America
There are many families Van Toll living in the North of the U.S. Thanks to the Internet and email, in the year 2000 could many of them be mapped. In februari 2001 the name of their ancestor turned out to be VAN DER TOL (and not VAN TOLL).
Researcher Willem Keeris wrote this. Cornelus and his children are registered as VAN DER TOL in the archives of Brabant (in the south of Holland).
This means that there is no family relationship between them and the Van Tolls in Europe. On this page you find a summery of the replies out of America.
See the exact dates and facts in the chronological family tree: click "STAMBOOM/FAMILY TREE" in the section above and choose "U.S." to see all American vanTolls together in one interactive and chronological diagram.
 
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Many families Van Toll live in Wisconsin and Michigan. Many people replied on the emails. Carol Huss Van Toll: Her great-grandfather, William M Van Toll was originally from the Netherlands and moved to Detroit Michigan. He had several children, of which John and William lived in the Appleton/Little Chute area of Wisconsin (about 20-25 miles south of the Green Bay area). Peter (Carol's grandfather) lived in the Detroit, Michigan area. They had four children. Joseph (Carol's dad), Helen, Regina and Daniel. Both Carol's father and Daniel are deceased. Helen's married name is Singer and she lives in the Alpena, Michigan area. Regina's married name is Bittner and she lives in a suburb of Detroit. Regina's late husband attempted doing a family history on the Van Toll's as well. |
In february 2001, when the "Van der Tol" story became more and more reliable, Carol was contacted by Eileen Van Toll (see below) regarding birth certificates for several of her family members. Carol emailed:
It is quite interesting that by chance, I was married at the same church several of my relatives were baptised or married at. I hope to contact the chuch, St John's in Little Chute, to see if I can obtain more information.
Thanks again for all the information on my family. Without your input, I don't believe I would have learned so much of my background!
On March 18, 2001 we received the sad message from Eileen that Carol had died on the age of 37, even before she met Eileen for the first time. She left a husband and two kids (age 6 and 16). Her mother Faith wrote that Carol died very unexpectedly from a sudden cardiac death syndrome.
John S. van Toll:
He is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. On his web site we can find his e-mail address. He replied:
"My family is from the Green Bay, Wisconsin area, and my Grandfather's name is Gerald Van Toll. I am the third John Van Toll, and I believe that either my great, or great-great grandfather was named John Van Toll. I would be happy to do a little digging into this on my end and share what I find with you."
He advised to write his grandparents, Gerald (Jerry) and Beverly. They live in Kimberly, Wisconsin. Beverly replied in september 2000.
Beverly van Toll:
"I don't know much about the Van Tolls, because Jerry (Gerald) is the youngest in his family and he was only 14 when his mother died. He now is the only survivor of his family, so there is no one to ask.
Jerry's father was John Martin Van Toll.
John's father was Martin Van Toll and I am sure he was born in Holland. Martin Van Toll married Anna Vander Heyden and they had 7 children - 6 boys and 1 girl.
John married Catherine Jenisse in Little Chute. They had 5 children, two of thjem are twins.
Gerald married me, Beverly Wydeven, in 1951. We have 4 kids and 14 grandchildren and John Samuel is the oldest.
In 1990, Jerry and I were in Utrecht, in a bar where a little train ran around on tracks. We spent a couple of days shopping on the North Sea. We loved Holland!! My grandfather, Martin Wydeven was born in Uden and my other grandfather, William Kobussen, was born in Zevenaar.
My sister, Kay De Groot, lived in Nürnberg for 10 years, so we bumped all over Europe - so did our kids.
Jerry's father's second wife (Martha) said she would very much like to hear from you - she has some Van Toll genealogy.
I hope this gives you some leads.
Sincerely, Beverly Van Toll"
In october 2000 this was followed by a large drawing with many details, handmade by Gerald. About the same time Martha van Toll sent a long family tree report, which partly concerned the same branch of the tree. All data van be found in the chronological family tree.
Peggy van Toll (december 2000):
"I got some information on your website from my cousin Eileen who is a Van Toll. I realized that on one of the pages John S. Van Toll sent you an e-mail with some information he had got from his Grandmother who happens to be my cousin (Beverly VanToll). She has given some information about Martin and Anna Van Toll who happen to be my grandparents on my fathers side, My father is Theodore Van Toll from Michigan, I am Peggy Van Toll his youngest child. I believe he may be the eldest Van Toll in the U.S. that is still alive and doing quite well. On the family tree you have our names Theodore, wife Betty and children myself, Debi and Theodore 2nd."
Peggy also filled in the married names of her aunt Leona (De Klein), her sister Deborah (Byrd) and Debi's daughter Angelique (Gilland). She gave many more names and dates. They are added to the drawn tree below and to the chronological Family Tree on this website.
Deborah Byrd - van Toll (Peggy's sister):
"My name is Deborah Byrd. Unfortunately my father does not remember what ship his parents came here on, only that they came seperately. Please forward any new information to me if possible. Thank you for all your information...Debi Byrd"
Ted van Toll:
"I am Theodore Jr., Debi and Peggys brother. I want to correct some information they sent to you. My birthday is May 30 - 1954, not 1953. I am old enough, they do not need to make me older. Also my sons name is spelled Bryan, not Brian and he was born on July 17 - 1987 not 1988. Just wanted you to have the correct info."
Laura van Toll (december 2000):
Laura is the daughter of John Leonard 'Bud' and Eileen Schoepel. As a graphic designer she designed and produced the Madison Music Collective newsletter, so her name is mentioned on that website. Laura let us know that she is not a musician, which we assumed until then.
Eileen van Toll (december 2000):
Eileen is the mother of Laura (see above). She followed the research since decembver 2000 en sent many emails with useful information.
When the name Van de Tol was mentioned, this did ring a bell. In an old folder she found an official document of Margaret Welheim Vander Toll, daughter of Martin. On this website she is mentioned as Margaretha Maria. On the back of a picture was written Margart Mary.
There was also a birth certificate for Anne Marie Antonette Vander Toll, daughter of William vander Toll. In 1981 het name was legally changed to Mary Ann Van Toll.
In february 2001 Eileen wrote that she found several documents about the three sons of Cornelus. The officials had been a bit inaccurate:
- Johannes died in 1908 and the name on his death certificate is Van Der Tol.
- The other 2 sons William and Martin have the name spelled van der Tol on their marriage certificates in 1904 and 1906.
- Eileen could find birth certificates of 11 children of William. The names are 2x Van Tholl, 2x Van Der Tol and the rest Vander Tol. The last Vander Tol was in 1922.
- Martin moved to Michigan with his father and the birth certificate of his third son born there reads Van Tol. In 1917 Martin was living in this area again and the records have the name Vander Tol in 1917 and 1922. But in 1923 it was Van Toll.
The remaining pieces until now:
Wendy van Toll is a student and a good swimmer. She won prizes during the Prairie State Games, but we are still waiting for a reply from the webmaster.
On August 13, 1998 Wendy van Toll (Swansea, Illinois) signed the guest book of a website, but she did not leave her e-mail address. She wrote in the guestbook: "I am browsing this for my husband David Van Toll who served in Vietnam 1965-1966. In twelve years of marriage he has only mentioned of his experiences twice. To any one who may have served with him and remember him I wish to thank you for being with him. To all those who served THANK YOU."
And then there is the Van Toll Cattle Company, which was mentioned on a web site of some tax institute. For reasons of privacy they could not give any information.
Research by Johan Toll (added in January 2018)
According to our family tradition we descent from Holland. I have found some new names and ”facts”:
Floris van Tolne. Mentioned 1274 as Tellinc Toulius van Niemansvrient, 1277. Ownwer of stronghold Tol at Rijswijk in Nothern Holland. Married N. N. Gerritsdotter van Poelgeest.
Son
Floris van Tolne. Knight. Mentioned lots of times in Den Haag 1296. Lived 1299. Married Marcelia Gerritsdotter van Rhyn Utrecht.
Son
Floris Toll. Lived 1337. Married Ottilia van Leesen, also called van der Gonde.
Son
Floris, also called jonge Floris. Knight. Mentioned 1392 and 1405. Married Mechtild Jorisdotter Vink.
Son
Fredrik. Mentioned 1439–1466. Gift med Elisabet van Boschhuijsen.
Son
Sebald. (Sabelll??) Migrated in the later half of 1400 to Neder-sachsen (another stronghold Toll is mentioned) Wittemberghe. Married Dorotea von Eichstädt.
Son
Hans. Migrated to Oesel, deceased before 1527. Married Eva von Holzendorff.
Son
Oswald. Married Margareta von Rünseln. Migrated from Oesel to Neder-Sachsen 1525.
The three migrations, the first by Sebald to Neder-Sachsen, second by Hans to Oesel and the last by Oswald back to Neder-Sachsen may explain a little why it's hard to find the connections in the archives.