Rutger Jansen Bleecker

Rutger Jansen Bleecker or Rutger Bleecker (May 13, 1675 — August 4, 1756) was a colonial era merchant and political figure who served as Mayor of Albany, New York from 1726 to 1729.[1]

Rutger Jansen Bleecker
Mayor of Albany, New York
In office
November 8, 1726 – November 10, 1729
GovernorWilliam Burnet
Preceded byJohannes Cuyler
Succeeded byJohannes de Peyster III
Recorder of Albany, New York
In office
1725–1726
GovernorWilliam Burnet
Personal details
BornMay 13, 1675
Albany, Province of New York
DiedAugust 4, 1756(1756-08-04) (aged 81)
Albany, Province of New York
Spouse
Catalina Schuyler
​
​
(m. 1712; died 1747)​
Parent(s)Jan Jansen Bleecker
Grietje Rutse van Schoenderwoert
RelativesJohannes Bleecker, Jr. (brother)
Anthony Lispenard Bleecker (grandson)

Early life

Bleecker was born in Albany in on May 13, 1675. He was the second son of Dutch born mayor Jan Jansen Bleecker (1641–1732)[2] and Grietje "Margaret" Rutse van Schoenderwoert (1647–1733).[3][4][5] His siblings included Johannes Bleecker, Jr. (1668–1738)[6] Caajte Grietje Bleecker (1670–1734), who married Abraham Cuyler (1665–1747), a brother of Mayor Johannes Cuyler,[7] Jannetje Janse Bleecker (1673–1755), who married Johannes Jacobse Glen (1675–1706),[7] Margarita Bleecker (1680–1773), who married Hendrick Ten Eyck (1680–1772),[7] Hendrick Bleecker (1686–1767)[7] and Rachael Bleecker (1688–1766).[7][8]

His maternal grandparents were Rutger Jacobson van Schoenderwoert (1615–1665) and Tryntje Jansen (née Van Breestede) (1625–1711).[7]

Career

Following after his father and older brother, Bleecker was a fur merchant.[9][10] In 1725, he became Recorder (Deputy Mayor) of the City.[3]

In 1726, Bleecker was appointed Mayor on behalf of the English crown by Governor, William Burnet, succeeding Johannes Cuyler and commencing on November 8, 1726. He served until November 10, 1729v,[11] when he was succeeded by Johannes de Peyster III.[12] Also in 1701, he was elected to serve for one year as a member of the New York Provincial Assembly, until 1702.[3]

In 1728, he was first appointed to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs, serving for a total of seventeen years with additional appointments in 1729, 1732, 1734, 1739, 1742, and 1745.[13]

Personal life

On May 26, 1712, Bleecker was married Catalina Schuyler (1678–1747), the widow of former mayor Johannes Abeel, with whom she had five children.[14] She was the daughter of David Pieterse Schuyler (1636–1690) and Catharina Verplanck (1639–1690), who both died during the Schenectady massacre of 1690, and the sister of Albany mayors, David Davidse Schuyler (1669–1715) and Myndert Schuyler (1672–1755).[15] Together, they were the parents of four children, including:[1]

  • Johannes "John" Rutger Bleecker (1713–1800),[16] who married Elizabeth Staats (1725–1811), daughter of Barent and Neetltje Gerritse (née Van den Berg) Staats, in 1743.[3]
  • Margarita "Margaret" Bleecker (1714–1760),[17] who married Edward Collins (1704–1753),[18] son of Lt. John Collins and Margaret (née Schuyler) Ver Planck Collins, a widow of Jacobus "James" Ver Planck, in 1733.[3]
  • Jacobus "James" Bleecker (b. 1716), who married Abigail Lispenard (1718–1807), daughter of Anthony Lispenard and granddaughter of Antoine L'Espinard, in 1740.[3]
  • Myndert Bleecker (b. 1720).[3]

Bleecker died in Albany on August 4, 1756. He was buried at the Dutch church in Albany.[3]

Descendants

Through his son Jacobus, he was the grandfather of Anthony Lispenard Bleecker (1741–1816), the prominent banker, merchant and auctioneer for whom Bleecker Street in lower Manhattan is named.[3]

The town of Bleecker, New York was named in honor of his grandson through his son John Barent Bleecker (1760–1841).[3]

References
  1. Bielinski, Stefan. "Rutger Janse Bleecker". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  2. Mullenneaux, Nan. "Jan Janse Bleecker". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  3. Bergen, Tunis Garret (1915). Genealogies of the State of New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 750. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 1184. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  5. De Halve Maen, Volumes 42-48. Holland Society of New York. 1967. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  6. Mullenneaux, Nan. "Johannes Bleecker, Jr". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  7. Reynolds, Cuyler (1911). Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: A Record of Achievements of the People of the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys in New York State, Included Within the Present Counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Washington, Saratoga, Montgomery, Fulton, Schenectady, Columbia and Greene. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 332-333. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  8. Register of the National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York. The Society. 1901. p. 161. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  9. Reynolds, Cuyler (1906). Albany Chronicles: A History of the City Arranged Chronologically, from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time; Illustrated with Many Historical Pictures of Rarity and Reproductions of the Robert C. Pruyn Collection of the Mayors of Albany, Owned by the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society. J. B. Lyon Company, Printers. p. 156. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  10. Lossing, Benson John (1888). The Empire State: A Compendious History of the Commonwealth of New York. American Publishing Company. p. 102. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  11. Weise, Arthur James (1884). The History of the City of Albany, New York: From the Discovery of the Great River in 1524, by Verrazzano, to the Present Time. E. H. Bender. p. 229. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  12. Pearson, Jonathan (1872). Contributions for the Genealogies of the First Settlers of the Ancient County of Albany, from 1630 to 1800. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 19. ISBN 9780806307299. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  13. Rhoden, Nancy L. (2014). English Atlantics Revisited: Essays Honouring Ian K. Steele. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 240–243. ISBN 9780773560406. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  14. Bielinski, Stefan. "Catharina Schuyler Abeel Bleecker". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  15. Whittemore, Henry (1899). The Abeel and Allied Families. Books on Demand. pp. 4-6. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  16. Mullenneaux, Nan. "John R. Bleecker". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  17. Bielinski, Stefan. "Margarita Bleecker Collins". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  18. Bielinski, Stefan. "Edward Collins". exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov. New York State Museum. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
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