Pieter Schuyler

Pieter Schuyler (September 17, 1657 – February 19,1724) was the mayor of Albany, New York and the head of the Albany Commissioners for Indian Affairs. He also served as acting Governor of New York in 1709 and from 1719-1720. Pieter Schuyler was born in 1657 in Beverwyck, New Netherland the son of Philip Pieterse Schuyler and Margarita Van Slichtenhorst.

He was the commander of the British forces during King William's War, at the Battle of La Prairie.

Family

Their many Schuyler children established the family name and the Schuyler Mansion in Albany. They were closely related with the great family patroons of New York, the Van Cortlandts and Van Rensselaers:

* Pieter's sister Gertrude was the wife of Mayor of New York Stephanus Van Cortlandt
* Pieter's sister Alida was the wife, first, of Nicholas van Rensselaer and, second, of Robert Livingston.
* The father of Pieter Schuyler's second wife Maria was Jeremias Van Rensselaer.
* A son of Jeremias and a brother of Maria was Hendrick Van Rensselaer whose wife Catherina was the sister of the mayor of Albany Pieter Van Brugh. (Catherina Van Brugh was the great-grandmother of Continental General Peter Gansevoort—the grandfather of author Herman Melville. Peter Gansevoort was married to Catherina—sister of Continental General Goose Van Schaick. Catherine & Gose were the children of Albany mayor Sybrant Van Schaick).
* Pieter Schuyler third son's granddaughter married Philip Van Rensseler of "Cherry Hill" in Albany (Philip was a great-grandson of Jeremias Van Rensselaer).
* Two great-grandsons of Pieter Schuyler and Maria Van Rensselaer were Richard Livingston and Colonel James Livingston (American Revolution).

Other relatives:
* Pieter Schuyler's great nephew was Continental General Philip Schuyler whose cousin Hester Schuyler married General William Colfax-the grandparents of Congressman and Vice President Schuyler Colfax who married a niece of Senator Benjamin Franklin Wade and who was related to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes; see link on Schuyler Colfax to Dudley-Winthrop family.
* Philip Schuyler's sister was married to Director General of the Military Hospitals of the Continental Army Dr. John Cochran (military physician). They were the grandparents of US General/Congressman John Cochran (general).
* Philip Schuyler's daughter Elizabeth Schuyler married Alexander Hamilton. They were the grandparents of Union General Schuyler Hamilton.

References

* [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/s/pischuyler61.html "Pieter Schuyler" by Stefan Bielinski, New York State Museum]
* [http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/rankin.html Van Rensselaer/Schuyler genealogy-for reference only]
* [http://hometown.aol.com/chescrowel/page4.html Colonel Walter A. Vansselaer-great-grandson of Philip Van Rensselaer-for reference only]
* [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/loc/schuylerhouse.html The Schuyler House and Family, Albany NY, New York State Museum]