George van valkenburg biography

THE VAN VALKENBURGH’S

By Eli Van Valkenburgh in May 1897

This history of the Van Valkenburgh family written by Eli Van Valkenburgh was submitted by Jane Wood, a descendant and frequent submitter to this website. 

Eli Van Valkenburgh

The Van Valkenburghs, three brothers or more came from Holland and settled at Stuyvesant and Kinderhook in a very early day; about 1650.

One brother went west, another went to Canada, my GdFather, Bartholomew Van Valkenburgh and his newphew John J.

Van Valkenburgh used to tell of a terrible storm they encountered on Lake Ontario when going to visit their relatives in Canada. 

The Van Valkenburghs as a race were men rather small 5 ft. 6 in. or 7 in. long bodied, short legs.  Of temperate habits; good constitutions; great vitality; fond of hunting and fishing and generally a long lived race.  James Van Valkenburgh of Plymouth Ind.

lived to be 103.  John J. Van Valkenburgh his brothe