Philip S. Van Rensselaer
{{Short description|Mayor of Albany, New York}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Philip S. Van Rensselaer
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer.jpg
| caption =
| order =
| office = Mayor of Albany, New York
| term_start = 1819
| term_end = 1820
| predecessor = Elisha Jenkins
| successor = Charles E. Dudley
| term_start1 = 1799
| term_end1 = 1816
| predecessor1 = Abraham Ten Broeck
| successor1 = Elisha Jenkins
| birth_name = Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1767|4|15}}
| birth_place = Albany, Province of New York
| death_date = {{death date and age|1824|9|25|1767|4|15}}
| death_place = Albany, New York
| nationality =
| parents = Stephen Van Rensselaer II
Catharine Livingston
| spouse = {{marriage|Anne De Peyster Van Cortlandt|1787}}
| party =
| relatives = See Van Rensselaer family
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
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| religion =
| signature =
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}}
Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer (April 15, 1767 – September 25, 1824) was the mayor of Albany, New York on two occasions. He has the third longest tenure of service by an Albany Mayor, after Erastus Corning 2nd and Gerald Jennings.
Life and career
Philip S. Van Rensselaer was born in Albany on April 15, 1767. A son of Stephen Van Rensselaer II (1742–1769) and Catharina (or Catharine) Livingston (1745–1810), he was raised and educated at Van Rensselaer Manor. After his father's death his mother married Eilardus Westerlo (1738–1790), a member of another prominent Albany area family.Robert Schultz, [https://books.google.com/books?id=P84gSioRcQ4C&pg=PA141 Masters of New York], 2010, page 141Publishing Society of New York, [https://books.google.com/books?id=TGs9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA23 Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem], 1907, page 23
He was the brother of Stephen Van Rensselaer III (1764–1839) and the grandson of Philip Livingston (1716–1778). Abraham Ten Broeck (1734–1810) was his uncle. Rensselaer Westerlo (1776–1851) was his half-brother.
Career
As an adult, Van Rensselaer lived in Albany and became a successful businessman and banker. Among his activities, he was the President of the Bank of Albany,The American Historical Magazine, [https://books.google.com/books?id=NGYKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA23 The Van Rensselaer Family], Volume 2, January, 1907, page 23 a Trustee of Union College,Union College, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4LJBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA6 General Catalogue], 1854, page 6 and a founder of The Albany Academy.Arthur James Weise, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aJl4AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA452 The History of the City of Albany], 1884, page 452 He owned several warehouses, extensive land along Albany's Hudson River waterfront, and flour and plaster mills on the Normans Kill at the Bethlehem town line. His mills were destroyed by fire in 1820.Joel Munsell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=q5YMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA142 The Annals of Albany], Volume 7, 1856, page 142
In 1793 Van Rensselaer became an Alderman.Stefan Bielinski, New York State Museum, [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/vr/psvr5106.html Biography, Philip S. Van Rensselaer], accessed January 4, 2013 He served as Mayor from 1799 to 1816, and was succeeded by Elisha Jenkins. Van Rensselaer returned to office from 1819 to 1820, and was succeeded by Charles E. Dudley.Joseph Henry, Nathan Reingold, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gq0WAAAAYAAJ&q=%22philip+schuyler+van+rensselaer%22+mayor+1799+1814 The Papers of Joseph Henry], Volume 1, 1972, page 8Joel Munsell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MZUPAAAAYAAJ&dq=list+of+mayors+of+albany+schuyler&pg=PA208 The Albany annual register for 1849-1850], Part 2, page 208
During his time as Mayor, a permanent New York State Capitol building was constructed just in front of the current one, and Van Rensselaer laid the cornerstone.Architectural Record Co., [https://books.google.com/books?id=fm4XAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22philip+schuyler+van+rensselaer%22+capitol+cornerstone&pg=PA145 Architectural Record], Volume 9, 1900, page 145 During his term, Robert Fulton's steamboat Clermont arrived in Albany at the end of its first voyage,Richard Dilworth, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0dL7vPC8G7YC&dq=%22philip+s+van+rensselaer%22+fulton+steamboat&pg=PA129 Cities in American Political History], 2011, page 129 and Schenectady County was created from a portion of Albany County.Joel Munsell, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MJcMAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22philip+s+van+rensselaer%22+schenectady+county&pg=PA25 The Annals of Albany], Volume 5, 1854, page 25
Van Rensselaer was active as a Freemason, and served as New York's Grand Master from 1793 to 1795.Grand Lodge of the State of New York, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZLAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA107 Annual Meeting Proceedings], 1902, page 107
Personal life
In 1787, he married Anne De Peyster Van Cortlandt (1766–1855), a distant cousin through the Schuyler family, daughter of Pierre Van Cortlandt, descendant of Mayor of New York City Stephanus Van Cortlandt, and sister of Philip Van Cortlandt and Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. They had no children.Silas Constant, Emily Warren Roebling, [https://books.google.com/books?id=L0kVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA430 The Journal of the Reverend Silas Constant], 1903, page 430Colonial Dames of New York, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qeZmAAAAMAAJ&pg=SL3-PA256 Genealogical Records: Manuscript Entries of Births, Deaths and Marriages Taken From Family Bibles, 1581-1917], 1917, page C-256
He died in Albany on September 25, 1824. He was buried at Van Rensselaer Manor, and was later reinterred at Albany Rural Cemetery.Cuyler Reynolds, [https://books.google.com/books?id=XNU0AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22philip+schuyler+van+rensselaer%22+1824+buried&pg=PA390 Albany Chronicles], 1906, page 390
References
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External links
- [http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/vanrensselaer-1.html Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Van Rensselaer]
- [http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=uva-sc/viu00003.xml A Guide to the Papers of Angelica Schuyler Church] – University of Virginia Library
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Category:American bank presidents
Category:18th-century American businesspeople
Category:18th-century mayors of places in New York (state)
Category:19th-century American businesspeople
Category:19th-century mayors of places in New York (state)