Rutger Jansen Bleecker or Rutger Bleecker (May 13, 1675 — August 4, 1756) was a colonial era merchant and political figure who served as

Mayor of Albany, New York From its formal chartering on 22 July 1686 until 1779, the mayors of Albany, New York, were appointed by the royal governor of New York, per the provisions of the original city charter, issued by Governor Thomas Dongan. From 1779 until 1839, may ...

from 1726 to 1729.

Early life

Bleecker was born in Albany in on May 13, 1675. He was the second son of Dutch born mayor Jan Jansen Bleecker (1641–1732) and Grietje "Margaret" Rutse van Schoenderwoert (1647–1733). His siblings included Johannes Bleecker, Jr. (1668–1738) Caajte Grietje Bleecker (1670–1734), who married Abraham Cuyler (1665–1747), a brother of Mayor Johannes Cuyler, Jannetje Janse Bleecker (1673–1755), who married Johannes Jacobse Glen (1675–1706), Margarita Bleecker (1680–1773), who married Hendrick Ten Eyck (1680–1772), Hendrick Bleecker (1686–1767) and Rachael Bleecker (1688–1766). His maternal grandparents were Rutger Jacobson van Schoenderwoert (1615–1665) and Tryntje Jansen (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

Van Breestede) (1625–1711).

Career

Following after his father and older brother, Bleecker was a fur

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

. In 1725, he became Recorder (Deputy Mayor) of the City. In 1726, Bleecker was appointed Mayor on behalf of the English crown by Governor, William Burnet, succeeding Johannes Cuyler and commencing on November 8, 1726. He served until November 10, 1729v, when he was succeeded by Johannes de Peyster III. Also in 1701, he was elected to serve for one year as a member of the New York Provincial Assembly, until 1702. In 1728, he was first appointed to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs, serving for a total of seventeen years with additional appointments in 1729, 1732, 1734, 1739, 1742, and 1745.

Personal life

On May 26, 1712, Bleecker was married Catalina Schuyler (1678–1747), the widow of former mayor Johannes Abeel, with whom she had five children. She was the daughter of David Pieterse Schuyler (1636–1690) and Catharina Verplanck (1639–1690), who both died during the

Schenectady massacre The Schenectady massacre was an attack against the colonial settlement of Schenectady in the English Province of New York on February 8, 1690. A raiding party of 114 French soldiers and militiamen, accompanied by 96 allied Mohawk and Algonquin w ...

of 1690, and the sister of Albany mayors, David Davidse Schuyler (1669–1715) and Myndert Schuyler (1672–1755). Together, they were the parents of four children, including: * Johannes "John" Rutger Bleecker (1713–1800), who married Elizabeth Staats (1725–1811), daughter of Barent and Neetltje Gerritse (née Van den Berg) Staats, in 1743. * Margarita "Margaret" Bleecker (1714–1760), who married Edward Collins (1704–1753), son of Lt. John Collins and Margaret (née Schuyler) Ver Planck Collins, a widow of Jacobus "James" Ver Planck, in 1733. * Jacobus "James" Bleecker (b. 1716), who married Abigail Lispenard (1718–1807), daughter of

Anthony Lispenard Anthony or Antony is a masculine given name, derived from the '' Antonii'', a ''gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descendants of Ant ...

and granddaughter of Antoine L'Espinard, in 1740. * Myndert Bleecker (b. 1720). Bleecker died in Albany on August 4, 1756. He was buried at the Dutch church in Albany.

Descendants

Through his son Jacobus, he was the grandfather of

Anthony Lispenard Bleecker Anthony Lispenard Bleecker (June 13, 1741 – April 26, 1816) was a prominent banker, merchant and auctioneer, and one of the richest men in New York. He worked as well as a vestryman and churchwarden for Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. He ...

(1741–1816), the prominent banker, merchant and auctioneer for whom

Bleecker Street Bleecker Street is an east–west street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which ...

in lower

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

is named. The town of

Bleecker, New York Bleecker is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census. The name is from Barent Bleecker, one of the original landowners of the region. Bleecker is north of the cities of Gloversville and Johnstow ...

was named in honor of his grandson through his son John Barent Bleecker (1760–1841).

References

External links

Rutger Janse Bleecker
biography at the

New York State Museum The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bleecker, Rutger Jansen 1675 births 1756 deaths People of the Province of New York Mayors of Albany, New York American people of Dutch descent Bleecker family