Jan Baptist van Rensselaer
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Jan Baptist van Rensselaer | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck | |
| In office 1652 – 1658 | |
| Preceded by | Johannes van Rensselaer |
| Succeeded by | Jeremias van Rensselaer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 March 1629 |
| Died | 24 October 1678 (aged 49) |
| Spouse | Susanna van Wely |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Kiliaen van Rensselaer Anna van Wely |
| Relatives | See Van Rensselaer family |
| Occupation | Merchant, Patroon |
| New Netherland series |
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| Exploration |
| Fortifications: |
| Settlements: |
| The Patroon System |
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| People of New Netherland |
| Flushing Remonstrance |
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| Rensselaerswyck series | |
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| Dutch West India Company | |
| The Patroon System | |
| Map of Rensselaerswyck | |
| Patroons of Rensselaerswyck: Kiliaen van Rensselaer | |
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Jan Baptist van Rensselaer (18 March 1629, in Amsterdam[2] – 24 October 1678, in Amsterdam[3]) was a Dutch merchant and landowner who was the second son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the first Patroon of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck.
Jan Baptist van Rensselaer was born in Amsterdam. He was the second son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586–1643), and his first son by his second wife, Anna van Wely (c. 1601–1670). His father was a successful diamond and pearl merchant from Amsterdam who was one of the founders and directors of the Dutch West India Company, instrumental in the establishment of New Netherland.
Manor of Rensselaerswyck
In the spring of 1651, Jan Baptist sailed from Amsterdam on the Gelderse Blom (Gelderland Flower). With him travelled twelve employees hired by the Patroon,[4] recruited from places where the Van Rensselaers had other interests. Jan Baptist was the first Van Rensselaer to visit the colony.[5]
In May 1652, he was appointed Director of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck representing his brother Johan van Rensselaer (1625–1663), the second Patroon. 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.[6] In 1656, he provided the window pane representing the van Rensselaer coat of arms in the Dutch Church of Beverwyck . Not long afterward he returned to Holland, becoming one of the leading merchants of Amsterdam.
When he returned to Holland in 1658, he was succeeded as Director of the Manor by his brother Jeremias van Rensselaer.[7]
![A short, wide parchment map shows the "Noord Rivier" (North River) traveling from right to left along the center of the parchment, in addition to the proposed locations of small settlements. Another river is also shown, at the very right, traveling from the top of the parchment to its connection at the Noord. The map is entitled "RENSELAERSWYCK" [sic] in large letters and the contains two shields and two scrolls containing Dutch text.](#/media/File:Rensselaerswyck_Original_Map_Small.png){kind=small}
