Jeremias van Rensselaer
Encyclopedia
Jeremias van Rensselaer (Amsterdam, 16 May 1632
– October 12, 1674) was the third son of Kiliaen van Rensselear and the fourth patroon
of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck.
.
He was the first of his family to establish himself permanently in America
, the remainder of his life, sixteen years, being devoted to the government of the colony, which he exercised with great prudence, energy, and distinction.
Pursuing the sagacious policy begun under the vice-directors, he became a man of great influence among the Indians, and "so attached them to him that they guarded his estates as carefully as they did their own." To the French
in Canada
he was known as one of the representative and ablest men of the Dutch
and English
colonies. He had the good judgment to adjust the acute differences with Peter Stuyvesant
which had troubled the administrations of his brother and van Slichtenhorst, and during the brief residue of the Dutch
authority in New Netherland
was on excellent terms with the irascible governor.
In 1661 eight chairs, a bed, a mirror and a cupboard were sent to him from the Dutch Republic.
After his halfbrother Johan van Rensselaer
died in May 1662, he and three brothers and two sisters may have inherited his estate. In 1664 Jan Baptist, Elisabeth van Twiller, the widow of Johan, Leonora and Susanna decided to sell all their property in and around Rensselaerswijck to Jeremias. Rijckert went to the colony to assist him.
On the occasion of the landtsdagh or diet summoned by Stuyvesant early in 1664 to deliberate on the critical condition of the province—this being the first general representative assembly held within the present state of New York
—he served as presiding officer of that body.
After the surrender to the English in September of 1664, he took the oath to the new government, and the rights and immunities enjoyed by his family in its colony were recognized, though the precise future status of the property was not settled in his time. He desired to obtain a new patent in the name of his family, and, failing in this, was privately advised to move in the matter as an individual (being qualified to hold real estate by virtue of his British citizenship), and so obtained a regrant of Rensselarswyck in his personal name.
This counsel he rejected indignantly, saying he was but a coheir, and would not defraud his brothers and sisters. He finally obtained from Governor Andros a patent
"to the heirs of Kiliaen van Rensselaer," which, while in a sense only provisional, served all necessary purposes until the manor grant of 1685.
Jeremias left a voluminous correspondence, together with a minute chronicle of events in America, under the title of the "New Netherland Mercury". His great industry and methodical habits have been remarked upon by many writers.
Jeremias died in Rensselaerswyck on October 12, 1674.
– October 12, 1674) was the third son of Kiliaen van Rensselear and the fourth patroon
Patroon
In the United States, a patroon was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland in North America...
of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck.
Life
Jeremaias was the second son of Kiliean's second wife, Anna van Wely. He grew up on Keizersgracht, and received a calvinist education. In 1658, traveled to Rensselaerswyck to take the place of his brother, Jan Baptist van RensselaerJan Baptist van Rensselaer
Jan Baptist van Rensselaer was the second son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, and his first son by his second wife, Anna van Wely. He was the third patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck and the first to visit the colony in 1651, accompanied by his brother, Jeremias. He assumed the office of director...
.
He was the first of his family to establish himself permanently in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the remainder of his life, sixteen years, being devoted to the government of the colony, which he exercised with great prudence, energy, and distinction.
Pursuing the sagacious policy begun under the vice-directors, he became a man of great influence among the Indians, and "so attached them to him that they guarded his estates as carefully as they did their own." To the French
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
he was known as one of the representative and ablest men of the Dutch
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
and English
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
colonies. He had the good judgment to adjust the acute differences with Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
which had troubled the administrations of his brother and van Slichtenhorst, and during the brief residue of the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
authority in New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
was on excellent terms with the irascible governor.
In 1661 eight chairs, a bed, a mirror and a cupboard were sent to him from the Dutch Republic.
After his halfbrother Johan van Rensselaer
Johan van Rensselaer
Johan van Rensselaer also Johannes van Rensselaer , second patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, was the eldest son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, and his only son by his first wife, Hillegonda van Bylaer.When his father died in October 1643 Wouter van Twiller and Johan van Wely managed the...
died in May 1662, he and three brothers and two sisters may have inherited his estate. In 1664 Jan Baptist, Elisabeth van Twiller, the widow of Johan, Leonora and Susanna decided to sell all their property in and around Rensselaerswijck to Jeremias. Rijckert went to the colony to assist him.
On the occasion of the landtsdagh or diet summoned by Stuyvesant early in 1664 to deliberate on the critical condition of the province—this being the first general representative assembly held within the present state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
—he served as presiding officer of that body.
After the surrender to the English in September of 1664, he took the oath to the new government, and the rights and immunities enjoyed by his family in its colony were recognized, though the precise future status of the property was not settled in his time. He desired to obtain a new patent in the name of his family, and, failing in this, was privately advised to move in the matter as an individual (being qualified to hold real estate by virtue of his British citizenship), and so obtained a regrant of Rensselarswyck in his personal name.
This counsel he rejected indignantly, saying he was but a coheir, and would not defraud his brothers and sisters. He finally obtained from Governor Andros a patent
Land patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
"to the heirs of Kiliaen van Rensselaer," which, while in a sense only provisional, served all necessary purposes until the manor grant of 1685.
Jeremias left a voluminous correspondence, together with a minute chronicle of events in America, under the title of the "New Netherland Mercury". His great industry and methodical habits have been remarked upon by many writers.
Family
Jeremias married Maria van Cortland (1645-January 29, 1689) on April 27 or July 12, 1662 and had the following children with her.- 1. Kiliaen van RensselaerKiliaen van Rensselaer (fifth patroon of Rensselaerswyck)Kiliaen van Rensselaer Was the eldest child of Jeremias van Rensselaer and Maria van Cortlandt. He was the fifth patroon of Rensselaerwyck from 1687 to 1719. He was also the second Lord of Rensselaerwyck...
, second lord of Van Rensselaer Manor. - 2. Johannes van Rensselaer, died without heirs.
- 3. Anna van Rensselaer, b. 1665 and married Kilaen Van Rensselaer, her first cousin.
- 4. Hendrick van RensselaerHendrick van RensselaerHendrick van Rensselaer Born in Watervliet, New York, was the fourth child of Jeremias van Rensselaer. He was the patroon of the "Eastern Manor" or "Greenbush and Claverack Branch" of the Rensselaerwick estates....
, became patroon of the "Eastern manor" on the east side of the Hudson. - 5. Maria van Rensselaer, married Peter Schuyler.
Jeremias died in Rensselaerswyck on October 12, 1674.