Kiliaen van Rensselaer (fifth patroon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiliaen van Rensselaer
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| 5th Patroon and 2nd Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck | |
| In office 1687 – 1719 |
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| Preceded by | Kiliaen van Rensselaer |
| Succeeded by | Jeremias van Rensselaer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 24, 1663 Manor of Rensselaerswyck, New Netherland |
| Died | 1719 Manor of Rensselaerswyck, Province of New York |
| Spouse | Maria Van Cortlandt |
| Children | 8, including Jeremias and Stephen |
| Parents | Jeremias van Rensselaer Maria van Cortlandt van Rensselaer |
| Relatives | See Van Rensselaer family |
| Occupation | Patroon |
| Rensselaerswyck series | |
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| Dutch West India Company |
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| The Patroon System |
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| Map of Rensselaerswyck |
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| Patroons of Rensselaerswyck: Kiliaen van Rensselaer |
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Kiliaen van Rensselaer (born August 24, 1663 – died 1719) was an important leader in early American history. He was born in Rensselaerwyck, a large estate in what was then New Netherland. Kiliaen was the oldest child of Jeremias van Rensselaer and Maria van Cortlandt van Rensselaer.
Kiliaen van Rensselaer's Life and Leadership
Kiliaen van Rensselaer became the "patroon" of Rensselaerwyck in 1687. A patroon was like a powerful landowner and leader in the Dutch colonies. He was also known as the second Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. This meant he was in charge of a huge area of land.
His grandfather, also named Kiliaen van Rensselaer, was the first patroon. After his grandfather's death, the land was shared among many family members. Kiliaen worked with his cousin in Amsterdam to sort out the family's land. They decided that the family members in Holland would get the properties there. Kiliaen and the American side of the family received the lands in America.
In May 1704, Queen Anne of England gave Kiliaen a new special document called a "patent." This patent officially confirmed his ownership of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. The next month, he gave about 60,000 acres of land, called the Lower Manor (Claverack), to his younger brother, Hendrick van Rensselaer.
Kiliaen was also a member of the New York governor's council from 1704 until he passed away in 1719. This council was a group of important people who advised the governor. He also served as a Commissioner of Indian Affairs. In this role, he worked with Native American groups.
His Family and Home
On October 15, 1701, Kiliaen van Rensselaer married Maria Van Cortlandt. Maria was the daughter of Stephanus and Gertrude (Schuyler) Van Cortlandt. Kiliaen and Maria had eight children together.
Their children included:
- Maria van Rensselaer (born 1702), who married Frederick van Cortlandt.
- Gertrude van Rensselaer (1703–1704), who sadly died when she was very young.
- Jeremias van Rensselaer (1705–1745), who later became the sixth patroon and third Lord of the Manor. He never married and had no children.
- Stephen van Rensselaer (1707–1747), who became the seventh patroon and fourth Lord of the Manor. He married Elizabeth Groesbeck.
- Johannes van Rensselaer (died 1719).
- Gertrude van Rensselaer (born 1714), who married Adonijah "Adonis" Schuyler. After he died, she married Robert, who was the third Lord of Livingston Manor.
- John Baptist van Rensselaer (1717–1763), who never married.
- Anna van Rensselaer, who married John Schuyler, who was Adonis Schuyler's brother.
The Van Rensselaer family lived in a large home called the Manor House. It was located near the Hudson River, about a mile north of the center of Albany.
After Kiliaen's death, his son, Jeremias van Rensselaer, took over as the Lord of the Manor.
