Henry Bell Van Rensselaer

Henry Bell Van Rensselaer (May 14, 1810 – March 23, 1864) was an American military officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and a politician who served in the United States Congress as a representative from the state of New York.

Early life

Henry Van Rensselaer was born at the manor house in Albany, New York. His father was Stephen Van Rensselaer III, the patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, who was also a United States Representative and founder of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Van Rensselaers belong to the King family of Massachusetts and New York City. His mother, Cornelia Paterson, was the daughter of William Paterson, who served as Governor of New Jersey and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1831.

U.S. Civil War Upon the outbreak of the American Civil War, he reentered the military service with the rank of colonel in the Union Army, and was appointed chief of staff to General Winfield Scott as a brigadier general.

Personal life On August 22, 1833, Van Rensselaer married Elizabeth Ray King (1815–1900), daughter of John Alsop King (1788–1867), the Governor of New York, and Mary Ray. Elizabeth's maternal grandfather was U.S. Senator Rufus King (1755–1827) and her great-grandfather was John Alsop (1724–1792), a prominent New York City merchant.

Mary Van Rensselaer (1834–1902), who married John Henry Screven (1823–1903) in 1874. Cornelia Van Rensselaer (1836–1864), who married James Lenox Kennedy (1823–1864), Stephen Van Rensselaer (1838–1904), who married Mathilda Coster Heckscher (1838–1915). John King Van Rensselaer (1847–1909), who married May Denning King (1848–1925), granddaughter of James Gore King. Katherine Van Rensselaer (1849–1901), who married Dr. Francis Delafield (1841–1915), son of Dr. Edward Delafield, in 1870. and who was arrested in 1908 for attempting to extort $5,000 from his mother.

Through his granddaughter, Julia Floyd Delafield, Henry was the great-grandfather of Floyd Crosby (1899–1985), himself the father of musician David Crosby (1941-2023).

Through his daughter, Elizabeth Van Rensselaer Waddington, Henry was the great grandfather of actress Jane Wyatt (1910-2006).