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Ridgefield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,032,[1][2][3] reflecting an increase of 202 (+1.9%) from the 10,830 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 834 (+8.3%) from the 9,996 counted in the 1990 Census. Ridgefield was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 26, 1892, from portions of Ridgefield Township. The borough was named for the area's terrain. [edit] Extracts from History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey (1882)[edit] Early Settlements (pp 246-248)Early Settlements.—Ridgefield embraces the earliest settlements in the ancient township of Hackensack, antedating even the organization of that township in 1693, and of the county of Bergen in 1675. There seems to have been no town or village compactly built, like the village of Bergen, but there were settlements both of Dutch and English in and about what was subsequently known as English Neighborhood prior to 1675. The Westervelts, the Zimcrmans, the Bantas, and the Blauvelts, all coming from Holland, settled in the middle of the seventeenth century in that locality. The ancestors of Jacob P. Westervelt, now of Hackensack Village, with himself, were born in English Neighborhood. His father was born there in 1776, and was the son of Christopher Westervelt, who was born there certainly as early as 16'.M(, and he was the son of the original ancestor of this family, who came from Holland and settled on Overpeck Creek, within the present limits of Ridgefield township, probably about 1670. The earliest mention of the name of Westervelt that can be ascertained in Holland is that of Dirck Van Westervelt, who was born between 1475 and 1500, and married into the Van Wenkom family, and from them sprang a large and influential family now living in Holland. The earliest settlers bearing the name in America were Lubbert Lubbertson and Willem Van Westervelt, who came from the town of Meppel, province of Drenthe, Holland, on the ship "Hoop," in April, 1662, and settled on Long Island. The fact of settlement is established from records, showing that a son of Willem purchased in 1697 considerable property in New Utrecht, which he sold in 1708 to An thony Holsart, and also that Willem married Dericke ——, and lived for some time there, as Dericke Willemse Van Westervelt names in her will her husband, Willem, and also her son, Abraham Willemse, whose wife was Margaret. Their children were Alltie, born in 1651; Abraham, 1653; Willemtie, 1654; Femmetie, 1658; and Jan, 1660. Lubbert Lubbertson Van Westervelt had children: Lubbert, born in Meppel, and married Be litje Bouluse, March 4, 1680; Roelof, also born in Meppel in 1659. Jumen, Jan, Margrietie, and Maritie were born in this country. Deeds and papers in possession of their descendants show that the Van Westervelts were among the early settlers of old Bergen County, as Cornelius, son of Lubbert, settled at Acquackanonk, and was one of the original fourteen patentees who purchased the Acquackanonk patent in 1684, containing some thirty thousand acres. He did not remain long there, as there is only one conveyance afterwards, and then settled on the other side of the Passaic River, in what is now Bergen County, and hence originated the Van Westervelt name here. Like other families from Holland when first coming to America, they had no surname, but added to their baptismal name the name of the place from whence they came in Holland. Hence Jan, from the west of Holland,—" wast valt," a west field,—would be "Jan Wast Valt," or John Westervelt. The grandfather of Samuel D. Westervelt lived at the Hopper grist-mill. The Hoppers settled in the valley of the Wagzaw in 1711, and owned nearly all the land in that section on the Passaic River. Of his children, Lucas, the youngest, was born in Pompton, March 17, 1788, and upon the death of his mother, when he was only seven years old, he came to Teaneck, where at the proper age he learned the mason's trade. He married Belinda Demarest, Nov. 5, 1803, who was born Nov. 24,1784, and died Jan. 6, 1858. After his marriage he settled at Tenafly, where he built a stone house, in which he resided until his death, March 17, 1825. The house was standing in 1881, and is one of the monuments left of "olden time," and showing his chosen occupation. His children were Simon, John, Cornelius, Samuel D., Elizabeth, Eve, and Ann, wife of Albert Winant, of Hackensack. Laurens Andriessen Van Buskirk, signifying " from the church in the woods" (sometimes calling himself by the former and sometimes by the latter name, whose name is frequently mentioned in the recital of early events in this history) jointly with others purchased, Jan. 6,1676, a large tract of land, then known as New Hackensack, upon which he resided as early as 1688. The De Mott family were Huguenots, and settled in English Neighborhood in the seventeenth century. Mathias, the ancestor of this family, was born in France, and settled in Bergen County. His son Jacob was father of John De Mott, who died in 1832, aged eighty-four. Jacob, the father of the present Jacob J. De Mott, was born March 11, 1794, and succeeded to the ancestral home on the Tenafly road. John De Mott, son of Jacob, lived in English Neighborhood. Richard Paulison was descended from an early settler in English Neighborhood. He was born Oct. 1, 1773, and lived all of his life in the present Ridgefield township, and died in 1873, at nearly one hundred years of age. He was the father of John R. and other children, who have left a large family of descendants, among whom was the late Judge Paulison and Paul Paulison, his brother, of Hackensack. The reader is referred to the account in this volume of the early settlements in Bergen County for further particulars of early settlements in this locality. Robert Earle, one of the pioneer settlers of Bergen County, located in Ridgefield township, and purchased a large tract of land, beginning at the North River, from thence to the Hackensack, and running thence to Bull's Ferry, from thence to Five Corners (or Bergen), near Fort Lee, as early as 1650; and as there were no white inhabitants near Mr. Earle, he gave several acres of woodland to a number of white families to locate on, with a view of forming a settlement. The only descendant of which there is any knowledge was Robert, who married Mary Smith and located in Ridgefield township. His children were Daniel, Robert, Philip, Joseph, John, Charles, Edward, Elizabeth, Jennie, and Mary. Daniel married Charlotte Nicholas, and lived near Seacaucus, and reared a family of five children,— Margaret, Robert, Charlotte, Edward, and Daniel. Margaret married John Dean, and lived at New Durham. Robert married Ann King, and moved to New York. Charlotte married Benjamin R. Still, and moved to Brooklyn, and had one child, Augusta. Edward married twice: his first wife was Harriet Daley; second was Mary Ann Cozzens, and moved to Hudson County. Daniel married Hannah Sneath, and located in Hudson County, and had eight children,—Sarah Ann, Mary, Edward, Daniel, Charlotte, Gertrude, Anna, and Harriet. What became of Robert, Philip, Joseph, John, Charles, Edward, Elizabeth, Jennie, and Mary is not known, further than they all moved out of the county. Andrew Engle, a native of Germany, settled on Bull's Ferry Hill, Ridgefield township, in about 1779, and purchased a large tract of land, and engaged in tilling the soil. His family consisted of John, Jennet, Sarah, Maria, Margaret, Andrew S., and James. John married Mary Day, and settled adjacent to his father. His children were Jennet, Andrew, Henry, Sarah, Catherine, John, Margaret, Eliza Ann, James, Wilmina, Louisa. Jennet married Charles Clark, and resides in the township. Andrew married Eliza Ann Outwater, and lives near Fairview, and raised a large family. Henry married Hannah Craft, and located at Fair; view. Sarah married William Howell, and located at Fairview. Catherine married John S. Townsend, and lived in the township; both dead. John, out of county. Margaret married William Kelly, and lives at Fairview. Eliza Ann married William Danelson, and located in Hudson County. James, single, resides in Fairview. Wilmina married John White, and resides at South Amboy. Louisa married Jeremiah Tracy, and resides at | Fairview. Jennet married Michael Fisher, and moved to Hudson County. Their children were Maria, Jennet, Catherine. I Maria married Nathaniel Morris, and lives in Newark, N. J. Jennet married William Odgen, and resides in East Newark, N. J. Catherine married Joseph Wragg, and located in Hudson County. Sarah married Cyrus Ward, and moved to New York City. Maria; no trace of her. Margaret married Henry Miller, and located at New Dunham. Andrew S. married Wilmina Demarest, and located in Hudson County. James married Amelia Dykeman, and lived at Fairview; both dead. Thomas McDonald, a native of Scotland, settled at Day's Point, on the Hudson River, Hudson County, which was formerly Bergen County, as early as 1776, and purchased a large tract of land and engaged in farming. His children were Thomas, Jr., Mathias, and John. Thomas, Jr., married Sarah Youmans, and located on Bull's Ferry road, Ridgefield township, in 1800, and engaged in farming. Their children were Thomas, j Jr., Jeremiah, David, James, Sarah M., and Rudol ! phus. Thomas, Jr., married Sarah Lee, and moved to New York. Jeremiah married Susan Whitchurch, and settled in New York. David married Mary Seddon, and settled at Fairview, and reared a large family. James married Elizabeth Golden, moved to New York State. Sarah M. married James D. Demarest, and resides at Fairview. Rudolphus married Sarah Gardner, and moved to Essex County. Mathias married Hannah M. Bortholts, and settled in Ridgefield township; his children were Saphrouia, Thomas, John, Eliza, Mathias, Jr., Abraham, and Hannah. Sophronia married Philip Tabbs, and moved to New York. Thomas married Susan Sturge, and settled in Hudson County. John married and settled in Hudson County. Eliza married Samuel Earl, and lives on Bull's Ferry Hill, Ridgefield township. Mathias, Jr., married Eliza Holden, and lives in Hudson County. Abraham married and died in township. Hannah married Henry Dodd, and moved to Hudson County. John married Maria Van Dusen, and located on Bull's Ferry Hill; his children were James, Jane, Hannah, John, Jr., William R., and Fanny. James married a Miss Berdett, and moved out of the county. Jane lives at Fairview. Hannah married and moved out of the State. John, Jr., married and settled at Jersey City. William R. died young. Fanny married Henry Russell, and resides at Fairview. [edit] Research Tips
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