New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-31
BODY OF REV. MR.. IAN PELT FOUND
DROWNED OFF ASTORIA LAST WEEK. IT
FLOATED IN AT BAY RIDGE-CAREER
OF THE CLERGYMAN.

The drowned body of the Rev. Daniel Van Pelt
Of No. so Remsen-st, Astoria, was found in the
water at the foot OF Seventy-ninth-st, Bay Ridge.
on Monday afternoon and II was identified yester-
day at the Morgue in Willoughby-st., Brooklyn.
BY his brother. John NJ. Van Pelt, of No. 100 East
Fiftysixth-st., Manhattan, and other friends. The
body was removed to Astoria yesterday afternoon.
The Rev. Mr.. Van Pelt In the habit of taking
swimming baths in the East River near his home.
It was his custom to go out alone in the evening
just before going to bed. AS he did not return
early last Wednesday morning search was made
for him, and his clothes found at Scaly
Rock near the Shore Road, Astoria where he
usually went battle. II is supposed that he mis-
calculated the depth of the water, or was swept
off his feet by the swell OF passing steamer ana
caught in the current, which runs swiftly
through Hell Gate at that point His cries for help
we're heard by man passing along the lonely road,
and he went to the waters edge and shouted, but
got no response save from Waterman on Ward S
Island. across the river, who put out in boat,
but found no trace OF the drowning man. The tide
was ebbing. and running at the rate of about
eight miles hour.
The Rev. Mr.. Van Peit was about forty-seven
years old and was born in Schiedam, Holland At
the cge Of twelve he accompanied his parents to
this country and he continued his education in the
public schools and in the College of the City of
New-York. from which he was graduated in 1873
He then pursued his studies for the ministry at
the Rutgers Theological School, at New-Bruns-
wick. N j., and was the pastor of Reformed
churches in New City, Rockland County; Holland,
Mich, East New-York and Astoria At time
he was secretary Minister Thayer, at The
Hague. He made especial study of the Dutch
documents relating to the early history of this
country, and became an authority on them. He
translated many of them for the State Historian
at Albany and for the General Synod of the Re
formed Church. He of the editors with
General James Grant Wilson Of THE Memorial
History Of New-York," the author of Leslie s
History of Greater New-York. a Church and
Har Martyrs hSfOriRS Reformation
translated Tollens poem. Nova Zemble," from
the Dutch. He well known as lecturer be-
fore historical societies Holland and other his
toricaI subjects, and lectured in the public school
course in Manhattan the history of New York
and other topics: One of his lectures was to have
been given last Thursday evening. Al the time of
his death he engaged in translating State docu-
ments from the Dutch, and had just completed a
volume of a thousand typewriter pages. He was
a member of the South Chassis of Long Island. of
the Reformed Church, and was long clerk of the
Particular SynCd Of New-York.
MT Van Pelt eft widow, who is the daughter
of the late DR.. Charles Scott. president of Hope
College Mich, and The funeral will take
place at his home in Astoria, at $50 O'Clock this
evening.