Captain Evert Van Wickle was born on March 21, 1761 at Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. Captain Evert Van Wickle was the son of
Nicasius Van Wickle and
Catherine Boice. Captain Evert Van Wickle was baptized on May 11, 1761 at Dutch Reformed Church, New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Captain Evert Van Wickle married
Anna Johnston, daughter of
Stephen Johnston and
Katherine Kearney, before 1784 at Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. Captain Evert Van Wickle married
Jane (Unknown).
Captain Evert Van Wickle resided at at Sodus, Wayne County, New York, circa 1790. Captain Evert Van Wickle was a Captain in the Ontario County Militia on August 29, 1790. Captain Evert Van Wickle resided at at Angelica, Allegany County, New York, circa 1805. Evert^5 Van Wickle, b. 21 March 1761, is a fifth generation descendent of Jentie^1 Jeppes. Jentie, also known as Jan Jacobzsen de Vries, came to the New World from the Netherlands in 1664 aboard the Dutch East India Company sailing ship, De Endracht (The Concord) along with his wife and three small children. Jentie's sons, Gerrit and Evert, baptized respectively on 1 January 1659 and 17 June 1660 in Wijckel, Friesland, Netherlands, were compelled by the British to adopt a surname. They chose the name of the village of Wijckel and came to be known as "Van Wickelen." Descendents who settled in the NYC/Long Island area became Van Wicklen. Those who went to New Jersey became Van Wickle. Those who went to Canada around 1800 became Van Wicklin.
There is some evidence to suggest that at least some of the early 19th century Van Wicklins in Canada were Loyalists. Those remaining in New York and New Jersey appeared to be more supportive of the Colonists. By way of illustration, Lt. Col. Eliakim Barnum was a well-known tory (early 19th century) in the Northumberland County, Ontario Militia. Adam, Cornelius, Richard, and Jacob Van Wicklin (sons of John^5 [Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrti^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes]) all served in this Northumberland County Militia. Adam Van Wicklin married Mary Boice (29 August 1811), whose father, Andrew Boice, was a Tory. Adam was granted land because of that connextion. By way of contrast, Evert^5 Van Wickle was commissioned as a Captain (29 August 1790) in the Ontario County, NY Militia Regiment and was an agent and surveyor for Captain Phillip Church, commissioned before 1800 by Secretary of War James McHenry--appointment approved by General George Washington.
The compiler of these web pages descended from Jentie Jeppes (John^10 Van Wicklin, Floyd^9, Sherman^8, Gates^7, John^6, John^5, Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrit^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes). Furthermore, he resides in the hamlet of Houghton which lies within the town of Caneadea--northermost region of the Church Tract that was formed from Angelica on March 8, 1808. He is professor of psychology at Houghton College in Houghton, NY. His father, Floyd^9 Van Wicklin, was born 1 August 1910, in Wyoming, NY (the county that borders Allegany on the north), where his father, Sherman^8 Van Wicklin, was a farmer. His son, Robert^11 Van Wicklin is Legislative Director for Hon. Amory Houghton, Jr. Congressman Houghton represents the 31st District, NY which includes the town of Angelica and Allegany County.
John B. Church loaned $80,000 to a Mr. Morris and took as security 100,000 acres of the Morris Reserve. On foreclosure of the mortgage and sale of the property in 1800, his son, Philip Church, bid on and acquired this property. Six miles in width, it encompasses the present day villages of Allen, Angelica, and Amity, most of Scio, and a little of Wellsville, and half of Granger. From seven and one-quarter miles north of the Pennsylvania border, it extended northward for 26 miles. The property was described at the time of Philip's acquisition as:
"...covered all over with tall pines, spreading beeches, elms which bowed, and maples casting down shadows on countless hilltops and along numberless valleys was, if early history is to be relied upon, so cold and cheerless in its desolution, that the wolves starved for want of sheep to live on, while the sheep could not eat the grass on account of the frosts and snows forbidding it to grow; the catamount lived on the coon, and the coon in turn subsisted by annual migrations to the cornfields in the delta below."
Philip Church managed the suvey and early settlement of the tract. Setting out from what is now the village of Almond, with a small party, consisting of Evert Van Wickle, his surveyor and agent, and three assistants, and guided by the celebrated borderman, Major Moses Van Campen, he began exploration of the grand wilderness estate tho which he had become interested.
"The party made a thorough exploration of the tract, camping and breaking up the camp from day to day, encountering almost constant rains and swollen streams."
Not long afterward, Evert Van Wickle was employed to return to the tract to begin surveys and inaugurate improvements on the site of Angelica. Early improvements were under Evert Van Wickle's direction. Before the close of 1802, a saw mill was in operation. During the following year, a grist mill was completed to supply meal for the settlers. A frame house was erected for Mr. Van Wickle and a small log cabin nearby to be used as a land office. Soon after, a few cabins were built for early settlers, and a tavern and store were built as well...and a village was begun.
In 1804, a magnificent white frame house was erected for Philip Church on 2,000 acres in what is now Belvidere (general vicinity of juntion of today's Rts. 17 and 19). For years this was the only painted house in Western NY, west of Canadaigua Lake, and earned the nickname "The White House." After initial exploration, one of the next steps in promoting settlement of the tract was to prepare a map of it in 1804. The map was accompanied by a promotional circular which included the following remarks...
"The land is of excellent quality, and the country, from the purity and abundance of the streams with which it is watered, is remarkably healthy. A town called Angelica is laid out near the center of the tract with four lots in the middle of it upon which church and schools are to be erected, for the building and support of which two hundred acres are reserved near the town...
The land will be sold at moderate price, on the following terms, which are calculated particularly to accommodate settlers...Those purchasing 100 acres and under, to pay 1/20th cash, 1/20th in two years, without any interest, and the remainder in seven equal annual payments, with interest." (The wording of the circular goes on to describe the payment plan for larger acreage, as well as purchase of boards for building.)
For further particulars, apply to the subscriber, residing at Angelica, who is the proprietor of the tract, and duly authorized to dispose of the remainder.
Philip Church...or his agent, Evert Van Wickle."
Not long after the beginning of settlement at Angelica, Samuel Van Wickle, a son of Evert, came. Both father and son were surveyors, and as such were employed by Philip Church to survey lands of the tract. The first town meeting was held on the first Tuesday of April, 1805 and Evert Van Wickle was elected "Overseer of the Poor." Joseph Taylor was certified in 1805 to run a tavern in Angelica as the following statement attests..
"Resolved by us, the commissioners of excise, that Joseph Taylor be licensed to keep a public inn or tavern, he being of good moral character and hath accommodations to keep a public inn or tavern, and that it is necessary that a tavern should be kept for the accommodation of travellers to the dwelling house of the said Joseph Taylor." Moses Van Campen, Evert Van Wickle, Benjamin Riggs, Excise Commissioners
The first marriage in Angelica was of Esther Van Wickle (presumably a daughter of Evert) to Sylvanus Russell in 1805. Early settlement (prior to 1805) was minimal due in part to some legal questions about title to the property. As a mr. Turner put it
(January, 1806)...
"I came through...Angelica. The road from Angelica to Olean was then only underbrushed; the logs were not cut out. I had to lift my sleigh over them. there were then no inhabitants between Genesee River and Olean. I found large hunting parties of Indians camped about the small settlement that the Hoopses had commenced, with whom I had bartered goods for furs."
On November 10, 1807 the first court (a court of general sessions of the peace) was organized at the public house of Evert Van Wickle with Moses Van Campen and Evert Van Wickle, Esqrs and Judges in attendance. On January 9, 1808 a meeting was held at Evert Van Wickle's with steps taken preliminary to the founding of a Masonic Lodge. In 1812, Rev. Robert Hubbard was installed over the united churches of Angelica and Alfred. The installation ceremony took place on the steps of the house of Evert Van Wickle.
The town of Angelica was named for Philip Church's mother, Angelica (Schuyler) Church. it was the original county seat. Philip Church was the first county judge. Evert Van Wickle, his agent, was county clerk in 1813-1816 and 1820-1821. His son, Samuel Van Wickle, was county clerk in 1837.
Some early clerical records indicate that slaves were bought, sold, and bred in the Angelica, NY settlement.
Bill of Sae for Charlotte, to Augustus D'Autrement. "Know all men by these presents that I, Victor DuPont, of the town of Angelica, county of Allegany and state of New York, for in and consideration of the sum of two hundred dollars, in hand paid to me by mr. D'Autrement, for my black wench named Charlotte, which I have bought from Modecai Hale, Esq. with her boy, now four weeks old, said girl to serve Mr. D'Autrement for twenty years, faithfully and honestly, after which I warrant her free if she behaves herself properly during the time she has to serve. The boy to serve Mr. D'Autrement till he is 28 years old, as the law directs. And I do for myself, heirs, assigns, executors and administrators, quit and renounce all claims to said wench and boy."
Angelica, this 15th day of August, 1809. V. DuPont (signed in presence of August D'Autrement and Ellis Pearce)
"I, Phillip Church of the town of Angelica, Allegany County, state of New York, farmer, do hereby certify that a female child called Lucy, age ten years and seven months, was born in the city of New York, of a female slave called Deane belong to John B. Church, Esq. and afterward to myself."
Recorded September 12, 1815
E. Van Wickle, Town Clerk
"I, Evert Van Wickle of the town of Angelica, Allegany County, state of New York, citizen, do hereby certify that a male child called Perry, aged one month, was born in the town, county and state aforesaid in my family of a slave called Elcey. Witness my hand this twenty-fifth day of Augut, eighteen hundred and sixteen."
Recorded September 2, 1816
E. Van Wickle, Town Clerk
(Very few slaves were ever held in the county, and it is believed that all were in Angelica.)
Sometime after the 1830 census (where he is found in the town of Birdsall, Allegany County) Evert Van Wickle may have returned south (to New Jersey?). Samuel Van Wickle remained and became a leading surveyor of the area. He resided in Birdsall and the first couple ever married in Birdsall were Samuel and Harriet (Freeman) Van Wickle in 1821. Harriet was the daughter of Reuben Freeman. Samuel Van Wickle surveyed the area of Phillipsburg Mill Reserve which became the town of Belmont, the present county seat.
Evert Van Wickle's house: After Evert's departure (c. 1830) Rev. Louis Thibou owned the house (1831 to 1880), then Dr. B. C. Wakely (1880-1895), then Henry Hastings (1895 to 1922), and then Harrison Lee Newman bought the house in 1922. It is now owned by mrs. H.L. Newman.