Jeremias van Rensselaer

Jeremias van Rensselaer (Amsterdam, 16 May 1632 – October 12, 1674) was the third son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, one of the founders and directors of the Dutch West India Company who was instrumental in the establishment of New Netherland and was the first patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. Jeremias van Rensselaer was the acting patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, and the first of his family to establish himself permanently in America.

Early life and education Jeremias van Rensselaer was born on May 16, 1632, in Amsterdam, the second son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586–1643) and Anna van Wely (1601–1670), his father's second wife.

He grew up on the Keizersgracht, and received a Calvinist education. Among his siblings was older half-brother Johan van Rensselaer, the eldest son from his father's first wife Hillegonda van Bylaer, who eventually became the 2nd Patroon in 1643 upon their father's death. Another older brother, Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, the first son by Jeremias' father and mother, became the 3rd Patroon in 1652. He returned to Holland by the Beaver, on October 28, 1655, and sailed the second time from Amsterdam on the Gilded Otter, shortly after June 14, 1656.

In 1658, his older brother Jan Baptist returned to Amsterdam, and Jeremias succeeded him as Director of Rensselaerwyck on September 24, 1658. To the French in Canada he was known as one of the representative and ablest men of the Dutch and English colonies. He had the good judgment to adjust the acute differences with Peter Stuyvesant (1612-1672) which had troubled the administrations of his brother and van Slichtenhorst, and during the brief residue of the Dutch authority in New Netherland was on excellent terms with the governor. His younger brother Rijckert went to the colony to assist him.

On the occasion of the landtsdagh or diet summoned by Stuyvesant early in 1664 to deliberate on the critical condition of the province—this being the first general representative assembly held within the present state of New York—he served as presiding officer of that body. daughter of Olaff Stevensz van Cortlandt and Annetje (née Loockermans) van Cortlandt. Maria was the sister of Stephanus van Cortlandt and Jacobus van Cortlandt, both of whom served as Mayor of New York City. Together Jeremias and Maria were the parents of seven children, including: who married Catharina van Brugh (1665–1730), daughter of prominent fur and timber trader Johannes Pieterse van Brugh, in 1689. who married Pieter Schuyler (1657–1724), the 1st mayor of Albany and acting Governor of the Province of New York. He left a voluminous correspondence, together with a minute chronicle of events in America, under the title of the "New Netherland Mercury". His great industry and methodical habits have been remarked upon by many writers. His widow died in January 1689.