HOORAY! Finally, someone researching the NY and Michigan Van Sickle/Van Sickel family.

Surname: VANSICKLE, VAN SICKLE, Van Sickel, VANSICKEL, BENHAM, ELDRIDGE, MONTROSS



Thank you for your time. I am interested in the family of Ryneer VAN SICKLE and Jane ELDRIDGE, they were married on 6 Feb 1833 in Lima, Livingston County, NY. Jane's parents were Wheadon ELDRIDGE and Susannah Montross.This marriage is listed with LDS and also in the Early Settlers of New York-Their Ancestors and Descendants; Vol #1 by Jane Wethy Foley. No parents at either of these sources are listed.

It is also interesting to note that on Feb 7, 1833, Eliza "Jane" VAN SICKLE married Jacob MONTROSS ELDRIDGE in Livonia, Livingston County, NY. (This is a sister and brother ELDRIDGE married a sister and brother VAN SICKLE). This marriage is also mentioned in the Jane Wethy Foley book, page 285.

I believe Ryneer died, about 1840-ish, and Jane moved to Michigan be closer to her brothers, Isaac and Jacob. This is also about the time her parents, Wheadon ELDRIDGE and Susannah MONTROSS moved to Michigan.

Jane (ELDRIDGE) VAN SICKLE also was in Michigan as early as 1843, as she was remarried to Francis Hitchcock/Hickock and had a child, Henrietta or possibly Margaret H. in March of 1843. (Henrietta eventually married a Mr. Andrews.)

Jane (ELDRIDGE, VAN SICKLE) Hitchcock died in 1845 and is buried in Avondale Cemetery in Flint, Michigan.

The children of Jane ELDRIDGE and Rynear VAN SICKLE were:

1) Henry Watson Van Sickel - b. 5 Jan 1834 in Mt. Morris?, Livingston County, NY

2) Egbert VAN SICKLE - 19 May 1835 in Livingston CO, NY.

Henry Watson Van Sickel married Anna BENHAM on 16 Dec 1855/56 in Flint, Michigan (I thought, but no record can be found) That is why I am looking in Ann Arbor, because their first child, Sanford Rionere Van Sickel was born in Ann Arbor in 1857.

(Anna Benham's sisters, Polly and Fanny, were also married to brother of Jane ELDRIDGE VAN SICKLE, Abram Clark Eldridge...confused yet?)

Sidenotes: Jane ELDRIDGE Van Sickle's brother, Isaac Newton ELDRIDGE was a prominent doctor of Homeopathy in Ann Arbor. Jacob MONTROSS ELDRIDGE and Eliza "Jane" VAN SICKLE eventually moved and were noted pioneers of Flint, Genesee County, Michigan.

I believe there must be someone in this family who had the surname Watson, as this name is used as Henry's middle name and it seems this family used former surnames as given and middle names frequently. Hopefully someone else is doing this family and would be interested in a mutual sharing of information. I need blending point here, I have lots of fragments!

If any of this matches anything you have I'd love to share information. I have not found any evidence of Egbert and according to Henry Watson Van Sickel's obit, he "remained in his native place until he was in his twenties". Who knows if this is true or not!

It is interesting to me to note the name patterning of this family. It is my guess that the Rev. Henry C. C. Van Sickel of Mt. Morris, Livingston County, NY needs to be further investigated. It seems that the first born child was always given the name of one of the grandfathers, in Dutch family name patterning....So whatever that is worth!

Sincerely,
Annette Klosner Hoskins