The first mention of the Veeder family in America is of Simon Volkertse Veeder, born in 1624, as belonging to the ship "Prince Maurice" in 1644, which ship plied between Amsterdam, Holland, and New Amsterdam (New York). In 1652 he bought a lot of land and settled in the latter place; sold the same in 1654 for thirty beaver skins; removed to Beverwyck and from thence to Schenectady in 1662. He owned a tract on the great flat, numbered 9, containing twenty-four morgens, and a village lot on the north corner of State and Ferry streets. He also owned land on the Normans Kill. He made his will January 8, 1696-97, and named the following children: Pieter, Gerrit, Johannes, Volkert, Volkiemae, Barent, Janse Wemp, Geesie Mae, Jan Hendrickse Vrooman, Magdalena Mae, William Appel.
(II) Gerrit, son of Simon Volkertse Veeder, "the founder," married, August 3, 1690, Tryntje, daughter of Helmar Otten, of Albany, an only child. Her father died in 1675 and her mother married (second) Ryer Schermerhorn. Gerrit Veeder owned the land about "Veeder's Mills" early in the eighteenth century, and had a lease from the church of the mill privileges and water power in 1718. Through his wife he obtained possession of lots in the village on the north and west corners of Union and Church streets, Schenectady. He made his will March 12, 1746-47, proved July 8, 1755. Children:
- Helmers;
- Wilhelmus;
- Engeltie, born July 22, 1693; married Johannes Vedder;
- Ariantje, November 16, 1695; married Daniel Danielse Van Antwerpen;
- Henricus, see forward;
- Amon, December 31, 1700;
- Annatje, August 16, 1703; married William Bancker;
- Cornelise, January 27, 1706;
- Helena, (Magdalena) April 2, 1710; married Johannes Bancker.
(III) Henricus, son of Gerrit and Tryntje (Otten) Veeder, married, August 18, 1750, Elizabeth Wemp. He received a conveyance of the "Veeder's Mills" from his mother, July 11, 1752; from his father a lot on the north corner of Union and Church streets, Schenectady, which passed to his daughter Catharina, wife of Gillis Fonda. His will was made March 3, 1790, at which time his wife, son Gerrit and daughter Catharina were living. The parcel of land surrounding "Veeder's Mills," which is a possession long in the Veeder family, embraced forty acres and was anciently called "Gerrit Symonse's Meadow"; it commenced at or near the "Coehorn Kill" and extended southerly. It was separated from the village of Schenectady by the Van Velsen tract of twenty-four acres, which was bounded by State street, Coehorn and Mill creeks. Through the marriage of Gerrit Veeder's widow to Ryer Schermerhorn the mill and property later came to be known as the Schermerhorn "Mill farm." Ryer Schermerhorn during the revolution built the stone house opposite the grist mill that was expected to be taken for a fort but was never used for that purpose. There was a log house near the mill that was used as a place of refuge in times of peril and the name "Schuylenburgh" was given to it, signifying in Dutch "Shelter or place of safety." Children of Henricus and Elizabeth (Wemp) Veeder:
- Gerrit Symouse [Symonse?], see forward;
- Abraham, baptized December 27, 1753;
- Catharina, married Gillis Fonda;
- Abraham, baptized April 9, 1758;
- Volkje, baptized August 5, 1759.
(IV) Gerrit Symouse [Symonse?] (Simon), son of Henricus and Elizabeth (Wemp) Veeder, was "justice of sessions" (judge); lived at and owned "Veeder's Mills"; died February 18, 1836. He married Janneke Ten Eyck, of Esopus, January 12, 1782. Children:
- Henricus, born April 27, 1783;
- Cornelise, December 12, 1785, died December 23, 1787;
- Mattheus Ten Eyck, May 21, 1788; graduate of Union College; died June 9, 1824;
- Abram, see forward;
- John, September 8, 1794, died September 23, 1872;
- Elizabeth, January 26, 1798;
- Cornelia Blaudine, May 22, 1801.
(V) Abram, son of Judge Gerrit Simon and Janneke (Ten Eyck) Veeder, was born in Schenectady, New York, died at the age of eighty-four years. He inherited the family lands of "Veeder's Mills" and lived there all his life. He was a member of the First Dutch Reformed Church, and a Democrat in politics. He married Margaret Vedder, who died about 1880, aged eighty years. They had one son, see forward.
(VI) Gerrit Simon (2), only son and child of Abram and Margaret (Vedder) Veeder, was born in Schenectady, New York, July, 1839, died there April 17, 1902. He succeeded his father in the ownership of "Veeder's Mills" and the milling business. He became a wealthy and influential man of the city; member of the First Reformed Church, and politically a Democrat. He married Catherine Schermerhorn, born in Schenectady, New York, 1844, died there March 5, 1907. She was a member of the First Dutch Reformed Church with her husband. She was the daughter of Nicholas and Susan (Chishem) Schermerhorn and granddaughter of Abraham and Catlyntje (Clement) Schermerhorn. Abraham was the son of Abraham, son of Arent, son of Ryer, son of Jacob Janse Schermerhorn, born in 1622 in Waterland, Holland. It is said, although her father in 1654 was living in Amsterdam, Holland, Jacob Janse came to Beverwyck early and prospered as a brewer and trader. In 1648 he was arrested at Fort Orange by Governor Stuyvesant's orders on a charge of selling arms and ammunition to the Indians. He was removed a prisoner to Fort Amsterdam, where he was sentenced to banishment for five years with the confiscation of all his property. By the interference of some leading citizens the first part of the sentence was not enforced, but his property was all lost to him. These proceedings against Schermerhorn later formed a ground for complaint against Governor Stuyvesant to the Holland States General. Jacob Janse made his will May 20, 1688, and seems to have retrieved his fortunes for his estate, amounting to fifty-six thousand guilders, very large for the times. His wife was Jannetie Segerse, daughter of Cornelius Segerse Van Voorhoudt. His descendant, Nicholas Schermerhorn, was a hay and grain dealer of Schenectady, and treasurer of Schenectady county. He was prosperous and well known. Another descendant is William G. Schermerhorn, president of the Citizens' Trust Company, Schenectady. Gerrit Simon Veeder was the father of four children:
- Abram G., see forward.
- William S., born 1864; a coal dealer of Schenectady; married Ida M. Groat and has a son Harold.
- Nicholas I., born 1872, died January 9, 1909; he was associated with his father and brother in the lumber business; married Catherine Weldon, of Amsterdam; no issue.
- Garrett S., born 1878; member of the real estate firm of Gardner Veeder & Company; married Blanche Taylor, of Glen's Falls.
(VII) Abram G., eldest son of Gerrit Simon and Catherine (Schermerhorn) Veeder, was born in Schenectady, New York, March 12, 1863. He graduated from the high school and at once entered business life. For several years he was a land viewer and timber buyer, traveling over the timber belt and buying tracts of standing timber. He gained a wide experience and was an excellent judge of values as represented in such transactions. In 1901, in company with his father, brother, and Leonard and William H. Brown, he leased a lumber yard and purchased the business on Dock street, Schenectady, and engaged in the wholesale and retail lumber business. Their yards are now very extensive and the business done by the firm is enormous. They trade under the firm name of Veeder & Brown, and are favorably known in the commercial world. His business is skillfully conducted along best modern lines, Mr. Veeder giving it personal direction. Mr. Veeder and his wife are attendants of the First Reformed Church of Schenectady, which has long been the family church. He is a Democrat in politics, but not active. He married, in Glenville, Cora Bradt, born in the town of Rotterdam, Schenectady county, New York, 1868, daughter of Aaron B. and Catherine E. (Gregg) Bradt, granddaughter of Aaron and Eliza C. (Vedder) Bradt, and great-granddaughter of John A. and Willempie (Mebie) Bradt. John A. Bradt (Johannes, son of Abraham) was fifth child of Abraham Bradt and his wife, Sarah Van Petten. Abraham was the eleventh child of Arent and Catarina (Mebie) Bradt. Arent was the eldest son of Samuel and Susana (Van Slyck) Bradt, and the maternal grandson of Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck, "the founder." Samuel was the son of Arent Andriese Bradt, one of the first proprietors of Schenectady in 1662, about which time he died leaving a widow and six children. His wife was Catalyntje, daughter of Andries De Vos, deputy director of Rensselaerwyck. After the death of her husband the grants of land in and about Schenectady allotted to him were confirmed to her. She married (second) Barent Janse Van Ditmars, who was killed in the massacre of 1690. In 1691 she married (third) Claas Janse Van Bockhoven. One of the children of her first husband (Bradt) was Ariantje, who married the first Ryer Schermerhorn, and daughter, Cornelia, married Jan Pootman and with him suffered death in the Indian massacre of 1690. Abram G. and Cora (Bradt) Veeder are the parents of three children:
- Carl W., born 1890; now a freshman in Union University, class of 1913.
- Mabel, born 1892; student in the high school.
- Raymond B., born 1902.