The Settlement in Rutherford
In 1687 Walling Jacobse Van Winkle
left his Knickerbocker friends in New Amsterdam and moved to territory now known as
Rutherford to found a real estate firm which is still being carried on. "Van Winkles
have the indisputable distinction of being the oldest real estate firm in the United
States and possibly the oldest in the world."
New York Times, March 7, 1937
On March 26, 1687, according to
the first deed for Rutherford property recorded in the county clerk's office in
Hackensack, John Berry sold to Waling Jacob Van Winkle the western part of his land lying
in the present Borough of Rutherford, and thus Mr. Van Winkle became the first settler. He
enlarged an existing structure that had belonged to Captain Berry on a hill just south of
the present Union Avenue Bridge at approximately Darwin and Hastings Avenues. The
foundation could still be seen in the early nineteen forties.
Jacob (Waling) Van Winkle, first
son of Waling Jacob Van Winkle, was born in Acquackanonck, New Jersey on June 13, 1674 and
baptized in the local church. Upon his father's death, he inherited the New Barbadoes Neck
estate. He would become the first of the famous Van Winkle Realtors, a profession which
has become a tradition still practiced by his descendants, nearly three hundred years
later."
D. Van Winkle
The "Van Winkle
Record," 1913
"Daniel Van Winkle may well
be considered the original architect of the town of Rutherford, having mapped it out in a
manner which has been basically maintained along the lines of his original design and
apportionment. He helped further religion and education through donation of funds and
property together with a great deal of personal dedication. His magnificent business
acumen led to many successes from which both he and his community benefited. There is no
tangible monument specifically designated 'Van Winkle' but the continuity and prominence
of the Van Winkle name has been sustained by each generation through their civic and
business endeavors, and this, in turn, has established their own 'living monument.'"
Robert MacFadyad.
"The News Leader', January
24, 1974
Daniel Van Winkle built the building that houses
the current office in 1866, his son Arthur Ward Van Winkle incorporated the business in
1905 and thus gave it its current name, A. W. Van Winkle & Co. Currently Daniel's
great, great grandson, Peter S. Van Winkle, is the Broker of Record. |
