Jan Baptist van Rensselaer
Encyclopedia
Jan Baptist van Rensselaer (Amsterdam 18 March 1629 –Amsterdam, 24 October 1678 ) was the second son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, and his first son by his second wife, Anna van Wely. He was the third patroon
of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck and the first to visit the colony in 1651, accompanied by his brother, Jeremias
. He assumed the office of director on May 8, 1652. During his residence on the estate, he lived in a style befitting his position, having brought furniture, silverware, and other personal property of much value from Holland, including portraits of the members of the van Rensselaer family.
It was Jan Baptist who placed in the Dutch Church of Beverwyck
the window pane representing the van Rensselaer coat of arms
in 1656. Not long afterward he returned to Holland, becoming one of the leading merchants of Amsterdam
. He married Susanna van Wely and gave birth to one son, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, who lived in Holland and died without heirs.
Patroon
In the United States, a patroon was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland in North America...
of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck and the first to visit the colony in 1651, accompanied by his brother, Jeremias
Jeremias van Rensselaer
Jeremias van Rensselaer was the third son of Kiliaen van Rensselear and the fourth patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck.-Life:...
. He assumed the office of director on May 8, 1652. During his residence on the estate, he lived in a style befitting his position, having brought furniture, silverware, and other personal property of much value from Holland, including portraits of the members of the van Rensselaer family.
It was Jan Baptist who placed in the Dutch Church of Beverwyck
Beverwyck
Beverwijck was a fur-trading community north of Fort Orange on the Hudson River in New Netherland that was to become Albany, New York, when the English took control of the colony in 1664....
the window pane representing the van Rensselaer coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
in 1656. Not long afterward he returned to Holland, becoming one of the leading merchants of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. He married Susanna van Wely and gave birth to one son, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, who lived in Holland and died without heirs.