There were two early settlers of Beverwyck of this name: Willena [Willem?], whose descendants settled below Albany in Columbia county and elsewhere, and Cornelis Antonesses, alias "Broer Carnelis," so called by the natives. He married and had several children: Jacques, Marten Mouris, Hilletje and perhaps Lea. Marten Mouris was in Beverwyck in 1661 and gave name to the island (later Van Slyck) lying in the Mohawk west of Schenectady, and died early in 1662. Hilletje married Pieter Danielse Van Olinda, who was often employed as the provincial interpreter for the five nations. Lea married (first) Claas Willemse Van Cappernol; (second) Jonathan Stevens. "Broer Carnelis" died in 1676. By reason of his eminent services, rendered in bringing about peace with the natives, he received a patent for a large tract of land at Catskill and also owned land near Cohoes.
(II) Jacques, son of Cornelis Van Slyck, was born in 1640 in Canajoharie; his Indian name was Itsychosaquacha; he was also sometimes called Agues [Aques?] Comllyssen Gautsch. The Mohawks gave him half of the island lying immediately west of the city, also land five miles above the city, on the south side of the Mohawk. This would seem to give color to the tradition that his father married a woman of the Mohawk tribe. In 1671 Jacques Van Slyck was one of the two licensed tapsters of the village. He married Grietje, daughter of Harmen Janse Ryckman, of Albany; after his death in 1690 she married Adam Vrooman. His will was made May 8, 1690. The following children were living in 1697;
- Harmen.
- Susanna, married Samuel Arentse Bratt.
- Grietje, married (first) Andries Arentse Bratt; (second) Harmen Vedder.
- Cornelis.
- Geertruy, married Johannes Myndertse.
- Marten.
- Helena.
- Lytje.
- Lida, married Isaac Van Valkenburg.
Of these children, Marten and Cornelis, lived upon the first flat, on land left them by their father, which is still owned by the family.
(III) Captain Harmen, son of Jacques and Grietje (Ryckman) Van Slyck, was ensign of the company of foot in Schenectady, 1710; captain in 1714; Indian trader in 1724. He received a grant of three hundred morgens of land at Canajoharie from the Mohawks because "his grandmother was a right Mohawk woman" and "born with us on the above said Kanajoree." By his father's will Captain Harmen Van Slyck received fourteen morgens of land on the first flat. He made his will November 1, 1731, and left his sons, Adam and Jacobus, of Schenectady, and Harmanus, of Canajoharie, half of his two thousand acres of land at the latter place. He died prior to December 20, 1734. He married (first) Jannetje Vrooman; (second) Antje Schell. Children:
- Jacobus, baptized May 28, 1704.
- Engeltje, married Sander Lansing.
- Margarieta, died 1787, aged seventy-nine years.
- Helena, baptized January 15, 1710.
- Samuel, died 1798.
- Catrina, married Johannes Visger.
- Jannetje.
- Adam.
- Geertruy.
- Adam.
- Harmanus, see forward.
- Akers (Jacques), baptized January 7, 1727.
- Gerrit.
(IV) Harmanus, eleventh child of Captain Harmen and Jannetje (Vrooman) Van Slyck, was baptized June 14, 1724. He married, January 27, 1750, Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Van Patten. He made his will April 20, 1776, in which he spoke, of wife Elizabeth, son Nicholas, and daughters Rebecca and Engeltje. He was then living at Palatine, Tryon county, New York. Children: Nicholas; Jannetje, baptized December 11, 1757; Rebecca and Engeltje.
(V) Nicholas, son of Harmanus and Elizabeth (Van Patten) Van Slyck, married Geertruy Visscher and had a son Harmanus.
(VI) Harmanus (2), son of Nicholas and Geertruy (Visscher) Van Slyck, married and had issue.
(VII) Nicholas (2), son of Harmanus (2) Van Slyck, was born about 1805 in Schenectady, New York, where he died at an advanced age. He married Jane Smith, who was born on shipboard. Her parents emigrated to the United States and settled in the Mohawk Valley. Nicholas Van Slyck and his wife are buried in Vale cemetery, Schenectady. Children:
- David, married and migrated to New York city, where he died leaving issue.
- Henry, a merchant of Schenectady; married, and left issue; Esther L. and Charles.
- Gertrude, married William Pettit; both deceased; left a daughter Jane, now widow of Charles Barhydte
- Sarah, married William McCurdy; children: Frank and Jane.
- Christopher, see forward.
- Nicholas, went west to Kansas, where he died; married and had two children Nicholas and Jane.
- Maria, married and had four children: Jane, Emma, Baxter and Bass.
(VIII) Christopher, son of Nicholas (2) and Jane (Smith) Van Slyck, was born in Schenectady, New York, December 25, 1830, died there November 6, 1895. He lived all his life in Schenectady, where he was engaged in business along several lines. He was a coal dealer, engaged in broom manufacturing, and dealt in real estate both as principal and as agent. He was a man of high standing in the city. Politically he was a Democrat. He married, in Schenectady, Elanor DeForrest, born in that city, February 27, 1837, died February 19, 1895, daughter of Obadiah De Forrest, a descendant of Henry De Forrest, who at age of thirty with his brother Isaac quitted Amsterdam, Holland, October 1, 1636, in a small vessel called the "Rensselaerwick" [Rensselaerwyck?] which belonged to Killian Van Rensselaer, the first patroon. Henry De Forrest settled upon a tract of two hundred acres granted by Director Van Twiller, lying where now is Harlem, New York City. Isaac De Forrest had one hundred acres which included part of the Mt. Morris Park. The De Forrests were sons of Jesse De Forrest, a Huguenot, and Marie de Cloux, married in 1601, grandson of Melchoir De Forrest, the first Protestant of the family; a native of Avernes, France, who married, 1533, Catherine De Fosset, of Mons. Jean De Forrest, their son, married Anne Maillard. Their son Jesse gathered a colony that sailed from Holland to make a settlement in Guinea, South America, in December, 1623. After this date there is no mention of him in Leyden records except the entry opposite his name on a tax list "gone to the West Indies," which then meant any part of either North or South America. Of the children of Jesse De Forrest and his wife, Marie de Cloux, Henry and Isaac were founders of Harlem on the Island of Manhattan (now New York City); David visited New Amsterdam in 1659; had a son baptized there and returned to Holland. The family in Albany and Schenectady descend from Henry, the emigrant, son of Jesse De Forrest, who married Gertrude Bornstra, of Nieuwlant, Holland, and had two sons, Johannes and Philip. The latter, baptized July 28, 1652, settled in Beverwyck. He was a cooper by trade; married Tryntje Kip in New York, January 5, 1676, and founded the Upper Hudson and Mohawk Valley family. Obadiah De Forrest reared a large family, of which the only survivors (1910) is Rebecca, wife of Stephen D. Gates, Henry S., Frank V. and Lansing. Mrs. Elanor (De Forrest) Van Slyck was a member of the First Reformed Church. Children:
- Annie L., born December 11, 1862, died October 2, 1881, unmarried.
- Lizzie, see forward.
- Clarence, born March 2, 1868; real estate dealer in Schenectady; unmarried.
- De Forrest, born June 12, 1871, died December 16, 1882.
(IX) Lizzie, daughter of Christopher and Elanor (De Forrest) Van Slyck, married Lewis R. Garnsey, born at Clifton Park, New York, February 16, 1862, died January 24, 1893. He was educated at Union College, and during his business life was associated with his father-in-law, Christopher Van Slyck, in his various enterprises. Child: De Forrest Van Slyck Garnsey, born September 22, 1889; educated in the common and high schools of Schenectady; now a student at Union University, class of 1913. Mrs. Garnsey survives her husband; resides in Schenectady; a woman of noble and generous impulses; member of First Reformed Church.