Martin Van Buren who was baptized on 5 December 1782 in
Kinderhook, New York and the son of Abraham and Maria (Goes aka Hoes) Van Buren. Martin had
four siblings and was the middle child. Martin married Hannah Hoes, a kinswoman
of his mother on 21 February 1807 in Catskill, New York. He was the father of
four children, Abraham, John, Marin Jr. and Smith Thompson.
At the age of seventeen he was delegate to the Congressional
Convention in his district. In 1802 he entered law school and in 1803 was
admitted to the bar and entered into a partnership with James J. Van Allen of Kinderhook.
In 1807 he was admitted as a Counselor of the Supreme Court.
In 1808 he was appointed by Governor Tompkins as Surrogate
for Columbia County, New York.
In 1812 to 1821 he was elected a State Senator for New York.
In 1815 to 1819 he served as Attorney General for New York.
In1829 he was Governor of New York for a short period of two
months when he assumed the position of Secretary of State.
In 183 he was appointed Minister to England.
In 1832 he was elected Vice President to Jackson.
In 1836 he was elected President of the United States
serving a one term Presidency.
Martin died on 24 July 1862 in Kinderhook, New York. In his
will he wrote, “in the last and happiest years of my life a Farmer in my native
town”. Back to his roots and a tradition most Van Buren’s practiced.
Not only was Martin Van Buren the Eighth President of the
United States, but he is also my second cousin six times removed. We both share
a common ancestor, Cornelis Maessen Van Buren who came from Holland to America
(New Netherland) in 1631.
Thank you President and all Presidents.....
