Person:Abram Van Wye (1)

Personal History

Abram Van Wye came from a huge family of 14 children, and in turn raised a huge family of his own.

According to Enoch Van Wye, who wrote a history of the Van Wye family in 1901 (with minor edits):

"...Abram Van Wye married Charity Laird, a sister to my mother. To this union were born twelve children four sons and eight daughters. Uncle Abram and Aunt Charity were married in Washington County, Pennsylvania, about the year of 1818. They moved to Trumbull Co. Ohio in 1833 where he died in 1856. He became quite wealthy for those days and at this time his descendants are very numerous and belong to the best families of the beautiful Mahoning Valley. I was brought up by this uncle and I visited his children at their homes last fall. I found five of his children yet living and owning his old farm, and grandchildren even to the fifth generation I found still living near here."

"I will give here a short sketch of Abram Van Wye's family, as I was brought up with this family they seem more like my brothers and sisters than my own brothers and sisters do.

"Abram Van Wye and my father, James Van Wye married sisters, Abram marrying Charity Laird and James my father marrying Jane Laird. Both families moving to Trumbull County Ohio at an early date, my father in 1832 and Abram in 1835. There were twelve children in each family, 24 in all; pretty good was it not? Our Families lived in close and intimate terms with each other for many years in fact there was never any disagreements between to my knowledge.

"My father and mother moved to Indiana in 1841 where my mother died in 1844. I was 14 years old at the time. I was then sent back to Ohio in the fall of 1843 to my uncle Abram Van Wye, with whom I made my home until the fall of the year in 1852.

"Abram Van Wye my old and respected Uncle was the most perfect and upright man that I ever knew, a man that tried to live a perfect life in the sight of his God and in the sight of men. A man of strong passions which he learned to subdue and control. A man of strong mental faculties. A man well informed away above the average for his day, not an enthusiast but prudent and conservative in all his affairs, charitable toward all, not bigoted in the least, he was industrious temperate, sober prudent and kind to all, a pattern for his fellow men if they could follow in his footsteps, his influence was great and always for good. In religion and education he was always in front taking an active part, and his influence for good is still going on and will continue until the end of time. Oh, what a a blessing to have such a father or to be brought up by such a man. His influence on his posterity has been great and good. His descendants are many. I saw last fall in his old home even the fourth generation, and they are all religious, temperate, industrious, intelligent and respected among their fellow man. Mostly farmers and mostly wealthy, their county being a wealthy county..."

Abram died in Niles, Ohio in 1854 and is buried in Niles Union Cemetery.

It is interesting that Abram and his wife Charity were distantly related (half-second cousins once removed) through their ancestor Hendricus Van Weyen. Hendricus had died before 1745, in New Jersey, so it's possible that Abram and Charity did not know they were related.

-- Julie Kelts, August 22, 2015 (and later); imported here from WikiTree 24 July 2022 (all my own work)

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Niles Union Cemetery on Find a Grave, in Find A Grave
   memorial no. 27694424, 1854.

   memorial includes photo of grave stone which says "Abram VanWye died May 8, 1854 Aged 57 Yrs. 2 M's. & 7 D's"

2.   Enoch Van Wye's history can be found at http://www.vanwye.net/Wordpress/2014/12/07/enochs-1901-history-of-the-vanwyes/