Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/265

Rh capacity, clear-headedness, and courage. Equally esteemed and confided in by the governments of James as duke and king, and by William and Mary, in the troublous times in which he lived, and sustained by all the governors, even though, as in Bellomont's case, they did not like him personally, no greater proof could be adduced of his ability, skill, and integrity. His estate was erected into the lordship and manor of Cortlandt by patent of William III., bearing date 17 June, 1697. The Van Cortlandt manor-house, which is shown in the ac- companyingil- lustration, is one of the old- est edifices that now remain on the borders of Hudson river. It stands on the northern shore of Cro- ton bay, and was built both as a country residence and as a fort, the walls being of reddish freestone, nearly three feet in thickness, pierced with loop-holes for musketry. It was built originally as a fortified trading-house by Stephanus, and added to by the successive owners. In it were entertained some of the most notable persons in the history of the state, beginning with the early colonial governors. , George Whitefield preached to the tenants of the manor from its veranda, while Benjamin Frank- lin rested there on his return from his Canadian mission in 1776. Washington, Rochambeau, Lafay- ette, and Lauzun were among its guests, and Col. Henry B. Livingston had his quarters there while watching the " Vulture " at the time of Arnold's treason. Here, too, were entertained eminent Meth- odist preachers in the early days of that church, including Bishop Asbury and Freeborn Garretson. — Philip, third son of Stephanus, merchant, b. in New York city, 9 Aug., 1683; d. there, 21 Aug., 1746, was a man of good abilities, and possessed of great decision of character. He was a merchant in New Amsterdam, and, like his father, took an active part in public affairs. In June, 1729, he was recommended to the king for appointment as a councillor of the province by Gov. Montgomerie in place of Lewis Morris, Jr. The appointment was made, 3 Feb., 1730, he took his seat in April of the same year, and continued in the council until his death, when he was succeeded by Edward Holland through the recommendation of Gov. George Clin- ton. He was a member of the commission on the part of New York in the case of the colony of Connecticut and the Mohegan Indians. His wife was Catharine, daughter of Abraham de Peyster, to whom he was married in 1710. He left six surviving children — five sons and one daughter, Catharine, who was killed by the bursting of a cannon on the Battery while watching the firing of a salute in honor of the king's birthday, 4 June, 1738, in her thirteenth year. By the death of his elder brothers (Johannes, who left only a daugh- ter, Gertrude, the wife of Philip Verplanck, and Oloff, or Oliver, who died a bachelor) Philip be- came the third head of the Van Cortlandt family. His five sons were Stephen, Abraham, Philip, John, and Pierre. — Stephex, the eldest, who suc- ceeded his father as the head of the family; was born 26 Oct., 1710, married, in 1738, Mary Walton Ricketts, and died, 17 Oct., 1756, leaving two sons, Philip and William Ricketts Van Cortlandt. — Philip the elder, the fourth head of the family, b. 10 Nov., 1739, preferring a military life, entered the British army, in which he served many ye^irs, dying on 1 May, 1814. He is buried in Hailsham church, where a mural monument is erected to his memory. He married, on 2 Aug., 1762, Catharine, daughter of Jacob Ogden, of New Jersey. They had the large number of twenty-three children (several being twins), of whom twelve lived to grow up, five being sons and seven daughters. The for- mer all became officers in the British regular army. — Pierre, first lieutenant-governor of the state of New York, youngest son of Philip, the third son of Stephanus, b. in Cortlandt manor, 10 Jan., 1721 ; d. in New York, 1 May, 1814. In consequence of the deaths in early manhood of his brothers Abra- ham, Philip, and John, unmarried, and of the death, in 1756, of his eldest brother, Stephen, and the absence in the army of his nephew, Philip, Stephen's eldest son, Pierre became early and closely identified with the affairs of the manor and the interests of his relatives therein. Marrying Joanna, a daughter of Gilbert Livingston, he natu- rally leaned to the political side of his wife's fam- ily in the party contests anterior to the opening of the American Revolution. He was the representa- tive of the manor in the colonial assembly from 1768 till 1775, and, unlike his nephew, Philip, the head of the family, took the American side in the Revolutionary war. He was a member of the Pro- vincial convention, the council of safety, and the Provincial congress, and, upon the organization of the state government in 1777, was chosen lieuten- ant-governor of New York and served in that office till 1795, when he declined a re-elec- tion, the long pe- riod of eighteen years. In 1777 he was president of the convention at Kingston which framed the first constitution of the state of New York. He left two sons, Gen. Philip and Gen. Pierre. He was an admirable pre- siding officer, gen- tle but firm, strict but impartial, and commanded the respect and esteem of senators of all parties. — Philip, soldier, b. in Cortlandt manor, 1 Sept., 1749; d. there, 5 Nov., 1831, was the eldest son of Lieut.-Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt, and was educated at Coldenham academy and graduated at King's (now Columbia) college in 1758. He became a surveyor. In June, 1775, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 4th battalion. New York infantry, and on 30 Nov., 1776, by Washington, colonel of the 2d New York regiment, in place of Col. Ritzema. who had joined the British, lie was present at the surrender of Burgoyne, and in 1779 he was engaged with Gen. John Sullivan in the Indian campaign in western New York. In 1781 he took part in the Virginia campaign, and witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. His highest rank in actual service was colonel, but after the disband ment of the army at the peace, congress gave him the rank of brigadier-general.