Born in Holland, Gerrit Bancker was in New Amsterdam as early as 1655. At that time he was identified as a merchant's servant. Soon, he removed to Beverwyck where he found success as a trader and landholder.
By 1660, he had married Elizabeth Van Epps - the daughter of a frontier trader. In August of that year, she was pregnant and the victim of an alleged beating. Over the next three decades, their marriage produced a number of children who became Albany residents. He was a member of the Albany Dutch church.
In 1668, he returned to Amsterdam on business leaving Lysbeth in charge of his estate.
In 1679, 1681, and 1689, his name appeared on censuses of Albany householders. His house was on the South side of State Street below Pearl.
Gerrit Bancker filed a will in November 1690. It named his wife as heir. He died in February 1691. His son, Evert, was appointed mayor of Albany in 1694.