The Van Cortlandt family was an influential political dynasty from the seventeenth-century Dutch origins of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

through its period as an English colony, then after it became a state, and into the nineteenth century. It rose to great prominence with the award of a Royal Charter to Van Cortlandt Manor, an tract in today's

Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...

sprawling from the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

to the Connecticut state line granted as a Patent to Stephanus Van Cortlandt in 1697 by King William III. Among the Van Cortlandt family tree are members of the Philipse family, van Rensselaer family,

Schuyler family The Schuyler family (Help:IPA/English, /ˈskaɪlər/; Dutch pronunciation: Help:IPA/Dutch, xœylər was a prominent Dutch family in New York and New Jersey in the 18th and 19th centuries, whose descendants played a critical role in the forma ...

Livingston family The Livingston family of New York (state), New York is a prominent family that migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic, and then to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from the 4th Lord Livingston, its members included s ...

, the de Peyster family, the Gage family, the Jay family (including

John Jay John Jay (, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, diplomat, signatory of the Treaty of Paris (1783), Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1795 as the first chief justice of the United ...

, the

Founding Father The following is a list of national founders of sovereign states who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e., political system ...

and first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), and the Delanceys. Its legacy includes

Van Cortlandt Park Van Cortlandt Park is a urban park, park located in the borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx in New York City. Owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, it is managed with assistance from the Van Cortlandt Park Al ...

and the Van Cortlandt House Museum in

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York; the town of Cortlandt in northern

Westchester County, New York Westchester County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The c ...

; Van Cortlandt Upper Manor House in the hamlet of Cortlandt Manor, New York; Van Cortlandt Manor in the village of Croton-on-Hudson to its south; and the namesake for Cortland County, New York and the State University of New York College at Cortland.

History

Captain Olof Stevense Van Cortlandt, who was born in

Wijk bij Duurstede Wijk bij Duurstede () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Population centres *Cothen *Langbroek *Wijk bij Duurstede Topography ''Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Wijk bij Du ...

, Netherlands, arrived in

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...

in 1637. He was originally a soldier and bookkeeper who rose to high colonial ranks in service of the

Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...

, serving many terms as

burgomaster Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, ) is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or executive of a city or town. The name in English was derived from the Dutch . In so ...

and

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...

. His descendants became involved in politics and married into the best American political and influential families including the Van Rensselaers, Schuylers, and Livingstons.

Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

derives its name from the family, as well as

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

's Cortlandt Street and Cortlandt Alley. The town of Cortlandt to the north, in

carries the family name as well. The Van Cortlandt House Museum was initially the residence of Frederick Van Cortlandt.

Family tree

* Steven Van Cortlandt ** Olof Stevense Van Cortlandt (–1684) m. Annetje Loockermans (1618-1684). *** Stephanus Van Cortlandt (1643-1700) m. Gertrude Schuyler (born 1654) **** Margaretta Van Cortlandt (b. 1674) m. Judge Samuel Bayard (b. 1669) (son of Nicholas Bayard) ***** Gertrude Bayard m. Peter Kemble (1704-1789) ****** Margaret Kemble (1734–1824) m. British General

Thomas Gage General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/192 April 1787) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator best known for his many years of service in North America, including serving as Commander-in-Chief, North America during the early days ...

(1718/19–1787); descendants in the United Kingdom include the Bertie family, the Gage family, and the Foley family. **** Anne Van Cortlandt (1676-1724) m. Stephen DeLancey (1663–1741) ***** James DeLancey (1703–1760) m. Anne Heathcote ***** Susannah DeLancey (1707–1771) m. Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren (1703–1752) ***** Oliver DeLancey Sr. (1718-1785) m. Phila Franks ***** Anne DeLancey (b. 1723) m. John Watts; descendants include the Clan Kennedy of Scotland. **** Catherine Van Cortlandt m. Andrew Johnston (1694-1762) **** Elizabeth Van Cortlandt m. Rev. William Skinner ***** Col. William Skinner (d. 1778) ***** Brig. Gen. Cortlandt Skinner (1727-1799) m. Elizabeth Kearney (1731–1810) **** Philip Van Cortlandt (1683–1746) m. Catherine De Peyster ***** Stephen van Cortlandt (1711–1756) ****** Philip van Cortlandt (1739–1814) ******* Gertrude van Cortlandt m. Sir Edward Buller, 1st Baronet (1764–1824) ******** Anna Maria Buller m. 1824: James Drummond Elphinstone (1788–1857). ********* William Buller Fullerton Elphinstone, 15th Lord Elphinstone (1828–1893) m. 1864: Lady Constance Euphemia Murray (1838–1922) (daughter of Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore). ***** Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814) m. Joanna Livingston (1722–1808) ****** Philip Van Cortlandt (1749–1831), died unmarried ****** Catherine Van Cortland (1751–1829) m. Abraham Van Wyck (1738–1786) ****** Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. (1762–1848) m. (1) Catherine Clinton (1770–1811) (daughter of George Clinton); m. (2) Anne Stevenson (1774–1821). ******* Pierre Van Cortlandt III (1815–1884) m. Catharine Elizabeth Beck (1818–1895) (daughter of Theodric Romeyn Beck). ******** Catherine Theresa Romeyn Van Cortlandt (1838–1921) m. 1873: John Rutherford Mathews (1835–1898) ******** James Stevenson Van Cortlandt (1844–1917) ******** Theoderick Romeyn Van Cortlandt (1845–1880) ****** Anne De Peyster Van Cortlandt (1766–1855) m. Philip S. Van Rensselaer (1767–1824) **** Maria Van Cortlandt m. Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1663–1719) ***** Maria van Rensselaer (b. 1702) m. Frederick van Cortlandt ***** Gertrude van Rensselaer (1703–1704) *****

Jeremias van Rensselaer Jeremias van Rensselaer (Amsterdam, 16 May 1632 – October 12, 1674) was the third son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, one of the founders and directors of the Dutch West India Company who was instrumental in the establishment of New Netherland a ...

(1705–1745). ***** Stephen van Rensselaer (1707–1747) m. Elizabeth Groesbeck ****** Elizabeth van Rensselaer (b. 1734) m. Abraham Ten Broeck (1734–1810) ****** Stephen van Rensselaer II (1742–1769) m. Catherine Livingston (1745–1810) ******* Stephen van Rensselaer III (1764–1839), sixth and last Patroon of Rensselaerwyck. ******* Philip S. Van Rensselaer (1767–1824),

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the city of

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

******* Elizabeth Van Rensselaer (1768–1841) m. (1) 1787: John Bradstreet Schuyler (son of General

Philip Schuyler Philip John Schuyler (; November 20, 1733 - November 18, 1804) was an American general in the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War and a United States Senate, United States Senator from New York (state), New York. He is usually known as ...

); m. (2) 1800: John Bleeker. ***** Johannes van Rensselaer (d. 1719) ***** Gertrude van Rensselaer, (b. 1714) m. (1) Adonis Schuyler; m. (2) Robert Livingston (1708–1790). ***** John Baptist van Rensselaer (1717–1763). *** Maria Van Cortlandt (1645–1689) m. 1662:

(1632–1674) **** Kiliaen Van Rensselaer (1663–1719) m. 1701: Maria Van Cortlandt, his first cousin. **** Johannes van Rensselaer **** Anna van Rensselaer (1665–1723) m. (1) Kilaen Van Rensselaer (d. 1687); m. (2) William Nicoll (1657–1723). **** Hendrick van Rensselaer (1667–1740) m. Catharina Van Brugh (1665–1730) **** Maria van Rensselaer (1673–1713) m. Pieter Schuyler (1657–1724) ***** Gertruj Schuyler (b. 1694) m. Johannes Lansing. ***** Philip Schuyler (b. 1696) m. Margarita Schuyler (daughter of Johannes Schuyler). ***** Pieter Schuyler (b. 1698), a twin m. Catherine Groesbeck. ***** Jeremiah Schuyler (b. 1698), a twin m. Susanna Bayeux. *** Catherine Van Cortlandt (1652–1730) m. (1) Johannes Dervall (d. 1689); m. (2) 1691:

Frederick Philipse Frederick Philipse (born Frederick Flypsen;Appleton, W.S. ''The Heraldic Journal, Recording the Amorial Bearings and Genealogies of American Families'', Wiggen & Lunt, Boston, 1867 1626 in Bolsward, Netherlands – December 23, 1702), first Lord ...

(1626-1702). *** Jacobus Van Cortlandt (1658–1739) m. Eva de Vries (b. 1660). **** Margaret Van Cortlandt (1694–1770) m. Abraham de Peyster (1696–1767) (son of Abraham de Peyster). **** Frederick Van Cortlandt (1699–1749) m. Frances Jay (1701–1780). ***** James Van Cortlandt (1727–1781) m. Elizabeth Cuyler (1731–1815) (daughter of Cornelis Cuyler). ***** Augustus Van Cortlandt (1728–1823) m. Catherine Barclay (1744–1808) (daughter of Andrew Barclay). ****** Anne Van Cortlandt (1766–1814) m. Henry White (1763–1822) ******* Helen Van Cortlandt White (1792–1881) m. Abraham Schermerhorn (1783–1850). ******** Caroline Webster Schermerhorn (1830–1908) m. William Backhouse Astor Jr. (1829–1892). ****** Helen Van Cortlandt (1768–1812) m. James Morris (1764–1827) (son of

Lewis Morris Lewis Morris (April 8, 1726 – January 22, 1798) was an American Founding Father, landowner, and developer from Morrisania, New York, presently part of Bronx County. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Conti ...

). ***** Eva Van Cortlandt (1737–1836) m. Henry White (1732–1786) ****** Henry White (1763–1822) m. Anne Van Cortlandt (1766–1814) ****** Anne White () m.

Sir John Hayes, 1st Baronet Sir John Macnamara Hayes, 1st Baronet ( – 19 July 1809) was a military physician who served as physician-extraordinary to the George IV, George, Prince of Wales, the future George IV of the United Kingdom. Early life Hayes was born in Limerick, ...

(–1809) ****** Frederick Van Cortlandt White (1767–1859) m. (1) 1802: Sophia Heaton Coore; (2) Davidson ****** John Chambers White (1770–1845) m. (1) Cordelia Fanshawe (d. 1809); (2) Charlotte Elizabeth Dalrymple ****** Margaret White (1774–1857) m. 1790: Peter Jay Munro (1767–1833) ****** Frances White (b. ) m. Archibald Bruce (1746–1816) **** Mary Van Cortlandt (1705–1777) m. 1728: Peter Jay (1704–1782). ***** Eva Jay (1728–1810) m. 1766: Harry Munro (1730–1801) ****** Peter Jay Munro (1767–1833) m. 1790: Margaret White (1774–1857) ***** James Jay (1732–1815) m. Anne Erwin (1750–1840) *****

(1745–1829) m. Sarah Van Brugh Livingston (1757–1802). ****** Peter Augustus Jay (1776–1843) m. 1807: Mary Rutherfurd Clarkson. ******* John Clarkson Jay (1808–1891) m. Laura Prime (daughter of Nathaniel Prime). ****** Maria Jay (1782–1856) m. Goldsborough Banyer (1775–1806). ****** William Jay (1789–1858) m. Hannah Augusta McVickar (1790–1857). *******

(1817-1894) m. Eleanor Kingsland Field (1819–1909). ******** William Jay (Colonel) (1841 – 1915) m. Lucie Oelrichs (1854–1931)

References

{{reflist Political families of the United States Clan Kennedy Gage family Jay family

History

Family tree

See also

References