De Spitzer) Putman, was born August 31, 1780, at Rotterdam, New York, where he died May 1, 1851. He was a farmer of the town of Rotterdam, Schenectady county. He married Maggy Vrooman, born March 21, 1789, died May 18, 1831, daughter of Hendrick Vrooman, a lineal descendant of Hendrick Meese Vrooman, one of the three brothers, Pieter, Jacob and Hendrick Vrooman, who were the three early settlers of the Vrooman name in Beverwyck and Schenectady. Maggy (Vrooman) Putman, died December 16, 1830, in her forty-fourth year. Children baptized:
- Aaron, November 10, 1805, of Rotterdam, where he died an old man; he married and left issue.
- Henry Vrooman, December 29, 1807, of Niagara county, New York, where he died in old age; he married and had issue.
- Ernestus (2), see forward.
- Elizabeth, January 3, 1812, married Sebastian Visscher, and left issue.
- John, 1814; was of Niagara county; married and had issue.
- Sarah, 1818; married Joseph Levy, of Rotterdam, and removed to Niagara county; he died in Orleans county; he was prominent in the town; they left issue.
- Andrew Y., March 1822, was of Rotterdam; married and had issue.
- Clarissa, February 4, 1825, died unmarried at the age of eighty years.
- Sebastian, December 15, 1827, married and had issue.
- Oliver, December 2, 1830, died at seventy-six years of age; married and had issue.
(VI) Ernestus, son of John and Maggy (Vrooman) Putman, was born July 22, 1810; died in Schenectady, September 8, 1874, after a very short illness. His was the first death in his large family of ten children, all of whom lived to old age, and succumbed in all cases after a brief illness. He learned the trade of tinsmith, and located in Schenectady where he later established himself in mercantile lines, becoming a prosperous, wealthy merchant with other large business interests. He was an active, devoted member of the Reformed church, and always acted with the Republican party. He married in the town of Amsterdam, Montgomery county, New York, September 22, 1837, Harriet Newell Marcellus, born April 12, 1817, died March 20, 1839, when her only child and daughter was ten days old. She was a daughter of Nanning and Deborah (Degraff) Marcellus. The Marselis family (name spelled both Marcelis and Marcellus) was founded in the Hudson Valley by Janse Marselis, of Bommel, in Guilderland, Holland, one of the first settlers of Beverwyck. He made his will June 11, 1690, proved May 22, 1722, in Kingston, New York. He married Annatje Gerritse, and had six children. Deborah Degraff was a descendant of Claas Andriesa De Graff, an early settler of Schenectady, whose descendants were also early settlers of Amsterdam, Montgomery county, New York, and were able to dictate the name of the city of Amsterdam, New York, calling after their family home in Holland. Ernestus Putman married (second) Elizabeth, a sister of his first wife, but had no issue.
(VII) Maggie E., only child of Ernestus and Harriet Newell (Marcellus) Putman, was born March 10, 1831, and educated in Schenectady. She married, February 15, 1865, Henry H. Swart. She survives her husband, and lives in Schenectady, where her only son also resides. She is a well educated, cultured lady, interested in current happenings, and helpful in church and charitable work. She is alert and active, giving little evidence of her seventy-one years.