Albany County New York Family Sketches - Surnames V

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Albany County New York Family Sketches - surnames V, extracted from the Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Edited by Amasa J. Parker of Albany, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1897.

VAN ANTWERP, Daniel Lewis, Family Sketch

Van Antwerp, Daniel Lewis, son of William and Sarah (Meadon) Van Antwerp (see sketch of John Henry Van Antwerp for genealogy), was born in Albany, October 6, 1826, and received a public school and academic education. He learned the trade of bookbinder with A. L. Harrison, who had established himself in Albany about 1843, and whom Mr. Van Antwerp succeeded m 1852. This is one of the oldest, as well as one of the best equipped bookbinding and blank book manufacturing establishments in the city, and under Mr. Van Antwerp's able management has enjoyed a prosperous career. The business for many years has been located at No. 16 James street, where a large trade in all kinds of mercantile and other stationery is conducted and where printing and engraving are also done.

VAN METER, Archibald, Family Sketch

Van Meter, Archibald, son of Edmund and Jennett (Loyd) Van Meter, was born in New Scotland. Albany county, March 13, 1825, and about 1828 moved with his parents to the city of Albany, where his father died soon afterward. The family originally came from New Jersey; the father of Holland and Scotch descent, and the mother of Scotch descent. Mr. Van Meter was educated in the public schools of Albany and as a youth, first engaged in gardening. In 1844 he engaged in the meat busmess, in which he has ever since continued, being located at No. 378 Hudson avenue, since 1877. For several years he has had a large wholesale trade, but now carries on a retail business exclusively. He is member of Wadsworth Lodge, No. 417, F. & A. M.

VICTORIN, Anthony, Family Sketch

Victorin, Anthony, was born in Vienna. Austria, in 1850, of French parentage. His early education was obtained in Vienna and later he completed a course in the Polytechnic of Vienna, in the mean time devoted two years to practical work. After leaving the Polytechnic he was engaged in an extensive establishment at Gratz, Austria, for the manufacture and repair of locomotives, railroad cars, etc., as draughtsman, foreman and superintending engineer: later he was in the employ of the Austrian government as inspector of railway material. The last few years of his residence in Europe were devoted to the construction and equipment of industrial establishments in Austria and France. In 1880 he came to the United States where he has been eminently successful. His first engagement here was as civil and mechanical engineer in the construction of the buildings for the Chicago Sugar Refining Company. In 1884 he accepted the position as mechanical engineer at the West Point Foundry, where his duties were the designing and constructing of factories for the production of machinery and heavy ordnance, and in the early part of 1886 he was engaged as mechanical engineer of the Army Ordnance Bureau in Washington. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Victorin was transferred to Watervliet Arsenal, where his knowledge and skill have been devoted to the building and development of the present great gun factory, and designing, constructing and perfecting the gigantic machinery for the manufacture of heavy ordnance. His well known work here ranks him as second to none in the engineering fraternity. Mr. Victorin is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, the Engineers Club of New York, the I'afraets Dael Club and Laureate Boat Club of Troy, and the Fort Orange Club of Albany; he is also an honorary member of the Troy Citizens Corps. Socially he is a man of great popularity, a gentleman of pleasant manners and an entertaining conversationalist. He is proud of his allegiance to his adopted country and is a thorough American in his citizenship.

VIELE, Maurice Edward, Family Sketch

Viele, Maurice Edward, is descended from Cornelius Cornelison Viele, who fled from France to Holland to escape persecution, came to Fort Orange, now Albany, and subsequently removed to Schenectady, where he resided when that place was destroyed by the Indians, and whence he returned to Albany in 1670. His son, Ludovickus Viele, born 1709, married Maria Frear; their son, Jacob, married Eva Le Fort; and their son, Ludovickus, married Effie Toll. Hon. John L. Viele, son of the latter, 1788-1832, married Cathalina, daughter of John and granddaughter of Col. John Knickerbocker, of Schaghticoke, where Col. John raised and commanded a regiment in the Revolution, participating in the battle of Saratoga. She died in 1837. Hon. John L. Viele was assemblyman from Saratoga county, senator from the Fourth district, two terms each, and was a Regent of the University of New York at the time of his death. Maurice E. Viele, his son, born in Waterford, N. Y., May 17, 1823, attended the academy at Lansingburgh and in 1837 came to Albany to finish his education in the academy here. After clerking in Albany and New York, latterly for Boorman, Johnston, Ayers & Co., iron merchants, he formed in November, 1845, a partnership with Alexander Davidson, and as Davidson & Viele purchased the hardware store in Albany of M. Van Alstyne & Co. Mr. Davidson died in 1859 and Mr. Viele continued the business with other parties until 1864, when he became sole owner. In 1891 he transferred the stock to the Albany Hardware and Iron Company and retired from active life, being at that time the oldest hardware merchant in the capital city. During his career he bought out six different hardware concerns. He was an organizer and long a director of the Merchants Bank of Albany, was for several years a director in the Commercial National Bank, was an organizer and president of the old Albany Agiicultural and Art Association, and has been a trustee of Rutgers College since 18.J3, being the second oldest member ot that board. He has been a trustee of the Albany Orphan Asylum since about 1850 and of the Albany Academy since 1872, was president of the Albany County Bible Society, and Albany City Tract and Missionary Society several years, and was an incorporator in 1876 and since 1892 president of the Home for Aged Men. For eight years he has been a trustee of the Berkshire Industrial Farm at Canaan Four Corners, Columbia county, and in politics has been a Republican since the formation of that party. In 1850 he married Maria, daughter of Charles De Kay Townsend, M. D., of Albany. She died in 1889.

VISSCHER, Edward W., Family Sketch

Visscher, Edward W., was born in Albany, April 5, 1870, and is descended from one of the oldest families in this section. Bastiaen Visscher came from Hoorn, Holland, to America, prior to 1644 and settled in what was then Rensselaerwyak, now Albany. His son, Harmen B., was born there and had a son. Manning Visscher, whose son Barent J. was baptized in Albany, March 13, 1737. Johannes B. Visscher, son of Barent J. was born here September 4, 1769 and died April 15, 1825. His son, John B. Visscher, was born here August 31, 1825, and married first, Ann, daughter of Abraham R. and Annetje (Visscher) Ten Eyck, and second, Alida, daughter of Douw and Jane Ann (Lieverse) Lansing. He died January 31, 1890. and was survived by Edward W. Visscher and William L. Visscher. Edward W. Visscher was educated in the Albany Academy and in 1887 entered the Mechanics' and Farmers' Bank, with which he has since been connected. He is a member of the Holland Society of New York and of the Fort Orange Club. In January, 1895, he married Miss Mame E., daughter of Eugene P. Palmer of Chicago, Ill.

[ Surnames W ]