Background

MARIA CASS VANKLEECK was born in Vankleeck Hill, Ontario in 1830 and died in 1926. She was married to Richard Philo Pattee. She was the last Vankleeck to live in the town founded by her great grandfather. The story of Vankleeck Hill is a fascinating one ( you can find it on the Ancestry.com Pattee tree on the web.)

Maria's father was Peter (born 1805). He was a licensed innkeeper in the town. Peter's father was Simeon, born 1773 in Poughkeepsie, NY and arrived in Ontario in 1786. His father was Simeon Pieterse, born in NYC in 1747 and died in Vankleeck Hill. I have followed the Vankleeck line back 10 generations to Barent Balthus , born 1561 in Germany and migrated in 1654 to Long Island, NY. There are branches of Vankleecks that go back to William of Orange in 1533.