Montgomery County New York Family Sketches
Surnames T-V

Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley

Montgomery County New York Family Sketches extracted from the History of Montgomery County, Revised and Edited By Washington Frothingham, Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason and Co., Publishers and Printers, 1892.

Calvin P. Teeple Family Sketch

Teeple, Calvin P., Mohawk, Fonda p. o., was born in Carlisle, Schoharie county, September 17, 1857, and is a son of Edward and Catharine Teeple. In 1881 he went to Crown Point to learn photography with E. M. Johnson, and in 1886 he located in Fonda, where he has been successfully engaged in his business ever since. In 1886, the year of his location in Fonda, he married Blanche Peckham of Ballston Spa, and they have one child. Ruble B.

Wilbur S. Thompson Family Sketch

Thompson, Wilbur S., Palatine, was born in Palatine Bridge December 8, 1846, and is a son of Joseph and Nancy (Porter) Thompson. His ancestry as far as can be traced were natives of tliis country. Joseph Thompson was born in Boston, and on reaching manhood learned the trade of stone cutter, and in 1842, when the Erie canal was built, he came to this county to work on aqueducts and bridges. He died in 188& in California, leaving two children: Maria, wife of Henry S. Murray, superintendent of the Pettit Manufacturing Company of Canajoharie, and Wilbur 55.. the subject. His early life was spent in Palatine; he was educated in the academic department of the Palatine school and when about seventeen years of age he went into the store of James D. Taylor of Palatine, where he remained but two years, when he entered the employ of the American Express Company as agent, and has faithfully worked for them for twenty-seven years. In 1867 he married Pauline Keller, daughter of John Keller of Canajoharie; they have had three children: Harriet, Edith, and Henry M. Mr. Thompson has held the position of trustee of this village for six years. He was one of the founders of the order of Red Men of this village, and he now holds the office of senior sagamore.

Frank B. Towman Family Sketch

Towman, Frank B., St. John.sville, attorney, was born in Mayfield, January 7, 1860, and is a son of Bennett W. and Hannah II. (Rhodes) Towman. After the death of his parents he lived with his grandparents, William H. and Rosie (Blake) Rhodes, and at the death of his grandfather in 1867, went to live with an uncle in Saratoga county until thirteen years of age. In the fall of 1875 he moved to Johnstown, where he remained till 1877, attending school and teachmg. He then attended a preparatory school at Johnstown until 1881, when he began the study of law at Northville with Lee S. Anable, and was admitted to the bar in 1885 at Albany. He then went to Johnstown, and in August, 1890, came to St. Johnsville, where he has since resided. September 10, 1885, he married Carrie Q., daughter of Abram and Eliza J. (Quinlan) Van Arnam. Mr. Toviman is a member of F. & A. M.; I. O. 0. F.; and K. of P. On his mother's side he is a tenth generation descendant of Roger Williams. He and his wife are members of the church — he of the Presbyterian, and she of the Methodist Episcopal. The grandfather, Wendell Towman, came from Baden Baden, Grermany, in 1832. His wife was Fannie Zaley, by whom he had four children: Pauline, John, Bennett W. and one other. Bennett W., father of Frank B., came to Fulton county, and later settled in Mayfield, where he followed lumbering. He died February 26, 1864, and his wife November 29, 1862. They had four children, two of whom survived: Sarah J., who married and died childless in 1880; and Frank B. Mrs. Frank B. Towman died June 28, 1892, at St. Johnsville, leaving her husband and one daughter, who was born June 19, 1892, and named after her mother after her death.

John H. Van Vechten Family Sketch

Van Vechten, John H., Florida, one of four children of David and Sarah C. (Hubbs) Van Vechten, was born May 29, 1825, on the old homestead purchased by his greatgrandfather July 2.5, 1771, for fifty pounds, he having lived there since 1766. The original deed, in a good state of preservation, is in the possession of Mr. Van Vechten. His great-grandfather, Hubartus Van Vechten, was born at Catskill October 31, 1725. He was a soldier in the revolutionary army, and died July 4, 1778. His wife was Mary •Spore. His son Derrick, the next in line, was born at Catskill October 24, 1753, and served all through the revolutionary war, receiving not even a scratch. He was in the battles of Oriskany, Saratoga and many others. His wife was Eachel Spore. He died November 17, 1847, being then in his ninety-fifth year. His son David, father of John H., was born on the old homestead in Florida, March 1, 1799. He died there November 11, 1862, His wife, Sarah C. Hubbs, was born November 4, 1808. John H. Van Vechten married, February 13, 1850, Isabella Keachie, who was born in Florida January 12, 1822, and who died June 7, 1891. They had two children, Carrie Bell, who died in childhood, and Agnes Mary, now Mrs. Alfred Dougall, who with her husband, lives upon the property in a house near by. The record of this family is uncommon in these days of changing property. Five generations of the Van Vechten family lie in their burying-ground near the old home.

Enders J. Voorhees Family Sketch

Voorhees, J. Enders, Amsterdam, was born at Fort Hunter on the 17th of September, 1836, and was the son of John Leslie Voorhees of that place, who died at the old home at Fort Hunter. His boyhood days were spent on his father's farm, but when a young man he took up his abode in Amsterdam. In 1867 he entered the Farmers' National bank as book-keeper, a position he held until 1881. Upon the organization of the Greene Knitting Company he became a member and was elected president and acted in that capacity until his death. He was president of the Farmers' National bank of this city, of the Edison Electric Light and Power company and many other institutions of this city. He was a wise and prudent counselor, his advice was of much value, which had much to do with the prosperity of the bank. Mr. Voorhees took a deep interest in Masonry and was a member of Artisan Lodge No. 84, F. and A. M., Amsterdam Chapter No. 81, R. A. M., Dewitt Clinton Council No. 22, Temple Commandery No. 2 of Albany, N. Y., Albany Sovereign Consistory, also of Cyprus Temple, A. A. 0. N. M. S., Albany, and member of the Holland Society, New York. On the 13th of November, 1866, he was united in marriage to Cornelia A. Becker of Port Jackson (now Amsterdam), who survives him with one daughter, Mrs. William G. Waldron. He also leaves a brother, James Voorhees, of the Greene Knitting company, and three sisters: Sarah J, and Elizabeth of Amsterdam, and Kate L. of Fort Hunter. Mr. Voorhees was "known and read of all men," as a square, upright, business Christian gentleman.