Abram Van Order

Abraham “Abram” Van Order, 1803-1895.
Son of Peter Van Order

Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39779004/abraham-van_order

“Captain Abram VanOrder, one of the oldest and best known citizens of this region died at his home in this city yesterday at noon…. The funeral will be held at his late home, 24 Third street, Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock.

About the year 1760, there emigrated from Amsterdam three brothers belonging to the good old Holland Dutch stock, Peter, James and John VanOrder. They brought with them large wealth, and located in New Jersey pre-empting 100 acres of land each. From some cause unknown to the present generation, this wealth was dissipated, ‘vanished in thin air,’ and they eventually suffered the hardships and privations of the early pioneers and the brothers became widely separated. Peter remained in New Jersey and there was born to him a son, whom he named Peter 2d, who grew to manhood in New Foundland, N.J., and then married Eva Smith. There were born to this couple several children one of whom was Abram, the subject of this article, born Aug. 31, 1808. Four years after his birth, viz. 1807, his parents came to Ithaca and settled. In the same year there was born in Morristown, N.J., to Jacob Smith and his wife Rebecca, a daughter whom they named Mary. Nine years later in 1816, Jacob Smith moved with his family to Ithaca, and ten years later, Oct. 1826, Abram Van Order and Mary Smith were united in marriage. This couple were blessed with six children, all of whom survived and are well known to the people of Ithaca. They are Capt. Linn Van Order, Mrs. D. Savage, Mrs. W.A. Kingsbury, Mrs. Helen M. Warren, Mrs. Almira Minier, all of this city, and Mrs. Jno Wisner Merwin, of Elmira. Mrs. Van Order passed away about 13 years ago at the age of 75, mourned by her family and a large circle of friends. She was a most exemplary wife and mother.

Captain Van Order was essentially a self-made, self-educated man, whose ? of mind and thought led him in 1820 at the age of 17 on board the steamer ‘Enterprise’ on Cayuga Lake. This boat was about 75 feet in length, carried a mast and sail, and it took 14 hours to make the round trip. He was on this boat about two years. We next find him, 1822 to 1828, on the passenger boat known as the ‘American Water Coach’ running on the Seneca river from Montezuma to Cayuga, to connect with the lake steamers and passenger packets on the Erie canal. This boat was the marvel of the day, the motive power being horses treading a tread mill to turn the wheels: it was considered a fast boat.

In his position as captain of the various boats, he commanded, he was a popular man, pleasant and affable to all, meeting and making the acquaintance of many notable and prominent men of the day. While on the Seneca river, he carried as passengers Governor Clinton and staff, and was a member of the distinguished party who met LaFayette on his memorable tour through the United States in 1824. He remembered particularly LaFayette and his friend Col. Philip VanCortland.

Mr. Van Oder was captain for a number of years of the steamer ‘Simeon DeWitt’ built in 1838. About the time he obtained a patent on a steam boiler which was placed in the DeWitt and gave good satisfaction. Shortly after this he obtained a patent on a ‘steam cut off’ which was valuable and came into general use, and in turn gave way to later improvements. In 18[56?] he built the steam freighter ‘Oliver Phelps,’ and ran it for several years. In 1861 he obtained a patent on a canal boat, and built boats of that pattern for many years. These boats were built up of solid wood and were known as the log boat, and noted for their largely increased carrying capacity and resisting power in collision. They ? ready made(?) in the ? days of canal freighting, and many of them are still afloat.

At the age of 82 he took out a patent on a fire escape; at the age of 90 he had a stove attachment made for keeping the warm air in  constant circulation and bringing it from the ceiling to the floor; at the age of 91 he had made for a son-in-law who was deaf, a device to convey sound through the mouth to the facial bones to the man….”

Van Order & Son (Abram and Linn Van Order) boat yard, Inlet opposite D.L. & W. R.R. engine house

Ithaca and Tompkins County Business Directory, Ithaca, NY: Ithaca Democrat Steam Print, 1872

"Labyrinth Steam-Boiler," Abram Van Order, Ithaca, N.Y., Boiler for Steam-Engines or for other purposes

"Improved Construction of Canal-Boats," Patent No. 33,272, September 10, 1861, Abram Van Order of Ithaca, New York.

A. Van Order, Canal Boat, Patented September 10, 1861, No. 33,272,