Rip Van Dam

Rip Van Dam ( – 10 June 1749) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the acting governor of New York from 1731 to 1732. As one of the leaders of the republican liberal (or "country") party, Van Dam led confrontations against Governor William Cosby.

Early life Rip Van Dam was born, about 1660, at Beverwyck, Albany, New York, where he was raised. He was the son of Maria Bords and Claes Ripse Van Dam, a middle class local socialite who traded through his carpentry business and operated as a contractor. By him, Van Dam was related to the Dutch Church of Albany.

Career In Albany, Van Dam was employed since his adolescence by Robert Story, a businessman of Manhattan, New York City, who was trading around. Subsequently, Van Dam was sent to New York, to study business management earnestly, and he became a prominent merchant, running his own business. He invested in the Atlantic slave trade as part of his mercantile career.

During the royal governance of Lord Bellomont, Van Dam resisted his enforcement of the Navigation Acts and Bellomont reacted by confiscating some of Van Dam's vessels, alleging violations of those acts. By such struggle, Van Dam became engaged into politics. In 1699, Van Dam was elected to represent New York City in the Province of New York Assembly in Albany, and he became the opposition leader. In 1715, he and three others hired Thomas Jacobs to take the Anne and Mary to the Gold Coast where Jacobs returned with 38 slaves. That same year, Van Dam, and three other merchants, invested in a second trip under Captain John Browne, which resulted in a return to New York with 43 slaves. In 1723, Van Dam, his son-in-law Walter Thong, and two others sent Alan Jarrett, captaining the Burnet to Africa to obtain slaves and sell them in Jamaica. Sara Van Dam (b. 1686), who married Walter Thong Nicolaes Rips Van Dam (b. 1688) Maria Rips Van Dam (b. 1690), who married Nicholas Parcell Catharina Van Dam (b. 1692) Rip Van Dam Jr. (b. 1694) who married Judith Bayard, the daughter of Samuel Bayard and Margaret Van Cortlandt, on 18 September 1719. Margareta Van Dam (b. 1695) Louwrens Van Dam, (b. 1697) Debora Van Dam (b. 1699) Richard Van Dam (b. 1700), who married Cornelia Beekman on 1 March 1724 Jacob Van Dam (b. 1702), a twin Rachel Van Dam (b. 1702), a twin Isaac Van Dam (b. 1703/4) Elizabeth Van Dam (1706–1778), who married John Sybrandt (1701–1734) Catharina Van Dam, (b. 1707)

Van Dam died in New York City on 10 June 1749. He had filed his will in 1746 which detailing his own estate extensively.