Surnames: Cooper, Fisher, Gardenier, Nellis, Putman, Sammons, Schenck, Zielley

Variations: Gardinier, Gordinier, Putnam, Veder, Zieley

Source: History of the Mohawk Valley - Gateway to the West - 1614-1925
Covering The Six Counties of Schenectady, Schoharie,
Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer and Oneida.
Volume IV Illustrated; Page 577
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1925

As cashier and former teller of the National Mohawk River Bank of Fonda, Montgomery County, Jacob J. Veeder has carefully guarded the interests of this institution. He was born August 5, 1857, in the town of Glen, New York, his parents being Dow W. and Almira (Gardenier) Veeder. Dow W. Veeder, a farmer, was born in the town of Glen, on April 10, 1819, and died in that place on November 21, 1898. He was the son of Cornelius and Harriet (Zeilley) Veeder. Cornelius Veeder was born in 1764 and died in the town of Glen, on November 9, 1848. His wife, Harriet (Zeilley) Veeder, was born in 1770 and died on March 19, 1856. Cornelius Veeder was the son. of Valcert Veeder. Almira (Gardenier) Veeder, mother of Jacob J. Veeder of this review, was born in the town of Glen, near Fultonville, on June 10, 1831, and is now living in Fultonville, aged ninety-three. She is the daughter of Jacob E. and Nancy (Putman) Gardenier. Jacob E. Gardenier, a farmer, was born in the town of Glen, on June 12, 1805, and died in the same place on February 6, 1883. His wife was born in Fultonville, on July 14, 1806, and died there on October 15, 1888.

Jacob J. Veeder attended the district school in Fultonville, and at the age of. fifteen began his career as clerk in the post office at Fultonville, after which he entered the employ of the Hub Clothing Company in Albany, and remained one year. He then returned to his former work in the Fultonville post office and remained three years. In February, 1890, Mr. Veeder became associated with the National Mohawk River Bank at Fonda, as teller and retained that position until 1897, when he was elected cashier, which position he still holds.

The Mohawk River Bank was organized in 1856, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. The first board of directors comprised Daniel, David, George and James Livingston, Joseph and Fraser Spraker, Abraham J. Davis, Richard H. Cushney, William B. Dievendorf, Isaac S. Frost, Simeon Snow and John Bowdish. The officers were: Daniel Spraker, president; John Bowdish, vice president; Earl S. Gillett, cashier; and Horace Van Evera, teller. The bank was organized and did business under the state law until 1865, when it was reorganized under the United States law and named the National Mohawk River Bank, the old officers continuing in their respective positions and the capital stock also remained unchanged. The present officers of the bank are: 3 L. Hees, president; B. F. Spraker of Canajoharie, New York, vice president: Jacob J. Veeder, cashier; and Edgar Leonhardt, assistant cashier.

Mr. Veeder has one brother and one sister: Cornelius Veeder, a retired farmer, was born in Fultonville on February 24, 1855, and attended the district school in that place and later the Academy in Amsterdam. He was twice married. His first wife was Kate S. Fisher, to whom he was married on February 24, 1892, in Central Bridge, New York. She was born January 28, 1867, and died on January 15, 1893, in the town of Glen. She was the daughter of Allen Fisher. On January 10, 1910, Mr. Veeder was married to Miss Catalina Sammons, who was born January 26, 1866, in Sammonsville, the daughter of Thomas S. and Catherine (Schenck) Sammons. Thomas S. Sammons was a farmer and for thirteen years was supervisor of the town of Mohawk, New York; Florence Veeder, the sister of Jacob J. Veeder, was born in the town of Glen, on August 29, 1862. He was educated in the Fultonville district school and the Clinton Liberal Institute. On November 7, 1888 she was united in marriage to Abram Nellis, who was born in Nelliston, New York, the son of Abram Nellis. He died on May 12, 1922 in Nelliston. Abram Nellis and Florence (Veeder) Nellis were the parents of two children: Russell V. Nellis, who was born in Nelliston, August 28, 1889, was married to Elsie Burrow Cooper, daughter of Elwood and Marie (Burrow) Cooper, on December 2, 1922, and to this union one child, a son, Veeder Cooper Nellis, was born in 1924. Russell V. Nellis is a civil engineer and also is in the coal business in Fort Plain, but resides in Nelliston; Fred R. Nellis was born July 20, 1891, in Nelliston and died in that place in June, 1908.

During the World war Jacob J. Veeder was an active member of the Liberty Loan committee. He was supervisor at Fultonville in 1889, and town clerk of Glen for two years and is also a director in the National Mohawk River Bank of Fonda. He is a member of the Community Club of Fonda, and of the Montgomery County Historical Society. The Veeder family is one of the very oldest in the Mohawk Valley, having a direct descent from Simon Volkertsee Veeder, who settled in Schenectady in 1662.