Background
Rensselaer, Stephen Van was born on November 1, 1764 in New York City. Son of Stephen and Catherine (Livingston) Van Rensselaer.
Rensselaer, Stephen Van was born on November 1, 1764 in New York City. Son of Stephen and Catherine (Livingston) Van Rensselaer.
Attended College of New Jersey (now Princeton). Graduated from Harvard, 1782.
Member New York Assembly (Federalist), 1789-1790, 98, 1818. Member of New York Senate (Federalist), 1791-1796. Lieutenant governor New York, 1795-1801.
Commissioned major New York Militia, 1801, led unsuccessful attack on Queenston, Ontario, Canada, 1812.
Board regents Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, 1819-1839. 1st president New York Board of Agriculture, 1820.
Member United States House of Representatives from New York, 17th-20th congresses, 1822-1829. Established school (became Rensselaer Institute 1826, later Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), 1824.
President Albany Lyceum of Natural History, Albany Institute.
Member of New York Senate (Federalist), 1791-1796. Member United States House of Representatives from New York, 17th-20th congresses, 1822-1829.
Married Margaret Schulyer, June 6, 1783, 3 children including Henry Bell. Married second, Cornelia Paterson, May 17, 1802, 9 children.