Stephen Van Rensselaer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stephen Van Rensselaer
Stephen Van Rensselaer III, c. 1790s, by Gilbert Stuart
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office March 12, 1822 – March 3, 1829
Preceded by	Solomon Van Rensselaer
Succeeded by	Ambrose Spencer
Constituency	9th district (1822–1823) 10th district (1823–1829)
Lieutenant Governor of New York
In office 1795–1801
Governor	John Jay
Preceded by	Pierre Van Cortlandt
Succeeded by	Jeremiah Van Rensselaer
Member of the New York State Senate from the Western District, at-large
In office 1791–1796
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Albany County district, at-large
In office 1789–1791
Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of New York
In office 1825–1829
Preceded by	Joseph Enos
Succeeded by	Morgan Lewis
9th Patroon and 6th Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck
In office 1769–1839
Preceded by	Stephen Van Rensselaer II
Succeeded by	Stephen Van Rensselaer IV
Personal details
Born	(1764-11-01)November 1, 1764 New York City, Province of New York, British America
Died	January 26, 1839(1839-01-26) (aged 74) New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands, New York
Political party	Federalist Adams Republican
Spouses	Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler ​ ​ (m. 1783; her death 1801)​ Cornelia Paterson ​ ​ (m. 1802)​
Children	12, including Stephen, Cortlandt and Henry
Relatives	See Van Rensselaer family
Alma mater	Harvard College
Profession	Landowner Businessman
Net worth	USD $3.1 billion at the time of his death (equivalent to $101 billion in 2014)
Signature

Stephen Van Rensselaer III (November 1, 1764 – January 26, 1839) was an important American landowner, businessman, and politician. He was also a military officer. When he was 21, Van Rensselaer took over his family's huge estate called Rensselaerswyck. He helped the land grow by letting people rent farms at fair prices. This allowed farmers to invest in their land and make it more productive.

Van Rensselaer was active in politics. He was a member of the Federalist Party and served in the New York State Assembly and Senate. He also became Lieutenant Governor of New York. Later, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He was a big supporter of education and even founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also helped start Albany's public library and its history and arts institute.

He was a high-ranking officer in the militia, becoming a major general. He led troops during the War of 1812. However, he resigned after a defeat at the Battle of Queenston Heights. When he died in 1839, his sons tried to collect old rent payments. This led to a conflict called the Anti-Rent War, and the family's large estate was eventually broken up and sold. Stephen Van Rensselaer was one of the richest Americans in history because of his vast land holdings.

Early Life and Education

Stephen Van Rensselaer was born in New York City. He was the oldest child of Stephen Van Rensselaer II, who was the ninth patroon (lord) of Rensselaerswyck. This was a very large land grant given to his family by the Dutch government. His mother was Catharina Livingston, whose father signed the Declaration of Independence.

His father died when Stephen was only five years old. He was then raised by his mother, his stepfather, and his grandfather. His uncle, Abraham Ten Broeck, managed the family's estate. Stephen was prepared from a young age to take over the manor. His younger brother, Philip S. Van Rensselaer, later became the Mayor of Albany.

Stephen first went to the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Because of the American Revolution, he later transferred to Harvard College. He graduated from Harvard in 1782.

Managing the Rensselaerswyck Estate

When Stephen turned 21, he took control of Rensselaerswyck. This huge estate was about 1,200 square miles (3,072 square kilometers) in size. Stephen wanted to make money from the land but did not want to sell it. Instead, he rented out parts of the land for a long time at fair prices.

This way, Stephen received a steady income from rent. The tenants (renters) could become successful farmers without having to pay a lot of money to buy land. This allowed them to invest more in their farms, which made the area more productive. Over time, Stephen became the landlord for more than 80,000 tenants. He was usually a kind landlord. He would accept things like grain or firewood instead of cash for rent payments. If tenants had money problems, he often let them pay late or pay only part of the rent instead of making them leave.

One part of the rental agreements was called the "quarter-sale." If tenants sold their leases, they had to pay Stephen one-fourth of the sale price or an extra year's rent. Over time, this rule caused problems between Stephen and his tenants. This eventually led to the Anti-Rent War after his death.

In 1790, records show he owned 15 enslaved people. By 1830, he owned none. This was because New York had a law that gradually freed all enslaved people by 1827. Stephen later supported the idea of helping African Americans move to colonies in Africa, like Liberia.

Public Service and Political Career

Stephen Van Rensselaer was a member of the Federalist Party. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1789 to 1791. Then he was in the New York State Senate from 1791 to 1796.

He was the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1795 to 1801, serving with Governor John Jay. Stephen Van Rensselaer became known as a reformer. He voted to allow more people to vote, even though many wealthy people in New York disagreed. In 1801, he ran for Governor of New York but lost to George Clinton.

He was one of the first people to suggest building a canal from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. This idea later became the Erie Canal. He was part of a group that studied the best path for the canal in 1810. He served on the Erie Canal Commission for 23 years, from 1816 to 1839. For 14 of those years, he was its president.

In 1822, he won a special election to join the United States House of Representatives. He served from 1822 to 1829. During his last three terms, he was the leader of the Committee on Agriculture.

Role in the 1824 Presidential Election

In 1825, Stephen Van Rensselaer cast a vote that likely decided the presidential election. In the 1824 election, none of the four candidates won enough electoral votes. So, the U.S. House of Representatives had to choose the winner. The House members voted by state, and each state cast one ballot. A candidate needed to win 13 states to become president.

Van Rensselaer had planned to vote for William H. Crawford. But he changed his mind and voted for John Quincy Adams. His vote gave Adams the majority of the New York delegation's votes. Winning New York helped Adams get 13 states in the House vote, which made him president.

Military Service in the War of 1812

In 1786, Stephen Van Rensselaer became a major in the New York Militia. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant colonel and then a colonel. By 1801, he was promoted to major general.

His military experience led him to command troops during the War of 1812. In June 1812, he was offered command of the Army of the Centre. This army was gathering in upstate New York to invade Canada. He accepted the command. Even though he was a high-ranking militia officer, he did not have much experience leading large groups of soldiers. His cousin, Solomon van Rensselaer, who had more military experience, became his assistant.

The British were building defenses at Queenston Heights, which Stephen Van Rensselaer planned to attack. His soldiers were mostly untrained militia members. Under the Constitution, militia members did not have to cross into Canada to fight.

On October 13, 1812, Van Rensselaer launched an attack on the British at the Battle of Queenston Heights. His preparations were not good enough. He did not get enough boats for his men to cross the Niagara River easily. He also did not have enough ammunition for his soldiers. Even though the Americans had more soldiers at first, many refused to cross the river into Canada. When the battle turned bad, Van Rensselaer could not even get the boatmen to go back and rescue his trapped soldiers. His forces were badly defeated by the British.

The defeat at Queenston Heights ended Van Rensselaer's active military career. He resigned his position after the battle. He remained a senior major general in the state militia until he died.

Supporting Education and Community

Portrait of Van Rensselaer by Chester Harding, 1828

Engraving of Van Rensselaer by G. Parker, from a miniature by Charles Fraser, c. 1835

After the War of 1812, Stephen Van Rensselaer continued to serve on the Erie Canal Commission. Between 1820 and 1823, he paid for a study of the land around the canal. In 1820, he became president of the state Board of Agriculture. He also helped start the Albany Savings Bank and became its president.

In 1824, Van Rensselaer helped organize the Albany Institute. This group later joined with another to form the Albany Institute of History & Art. He was also active in the American Lyceum organization, which promoted public education.

Advocate for Higher Education

Stephen Van Rensselaer was a strong supporter of education. In 1794, he was elected to the board of Williams College.

In 1812, he helped start Albany's Lancaster School. This school provided education for children whose parents could not afford to send them to school. In 1813, he helped organize The Albany Academy and became the first president of its board.

He was a member of the University of the State of New York Board of Regents from 1819 to 1839. From 1835 to 1839, he was the board's chancellor.

In 1824, Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton founded the Rensselaer School. Today, it is known as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). They started it to teach people how to use science in everyday life. RPI is now famous for its engineering programs.

He also served on the board of trustees for Rutgers College from 1829 to 1839.

Religious and Masonic Activities

Van Rensselaer was very active in the Dutch Reformed Church. He served as a deacon and elder at the First Reformed Church in Albany. He also attended many church meetings as a delegate. He was involved in the American Home Missionary Society and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

He was also an active Mason. From 1825 to 1829, he was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York.

Family Life

In June 1783, Stephen Van Rensselaer married Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler. She was a distant cousin and the daughter of Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler. She was also the sister-in-law of Alexander Hamilton. They had three children, but only one lived to adulthood:

• Stephen Van Rensselaer IV (1789–1868): He inherited the eastern part of Rensselaerwyck. He graduated from Princeton in 1808. He later sold his townships during the Anti-Rent War.

After Peggy died in 1801, Stephen married Cornelia Bell Paterson in 1802. She was the daughter of William Paterson. Together, they had many children, including:

• William Paterson Van Rensselaer (1805–1872)
• Cortlandt Van Rensselaer (1808–1860): A well-known Presbyterian clergyman.
• Henry Bell Van Rensselaer (1810–1864): A politician and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

His second wife, Cornelia Paterson

Stephen Van Rensselaer died in New York City on January 26, 1839. He was first buried in a family cemetery. Later, he was reburied at Albany Rural Cemetery.

Legacy and Honors

Stephen Van Rensselaer was one of the richest people in United States history. His wealth was estimated to be more than $100 billion in today's money.

The town of Stephentown, New York is named after him.

In 1791, he was made an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati. In 1822, Yale University gave him an honorary LL.D. degree. In 1998, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute added him to its Alumni Hall of Fame.

Images for kids

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  Artotype of Van Rensselaer's son, Stephen, by Edward Bierstadt, 1888

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  Van Rensselaer's son, Alexander, painted by George P. A. Healy, 1837

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  Van Rensselaer's daughter, Euphemia, painted by George P. A. Healy, 1842

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  Drawing of Van Rensselaer's son, Cortlandt, 1889

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  Photograph of Van Rensselaer's son, General Henry Bell

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  Portrait of a Child as Cupid, a portrait of Van Rensselaer's grandson, William Paterson Van Rensselaer Jr., painted by Francesco Anelli, c. 1836–37

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  Van Rensselaer's gravesite in Albany Rural Cemetery