Johannes van Rensselaer

Johannes Van Rensselaer (January 3, 1708 – February 21, 1783) was a member of the prominent colonial Van Rensselaer family. Early life Van Rensselaer was born on January 3, 1708, at the family estate, "Rensselaerswyck", in what is now Watervliet, New York. He was the eldest surviving son of Hendrick van Rensselaer (1667–1740), director of the Eastern patent of the Rensselaerswyck manor, and Catharina Van Brugh (1665–1730), daughter of merchant Johannes Pieterse Van Brugh (1624–1697). He was descended from and married into "the best provincial families" in New York including the Livingstons, Schuylers, Van Cortlandts, Van Schaicks, and Bayards. Career In 1740 upon the death of his father, he inherited Fort Crailo and became proprietor or Lord of the lower manor of Rensselaerswyck, known as "Claverack". Around 1762, he added a wing and remodeled the building. During the mid 1760s, his holdings in Greenbush were almost three times more valuable as any others in the entire east Manor. He also owned a house in the city of Albany tracts of land outside the manor.