Daniel Van Dusen 1808 - 1894

Name: Daniel Van Dusen [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Gender: Male [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Birth: 26 Jan 1808 in Copake, Chemung, New York, USA [1, 2, 3]

Marriage: 1829 [1]

Death: 07 Sep 1894 in New Carlisle, St Joseph, IN, USA [1, 2, 3, 4]

Father: Robert Van Dusen

Mother: Caloah Alitizer Fuller

Wife: Annie Robbins

Birth: 24 Jan 1812 in Sullivan, New York, USA [1, 3, 5]

Death: 11 Mar 1839 in Switzerland, Indiana, USA [1, 3]

Daniel enlisted 12/16/1863. He served in Co. A 12th Calvary, 127th Regement until he mustered out 11/10/1865 with the rank of Corporal.

Other Spouses: Lora Bagley (b: 1821) 
Children:

1  A. Eli Van Dusen [4, 5, 8, 9]

M Gender: Male [3, 4, 5, 8, 9]

Birth: 17 May 1830 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [1, 3, 4, 5, 10]

Marriage: 17 Jul 1852 in Greensburg, Decatur, Indiana, USA [3, 4
Spouse: Cynthia Bennitt (b: 01 May 1835)
Death: 15 Feb 1917 in Hudson, La Porte, Indiana, USA [1, 3, 4, 10]

2  Robert Van Dusen [1, 5]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]

Birth: 09 Aug 1846 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [1]

Death: 1904 in De Motte, Jasper, Indiana, USA [1]
3  Daniel VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]
Birth: 1856 in Indiana, USA [1]

Death: 1923 [1, 5]

4 Mary VanDusen [1]

F Gender: Female [1, 5]

Birth: 1855 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

Death: 1863 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

5 Enoch VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1]

Birth: 20 Dec 1846 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [1]

Death: 30 Apr 1863 in Civil War [1]
6  Cornelius VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]

Birth: 1843 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [1, 5]
Death: 23 May 1864 in Civil War, North Anna, Virginia, USA [1, 5]

7  Orren VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]

Birth: 1849 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

Death: 1891 [1, 5]
8  Schuyler VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]
Birth: 1857 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

Death: Deceased [5]

9  Zelpha VanDusen [1]

F Gender: Female [1, 5]
Birth: 1852 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

Death: Deceased [5]
10  Leander VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]
Birth: 02 Apr 1834 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [1]

Death: 30 Nov 1887 in La Porte, Indiana, USA [1, 5]
11  Elijah VanDusen [1]

M Gender: Male [1, 5]

Birth: 1834 in Indiana, USA [1, 5]

Death: Deceased [5]
12  Martha Jane VanDusen [1]

F Gender: Female [1, 5]
Birth: 1838 in Indiana, USA [1]

Death: Deceased in Indiana, USA [5]

Sources

1 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.


2 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.


3 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.Record for A Eli Vandusen.

4 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for A Eli Van Dusen.


5 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Daniel Van Dusen.


6 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Daniel Van Dusen.


7 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Daniel Van Dusen.


8 Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online.Record for Eli Van Dusen.

9 Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Wills, La Porte, Indiana, ED 89, roll T9_292, page 245.2000, image 0331.Record for Cynthia Van Dusen.

10 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

A. Eli Van Dusen

A. Eli Van Dusen

Sex: Male

Father: Daniel Van Dusen

Mother: Annie Robbins


Individual Facts:

Name:  A. Eli Van Dusen,[1, 2, 3]

Sex: Male [1, 2, 3, 4]

Birth: 17 May 1830 in Decatur, Indiana, USA [3, 4, 5, 6]

Residence: 1880 in Wills, La Porte, Indiana, United States [2, 3]

Death: 15 Feb 1917 in Hudson, La Porte, Indiana, USA [3, 4, 5, 6]



Spouse: Cynthia Bennitt

Marriage: 17 Jul 1852 in Greensburg, Decatur, Indiana, USA [3, 4]

Children:

Francis Marion Van Dusen
James Henry Van Dusen
William Thomas Van Dusen
Daniel Ervin Van Dusen
Mary Van Dusen
Sherman Lee Van Dusen
Charles T Van Dusen
Alton Ellsworth Van Dusen
Annie Laura Van Dusen
Edith Irene Van Dusen
Edna Leona Van Dusen


Sources:

1 Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online.Record for Eli Van Dusen.


3 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for A Eli Van Dusen.

4 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.Record for A Eli Vandusen.


5 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

6 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.
2 Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Wills, La Porte, Indiana, ED 89, roll T9_292, page 245.2000, image 0331.Record for Cynthia Van Dusen.

Henrietta Bickell

 Henrietta Bickell















Father: Jacob Bickel

Mother: Elizabeth Harness

Individual Facts:

Name:  Henrietta Bickell [1]

Sex: Female [1]

Birth: 05 Jul 1867 [1, 2, 3]

Census: 1900 in Wills, La Porte, Indiana [1]

Death: 23 Feb 1940 in Wills, La Porte, Indiana, USA [2]

Burial: New Carlisle Cemetery, New Carlisle, St. Joseph, Indiana, USA [1]

Spouse: Francis Marion Van Dusen

Marriage: 23 Mar 1883 in Three Oaks, Berrien, Michigan, USA [3]

Children:

Marion Van Dusen

Harvey Van Dusen

Edna Van Dusen

Flossie Van Dusen

Harold Van Dusen

Nona Van Dusen

Bessie Van Dusen

WilmerVan Dusen
                                                                                         Nona Van Dusen Wilcox

Sources:

1 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Henrietta Bickell.


2 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

3 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

Francis Marion Van Dusen

Francis Marion Van Dusen






Father:  A. Eli Van Dusen

Mother:  Cynthia Bennitt



Individual Facts:

Name:  Francis Marion Van Dusen

Sex: Male 

Birth: 06 May 1858 in Wills Township, LaPorte, IN, USA [1, 4]

Residence: 1880 in Wills, La Porte, Indiana, USA [1]

Death: 24 Oct 1945 in Wills, La Porte, Indiana, USA



Spouse:  Henrietta Bickell

Marriage: 23 Mar 1883 in Three Oaks, Berrien, Michigan, USA [5]

Children:

Marion Van Dusen,

Harvey Van Dusen

Edna Van Dusen

Flossie Van Dusen

Nona Van Dusen

Bessie VanDusen

Wilmer Van Dusen

Sources:

1 Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Wills, La Porte, Indiana, ED 89, roll T9_292, page 245.2000, image 0331.


2 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.Record for A Eli Vandusen.

3 Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Wills, La Porte, Indiana, ED 89, roll T9_292, page 245.2000, image 0331.Record for Cynthia Van Dusen.

4 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

5 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.

Melvin Taylor Stump

Melvin Taylor Stump

Father:  Abraham J. Stump

Mother: Lovina Drake

Individual Facts:

Name: Melvin Taylor Stump[1, 2]

Sex: Male [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Birth: 20 Sep 1889 [7]  Elkhart, IN

Death: Jun 1981 in Sherwood, Branch, Michigan, United States of America [8]

First Wife : Ruth A Chicolte

Marriage: 27 Jul 1911

Children:

Everett J. Stump,

Leonard P. Stump,

Audeane R. Stump

Second Wife: Rosalia Ivadell Reebs

Marriage: 1919 in MI

Children:

Charlotte Ann Stump

Janet I. Stump

Marjorie Caroline Stump

Melvin Taylor Stump as born in Elkhart, IN.  He lived much of his life in Athens, MI raising and racing horses. At one popint he went west, and broke Mustangs which he sold to the US Army.   He was also active in real estate. By all accounts, he was quite a character.

Sources:

1 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Melvin Taylor Stump.

2 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Melvin Taylor Stump.

3 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Wakeshma, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ED 59, roll 998, page , image 1038.0.Record for Marjorie C Stump.

4 Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Union, Elkhart, Indiana, ED , roll , page .Record for Melvin Stump.

5 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Wakeshma, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ED 59, roll 998, page , image 1038.0.Record for Melvin T Stump.

6 Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED , roll , page , image 209.Record for Melvin D Stump.

7 Ancestry.com, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Roll 1675764, DraftBoard 0.

8 Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007), Database online.

Iva D McNiel

Iva D McNiel

Father: William McNiel,

Mother: Ida C Doran

Name: Iva D McNiel, 1, 2, 3]

Sex: Female [1, 3, 4, 5]

Birth: Abt. 1896 in MI [1, 2]

Residence: 1930 in Athens, Calhoun, Michigan [1, 2]

Death: 1980 in MI

Iva was born in Athens, MI.  She lived in the area all her life. Sources indicate that she was married to a nm Humphrey and was living in a boarding house in Battle Creek before returning to her families home for the 1920 census.  No other information in know on this marriage. 

She later married Marion Van Dusen and had two children.  They divorced and she never remarried.  She worked at Kelloggs for much of her life, and retired from there. 

Second Marriage:  Marion Van Dusen

Children:

William H. Van Dusen Sr

 Marvin R Van Dusen


First Marriage: Humphrey, First Name

Marriage: MI

Children: [no children]


Sources:

1 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED 8, roll 978, page , image 196.0.

2 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED 8, roll 978, page , image 196.0.
3 Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED , roll T624_639, part , page .Record for Ira D McNiel.
4 Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED , roll , page .Record for Iva McNeal.
5 Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED , roll , page , image 198.Record for Sarah D Humphrey.

Pictures from Center Church, Hartford, CT

The Center Church congregation can trace it's history back to Thomas Hooker and the other founders of Hartford, CT back in 1633.  In addition to the church is Hartford "ancient burying ground" which is accessible to the public.  http://www.centerchurchhartford.org/

Several ancesters were founders and early inhabitants of the greater Hartford area including Thomas Lord and Robert Day.  Here are there tombstones, as well as a memorial obelisk celebrating the founders.  The grveyard is adjacent to the Center Church which you can see in the last picture.

Robert Day

Marion Van Dusen

Marion Van Dusen [1, 2]


Born:  28 Apr 1887 [3, 4]


Father:  Francis Marion Van Dusen


Mother:  Henrietta Bickell

Was living 1930 in Athens, Calhoun, Michigan [1] with wife, 2 children and his in-laws William Mc Niel and Ida C Doran.

Buried: 1967 in Burr Oak Cemetary

Social Security Number was issued through the Railroad Board [4] .  Marion was a Brakeman for the Grand Trunk Railroad working out of Battle Creek, MI[3].


Second Wife:   Iva Doran McNiel

Children:
William H.Van Dusen Sr
Marvin R Van Dusen

Marion had two others wives Florence and Georgia.

1 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Athens, Calhoun, Michigan, ED 8, roll 978, page , image 196.0.


2 Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Wills, La Porte, Indiana, ED , roll , page .Record for Marian Vandusen.

3 Ancestry.com, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Roll 1675065, DraftBoard 0.Record for Marion Vandusen.

4 Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007), Database online.Record for Marion Vandusen.

Marjorie Caroline Stump Van Dusen

Marjorie Caroline Stump
Female
Father:  Melvin Taylor Stump
Mother:  Rosalia Ivadell Reebs


Individual Facts:

Birth: 24 Aug 1923 in Athens, MI
Residence: 1930 in Wakeshma, Kalamazoo, Michigan [1, 2]

Death: 23 Dec 1992 in West Bloomfield, Oakland, Michigan, USA
Burial: 28 Dec 1992 in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, Troy, MI

Shared Facts: Van Dusen, William H. Sr

Marriage: 15 Apr

Children:

William H Van Dusen Jr
Susan M Van Dusen
Thomas J Van Dusen
David Charles Van Dusen

Sources:
1 Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Wakeshma, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ED 59, roll 998, page , image 1038.0.Record for Marjorie C Stump.

2 Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online.Record for Melvin Taylor Stump.

Sarah Elizabeth Day Doran Beatty

Sarah Elizabeth Day
Sex: Female

Father: Day, Thomas
Mother: Becker, Catherine

Individual Report for Sarah Elizabeth Day
Individual Facts:
Name: Day, Sarah Elizabeth [1]
Sex: Female
Birth: 1827 in York, Pennsylvania, USA [1]
Residence: 1860 in Marshall, Virginia [2]
Death: 30 Apr 1910 in Athens, Michigan, USA [1]

Shared Facts: Beatty, William
Marriage:
Children: [no children]

Shared Facts: Doran, John
Marriage: 26 Feb 1850 in York, Pennsylvania, USA [1]

Children: Doran, John Edward (our ancestor)
Doran, Columbus
Doran, George Franklin
Doran, Harriet


Sources:
1 Ancestry.com, OneWorldTree (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.), Database online.
2 Ancestry.com, 1860 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network,
Inc., 2004), Database online. , Marshall, Virginia, post office Moundsville, roll M653_1360, page 237,
image 240.

William H. Van Dusen, Sr.

William Harvey Van Dusen was born November 2, 1922 in Athens, Calhoun County, MI.  He died July 23, 2005. He was the oldest son of Marion Van Dusen and Iva Doran McNiel.  They had a second son, Marvin Robert Van Dusen of Florida.  Bill married his childhood sweetheart Marjorie Caroline Stump, also of Athens. 




William and Marjorie had 4 children:

William H Van Dusen, Jr.
Susan M Van Dusen
Thomas J Van Dusen
David C Van Dusen

After WWII, he returned to college and became a teacher.  They moved to PA for a time, and Saginaw, MI before settling in Dearborn, MI.  He left teaching to open a successful business which he maintained until retirement.  They eventualy moved to West Bloomfield, MI and at the time of his death, Bill was living in White Lake, MI where he was able to enjoy living on the lake. 

He loved to fly and maintained his pilots license until the time of his death.  He was an active member of the Free Masons, participated in a monthly friendly poker game for over 40 years (from which he split his winnings amongst his grandchildren), and love to build things.

Where to begin

I was lucky enough to get a jump start from a family member.  You can too.  Talk to your oldest relatives.  They'll have albums and photos.  Ask them to go through them with you.  If you can, record the information on video or tape recorder.  At a minimum write everything down.  Don't rely on your own memory.  Some of the stories will weave into other stories, and good luck keeping that all straight without documenting it!

These flashbacks will flesh out the information that you will dig out on your own.  With today's access to records, you can find out lots, but not that your great-grandmother was a fabulous pie baker, or that your uncle was a stone mason who helped to build the US Treasury.  Nothing will make your family history seem more special than the human element. 

While there is a ton of information on the internet, not all of it is accurate.  This gets compounded by people copying and pasting this misinformation into their own family tree which they then share and before you know it there is a lot of incorrect information out there.  Be sure that you document and reference all your sources. 

After you have talked with family be sure to organize the data.  I use Family Tree Maker, but there are other programs out there.  In the beginning you might think that you can manage the information on your own, but should this become a passion, you will need to have the help of some software. 

Visit your public library.  Our library has HeritageQuest (which searches U.S. federal census, banking and military records, genealogies, local histories, primary source materials, and genealogical and local history serials) and Ancestry Library Edition available for free and well has other reference sources.  You may even be able to access some of these from home if you are a registered user.  You might even be lucky to have a library nearby that as a comprehensive genealogy section that your library can borrow from.

FamilySearch.org is a free site and service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Again, be sure to double check any information, and that you have the right family member.   Just think of all the Mary Smith's that were born in 1952!

CyndisList.com has a tremedous number of genealogical sources, some of which are unique and very helpful.  Once you start looking, you'll find that a lot of pieces will fall together.  There are so many organizations, clubs, family sites and boards that you can join...some free, some fee-based. 

It may sound silly, but just try putting the names into search.  They may have done something remarkable that is our there on the web that may give you a new avenue to search out.

It all began with Abraham Van Deursen

It only seems logical to start with Abraham Van Deursen since he begins much of the history of our family name.  There is a direct male line through my husband of 11 generations.  Much has been written about Abraham.  He even has a Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Pietersen_van_Deusen .  Over time, the name evolved from Van Deursen to a variety of spellings...some quite different from the original.  Anyone who has been researching their family tree for any amount of time will notice the changes in almost any name.  Sometimes the census taker made a mistake, people misread someone's handwriting, or illiteracy...so many reasons.

Here's our line from Abraham ~

Abraham Van Deursen                 1607 - 1678
Teuwis Van Deursen                    1631 - 1700
Abraham Van Deursen                 1676 - 1746
Robert Van Deusen                      1724 - 1807
Abraham Van Dusen                    1755 - 1836
Robert Van Dusen                        1783 - 1868
Daniel Van Dusen                        1808 - 1894
A. Eli Van Dusen                         1830 - 1917
Francis Marion Van Dusen          1858 - 1945
Marion Van Dusen                       1887 - 1967
William Harvey Van Dusen, Sr    1922 - 2005
David Charles Van Dusen            1957 -
Kathryn Van Dusen                       2002 -

More on these generations next time....

Let's get started

My father-in-law had always been interested in genealogy, even buying one of those vanity press books on the Van Dusens.  A cousin's wife started doing some serious digging and traveling to find out more on the family (before the easy access of the internet) and gave him a copy of her findings.  Some were a little off, but most of them gave me the inspiration to find out more. 

Anyone who has done any digging in their families' past will discover that one solid hit can open many doors.  My plan for this blog is to connect with others searching through the family tree and I will be happy to share information and hope you will be willing to do the same.  It is so exciting that so many of the older census are available online that can confirm what had only been stories at older family members knees. 

Many of these names are people who were original settlers of the United States and they have been researched and documented by many prominent historians and genealogists which makes putting my little family tree together so much easier!

Here is a starter listing of some of the family names in the tree ~

Van Dusen


Van Deursen

Van Duersen

Bennett                McClure

Bennitt                McNiel

Bentley               Melchoirs

Bickell               Powers

Carpenter           Prior

Carr                   Robbins

Cock                  Roberts

Crosby              Rutgers

Day                   Schoohoven

Decker              Van Etten

Doran               Van Heusden

Feake               Vrendenburgh

Fones               Weeks

Fowler            Wetherell

Fuller              Winthrop

Harness           Witbeck

The Van Dusen Family....and more

This journey began with some information my father-in-law gave me about 8 years ago. It's be fun, frustrating but always interesting.