HISTORY OF THE VAN WYE FAMILY IN 1902, by Enoc Wright Van Wye, 1902, page 9.
Came from Holland about 1750 and settled near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tradition tells me that he was married three times and brought up three sets of children, leaving at least some of the first two sets in Holland and that he and two of his sons were Indian fighters and also he fought in the Revolutionary War.
Page 11 and 12.
Abram Van Wye and my father, James Van Wye married sisters, Abram marring Charity Laird and James Van Wye marring Jane Laird, both families moved from Washington Co., Pennsylvania to Trumbell Co., Ohio at an early date -- my father in 1832 and Abram in 1833. There were 12 children in each family -- 24 in all, pretty good for was it not? Our families lived in close and intimate terms with each other for many years -- in fact there were never any disareements between them to my knowledge.
The Van Wye people have some characteristics peculiar to themselves. We have always been people in the better middle class of society, always industrious and self supporting. I never knew of a pauper among my people, and never knew or heard of one being in the state rison. By occupation, mostly farmers, but there have been some very eminent teachers and doctors of note. We are usually temperate, but if a Van Wye drinks, he is sure to excess. (A Van Wye should neveer drink at all.). The men among the older Van Wyes were noted for their strength, and the women for their beauty, virtue and kindness.
The first Van Wyes were of large build and great strength, fair complexion, and with blue eyes. By intermarrying with dark complexion and black eyed, a great many of our people have a thisday, dark eyes, dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin. But formerly the hair was of light color. The Van Wyes are quick to anger and quick to resent a wrong or insult, but of a forgiving nature, not returning malice or hatred, but willing to reconcile to and with our fellow men, wishing to be at peace with all. So may it be.
There came in from somewhere what we call blue teeth which is pecular to our people, no other people have teeth like these that I know of. I know not how they started or how they came about, but it must have been among our people at a very early date, for I can trace them back about six generations. They were among the Wrights descendants and my grandfathers descendants -- these people were all cousins, soit inherited to and by us before their time. It is a tooth having no roots, but just sitting in the gum never aching but ready to be pulled at any time. These pecular teeth were never transmitted to posterity unless one or both parents had them. Lucy and I both had good white teeth, so our children are not afflicted with this peculiarity. But many of our brothers and sisters, having had these blue teeth, have transmitted them to their posterity.
Further information from Lower Smithfield Twp tax records, Monroe Co., Pennsylvania (was Northampton Co., Pennsylvania at the time the records were made).
1761 TAX LIST OF LOWER SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP, MONROE CO., PENNSYLVANIA
Art Van Wye
Arthur Van Wey, singleman.
1762 Henry Contryman
1764 . . .
1768 Henry Contraman "poor"
Jacob
Art Van Wy 5 acres
1769 John Van Wye no land
Arte Van Wye 6 acres
1773 Art Van Wey
John Van Wey
Henry Contramen
Jacob Contramen
1779 Art Van Wye
1782 Jacob Conryman laborer no land
Henry Contryman
LINEAGE OF FREDERICK J. VAN WYE.
