Hendrick van Rensselaer

Fort Crailo

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Patroons of Rensselaerswyck: Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1630–40s) Various (1640s–52) Jan Baptist van Rensselaer (1652–58) Jeremias van Rensselaer (1658–74) Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1674–87) Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1687–1719)[1] Jeremias van Rensselaer (1719–45) Stephen van Rensselaer I (1745–47) Stephen van Rensselaer II (1747–69) Abraham Ten Broeck (1769–84, de facto) Stephen van Rensselaer III (1784–1839)

Hendrick van Rensselaer (October 23, 1667 – July 4, 1740) was director of the Eastern patent of the Rensselaerswyck manor. The estate was composed of land in Columbia County, New York, and land opposite Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, named Greenbush (later Rensselaer, New York).^[2]

Biography

He was born in Watervliet, New York, the fourth child of Jeremias van Rensselaer. He received as his portion of his grandfather Kiliaen's estate what was variously known as the Eastern Manor or Greenbush. It covers about 62,000 acres of land in Columbia County, and 1,500 acres out of the manor proper, opposite the city of Albany. He built a substantial brick house on the latter estate named Fort Crailo.^[3]

He was a merchant and ship owner who served the public as an alderman in the Albany assembly and on the Commission of Indian Affairs. In 1698 he bought from the Schaghticoke tribe a tract of six square miles on Hoosac River, for which he procured a patent. This purchase interfered greatly with the city of Albany. With van Rensselaer declining to sell his patent to the council, the controversy became a state affair. In 1699 the dispute was amicably settled, and he passed his patent over to the city.^[3]

His home was the historic mansion of Fort Crailo, which now bears his name.

Family

William L. Stone (historian-author): "They consisted of eighteen males in 1776. During the war every adult, except two old men, and all minors, except four boys, bore arms in one or more battles during the Revolutionary struggle."

George W. Schuyler wrote in his Colonial New York, ... of the eighteen males, sixteen belonged to Hendrick Van Rensselaer's branch, and of these, five were of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer's family.^[4]

Hendrick married Catharina, daughter of merchant Johannes Pieterse Van Brughon March 19, 1689 and had the following children:^[2]

• Maria Van Rensselaer, married Samuel Ten Broeck.
• Catherine Van Rensselaer, married Johannes Ten Broeck.^[5]
• Anna Van Rensselaer, married Peter Douw.
• Elizabeth (Elizabet) Van Rensselaer, married John Richard.
• Helena Van Rensselaer, married Jacob Wendell.
• Jeremias Van Rensselaer, (1705—1730)
• Johannes (John) Van Rensselaer,^[6] Colonel American Revolution, Primary heir to Crailo, where he was born in 1708 and later died in 1783.^[7] Crailo is variously known as the Claverack estate or the Eastern manor, later known as Greenbush and the flats, John married Angelica Livingston, their children:
  • Jeremiah van Rensselaer (1738–1810), Ensign American Revolutionary War, Representative 1st and 2nd Congress.
  • Robert Van Rensselaer (1740–1802), New York Provincial Congress, Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War.
    • Jacob R. Van Rensselaer (1767–1835), Lawyer and Federalist politician
  • Henry (Hendrick) I. van Rensselaer (ca 1742-1813) Colonel American Revolutionary War - 8th Regiment. His historic home
  • James van Rensselaer (1747–1827) Born at Fort Crailo Greenbush, New York; he was the youngest son of Colonel Johannes van Rensselaer. As a Captain under Major General Montgomery, he was aide de camp from August to December 1775. The battles Van Rensselaer engaged in include the Canadian campaign of Fort Chambly in Quebec. In April 1776 he was Captain in the 2nd New York Regiment under Colonel James Clinton. James van Rensselaer was promoted to Major and was aide de camp of General Philip Schuyler from June to August of the same year.^[8] James honorably served without pay and was nearby when General Montgomery was fatally shot in Quebec.^[9] James was stationed at Fort Edward on July 3, 1776.^[10]
• Hendrick van Rensselaer (1712—1763)^[11]
  • Hendrick (1737—1765)
  • Johannes (1738—)
  • Jeremias (1740—)
  • Johannes (1744—)
  • David (1749—1798)
    • Schuyler (1789—1836)
  • Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1749—)
  • Pieter van Rensselaer (1751—)
• Kiliaen van Rensselaer (December 27, 1717 — December 28, 1781)
  

The youngest of eleven children of Hendrick and Catharina.^[12] He was commissioned as a Colonel of the 4th Regiment, Albany County Militia,^[13] Rensselaerswyck battalion on October 20, 1775 during the American Revolution. He was the representative for Rensselaerswyck on the Albany Committee of Correspondence, Safety, and Protection as hostilities broke out in 1775.^[14] He was wounded during the Battles of Saratoga against Burgoyne. General George Washington paid the highest of compliments about his courage.^[15] Kiliaen was the father of:

• • Henry K. Van Rensselaer (1744–1816), General American Revolution
    • Henry H van Rensselaer (1765–1795)
    • Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1769–1859)
    • Solomon Van Rensselaer (1774–1852), War of 1812 Federalist Representative
    • John van Rensselaer (1779–)
    • Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1801–1881)
    • Stephen van Rensselaer (1816–1833)
  • Philip Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1747–1798), Colonel American Revolution
  • Nicholas van Rensselaer (1754–1848), Colonel and aide de camp under General Philip Schuyler who fell ill. General Montgomery took command of the storming of Quebec,^[16] Van Rensselaer was with Montgomery during the Siege of Fort St. Jean when Montgomery became the first General to die in combat on Dec 31, 1775. Van Rensselaer was under the command of Schuyler when Fort Ticonderoga fell to the British which led to General Horatio Gates assuming command of the Northern department. He also engaged in the Battles of Saratoga^[17] Nicholas van Rensselaer was dispatched by General Gates to convey to Albany, intelligence that Gen. Bergoyne had surrendered.^[18][19] As a pall bearer, he and other former Revolutionary war officers, carried the remains of General Montgomery in procession through Albany in July 1818^[20]
  • Killian K. Van Rensselaer (1763—1845), US Representative from New York
    • Judge John Sanders van Rensselaer^[21] and his wife, Ann [nee Dunkin]
      • Rev. Maunsell van Rensselaer (1910—1900), Author
      • Charles W. van Rensselaer (1823—1857), First Officer SS Central America

Notes

Hendrick's mother-in-law, Catharine Roeloffe Jans, was the daughter of Annake (Anneke) Jans (Janz) Bogardus, who was one of the Schepens of New Amsterdam, Holland, and was a wealthy individual.^[2][3] Through Hendrick's wife, their descendents became heirs to Trinity Church Farm.^[3]

References