My proof that John H. Van Wagenen of Wanaque, N.J., who married Ann Van Devoort was the son of Halmagh Van Wagenen and Maritie Brinkerhoff (Blinkerhoff) is as follows:

1. Mr. Wilson V. Ledley the Secretary of the Holland Society made this statement dogmatically from his research in clearing my name for membership in the Holland Society, where proof is necessary to establish a direct male lineage to an original male ancestor who arrived in New York prior to 1675 of the same name. He offered no proof but merely stated it to be a fact.
2. In checking the real estate transfers in Wanaque, N.J. it will be noted in Book A, page 69 of Bergen County Deeds in Paterson, N.J. a deed for 625 acres was deeded to Helmig Van Wagenen on April 12, 1740, by Cornelius Blinkerhoff. Helmig Van Wagenen married Maritje Blinkerhoff, the daughter of Cornelius Blinkerhoff on September 26, 1736. At this time there was only one Helmig Van Wagenen living and he was the first of this name and named after his Grandfather Helmig Cornelisse Van Houten.
3. According to Dutch Nomenclature, all of the children would assume as their middle name the first given name of their father and in this case all of the children assumed the name or initial H. for Helmig or Halmagh.
4. Another tract of land listed as half of the above parcel of 625 acres was deeded by Jacobus Blinkerhoff to Johannes Van Wagenen who was the father of Cornelius to whom he transferred this tract by his will, a copy of which is in my possession. This Cornelius was the younger brother of Halmagh Van Wagenen and he married Cathryn Sickles.
5. This puts two brothers in possession of most all the property in the Wanaque, N.J. area, Halmagh and Cornelius Van Wagenen.
6. Halmagh and Cornelius Van Wagenen both had sons by the name of Johannes or John. Cornelius’ son was known as Johannes or John C. Van Wagenen, and Halmag's son was known as John H. Van Wagenen. The above John C. Van Wagenen was never married and his property was transferred to his brothers and sisters in a transaction after his death. He was buried between his other’s grave and his uncle’s, without a wife shown, which eliminated the possibility of this John being in our direct line.
7. According to the New Jersey Archives record John H. Van Wagenen married Ann Van Devoort and wrote his name as John Van Wagen, which is in accordance with our family records on 18 September 1786.
8. On February 7, 1787, John H. Van Wagoner as the oldest of the family and as administrator of the will of Halmagh Van Wagenen transferred to other members of his family and for a sum of five shillings, seventy five acres and a quarter to Jacob Van Ness and his wife, Mary, Abraham Cadmus and Catalyntie his wife, and John Diedricks and Anna his wife, all this according to instructions of the last will and testament…This gives in part the names of the family group. All this from deeds J, page 410 of Bergen County Deeds at Hackensack, N.J.
9. From Book C.P. 485 of Bergen County Deeds from Passaic County another deed was made for 383 acres of property at Wanaque, New Jersey, to transfer it from the family of Halmagh Van Wagenen as follows: Catherine Van Wagoner, John H. Van Wagoner (signed John Van Wagen) Abraham Cadmus, Catalyntie his wife, Jacob Van Ness, Mary, his wife, John Dedircks and Anna his wife, this above Catherine we presume to be an unmarried member and this deed was in favor of the children of Cornelius Van Wagenen, Catherine, John, Henry and Halmagh Van Wagoner. The date of this was February 1, 1787.
10. On April 7, 1794, this same group of the Halmagh Van Wagenen family were ordered to make an inventory of the effects of Marrity Van Wagenen, which Marrity was no doubt their mother and mother-in-law. The names of this group as listed were Abraham Cadmus, Jacob Van Ness, John Dedricks and John Van Wagenen and she was the wife of Halmagh Van Wagenen. This date of death would have been much later than reported originally as Sept. 23, 1775, by Winfield.
11. Winfield’s History of Hudson County also reports as children of Halmagh Van Wagenen, Effie, who died young, and Jacob. The Schrallenberg Reformed Dutch Church records also list as a child, Cornelius, born 1 April, 1744, which makes a total of eight children to this marriage.
12. Family records state that Ann Van Devoort was the housekeeper for John H. Van Wagenen and Catherine who was blind and listed as his mother; however, she was not his mother because his mother was Maritie, and inasmuch as she didn’t sign the deed aforementioned as a member of the family group, she could have been blind and an elder sister, which I prefer to believe as the answer.
13. John H. Van Wagenen was christened on 27 April 1746, but didn’t marry until 18 September 1786, or forty years old, and died eleven years later in1797. Ann Van Devoort had her first child 5 December 1786, Anna.
14. A study of the family burial plot in Wanaque, (two blocks East of St. Francis Catholic Church) showed some reason to accept this family group. Initials were listed as A.V.W.Mc. for Anna Van Wagenen McCarty (Van Devoort) A.V.W. for Affie or Effie, J.V.W. for John H. Van Wagenen, and J.V.W. for Jacob Van Wagenen. Anny Van Wagenen married Francis McCarty after the death of John H. Van Wagenen, her husband, and forthwith lost her claim to John’s estate, as John Smellegar was appointed guardian for her Van Wagenen children; Anna was his wife, then there was Bridget and Halmagh J. Van Wagenen. Just previously, Ann Van Devoort Van Wagenen had been appointed administrator to the estate of her late husband, John H. Van Wagenen, and this is where we learned that her husband’s middle initial was H.

Frank A. Van Wagenen-90 South 400 East-Provo, Utah