Hello,
I have recently become involved in carrying on my mom's life-long quest to prove that she is related to President, Martin Van Buren. Our GGGGgrandmother Catherine (Katie) Van Buren married Richard Pulver and moved to Illinoisin 1843. Her daugher Emily married William Keene and that was the beginning of our direct line. Our Katie always told her grandchildren that she was the first cousin of the President, Martin Van Buren and made sure that her gravestone had her maiden name listed.
Last summer we went to Kinderhook and Albany to try and find birth and/or marriage records but did not succeed. Our best lead was the book, "History of Cornelis Maessen Van Buren". Our Catherine may be listed on page 194. She did marry a Pulver, but as I stated above, our Pulver was named Richard. The children listed #1031, 1032 and 1033 match the names of the children buried here in Illinois, however the dates of #835 Nancy C.or Katherine Van Buren do not match. We know our Catherine was born in 1793 and died September 9, 1872. she would have been too old for the listing on page 194. Does anyone out there have any leads we can follow? Where did the Van Buren family go to church? Are ther any other books that have been written that would help us discover the answers to our mystery? We would appreciate any help we can get. We have another trip planned for July.
thanks!
Barb Johnson
Yorkville, Illinois