Van Rensselaer

Van Rensselaer, STEPHEN, eighth 'patroon' of the vast estate near Albany, now forming three entire counties, which was first acquired by Killian Van Rensselaer (1595-1644), was born in New York, 1st November 1765, educated at Harvard, and in 1783 married a daughter of General Philip Schuyler. He was a leader of the Federalists in his state, and served in the state senate and assembly, and in congress from 1823 to 1829. For a while during the war of 1812 he held command on the northern frontier, and captured Queenston Heights; but the refusal of his cowardly militia to cross the Niagara River enabled the British to recover the place, and the general resigned in disgust. He was a moving spirit in the construction of the Erie and Champlain canals, and president of their boards from 1811 till their completion in 1825; and in 1824 he founded at Troy the Polytechnic Institute which bears his name. He died 26th January 1839.