Prior to settlement, a Native American tribe called the "Oswegatchie" inhabited the local area. The settlement that became Heuvelton, N.Y. was originally named "Fordsburgh" after Nathan Ford, the man who has since become known as the "Father of St. Lawrence County". He is known to have established a second home in the village (principal home in Ogdensburg) and assisted in some of the area's early development. Early on, the location was also called "East Branch," in reference to its location on the east branch of the Oswegatchie River. The current name was assumed in 1832 to honor Jacob Van den Heuvel, an immigrant from The Netherlands, who invested in several extensive improvements including mill construction, marking the first notable economic growth in the early community.