Jochem Staats was born in September 1717. He was the son of Albany residents Barent and Neeltie Vandenbergh Staats. .

In May 1739, he married a slightly older Elizabeth Schuyler at the Albany Dutch church. By 1760, nine of their children were baptized in Albany where both parents were members and longtime pewholders.

These Staatses lived on his family's property on Staats Island. In 1748, he was identified as the eldest son and named co-executor of his father's estate. His father's will instructed him to share the property with his brother, Gerrit, and to help provide for his mother. He also was co-executor of his brother-in-law's estate.

For more than a half century, Jochem Staats was a prominent resident of Rensselaerswyck. His name appeared on assessment rolls, voter (freeholder) lists, and on the census of 1790 in Rensselaerswyck where his home was attended by eight slaves.

During the War for Independence, he served as member of the Albany Committee of Correspondence for Rensselaerswyck. After the war, he was accorded a bounty right in conjunction with the Fourth Regiment of the Albany militia.

He may have lived until 1804!

Sources: The life of Jochem Staats is CAP biography number 4598. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.