GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OF WESTERN NEW YORK, Vol. 1
(William Richard Cutter, A.M., 1912)
Submitted by Karen Hammer

VAN BROCKLIN

The Van Brocklins of Middleport, New York, all descend from early Dutch ancestors, the first of whom to settle in Northern New York was Cornelis Teunissen Van Brocklin, ancestor of the Van Brocklins of Middleport, New York, came to Holland with his brother, who later went to Virginia.  Cornelis T. went northward and was one of the early settlers of Beverwyck (Albany) in 1631.  He was a magistrate of Beverwyck, and an Indian trader.

(I) Garrett (Gerritt) Van Brocklin was a soldier of the revolution, serving with the Tryon company militia.  He was a signer of the association test, and an organizer of the third and fourth battalions of militia from the Mohawk Valley district.  He was commissioned ensign, August 26, 1775, and reappointed, June 25, 1778 and was commissioned second lieutenant, March 8, 1781.  He owned a large amount of land in the Mohawk Valley in the counties of Schenectady and Montgomery.  He married Anna Hilts.

(II) Alexander, son of Garrett and Ann (Hilts) Van Brocklin, was born at Caughnawaga, Montgomery county, New York, October 4, 1776.  He lived at Oneida Castle, removing from there to Chautauqua on Lake, Ontario, where he bought a two hundred acre tract from the Holland Patent Company, later selling his farm and removing to Canada, where he died at Long Point.  He married Sarah J. Cady.

(III) John, son of Alexander and Sarah J. (Cady) Van Brocklin was born at Taberg Furnace, Oneida county, New York, May 10, 1801, died at Middleport, New York, January 28, 1883.  He had but three months schooling in the district school, having to fight life's battle for an existence from his earliest boyhood.  His father was engaged in the foundry business and the lad early learned what hard work meant.  As he grew in years he continued in the same business.  He built the first foundry at Barnegat, Orleans county, which he operated, later erecting the first one built at Londonville, in the same county.  In the fall of 1839 he located in Middleport, Niagara county, New York, where he built a foundry and manufactured many of his own patents.  He invented many articles of value, among them being a cleave for plows that was in use as long as wooden beam plows were made.  Another valuable patent was a machine for making carriage bolts, which is still the basic principle upon which the bolt machines of today operate.  About 1860 he retired from the foundry business and engaged in the sale of patent rights until his death.  He was engaged during the war in the transportation of ammunition for the use of the American army.  Although a man of little education he possessed unusual native ability and inventive talent.  He was a good business man and made a success of his life.  He married Delilah Bentley.  Of their ten children only two are living, a daughter Cynthia, and Daniel.

(IV) Daniel, son of John and Delilah (Bentley) Van Brocklin, was born at Londonville, Orleans county, New York, December 25, 1829.  He was educated in the public schools of Londonville, spent one winter at the Academy at Yates Center, and one winter at the Western Reserve Institute at Kirkland, Ohio.  He worked with his father in the foundry, removing with him to the different places he operated, then working in various parts of the country, finally settling in Canada.  After quitting the foundry business he purchased a fine span of horses, and with his father travelled about the states selling patent rights.  He later separated from his father and purchased a canal boat and for one season boated on the Erie canal with little success from a financial point of view.  In the following winter he secured a contract from the New York Central railroad which netted him sufficient capital to go west.  He purchased a tract of timber land at Willoughby, Ohio, which he cleared, converting the trees into lumber.  Later he again joined his father in selling the rights to use the patented bolt machine.  Later they went to Canada, settling at Welland, then Merrittsville, where they built and operated a foundry for eighteen months.  Daniel disposed of his interest at the end of that time, and in 1854 returned to New York, settling at Middleport, where he purchased a foundry owned by his brother.  He continued in the foundry business until 1870, then opened a hardware and house furnishing store, which he conducted for a few years, disposing of that to his son, William I. Van Brocklin.  He then purchased a farm in the town, and after operating that a few years retired from active life, retaining now only a general oversight of his farm, and looking after his numerous tenant’s properties, in Middleport.  He has spent an unusually active life, as the foregoing record shows, and has improved every opportunity.  His long and busy life has not incapacitated him, but at eighty-two years he is still active and vigorous.  He is a member of the Universalist church, and for forty years has been connected with the Masonic order.  In politics he is a Republican, and served as trustee of the village corporation of Middleport.

He married (first) Elizabeth Ewing, of Middleport.  He married (second), in Chicago, Illinois, Angelina G. Baker, born 1841, daughter of Judge Alden S. Baker.  Children of first marriage, one died in infancy: William I., born June 7, 1856, married Adelaide Robinson; Ida E., born February 9, 1863, married George Nash; children, Leon, married Adcal Davis; Daniel, Carrie, married Samuel Westbrook, and has Winifred.  Child of second marriage: Mary E., born December 12, 1882, married Dr. Almon Dewhurst, and has Elizabeth.

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