Mr. Banta is a lineal descendant of Epke Jacobse Banta, a well-to-do farmer who emigrated to America from Harlengen in the Province of East Friesland, Holland, in 1659. The register of the ship " De Trouw " shows that Banta with his wife and children: Seba, aged six years, Cornelius, aged four years, Henry, aged two years, and Weart, aged nine months, left the port of Amsterdam, February 13, 1659, and in due time reached New Amsterdam, from whence Banta went to Bergen in New Jersey, where he took an active part in town affairs, and in 1679 was there appointed one of the Judges of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. The same year he bought a tract of land near Hackensack. His son Dirk bought lands adjoining his father in 1681, and in 1695 four of the sons, in company with other persons, bought a large tract at English Neighborhood in Bergen County. The sons all married, reared large families, and became prominent and influential in county affairs, principally in Bergen.

William W. Banta is of the eighth generation from Epke Jacobse Banta, the emigrant, and is the son of John J. Banta and Margeretta Demarest, and a grandson of Jacob J. and Maria (Williams) Banta, and on his mother's side of David and Margeretta Durie Demarest. He was born at Old Bridge, Bergen County, N. J., on the 20th of July, 1857, and received his education in the public schools of River Edge in the same county. He subsequently spent ten years in teaching, first as Principal of the Hillsdale Public School and later as teacher of Public School No. 2, at Teaneck. From 1887 to 1896 he conducted a general store at Hillsdale, serving also as Postmaster during that period. In 1897 he again accepted the principalship of the Teaneck school, which he still holds.