THE WYNKOOP FAMILY
First Settled in this Country About 1639.
The Descendants in Bucks.
Henry, Son of Nicholas Wynkoop, at One Time Associate Judge of Common Pleas of Bucks County-—Military Records of the Family.

An interesting paper on “The Wynkoop Family,” was read at the May meeting of the Bucks County Historical Society at Warminster on Tuesday, May 27, by Capt. William H. Wynkoop of Newtown. He read as follows:—
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n giving the origin of our old families most writers commence “Once upon a time two brothers came over from the old country and settled,” etc., etc. So the Wynkoop family dates back to 1639 and 1642, when Peter and Cornelius Wynkoop came to this country from Utrecht, Holland, and settled near where the city of Albany, N. Y., now stands.

Like other old families we boast of our coat of arms, yet the crest is the only part which savors of heraldry. The name appears to be a contraction of Wynkooper, which in the Dutch language signifies wine-merchant or wine-bearer.

When in Holland in 1889, my wife and I spent part of a day in Utrecht, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the family name is still in use there. We found the “koop” as a termination to several names such as “Vanderkoop,” etc., but note with full name of Wynkoop or Wynkooper. It is not my purpose to write genealogy of the family for our records embrace 867 names extending down from 1642 through ten generations, but shall select a few persons who from time to time figured prominently among the early settlers and later on in the development of our country, either in legislative, judicial, religious or in military life.

We are glad to be able to say no one of our ancestry was ever hung or convicted of any serious crime. Among the earliest names were Peter, Abraham, David, Deborah, and Daniel, showing a reverence for the Bible and sacred records. The favorite names as carried down were peter, 20 times; Nicholas, 40; Cornelius, 29; William, 28; Henry, 29; Catharine, 141; John, 39; and mary, 31. We find honorable mention of several in the early history of New York State but in 1717 Gerrit or Gerardus, moved with his family to the township of Moreland, now Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was an elder of the church of North and South Hampton in our county in 1744-45, and his descendants now own and occupy land in Northampton township, which has been in continuous possession of some of the family ever since.

We can point with pardonable pride to a long line of elders and ministers running through eight generations, who have been closely identified with the religious element of our country as officers in the local churches where they worshipped. Among these were Rev. Silvester Wynkoop, pastor of Reformed Dutch church at Catskill, 1817, and of whom a fellow minister wrote “the memory of Dominie Wynkoop, was cherished with love and respect by the entire community.”

Rev. Richard Wynkoop, pastor of Presbyterian church at Yorktown, West Chester county, N.Y., 1827-1834; Rev. Jefferson Wynkoop, pastor of the Reformed Dutch church at Hempstead, N. Y., 1825-1836, filling several other successful pastorates after these dates; Rev. Stephen Rose, son of David Wynkoop, who represented Bucks county in the Legislature six or seven years, was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Wilmington, Del., 1838-1858. In 1833-4 he explored the western coast of Africa on behalf of the American Board of Foreign Missions.

Rev. Theodore S. Wynkoop was pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church at Huntingdon, L. I., in 1864; subsequently he went as a missionary to India, returned to this country for his health, was elected pastor of Presbyterian church in Washington D. C., and is now again in India.

Henry, son of David Wynkoop, lived and died in Bucks county. He served as ruling elder in Thompson Memorial Church of Solebury for fifty-two years and was known only to be beloved by all who knew him. His son, Henry, Jr.., married Emily G. Nippes a daughter of Anna Kenderdine and Henry Nippes, and Anna, daughter of said Henry Jr., married Lieut. George Marvell, so the Bucks county branch of our family is to some extent related to the Kenderdine family of whom we hear so favorably to-day.

Ellen, a daughter of Henry Sr., was recently married to Samuel T. Buckman of Newtown. Two of her sisters, Louisa Ann and Harriet, married and are still living in suburbs of Philadelphia.
There are many more honored names of elders and deacons who were identified with Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed churches, but time forbids a personal mention in this paper.

We find several honored members of the Bar and Judges on the bench. Cornelius C., was an attorney at law in 1795, practicing in the courts of New York city. Gerardus was for nineteen successive years a member of the House of General Assembly of Pennsylvania and for a series of years its speaker. He died in 1813. Dirk or Derick was a member of the committee of safety, and of the Second Provincial Congress which met at New York November 14th, 1775. He was appointed a Judge of the Common Pleas of Ulster county, N. Y., in 1777, was a member of the New York Assembly 1780-1; and in 1788 a member of the State convention to which was submitted the Federal Constitution.

Henry, son of Nicholas Wynkoop, was an officer in the Revolutionary Army, and at one time an Associate Judge of the Common Pleas of Bucks county. He greatly distinguished himself by the active and determined part he took in favor of our struggle for independence. He served as a member of the First Provincial Conference of Pennsylvania which convened in Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, on the 18th of June, 1776, and was elected a member of the First congress, which assembled at New York, on the 4th of March, 1789. Judge Wynkoop’s house was distinguished as the home of Col. Monroe—afterwards President—during the time he was disabled by a wound received at the battle of Trenton. It was the letter of General Washington, addressed to his friend Wynkoop, that procured these hospitable quarters for Col. Monroe and for whom kind attention from the family of Judge Wynkoop. President Monroe as late as March 26th, 1834, in a letter expressed the most lively gratitude “for the kindness received during an interesting period of our Revolutionary War.”

Gen. Alexander Hamilton and Judge Wynkoop were members of the First Continental Congress. On one occasion while walking on Chestnut street, Philadelphia, the General was urging very strongly the claims of a bill before the House, for which he desired to secure his friends’ support. But the Judge desiring to avoid the discussion, because he was adverse to the measure, changed the subject by calling the General’s attention to two very beautiful women who had just passed them. The conversation was not resumed; but forty-eight hours afterward Mrs. Wynkoop arrived quite unexpectedly, having traveled all night in consequence of a letter received from General Hamilton, requesting her immediate presence, as her husband was in a very dangerous condition. The joke was well taken and caused great merriment to all concerned.

At one time General Washington, who was in favor of styling the President, “His Mightiness,” asked General Muhlenburg’s opinion. Judge Wynkoop was standing by. General Muhlenburg replied: “If all the incumbents were to have the commanding size and presence of yourself, or of my friend Wynkoop, the title might be appropriate, but if applied to some lesser men it would provoke ridicule.” The writer has in his parlor a chair used by the Judge in his lifetime. He died March 25th, 1816.

Many others might be named, but with mention of Richard, a son of Rev. Richard Wynkoop, we will turn to the military record of the family. He was born in 1829, educated at Rutger’s College afterwards studied law in New York city, and was admitted to the Bar in 1852. He served for some time in New York Custom House, under collector Barney, Draper and Chester A. Arthur, afterwards President of the United States. He wrote in his leisure hours a genealogy of the wynkoop family to which the writer is indebted for many records in this paper, also was the author of several poetic effusions.

Besides those prominent in civil and religious life, our family has ever been loyal to our flag and many of them took up arms in their country’s defense. We mention a few only. Adrian, son of Cornelius Wynkoop was elected major of the First Regiment, Ulster county, N. Y., May 1st, 1776, and in October, 1776, was placed in command of 200 men to guard the passes of the Hudson.
Cornelius D. was appointed Major of the Third Regiment, same company, June 30th, 1775, and promoted to Lieut. Col. of same regiment August 2d, 1775. He was made col. April 11th, 1776, and received honorable mention, in the archives of that day.

Evert, a son of Cornelius, Jr., was a Captain in the old French war and died of camp fever, 1750. Jacobus, son of Cornelius Wynkoop, was elected Captain of the 4th N. Y. Continental Regiment, August 15th, 1775, and transferred to naval service on recommendation of Major Gen. Schuyler, to take command of all the vessels on the Lakes George and champalin, near Ticonderoga. He had the misfortune to offend Gen. Benedict Arnold by reporting to Gen. Gates instead of him, and was ordered under arrest, but Gen. Schuyler had him reinstated and he retained his command until the evacuatin of Ticonderoga.

Francis Murray Wynkoop was born 1820 and on the 13th of December, 1857, while hunting birds to tempt the delicate appetite of his wife was accidentally shot and died in half an hour. During the Mexican War he enlisted as a private under Gov. Shunk’s call for volunteers, was elected Col. of the regiment, was at the capture of Vera Cruz, in the battles of Cerro-Gordo and Humantla, exhibiting great skill and bravery, and received honorable mention in the autobiography of Gen. Winfield Scott. Under President Pierce he was U.S. Marshal of the eastern district of Pennsylvania. Our honored president. Gen. W. W. H. Davis, fought by his side during the Mexican War, and still bear testimony of his solderly ability.

Edward H. Wynkoop, brother of Francis, was Major of a Colorado regiment performed perilous and efficient service against the rebels in New Mexico and against the Indians, and was one of the members of the original Pike’s Peak expedition.

Another of the Bucks county branch was John Estill Wynkoop, Col. of the 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and commanded a brigade at Cumberland, Md., in war of 1861-4. His brother, george was Lieut. Col. of the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry at Chancellorsville, where he was wounded and resigned in consequence.

The writer of this paper served over three years in war of ‘61-4, as private, Sergeant, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Captain; was three times wounded and at the time of his discharge was on the staff of Brig. Gen. Davies, Greggs Cavalry division, Army of Potomac, acting as Asst. Adjt. General.

His brother Thoams H., was a member of Gen. Davis’ 104th regiment, from Bucks county and was killed in action June, 1862. The G.A.R. Post, of Newtown, was named in his honor. A number of others of the name served honorably in the wars of our country, but space forbids further mention.
Thomas L., father, of the writer, always lived in Bucks couty. Three of his children still survive, Catharine, William, and Samuel. He was for many years a prominent officer in the Presbyterian church at Newtown. He died in 1879. His brother, Gerardus, lived near Newtown during a long life and died in 1888. Four children still survive him, viz; Susan B., widow of Elias E. Smith, M.D.; Emeline, wife of William Patterson, of Doylestown; Mary A., wife of Elijah Torbert, and Matilda, wife of John L. Janney.

One sister, Anna Maria, married N. I. Rubinkam, of Hartsville, and lived near where we meet to-day. Two of her sons were educated for the ministry, one of whom died early in life, the other, Rev. N. I. Rubinkam, D.D., has been pastor of churches in Philadelphia, Jamestown, N. Y., and Chicago. Another son, jesse, died recently of disease contracted in the war of 1861, his brother, G. W. Rubinkam, Esq., is to-day an active elder in the Presbyterian church of Neshaminy and favorably known throughout Bucks county.

The temptation is great to continue these recollections, for there are many others equally deserving of mention as the few selected, but I must forbear. Hoping that my paper may not savor too strongly of egotism, but that much may be excused as pardonable pride of ancestry, I will close, knowing full well there are other families in our county, whose history not yet written is fully equal, if not more creditable, than our own.