John N. Bleecker

by

John N. Bleecker was born in August 1739. He was the son of Albany businessman Nicholas Bleecker, Jr. and his wife, Margarita Roseboom Bleecker. John N. lost his father in 1751 but his mother survived for more than forty years afterwards.

In June 1775, married New Jersey native Margarita Van Deusen at the Dutch church in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Soon, they would relocate to Albany where, by 1789, eight children were christened at the Albany Dutch church where he was a member and later a member of the Consistory.

John N. Bleecker set up his home on Pearl Street next to the house of his mother and nearby the homes of a number of Bleecker family members. Besides his residence, Bleecker owned many other properties in Albany including lots and storehouses and additional acreage beyond the city limits as well.

His long-term association with the Albany corporation began as a contractor during the 1760s. He was elected assistant alderman first in 1767 and served for several years. After the War for Independence, he served as alderman in the second ward for a number of years.

These Bleeckers were Albany mainstays for several decades. John N. Bleecker held leadership positions in many community organizations and was a member of an Albany militia company as well.

At the onset of hostilities in 1775, he was elected to represent the second ward on the Albany Committee of Correspondence . He served for the life of that organization. He held a commission in a militia company and served the Commisary Department of the American army as an agent - most notably in the removal of the cannon from Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. He hrfeceived a number of commissions in the militia and later in the regular army. After the war, he was accorded a land bounty right in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment.

John N. Bleecker had lost his wife in 1794. But aided by slaves and family members, he maintained his Pearl Street landmark for a number of years. Then it passed to his children.

John N. Bleecker died in October 1825. His will passed probate on October 28. He had lived eight-seven years.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of John N. Bleecker is CAP biography number 204. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. His papers have been collected at the New York State Library. A detailed, online inventory provides substaintial additional information. Family material from his bible has been transformed and printed online.

Portraits of John N. Bleecker and his wife have been reproduced (following page 26) within a larger genealogical resource published by the Colonial Dames of New York State in 1917. That important work has been digitized and presented online. We seek information on the origins and owneership of these artifacts.





first posted 6/20/06; revised 12/1/18