How did Stephen Van Rensselaer get rich?
How did Stephen Van Rensselaer get rich?
Van Rensselaer was the last in a line of aristocrats that had been given vast land grants in the New World under Dutch colonial rule. At one point he controlled over a million acres in New York State and had up to 100,000 tenants living on his land. He’s the only member on this list to entirely inherit his fortune.
What did Stephen Van Rensselaer do?
Stephen Van Rensselaer had served in the New York State Assembly (1789-91) and Senate (1791-96), and as lieutenant governor of New York State (1795-1801). After the war he served on the canal commission from 1816-39 and sat in the US House of Representatives from 1822-29.
Who was Rensselaer named after?
Following the War for Independence, New Englanders began to migrate and settle in Rensselaer County, which was founded in 1791 and named after its first patron, Kilean Van Rensselaer. Two years later, Troy was designated as the county seat.
Did Stephen Van Rensselaer own slaves?
Over time, this requirement became a point of contention between Van Rensselaer and the tenants, which in part led to the Anti-Rent War. In the 1790 United States census, it was recorded that he owned fifteen slaves.
