Alfred was born in Utica, New York on January 23, 1819.[1] He was the son of Sarah (née Hitchcock) Van Santvoord (1786–1878) and Abraham Cornelius Van Santvoord (1784–1858),[1] who had provided munitions during the War of 1812 to the troops of CaptainThomas Macdonough on Lake Champlain, and thus played a major role in the American victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh. After the war, Abram Van Santvoord became one of the first boatmen on the Erie Canal. His brother was Cornelius Van Santvoord.[2]
Following a common school education in Albany, Alfred Van Santvoord became a clerk for his father, and later obtained an interest in his father's business.[3] Together, the Van Santvoords ran boats on the Erie Canal and the Hudson River. His father also had a joint interest with Daniel Drew and Isaac Newton in the People's Line, which ran passenger boat service on the Hudson River.[4]
After his father's death, Van Santvoord purchased a number of steamboats and launched the Albany Day Line, which also offered transportation to passengers. Van Santvoord also came to own several freight-towing boats, which eventually became the Hudson River Day Line.[5][6]
On January 22, 1852, Van Santvoord was married to the former Anna Margaret Townsend (1826–1890) of Albany.[2] She was the daughter of Absalom Townsend and Elizabeth (née Lansing) Townsend, and the granddaughter of Jacob Lansing and Anna (née Quackenbush) Lansing.[9] Together, they were the parents of five children, four of whom survived to adulthood, including:[2]
Elizabeth Van Santvoord (1853–1854), who died young.[2]
Charles Townsend Van Santvoord (1854–1895), a manager of the Hudson River Day Line who did not marry.[2]
^ abThe Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York: History, Customs, Record of Events, Constitution, Certain Genealogies, and Other Matters of Interest. V. 1-. Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. 1905. p. 171. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^ abcdefghBergen, Tunis Garret (1915). Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 945. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^Ewen, William H. (2011). Steamboats on the Hudson River. Arcadia Publishing. p. 51. ISBN9780738574158. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^Blume, Kenneth J. (2012). Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Maritime Industry. Scarecrow Press. p. 503. ISBN9780810856349. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^"Alfred Van Santvoord" (PDF). The New York Times. July 2, 1899. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^. www.nysl.nysed.gov. New York State Library. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^The Bankers Magazine. Bradford Rhodes. 1900. p. 49. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^ ab"Guide to The Alfred Olcott Hudson River Steamboats Collection, Ca. 1871-1951 (bulk 1905-1930) PR 98". dlib.nyu.edu. New-York Historical Society. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^ ab"MRS. W. MERLE-SMITH, CLERGYMAN'S WIDOW; Member of Old Family--Her Son Aide of Gen. MacArthur". The New York Times. 31 August 1943. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
^"ALFRED VAN SANTVOORD DIES ON HIS YACHT | Busy Life of the President of the Hudson River Day Line Ended. A Pioneer of the Steamboat Service on the Hudson River -- His Services for the Government in the Civil War" (PDF). The New York Times. July 21, 1901. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
^"MERLE-SMITH DIES; HERO OF TWO WARS; Ex-BankerWon Honors in 1918, and in 194-2 for Aiding the U, S. Forces on Bataan". The New York Times. 10 November 1943. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
alfred, santvoord, commodore, january, 1819, july, 1901, wealthy, american, businessman, made, fortune, running, steamboat, lines, born, 1819, january, 1819utica, york, diedjuly, 1901, 1901, aged, york, city, york, spouseanna, margaret, townsend, 1852, died, 1. Commodore Alfred Van Santvoord January 23 1819 July 20 1901 was a wealthy American businessman who made his fortune running steamboat lines Alfred Van SantvoordAlfred Van SantvoordBorn 1819 01 23 January 23 1819Utica New York U S DiedJuly 20 1901 1901 07 20 aged 82 New York City New York U S SpouseAnna Margaret Townsend m 1852 died 1890 wbr Children5Parent s Abraham Cornelius Van SantvoordSarah HitchcockRelativesVan Santvoord Merle Smith grandson Eben Erskine Olcott son in law Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 3 1 Descendants 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editAlfred was born in Utica New York on January 23 1819 1 He was the son of Sarah nee Hitchcock Van Santvoord 1786 1878 and Abraham Cornelius Van Santvoord 1784 1858 1 who had provided munitions during the War of 1812 to the troops of Captain Thomas Macdonough on Lake Champlain and thus played a major role in the American victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh After the war Abram Van Santvoord became one of the first boatmen on the Erie Canal His brother was Cornelius Van Santvoord 2 His father moved the family to Rochester New York in 1821 and later to Albany New York then to Jersey City New Jersey 2 Career edit nbsp The Peacemakers 1868 by George Peter Alexander Healy depicts William Tecumseh Sherman Ulysses S Grant Abraham Lincoln and David Dixon Porter on board the River Queen a steamboat owned by Alfred Van Santvoord Following a common school education in Albany Alfred Van Santvoord became a clerk for his father and later obtained an interest in his father s business 3 Together the Van Santvoords ran boats on the Erie Canal and the Hudson River His father also had a joint interest with Daniel Drew and Isaac Newton in the People s Line which ran passenger boat service on the Hudson River 4 After his father s death Van Santvoord purchased a number of steamboats and launched the Albany Day Line which also offered transportation to passengers Van Santvoord also came to own several freight towing boats which eventually became the Hudson River Day Line 5 6 During the American Civil War Van Santvoord chartered several of his boats to the Union One of Van Santvoord s boats the River Queen served as Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler s headquarters The River Queen served as the site of the Hampton Roads Conference in 1865 President of the United States Abraham Lincoln traveled on the River Queen often during the Civil War Although he never sought political office after the Civil War Van Santvoord was influential with Thurlow Weed He was well known in business circles and was a friend of William Henry Vanderbilt 2 Van Santvoord was one of the organizers of the Lincoln National Bank and the Lincoln Safe Deposit Company He was a director of the Delaware and Hudson Railway the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad the Catskill Mountain Railroad the Chicago Milwaukee amp St Paul Railway and the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company 7 Upon his death his son in law Eben Olcott became president of The Day Line 8 Personal life editOn January 22 1852 Van Santvoord was married to the former Anna Margaret Townsend 1826 1890 of Albany 2 She was the daughter of Absalom Townsend and Elizabeth nee Lansing Townsend and the granddaughter of Jacob Lansing and Anna nee Quackenbush Lansing 9 Together they were the parents of five children four of whom survived to adulthood including 2 Elizabeth Van Santvoord 1853 1854 who died young 2 Charles Townsend Van Santvoord 1854 1895 a manager of the Hudson River Day Line who did not marry 2 Katharine Lawrence Van Santvoord 1855 1934 who married Eben Erskine Olcott 1854 1929 a president of the American Institute of Mining Engineers 8 Zaidee Van Santvoord 1858 1943 10 who Rev Wilton Merle Smith 1856 1923 D D pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in New York City 10 Anna Townsend Van Santvoord 1861 1919 2 Van Santvoord died aboard his yacht Clermont on July 20 1901 11 He was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands New York Descendants edit Through his daughter he was the paternal grandfather of Van Santvoord Merle Smith 1889 1943 a Princeton and Harvard Law graduate 12 who served as the Third Assistant Secretary of State under U S President Woodrow Wilson 13 References edit a b The Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York History Customs Record of Events Constitution Certain Genealogies and Other Matters of Interest V 1 Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York 1905 p 171 Retrieved 27 July 2018 a b c d e f g h Bergen Tunis Garret 1915 Genealogies of the State of New York A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation Lewis Historical Publishing Company p 945 Retrieved 27 July 2018 Ewen William H 2011 Steamboats on the Hudson River Arcadia Publishing p 51 ISBN 9780738574158 Retrieved 27 July 2018 Blume Kenneth J 2012 Historical Dictionary of the U S Maritime Industry Scarecrow Press p 503 ISBN 9780810856349 Retrieved 27 July 2018 Alfred Van Santvoord PDF The New York Times July 2 1899 Retrieved 27 July 2018 Steamboats on the Hudson An American Saga Hudson River Day Line www nysl nysed gov New York State Library Archived from the original on 6 December 2018 Retrieved 27 July 2018 The Bankers Magazine Bradford Rhodes 1900 p 49 Retrieved 27 July 2018 a b Guide to The Alfred Olcott Hudson River Steamboats Collection Ca 1871 1951 bulk 1905 1930 PR 98 dlib nyu edu New York Historical Society Retrieved 27 July 2018 Guide to the Van Santvoord And Olcott Family Papers 1802 1954 rmc library cornell edu Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Cornell University Library Retrieved 27 July 2018 a b MRS W MERLE SMITH CLERGYMAN S WIDOW Member of Old Family Her Son Aide of Gen MacArthur The New York Times 31 August 1943 Retrieved 13 October 2017 ALFRED VAN SANTVOORD DIES ON HIS YACHT Busy Life of the President of the Hudson River Day Line Ended A Pioneer of the Steamboat Service on the Hudson River His Services for the Government in the Civil War PDF The New York Times July 21 1901 Retrieved 27 July 2018 Milestones Time Nov 22 1943 MERLE SMITH DIES HERO OF TWO WARS Ex BankerWon Honors in 1918 and in 194 2 for Aiding the U S Forces on Bataan The New York Times 10 November 1943 Retrieved 13 October 2017 External links editAlfred Van Santvoord at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alfred Van Santvoord amp oldid 1185661678, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
