Under Dutch rule the colony was a distinct one, not in any manner subject to
the political control or jurisdiction of the general administration of New Nether-
lands. When converted into an English Colony, in 1664, it was erected into a
Manor with no material abridgement of its rights and privileges ; the manor or
lordship being set aside as a separate political entity with powers and privileges of
police power, appointment of necessary officials, and the control and the adminis-
tration of justice, and right of sending a special deputy to the General Assembly
of the Province. The latter position was invariably filled by the head of the fam-
ily, the first being Jeremias Van Rensselaer, the third patroon, who represented the
family and colony in the Assembly from 1664 to his death in 1674. It was this
Jeremias who was the ancestor of the later line of the Lords of the Manor of
Rensselaerwyck and of the American family of the name. He was born in Hol-
land, 1632, and received a liberal education. He came to America to assume the
directorship of Rensselaerwyck, filling that position, and that of the nominal head
of the family in America for sixteen years. The Colony had greatly improved and
flourished under the wise directorship of Van Corlaer and Van Schlichtenhorst,
and nowise suffered under the able administration of the first resident director of
the family. He was a man of probity and ability and was devoted to the best inter-
ests of the colony. He left a numerous correspondence under the title of "New
Netherland Mercury," that constitutes a valuable contribution to the history of the
province. He married, July 12, 1662, Maria, sister to Stephanus Van Cortlandt,
the founder of Cortlandt Manor. She was born in 1645, died January 29, 1689.
Jeremias was succeeded by his nephew, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, only son of
Johannes, by Elizabeth Van Twiller. He died at VVatervliet, New York, 1687.
He married his cousin, Anna Van Rensselaer, daughter of his uncle and prede-
cessor, Jeremias, but had no issue.
Kiliaen V.'\n Rensselaer, second Lord of the Manor, eldest son of Jeremias
and Maria (Van Cortlandt) Van Rensselaer, born at Rensselaerwyck, August 24,
1663, became the head of the family on the death of his cousin and brother-in-law
of the same name in 1687. He received a new patent for the Manor, in his own
name, May 20, 1704, from Queen Anne, but released to his brother Hendrick,
Claverack Manor, 60,000 acres in Columbia county, which with other lands then
vested in the younger branch of the family, descendants of Hendrick. He also
settled large tracts of land on his sister, wife of Peter Schuyler.
Kilaen Van Rensselaer was constantly in public life from 1691 to 1719, serving
as a member of the General Assembly from 1691 to 1703, when he was elevated to
the Governor's Council of which he was a member until his death in 1719. He
was also for many years Commissioner of Indian AfTairs. In this connection it
might be remarked that the attitude of the Van Rensselaer family towards the
Aborigines was always a conciliatory, friendly and just one, and, while other
colonies and settlements suffered depredations from hostile savages, Rensselaer-
wyck was always free from their ravages. Kiliaen Van Rensellaer married, Octo-
VAN RENSSELAER 985
ber 15, 1701, Maria, his cousin, daughter of Stephanus and Gertrude (Schuyler)
Van Cortlandt, of Van Contlandt Manor, by whom he had four sons and four
daughters. The eldest son, Jeremias, succeeded him as the head of the family,
but died unmarried in 1745, and was succeeded by the second son,
Stephen Van Rensselaer, fourth Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck, was
born March 23, 1707. He was delicate and took little or no part in public affairs,
but held the family position of Provincial Commissioner of Indian Affairs until
his death in June, 1747. He married, July 5, 1729, Elizabeth Groesbeck, who died
December 31, 1756. They had seven children, several of whom died in infancy.
He was succeeded by
Stephen Van Rensselaer, U., sixth child, fifth Lord of the Manor, bom
June 2, 1742. His father died when he was five years of age, and the affairs of
the Manor and estate were administered by his brother-in-law, Abraham Ten
Broeck, who had married his elder sister, Elizabeth, and was for several years the
family representative in the General Assembly.
Stephen H., built the manor house in 1765. He died in 1769, at the early age of
thirty-seven years. He married, January, 1764, Catharine, daughter of Philip
Livingston, signer of the Declaration of Independence, by his wife, Christina Ten
Broeck. She married (second) Elisrdus Westerlo. Stephen II., had three chil-
dren — Stephen III., Philip Schuyler Van Rensselaer and Elizabeth, married John
Bradstreet Schuyler, son of Gen. Philip Schuyler.
Stephen Van Rensselaer, III., sixth and last Lord of the Manor of Rensse-
laerwyck, was born in the city of New York, November i, 1764. He graduated
at Harvard, 1782, and assumed the direction of the great estate, adopting a policy
of energetic improvement of the vast landed estate of the family of which he was
the eldest male representative, and though the law of primogenture had been
abrogated a half century before his birth, was the real head of the family and the
holder of its lands and wealth. He greatly reduced the rents of the lands and en-
couraged the material development of the landed estate. He entered political life
in 1789 as a member of Assembly, and served in that body until 1791, when he was
elected to the State Senate, in which he served until 1796; was elected Lieutenant
Governor in 1795, and filled that position until 1798, and was a candidate for Gov-
ernor in 1801, and again a member of Assembly 1808-19. He was one of the first
advocates of the erection of the Erie canal, from the Hudson river to the Great
lakes, and in 1810 was appointed commissioner to view the route, and made a
tour of inspection, the result of which he submitted in 181 1. The second war with
Great Britain delayed further action, and he entered the military service. He had
been commissioned Major of Infantry in the New York Militia in 1786; became
Colonel in 1788 and Major General in 1801. At the outbreak of hostilities in 1812,
he was appointed to the command of the United States forces in New York with
the rank of Major-General and fought the battle of Oueenstown Heights, October
13, 1812. He soon after resigned the command and took no further part in the war.
On the return of peace he resumed the agitation in favor of the Erie canal, and the
first ground was broken for its construction on the nation's birthday, 181 7. Stephen
Van Rensselaer was again elected to the Assembly in 1818; was a member of the
Constitutional Convention of 1821 ; was a member of the national House of Repre-
sentatives 1823-29; and filled various other positions of honor and dignity. He
was regent and chancellor of New York State L^niversity ; president of the State
986 VAN RENSSELAER
Agriculture Society; first president of Albany Savings Bank, incorporated in 1820,
the second oldest institution of its kind in the country.
Stephen Van Rensselaer received the degree of LL. D. from Yale University
in 1825. In 1824 he founded the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New
York, the first of its character in the United States, liberally endowing it, and sus-
taining it at his own expense for fourteen years. He was the last of the family to
retain Rensselaerwyck in its entirety. He was a liberal proprietor and persistently
refused to sell the lands, devising the major portion of them to his two eldest sons,
Stephen IV., and William P. He was known as the "Old Patroon," while his
eldest son and principal successor was known as the "Young Patroon." He died
at the Manor House, January 26, 1839, in his seventy-fifth year. He married,
1783, Marguerite, daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler, by his wife, Catharine Van
Rensselaer, born 1758, died 1801. He married (second) May 17, 1802, Cornelia,
daughter of Hon. William Patterson, Justice of the United States Supreme Court,
by his wife, Cornelia Bell; she was born in 1780, and died in 1844. By his first
wife he had three children, the two eldest of whom died in infancy ; the third was
Stephen Van Rensselaer IV., his father's principal successor at Rensselaerwyck.
By the second marriage he had eight children, the seventh of whom was
Rev. Cortlandt Van Rensselaer, D. D., born at the Manor House, May 26,
1808. He graduated at Yale in 1827 ; studied law and was admitted to the New
York Bar, 1830. Concluding to engage in the gospel ministry he entered Union
Theological Seminary, and in 1837 became pastor of the Presbyterian Church at
Burlington, New Jersey. He resigned this charge three years later, and for the
next two or three years resided in Washington, D. C, having pastoral charge of
two Presbyterian churches. In 1843 he accepted the invitation of the Board of
Directors of Princeton Theological Seminary to undertake the task of securing an
endowment fund for the seminary ; starting the subscription by a personal contri-
bution of $2,000, he secured the desired sum of $ioo,ocx).
From i8z)7 to his death at Burlington, New Jersey, July 25, i860, he was corre-
sponding secretary and principal executive officer of the Presbyterian Board of
Education. He introduced new methods of administration, and extended the
scope of educational work of the church ; founded and edited The Presbyterian
Magazine and The Home, the School and Church. He received the degree of
Doctor of Divinity from the University of New York in 1845. He was one of the
most conspicuous men in the Presbyterian church, and his life was distinguished
by ceaseless energy, zeal, sincere piety, and great practical usefulness. Selections
from his writings were published in 1861, under the title of "Sermons and Ad-
dresses," including an address delivered by him at the centennial celebration of
the battle of Lake George. He delivered many funeral and memorial orations
and wrote much on the question of education. He married, September 13, 1836,
Catharine Ledyard, daughter of Dr. Mason Fitch and Mary Austin (Ledyard)
Cogswell, of Hartford, Connecticut, where she was born September 22, 181 1. Her
father was descended from the Cogswell family which came to New England from
county Wilts, England, and his mother, Alice Fitch, belonged to the famous Fitch
family of Connecticut. Mrs. Van Rensselaer's mother, Mary Austin Ledyard, was
a granddaughter of John Ledyard, who came from England in 1700.
C (nAxci^ ^ /a*w (A!e\A^h tjLcLOy^
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VAN RENSSELAER 9«7
Issue of Rev. Cortlandt and Catharine Lcdyard (Cogsivell) Van Rensselaer:
Capt. Cortlandt Van Rensselaer, b. Jan. s, 1838; Capt. 13th Inf., U. S. A., and served
with distinction during the Civil War; d. at Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 7, 1864, from effect
of wounds received in the battle of Missionary Ridge;
Philip Livingston Van Rensselaer, b. Nov. 24, 1839; was Major of 2nd New Jersey
Cavalry during the Civil War; d. at Vevey, Switzerland, March 10, 1873; m. Anne
Whitmore, of Boston; no issue;
Charles Chauncey Van Rensselaer, b. Jan., 1842, d. 1843;
Ledyard Van Rensselaer, b. Nov. 20, 1843; physician at Burlington, N. J.; d. March
26, 1893;
Alice Cogswell Van Rensselaer, b. March ig, 1846, d. April 18, 1878; in., May 7, 1868,
Rev. Edward B. Hodge, of Phila., where they resided, son of Hugh Hodge, M. D.,
LL. D.;
Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, b. Feb. 22, 1848, d. April 17, 1886; m., Oct. 6, 1868, Gen. Ed-
ward Burd Grubb, of Edgewater Park, N. J.;
Alexander Van Rensselaer, b. Oct. i, 1850; graduated at Princeton University, class
of i8;i ; is a well-known citizen of Phila.; m., Jan. 27, 1898, Mrs. Sarah (Drexel) Fell,
daughter of Anthony Joseph Drexel, of the well-known financial house of Drexel &
Companv. bv his wife, Ellen Rozet, and widow of John Ruckman Fell, of Phila. and
Camp Hill, Pa.
WETHERILL FAMILY.
The Wetherill family, long identified with the business and social life of Phila-
delphia, was founded in America by Christopher Wetherill, of Sherbourne, county
York, England, who came to New Jersey in 1683 and settled at Burlington, was
one of the Proprietors of West Jersey, Sheriff of Burlington county, etc.
The Wetherill family is an ancient one in the north of England, the name being
variously spelled Weatherill, Weatheral, Wedderelt, Wethereld, and originally
doubtless Witherhold. A John Witherhold was bailiff of Newcastle-on-Tyne,
A. D., 1259. The family derived its name from the place where we first find it
settled, "Wetherhold," later Wetherall, near Carlisle, in county of Cumberland,
near the Scotch border. The name originating from a "hold" or keep to which
cattle and sheep were driven for safety during the times of border raids and
Scotch invasion.
Gyles Weatherill, "of Stockton-upon-Tease," county Durham, whose will
dated July 12, 1604, is entered on the Durham Registry, was the great-grandfather
of Christopher Wetherill, New Jersey emigrant of 1683, and the earliest lineal
ancestor of the Philadelphia family of whom we have any definite record. Gyles
Weatherill devises to his son, Rowland Weatherill, "the land that I bought in
Newbye in the Countye of Yorke," and "all the house or Burgage wherein I
dwell ;" to "my sonn Christopher Weatherill All that my Burgage wherein my sonn
Rowland dwelleth to hold unto the said Cristofer & to his heirs, for evr," and also
a leasehold after the death of the testator's wife. The remainder of his estate is
given to his wife, sons-in-law, Anthony Fleetham and George Burdon, and sons
Christofer, Bryan and Gyles.
A grandson, Gyles Wetherell, son of Rowland, was Mayor of Stockton, 1619-20,
and married Anne, daughter of Henry Marwood, Esq., and sister to Sir George
Marwood, Baronet, of Little Bushby, county York, of an old family among the
landowners in Yorkshire, descended from the Mallorys of Studely in that county,
from the Scropes, and through the Baron Fitz-Hugh and Lord Willoughby
d'Eresby from the Hollands, ILarls of Kent, the founder of which family. Sir
Thomas Holland, married Joan Plantagenet, "The Fair Maid of Kent," grand-
daughter of Edward I., who after the Earl's death married her cousin, Edward,
the "Black Prince."
Burke's "History of the Landed Gentry" refers to this family of Wetherell as
long settled in the county of Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire, and de-
scribes the arms born by the family as "Argent, two lions passant, guardant, sable,,
on a chief indented of the last, three covered cups, or." This same coat-of-arms
was brought to America by Christopher Wetherill and has been used by his de-
scendants in America ever since his emigration. They are almost exactly similar
to the arms registered for Sir James Wetherall, of Kelfield, in county of York, in
Herald's Visitation to the County of York, A. D., 1584: as also to those returned
to the Herald by Richard Wetherall, of city of Lincoln, Alderman, Justice, etc., in
the Herald's Visitation to Lincolnshire, A. D., 1666, Richard being then sixty-four
years of age, a son of Richard and grandson of John Wetherall, of Ascrigge in
Wainesdale, county York.
WETHERILL 989
Christopher Weatherell, of Stockton-on-Tees, county Durham, son of Gyles
above mentioned, who died in 1604, married Mary, daughter of John Watson, of
Ne\vcastle-on-Tyne, merchant, who in 1587 purchased an estate at Little Kepyer,
near Crawcroke, county Durham, and died there in 1612, by his wife, Barbara De
la Val, of the family of Seaton de la Val, one of the oldest families of Norman
descent in Northumberland, bearing arms, "Ermine two bars Vert" with many
quarterings. John Watson, Sr., grandfather of Mary (Watson) Wetherell, was
Sheriff of Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1657; and Mayor of that town, 1574-5; and her
brother. Thomas Watson, was Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees, 1623, and six other
years, the last A. D., 1656. The arms of the Watson family were, "Argent, on a
chevron engrailed. Azure, between three martlets, Sable ; as many crescents Or."
Christopher Weatherell was buried in the Parish Church, of Stockton, May 25,
1622. His will dated May 24, 1622, devises "unto Thomas Watherell eldest sonne
& to his heires my burgage on the east syde of the Boroughe of Stockton, with th
appurtinances" and a leasehold ; to his second son, Bryan Wetherall, a burgage
&c., on the West side of of the "Boroughe of Stockton," and unto his son, Robert
Wetherall, his interest in a "Tenement farme & tithe of corne wch I hold at Whorl-
ton in the County of York." Gives legacies to his wife Mary; his daughter. Eliza-
beth Wetherall ; to Gyles Wetherell. son of his brother Rowland ; Margaret, daugh-
ter of Rowland ; Rowland and Alice, son and daughter of his brother-in-law,
Henry Burdon ; and Anthony and Margaret Fleetham, children of his sister Mar-
garet.
Thomas Wetherell, of the town and county of Newcastle-on-Tyne, eldest son
of Christopher and Mary (Watson) Weatherell, was a minor in 1624, and was
buried December 28, 1672. He was twice married, the name of his first wife and
the mother of his children is unknown to his descendants in America. He mar-
ried (second) September 12, 1658, Jane Heighington, of All Saints Parish, New-
castle, widow, who survived him and was buried October i, 1677.
The will of "Thomas Wetherell of the towne and Countie of Newcastle upon
Tyne, Merchant," is dated December 23, 1672, and was probated January, 1672-3.
It devises a messuage, burgage or tenement and three shops in the town of New-
castle, "in a streate or place called Alhallows Banck" and two shops "upon the
Tine bridge neare unto the Irongate upon the said Bridge unto my sonn Christo-
pher Wetherell and the heires of his bodie," and in default of issue to his
daughters, Mary and Margery Wetherell, to whom he devises other real estate,
and names his wife Jane and daughter Margery as executrixes. The will of his
widow, Jane Wetherell, dated October 11, 1676, and probated in 1678, gives
legacies to her daughters: Jane, wife of Thomas Aubone, mariner, and Margary
Wetherell; daughter-in-law (step-daughter), Mary Cowle; son-in-law (step-son),
Christopher Wetherell, and his son Thomas; cousin, Thomas Watson, son of a
cousin, Thomas Watson, deceased, and grandchildren, William and Elizabeth Au-
bone. A codicil dated September 20, 1677, mentions granddaughters, Martha and
Mary Aubone.
Christopher Wetherell, the legatee mentioned in the above will, was the
New Jersey immigrant of 1683. He married, February 7, 1672, Mary Hornby, of
York, but from Hull, who died in 1680. He was living at the time of his marriage
at Sherburne, county of York, and continued to reside there until his emigration
to New Jersey, 1683, then producing a certificate at the Friends' Meeting at Bur-
990 WET HE RILL
lington, from the Monthly Meeting at York, dated 6mo. (August) 2, 1683, as
"Christopher Wetherell, late of Sherburne, County of Yorke, Widower." This
certificate included his children, Thomas, Phebe and John. The Parish records of
Stockton show the baptism of Robert, son of Thomas Wetherell, October 18,
1640; while those of All Saints, Newcastle, show the baptism of Mary, November
14, 1641 : Thomas, September 17, 1643; Grace, February 11, 1647; and Marjorie,
July 7, 1659; as well as the burial of Grace, July 29, 1649; the sons, Robert and
Thomas, probably also died in infancy as neither are mentioned in the wills of
their father or step-mother. Christopher Wetherell, emigrant, is thought to have
been the youngest of the children of the first marriage. At what date Christopher
Wetherill became a member of the Society of Friends does not appear, but it was
prior to 1661, in which year his name appears among a list of Friends in Yorkshire
who were committed to Beverly Gaol for attending religious meetings at the house
of Thomas Hutchinson, "and because they would not promise to refrain from so
meeting in the future."
Christopher Wetherill purchased after his removal to the Providence of New
Jersey, at different periods, three one-thirty-seconds of a share and one one-twelfth
of a share of the lands of West Jersey, besides several separate tracts in Burling-
ton county and numerous lots in the town of Burlington. He was one of the mem-
bers of the Proprietary Council of the Province 1706-7, also filling the office of
Sheriff of Burlington county, 1700, and probably held other official positions.
On i2mo. (February) 9, 1686-7, Christopher Wetherill appeared before Bur-
lington Monthly Meeting of Friends, and proposed his intentions of marriage
with Mary Fothergill, and they were married on 2mo. (April) 8, 1687, at the house
of William Hayhurst, Neshaminy, Bucks county, Pennsylvania ; the residence of
Mary Fothergill, being given as "Neshaminy," the original name of Middletown
Meeting.
On 9mo. (November) 10, 1690, Christopher Wetherill and Elizabeth Pope de-
clared their intentions of marriage before Burlington Monthly Meeting, the second
time, and were granted permission to proceed with their marriage. He married
a fourth time, 1705, Mary Whitton, their intentions being declared the second
time, 8mo. (October) i, 1705. He also survived her.
Christopher Wetherill resided for a number of years in the town of Burlington,
where he owned a great number of town lots ; in addition to such as were laid out
to him in right of the diilferent surveys of land elsewhere, he had purchased the
lots appertaining to surveys to other persons. He later removed to his plantation
in Mansfield township, Burlington county, where he died March 25, 171 1. His
unsigned will was proved April 6, 171 1, upon the testimony of Isaac De Cow, that
it "Wass Taken in Wrighting from the tstator's mouth March ye 28th, last, ye very
Substance of all Devise Butt Nott in forme." It devises to his son, John Wetherill,
the money paid to redeem land for him on Tanner's Run in the town bounds of
Burlington and a further monetary legacy, conditioned that he release to his
brother, Thomas Wetherill, all claim, &c., to the lands ; to Thomas and Phebe
Scattergood, and their sons. Samuel and Christopher, and daughter Elizabeth are
devised certain lands and other estate, and unto his son, Thomas Wetherill.
"Whome I likewise Constitute make and ordaine my onely and sole executor all the
Remainder of my Estate both Reall and personall be what it will or where it will, to
him his heires and assigns for ever."
WETHERILL 991
The only children of Christopher Wetherill were by his first wife, Mary Hornby,
who died in England, 1680, there being no issue by the three American wives.
Issue of Christopher and Mary (Hornby) Wetherill:
Phebe Wetherill, b., Sherburne, county York, England, Nov. 27, 1672, d. in N. J., March
19, 1744-5: i"-. Dec. 17, it)94, Thomas Scaltergood, and had issue;
Thom.\s Wetherill, b., Sherburne, Nov. 3, 1674, d. 1758; of whom presently;
John Wetherill, b., Sherburne, county York, England. 1677, d., Mannington township,
Salem county, N. J., 1728; m. (first), June 3. 1700, Sarah Borradail, (second) Anne
, who survived him;
Samuel Wetherill, b., Sherburne, 1680, d. inf.
Thomas Wetherill, eldest son of Christopher and Mary (Hornby) Wetherill,
born at Sherburne, county York, England, November 3, 1674, accompanied his
father to New Jersey in 1683, and inheriting the greater part of his father's lands
there was a large landholder and prominent citizen of Burlington county. He
married, 4mo. (June) 22, 1703, Anne Fearon, "late of England, but now of Bur-
lington County," Province of New Jersey; the ceremony taking place at the Meet-
ing House at Chesterfield. She was a daughter of John Fearon, and Elizabeth, his
wife, of Great Broughton, county Cumberland, England. Peter Fearon, brother
of Anne, produced a certificate at Burlington Meeting, March 21, 1703, from the
Monthly Meeting at Pardsey Cragg, Cumberland.
The will of Thomas Wetherill, of city of Burlington, Province of New Jersey,
Yeoman, dated September 7, 1748, and a codicil dated October i, 1758, was pro-
tated September 16, 1759. It devises to each of his sons, Christopher, Thomas
and Samuel, and his daughters, Mary Crispin, Elizabeth Johnson, and Ann Moore,
and his wife Anne, lots in Burlington, and to the sons large tracts of land in the
Great Swamp, Amwell township, Hunterdon county, and other parts of New Jer-
sey, and gives legacies to his grandchildren, Thomas and Abigail Bishop, children
of his daughter Ann, by her former husband, Peter Bishop.
Issue of Thomas and Anne (Fearon) Wetherill:
Mary Wetherill, b. Oct. 22, 1704; d. \yc)o: m., 1724, Silas Crispin, son of Silas Crispin, by