The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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I I I , 1 My 1. .ilqi z..,,,, , 4 I 1 TA. L - in l if .-. .-1.-.. ,T .. ,K 5 !lI1il,igli El if rini if all Biiilfl 4 , .,',.1.4iQi! 8o the early settlers of the town of Clinton, Dutchess Coq N, Y., in the year 1743, in which town the name has been familiarly and Eonorably known for h n a centur and a ha . mclfiiirt siveral yearis previous to his death he held the position of assistant manager of the Hotel Laurel in the Pines, Lakewood, N. 'lVlr. Van Vliet was a young man of strict integrity, and a large and extended circle of friends and acquaint- ances rise to testify of his many virtues and to regret his untimely death. HoN. ABRAHAM A. VAN VoRsT, president of the Schenectady bank and a former Mayor of Schenec- tady, died in that city, December 2, 1899, the dawn of the fourth day of his ninety-fourth year. He was seized with a sudden illness while attending a meeting of the bank directors on November 21, and gradually failed. Mr. Van Vorst was born November 28, ISO6, in the town of Glenville, Schenectady Co. A-t the age of seventeen he became tired of the farmer's life and came to Schenectady, where he started in business life as a clerk. Five years later he entered the hardware business with Henry Peek. The firm of Peek 85-Van Vorst .was after- wards dissolved and Mr. Van Vorst continued the business alone until 1853. , In 1858 he became a member of the lumber firm of Van Vorst, Vedder 85 Co., in which business he remained until 1874. In 1845 he was made a director of the Schenectady bank, and in 1872 was elected vice-president to succeed Judge Paige. When Gen. Jay Cady, the' president of the bank, died in 1875, Mr. Van Vorst was elected president, and. filled the position 'in a most faithful and efficient manner up tothe time of his last illness. Mr. Van Vorst, as a nonagenarian, was in sound PhYS1Cal and . mental health, his nerves were firm, his appetlte good, and his sleep undisturbed.

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79 It was in that year, 18 37, that the bread riots oc- curred. A mob -broke into his employer's place, and he carried the Hrm's books to his father's office in Nassau Street. Mr. De Witt subsequently became a member of the Stock Exchange, and gave up his membership in 1848 to start out for California. He embarked in a brig, accompanied by a business friend named Harrison, and sailed around Cape Horn with a cargo of merchandise, reaching San Francisco in ISO days. Mr. De VVitt was in San Francisco at the time of the gold discoveries in 1849. He founded the firm of De Witt 81 Harrison, com- mission merchants, and for three years carried on a most prosperous business. Mr. De Witt returned to New York in 1852, and opened a branch office of the firm. The firm afterward became De Witt, Kittle SL Co., and on the retirement of Mr. De Witt, in 1870, the firm was changed to Kittle 85 Co. Mr. De Witt is said to have taken every route possible to California in his numerous trips, except- ing the pony express and Ben Holladay's stage- coach route. He became a member of the Holland Society, Nov. 17, 1885. GEORGE PLATT VAN VLIET, of Salt Point, N. Y., united with this Society, June 8, 1899, and died at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, N. J., Gctober 29, 1899. He was born in the town of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess Co., on May 4, 1866, and received his education at the collegiate institute of Dr. james M. De Ganno, at Rhinebeck, N. Y. In his young manhood he spent much time in travel in different parts of his own country. He married, May 24, 1894, Miss Florence Aldrich, of Whitefield, N. H. Mr. Van Vliet's ancestors came to this country from Utrecht, Holland, in 1662, and first settled at The Esopus QKingston, N. YQ. The present branch of the family removed to and was among

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81 At the bank of which he was president, he per- formed conSt-211112 Week-day duty, with a handwriting and figures equal to those of the best bookkeeper, He was a ready mental computor of the interest on notes, which made him of invaluable service to the bank clerks. In politics Mr. Van Vorst was always a staunch Democrat' .Besides being Mayor of Schenectady in 1853, 1854, 1869, 1870, 1882,,and 1883, he has had considerable prominence in politics, having served in the Board of Aldermen and been a member of the Democratic county committee. V Mr. Van Vorst was very popular, and was a well- known man in the many fraternal organizations of the city. He was the oldest Free Mason and also the oldest Odd Fellow in Schenectady, and was a charter member of St. George's Lodge, F. Sz A. M. He was also one of the first members of,Mohawk Valley Lodge, No. 12, I. O. O. F. He was long a devout and earnest worker in St. George's Episcopal Church, and was connected with the vestry of that church for over sixty years. He was married in 1830 to Miss Amanda Hul- bert, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1880, six months after the celebration of their golden wedding. The local paper, referring to the funeral, said: Seldom 'or never in the history of the city has the loss of a private citizen occasioned such widespreadlamentation. There were evidences of profound grief on every hand throughout the burial services, and it is almost superfluous to say that the sympathy of the entire community goes out to the members of the stricken family in their bereavementf' At a meeting ,of the Schenectady Branch of the Holland Society of New York, held Tuesday, December 5th, 1899, to take suitable action re- specting the death of Hon. Abraham A. Van Vorst, the following resolutions. of respect were unanimously adopted : U Whereas, Death has recently removed from us our highly esteimed and oldest member, Hon. Abraham A. Van Vorst,