The Van Wormers of Schenectady county descend from Peter Van Wormer, who is believed to have been the brother of Abram Van Wormer, born in Holland, 1737; came to America and married Catherine Lainhart, of Guilderland, Albany county, New York, who died in 1845, aged one hundred and one years, a remarkable instance of longevity.
(I) Peter Van Wormer was born May 16, 1749, in Holland, probably in the village of Wormer; died June, 1808, in Schenectady county, New York, where he settled. He married Rachel Van Housen, born October 8, 1753. He had several children, among them:
- Casper, see forward;
- Maria, baptized March 8, 1777;
- Laurens, born September 11, 1789;
- Johannes, born April 5, 1793.
(II) Casper, eldest child of Peter and Rachel (Van Housen) Van Wormer, was born July 16, 1770, died in West Glenville, December 16, 1859. He married, January 29, 1794, Eve Van Dyck. Among his children were:
- Maria, born May 23, 1795;
- Peter, September 25, 1797;
- Engeltje, February 14, 1800, married John I. Swart, died January 5, 1851, at West Glenville;
- John C., see forward.
(III) John C., son of Casper and Eve (Van Dyck) Van Wormer, was born October 5, 1813, died April 29, 1889. He was born in the Mohawk Valley (Montgomery county), where he grew up a farmer. After his marriage he removed to West Glenville, where he founded his home on the old Van Petten homestead inherited by his wife. He became a man of wealth and influence, was a member of the Dutch Reformed church, and is buried in the cemetery of that church at Glenville Corner, where many of the Van Petten and Van Wormer names are at rest. He married Nancy Van Petten, born in Glenville in 1820, died in 1906, daughter of Simon and Eva (Conde) Van Petten, of Glenville, Schenectady county, New York. Simon Van Petten, son of Johannes and Neeltje (Veeder) Van Petten, was born September 3, 1775, died at West Glenville, December 20, 1851; married Eva, daughter of Adam Conde, December 16, 1797. Johannes, son of Nicholas and Rebecca (Groot) Van Petten, was baptized April 29, 1739. He married, July 10, 1762, Neeltje, daughter of Simon Veeder. Nicholas was the son of Claas Frederickse Van Petten, who first came to Schenectady in 1664 and became a prosperous farmer. He was a brother-in-law of Ryer Schermerhorn. In 1683-84 he owned a farm at Papsknee, below Albany. In 1690 he was appointed justice of the peace by Leisler. Claas F. Van Petten was born May 30, 1641, died October 3, 1728. He married Aeffie, daughter of Arent and Catalyntje (De Vos) Bratt. She died January 23, 1728, aged twenty-eight years. The Van Pettens are of Holland descent. Nancy (Van Petten) Van Wormer and her husband were members of the Dutch Reformed church. Children:
- Oscar, died at Glenville at the age of forty-two years, of lockjaw; married (first) Emily Romeyn, no issue; (second) Effie Ludwig, also deceased; children:
- Nancy B.;
- Bessie, married Miner Van Epps, who left a son, Van;
- Blanche, married Joel Swart, of Schenectady.
- Eve Emma, married Drew W. Stanrod, judge of the supreme court of Idaho and one time nominee of his party for governor of that state; two children: a daughter Cammie, deceased, and Drew W.
- Charles, a contractor and builder of Aurora, Illinois; married Fannie Bourne and has five children.
- Henry, see forward.
- Ada, married A. V. Siewert; resides in Duluth, Minnesota.
- Sarah, unmarried, resident of the state of Washington.
(IV) Henry, son of John C. and Nancy (Van Petten) Van Wormer, was born in Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, February 14, 1854. He was educated in the Glenville public schools and the Charlton Academy. He has always been engaged in agriculture and is the owner of three farms in Glenville, which he personally superintends. He has always been an active Republican and has served his town for sixteen years as assessor, an office he still holds. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed church. He married, in Glenville, Elizabeth Chamberlain, born in New York City, daughter of William and Philomena (Mellius) Chamberlain. Her parents were born in the Mohawk Valley, and removed to New York City, where they died. Children of Henry and Elizabeth Van Wormer:
- Beulah, died at the age of eighteen months, and
- John Cornelius, born February 19, 1893, educated in the public schools and at business college, now his father's assistant at farming.