Hillsdale County MI Archives Biographies.....Vandervolgan, Henry December 15, 1834 - 
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 14, 2007, 8:39 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers

Henry Vandervolgen resides on section 8, Pittsford Township, where he has 
built up a pleasant home, and is actively engaged in the occupation of 
farming.  For the past two years he has been principally engaged in buying and 
shipping stock.  The parents of our subject, and also of his wife, were early 
settlers of Hillsdale County, and their children were reared amid the scenes 
of a pioneer life, and experienced its privations and trials in common with 
those about them.  Since the days of their childhood the face of the country 
has entirely changed, and their present comfortable, cozy home, situated amid 
broad, well-tilled fields, forms a great contrast between the humble pioneer 
homes in which they were reared, with wild surroundings, lofy trees of the 
primeval forest stretching for miles and miles on either hand with scarcely a 
break, excepting here and there the small clearings of some settler, and 
haunted by wolves, bears, deer, wild turkeys, and other wild animals, and even 
the aboriginal settlers of this country still lurked in their forest haunts 
when the parents of our subject first moved here.  The conditions of such a 
life developed in the people a hardihood, vigor of mind, self-reliance and 
mutual helpfulness, that were a great power in the making of this noble 
commonwealth of Michigan, and have left their unmistakable impress upon the 
gneration of to-day.

Mr. Vandervolgan was born in the town of Root, Montgomery Co., N.Y., Dec. 15, 
1834.  His father, Freeman S. Vandervolgan, was born in the same town, where 
his father, Lawrence Vandervolgan, a native of Holland, or of Dutch parentage, 
spent his last years, engaged at his trade of shoemaker.  The father of our 
subject was reared and marrie there to Mary Clement, a native, and daughter of 
Aaron and Elizabeth (Ottman) Clement, pioneers of Pittsford Township (for 
history of them see sketch of Christopher Clement).  After marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Vandervolgan continued to live in their native town until 1838, and then 
started with their five children to build for themselves a home in Michigan, 
taking the most convenient and expeditious route, via Erie Canal and lake to 
Toledo.  They then proceeded on the railway to Adrian, which was then the 
western teminus of the railway, the cars being drawn by horses.  They made 
their way from there through the wilderness across Bean Creek Valley to 
Pittsford Township, where Mr. Vandervolgan bought a tract of land on section 
4, it being at the time the settlement furthest west on the town line.  He 
soon erected a comfortable log house for the shelter of his family, with the 
usual mud and stick chimney, and an elm bark covered roof.  Mrs. Vandervolgan 
was a notable housewife, and used to cook delicious meals before the huge 
fireplace, and for some years spun and wove all the flax and wool, and made 
the clothes for the family.  The industrious and useful life of that good 
woman closed on the scenes of earth June 2, 1847.  After her death Mr. 
Vandervolgan moved to Wheatland and made his home there until his death, Oct. 
11, 1873.  He was a trustworthy, upright man, and was respected by all in the 
community.

The subject of this sketch was in his fourth year when he came to Hillsdale 
County with his parents, and he has since been a witness of its development 
and growth, and has borne an honorable part in promoting its agricultural 
interests.  After his marriage he bought forty acres of land on section 4, and 
reside on it for a few years, and then sold that place and purchased a tract 
on section 15.  A few months later he also disposed of that in order to buy a 
part of the old homestead on section 4.  After living there eleven years he 
bought the place where he now resides.  His present farm contains sixty-six 
acres of land under an excellent state of culture, and with good modern 
improvements, noticeable among which are a substantial dwelling and ample out-
buildings.

In these years of persistent and courageous labor Mr. Vandervolgan's efforts 
in the upbuilding of a home have been ably seconded by the devoted cooperation 
of his excellent wife, to whom he was united in marriage Sept. 13, 1860.  Her 
maiden name was Susan M. Rush, and her birth took place in Macedon, Wayne Co., 
N.Y., Aug. 27, 1836.  Two children have blessed their union - Laura A. and 
Mary E.  Their happy married life has been saddened by the death of their 
eldest daughter, Laura, who was born Sept. 21, 1861 and died Jan. 6, 1888.  
Mrs. and Mrs. Vandervolgan are highly respected for genuine kindly hearts and 
true worth of character; they are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and 
zealously uphold its good works.  In politics, Mr. Vandervolgan is a firm 
supporter of the Republicans.

Mrs. Vandervolgan's parents were pioneers of Pittsford Township, and as such 
we are pleased to incorporate a brief record of their lives in this sketch.  
Her father, Jehial M. Rush, was born in ONtario County, N.Y., March 13, 1808, 
and was a son of Samuel F. Rush, a native of Connecticut, whose father, it is 
thought, came to America from Scotland, with his mother when quite young, and 
settled in that New England State.  The grandfather of Mrs. V. grew to manhood 
in his native State, and when a young man went to New York and settled in 
Ontario County, and was a pioneer of the town of Farmington.  He bought 
timbered land, improved a good farm, and lived there many years.  He 
subsequently removed to Wayne County, resided there until 1840, and then came 
to this county and made his home in Pittsford Township, where he improved a 
farm from its wild state, and continued to live here until his death.  The 
maiden name of his wife was Catherine Dellezenne, and she was born in New York 
State.  Her father, Michael Dellezenne, was a native of France, who emigrated 
to America some time during the last century, and settled in the State of New 
York.  

Mrs. Vandervolgan's father was reared on a farm in his native State until 
twenty years old, and then he learned to be a carpenter, and followed that 
trade in New York State for some years.  He married, Aug 29, 1835, Miss Laura 
A. Wilber, who was born in Wrentham, near Boston, Mass., Feb. 15, 1815.  Her 
father was Ephraim Wilber; his father was a farmer, and spent his last years 
in Norton, Mass., where he died about 1823.  Mrs. Vandervolgan's maternal 
grandparents moved to New York, and settled near Syracuse, Onondaga County, 
where her grandfather died about one year later.  Two years after that his 
widow married again, moved to Wayne County, and settle din Macedon, where she 
spent her last years.  Her maiden name was Susan Leonard, and her father, Job 
Leonard, the great grandfather of Mrs. V., was a native of Massachusetts, 
where he owned a foundry in Wrentham.

In the year 1837 the parents of Mrs. V. came to Michigan, and located near 
Hillsdale, where Mr. Rush bought a tract of timbered land.  He cleared some of 
his land, and continued to work at his trade a part of the time.  He built a 
log house on his place, which the Indians, who still lingered in the vicinity, 
used to call "The Clean House" to distinguish it from the other log houses, as 
it was built of hewn logs.  He resided there seven years, and then moved to 
Pittsford Township, where he bought a partially improved farm on section 9, 
and continued to be actively engaged in his trade.  He erected a suitable set 
of frame buildings, and lived there until 1864, when he sold that place and 
bought the one where he now resides, and has since devoted his entire time 
farming.  He owns a good farm of forty acres, well provided with good 
buildings, and he and his good wife are spending their decling years in 
comfort and in the enjoyment of the respect of the people about them.  They 
are the parents of four children, of who Mrs. Vandervolgan is the eldest:  the 
record of the others is as follows:  Eliza is the wife of Jonathan Stafford, 
of Wheatland Township; Alice is the wife of John Vandervolgan, and lives in 
Eaton County; Delora is at home with her parents.

Additional Comments:
Portrait & Biographical Album of Hillsdale Co.
Chapman Brothers
Chicago
1888

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