The Van Slykes of Coxsackie, New York, descend from Willem Pieterse Van Slyke, who was in Beverwyck in 1655. He had sons: Pieter, Jacob, Dirck and Teunis. There were Van Slykes, early settlers in Beverwyck; Cornelius, whose descendants settled in the Mohawk Valley; and Willem, whose descendants settled below Albany in Columbia county, then crossed over into Greene county where they held large possessions.
(II) Teunise Willemse, son of Willem Pieterse Van Slyke, was born at Heyvelt, province of Utrecht, Holland. He was of Beverwyck in 1666, when he sent to Holland for his inheritance. He was the founder of the Van Slykes, who settled on the west bank of the Hudson, now Greene county, New York. In 1678 he purchased and occupied a farm at Niskayuna, Schenectady county, New York. In 1713 he built the stone house on the west bank of the Hudson, one mile south of where the village of New Baltimore now stands. In 1733 he was one of the four church officers who received the deed for the land upon which to build the Dutch Reformed church at Coxsackie. The Boston Morning Journal of January 12, 1903, described the Bible once owned by Teunise Willemse Van Slyke as the oldest printed Bible on earth, made in Dordrecht, 1518-55, now owned by Benjamin Fredenberg Van Slyke, of Saginaw, Michigan, handed down from father to son, about four hundred years, and containing the family record. The paper devoted a column and a half to the description of this Bible, which was seventeen inches long, eleven inches wide and five and three-quarter inches thick.. The workmanship on the same was equal to that of the present time; the binding was of calf, and the illustrations (which were beautiful), as well as each initial letter, was all hand work, there being no modern machinery (such as used to-day) at that early period. It was claimed that the Massachusetts Historical Society offered $10,000 for the book; that an attempt was made to secure it for the World's Fair at Paris; that it took thirty-seven years to make the book, made by Richard Paul Eelho. It was taken from New Baltimore to Michigan in 1858 by Benjamin's father, Peter J., son of General Pieter Van Slyke, a general in the revolution, son of Gerrit, son of Teunise Willemse Van Slyke. Teunise Willemse Van Slyke's wish was to be buried in sight of the passing vessels on the Hudson, and his grave on a knoll in the woods south of his house is yet to be found. The Van Slyke coat-of-arms comes down from the fourteenth century. A clover leaf on one side of a battlement, three fish natant on the other side. He married, February 6, 1696, Jannetje, daughter of Henrick Van Wie, a volunteer in the colonial war, in Rensselaerwyck in 1654. Children, born at Albany:
- Beertje, November 15, 1696;
- Willem, October 23, 1698;
- Hendrick, November 3, 1700;
- Ida, June 28, 1702;
- Andreis, September 17, 1704;
- Gerrit, May 19, 1706;
- Pieter, September 26, 1708;
- Alida, November 5, 1710;
- Dirk, March 1, 1713;
- Agnietje, June 19, 1720;
and others.
(III) Andreis (Andrew), son of Teunise Willemse and Jannetje (Van Wie) Van Slyke, was born in Albany, September 17, 1704. He married Maria Van Benthuysen, born July 16, 1721, daughter of Balthus, horn February 22, 1707, son of Paulus Martinse and Catalyntje Barentse Van Benthuysen, the latter daughter of Barent Balthus, of Flatbush, Long Island, who died before 1660. All the children born after 1747 were baptized in Coxsackie, New York.
- Jannetje, born March 1, 1747, married in the Helderbergs and when over one hundred years of age visited New Baltimore.
- Baltus, of further mention.
- Lydia, June 9, 1751, married John Van Den Berg, of Coxsackie.
- Tunis, February, 1754, married Jane, daughter of Peter Van Slyck.
- Mary, March 28, 1756, married John Van Pelt, of Staten Island.
- Catherine, July 3, 1757, married Albert Van Derzee.
- Gertrude, March 1, 1761, married ———— Clow.
- Alida, May 5, 1765, married Tunis, son of Peter Van Slyck.
- Jane, married John Reamer.
- Andrew, born 1704, built the stone house still standing by the New Baltimore depot of West Shore railroad.
(IV) Baltus, eldest son of Andrew and Maria (Van Benthuysen) Van Slyke, was baptized at Coxsackie, Greene county, New York, February 26, 1749, died September 19, 1827. He served in the war of the revolution as private in the Coxsackie company, Albany county militia. He married Annatje Lewis, born November 10, 1751, died November 2, 1819, daughter of Barent, born February 17, 1717, in New York, and Catherine (Van Slyck) Lewis. Children:
- Andrew, born April 25, 1773, married ———— Matthews.
- Barent, June 3, 1775, married Jenny Bronk.
- Catherine, May 3, 1777, lived to near ninety years of age, married Charles McCardell.
- Maria, December 25, 1779, lived to be very old, married James Dunn.
- Jane, October 27, 1780, married Norman Humphrey.
- Lydia, April 13, 1783, lived to be ninety-seven years of age, married John Van Slyck.
- Alida, January 7, 1785, lived to ninety-seven years of age, married Henry Hosford.
- Teunis, of further mention.
- Peter, born April 14, 1790, married Sally Coovert.
(V) Teunis B., son of Baltus and Annatje (Lewis) Van Slyke, was born October 14, 1787, died December 18, 1860. He married, December 19, 1812, Judith Bronk, born March 13. 1788, died December 27, 1864, a descendant of Jonas Bronck, who came to New Amsterdam in 1639, purchased land now known as "The Bronx," upper New York City. His son, Pieter Bronck, of Beverwyck, purchased Coxsackie of the Indians. He had a fine collection of books brought from Holland when he came in his own ship with family, servants and wealth, and these books are said to be the first library of mention in New York State. He met his death, it is supposed, at the hands of the Indians, although his property was undisturbed, which may prove that he came to his death in a less horrible manner than by the tortures said to have been inflicted upon him ere death mercifully released him. The belief is that he came to America from Denmark via Amsterdam. Rev. Everardus Bogardus, the first settled minister of New Netherland, assisted in the administration of his estate (See Bronk, in this work). The Bronck family had a coat-of-arms, as displayed on a silver cup brought by Jonas Bronck — a shield bearing a rising sun, rayed, with the motto: Ne cede malis (Yield not to evil).
The descent from Jonas Bronck to Judith (Bronk) Van Slyke is through his son, Pieter, who married Hilletje Tyssinck. Jan Bronk, son of Pieter, born 1652, married Commetje Conyn, and served in the wars. She was daughter of Leendert Philipse Conyn, in Beverwyck, 1655, married Agnetje ————. Peter Bronk, son of Jan, married, in Albany, Antje (Anna) Bogardus, born January 22, 1679, daughter of Pieter Bogardus, born April 19, 1644, and granddaughter of Rev. Everardus Bogardus, the first settled minister of New Netherland (See Bogardus genealogy). Peter Bronk, son of Peter, born November 10, 1707, married Rachel Van Hoesen, a descendant of Jan Franse Van Hoesen, who bought Claverack, New York, from the Indians in 1662. Ephraim Bronk, born March 1, 1755, served in Coxsackie company, Eleventh Regiment, Albany county militia, was at the surrender of Burgoyne; married Annetje Knott, born 1756 in New York City, daughter of James Knott, buried in Trinity churchyard, and his wife, Nancy Dunbar. Judith Bronk, born March 13, 1788, married Teunis B. Van Slyke. A descendant of Jonas Bronck, Amelia Cornelia Bronk, widow of Andrew Whitbeck, of Coeymans, and likewise a great-granddaughter of Hendrickse Van Wie, died in Coxsackie, aged one hundred and three years. Children of Teunis B. and Judith Van Slyke:
- Hannah Jane, born August 7, 1813, married Benoni Clapper.
- Ephraim T., of further mention.
- Baltus, April 28, 1817, married Esther Garnsey.
- Barent, October 15, 1819, married Elizabeth Hawley.
- Charlotte, April 25, 1831, the only surviving of all the above children, lives at New Baltimore, New York.
(VI) Ephraim T., eldest son of Teunis B. and Judith (Bronk) Van Slyke, was born March 5, 1815, died June 19, 1899. He resided on the ancestral lands in Greene county, New York, all his life. He married, September 21, 1840, Mary, born March 3, 1816, died May 13, 1898, daughter of Andrew and Anna (Ten Eyck) Van Derzee. She descends on the paternal side from Storm Van Derzee and on the maternal from Coenradt Ten Eyck, both early Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam and Rensselaerwyck. Storm Van Derzee was born on the ocean while the ship "Rensselaerwyck" was passing through a furious storm, 1636, which accounts for his peculiar name.
The line of descent from Storm Van Derzee to Mary Van Derzee is through his son Wouter (Walter), who married, July 2, 1695, Jannetje Swart. Storm (2), son of Wouter Van Derzee, was baptized August 3, 1701, married, September 5, 1735, Elizabeth Slingerland. Andrew, son of Storm (2) Van Derzee. was born April 10, 1781, died March 8, 1829, captain of New Baltimore militia company and served at Sackett's Harbor, war of 1812, married, November 12, 1807, Anna Ten Eyck. born May 17, 1786, died September 8, 1872. She received revenue from the Ten Eyck estate in Holland until near her death, when she relinquished her right, signing the necessary papers with the Dutch consul at Albany. Mary, daughter of Andrew and Anna (Ten Eyck) Van Derzee, married Ephraim T. Van Slyke. Conradt Ten Eyck, who died 1687, the ancestor of Anna (Ten Eyck) Van Derzee, was of the wealthy and important Ten Eyck family of Holland. The coat-of-arms borne by the Holland family may be seen on the windows of the Ten Eyck Hotel, Albany, but without the motto "Mea virtute involvo" (I wrap myself in my virtue). Coenradt Ten Eyck was a boot and shoe manufacturer of New Amsterdam, and owned a tannery. The first map of New York City, made 1640, shows two lots owned by him and Coenties Slip, the dock used by the early Hudson sloops, was named for him. He married, 1646-47, Maria Boele, a devoted worker in the early Collegiate Dutch church. Jacob, son of Coenradt Ten Eyck, was born 1647 in New Amsterdam, moved to Albany, 1675, married, 1676, Gertruy Coeymans, born 1654, died February 27, 1735, daughter of Barent Pietersen Coeymans, the Dutch emigrant. Coenradt, son of Jacob Ten Eyck, was born April 9, 1678, died 1753, married Geertruy Van Schaick, September 8, 1687, daughter of Anthony, born 1655, and Maria Van DerPoel, and granddaughter of Captain Goosen Van Schaick, 1649, and Teunise Cornelise Van DerPoel, 1660. Anthony, son of Coenradt Ten Eyck, was born September 17, 1712, and was a merchant of New York City. He married, November 29, 1740, Sara E. Ten Eyck, a great-granddaughter of Coenradt Ten Eyck. Coenradt A., son of Anthony Ten Eyck, was born May 15, 1746 (the name is written with a small t in the records of the Collegiate Dutch church in New York), died December 14, 1825. He owned the land where the village of Ravena, Albany county, now stands. He and his wife are buried on the knoll west from the depot.
He married Rachel Hallenbeck, of Coxsackie, born April 18, 1752, died April 19, 1839, daughter of Martinus and descendant of Caspar Jacobse Hallenbeck, who was of Beverwyck, 1654; his son, Jan Caspar Hallenbeck, died at Albany, December, 1730, married Rachel Willemse; their son, Caspar Janes Hallenbeck, died 1756, married Magdalena ————. Their son, Martinus Hallenbeck, born December 19, 1715, married, January 30, 1736, Annatje, daughter of Cornelius Woomer. Their daughter Rachel married Coenradt Ten Eyck. Their daughter Anna married Andrew Van Derzee. Their daughter Mary married Ephraim T. Van Slyke. They had two sons:
- Andrew W., of further mention;
- Bronck, of New Baltimore, New York, born July 20, 1852.
(VII) Dr. Andrew W. Van Slyke, eldest son of Ephraim T. and Mary (Van Derzee) Van Slyke, was born in New Baltimore, December 5, 1846. He prepared for the profession of medicine at Rutger's College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, attended Albany Medical College, where he was graduated M. D., class of 1869; also took post-graduate course in New York City. He has practiced medicine at Coxsackie, New York, since 1872, and is held in high regard as a physician and a citizen. He is greatly interested in matters genealogical and historical, owning many treasured mementoes of his Dutch ancestors, including wills, deeds, and articles of household use. It is to him that this family record is in a large measure due. He is, moreover, the accepted authority on many other Coxsackie families, not of his own name, and constantly called on for genealogical data. He attends the Dutch church. He is a trustee of Heermance Memorial Library and president (1911) of the board. He was raised a Mason in April, 1868, in Ark Lodge, No. 48, Free and Accepted Masons, of Coxsackie, New York, and passed through the degrees to Commandery. He is a Republican in politics and served as health officer of the town of Coxsackie since the organization of the state board of health and has also served in the office of coroner.
He married (first) January 1, 1877, Marie Antoinette McCarty, who died February 18, 1907, without issue. He married (second) Henrietta Houghtaling, July 22, 1907. Child,
- Marie E. G., born September 2, 1909.