Abraham Ten Broeck

Abraham Ten Broeck (May 13, 1734Fact|date=December 2007 – January 19, 1810 [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/t/abtbroeck6.html Abraham Ten Broeck] at the New York State Museum web site.] ) was a New York politician, businessman, and militia Brigadier General of Dutch descent. He was twice Mayor of Albany, New York and built one of the largest mansions in the area that still stands more than 200 years later.

Early life

Ten Broeck was the son of Dirck Ten Broeck and Margarita Cuyler. His great-grandfathers included former Albany mayors Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck and Jan Jansen Bleecker. His father was a politician and also served as Albany's mayor beginning in 1746. Abraham was sent to New York City to learn business with his sister Christina's husband, Philip Livingston. He was then sent to Europe to learn international business after his father's death in 1751, returning to Albany in 1752.

Ten Broeck increased his wealth via trade while in Albany. During the 1750s, he was involved in the provincial militia. In 1759, he was elected to the city council and in 1760, he was elected to the Province of New York Assembly while continuing to serve Albany. In November [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/vr/elvr5068.html Elizabeth Van Rensselaer Ten Broeck] at the New York State Museum web site.] 1763, he married Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, a sister of patroon Stephen Van Rensselaer II and great-granddaughter of the first native-born mayor of New York City, Stephanus Van Cortlandt. By the mid-1760s, Ten Broeck was one of Albany's wealthiest men. In 1769, his brother-in-law died at age 27 and Ten Broeck was named co-administrator of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, a position he held until 1784 when his nephew, Stephen Van Rensselaer III, came of age.

American Revolution

Ten Broeck continued his military involvement and was named colonel of the Albany County militia in 1775. On June 25, 1778Fact|date=December 2007, he was named Brigadier General of the Tryon and Albany Counties of Militia and then Albany County only. He resigned March 26, 1781Fact|date=December 2007.

He was a member of the New York Provincial Congress from 1775 to 1777 and was its chairman of its Committee of Safety in 1777.

After war years

After the death of Albany mayor John Barclay, Ten Broeck was appointed mayor in 1779, serving until 1783. In 1796, city mayor Abraham Yates died and Ten Broeck was again appointed mayor, serving until 1798.

The Ten Broecks lived in a house that was assessed equally with the Schuyler Mansion and Yates Mansion in 1788. In 1797, it was burned in a fire that destroyed several city blocks. [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/fire.html Fire] at the New York State Museum web site.] Construction was started on the new Ten Broeck Mansion soon after and the family resided there beginning in 1798. The historic mansion still stands in Arbor Hill more than 200 years later.

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