Van Alstyne
Spelled variously, the Van Alstyne family of early Albany (but mostly of its hinterland) descends from Jan Martense who came to Beverwyck during the 1650s. He was involved in the establishment of Kinderhook and his offspring mostly settled in that area of old Albany County.
Martin Janse and other offspring became Albany-area residents.
In 1697, the household of Abraham Janse (and possibly others) was configured on a census of Rensselaerswyck.
In 1720, four Van Alstyne men were counted among the freeholders of Rensselaerswyck. But none in the city of Albany.
In 1756, the Albany house of shoemaker Rynier Van Alstyne was profiled by the British army.
By 1790, no Van Alstyne-named households remained in the city. However, five Van Alstyne homes were listed on the Watervliet census.
Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the descendants of Jan Martense constituted a significant presence - but mainly in the countryside south and east of Albany. Today, the family homestead in Canajoharie is a Revolutionary War era landmark.
Sources: This access page for the Van Alstyne family is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. Beginning with a wide dispersal in the region, comprehending this family is proving difficult and we encourage caution in trying to sort out the Albany Van Alstynes.