This is an English family originally, although the emigrant was from Holland. The name is an English one, and the family probably fled to Holland during the days of religious persecution when that country was a haven for the oppressed of all lands, many of whom afterward came to America.
(I) Peter Winne, emigrant ancestor of the Albany family of that name, was born in the city of Ghent, Flanders. He married Tamatjie Adams, born in the city of Leauwaerden in Vrieslandt. They came to America and settled at Bethlehem, near Albany, New York, July 6, 1684. He owned considerable farm property, saw mills and timber lands. He and his wife made a joint will, dated 1677, of which the following is a synopsis: "Winne, Pieter, of New Albany, born in the city of Ghent, Flanders, and wife Jannettie Adams, born in the city of Leuwaerden, Friesland. Son by first wife Archie Jans, vizt. Pieter, other children mentioned, but not by name. Real and personal estate. The survivor to be executor. Witnesses Jan Verbuck, Mr. Cornelis van Dyck and Adriaen van Ilpendam. Notary Public. Albany Co. Records, Notarial Papers, II, p. 11." Their children were: Pieter Peterse, Adam, Lavinus, Frans, Alette, Killian, Thomas Lyntie, Marten, Jacobus, Eva, Daniel and Rachel.
(II) Lavinus, son of Peter and Tamatjie (Adams) Winne, was born in Holland in 1647. He came to America with his father and was then thirty-seven years of age. His first wife was Teuntje Martense, whom he probably married in Holland. He married (second) Williamje Viele Schermerhorn and had children: Benjamin, Killian, Petrus, Marten, Bata, Maria Sara and Bluyan.
(III) Benjamin, son of Lavinus, and Williamje V. (Schermerhorn) Winne, was born in New York, near Albany, 1705, died in 1797. He married Rachel Van Arnam and had children: Willempie, Hester, Rebecca, Jannetie, Lavinus, Levinus and Lena.
(IV) Lavinus (2), son of Benjamin and Rachel (Van Arnam) Winne, was born in 1745, died in 1825. He married Margytje Lansing, daughter of an early settler of Albany county. Children: Benjamin, Maria, Johannes, David, Rachel, Hendrick, Sara, Lavinus, Sara and Jacob.
(V) Lavinus (3), son of Lavinus (2) and Margytje (Lansing) Winne, was born in 1783, died in 1816. He was a graduate of Union College, Schenectady, New York, and studied law, becoming a practicing attorney. He served in the United States army during the second war with Great Britain in 1812, and rose to the rank of captain. He married Ann Visscher and had three children: Ten Brock Wessell, Nanning Visscher (of whom further), and Maria.
(VI) Dr. Nanning Visscher, son of Lavinus (3) and Ann (Visscher) Winne, was born in 1807, died in 1858. He was graduated from Union College in 1824, and from Yale College in 1826. He studied medicine and was a regularly accredited physician. He had the unique distinction of never having practiced his profession for other compensation than the gratitude of his patients. His skill as a physician was for the benefit of those unable to employ a man of medicine, and he never took a dollar for medical service. His literary attainments were of the highest order. After passing through Union and Yale colleges, he studied abroad and completed his education. He was a lover of nature in every form and particularly loved a good horse and kept in his stables some of the finest of blooded stock. He was a most genial companionable man, and retained all his life a large circle of friends. He was a member of the Episcopal church and for many years a warden. He was a Democrat in politics. He was surgeon with the rank of lieutenant-colonel on the staff of Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer. He passed most of his life in Albany, New York, where he married, February 25, 1829, Rachel, daughter of Garrett Van Sant Bleecker. She was born September 25, 1811, died March 10, 1890. Children: Margaret Ann, Garrett Bleecker, Elizabeth, Jane Maria, William Henry, James Edward, Louisa, John Lansing, Charles Visscher, Minnie Sanders, Henry Allen, Alice. Of these Louise and Charles Visscher are living (1910).
(VII) Charles Visscher, son of Dr. Nanning Visscher and Rachel (Bleecker) Winne, was born at the Bleecker homestead, New Scotland, Albany county, New York, January 27, 1849. He was educated in a private school and Albany Academy. In 1872 he entered the engineering corps of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company; in 1874 he was appointed assistant paymaster and in January, 1891, paymaster of the road, which responsible position he now fills. Mr. Winne is a Republican in politics, and is an ex-president of the Young Men's Association, a non-political and very influential city organization, the oldest of its kind in the United States. The Albany Institute and Historical and Art Association has always claimed his interest and support. He is vice-president of that association and acting president. He was for ten years treasurer of the Albany City Homoeopathic Hospital and for three years president. For more than ten years he has been treasurer of the Albany Country Club, and is a member of the Fort Orange Club. His favorite out-door sport is canoeing, and in both local and national associations fostering this sport or pastime, he is a prominent and familiar figure. He is ex-commodore of the American Canoe Association (1892); for six years captain of the Mohican Canoe Club, and is an ex-president of the Albany Canoe Club. He holds membership in the patriotic societies of Military Order of Foreign Wars and the Holland Society of New York. He is a veteran of the Old Guard, Albany Zouave Cadets, and served fourteen years in the National Guard of the State of New York, seven of which he was second lieutenant of Company B, Tenth Battalion. His fraternal relations are Masonic, being a Master Mason of Temple Lodge, No. 14, Free and Accepted Masons, and a companion of Temple Chapter, No. 5, Royal Arch Masons. He was president of the Camera Club of Albany. He is a member of the Madison Avenue Reformed Church, Albany, and is an active worker in the Sunday school and in the church societies. He is unmarried, but his home is enlivened by the constant presence of nieces and nephews, with whom he shares his material prosperity and supplies with an affection equalling that of which they have been deprived by the loss of parents.
(II) Daniel, son of Peter Winne, "the founder," (q. v.), married Dirkje Van Nes, March 16, 1698. Children with date of baptism:
- Pieter, January 1, 1699;
- Killian, January 19, 1704;
- Jan, October 19, 1707;
- Frans, see forward;
- William, April 22, 1716;
- Lanneke, November 1, 1718;
- Maria, October 29, 1721;
- Adam, January 12, 1724;
- Cornelis, October 23, 1728.
(III) Frans, son of Daniel and Dirkje (Van Nes) Winne, was baptized March 8, 1713. He married (first) Agnietje Van Wie, June 21, 1738; (second), Mrs. Marritje Hooghteling, a widow, September 15, 1757. Children and date of baptism:
- Daniel, see forward;
- Catharine, December 28, 1740;
- Gerrit, July 8, 1744;
- Johannes, November 1, 1747;
- Pieter, June 17, 1750;
- Catharine (2), March 11, 1753;
- Angenitie, August 27, 1758;
- Cornelis, December 26, 1761;
- Jonathan, May 22, 1763,
- Adam, April 2, 1707.
(IV) Daniel (2), son of Frans and Agnietje (Van Wie) Winne, was baptized January 10, 1739. He married Catharine Houghteling, August 15, 1761. Children with date of baptism:
- Agnietje, April 3, 1763,
- Coenrad, November 19, 1764;
- Franciscus, June 11, 1766;
- Catharine, July 3, 1768;
- Willem, see forward;
- Johannes, September 14, 1771;
- Catharine, June 7, 1773;
- Helena, August 30, 1775;
- Cathalyntje, January 3, 1778;
- David, January 5, 1781.
(V) Willem, son of Daniel (2), and Catharine (Houghteling) Winne, was baptized September 20, 1769. He married (first) Mary Baker. January 26, 1785; (second) about 1792, Mary Oosterhout. Children:
- Daniel, born January 20, 1786;
- Dirk, November 23, 1787;
- Peter, April 11, 1790;
- Peter (2), see forward.
(VI) Peter, son of Willem and Mary (Oosterhout) Winne, was born in the town of Knox, Albany county, New York, October 13, 1793. He was reared to farm labor and on arriving at manhood continued in that occupation all his active years. He was rated a successful man and of importance in his community. He married ———— Van Zant, a descendant of the early Dutch family of that name. They were both members of the Dutch Reformed church. Peter died aged eighty; his wife died in middle age. Children:
- James, of Albany, married ———— Toll; children: Hezekiah, Joseph, Peter, all of whom married and had issue.
- Benjamin, grew to manhood on the farm in Knox; later settled in Rensselaersville, where he married and died at an advanced age; two children yet living, Henry and Joseph.
- John, a farmer of Glenville, Schenectady county, New York; married Maria Bronk, of the Hudson Valley Bronk family; children: John, Rebecca and Alvira, the two latter married and are heads of families.
- Henry Y., see forward.
- Peter, born 1823; retired farmer now living in Amsterdam, New York; married Julia Sharp, of Guilderland Center, now (1910) living at the age of eighty-six; has one son, Richard, of Amsterdam.
- Adrie, died in Albany county, New York, at the age of eighty years; farmer; married ———— Van Zant, and had issue.
- Rachel, died unmarried at the age of twenty-two years.
- Sarah Ann, married and removed to Chicago, Illinois.
(VII) Henry Y., son of Peter and ———— (Van Zant) Winne, was born in Knox, Albany county, New York, December 25, 1819, died in Glenville, Schenectady county, January 3, 1907. He grew to manhood in Knox, where he pursued the occupation of a farmer until the death of his second wife, when he removed to Glenville, where he died. He was a thrifty, energetic man and acquired a substantial fortune. He was a member of the Reformed church and a Republican in politics. He married (first) in Knox, Jeannette, daughter of Jacob L. Mesick, an old settler and justice of the peace of Knox for many years; she died in early married life, leaving a son Jacob I., see forward, and a daughter Emily, who died unmarried. He married (second) in Knox, Mary Van Schaick, of Berne, Albany county. She died without issue in 1868. He married (third) in Glenville, Schenectady county, Mrs. Arabella (Van Dusen) Hollenbeck, daughter of Cornelius Van Dusen. There was no issue of this marriage. Two children of his first marriage, Christianna and Arabella, both married and reside in Glenville.
(VIII) Jacob I., only son of Henry Y., and his first wife, Jeannette (Mesick) Winne, was born in Knox, Albany county, New York, where he was educated in the public schools and at Knox Academy. He removed to Glenville with his father, being then aged twenty years. He has ever since resided in that town, where he is a prosperous farmer. He conducts a flour and feed store at Hoffmans, New York. He has always been prominently identified with the Republican party and devoted much time to the public service. He has served as county commissioner, justice of the peace, town supervisor, foreman of a division of the Erie canal, and other minor offices. In 1909, he, was the successful candidate of the Republican party for the office of county treasurer of Schenectady county, and is now (1910) serving in that responsible position. Both he and his wife are attendants of the Dutch Reformed church, and interested in all that pertains to the life of their community. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Glenville. He married, in Glenville, Maria Louisa, daughter of Matthew and Nancy (Silver) Hollenbeck, of Albany county, who removed to Glenville in 1870, purchased a farm, and died leaving a large family consisting of Sanford, William, Maria Louisa, Anna, Elsie and Frank Hollenbeck. Children of Jacob I. and Mary Louisa (Hollenbeck) Winne:
- Blanche, married John Barhydt, telegraph operator on the New York Central Railroad; children: Roy, Raymond, John J. and Dora.
- Jeannette, married Joseph Peters, a farmer of Scotia, Schenectady county; children: Marie, Earl, Jacob and Claude.
- Jessie, married Lester Carter, telegraph operator.