[R005a] American Patriots at the Battle of Oriskany, August 6, 1777; DeWitt, Vera; Snell, Zimmerman, Timmerman Reunion, Inc.; Kenmore, NY; 1977
[R018a] A Midnight Ride: A Young Telegrapher Carries an Urgent Message; Raab, Steven S.; Civil War Times Illustrated; Philadelphia, PA; 1994; p.24,69 March/April
[R018b] Ten Eyck Fonda Papers: Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Holcomb, Julie; Pearce Civil War Collection; Navarro College, Corsicana, TX; 1863
[R021b] Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865; Hewett, Janet B.; Broadfoot Publishing Co.; Wilmington, NC; 1997
[R045] Civil War High Commands; Eicher, John H.; Stanford University Press; Stanford, CA; 2001; pp.238,636,662,745,821
[R055] Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots; Hatcher, Patricia Law; Pioneer Heritage Press; Dallas, TX; 1987
[R077a] The Bloodied Mohawk: The American Revolution in the words of Fort Plank’s Defenders and other Mohawk Valley Partisans; Johnson, Ken D.; Picton Press; Rockport, ME; 2000
[R091a] Original Florence Stockade Arrival Book; Register of Federal Prisoners of War Admitted to Confederate Prison Hospitals at Salisbury, N.C., Danville, Va., Cahaba, Ala., & Florence, S.C.; Washington, DC; National Archives Record Group 249, Entry 53, pages 430 – 547.
[R091b] Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners; Registers of Federal Prisoners of War who died in Confederate Prisons, 1861-1865; Washington, DC; National Archives Record Group 249, entry 36, volume II (parts a,b,c).
[R095] New York in the Revolution as Colony and State; Roberts, James A.; Genealogical Publishing Co.; Baltimore, MD; 1898
[R117a] A Dictionary of All Officers Who Have Been Commissioned, or have been Appointed and Served, in the Army of the United States, 1789-1853: Volunteers and Militia of the States, Navy and Marine Corps; Gardner, Charles K.; G.P. Putnam and Co.; New York, NY; 1853
[R118a] A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Number and Organization of the Armies of the United States; Dyer, Frederick H.; Thomas Yoseloff; New York, NY; 1959; Vol. I
[R118b] The Story of Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley; Greene, Nelson; O’Connor Brothers Publishers; Fort Plain, NY; 1915
[R118c] A History of Schenectady During the Revolution; Hanson, Willis T. Jr.; E.L. Hildreth & Co.; Brattleboro, VT; 1916
[R118d] Revised Register of the Soldiers and Sailors of New Hampshire in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866; Ayling, Augustus D.; I.C. Evans; Concord, NH; 1895; 1355 pgs
This is a duplicate of the listing on the fonda.org website.
Albert Granville Fonda; Mechanical Engineer, Inventor, Consultant; see www.crashex.com; Cornell University Graduate; born Nov-6-1928 in Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., New York; 1930 Census, Mohawk, Montgomery Co., New York; res. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area; Fonda, Albert Granville 1928- Who’s Who in the East. 14th edition, 1974-1975; had numerous inventions including patents on power steering design; served as President of the American Society of Inventors and active in the Society of Automotive Engineers; see Biographies for more…
Cornelius Van Wagoner Fonda; Surveyor; born 1858, died Apr-19-1931 at 73 years of age; b. New Jersey; 1880 US Census, Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey; d. River Edge, New Jersey; for twenty-two years was an engineer for the North Jersey Title Insurance Company of Hackensack; finished his engineering course at Stuttgart University in Germany.
Gorton R. Fonda; Research PhD Chemist; born 27-Nov-1884, died Dec-1-1973 at 89 years of age; SSDI Amherst, Erie, New York; worked nearly 40 years for General Electric Laboratory, attributed with design for radar screen for National Defense Research Council in 1941; G. R. Fonda, Phys. Rev. 21, 343 (1923); Foundations of Vacuum Science and Technology (1916).
John Giles Fonda; Civil Engineer, Mayor of Warsaw, Civil War Officer (Major); born 8-Mar-1822, died Dec-10-1910 at 88 years of age; b. Sand Flats, Montgomery Co., New York; moved in 1835 to Warsaw, Hancock Co., Illinois; 1880 United States Census, Quincy, Adams, Illinois; d. National City, California; US Volunteer Cavalry 1847-1865; Civil War High Commands by John H. Eicher and David J. Eicher; Second Lieutenant for Independent Companies of Illinois Mounted Volunteers for the Mexican War 1848-49. Major in Civil War, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry; Civil War Pension Index: Kansas; see Biographies, Stories for more…
LeGrand Benedict Fonda; Engineer; born Oct-20-1912, died Jun-10-1989 at 76 years of age; b. New York; 1930 Census, New York, Rensselaer, Troy, District 110; SSDI New York; Who’s Who in Engineering. Fourth, Seventh editions. American Association of Engineering Societies, 1980, 1988; see Biographies for more…
Lyman D. Fonda; Scientist; born 13-Apr-1899, died 10-Jun-1977 at 78 years of age; b. New York; 1930 Census, New York, Schoharie, Fulton, District 9; SSDI Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Florida; American Men & Women of Science, A biographical directory of today’s leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 12th edition, Physical & Biological Sciences. Seven volumes, 1971; see Biographies for more…
Margaret Lee Fonda; Biologist; born 1942; American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today’s leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 12th-23rd editions, Physical & Biological Sciences, 1971-2003.
This is a duplicate of the listing on the fonda.org website.
Alexander Glen Fonda; Physician; born 17-Aug-1785, died 4-Mar-1869 at 83 years of age; b. and d. Schenectady, New York; 1850 U.S. Census, New York, Schenectady, Schenectady Ward 1; Alexander Glen Fonda, born August 17th, 1785, was a graduate of Union College in Schenectady in 1806, and for many years a physician in Schenectady. He died March 4th, 1869, aged nearly eighty-four years.
David Bartholomew Fonda; Teacher, Civil War Surgeon, Railroad Agent, Physician, Hospital Administrator; born 6-Nov-1834, died Jun-20-1903 at 68 years of age; b. Watervliet, Albany Co., New York; 1880 United States Census, Jefferson, Cook, Illinois; d. Chicago Cook, Illinois; was proprietor of Dr. Fonda’s medicines, and a gifted speaker and writer; “Early Chicago, and the Northwest” by Albert D. Hager, page 756; see Stories for more…
John Isaac Fondey; Physician; born 22-Dec-1815; b. First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, Albany, New York; 1880 United States Census, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929: type of practice: Allopath; state/year of licenses: Pennsylvania, 1881; University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, 1837, (G); died Dec 31, 1929.
Greetings to fellow Fonda Family members who are exploring their lineage… and to others who are doing genealogy research, or are just browsing for information. The Fonda Family in America has a rich heritage and there are many fascinating stories of perseverance, integrity and achievement… a truly great American legacy which is still unfolding. I hope you will find this report useful and that this database continues to grow.
There are currently over 4000 Fondas in the Main Family Line (6000 including spouses) over a 400-year time span. There are another 1500 Fondas identified, but not yet placed (Strays, for the lack of a better term). As of 2005, there are approximately 900 households world-wide with Fonda surnames listed… about 500 in America, 200 in Italy, followed distantly by France, Slovenia and Canada. The majority of the American line is descendant from Jellis Douw Fonda (1614-1659) who migrated from Holland to American in about 1650. The link back to Italy is still uncertain.
This project is limited to just the Fonda surname (and its spelling variants), which includes only those born with the Fonda surname and their spouses. This means that wive’s parents and daughter’s children are not included. There are separate sections broken out for Allied Early Families (nearly 400 ancestors of pre-1800 marriages) and Other European Immigrants (over 600 Fonda immigrants not in the main family line). There are also about 70 Black Fondas in the Strays section, with some links back to their likely slave owners prior to the Civil War. There is good evidence of at least four family lines of former slaves who retained the Fonda family name.
Recent additions include:
– many new immigration and ship passenger records
– expanded entries from global listings, except Italy and Slovenia
– all available court, land and probate records
– all available Canadian Phone & Address listings
– all available info from classmates.com
– correspondence with dozens of distant cousins
Future work will concentrate on:
– more research into historical newspapers
– more research into Italian/Slovenian roots and current branches
– more research into current Rest-of-World branches
– include available info from linkedin.com and other social networking sites
– seeking gravestone photos and pre-1950 family photos
I have enjoyed putting this project together, and I was gratified to find so much information… thanks to some excellent previous work, collaboration with other researchers, some great library resources and the ever-expanding Internet mass of information. Please feel free to send me an e-mail with comments or questions… this is a living document and is never totally complete.
I am currently working on more recent generations based on public records and feedback from our many Fonda cousins who have found the website or database. The Rootsweb on-line database does not display people born after 1930, but the GNO, GED and PDF files linked above all have everything included. Although this is all public information, please respect other people’s privacy. The message boards on Genealogy.com and Ancestry.com are good places to make inquiries. The latest update of the database files are posted at www.fonda.org and worldconnect.rootsweb.com. Please send any inquiries or comments to webmaster(at)fonda.org.
This is a duplicate of the listing on the fonda.org website.
Abraham Janse Fonda; Merchant, Ship Captain, Justice, Revolutionary War Soldier; born 18-Jan-1708, died 30-Jul-1762 at 54 years of age; b. Claverack, Albany Co., New York; moved from Claverack to Albany in 1745; d. Albany, Albany Co., New York; Abraham had 6 sons enrolled in the Albany County Militia in the Revolutionary War, 8th Regiment, Claverack Battalion; Peter, Lieutenant; Laurens, Quartermaster; Abraham (1744-), Captain; Jeremiah, Douwe, and Cornelius, Private.
Douw Adam Fonda; Dry Goods Merchant; born 14-Oct-1824; b. Reformed Protestant Dutch Church Of Caughnawaga, Fonda, Montgomery, New York; 1880 United States Census, District 2, Mohawk, Montgomery, New York; In 1885, Douw A. Fonda, the oldest merchant in Fonda, assigned (filed bankruptcy). His liabilities were about $50,000 and his assets about one-third of that amount. Many farmers from whom he bought hay lost largely. Ref. NY Times Oct-4-1885.
Douw Henry Fonda; Druggist, Railroad Ticket Agent; see www.darcisplace.com; born 10-Sep-1830, died Feb-23-1908 at 77 years of age; b. Fonda, Montgomery, New York; d. Albany, Albany Co., New York; Yearbook of the Holland Society of New York: 1915: List of Deceased Members; President of the D. H. Fonda Drug Company, Albany. Engaged in the railroad business. He was a ticket agent at Palatine Bridge under the late Hon. Webster Wagner. In September 1853, he became teller of the Spraker Bank, Canajoharie, and two years later was made cashier. In 1885, D. H. Fonda presented a pass from the Mount McGregor Railroad to New York Governor (future US President) Grover Cleveland. the pass was graciously returned with appreciation.
Edgar Louis Fonda; Railroad Office Clerk, Clothes Store Salesman; born 14-Dec-1884, died Nov-1-1982 at 97 years of age; b. New York; 1910 US Census, Rensselaer, Rensselaer Co., New York; 1930 Census, New York, Rensselaer, Rensselaer, District 35; SSDI Issued New York, Death Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona; bur. Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, East Greenbush, Rensselaer Co., New York
Franklin Jerome Fonda; Hotel Manager (Ford Hotel, Phoenix, 1930); born 2-Apr-1875, died Sep-21-1943 at 68 years of age; b. Ross, Michigan; 1930 Census, Arizona, Maricopa, Phoenix, District 5; Franklin at an early age went to live with his aunt, Emily Fonda Richards in Bergen, Genesee, New York. He died in Los Angeles after being struck by an automobile.
Frederick Peter Fonda; Market Bookkeeper, Civil War Soldier; born 31-Dec-1842, died Jul-31-1903 at 60 years of age; b. Troy, New York; 1850 U.S. Census, New York, Rensselaer, Troy Ward 1; res. Knoxville, Tennessee 1868-1869; 1880 United States Census, 7th Ward, District 2, Troy, Rensselaer, New York; bur. Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, New York; Sergeant in Co. E, 2nd Regiment, New York State Volunteers
Frederick Theodore Fonda; Entrepreneur; born 1872, died Jan-23-1906 at 34 years of age; b. Ross, Michigan; d. at sea; He went west to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma when about 20 years of age where he became successful in acquiring mining interests in Nevada and Utah. He was lost at sea on January 23, 1906, when he was en route from San Francisco to Seattle on the steamship “Valencia“. He was returning to Alaska where he was prospecting for gold when the ship encountered bad weather and it foundered on the rocks off Vancouver Island
George Arthur Fonda; Automobile Dealer; born 31-Aug-1890, died Feb-1-1970 at 79 years of age; b. New York; 1930 Census, New York, Onondaga, Syracuse, District 30; SSDI Syracuse, Onondaga, New York; George A. Fonda of Syracuse, New York was the distributor for Packard automobiles in central New York state for many years, operating under the corporate name Fonda Motor Car Company.
George Dockstader Fonda; California Gold Miner, NYC Policeman; born 1834, died 29-Jul-1898 at 64 years of age; b. Caughnawaga (now Fonda), Montgomery, New York; res. Sacramento, California (Tuolumne County where they owned 160 acres and found gold), then Brooklyn, New York; 1870 US Census, Columbia PO, Tuolumne Co., California; 1880 United States Census, Brooklyn, Kings (Brooklyn), New York City-Greater, New York; d. Brooklyn, New York.
Gysbert Nicholas Fonda; Merchant, Landowner; see www.nysm.nysed.gov; born 25-Sep-1720, died Aug-1788 at 67 years of age; bp. First Dutch Reformed Church, Albany, New York; Gysbert prospered in business, being counted among the wealthiest Albanians during the 1760s. In 1766, he stood with his neighbors in opposition to the Stamp Act. However, ten years later, this cautious merchant was identified by the same neighbors as opposed to the American cause, refused to sign the non Importation association, and was ordered disarmed. In 1778, he refused to swear allegiance to the United States and was threatened with deport and banishment to the British. With much to lose, Fonda then took the oath! those reservations aside, Gysbert Fonda survived the war and even was granted a bounty right in conjunction with the Albany regiment of the county militia.
Henry Vrooman Fonda; Merchant, Miller; born 10-May-1768, died 4-Apr-1815 at 46 years of age; b. East Greenbush, Rensselaer, New York; One of the first signs of modern commerce in the Mohawk Valley was a cotton-mill, carried on for about five years by a company organized in 1811, consisting of John and Simon Veeder, G. Van Deusen, Henry Fonda and Myndert Wemple. A woolen-mill and carding-machine for custom-work was attached. Simon I. Veeder rented the building, and started a satinet factory in 1825, which he continued till 1830, when he sold to John Booth. the water-power afforded by Cayadutta Creek led, at a very early day, to the establishment of grist-mills at this point. One is said to have stood, previous to the Revolution, half a mile above the site of the Cayadutta, or “Upper”, mill. Cayadutta Creek begins as a trickle in the hills some three miles north of Gloversville. It flows southward for more than 17 miles to the Mohawk River/Erie Canal, passing through the communities of Gloversville, Johnstown, Sammonsville, Berryville and Fonda.
Horace Fonda; Grocery Store Owner, Town Clerk; born 1809, died 20-Dec-1866 at 57 years of age; b. Wilton, Northumberland County, New York; 1850 U.S. Census, New York, Saratoga, Saratoga Springs; Horace Fonda was one of 13 men who were the first board of directors of Commercial Bank of Saratoga Springs. the Fonda building at 384 Broadway, built by Horace Fonda in 1846. Fire damaged the store in 1856. Stores burned were H. & W. A. Fonda’s dry goods, operated by Barton Fonda & Horace Fonda. All the buildings were wooden structures. Horace & family lived above and conducted a grocery store on the street level. Became the Adelphi Hotel in 1928.
Jacob Peter Fonda; Boatman, Coal Dealer, Cider Maker; born 22-May-1808, died 22-Aug-1883 at 75 years of age; b. Caughnawaga (now Fonda), Montgomery Co., New York; bp. Caughnawaga Reformed Church, Montgomery Co., New York; 1850 U.S. Census, New York, Montgomery, Glenn; 1880 United States Census; Fultonville, Montgomery, New York; bur. Old Cemetery, Fultonville, New York
John V. Fonda; Drapery Maker, Salesman; born 15-Feb-1892, died Dec-17-1989 at 97 years of age; b. Harlem, New York City, New York; raised in Syracuse; 1930 Census, Illinois, Cook, Chicago (Districts 1-250), District 231; returned to Syracuse in 1950; SSDI issued Indiana, death benefits Syracuse, Onondaga, New York; d. Chesapeake, Virginia
Nicholas B. Fonda; Boatman/Cartman, Variety Store Owner, Civil War Soldier; born 1829; b. New York; 1850 U.S. Census, New York, Saratoga, Waterford; 1860 U.S. Census, North Galway, Milton, Saratoga Co., New York; 1880 US Census, Cohoes, Albany, New York; Civil War – enlisted as a Private on 10 September 1863 at the age of 34; Company B, 16th Heavy Artillery Regiment New York; Mustered out Company B, 16th Heavy Artillery Regiment New York on 21 August 1865 in Washington, DC
William Brace Fonda; Oil Company Salesman, Merchant; born 12-Feb-1879, died 13064 at 56 years of age; b. and d. Omaha, Douglas Co, Nebraska; 1880 US Census, Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska; 1930 Census, Nebraska, Douglas, Omaha, District 114; res. Omaha, Nebraska, in partnership with brother Ten Eyck per 1910 Omaha Business Directory, adv novelties business.
