The family name of Van Antwerp has the significance, through the Dutch, that the family to which this cognomen was applied resided near the wharf, or the place of wharfing, casting anchor, or tying up the ships, and in this sense also it could signify that before they took up residence in Holland or emigrated to America, they came from the great seaport of Belgium, Antwerp, the capital of the province of the same name.
The Van Antwerp Arms, as used in Holland: Shield: D'argent à trois crémaillères de sable, rangees en fasce; as used in Flanders: Shield: D'or à une fleur-de-lis d'azur; au chef d'herm., charged de trois pals de gules, celui du milieu surcharged dune ancre d'argent. Motto: In puritate mentis.
(I) Daniel Janse Van Antwerp was the progenitor of the family of this name in America. He was the son of Jan (John) Van Antwerpen, of Holland, and was born in 1635. He came to Beverwyck (Albany, N. Y.) between 1656 and 1661, for his name appears upon the records as being there in 1661, when he agreed to serve Adriaan Appel for one year for a recompense of thirty-five beavers (equal to about $112) and found. He was industrious, and before long was making his own way, the owner of his own bouwerie and possessed of those things which go to make a farm of good proportions. Shortly after the settling of Schenectady, whither he removed so that he was freer to own land himself than he was allowed while within the immediate jurisdiction of Patroon Van Rensselaer, he became possessed of the "Third Flat" on the south side of the Mohawk river, about eight miles above that city, and in 1706 he sold the western half of his bouwerie (63 a. 79 rods) to his neighbor, Jan Pieterse Mebie. His village lot, within the stockade or wall, was on the east side of Church street, next north of the present church lot, and was 108 feet wide in front and 206 feet deep, wood measure. In 1676, when forty-one years old, he was one of the five magistrates. In 1701 he was made supervisor of the town.
Daniel Janse Van Antwerp married Maritje (Maria) Groot, daughter of Symon Symonse Groot and Rebecca De Trieux. Her father (S. S. Groot) came early to New Netherland in the service of the West India Company, as boatswain of the ship "Prince Maurice"; he bought a house and lot of Jacob Roy in New Amsterdam in 1645, and soon thereafter located at Beverwyck, for it is known he offered his house for sale there in 1654. He moved again, for in 1663 he hired a bouwerie of from twenty-five to thirty morgens of Gerrit Bancker and Harmen Vedderen, at Schenectady, on the north side of Union street and one hundred Amsterdam feet west of Church street. Maritje Groot's mother, Rebecca Du Trieux (De Truax), was the daughter of Philip Du Trieux, court messenger of New Amsterdam. Children:
- Jan, married, November 24, 1700, Agnieta, daughter of Harmen Albertse Vedder.
- Simon Danielse, married December 22, 1706, Maria, daughter of Jacobus Peek, see forward.
- Arent, married Sara, daughter of Johannes Van Eps.
- Daniel, married Ariaantje, daughter of Gerrit Simonse Veeder.
- Pieter, married Engeltie, daughter of Johannes Mebie.
- Neeltje, baptized July 27, 1690; married Andries De Graaf.
- Rebecca, baptized December 25, 1692; married Johannes Fort.
- Maria, baptized January 3, 1695; married Nicolaas Fort.
(II) Simon Danielse, son of Daniel Janse and Maria (Groot) Van Antwerp, was a landowner and a miller. He bought land and settled in Schaghticoke, New York, in 1710, There is an early record which bears date of October 13, 1718, and which reads: "The commonalty (of Albany) have granted unto Simon Danielse, his heirs and assigns forever, a certain small creek on the south side of his land, to build a grist mill thereon, provided he grinds no wheat for boulting except ye same be boulted within the city of Albany, for which he is to pay yearly, after January, 1724., six skeple wheat yearly." This is an evidence with what far-reaching methods the old burghers of Rensselaerwyck and Bevertvyck watched their interests, and besides, it is a fact that the early Van Antwerp settlers sought Schenectady as a place in which to live and prosecute a business unhampered by reason of the imposition of the regulations laid down by the Rensselaerwyck colony. He married, at Albany, December 22, 1706, Maria Peek, daughter of Jacobus Peek, whose father was Jan Peek, innkeeper of New Amsterdam, after whom the creek and town of Peekskill take their name, and who in 1655 sold two houses in Fort Orange to Johannes Dyckman for 1,627 guilders. Children:
- Maria, born November 9, 1707.
- Lysbeth, born at Albany, January 15, 1710.
- Rebecca, born June 21, 1712.
- Daniel, December 18, 1714.
- Sara, born at Albany, May 13, 1716.
- Daniel, born January 10, 1719; married, October 21, 1738, Rebecca, daughter of Jan Danielse Van Antwerpen.
- Margarita, baptized at Albany, October 1, 1721.
- Jacobus, baptized at Albany, May 17, 1724.
- Johannes, baptized at Albany, January 22, 1727; married, August 11, 1750, Catherine, daughter of Johannes Vedder.
- Lowys (Lewis), baptized at Albany, February 25, 1731; married Hendrikje Fonda Van Buren (see forward).
(III) Lowys (Lewis), son of Simon Danielse and Maria (Peek) Van Antwerp, was born at Schaaghtekooke (Schaghticoke), New York, February 25, 1731. He also resided at Halve Maan, on the Mohawk river, being there after 1771, and was a member of the committee of safety for Albany county in 1776. He married, Albany, November 27, 1754, Hendrikje (Henrietta) Fonda Van Buren. Children:
- Simon, baptized March 30, 1755.
- Douwe, baptized July 24, 1757.
- Johannes, born January 12, 1760.
- Alida, born March 16, 1762.
- Daniel Lewis, born at Albany, 1771 (see forward).
(IV) Daniel Lewis, son of Lowys and Hendrikje Fonda (Van Buren) Van Antwerp, was born at Albany, August 15, 1771. He was a member of assembly in 1818. He married, at Albany, in 1795, Hannah Van Zandt. Children:
- Alida, born January 24, 1797.
- William, born January 11, 1799 (see forward).
- Ann Eliza, born November 22, 1800.
- Henry, born September 29, 1802.
- Stephen Lush, born July 5, 1804.
- Eliza Ann, born March 29, 1806.
(V) William, son of Daniel Lewis and Hannah (Van Zandt) Van Antwerp, was born at Albany, January 11, 1799, died at Albany, April 22, 1829. He married, December 12, 1822, Sarah Meadon, of Albany. Children:
- John Henry, born at Albany, October 12, 1823, died at Albany, December 14, 1903, married Maria Wiswall, April 23, 1843;
- William Meadon, see forward;
- Daniel Lewis, born October 6, 1826, died April 16, 1910, married Mary Slawson;
- Elizabeth, born at Albany, October 6, 1828, died at Albany, October 27, 1879.
(VI) William Meadon, son of William and Sarah (Meadon) Van Antwerp, was born in Albany, New York, January 1, 1825. He was a foremost citizen, a leader in many civic movements, and died at his residence, No. 162 Washington avenue, April 8, 1903, highly respected in fhe community where he had lived all his life. He attended a private school until the death of his father necessitated his withdrawal when he was eleven years of age. He then found employment with the firm of Lasdell & Fassett in a minor capacity, and next was associated with John Schuyler in the grocery trade. When the latter died, he formed a partnership with Henry D. Hawkins, opening a wholesale provision business in 1852, under the name of Hawkins & Van Antwerp. This continued until 1866, when Mr. Hawkins withdrew, and the house of Van Antwerp & Bridge was established. Later it became known as Van Antwerp, Bridge & Company, until the time Mr. Van Antwerp retired from active business life, in 1873. He was always a staunch Republican in his politics, active therein because whatever he undertook was of concern to him, participating alike in its active strife and its actual labors, and at one time served as alderman-at-large. He was nominated for member of assembly in 1876, but failed of election, the county as well as the city being then strongly Demo-. cratic. He was a devout member of the Baptist denomination, and gave freely of his time and money to advance the cause of his church. He and his family attended Calvary Baptist Church. He was an original member of the committee of thirteen, organized to correct abuses in city government; a director of the New York State National Bank; a trustee of the Albany Savings Bank; an original director of the Commerce Insurance Company of Albany, and a member of the Holland Society.
William M. Van Antwerp married Susanna Irwin, at New York City, October 25, 1854. She was born in Albany, July 6, 1829. Her father was Theophilus Irwin and her mother was Jean McMullen. Mrs. Van Antwerp died in Albany, January 28, 1899. Children, all born in Albany:
- Sarah Irwin, August 4, 1857, married, Albany, June 29, 1881, James Martin.
- Grace Edith, May 28, 1859, married, Albany, November 14, 1883, Theodore Howard Waterman.
- Jean Agnes, August 4, 1862, married Albany, April 21, 1897, Edo E. Mercelis.
- Gertrude Alice, January 12, 1864.
- Thomas Irwin, see forward.
- Anna Louise, March 22, 1867, married, Albany, April 4, 1894, Clarence Winthrop Stevens.
- Jessie Eliza, November 5, 1868, married, Albany, December 9, 1891, Edmund Niles Huyck.
- Elsa May, April 2, 1870.
(VII) Thomas Irwin, son of William M., and Susanna (Irwin) Van Antwerp, was born in Albany, New York, March 24, 1865. He received his education at the Albany Boys' Academy, from which he graduated in the class of 1883. He commenced his career as a banker by connection with the First National Bank, under President Garret A. Van Allen, where he continued five years, and in 1889 he became secretary to the president of the National Commercial Bank. In 1897 he was elected cashier of the Park Bank, and when that bank was consolidated with the Union Trust Company of Albany, thus terminating its career, Mr. Van Antwerp was chosen the vice-president of the Union Trust Company and became the managing officer of that institution. He succeeded his father as trustee of the Albany Savings Bank, is a director of the Albany Insurance Company and Union Trust Company, and in many ways has shown his interest in the city's welfare and progress. He is a member of the Fort Orange Club, the Albany Country Club, the Holland Society and of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society.
Thomas I. Van Antwerp married, at Grace Church, Brooklyn, February 20, 1895, Zaidee Scudder, born in New York City, October 22, 1869. Her father was Townsend Scudder, born in Northport, Long Island, December 14, 1829, died at Glenwood, Long Island, July 31, 1874, and was a lawyer at No. 9 Wall street, New York City. Her mother was Sarah Frost, born in New York City, December 6, 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Van Antwerp reside at No. 7 Northern Boulevard, Albany, New York. Children:
- William Meadon, born in Albany, October 23, 1901.
- Suzanne Irwin, Albany, January 19, 1904.
- Cornelia Scudder, Albany, January 19, 1904.
- Townsend Scudder, Altamont, Albany county, New York, August 15, 1905.