Cortlandt Van Stephanus

May 7, 1643 (age 56)

New York, United States

Before Van Cortlandt was twenty-one, he was executing commissions for Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer of Amsterdam and exchanging wine, duffels, and blankets for the beaver skins which his brother-in-law, Jeremias Van Rensselaer, sent down the Hudson from Albany. These mercantile ventures were not interrupted by the English conquest of New Netherland, for Stephanus soon found favor with the new officials, who were not above conniving with him in importing goods contrary to the Acts of Trade. Van Cortlandt's public career was long and notable. Commissioned an ensign of militia in Kings County in 1668, he was regularly promoted until he reached the rank of colonel. Sir Edmund Andros summoned him (1674) to membership in the governor's council, and the instructions of every governor from Dongan to Bellomont contained his name as a counselor. In 1677, he became, by appointment from Governor Andros, the first native-born mayor of the city of New York, a position to which he was again appointed in 1686 and 1687. When the Dominion of New England was created he was named as one of the forty-two councilors to serve under Andros. This close association with the scheme of James II to establish centralized royal control in the northern colonies placed him in an embarrassing position when news reached New York that the "glorious revolution" had driven the king from his throne. As a ranking provincial councilor and mayor of the city of New York, Van Cortlandt endeavored for a time to restrain the rebellious groups which accepted the leadership of Capt. Jacob Leisler, but he was not sufficiently resourceful to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the provincial government. Leisler maliciously accused him of being "papist, " defied his authority as a counselor, and finally compelled him to flee for his life. During his enforced absence from his home, he wrote plaintively to Andros, then in England, concerning his many misfortunes. With an eye to the future, he urged his friend to present his case to Auditor General Blathwayt in order that he might "get here the Collectors place or at least that commission off auditor with a certain salary may bee confirmed unto me". His opportunity for revenge came when he was designated a member of the council under the new governor, Henry Sloughter. Supported by Frederick Philipse and Nicholas Bayar, he vigorously pushed the prosecution of Leisler on charges of treason and persuaded the governor, who was inclined to hesitate, that the condemned man should be executed at once. However timorous he had been in dealing with Leisler, the rebel, he did not lack assurance in disposing of Leisler, the condemned. Throughout his career, Van Cortlandt was closely associated with the amorphous jurisprudence of the provincial courts. After 1677, he presided at intervals over the mayor's court in the city of New York. Occasionally, he was a member of the admiralty courts ad hoc, which antedated the creation by the British government in 1697 of the vice-admiralty for the dominions. For several years (1688 - 91), he was a judge of the court of oyer and terminer which sat in Kings County, and he served as a counselor during the period when the governor's council constituted a court of chancery. When the supreme court of the province was established by the Judiciary Act of 1691, he was named an associate justice, serving until his elevation to the post of chief justice, which occurred less than a month before his death. The royal governors constantly summoned him to administrative as well as judicial posts. Under Gov. Benjamin Fletcher, he became an important adviser on Indian relations, accompanying the governor in 1693 to the conference at Albany with sachems of the Five Nations which was designed to preserve the Iroquois alliance during King William's War. In 1698, he was appointed a commissioner of customs and collector of revenues in recognition of the services which he had rendered a decade earlier in handling the provincial revenues for Gov. Thomas Dongan. The governor might have softened these harsh words had he been aware that at the very moment he sent off the report his receiver of revenues had been stricken by a fatal illness. Like most of the provincial councilors of his generation, Stephanus Van Cortlandt used his official position to secure large grants of land. In 1677, Governor Andros issued a general license authorizing him to purchase from the Indians such tracts as he might desire. Apparently the first purchase under the license was made in 1683 and included the region on the east bank of the Hudson "at the entering of the highlands just over against Haverstraw. " Several years later, he received from Governor Dongan a patent for the lands immediately north of his original purchase. These two tracts, somewhat extended by additional negotiations with the Indians in 1695, were erected into the manor of Cortlandt by a royal patent, dated June 17, 1697, which endowed the manor lord with the usual legal rights and emoluments and the special privilege, included in only two other grants, of sending a representative to the provincial assembly.

Cortlandt Van Stephanus

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also known as Stephanus Van Cortlandt

merchant

Background

Stephanus Van Cortlandt was born on May 7, 1643, in his father's substantial house on Brouwer Street, New Amsterdam. He was the eldest son of Oloff Stevenszen Van Cortlandt and Annetje (or Anneken) Loockermans.

Education

Van Cortlandt's formal education was acquired in the school established by the Dutch Church. Under his father's astute guidance, however, he quickly became proficient in commercial affairs.

Career

Before Van Cortlandt was twenty-one, he was executing commissions for Jan Baptist Van Rensselaer of Amsterdam and exchanging wine, duffels, and blankets for the beaver skins which his brother-in-law, Jeremias Van Rensselaer, sent down the Hudson from Albany. These mercantile ventures were not interrupted by the English conquest of New Netherland, for Stephanus soon found favor with the new officials, who were not above conniving with him in importing goods contrary to the Acts of Trade.

Van Cortlandt's public career was long and notable. Commissioned an ensign of militia in Kings County in 1668, he was regularly promoted until he reached the rank of colonel. Sir Edmund Andros summoned him (1674) to membership in the governor's council, and the instructions of every governor from Dongan to Bellomont contained his name as a counselor. In 1677, he became, by appointment from Governor Andros, the first native-born mayor of the city of New York, a position to which he was again appointed in 1686 and 1687.

When the Dominion of New England was created he was named as one of the forty-two councilors to serve under Andros. This close association with the scheme of James II to establish centralized royal control in the northern colonies placed him in an embarrassing position when news reached New York that the "glorious revolution" had driven the king from his throne. As a ranking provincial councilor and mayor of the city of New York, Van Cortlandt endeavored for a time to restrain the rebellious groups which accepted the leadership of Capt. Jacob Leisler, but he was not sufficiently resourceful to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the provincial government.

Leisler maliciously accused him of being "papist, " defied his authority as a counselor, and finally compelled him to flee for his life. During his enforced absence from his home, he wrote plaintively to Andros, then in England, concerning his many misfortunes. With an eye to the future, he urged his friend to present his case to Auditor General Blathwayt in order that he might "get here the Collectors place or at least that commission off auditor with a certain salary may bee confirmed unto me". His opportunity for revenge came when he was designated a member of the council under the new governor, Henry Sloughter.

Supported by Frederick Philipse and Nicholas Bayar, he vigorously pushed the prosecution of Leisler on charges of treason and persuaded the governor, who was inclined to hesitate, that the condemned man should be executed at once. However timorous he had been in dealing with Leisler, the rebel, he did not lack assurance in disposing of Leisler, the condemned.

Throughout his career, Van Cortlandt was closely associated with the amorphous jurisprudence of the provincial courts. After 1677, he presided at intervals over the mayor's court in the city of New York.

Occasionally, he was a member of the admiralty courts ad hoc, which antedated the creation by the British government in 1697 of the vice-admiralty for the dominions. For several years (1688 - 91), he was a judge of the court of oyer and terminer which sat in Kings County, and he served as a counselor during the period when the governor's council constituted a court of chancery.

When the supreme court of the province was established by the Judiciary Act of 1691, he was named an associate justice, serving until his elevation to the post of chief justice, which occurred less than a month before his death. The royal governors constantly summoned him to administrative as well as judicial posts. Under Gov. Benjamin Fletcher, he became an important adviser on Indian relations, accompanying the governor in 1693 to the conference at Albany with sachems of the Five Nations which was designed to preserve the Iroquois alliance during King William's War.

In 1698, he was appointed a commissioner of customs and collector of revenues in recognition of the services which he had rendered a decade earlier in handling the provincial revenues for Gov. Thomas Dongan. The governor might have softened these harsh words had he been aware that at the very moment he sent off the report his receiver of revenues had been stricken by a fatal illness.

Like most of the provincial councilors of his generation, Stephanus Van Cortlandt used his official position to secure large grants of land. In 1677, Governor Andros issued a general license authorizing him to purchase from the Indians such tracts as he might desire. Apparently the first purchase under the license was made in 1683 and included the region on the east bank of the Hudson "at the entering of the highlands just over against Haverstraw. "

Several years later, he received from Governor Dongan a patent for the lands immediately north of his original purchase. These two tracts, somewhat extended by additional negotiations with the Indians in 1695, were erected into the manor of Cortlandt by a royal patent, dated June 17, 1697, which endowed the manor lord with the usual legal rights and emoluments and the special privilege, included in only two other grants, of sending a representative to the provincial assembly.

Achievements

Van Cortlandt was the first native-born mayor of New York City, a position which he held from 1677 to 1678 and from 1686 to 1688. He was the patroon 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, which was built around 1697.

Personality

Van Cortlandt never resided upon his manor. He used the manor-house, which was a fort-like structure, as a hunting-lodge, trading-post, and office for the transaction of such manorial business as concerned the Indians who remained within its borders. He was the last as well as the first lord of his manor, for in disposing of his property he followed the Dutch rather than the English custom.

By the terms of his will his eldest son, John, was to receive the region of Verplanck's Point, while the remainder of his real estate was to be divided equally, after the death of his widow, among his eleven children. The manor lands, which according to the survey of 1732 included 87, 713 acres, were not finally divided among the legal heirs until 1753.

Quotes from others about the person

"gives a just account of all the money that comes to his hands, but he is grown very crazy and infirm, and is a very timorous man. In a word he has never yet made any seizure since his being Collector and I believe never would if he were 50 years to come, in that post" - Lord Bellomont.

Connections

On September 10, 1671, Van Cortlandt married Gertrude, daughter of Philip P. Schuyler of Albany.

Mother:: Anna ("Annetje") Loockermans van Cortlandt
father:: Olof Stevense van Cortlandt
Grandson:: Oliver De Lancey Sr.
Grandson:: James DeLancey
Grandson:: Pierre Van Cortlandt
Grandson:: Lt. General William Skinner
Wife:: Gertruj van Schuyler
Daughter:: Margaretta van Cortlandt
Daughter:: Elizabeth van Cortlandt
Daughter:: Anne van Cortlandt
Daughter:: Catherine van Cortlandt
granddaughter :: Susannah DeLancey
granddaughter :: Gertrude Bayard
Son:: Philip Van Cortlandt
great-granddaughter:: Margaret Kemble
great-grandson :: Brig. Gen. Cortlandt Skinner

References

Documents relative to the colonial history of the state of New-York Volume 5. London documents: 1707-1723

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