One of the women I’ve looked up to and admired is Eleanor Roosevelt.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I share a set of ancestors with her!  To say I was pumped is an understatement!!  It made me pull my shoulders back sit up straight and say “If she can be a world changer, so can I!”  After all we do share some DNA!  Right?  Right!  And since President Theodore Roosevelt was Eleanor’s uncle, so we also share DNA with a president.  (Sweeeeet!)

The ancestors we share are Abraham Issacse VerPlanck and Maria De La Vigne (also records of her as Marie Vigne).  They are Teddy and Eleanor’s ancestors through their daughter Catalyn/Catalina.

Catalyn VerPlanck-> Maria Schuyler -> Lydia VanDyck ->Cornelius Van Schaick Jr -> Maria Van Schaick -> Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt -> Theodore Roosevelt Sr (Father of President Theodore Roosevelt) -> Elliott Roosevelt -> Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

They are also ancestors of Eleanor’s Mother, Anna Hall, through their son Guleyn.

Guleyn VerPlanck -> Samuel VerPlanck -> Guleyn VerPlanck -> Ann VerPlanck -> Gabriel Verplanck Ludlow -> Edward Hunter Ludlow -> Mary Livingston Ludlow -> Anna Rebecca Ludlow -> Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

They are my ancestors through their daughter Ariaantje and her husband Melgert.

Ariaantje VerPlanck (1646-1692)-> Wynant Melgertse Van Der Poel (1681-1750) -> Anthony Vanderpool (1717-1775) -> Anthony Vanderpool (1749-1840)-> Richard “Dirk” Vanderpool (1784-1850) -> William C. Vanderpool (1803-1898) -> William B. Vanderpool (1826-1885) -> Almeda Vanderpool (1848-1882) -> John Henry Hoover (1869-1946) ->Eliza Ellen Hoover (1890-1978) -> Kenneth Clayton Clark (1911-1991)

A little bit about Abraham and Maria

Abraham Issacse VerPlanck was born in what is now Reusel-de Mierden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands in 1606.  Interestingly enough, this was the same year that, the famous Dutch painter, Rembrandt van Rijn was born.  It is also about half way through the Eighty Years War (when the Dutch were seeking independence from Spain).  About a year after his arrival in Nieuw Nederland, Abraham married Maria De La Vigne in 1634 in Nieuw Amsterdam (Now known as New York, New York).  Maria De La Vigne was born in Nieuw Nederland in 1613.  Her parents, Adrienne Cuvellier and Guleyn De La Vigne, were both from Valenciennes, France.

A little bit about Ariaantje and Melgert

Ariaantje was born in 1646 in Albany, Nieuw Nederland. That’s right! Our people were here when New York was still under Dutch control and was called Nieuw Nederland.  Ariaantje married Melgert Wynantse Van Der Poel in Albany on 4 December 1668.  Melgert was born 2 December 1646 in Beverwyck, Nieuw Nederland and died 19 September 1710 in Albany, New York.  Melgert owned a sawmill, bought and sold real estate, and also participated in the fur trade. In 1686, he was appointed assistant alderman by the governor under the new city charter. He later served as a firemaster and juror. In 1699, he signed a loyalty oath to the king of England. This was required of everyone living in Nieuw Nederland when the English took control.  He was also fined by the city of Albany for having Native Americans in his house.

Hope you enjoyed this little history and mystery lesson.

Love Velma

PS  The “se” on the end of the middle name means “son of” the “je” means “daughter of.”

PSS Ariaantje is the Dutch version of Adrienne.

PSSS Want to know about Beverwyck and early Nieuw Nederland?  Check this out: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/beverwyck.html

PSSSS We are also related to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt through Maria De La Vigne.  Before she married Abraham, she was married to Jan Roos.  They had a son Gerrit Janse Roos.  Through him Maria is the ancestor of FDR.  Meaning we share ancestors with 2 presidents and a first lady.  Sweeeeeet!