Cornelis K. Vandenbergh was born in September 1720. He was the son of Albany residents Claes and Anna Hooghkerk Vandenbergh. He was known as "Cornelis K. or C." (the son of Claes) to prevent confusion with several same-named contemporary cousins.

Unlike most mainline community residents, Cornelis K. did not marry. He was, however, a member and pewholder of the Albany Dutch church.

Without a family of his own, he lived in his parent's home on lower State Street. In 1744, he was named constable in the first ward. In 1751, he served as one of the ward's firemasters. During the 1760s, he was noted on city assessment rolls within the household of his father.   By the 1770s, he had become head of the State Street home. Aided by servants, he lived there until his death.

Aged fifty-five at the outbreak of the war, he supported the crusade for American liberties with financial contributions. However, he was paid for actual service to the cause in 1784.

After the war, he resumed trading. In 1784, he received imported goods from Ireland for sale at the Elm Tree Corner. His holdings were valued on post-war assessment rolls as well.

In April 1788, he joined with other Albany antifederalists in publishing a list of their objections to the proposed constitution.

His house was destroyed during the downtown fire of 1793. At that time, he shared the building with merchant-tailor Giles K. Porter.

Cornelis K. Vandenbergh's died in September 1796 at the age of seventy-six. He was buried on March 1 in the Dutch church cemetery. His will passed probate two days later. Without direct descendants, it named several cousins as his beneficiaries.

Sources: The life of Cornelis K. Vandenbergh is CAP biography number 5762. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. The existence of several contemporaries with similar names make the historian cautious regarding the assignment of quaility of life information!