George Ward Van Vredenburgh
George Ward Van Vredenburgh, son of William Townsend and Matilda Burns Van Vredenburgh, was born November 8, 1858, at San Jose, Santa Clara County, Cal.
Mr. Van Vredenburgh is connected with may of the families prominent in the early history of New York. His ancestor, William Isaacsen Van Vredenburgh, the founder of the family in America, came from Holland in the ship "Gilded Beaver," in 1658, and is descended from the distinguished family of the Van Vredenburch in the Hague. In 1664 he married Appolonia Barents [Cool], daughter of Barent Cool - they were members of the Old Dutch Church in New York in 1668. Lieutenant John W. (5) Van Vredenburgh, great grandson of this William Isaacsen Van Vredenburgh, served three years in the War of the American Revolution, and was an officer of Colonel Lashers' Regiment. In 1755 he married Marytje Van Wageneen.
Wm. J. (4) Van Vredenburgh, son of Lieutenant Van Vredenburgh, was for many years a prominent citizen of Onondaga County. He was a member of the Assembly of Onondaga County, 1805-1806; Justice of the Sessions 1804, 1805 and again in 1808. He was given charge of the Colonial MSS. and Papers of New York, also the State Survey of Military Tract and the land seeded to Massachusetts. He married (1) Elizabeth, daughter of Platt Townsend of Oyster Bay and (2) Mary Rosier Gilzean.
Mr. Van Vredenburgh traces his ancestry to Reynier Schaats, a surgeon of Albany who was murdered by the Indians at the Massacre of Schenectady, in 1690, and to his father, the Rev. Gideon Schaats, originally engaged as Minister of the Colony of Renssalaerwych, but in 1657 was appointed, at the request of the inhabitants of Fort Orange and Beverwyck, Minister of the latter place. He also traces his ancestry to Johannis de la Montagne, who came to New Netherlands from Holland in 1637. He was a member of the Kiefts Council, Commissioned General and Vice Director of the Fort Orange until 1664. Through this line Mr. Van Vredenburgh descended from the de Forests, the Vermilyes and other Huguenot and Dutch families of New York. Mr. Van Vredenburgh is a chemist, educated in New York City, and for may years was largely associated with the wholesale and retail drug trade.
In 1889 he placed on the market a patent propeller wheel, which was extensively used by harbor tugs and tow boats. In 1893 Mr. Van Vredenburgh married Miss Marle Breen at St. George's Church in New York City, and, although he is still a young man, he is a large property owner and bank stock holder and has built up an extensive business in the manufacture and sale of proprietary medicines. He is a man of exceptional business ability, and has always been an active sportsman, mainly interested in athletics; he is a member of many clubs, including the New York Athletic Club, Suburban Riding and Driving Club, the Colonial Club on New York City, the Larchmont and New York Yacht clubs. He has always been a daring businessman, and is at present the owner of the sloop yacht "Victory," which was built as a cup defender.
From Sons of the American Revolution [1901] p. 725.
1860 Census San Jose Township, Santa Clara County, California Page 294
W.T. Vredenburgh Age 30 male Druggist Born: New York
M. Vredenburgh Age 25 female Born: New York
W.T. Vredenburgh Age 4 male Born: CA
New York Times Friday October 24, 1919 p. 13.
Died
Vredenburgh. - Matilda Burns, widow of the late William Townsend Vredenburgh, in the 84th year, at St. Luke's Hospital. Services at Moravian Church, New Dorp, Staten Island, Saturday, Oct. 25, at 2:30.