Military officer; born in
Wijk,
Holland, in 1600; received a fair education; arrived in New Netherland as an officer of the West India Company March 28, 1638; was made customs officer in 1639; had charge of the public stores of the company in 1643-48; then became a merchant and brewer.
He was made colonel of the burgher guard in 1649; was appointed mayor (burgomaster) of New Amsterdam in 1654; and held that office almost without interruption till 1664, when New Amsterdam was surrendered to the
British.
He was then appointed by
Governor Stuyvesant one of the commissioners to arrange a settlement with the
British.
In 1663 he took a prominent part in settling the
Connecticut boundary dispute, and in 1664 in settling the claims of
Capt. John Scott to
Long Island, and also held trusts under the
English governors Nicholls,
Lovelace, and
Dongan.
He died in New York, April 4, 1684.
His son, Jacob, born in New York City, July 7, 1658, was a member of the first three William and Mary assemblies, was again a member in 1702-9 and 1710-15; and was mayor of his native city in 1719.
He was a large land-holder and one of the most prominent men of his time.
His estate of 800 acres at
Yonkers
[
24]
was bought by New York City from his descendants, to whom it had continuously passed, and was thrown into the new
Van Cortlandt Park.
He died in New York City in 1739.
Another son, Stephen, born in New York City, May 4, 1643, was educated by a Dutch clergyman; became an ensign in the
King's County Regiment in 1668, and later was colonel.
In 1677 he was made the first native American mayor of New York City, and held that office
 |
|
Van Cortlandt Manor-House. |
almost consecutively till his death.
He was a member of the governor's council for many years, and became a justice of the Provincial Supreme Court in 1693.
His estate was erected into the manor and lordship of
Cortlandt, June 17, 1697.
In the manor, which stood on the shore of
Croton Bay,
Washington,
Franklin.
Rochambeau,
Lafayette, and other eminent men were entertained during the
Revolutionary War. He died in New York City, Nov. 25, 1700.
