Pierre Van Cortlandt was born on January 10, 1721, at New York City. He was the youngest son of Philip and Catharine (De Peyster) Van Cortlandt, and a grandson of Stephanus Van Cortlandt.
Little is known concerning his youth beyond the fact that he spent considerable time with his brothers at the manor-house near Croton.
In New York, Van Cortlandt became deeply interested in the management of his farms and mills and found great enjoyment in hunting and fishing. Although he accepted a commission in the provincial militia and marched to the relief of Albany during the French and Indian War, his public career did not begin until 1768, when he was elected to the seat in the Assembly which had originally been assigned to the manor of Cortlandt.
In the Assembly, he was inclined to follow the leadership of the Livingstons. He was no defender of the royal prerogative and the "court party" of the De Lanceys received scant support from him, but the intensification of the quarrel with Great Britain caused him, like many other moderate Whigs, to hesitate. The Loyalists sent Governor Tryon in the autumn of 1774 to urge upon him the honors and emoluments which would be his if he refused to join the "rebels"; he declined, however, to give the governor any assurances.
On October 19, 1775, Van Cortlandt accepted a commission from the provincial congress as colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Westchester militia. He was a member of the second, third, and fourth provincial congresses, became an energetic leader of the Committee of Safety in 1776, and served as president of the Council of Safety during its brief existence in 1777. He presided over the sessions of the convention which drafted New York's first constitution and, with the establishment of the new state government (1777), became lieutenant-governor, a position to which he was periodically reelected for eighteen years.
Although he was a loyal follower of George Clinton, 1739-1812, in politics, his partisanship was never offensive, and he was universally praised for the dignity and impartiality with which he conducted the sessions of the state Senate. His continuous and vigorous service in public office was an important factor in enabling New York to play an effective part in the struggle for independence.
Pleading illness in 1795, Van Cortlandt withdrew from public life. His retirement ended his service on the board of regents of the University of the State of New York, to which he had been named in 1784. The remaining nineteen years of his life were devoted to the affairs of his Croton estate.
Van Cortlandt died at the manor-house in his ninety-fourth year and was buried in the family cemetery on the estate.
Van Cortlandt was first elected to the New York Assembly in March 1768 and served in that body as the representative from Van Cortlandt Manor until 1775. Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt was elected an original honorary member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati on July 6, 1784. There are some places and buildings are named in his honor: Van Cortlandt Upper Manor Housу; Cortland County, New York; Cortland, New York; Cortlandt, New York; Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School.
Van Cortlandt was deeply religious. Although a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, he manifested an increasing interest in the work of the Methodists. Bishop Francis Asbury, Freeborn Garrettson, Woolman Hickson, and other Methodist leaders were frequently guests in his home.
He gave the land and subscribed to the building fund for the local Methodist meeting-house, and set aside each year after 1805 a certain grove on his estate for Methodist camp meetings which he was eager to attend.
The many visitors to the manor-house found him a tall, patriarchal gentleman, affable and courteous in the manner of the old school of landed aristocrats.
On May 28, 1748, Van Cortlandt married his second cousin, Joanna Livingston, whose father, Gilbert, had been heir to a large part of the property of Robert Livingston, first lord of Livingston Manor.
He established his new home on Stone Street, New York City, where his first son, Philip, was born, but he moved in September 1749 to Croton and occupied the remodeled manor-house which he had just inherited under the terms of his father's will. He had eight children.
May 7, 1643 – November 25, 1700 Was the first native-born mayor of New York City, a position which he held from 1677 to 1678 and from 1686 to 1688.
1683–1746
September 21, 1666 – September 25, 1711 Was the 23rd Mayor of New York City between 1698 and 1699.
28 August 1722 - 10 September 1808
4 July 1751 - 24 September 1829
1 August 1753 - 14 March 1847
September 1, 1749 – November 5, 1831 Was an American surveyor, landowner, and politician from Westchester County, New York.
August 29, 1762 – July 13, 1848 Was a United States Representative from New York.
July 8, 1657 – August 3, 1728 Was the 20th Mayor of New York City from 1691 to 1694, and served as Governor of New York, 1700-1701.
