Roy C. Van Denbergh is one of the enterprising business men of Utica, being officially connected with the Savings Bank as vice president. He is a native of Rensselaer county, and was born in the town of East Greenbush, on August 21, 1883, the son of Frank A. and Ada C. Van Denbergh of that township. As the name indicates his family comes from the old Dutch pioneering stock of New York, dating back in this country to the year 1720, and some of his forbears were among the first settlers of Rensselaer county.
Roy C. Van Denbergh was educated in the public schools, the Rensselaer high school and the state college for teachers at Albany, graduating from the latter in June, 1910, with the Bachelor of Arts degree. The following fall he entered the profession for which he had prepared by becoming principal of the Union School at Castleton, New York. In September of 1911 he came to Utica to assume the duties of principal of the John E. Brandegee School, which was opened at that time, thus having the distinction of being its first principal. Mr. Van Denbergh filled this responsible position with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the local school authorities until 1918. He is a capable executive and educator, well qualified to direct the school work and educational development of the rising generation. It was a loss to the school system of Utica that was not easily overcome when Mr. Van Denbergh resigned his position to become assistant to Charles A. Miller, president of the Savings Bank in 1918. In this case what was one institution's loss was another one's gain. Ere long the new president's assistant had proved his worth to the bank and his ability to handle large financial problems ably and expeditiously. In 1922 he was made vice president and elected to the board of trustees.
On the 21st of August, 1912, Mr. Van Denbergh was married to Miss Mary I. Foyle, daughter of John Foyle of East Greenbush, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Van Denbergh have become the parents of three children: Doris E., born June 4, 1913; J. Roger, born February 22, 1915; and Ruth Eleanor, born March 1, 1920. The family is affiliated with Christ church of Utica, of which Mr. Van Denbergh is a member and trustee. Fraternally Mr. Van Denbergh is identified with the Masonic order, belonging to Utica Lodge, No. 47, F. & A. M. He represents his profession in the Utica Rotary Club, in which he is now serving on the board of governors and was recently elected chairman of the Central New York group of the State Association of Savings Banks, a position that attests the high regard accorded him by the other bankers in the organization. Mr. Van Denbergh is a member of the Fort Schuyler Club. He is vice chairman of Utica Chapter, American Red Cross. He helped to develop the work of the Junior Red Cross in the schools, had charge of the Japanese Relief campaign and serves on the finance committee of the chapter. Perhaps the most interesting of Mr. Van Denbergh's activities outside of the strict field of finance is his part in the work of the Americanization Council, of which he has been president since its formation in 1920. This organization was formed to help foreigners become good United States citizens, by teaching them the ideals and standards of American life and aiding them in qualifying for their naturalization papers. Mr. Van Denbergh's educational experience is of immense value to him in directing this work, and that he is doing some excellent work in raising the civic standards of his community goes without saying. Utica is to be congratulated upon having such a person among her leading citizens and it is to be hoped that Mr. Van Denbergh's example will be followed by any other men and women, for it is to such citizens that America turns for aid in finding the solution to her "melting pot" problems. Without them, she can do nothing but fail.