Van Meter, Van Metre and Van Mater are American surnames derived from the Dutch surname Van Meteren. Most are descendants of Jan Joosten van Meteren who in 1662 settled in Wiltwijck, New Netherlands, now Kingston, New York.^[1][2][3] The surname is a toponym, meaning "from Meteren" in Gelderland, the Netherlands.

People

• Daniel Van Meter (1913 2000), an American eccentric
• Edwin Van Meter Champion (1890 1970), an American politician from Illinois
• Homer Van Meter (1906 1934), an American criminal and bank robber
• Jen Van Meter, an American comic book writer
• Solomon Lee Van Meter, Jr. (1888 1937), American inventor of the backpack parachute and the ejection seat
• Tom Van Meter (1943 1992), an American politician in Ohio
• Vicki Van Meter (1982 2008), an American pilot

Van Matre

• Joseph Van Matre (1828 1892), an American soldier
• Steve Van Matre (born 1941), an American environmental activist

Places

• Van Meter, a town and township in Dallas County, Iowa, named after landowner Jacob Rhoads Van Meter (1824 ?)
  • "The Heater from Van Meter" is a nickname for baseball pitcher Bob Feller, who was born and raised in Van Meter
• Van Meter, Pennsylvania, a settlement in Westmoreland County and site of the 1907 Darr Mine Disaster

Buildings

• Fort Van Meter, an 18th century frontier fort in West Virginia, USA named after Isaac Van Meter who settled there in 1744
  • Isaac Van Meter House, a nearby historic home built in the late 18th century.
  • Garrett VanMeter House, a nearby historic home built in 1830
• Van Meter Hall, a dormitory in Amherst, Massachusetts named after former president of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Ralph A. Van Meter
• Van Meter Hall, a Western Kentucky University campus building named after Captain Charles J. Van Meter, a local riverboat captain and developer

Other

• Van Meter State Park in Missouri named in 1834 after the Vanmeter family who settled there in 1834 http://mostateparks.com/page/55012/general-information
• Van Metre Ford Stone Bridge in West Virginia

References

See also

• Jacobus van Meteren (1519 ?), Dutch financier and printer of early English versions of the Bible
• Emanuel van Meteren (1535 1612), historian and Consul for "the Traders of the Low Countries" in London, son of Jacobus
• Harry von Meter (1871 1956), an American silent film actor

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