Op den Graeff

Op den Graeff (also Updegraff, Updegrove etc) is a German and American family of Dutch origin. They once belonged to Mennonite faith and had a long history in religious service and politics since the early 17th century. In the Colony of Pennsylvania and in Ohio they also became forerunners of the anti-slavery movement and abolitionism.

 History 
The earliest historically proven member of the Op den Graeff family is Herman op den Graeff (1585-1642). He was from Aldekerk (Duchy of Cleves) near the border to the Dutch Republic. His ancestors where of dutch origin.William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania, by Prof. William I. Hull (2018) It is claimed, that Herman was a natural son of John William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from an unproven morganatic marriage with Anna op den Graeff (van de Aldekerk).Krefeld Immigrants and Their Descendants, Bände 7-12, p 15 ff and 53 ff, Links Genealogy Publications, 1990Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King's 'Beloved Sister', by Heather R. Darsie .  Some claim the records were destroyed in the conflict between Protestants and Catholics at the time but regardless because Anna op den Graeff was of lower social rank, Johann Wilhelm's titles and privileges were not passed on to their son and he was considered officially without an heir According to their family tradition, the Op den Graeff family together with the Dutch De Graeff family descended from the austrian Herren von Graben through Wolfgang von Graben († 1521)."Van Bebber Pioneers Newsletter", Doc Store. January 1988" A copied text that is not documented by extern sources says: "Made up from genuine document by Pieter de Graeff, Baron van Zuid Polsbrook (Polsbroek), Purmerland and Ilpendam, living 1661, continued by Pieter Gerritsz de Graeff and after that by Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek (Holland). In the Diploma of Nobility loaned to Andries de Graeff it was affirmed that the family De Graeff was formerly called von Graben, which is the same as de Graeff. This family today shows the same Coat of Arms as the De Graeff family." Accessed 29 sept 2011 He were mentioned in Holland between 1476 and 1483.Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Ritter- u. Adels-Geschlechter, Band 3, p 229 (1870)De Graeff (Pieter Graeff) and Von Graben in the dutch "DBNL"Der deutsche Herold: Zeitschrift für Wappen-, Siegel- u. Familienkunde, Band 3, p 91/92, von Verein Herold Graeff was the dutch spelling of the german Graben during the 14th and 15th century.<ref>Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in Beziehung auf Abstammung und Begriffsbildung, p 254, by Conrad Schwenck (1834)</ref> These sources are not documented and cannot be verified.

The Op den Graeffs were originally Mennonites. Herman op den Graeff was a rich linen weaver and settled to Krefeld in 1609. He become the Mennonite leader ("bishop") of Krefeld and delegate to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith in 1632. The Op den Graeff family is said to be related to William Penn, the founder and gouverneur of Pennsylvania."History of the Op Den Graeff/Updegraff family", June Shaull Lutz, 1988, S. 1Mennonite World Review - More than our family tree Sources say, that their connection goes through the Pletjes family, who married into the Penn and Op den Graeff families.The Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society. Volume 103, number 4, Winter 2001-2002. "The Ancestors and Descendants of John Cope, Son of Caleb and Mary Cope", by Thomas R. Kellog, p 193

The Op den Graeff family turned Quaker in part around 1679-1680. In 1683 Hermans grandchildren Derick, Herman and Abraham op den Graeff migrated to the United States. They belonged to the Original 13, the first closed group of German emigrants to North America, often referred to as the Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Founders."The Friend, Volume 48", The Friend., 1875. Harvard University. p. 67"Ship Passengers Mentioned in Merion MM Minutes; Chester County, PA." , Yvonne Prough. U.S. Genealogical Web Archives. Accessed 29 sept 2011"1683 Concord" , Pro Genealogists. Accessed 29 sept 2011

In Germantown, Derick and Abraham op den Graeff, signed the first organized religious petition against slavery in the colonies. This is named the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery. In Pennsylvania the family split up into a lot of different family branches: Opdegraf(f), Updegraf(f), Uptagraff(t), Updegrave, Updegrove, Updegraph, Uptegraph, Upthegrove, Upthagrove and Ubdegrove. 

In 1802History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with Family History and Biographical Sketches: History of Jefferson co., O., by J. H. S. And w. M. rainer. History of Logan, the Mingo chief, by R. H. Taneyhill. Resources of Jefferson co., by J. B. Doyle. Bench and bar of Jefferson co., by O. M. Sanford. Biographical sketches. Education and religion. by W. M. Trainer. The press. Medical history of Jefferson co. History of Belmont co., by C. L. Poorman, including Biographical sketches. Agricultural resources, by A. T. McKelvey, p 188 (1890) a branch of the family settled in Mount Pleasant, Jefferson, Ohio.David B. Updegraff, Quaker Holiness Preacher, p 12, by J. Brent Bill (1983) This branch belonged to the 19th-century Quaker families of that stateUpdegraff family papers This Updegraff branch of belonged to the leading families of the Quaker religious movement and produced a long line of ministers and elders.History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with Family History and Biographical Sketches: History of Jefferson co., O., by J. H. S. And w. M. rainer. History of Logan, the Mingo chief, by R. H. Taneyhill. Resources of Jefferson co., by J. B. Doyle. Bench and bar of Jefferson co., by O. M. Sanford. Biographical sketches. Education and religion. by W. M. Trainer. The press. Medical history of Jefferson co. History of Belmont co., by C. L. Poorman, including Biographical sketches. Agricultural resources, by A. T. McKelvey, p 187 (1890) David Benjamin Updegraff (1789-1864) was a conductor and one of the leaders of the Underground Railroad. He was one of the first outspoken anti-slavery men. His house was the home of antislavery advocates and temperance lecturers. The family also has a lot of delegates, members of U.S. House of Representatives and the Senat, like Abraham op den Graeff (1649-1731), Updegraff (1750–1827), Jonathan Taylor Updegraff (1822–1882), Thomas Updegraff (1834–1910) or Joseph S. Updegraff. Direct descendants of the family where Pennsylvania Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker"Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania", John W. Jordan. Genealogical Publishing Com, 1978. , 9780806308111. p. 486 and US-president Theodore Roosevelt.The Descendants of James Carrell and Sarah Dungan, His Wife. P 140/142 (1928)

In 2013 the worldwide active Family Association Gräff-Graeff (Familienverband Gräff-Graeff e. V.) was founded for the Graeff lineages of austrian noble Wolfgang von Graben († 1521) and his son Peter von Graben aka Pieter Graeff. This include the originally dutch De Graeff noble house with its lines De Graeff, De Graaff, Graeff and Gräff. The Op den Graeff family with his main lines Updegraff and Updegrove is part of the family association as an associated family because, according to their tradition, they also descend from Wolfgang von Graben. Chairman is the austrian Matthias Laurenz Gräff. The association has several global state representatives and more than 150 membersFamilienverband Gräff-Graeff e.V. and is officially registered in Austria.Austrian association register (Österreichische Vereinsregister-Abfrage Online): Code 597756615www.gars.at Familienverband Gräff-Graeff e. V.

 Coat of arms 

There is a reference about the Op den Graeff glass paintings of Krefeld. It has a description of Herman's possible, but not proven, coat of arms. It was fund in the estate of W. Niepoth (op den Graeff folder) in the archives of the city of Krefeld. In a noted letter dated November 17, 1935, Richard Wolfferts wrote to Dr Risler: "Saw the Coat of Arms glass pane in the old museum: 'Herman op den Graeff und Grietgen syn housfrau' or the like. Coat of Arms - In the sign a silver swan in blue. Helmet decoration (I think): Swan growing."History of the Op Den Graef/Updegraff Family, p 22; by June Shaull Lutz, 1988 (Original at University of Wisconsin - Madison)

 Family members 
 Herman op den Graeff (1585–1642), Mennonite community leader ("bishop") of Krefeld, delegate and signer of the sign the Dordrecht Confession of Faith
 Herman Isacks op den Graeff (1642-1708), one of the "Original 13", the first closed group of German emigrants to North America, original founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania
 Derick op den Graeff (1646-1697), leader of the "Original 13", politician, signer of the first organized religious protest against slavery, original founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania
 Abraham op den Graeff (1649–1731), one of the "Original 13", politician, signer of the first organized religious protest against slavery, original founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly
 Nathan Updegraff (1750–1827), a founder and delegate to Ohio's first constitutional convention
 David Benjamin Updegraff (1789–1864), conductor of the Underground Railroad, minister of Friends church
 Joseph S. Updegraff, member of the Ohio Senate
 Jonathan T. Updegraff (1822–1882), U.S. Representative from Ohio
 David Brainard Updegraff (1830–1894), minister of Friends church (Quaker minister)
 Thomas Updegraff (1834–1910), attorney and five-term Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from northeastern Iowa 
 Allan Eugene Updegraff (1883–1965), American-born novelist, poet, and editor; died at Paris, France 
 Laura Upthegrove (1896–1927), American bandit known as "The Queen of the Everglades" 
 Clarence Dewitt Upthegrove (1899-1982), American businessman and politician
 Ed Updegraff (1922–2022), American amateur golfer and urologist
 Mark K. Updegrove (born 1961), American author and historian, director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
 Stephen Updegraff (born 1962), American refractive surgeon
 Dave Upthegrove (born 1971), American politician

References

 Other websites 

 Op den Graeff Krefeld Stained-Glass Windows 
 Some data for this article was taken from Matthias Laurenz Gräff's Graeff research, which has existed since 2006.Graeff Forschung, est. 2006; for Op den Graeff see: Verwandtschaften > Namensverwandtschaften > VI) Die Op den Graeff aus dem Rheinland

 Further reading 
 Bender, Harold S. (1957) Graeff, op den (Opdegraf, Updegrave, Updegrove) family. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
 Ulle, R.F. (1983) The Original Germantown Families. Mennonite Family History'' April.

Category:Dutch people
Category:German families
Category:American families
Category:People from Ohio
Category:Quakers
Category:People from Pennsylvania