VAN RENNSELAER, Catarina

Notes:

Hendrick and Caroline are ancestors of Alexander Hamilton, through their son Johannes.
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From Hendrick, the Cherry Hill and Claverack branches of the Van Rensselaer's are descended.

Hendrick married VAN BRUGH, Catherine 19/19 Mar 1688/1689, Greenbush, New York. Catherine was born 19 Apr 1665, New Amsterdam, New Netherlands; was christened 19 Apr 1665, New York, New York, New York; died 6 Dec 1730, Fort Crailo, New York. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Colonel Jeremias Van Rensselaer, the third patroon, son of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Anna Van Wely, was born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1632, and died in Rensselaerswvck. October 12, 1674. Because he was the first patroon who resided in the colony, he was considered the first Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. It has constituted considerable confusion to distinguish in the series the proper numerical position of the patroon and the lord of the manor, many historians employing the terms as though synonymous expressions, in error. It fell to the lot of Jeremias Van Rensselaer to witness the overthrow of the Dutch rule at Fort Orange on September 24, 1664, and to find it again to revert to the Dutch government August 5, 1673, when the fort at Albany became known as Willemstadt. He continued the work of his father on much the same lines. His efforts saw the completion of the Dutch church edifice, a rude wooden affair, in July, 1646. One may form an excellent idea of the colony's aspects by what Father Isaac Jogues, the Jesuit missionary residing there, wrote thereof on August 3, 1646:

"There are two things in this settlement, first, a miserable little fort called Fort Orange, built of logs, with four or five pieces of Breteuil cannon and as many swivels. This has been reserved and is maintained by the West India Company. This fort was formerly on an island in the river. It is now on the mainland toward the Iroquois, a little above the said island. Second, a colony sent here by this Rensselaer, who is the Patroon. This colony is composed of about a hundred persons, who reside in some twenty-five or thirty houses, built along the river as each one found most convenient. In the principal house lives the Patroon's agent; the minister has his apart, in which service is performed. There is also a kind of bailiff here, whom they call the seneschal, who administers justice. Their houses are solely of boards and thatched, with no masonwork except the chimneys. The forest furnishes many fine pines; they make boards by means of their mills which they have here for the purpose. They found some pieces of cultivated ground, which the savages had formerly cleared, and in which they sow wheat and oats for beer, and for their horses, of which they have great numbers. There is little land fit for tillage, being hemmed in by hills, which are poor soil. This obliges them to separate, and they already occupy two or three leagues of the country. Trade is free to all; this gives the Indians all things cheap, each of the Hollanders outbidding his neighbor, and being satisfied, provided he can gain some little profit."

Petrus Stuyvesant became director-general for the Dutch in 1647, and immediately after his arrival at New Netherland there were strained relations between him and those in charge of the Rensselaerswyck colony. None of the name of Van Rensselaer had come over. Johannes Van Rensselaer, then only twenty-two years old and residing in Holland, was the patroon, and Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer did not come over to be director until four years late. It was necessary to have an able representative to cope with the cunning of Governor Stuyvesant. Brandt A. Van Slechtenhorst sailed from Holland, by way of Virginia, September 26, 1647, for Fort Orange. The Hudson river being frozen over, he did not arrive until March 22, 1648. While he would not admit any rule over his authority by Pieter Stuyvesant, still he did pay him due respect on his first visit of inspection of the fort, south of the Manor, it being recorded: "Whereas the council of the colony directed that the Heer General Pieter Stuyvesant should be honored, on his arrival and departure, with several salutes from the Heer Patroon's three pieces of cannon, the Director (Van Slechtenhorst) employed Jan Dircksen Van Bremen and Hans Eencluys to clean the same, for they were filled with earth and stones, and to load them, in doing which they were engaged three days, to wit: one day in cleaning them, the second day in firing at the arrival, and the third at Stuyvesant's departure, for which Van Slechtenhorst purchased twenty pounds of powder and expended ten guilders for beer and victuals, besides having provided the Heer General at his departure with some young fowls and pork," which was in July, 1648.

Stuvvesant had hardly returned to New Amsterdam when, July 23rd, he wrote Van Slechtenhorst that he must see to it that all buildings of the colony must be moved away from the range of the cannon in the fort, saying: "We request, by virtue of our commission, the commandant and court of the said colony to desist and refrain from building within a cannon-shot from the fort until further orders, * * * for both above and below there are equally suitable, yea better building sites." Van Slechtenhorst replied on July 28th in refutation to the assertion of rights of Stuyvesant, stating the claim of the colony to use of land all about Fort Orange — that the Patroon's trading-house had stood a long time on the edge of the fort's moat, and he ridiculed Stuyvesant's order in view of the valueless quality of the fort as an adequate place of defence saying: "So far as regards the renowned fortress, men can go in and out of it by night as well as by day. I have been more than six months in the colony, and yet I have never been able to discover a single person carrying a sword, a musket or a pike, or have I heard or seen a drum beat, except when the Director-General himself visited it."

Stuyvesant was angered, and in September despatched both sailors and soldiers to Fort Orange with orders to demolish the house of Van Slechtenhorst, which news when received in the colony excited the men to prepare to take up arms, and as a result Commissary Van Brugge wrote to Stuyvesant that it was useless for him to stand against the inhabitants as they outnumbered his men and had Indians as allies. Consequently Stuyvesant recalled his men in October, and requested Van Slechtenhorst to appear before him on April 4, 1649.

In 1651, Jan Baptist, third son of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the first Patroon, came to the colony to be its director. It then became a mooted question whether he or Stuyvesant was to be superior. At once he sought to strengthen his position, and on November 23rd he had the council announce: "All householders and freemen of the colony shall appear on the 28th day of November of this year, being Tuesday, at the house of the honorable director, and them take the `'urggerlijke' oath of allegiance." On that day forty-five colonists appeared and took their oath, swearing: "I promise and swear that I shall be true and faithful to the noble Patroon and codirectors, or those who represent them here, and to the honorable director, commissioners and council, subjecting myself to the court of the colony, and I promise to demean myself as a good and faithful inhabitant or burgher, without exciting any opposition, tumult or noise; but on the contrary, as a loyal inhabitant to maintain and support, offensively and defensively against every one, the right and the jurisdiction of the colony. And with reverence and fear of the Lord, and the uplifting of both the first fingers of the right hand, I say, So truly help me, God Almighty."

The soldiers of Fort Orange, on January 1, 1652, made at night a hideous outcry, discharging their muskets in front of the director's mansion. A piece of burning wad fell on the thatched roof and set it ablaze. The next day they assaulted Van Slechtenhorst's son, beating him and dragging him mercilessly through the mire. On January 15th Stuyvesant wrote to his man, Vice-Director Dyckman, to maintain the rights of the Dutch West India Company, and he went with a bodyguard to Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer's manor house, where the colonial magistrates were in session, making the request that Director Van Rensselaer read the proclamation from Stuyvesant to the inhabitants. Van Rensselaer was angered, maintaining that Dyckman should not have come with armed men upon his land, and he asserted: "It shall not be done so long as we have a drop of blood in our veins, nor until we receive orders from their high mightiness and honored masters." Thereupon Dyckman ordered the Van Rensselaer bell to be rung to call the inhabitants together; but being refused, rang that of Fort Orange, and returned to Van Rensselaer's house for the purpose of reading this proclamation from his steps. Van Slechtenhorst snatched the document from his hands, and in tearing it, the seals fell from the paper. When Dyckman threatened that Stuyvesant would make Van Rensselaer suffer for the indignity, Van Slechtenhorst turned to the colonists and said, "Go home, good friends, it is only the wind of a cannon-ball fired six hundred paces off."

Governor Stuyvesant then ordered Dyckman, on March 5th, to erect a number of posts six hundred paces from the walls of Fort Orange, being about 3,083 feet (250 Rhineland rods of 12 Rhineland feet of 12 36-100 in.), marking each with the West India Company's seal, and each with a board nailed thereon to hold the proclamation. On March 17th, Vice-Director Dyckman planted several posts as directed, and two days later the magistrates of Rensselaerswyck ordered the high constable to remove them. After that incident Stuyvesant sent word to Fort Orange that he should come there and take steps to see that his mandates were strictly obeyed. He arrived at Fort Orange on April 1st to straighten out matters and have a clear understanding as to what was property of Van Rensselaer and what appertained to the fort. He despatched Sergeant Litschoe with a squad to lower the Patroon's flag, and, when Van Slechtenhorst interposed, the soldiers entered his yard, discharged firearms and lowered the colors. Stuyvesant then ordered that the land within the area which he had staked out around the fort be known as Dorpe Beverswyck, or the village of Beverswyck, meaning where beavers gathered. Having given what was a fort the status of an actual locality, he instituted a court and appointed three judges. On the court-house he had his proclamation posted, but on April 15th Van Slechtenhorst tore it down, attaching that of Van Rensselaer instead. Because of this act of insubordination he was imprisoned on April 18th, and matters did not mend for several years until both parties, fearing the advent of the English, adjusted matters amicably, fearing a common foe. On May 8, 1652, Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer's certificate was signed in Holland, authorizing him to be "Director" of Rensselaerswyck, and in 1658 he returned to Holland, and it was then that Jeremias became the third Patroon. It is known that he was in Rensselaerswyck in 1659, for history is filled with many of his important undertakings in adjusting matters with the Indians. An invasion of the French from Canada also caused fear. In October of that year he ordered the settlement to be surrounded by a high stockade, as the Esopus Indians were making raids along the river. Although on September 6, 1664, Stuvvesant at New Amsterdam (New York city) drew up articles of surrender to the English fleet then menacing that place, it was not until September 24th that Vice-Director Johannes de la Montagne, for the Dutch West India Company, surrendered Fort Orange. The name "Albany" was then bestowed, and Jeremias Van Rensselaer took the oath of allegiance to King Charles II.

Colonel Jeremias Van Rensselaer, the third Patroon, married, at New Amsterdam, July 12, 1662, Maria Van Cortlandt, born in New Amsterdam, July 20, 1645, died at Rensselaerswyck, January 24, 1689, daughter of Olof Stevense Van Cortlandt, who came on the ship "Haring" to New Amsterdam in 1637, from Wyck by Duurstede, Province of Utrecht, Holland, as a soldier in employ of the West India Company, and died in New York city, on April 4, 1684, having married, February 26, 1642, Anna (Anneke) Loockermans, who died in May, 1684. Children of Jeremias Van Rensselaer and Maria Van Cortlandt:

Kiliaen, fourth Patroon and second Lord of the Manor, born at Rensselaerswyck, August 24, 1663, died there in 1719; married, in New York, New York, October 15, 1701, Maria Van Cortlandt, daughter of Stephanus Van Cortlandt, and Gertrude Schuyler. (See forward.)
Johannes, died without issue.
Anna, born at Rensselaerswyck, August 1, 1665; married (first) Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, son of Johannes Van Rensselaer and Elizabeth Van Twiller, who died in 1687; married (second) William Nicoll.
Hendrick, born at Rensselaerswyck, October 23, 1667; resided in Greenbush, Rensselaer county (Rensselaer, N. Y.), where he died July 2, 1740; married, New York, N. Y., March 19, 1689, Catharina Van Bruggen, daughter of Johannes Pieterse Van Brugh (or Van Bruggen) and Catharina Roeloffse, daughter of Anneke Jans, and Catharina Van Bruggen died at Greenbush, December 6, 1730, having had but one child, Anna, born in 1719, who married John Schuyler.
Maria, born at Rensselaerswyck, October 25, 1672; married, at that place, September 14, 1691, Peter Schuyler (son of Philip Pieterse Schuyler and Margareta Van Slechtenhorst), who was born September 17, 1657; died at The Flatts, four miles north of Albany, February 19, 1724, being the first mayor of Albany, July 22, 1686 — October 13, 1694. The date of the death of Maria does not appear.

Jeremias married VAN CORTLANDT, Maria 12 Jul 1663. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Kiliaen Van Rensselaer was a wealthy merchant of Amsterdam, known to be a dealer in pearls and precious stones, to have had some reputation as a banker and general merchant, and owned large estates in Holland. He was a leader in the famous guild of trading princes which at that time played so prominent a part in the commerce of the world, and it is quite evident that he must have been both shrewd and farsighted. The innumerable documents which he has left demonstrate great thoughtfulness in planning even the details, and he could grasp a situation in a foreign country with the same perfection in every respect as though present and overseeing all. He exhibited sagacity in his stand taken with regard to the policy of the colony as against the desires of his associates who desired to grow wealthy with rapidity. They sought to have those sent out engage in hunting for the purpose of making immediate and large shipments to foreign lands, while he desired that the colonists should become settlers, owning their houses, and leading happy and contented lives, so that they would be willing to remain; should raise large families, and long continue to progress the work on an ever increasing scale as they prospered. He not only had the courage to found a colony in the wilds of an unknown America, but possessed the energy to push the work, once begun and discouraging at times, until it prospered.

In those days the jewelers were moving spirits in advancing the trade with far-distant countries and were alert to seek new fields, even in the alluring country of India, whither all eyes were turned, and the greatest endeavor being made to find a quicker passage. After long years of preparation the charter affecting the colony was granted June 3, 1621, and the subscription list opened. At the start the subscriptions did not come in very rapidly, largely on account of the exclusion of the salt trade from the charter's list of inducements: but when this difficulty was removed the full amount was subscribed. The Chamber of Amsterdam, "because thence came the most money," had the largest number of directors, who were to administer four-ninths of the entire capital of the company. There were twenty, and each had to contribute at least 6,000 guilders. Next to the board of directors there was a body of chief participants, each of whom had the same amount invested, yet while they took no part in the daily management, as the representatives of the stockholders, no resolutions of importance could be taken without them. It was agreed that the first two vacancies should be supplied from the ranks of the chief participants, and the first thus received into the Chamber was Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, who it appears was among the first subscribers and had paid at least 6,000 guilders. It may be mentioned here that on June 16, 1628, he became the owner of the estate called Crailo, near Huizen, to which he added a vast area of unreclaimed land.

Fort Orange had been established 1 May, 1624, close to the western shore of the Hudson river, about one hundred and forty-two miles north of New Amsterdam (New York City), now the site of Albany, and Van Rensselaer thought it an excellent advantage to have his lands under the protection of its guns. He sent agents to investigate the nature of the territory, who reported favorably, and Bastiaen Jansz Crol and Dirk Cornelisz Duyster were especially empowered in writing, signed January 12, 1630, secured shortly a large tract of land on the west bank. In January, 1631, he sent Marinus Adriaensz, from Veere, with some assistants as tobacco planters, and in July he sent Laurens Laurensz, from Kopehaven, with another Northman, to operate the saw and grist mill, also a number of laborers and some ten calves. Knowing that they could not succeed in their support for the first two or three years, he allowed them from 150 to 180 guilders per annum. He also provided the colonists with implements, and allowed the farm hands from 40 to 90 guilders a year. Between 1630 and 1632 he transported on these terms ten persons in the first year and twelve in the next two succeeding years. The first quota of men sailed from Holland, March 21, 1630, aboard the ship "d'Eendracht," or "the Unity," commanded by Jan Brouwer, and arrived at the island of Manhattan, May 24th, to proceed up the river to the site of Rensselaerswyck. The Lords States-General, at The Hague, June 7, 1629, had ratified the plan of the Dutch West India company to allow the patroons to divide the land into manorial grants; but reserving to that company the fur business, and unless five per cent. were paid to the West India company should the colonists weave woolen or other stuffs. The land ultimately secured by Van Rensselaer from the Indians is commonly stated as a tract reaching north and south twenty-four miles from Baeren Island to the Cohoes Falls in the Mohawk, and extending forty-eight miles east and westward, half on each side of the Hudson river, containing about 700,000 acres, comprising therein the present counties of Albany, Rensselaer and the northern part of Columbia. The statement, however, should be modified by the understanding of recent research, although it is practically correct. The land was not purchased at one time. The first certificate of purchase from the Indians was dated August 13, 1630, and (translated) it reads

Anno 1630, this day the 13th of August. We, the director and council of New Netherland, residing on the island the Manahatas and in Fort Amsterdam; under the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the Lords States General of the United Netherlands and the Chartered West India Compan, Chamber of Amsterdam, do hereby testify and declare, that on this day, the date underwritten, before us appeared and presented themselves in their proper persons, Kottamack, Nawanemit, Abantzeene, Sagiskwa and Kanamoack, owners and proprietors of their respective parcels of land extending up the river, south and north, from the said fort (Fort Orange, later Albany) to a little south of Moeneminnes Castle (situated on Haver Island, in 1910 Peobles Island, at mouth of the Mohawk River), belonging to the aforesaid proprietors jointly and in common, and the land called Semesseeck, belonging to the aforesaid Nawanemit individually, lying on the east bank from opposite Castle Island to the above mentioned fort; also, from Petanock, the mill creek (Normans Kill), north to Negagonse…

This was signed in the several hands of "Peter Minuiet, Director; Pieter Bijlvelt, Iacob Elbertsz Wissinck, Ian Ianssen Brouwer, Sijmon Dircks Pos, Reynier Harmansen."

Mr. A. J. van Laer, the New York State Archivist, a most careful and capable expert, interprets this to mean: "1, the land on the west side of the river from Fort Orange to the Mohawk; 2, a small tract on the east side of the river, on both sides of the present Mill Creek, from opposite Castle Island to a point opposite Fort Orange; 3, the land on the west side of the river from a point south of the Normans Kill to the north point of Castle Island, or possibly to Fort Orange."

From what Kiliaen Van Rensselaer wrote in his "Account of the Jurisdictions," of July 20, 1634, enclosed in his letter of the 21st to Johannes de Laet, it would seem that the land comprised "all the shore along the river on the west side, from beeren Island to Momnenis Castle." which distance, from Baeren Island, fourteen miles below Albany, to the "Castle" on the Mohawk. Cohoes, ten miles north of that city, would be a north and south line of about twenty-four miles. To the original purchase of 1630 was added in May, 1631, land from "Beeren Island to Smacks (Smax) Island." On April 23, 1637, more land was bought on the east side of the river from Papscanee creek south to a point opposite Smacks Island, and at later dates purchases were made of islands in that vicinity and land near the Poesten Kill (Troy), at Catskill, Bethlehem and Claverack.

It is stated on good authority, after the examination of the Van Rensselaer-Bowier Manuscripts, which were translated in 1903 by the State Archivist, and in which was the letter-book of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and other voluminous documents, that he never visited his colony or came to America. Even before that it had been a matter of considerable doubt.

It should be stated that Van Rensselaer, for the purpose of more speedy development of his large territory, formed a partnership October 1, 1630, with three brother directors of the company. These were Samuel Godyn, Johannes de Laet and Samuel Bloemmaert, who after a time sold out their interest, and Van Rensselaer alone developed the colony.

In 1640, because of disputes over various matters between the colony and the Dutch West India Company, the patroons obtained a new charter of privileges and exemptions, some of the provisions therein being that all patroons, free colonists and inhabitants of New Netherland should enjoy the privilege of selling articles brought from Holland upon payment of a ten per cent. duty; that they pay ten per cent. export duty on all furs shipped to Holland; that they be allowed to manufacture woolen goods and cotton cloth, which had been prohibited; the person bringing five persons to New Netherland as a colony would be entitled to two hundred acres, and might hunt in the public woods or fish in public streams; no religion except that of the Reformed Dutch Church was to be tolerated; the colonists were to be provided with negroes to help them on their farms; appeal from manorial courts might be made to director and council of New Netherland, provided the sum in dispute was equal to forty dollars; but the patroon's jurisdiction was not to be affected in any way by the new charter. The provisions of the patroon's contracts kept Arendt van Curler, commissary-general of Rensselaerswyck, and Adriaen vander Donck, the public prosecutor, busy throughout 1641.

On March 6, 1642, Patroon Kiliaen Van Rensselaer requested the classis of Amsterdam to send "a good, honest and pure preacher" to his colony, and that body selected Dominic Johannes Megapolensis, Jun., pastor of Schorel and Berg of the Alkmaar classis, who accepted the call of six years, conditioned on a salary of one thousand guilders ($400) that he need not be required to work as a farmer, the same to be paid in meat, drink and whatever he might claim. The dominie was accredited on March 22nd, and June 3rd the patroon sent detailed instructions setting forth where he desired the church, the minister's house and the people to build their homes. The Amsterdam Chamber of the Dutch West India Company indorsed Megapolensis on June 6th, and the patroon was somewhat exorcised, as he considered the matter entirely within his right and not a matter for them to act upon in any way. The dominie, his wife and four young children, arrived at Rensselaerswyck on August 12th, and Arendt van Curler set about the erection of a house for him, while Megapolensis undertook the study of the Indian language so as to be able to preach to the savages. For fully half a century this church, erected by the order of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, was one of the only two in the province of New York, and among the earliest in the entire, United States, for in 1650 there were but few.

Undoubtedly Kiliaen, the first patroon, was a man of absolute sincerity in the maintenance of his Christian views, and this strong characteristic may be traced through any number of his descendants for many generations. That he was so imbued may be accepted as a certainty from what he wrote in various letters, and is illustrated by the following extract, translated from the Van Rensselaer-Bowier manuscripts, being a letter written July 2, 1640, to Arendt Van Curler when he shipped to the latter "three very fine blankets which you will give in my name to three chiefs; one to Sader Juchta, chief of the Maquaes (Mohawks), the other two to the two chiefs who have the greatest credit and power among the Maquaes," as presents to secure their friendship. "These small presents to the savages may sometimes cause great friendship and prevent much enmity. It would also serve as a means of making them acquainted with God, saying this person knows you, although he has not seen you, through those persons whom he has heard speak and who have written of you. How much better then can God, who made the heavens and the earth and created the sun which you can see, see your works, He who each day lets his bountiful gifts come to man through the fruitfulness which He gives to the products of the earth and to man's sinful body."

Trouble was brewing for the colony of Rensselaerswyck early in 1643, for the patroon sought to maintain his rights against any authority of the Dutch rule established firmly in New Amsterdam under the director-general. On September 8, 1643, the patroon sent word from Holland to Nicolaas Coorn to fortify Beeren Island (some fourteen miles south of the present city of Albany), and to demand of each skipper passing up or down, except those of the West India Company, a toll of five guilders ($2) as a tax, likewise to see that every vessel coming up the river lowered its colors at the fort as a sign of respect to the patroon. Thereupon Croon issued the following manifesto:

"I, Nicolaas Coorn, Commander of Rensselaer's Castle, and for the noble lord, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, under the high jurisdiction of the high and mighty Lords States-General of the United Netherlands, and the privileged West India Company, hereditary commander of the colonies on this North River of New Netherland, and as vice-commander in his place, make known to you that you shall not presume to use this river to the injury of the acquired right of the said lord in his rank as Patroon of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck, the first and the oldest on this river. * * * Protesting in the name of the said lord should you presume in defiance of law to attempt to pass by contrary to this proclamation, I am directed to prevent you. Under this manifesto, however, you are permitted to trade with his commissary; but not with the Indians or his particular subjects, as will be seen and read in the admonition and instruction given by him, the Patroon, to Pieter Wyncoop, the commissary, and Arendt Van Curler, the commissary-general, conformable to the restriction of the regulations contained therein.

Matters in this line came to a crisis the next year. On July 1, 1644, Govert Loockermans, skipper of the yacht "Good Hope," set sail from Fort Orange for New Amsterdam, and with studied contempt failed to salute the fort, Rensselaer's Castle (sometimes called "Steyn"), on Beeren Island ("beeren," the plural of bear), as directed by the mandate, whereupon Commander Coorn shouted across the water to him: "Lower your colors!" Loockermans answered back: "For whom should I?" Coorn told him: "For the stapleright of Rensselaerswyck." To this the "Good Hope's" indomitable skipper replied: "I lower my colors for no one except the Prince of Orange and the lords, my masters!" Coorn applied a match to the fuse of his small cannon, and a shot ripped through the "Good Hope's" mainsail, also cutting loose the rigging. Another shot was delivered, but it passed over the vessel. The third shot, discharged by an Indian, passed through the colors of the Prince of Orange. On July 5th, Skipper Loockermans landed at New Amsterdam, making complaint and demanding reparation, and the Council of New Netherland issued an order for Coorn to desist from such practice; but the following months he asserted that he would not, and should demand recognition of Van Rensselaer.

Authentic records show that Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, first patroon, died in 1644, in Amsterdam, Holland, although it has been published that his death took place in 1645 and also 1646. *

[* Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, the first Patroon, was buried at Amsterdam, October 7, 1643. The fact was ascertained as this work was going to press, by the city archivist of Amsterdam, on examination of the burial book of the old Amsterdam church, and communicated by him to Mr. van Laer, of Albany.]

He was married (first) to Hillegonda Van Bylaer (or Bijler), daughter of Jan Van Bylaer, member of a prominent family in Holland. By her he had three children. She died in Holland, and was buried January 1, 1627, in the Oude Kerk. His second wife was Anna Van Wely (or Weely), whom he married December 14, 1627, and by her he had seven children. She was daughter of Jan Van Wely the younger, of Barneveldt, residing at The Hague, and of Leonora Haukens (or Haeckens), of Antwerp. To Anna Van Wely was presented in 1684 the first thimble, made by a goldsmith named Nicholas Van Benschoten as a protection for her dainty fingers. She died June 12, 1670. The first and second wives were apparently cousins, and Jan Van Wely, father of the second wife, had a tragic fate. He was not only a prominent and respected merchant of Amsterdam, but the "admodiator," or administrator of the county of Buren, a domain of the Prince of Orange. In 1600-01 he had been chosen by the merchants of Amsterdam as their representative with the army, that they might have sure and regular news. It was then that he received a large gold medal representing the battle of Nieuport, which he transmitted as an heirloom to his descendants. In 1616 Van Wely was sent for to The Hague by Prince Maurice, and brought with him, some diamonds and precious stones, which the prince wished to purchase, and worth about one hundred thousand florins. While waiting for the prince in his cabinet, Van Wely was murdered by two officers of the guard, and his body concealed under the table until it could be taken out and buried in an ash pit. This murder, though perpetrated solely for plunder, turned out in the end to have political effects. On the representation of the widow, Hans Van Wely, her eldest son, was continued in the duties and privileges of "admodiator" of Buren.

The three children of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Hillegonda Van Bylaer and the seven children by Ann Van Wely were:

Hendrick, died in childhood.
Johannes, baptized September 4, 1625, died in latter part of 1662, or early in 1663. He was the second patroon, but never came to America. Being a minor of about nineteen years when his father died in 1644, the estates in Holland and at Rensselaerswyck were placed in charge of executors. They selected Brant Arentse Van Slechtenhorst to take charge of the colony, in place of Arent Van Curler, resigned, who arrived at Fort Orange March 22, 1648. He married Elizabeth, sister of Wouter Van Twiller, director-general of New Netherland for the Dutch. Children:
Kiliaen, died at Watervliet, Albany county, soon after February 22, 1687, having married his cousin, Anna Van Rensselaer, daughter of Jeremias Van Rensselaer and Maria Van Cortlandt.
Nella, married Johan de Swardt.
Maria, died without issue.
Hillegonda; buried August 23, 1664; without issue.
Eleanora, died without issue.
Susanna, lived and died in Holland; married Jan de la Court, August 5, 1664.
Jan Baptist, born in Holland, was the first of the name to visit America, coming as "Director" of Rensselaerswyck colony in 1651; was never patroon; returned to Holland in 1658, when he was succeeded by his brother Jeremias the same year, who became the third patroon; married Susanna Van Wely; had a son Kiliaen who died without issue, and he (Jan Baptist V. R.) died in Amsterdam, Holland, October 18, 1678.
Jeremias, born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1632, became the third patroon; married Maria Van Cortlandt, July 12, 1662, and died at Rensselaerswyck, October 12, 1674. (See forward.)
Rev. Nicolaas (Nicholas), born in Amsterdam, Holland, 1636. He was a clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church. On being introduced to Charles II, then exile at Brussels, he prophesied the restoration of that monarch to the throne of England, which circumstance afterward obtained for him a cordial reception at the Court of St. James, when he visited London as the chaplain to the Dutch Embassy. In acknowledgment of the truth of the prediction the king presented him with a snuffbox, which relic is preserved in the family.
Upon his coming to America the Dutch church looked upon him with suspicion, fearing he was a Papist, and demanding a certificate from the classis, for not only did Dominie Nieuenhuysen absent himself from Dr. Van Rensselaer's service in the church, but he was not permitted to baptize. He arrived in Rensselaerswyck as the engaged minister, July, 1674; married, February 10, 1675, Alyda Schuyler, born February 28, 1656, daughter of Philip Pieterse Schuyler and Margarita Van Slichtenhorst; died November, 1678, without issue, and his widow married, in 1679, Robert Livingston, who died about 1728.

Ryckert (Richard), born in Holland, and died there about 1695. He was treasurer and administrator of the Vianen estate belonging to the Breerode family. He came to America, arriving at Rensselaerswyck June 30, 1664, and that year built for himself a residence on the west bank of the Hudson river, about four miles north of Albany, called The Flatts, which was long afterward known as Schuyler's Bouwerie and to this day is known as the Schuyler Flatts, because he sold it to Philip Pieterse Schuyler on June 22, 1672, the father of Albany's first mayor, Pieter Schuyler. He returned to Holland about this time, for he married in that country, January 26, 1672, Anna Van Beaumont, by whom he had five sons and five daughters, only one son and three of his daughters marrying. Their third son, Johannes, died in 1678; their fourth son, also named Johannes, was born February 17, 1679; Anna Cornelia, born in April, 1673, and Kiliaen, born in April, 1675. For many years he was one of the magistrates of Rensselaerswyck, but never was director of the colony, although he assisted his brother Jeremias in the management, and after the death of his mother at Amsterdam he went there. When Jeremias, the third patroon, died in 1674, it was hoped that Richard would return; but as he had been recently married he would not make the trip, and his brother Nicholas came in his stead.

Killaen married VAN WELY, Anna 1627. [Group Sheet]