Abraham Van Vechten
Encyclopedia
Abraham Van Vechten was an American lawyer and a Federalist politician who served twice as New York State Attorney General
.
, Albany County
(now Greene County
), New York
. He was the son of Teunis Van Vechten (1707–1785) and Judikje Ten Broeck Van Vechten. He was educated at Columbia College
, studied law with John Lansing, Jr.
, and began practice in Johnstown, New York
, but soon removed to Albany. In 1784, he married Catharina Schuyler (1766–1820). In 1792, he was elected one of the first directors of the Bank of Albany.
From 1796 to 1797, he was Assistant Attorney General for the Fifth District, comprising Albany, Saratoga
, Schoharie
and Montgomery
Counties. He was a Federalist presidential elector in 1796
, and cast his votes for John Adams
and Thomas Pinckney
.
He was Recorder of the City of Albany from 1797 to 1808; a member of the New York State Senate
from 1798 to 1805, and from 1816 to 1819; a member of the New York State Assembly
in 1806, and from 1808 to 1813; New York State Attorney General
from 1810 to 1811, and from 1813 to 1815; and a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821. From 1797 to 1823, he was a regent of the University of the State of New York
.
Van Vechten died in Albany
on January 6, 1837, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery
.
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
.
Life
Abraham Van Vechten was born on December 5, 1762 in CatskillCatskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
, Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
(now Greene County
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
), New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was the son of Teunis Van Vechten (1707–1785) and Judikje Ten Broeck Van Vechten. He was educated at Columbia College
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
, studied law with John Lansing, Jr.
John Lansing, Jr.
John Ten Eyck Lansing, Jr. , was an American lawyer and politician. He was the uncle of Gerrit Y. Lansing.-Career:...
, and began practice in Johnstown, New York
Johnstown (city), New York
Johnstown is a city and the county seat of Fulton County in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 Census, the city had population of 8,511. Recent estimates put the figure closer to 8,100. The city was named by its founder, Sir William Johnson after his son John Johnson...
, but soon removed to Albany. In 1784, he married Catharina Schuyler (1766–1820). In 1792, he was elected one of the first directors of the Bank of Albany.
From 1796 to 1797, he was Assistant Attorney General for the Fifth District, comprising Albany, Saratoga
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
, Schoharie
Schoharie County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
and Montgomery
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
Counties. He was a Federalist presidential elector in 1796
United States presidential election, 1796
The United States presidential election of 1796 was the first contested American presidential election and the only one in which a president and vice- president were elected from opposing tickets...
, and cast his votes for John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
and Thomas Pinckney
Thomas Pinckney
Thomas Pinckney was an early American statesman, diplomat and veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.-Early life in the military:...
.
He was Recorder of the City of Albany from 1797 to 1808; a member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1798 to 1805, and from 1816 to 1819; a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1806, and from 1808 to 1813; New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
from 1810 to 1811, and from 1813 to 1815; and a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821. From 1797 to 1823, he was a regent of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
.
Van Vechten died in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
on January 6, 1837, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery
Albany Rural Cemetery
The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over . Many historical American figures are buried there.-History:On April 2,...
.
Sources
- www.famousamericans.net/abrahamvanvechten/ Bio from Appleton's Encyclopedia, at Famous Americans (giving wrong death date)
- Short bio, at NY State Library
- Obit in The Newark Daily Advertiser, Newark, New JerseyNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, on January 10, 1837 - Bio at NY State Museum
- Bio at Schenectady History
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) at Google Books
- List of NY State Attorneys General, at Office of the Att. Gal. of NY