The American ancestor of the Wendells of Schenectady and Albany is Evert Jansen Wendell, born 1615 at Emden, a city of Hanover, Germany, situated at the mouth of the river Ems. He came to America, settled at New Amsterdam in 1642, and died in Albany, New York, in 1709, aged ninety-four years. On February 8, 1647, he obtained a patent for a lot in what was then called the "Graft" (now Beaver street, New York City). About the year 1651 he moved to Fort Orange (Albany), where he was ruling elder of the church in 1656, orphan master in 1657, magistrate in 1660-61. His lot in Albany was on the west corner of James and State streets, owned later by his son Thomas. Miss Agnes L. Wendell, of Schenectady, a descendant, has in her possession a small painted memorial window pane taken from the old Dutch church, on which is the inscription, "Evert Jansen Wendell, Regerende Dyaken 1656." He married (first), July 31, 1644, Susanna Du Trieux, died about 1660, sister of Philip Du Trieux, court messenger in New Amsterdam at an early day. The family name is now Truex or Truax. Children:
- Thomas, baptized September 8, 1645.
- Eliza, married Abraham Staats.
- Johannes, see forward.
- Diewertje, died young.
- Diewertje (2), married (first) Myndert Wemp, (second) Johannes Glen.
- Jeronimus, see forward.
- Philip, married Maria Visscher.
- Evert (2), married Elizabeth Sanders Glen; she survived him, and married (second) Frederick Harmense Visscher.
He married (second), in 1663, Mrs. Maritje Mingall, daughter of Abraham Pieter Vosburg and widow of Thomas Janse Mingall. Children:
- Abraham, married Mayeke Van Ess.
- Catherine, married Thomas Millington.
- Maria, married Barent Sanders.
- Susanna, married Johannes L. Teller. He married (third) Ariantje ————. No issue.
(II) Captain Johannes, son of Evert Jansen and Susanna (Du Trieux) Wendell, was baptized in New Amsterdam, February 2, 1649, died between November 20, 1691 (the date of his will), and February 20, 1692 (date of probate of will). In 1682 he was agent for Maryland to receive the indemnity from the Five Nations of Indians for depredations they had committed in that province. He came to Albany, where he was justice of the peace in 1684-85, ruling elder of the Dutch church, and commissioner of Indian affairs from 1684 to 1690. In 1685 he was commissioned captain of the Albany company, and in 1690 was mayor of Albany. He left to each of his children by his first wife, Elsje and Maritje, one hundred and forty beavers (the currency of the country of that period), and movables belonging to their mother's estate. To Abraham he gave his part of land called "Sarachtoge" (Saratoga), being the farm lying south of Fish creek. To Johannes he gave his land called Steenarabia (Lausenburgh), and the island called "Whale Island." To Ephrahim the land called "Klinkenburgh," and to his wife his dwelling house in Albany. Besides the foregoing, he owned a "piece of land outside the stockade in Albany on both sides of the Ruttenkill, south of the fort on the hill, bounded on the south by the hill that the gallows stands on." The present Wendell street runs through part of that land. He married Maritje, baptized January 21, 1652, daughter of Jellis Pieterse Meyer, of New York, and Elsje Hendricks, of Amsterdam, Holland. Children:
- Elsje.
- Maria (Maritje).
He married (second) Elizabeth, daughter of Major Abraham Staats, surgeon, who came to Rensselaerwyck with Dominie Megapolensis in 1642, and his wife Catarina, daughter of Jacob Wessels. Children:
- Abraham, married Katarina De Kay.
- Susanna, married Johannes Lucas Wyngaart.
- Catalyntje.
- Elizabeth, married Johannes Ten Broeck.
- Evert (3), married Engeltje Wendell (Lansing?).
- Johannes, married Elizabeth Walters.
- Ephrahim, married Annie ————.
- Isaac, died in infancy.
- Isaac (2), married Catalina Van Dyck.
- Sarah, twin of Isaac, married Jacob Glen.
- Jacobus, married Sarah Oliver.
Maritje (Meyer) Wendell survived her husband, and married (second), April 25, 1695, Johannes Schuyler.
(II) Jeronimus, or Hieronimiss, son of Evert Jansen and Susanna (Du Trieux) Wendell, was born in Albany in 1655. His home lot in Albany was on State street (north side), second east, now Pearl. He made his will April 25, 1690, wherein he left his wife his entire property during her widowhood. He married, before 1676, Ariantje, daughter of Harmen Bastien and Hester Visscher, and had children:
- Susanna, married, 1718, Johannes Symondse Groot;
- Harmanus, see forward;
- Evert, married, 1710, Engeltje Lansing;
- Johannes, married, 1708, Susanna Viele;
- Hester, married, 1715, Johannes Beeckman;
- Elsja, married, 1714, Nicholas Schuyler.
(III) Harmanus, son of Jeronimus and Ariantje (Visscher) Wendell, was born in 1678, and according to the church records he was buried December 15, 1731. His lot was on State street, west of Pearl (No. 98). He was a merchant of Albany, and as such in 1700 signed an address to the Earl of Belmont. He was alderman of Albany, 1714-20-26-27; commissioner of Indian affairs from 1728 to 1732; contractor to victual Oswego in 1729. He married, about 1699, Anna, buried September 19, 1756, daughter of Jacob Sanders Glen. Children:
- Ariantje;
- Jacob, see forward;
- Catherine, married, 1757, John A. Cuyler;
- Evert, married 1761, Maria Truax;
- Anna, married, 1737, Jacob Henry Ten Eyck;
- Johannes, born 1711, died 1743;
- Judge Harmanus, married, 1741, Catherine Van Vechten;
- Abraham, married, 1740, Elizabeth Wendell.
(IV) Jacob, son of Harmanus and Anna (Glen) Wendell, was born November 22, 1702. He inherited land in Schenectady through his grandfather, Jacob Sanders Glen. He was a farmer of Rensselaer county. He was buried in Greenbush, New York, August 5, 1745. He married, December 19, 1728, Helena, born October 4, 1702, daughter of Hendrick and Catharina (Van Brugh) Van Rensselaer. Children:
- Harmanus, died young;
- Harmanus, married, 1786, Barbara Bradt;
- Hendrick, see forward;
- Catharina, married, 1762, Abraham Cuyler;
- Anna, married, 1763, Cornelius J. Cuyler;
- Maria, baptized April 15, 1739;
- Ariantje, baptized April 10, 1743;
- Elizabeth, married, 1765, Isaac Bekker.
(V) Hendrick, son of Jacob and Helena (Van Rensselaer) Wendell, was baptized October 15, 1733, died October 1, 1795. He served as a private in the revolution, and was sheriff of Albany county from 1777 to 1781 and from 1782 to 1786. He married, June 9, 1757, Maria, daughter of Robert and Margaret (Roseboom) Lansing, who survived him, dying in 1813.
(VI) Robert Hendrick (Henry), son of Hendrich and Maria (Lansing) Wendell, was baptized February 7, 1760, in Albany, died in Schenectady, July 7, 1848. He was an attorney-at-law, and at the age of twenty-four years removed from Albany to Schenectady, where he located and settled on lands yet in the family. He was a slave owner and prominent in the Whig party. He built his homestead on College Hill, which is now standing, in the residential section of Schenectady. The farm is now traversed by broad boulevards and streets which are lined with handsome residences. Near the house were the slave quarters where lived the tillers of the fields, owned by Mr. Wendell. He married Agnietje, died July 7, 1848, in her eighty-ninth year, daughter of Jacob Fonda and a descendant of Jillis Douwse [Douwese?] Fonda, of Beverwyck, 1654. Children:
- Henry Robert, baptized September 29, 1784, see forward;
- Peter Fonda, born July 3, 1786;
- Maria, born February 9, 1789, died October 26, 1809;
- Jacob, born April 16, 1791, died at Shelby Basin, Orleans county, New York, October 12, 1843;
- Giles F., buried February 9, 1824;
- Alida, born January 10, 1796;
- Robert Lansing, born 1798;
- Mattheiu Trotter, born December 14, 1801.
(VII) Henry Robert, eldest son of Robert Hendrick (Henry) and Agnietje (Agnes) (Fonda) Wendell, was born in Schenectady in a house that stood on the site of the present Young Men's Christian Association building. His father left his estate in entail to his eldest son, a clause in his will that caused a prolonged suit at law, but ended in favor of the present holders of the homestead and farm. He was a prominent land owner, lawyer and public man. He was highly educated, skilled in the learning and application of the law, chancellor of the state of New York, and a leader in the Whig party. He was an ensign and lieutenant of militia, and though very young served in the war of 1812-14, being twice wounded (family records). He was married, in Schenectady, in the family home, later owned by his daughter, Agnes L., November 17, 1817, by Rev. Cyrus Stedman, to Parmelia Perry, born in Salisbury, Connecticut, April 11, 1790, died December 1, 1870, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Love Spencer Perry, of Albany, and grand-niece of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. Both she and her husband were active members of St. George's Episcopal Church, of Schenectady. She was a woman of culture and refinement, and the Wendell home was noted for its kindly hospitality. Children:
- Maria, born September 24, 1818, died February 4, 1865; married James M. Moyston; two children, both of whom died in infancy.
- Margaret, born May 26, 1821, died February 4, 1870; married Williard E. Trotter, son of John Trotter, and grandson of General Trotter, of revolutionary fame. They had a daughter, Sarah Livingston, whose daughter, Lillian Trotter Case, had a daughter Lillian, who married William Whitehead, of Schenectady, and has a daughter, Catherine Wendell Whitehead. Sarah Livingston also had a son, Trotter Case.
- Agnes Love, see forward.
- Abbie A., born April 5, 1828, died January 5, 1880; unmarried.
Henry Robert Wendell, father of these children, died March 13, 1868.
(VIII) Agnes Love, third daughter of Henry Robert and Parmelia (Perry) Wendell, was born in Niskayuna, Schenectady county, New York, June 29, 1824. She was educated in the schools of Schenectady. She inherited the homestead which included farms, quarries and city property, known as "College Hill." She was a most competent and unusual business woman, cared for her large estate and business interests with rare judgment, and gave little evidence of her great years. She was an active and devoted member of St. George's Episcopal Church. Her unusually retentive memory did not fail her until her death, and she materially assisted in the preparation of this record of one of the foremost families of Albany and Schenectady counties, and one that has always been active in the professional and public life of the commonwealth.