John Van Dyke, son of Mattys Van Dyke and Angenietje "Surname Unknown", was born on 17 August 1714.¹

     John married Margaretta Folkers before 1745.^1,2

     John died in 1784.

     John Van Dyke, son of Joseph Van Dyke and Elizabeth Edwards, was born on 27 November 1813 at Greene, Pennsylvania.²

     John married Margaret Hazelwood on 11 January 1838, at Coles, Illinois.³

     John Van Dyke lived in 1850 born in Green County, PA. Moved to Illinois at an early age. After getting married John and his wife lived in Greenup for about three years. They then rented land from the Govenment and moved onto a farm, ususallly called the Peter's farm, eventually bought by J. B. Rhodes of Toledo. In 1849, John got the Gold fever and in the spring of 1850 set off on the California gold rush with a part of 20 men. The party started from Charleston by ox team, encountering many hardships on the way his entire party perished with the exception of D. B. Green of Toledo and Clark Starkwater. John returned home 'round the cape'. After returning to Greenup he purchased a farm that he was to keep for life. On his farm he also raised stock and developed quite a reputation. John was elected County Assessor and was quite popular in the job.⁴

     John died on 9 April 1899, at Toledo, Cumberland, Illinois, at age 85.⁵

     A quasi biography/obituary of John Van Dyke was posted on Find A Grave as follows:

Born in Greene County, PA., John Van Dyke, at age 17,came to Illinois to work on the National Road . He met and married Margaret Hazelwood , whose family were among the early settlers living first in the early settlement on the river in Greenup, Illinois. John and his wife lived in Greenup for about three years then rented land from the Government and moved onto a farm in the Salem neighborhood (west of Greenup)giving land for the Christian Run School. (Section 5). John bought 160 acres of this river bottom land (starting in 1837)- later known as the Rhodes Farm.


In 1849, John got the gold fever and in the spring of 1850, set off on the California gold rush with a party of 20 men. The party started from Charleston by ox team taking 5 months to make the journey. Encountering many hardships, his entire party perished with the exception of D.B. Green of Toledo and Clark Starkwater. John returned "round the cape" arriving home in 1852.John's first born son (John F. Van Dyke) died of cholera while he was gone.
After returning to Greenup he purchased 240 acres of land for $1188.00, located north of Toledo, (section 19, 29,and 30) He kept this land for the rest of his life , celebrating his 61th wedding there just before his death(Yellow Fever) and that of wife Margaret which followed nine days later from influenza.


Uncle John( as he was called) raised stock (cattle and sheep) on this prosperous farm and developed quite a reputation for his crops and animals. During his lifetime he also served as a county official in several positions and was a Mason, member of Prairie City Lodge , No. 598.


Additional Notes:
John and Margaret had thirteen children, 12 of whom reached adulthood. It is "thought" that he changed his last name from Vandike to Van Dyke.
It is also noted in early written material about him that he had only one relative who visited him, a brother from Pennsylvania, named Courtland Van Dyke⁶

and was buried at Toledo Memorial Park, Toledo, Cumberland, Illinois.⁶

     John married Sarah MacCaraher.^1,2

     John married Martha Beekman.^1,2

     John married Magdalena Beekman, daughter of Gerardus Christophe Beekman and Catrina (Catharine) Van Dyke.^1,2