Van Doren, Isaac, a Reformed (Dutch) and Presbyterian minister, was born at Griggstown, N. J., in 1772. He was educated in the College of New Jer- sey, studied theology privately, was licensed by the Classis of New Y'ork, and ordained about 1798. In
VAX DOREN
709
VAN DYCK
1802 he settled in Hopewell, Orange Co., N. Y., where, iliiring a pastorate of twenty-tlirco years, he was blessed with eminent success; then removed to Newark, N. J., and for fonr years (1825-29) was principal of the Acad- em}' ; lie then, with Ins eldest son, established a coUe- .niate institute on Brooklyn Heights (1829-84) ; from I here he removed to Lexington, Ky., where he taught (^1834-38)^ and became eminent as a teacher in other parts of the West. He died Aug. 12, 18(54. He was the author of a tract entitled A SuiniiKiry of Christian Diitij, compiled from the Douay Bible. See Wilson, J'resb. Hist. Almanac, 18G5, p. 133; Corwin, Manual of the Ref. Church in America, s. v.
Van Doren, Luther Halsey, a Presbyterian and IJeformed (Dutch) minister, was born at Hopewell, Orange Co., N. Y., in 1808. He graduated at the Col- lege of New Jersey in 1831, and began his preparation for the ministry under the Rt. Rev.R. B. Smith, D.D., LL.D., Protestant Episcopal bishop of Kentucky, but was sub- sequently licensed by the Presbyterian Church of Lex- ington, Ivy., and ordained presbyter at Columbia, Mo., in 1834. He preached for the Presbyterian churches of St. Louis, Farmington, and Columbia, i\Io. ; Freehold, N. J. ; Paducah, Ky. ; Spring Street and Fiftieth Street, New York city; and New Vernon, N. J., from 1834 to 1.S71; then for the Reformed (Dutch) churches of Montville from 1871 to 1874, and Middletown from 1874 to 1876. He died in 187G. See Corwin, Manual of the Ref Church in America, s. v.
Van Doren, 'Williani, a Presbyterian educator, was born at Griggstown, Somerset C()., N. J., March 14. 1814. He was prepared for college in the Academy at Princeton under the tuition of the Rev. Charles C. Sears, and was graduated from theCollegeofNew Jersey in 1835. He uiHted with the First Presbyterian Church of Prince- ton, July 14, 1832. On leaving college, he taught in Florida about a year, and then entered Princeton Sem- inary in 1836, but, owing to a failure of health, remain- ed only one year. He was never licensed or ordained, but devoted himself to the work of education. He was a professor in the college at Columbia, Mo., and af- terwards in the Jlissouri State University from 1837 to 1843. Next he had charge of the high-school at Lex- ington for seven years, until 1850; then served as pro- fessor in Westminster College at Fulton for twelve years, until 1862. In the latter year he removed to Califor- nia, where he taught successively at Napa City, Stock- ton, Visalia, and Watsonville, establishing an institution of leannng in each of these towns. While teaclung at Watsonville his sight failed him, and for two years pre- ceding his death his health had been steadily declining. At Columbia, jMo., he was ordained ruling elder, and in this ofKce had faitlifully and very usefully served the churches in the towns where he subseqtientlv resided. He died at Watsonville, Cal., Dec. 3, 1877. (W. P. S.)
Van Driessen, Johannes, a Reformed (Dutch) minister, was born in 1697, and educated in Belgium. After coming to this country he went to Yale College with a commendatory letter from the patroon Van Rensselaer, and was then licensed and ordained by the Congregationalists at New Haven. This was made the occasion of great opposition to him as a minister. His motive was to save the time, trouble, and cost of a jour- ney to Holland to procure ordination. The Dutch cler- gy denounced him as a schismatic, the Amsterdam Clas- sis warned the American churches against him, and his troubles midti|died and lasted long. This was the first example of "irregular ordination," as it was regarded, that occurred in the northern section of the Dutch Church, and it was the real opening of the great con- troversy between the Coetus and Conferentie parties, resulting in the triumph of the former, which was tlie American progressive and independent element. He was settled at Claverack, Kinderhook, and Living- sron Manor from 1727 to 1735; at New Paltz from 1731 to 1735; at Acquackanonck and Porapton, N. J., from 1735
to 1748 ; and subsequently at Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, and New Paltz temporarily in 1751. He was at length involved in other troubles and silenced. See Corwin, Manual of the Ref Church, in America, s. v.; Still, //isf. Discourse at New Paltz; Zabriskie, Claverack Centennial. (W..I. R'. T.)
Van Driessen, Petrus, a Reformed (Dutch) min- ister, brother of the preceding, was minister of the Re- formed Dutch Clhurch in Albany fnmi 1712 to 1738. Un- til 1727 he also supplied Kinderhook. Mention is made of his services for some time at Kinderhook and Sche- nectady. During his ministry at Albany a new and handsome stone edifice was built, which stood ninety- one years on State Street. He organized the important churches of Kinderhook in 1712 and Claverack in 1716. Like his predecessors, Megapolensis, Dellius, and Lydius, he acted as a missionary to the Indians. In the docu- mentary history of New York, among several petitions to governor Burnet and his councillors from this pas- tor, is one dated Sept. 13, 1722, respecting his labors among the Mohawks, asking protection and assistance for himself and his interpreter, in which the petitioner is described as "finding himself in Conscience thronged and moved to continue with them in the doctrine of the true knowledge of God, if yet at some Time the Lord might give them repentance as by means of the same ininistracion thro' the blessing of the Most High has been done to Our forefathers." This is followed by a "Lycence Ijy his Excellency," to Mr. Van Driessen, "to Erect and biuld a meeting-house for the Indians in the Mohawk's country, in order to ye assembling of themselves together for ye Solemn Worship of ( Jod ; and that upon any part of the Lands to them bel<inging as shall be found most Convenient for the purposes men- tioned." The venerable pastor and missionary labored with zeal and fidelity among his people at Albany for a ]ieriod of twenty-six years, until his death, which took place about Feb. 1, 1738. For five years previously he had a colleague. Rev. Cornelius Van Schie, who had la- bored at Poughkeepsie and Fishkill, 1731-38, when he removed to Albany. He survived his associate only six years, dying Aug. 15, 1744, at the age of forty-one. See Rogers, /list. Discourse, p. 20-24 ; Documentary/ Hist, of New York, iii, 915, 916; Corwin, Manual of the Ref. Chitrch in A merica. (W. J. R. T.)