Stephanus Van Cortlandt
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Stephanus van Cortlandt (May 7, 1643 – November 25, 1700) was the first native-born
mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
, a position which he held from 1677 to 1678 and from 1686 to 1688. He was the
patroon In the United States, a patroon (; from Dutch '' patroon'' ) was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th-century Dutch colony of New Netherland on the east coast of North America. Through the Charter of Free ...
of Van Cortlandt Manor and was on the governor's executive council from 1691 to 1700. He was the first resident of Sagtikos Manor in West Bay Shore on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, which was built around 1697. A number of his descendants married English military leaders and
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
active in the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, and their descendants became prominent members of English society.


Early life

Stephanus van Cortlandt was born on May 7, 1643, the son of Captain Olof Stevense van Cortlandt. His father had been born at
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 ...
, in the
Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
, and in 1637 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 ...
. Beginning as a soldier and bookkeeper, Olof Stevense van Cortland rose to high office in the colonial 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 ...
before dying in 1684. His mother, nicknamed "Anna", was Annetje ( Loockermans) van Cortlandt (born
Turnhout Turnhout () is a Belgium, Belgian Municipalities in Belgium, municipality and city located in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. ...
; March 17, 1618), who may have been the person who began the "
Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...
" tradition in America. His parents had four children: Stephanus van Cortlandt (1643–1700); Jacobus van Cortlandt (1658–1739), who married Eva de Vries Philipse (born 1660); Maria van Cortlandt, who married
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 ...
(1632–1674); and Catherine van Cortlandt, who married firstly Johannes Derval and secondly, after his death,
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), the first lord of Philipsborough Manor. Philipse was previously married to Margaret Hardenbroeck (1637–1691) and during that marriage, had adopted her daughter, Eva de Vries (born 1660), who thus took the name of Philipse. Eva's father and Margaret's first husband was Peter Rudolphus de Vries (died 1661).


Career

In 1668, he was appointed ensign of one of the militia companies of New York City. In 1677, he was appointed by the English Governor of the
Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...
to a two-year term as mayor of New York City, the first who had been born in America. Although of Dutch parentage, he was reportedly appointed due to his intelligence, and social position in the community. In 1685, he joined partners Francis Rombouts and Jacobus Kip in being awarded what became known as the Rombout Patent to lands along 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 ...
in what is today's southern
Dutchess County Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later org ...
. During his time in office, van Cortland remained an adherent of the aristocratic Whig party, especially during
Leisler's Rebellion Leisler's Rebellion was an uprising in late-17th century colonial New York in which German American merchant and militia captain Jacob Leisler seized control of the southern portion of the colony and ruled it from 1689 to 1691. The uprising too ...
from 1689 to 1691. When Delanoy, the Leisler candidate, was elected to the mayoralty, in place of Van Cortland, the latter refused to deliver up the city seal. It has been said that when a committee came to his home, his wife shut the door in their faces.Sketches of the Mayors of New York
, thehistorybox. Accessed April 20, 2022.


Personal life

Van Cortlandt married Gertruj van Schuyler (b. 1654), the daughter of
Philip Pieterse Schuyler Colonel Philip Pieterse Schuyler or Philip Pieterse (1628 – 9 May 1683) was a Dutch-born landowner in New Netherlands and progenitor of the senior line of the American Schuyler family. Early life Philip Pieterse Schuyler was born in Amsterda ...
and the sister of Pieter Schuyler (a colonial governor of New York and mayor of Albany). They lived at the "Waterside," on the present line of Pearl street, near Broad, where he engaged in business as a merchant. Together, they had: * Johannes Van Cortlandt (1672–1702), who married Anna Maria Van Schaick. ** Gertrude Van Cortlandt (1697–1766), who married Philip Verplanck, a grandson of Gulian Verplanck. * Margaretta Van Cortlandt (b. 1674), who married Judge Samuel Bayard, the son of Nicholas Bayard and a descendant of the
Stuyvesant family The Stuyvesant family is a family of American politicians and landowners in New York City. The family is of Dutch origin and is descended from Peter Stuyvesant (1610–1672), who was born in Peperga, Friesland, Netherlands and served as the last D ...
. A number of their descendants were
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
who relocated to England. * Anne van Cortlandt (1676–1724), who married Stephen DeLancey (1663–1741). * Catherine Van Cortlandt, who married New Jersey politician Andrew Johnston (1694-1762), the son of John Johnstone (1661–1732), the 32nd Mayor of New York City. * Elizabeth Van Cortlandt, who married the Rev. William Skinner. * Philip Van Cortlandt (1683–1746), who married Catherine de Peyster (1688-1766), daughter of Abraham de Peyster the 20th Mayor of New York City and his wife Catharine de Peyster. Philip and Catherine had six children: ** Stephen (1714–1756), who married Mary Walton Ricketts in 1738. ** Abraham (1713–1745) ** Philip (1715–1745) ** John (1718–1747) ** Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814), first Lt. Governor of the State of New York, who married his second cousin, Joanna Livingston (1722–1808), daughter of Cornelia Beekman (1693–1742), niece of Gerardus Beekman and granddaughter of
Wilhelmus Beekman Wilhelmus Hendricksen Beekman (April 28, 1623 – September 21, 1707) – also known as William Beekman and Willem Beekman (or Beeckman) – was a Dutch immigrant to America who came to New Amsterdam (now New York City) from the Netherlands on May ...
, and Gilbert Livingston (1690–1746), a son of
Robert Livingston the Elder Robert Livingston the Elder (13 December 1654 – 1728) was a Scottish-born merchant and government official in the Province of New York. He was granted a patent to 160,000 acres (650 km2/ 250 sq mi) of land along the Hudson River, becomin ...
and Alida Schuyler; ** Catherine Van Cortlandt (1725–1735), who died young. Stephanus Van Cortlandt died in New York on November 25, 1700.


Descendants

His granddaughter, Gertrude Bayard, married Peter Kemble (1704–1789), a prominent New Jersey businessman and politician, and his great-granddaughter, Margaret Kemble (1734–1824), married
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) who was General of the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. Descendants of this union are found in England, including amongst the
Viscount Gage Viscount Gage, of Castle Island in the County of Kerry of the Kingdom of Ireland, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1720 for Thomas Gage, along with the subsidiary title of Baron Gage, of Castlebar in the County of Mayo ...
s and the noble Bertie family in England (including those holding the title of Earls of Abingdon). A grandson, James DeLancey (1703–1760) became
New York Governor The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ha ...
, and granddaughter Susannah DeLancey (1707–1771) married Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren (1703–1752). Another grandson, Oliver De Lancey Sr. (1718–1785) married Phila Franks, daughter of a prominent New York Jewish family. Grandson, Lt. General William Skinner, was an American Revolutionary
Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
whose son, Brig. Gen.
Cortlandt Skinner Cortlandt Skinner (December 16, 1727 – March 15, 1799) was the last Royal Attorney General of New Jersey and a brigadier general in a Loyalist force, the New Jersey Volunteers, also known as Skinner's Greens, during the American Revolutionary ...
(1727–1799) was also a
Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
who married Elizabeth Kearney (1731–1810). Another grandson, Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721–1814) was the 1st
Lieutenant Governor of New York The lieutenant governor of New York is a Constitution of New York, constitutional office in the executive branch of the Government of the State of New York. It is the second highest-ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governo ...
who married to Joanna Livingston (granddaughter of Robert Livingston). Their descendants include Philip Van Cortlandt (1749-1831) and Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. (1762–1848). It was revealed on a 2024 episode of ''
Finding Your Roots ''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is an American documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is com ...
'' that the American writer, director, actor, and producer
Lena Dunham Lena Dunham (; born May 13, 1986) is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series '' Girls'' (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy Award nominations and two G ...
(b. 1986) is a descendant of Stephanus van Cortlandt.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cortlandt, Stephanus van 1643 births 1700 deaths 17th-century mayors of places in New York (state) American politicians of Dutch descent Mayors of New York City People from colonial New York People from New Netherland Stephanus Politicians from New York City