At the time he died, was the oldest living citizen in Yonkers, NY at 99 years old. His father also had lived well into his 90s. He died at his daughters Lizzie Van Fleet Zehner home 12 St. Andrews Place, Yonkers NY.

He was born in 1825, the second of 6 children of Abraham S. Van Fleet and Sarah Jane Hall Van Fleet. His grandfather was Adrian Van Fleet, whose wife Elisabeth Switser Van Fleet, was where his middle name was derived.

He was married twice, first it appears to a Jane Mussen, who there is relatively little information on. He had two children with Jane, and I believe they divorced, I do not think she passed away as we had earlier expected. His two children with Jane were:
1. Henry Munsen Van Fleet (who later migrated to Texas, it appears many people have trouble locating his ancestral line, and it's understandable, his middle name I think was changed to Munsen, even though his mother's maiden name was Mussen)
2. Lucy Jane Van Fleet Maguire, married Joseph Maguire, buried in New Jersey and linked to this memorial.

He later married Esther (or Hester, or Ester) Flandreau, and had several more children.
3. Richard Walker Van Fleet (married Rebecca Sherwood)
4. Dr. Frank Van Fleet, a noted eye Doctor, who predeceased Henry.
5. Eugene C. Van Fleet(married Mary Pawson)
6. Dr. Milton E. Van Fleet (appears to have never been married)
7. Lizzie Van Fleet (married John or Julius Zehner) Henry passed away at their home in Yonkers.)
8. Herbert Van Fleet (unmarried, later in his 40's moved to and died in West Virginia)
9. James Monroe Van Fleet (appears to have not married-died I think in his 30's, he predeceased Henry.)
10. Florence E. Van Fleet Caye (married George Caye, moved to Detroit, does not appear she had children)

Attaching a transcribed letter from Henry Switzer Van Fleet to a friend from 1850.

New York
1850 March 10

Well Margaret,

Although you may perhaps think I have no right to write to you as I am married but don’t begin to pout for Jane sits close by me and is aware of what I am doing and so it will not be one of those _?_ commonly called love letters. I feel confident that you, in the goodness of your heart, will forgive the liberty I take in writing unsolicited to you; but should you make up your mind to be cross about it we are so far apart that I have little fear of getting my whiskers pulled or my face scratched. But this is enough by way of preface and excuse and I proceed to other matters.

Your absence is much regretted by all who knew you here. Jane and myself often talk of you and almost every morning she tells of something dreamed of you during the night. At one time she imagined you were here and came to see her disguised and as you came into the room told her you did not want the people in New York to know you had come back yet. Your sister Jane called to see us three weeks ago today; she was well then.

Only think that H. Mussen VanFleet , Esq., sits nearly in front of me on the floor laughing, chattering and chewing his fingers. By turns he is getting on fine, is quite well and very fat; sleeps well at night and but little in daytime. Even now he begins to show signs of restlessness.

I need not tell you how much we would like to see you and you are not forgotten by Mrs. Hughes. Last Sunday she came into the parlour and taking up the wreath you left over the mantle, said she would take it into her own room for fear it would not last long as a wreath if left there exposed to the rough handling of every person who chose to take it up and many who knew not the purpose for which it had been placed there. Accordingly she took it with her and it can now be seen in her own parlour occupying the same position over the mantle that it previously did in the public parlour.

Little Sarah is quite sick this afternoon. Her brother Jashet(?) is so fat as a little bear and I believe generally healthy. Since you left us there have been strange things happening among us - that is among the occupants of #20 Oliver Street, which you would not like to hear, nor I relate, so let them pass, only saying there had like to have been a serious difficulty between some of the gentlemen. I believe however it has been amicably arranged at least I hear no more about it.

But Margaret, say, although if you do I can’t hear you. Don’t you think I am writing a stupid letter? But if it is I cannot help it, I was never intended for writing pretty things to ladies and if I had been the time is past when I should have done it. For fear you may form such an opinion as this I shall not say much more and I also very much doubt if you will be able to decipher the hieroglyphics I make use of you must excuse that as well as the boldness of my writing to you at all. It is only that I feel anxious to hear from or about you that I am induced to undertake this. Do tell us why you have never written to us. Will you write to me or to Jane, or to H. Mussen or anyone so that we may know something about you and yours. I shall leave the remainder of this paper for my Jane to write on. Perhaps she may be able to say something more interesting than I have.
I remain with sentiments of highest esteem and warmest friendship. Your well wisher,
H.S. VanFleet
20 Olivia Street, N.Y.