Early History of the Courtright Family Compiled by Samuel W. Courtright--1907 John S. Lowe, Circleville, Ohio, Print. Early History of the Cortez-Van kortryk-Van Kortright- Kortright-Courtright-Cutright Family. More than a third of a century's unremittant study and research of the early and later history of the Courtright family has resulted in the discovering and bringing to light many facts of exceeding importance to the Family and the History. Cortez a Spanish nobleman, enjoyed either the proud distinction or suffered the opprobium of being the progenitory of a family of which we are the XXth Century representatives. History, research, study for years have persistently refused to open their vaults and lead us further back into the dim age of the forgotten past beyond Cortez the Spanish nobleman. He is therefore, our Alpha, while doubtless among the latest posterity will be found our Omega. Over in France, near the borders of Spain, Cortez had for a neighbor a man whose name has been heralded through the ages, and whose memory will be loved and revered by countless millions in the centuries to come--John Calvin, the religious reformer, the Pro-testant. At that date al Europe and Continental Europe were in the throes of a tremendous religious revolution. The clergy, the nobility, the men of affairs, as well as the peasantry, became deeply concerned in the religious movement- in the tremendous wave which was sweeping over civilization. Never, perhaps, since the Christian Era were such scenes presented in the religious world. The name of John Calvin on every lip-- either to be praised or censured. From the mighty vortex, which threatened the lives and property of all the people, Cortez, strong of mind and body, a leader among the people, arose in his majesty and publicly renounced the Church of State and proclaimed the doctrine enuciated by Calvin; he became a Calvanist--a Pro-testant. Religious zeal was followed by intoleration and doubtless many wrongs were committed under the cloak of the Church, Edifices of the Church of State were razed to the ground; their paintings, figures, and stucco work were utterly destroyed; Protestant churches were erected on their sites; and great excitement and much confusion prevailed among the people. Spain witnessed eith horror and blanched faces the people gathering in their might and throwing off the established Church. A resort to arms followed; the legions of the Spanish army assembled and gave battle. But Spain had too many guns for the Calvanists; and the latter, after suffering great loss of life and many treasures , were obliged to return into Flanders, later into Holland, and there, upon the river Lys, they built a city, which they named Kortryk, in honor of Cortez, whose name had been changed to conform to the Dutch idea of the meaning of the work, and he being a Nobleman, was entitled to the prefix "Van" or "Von" --his Dutch name being Van Kortryk. Many French Huguenots accompanied him and his army of protestants to Holland, and no contemporary writer disguises the fact that Cortez--afterward van Kortryk-- was esteemed as none others were; hence they built the city and gave it his name, that future generations might have his name and deeds perpetuated until the cause of protestantism would need no monuments of stone or of brass to speak to the generations yet unborn of the deeds of prowess, of heroism of the Cortez--Vav Kortryk--who sacrificed all in life worth having, except honor, the respect of his people, the consciousness of doing right and worshiping God according to the dictates of his own conscience-but there today on the river Lys stands the little old city, half covered by the ivy and honeysuckle, the monument erected by his neighbors to perpetuate the name of our progenitor. The discovery of this fact alone, well authenticated, undisputed, were there none others, fully justified the writer for the long years of research in tracing the name and history of the Family whose name he is proud to bear. Moved to Scotland after Holland. After permanently making Holland, then Scotland, their place of abode, protestant spires pointed heavenward while persecution, at times unabated, still continued; but the "Clan" Macgregor and the other "Clans" from the north of Ireland and south of Scotland were their true and trusted allies; ( the "Clans" were groups of communities of Calvanists, sometimes called "Covenanters"); and when they were needed , rushed to their aid, and unitedly they would sweep down upon the hordes of Spanish soldiery, and drive them from their soil. During the hundred or more years immediately following the arrival of Van Kortryks into Holland, his descendants were blessed with much of the world's goods; but, at length, tiring of almost incessant warefare, some of them--Jan Bastiaensen Kortryk, his sonsand his brother Michael disposed of their property, and having received glowing accounts of the new Harles in the New World, concluded to brave the wrath of Old Ocean and seek homes where there would be less strife and religious persecution. Before renewing the acquaintance of the Kortryks, after their arrival in America, permit me to say, parathetically, that much time and persistent labor was spent in "keeping on the right track" in tracing the family while in Flanders, and especially in Holland, for the reason that family names were an exception and not the rule; the mass of people in the Fatherland used only a Patronymic form by adding to the child's Christian name that of the father. Another trouble encountered was the habit of some of the Dutch of calling themselves or permitting themselves to be called by "any old name"- and the the only way of obtaining accuracy was by securing the name as entered on the Church records and in titles to their lands--for when their names were entered on the church records or title records, they saw to it that their true names, their Real names were properly inscribed. For instance, why did Jan or John permit himself to be known as "Jan Bastiaensen" instead of his full name Jan Bastiaensen Kortryk? But when he bought real estate or when the church record was employed he was always sure to wind it up with Kortryk. He seemed to want to be known on the "Other side of Jordan" by his full name...and so it was always entered. Samuel W. Courtright Circleville, Ohio, August 22, 1907. Addenda THE LATER HISTORY OF THE COURTRIGHT FAMILY, and by preserving this paper, a history of the Family, (so far as this branch is concerned), will then be complete. The difficult matter os securing the Early history of the family from the time of Cortez, the original van Kortryk, to the dawn of the XIX Century has been accomplished. Any industrious, painstaking writer can prepare the next paper. It is true that in many instances the por- trayal in detail has been to meager, yet ist should be borne in mind that the difficulties encountered have been enormous and in some instances well nigh insurmountable. Accuracy has been the constant aim of the writer, fiction has not been drawn upon, and every statement furnished is believed to be strictly in accordance with historical facts.