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

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ays Or. for ldg. ard, lyn, Van ICH Cll- lout old u I his the mple al He hen ent 21111 he 1 of the IO7 chandizing for the Held of Hnance, among large CO,-, porations. He had a peculiar talent forfzl nance, and engineered several deals which neu d e him uite handsome results. He left the street railroads to enter upon a telephone venture or ani ' , g zing the Na- tional Improved Telephone Company, and then had a long controversy with the Bell Tele h C . ' p one om- pany over patent rights, which resulted in a victory I th B ll or e e company. In 1886 he went to New York, and was next heard of as the or ' . . ganizer of the Poughkeepsie Bridge Company, with a capital of S5,ooo,ooo. This company built the great brid e across the Hudson River at Poughkezepsie Mi Van 'Benthuysen retained his connection with this company for several years, and then retired. H h d l e a a Ways retained his residence in New Or- leans, though much of his time was spent in New York and in travel in his later years. J' In 1853 he was married to Miss Amelia Elizabeth Scott, of New Orleans, and three children blessed the union, of Whom only one survives, Walter Van Benthuysen, also a member of the Holland Society. Mr. Van Benthuysen was a communicant of the Episcopal Church. . Joseph Davis, brother of Jefferson Davis, mar- ried an auntrof lVIr. Van Benthuysen. Mr. Van Benthuysen was a successful man, and devoted to his family. He spent little or no time in club sociability, though he was one of the charter members of the Pickwick Club, and still retained his membership in that institution. , N . -W. f' t' 1' S 'Qbk Q X -7 441' ' .- ,,-v N cg:-is BS AX if df x F-ij,u 1-.. 1--Jer,-n- -. f'f fzF f.- 'Wkf' ' 'M' T.-ftiiv' 'fig fi-f -F' :'31'4?Q'if!, Vffa.-4' 1 . ff - l N-554 15? N Qg rgesf ig. '?1f14' 2,39 Assy?- 2' ' fib- , 1' 3, - .

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' 1o6 there was no more conspicuous figure in New Gr- leans. ln his later years he developed a genius for finance, and his many deals, evolved with rare judg- ment, were always executed with success. Watson Van Benthuysen was born at Bedford, L. l., which is now part of the city of Brooklyn, sixty-eight years ago. His father was Watson Van Benthuysen, and his mother Catherine Van Cuppen. He was educated at Middletown College, Connecti- cut, and went to New Orleans with his parents about the year 18 5o. His father was interested in the old Commeafczkzl Bullefzkz, a newspaper of those days, and young Van Benthuysen thus started off his career with a newspaper experience. 'When the Civil War broke out, and the Confederate govern- ment was organized, he cast his lot with the people of his new home, and was soon placed in several responsible positions in the civil government. He was given charge of the Tax and Kind department, and went to Richmond, to perform his duties. When the Confederate government was menaced at Rich- mond, and it became necessary for the president and cabinet off1cers to leave the city, Mr. Van Ben- thuysen was placed in charge of the wagon-train which escorted President Davis out of Richmond. It was after Mr. Davis left the wagon-train that he was captured. The wagon-train found its way to Florida. When General Butler took possession of New Orleans he had lVlr. Van Benthuysen arrested, and he was conhned on board ship for some time. Returning to New Grleans after the conclusion of hostilities, Mr. Van Benthuysen went into the wholesale tobacco business and was very successful. While still conducting this ,business he became in- terested in the Crescent City Railroad, and was elected its president. He built the Coliseum line, belonging at that time to that road. He then be- came interested in the Carrollton Railroad, and served two terms as its president. His 'experience with the street railroads convinced him that he had found his true vocation, and he abandoned mer- Chaflf POW englll handf ef1lZCI' tional 3 long any for tl? YO1'k1 the P of 55: across Van W comp: He leans, York In 1 Scott, the ur Benth Mr. Episcf 'Jost ried ai Mr. devote club s memb his me

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W has fi fi W sr if 5' l 'ai' .v J 'A 'L-5 F 5 Y W 'diff QU .Q 'Q fluff' eeigsvfsnsrgsaifr A 'TD 4. L oRANJE BovEN1 N E of the most widely known and popular rallying cries of Hollanders is Oranje Boven ! This has been variously ren- , dered, Orange on top ! Hurrah for the Orange ! Orange forever etc., the literal translation being Orange above! The origin of the expression dates back to the early history of the Sea Beggars. When these fierce and fear- less forerunners of the Dutch Navy in 1569 first flung aloftfthe colors of William the Silent, orange, white, and blue in horizontal bars, there was some uncertainty among the seamen as to which of the several colors should be uppermost, and in ignorance sometimes the flag was raised in reverse order. To obviate all danger of such a mistake, it grew to be the custom for the skipper when giving the command to raise the ensign to shout, Oranje Boven ! and so the Prince's color would float nearest heaven. This was the flag of the Netherlands in the days of our earliest pioneer ancestors who settled New Netherland, and was similar to the ones made for us in Holland, that we use at our annual banquets. In 1650 at the beginning of the Stadholderless Government '7 red was substituted for orange, and the present Dutch ensign was adopted. 108