Isaac Kip

by


Isaac Kip was born in November 1688. He was the first child born to the marriage of Albany newcomers Abraham and Geesie Vanderheyden Kip. He grew up in a trader's home on Albany's Pearl Street.

He appears to have been a life-long bachelor. He was a member, pewholder, and regular baptism sponsor at the Albany Dutch church.

Isaac came of age at the start of three decades of peace and appears to have become a frontier extension of his father's business. Thus, he was frequently away from Albany - sometimes at Oswego. Appointed constable for the second ward in 1713, he was fined at least twice for ignoring his duties. He did, however, belong to an Albany militia company and was counted among the second ward freeholders in 1720, 1742, and 1763.

His father died in 1731 and he probably continued to live with his mother who survived until 1748. As he was the only living son, a considerable family estate, including land at Schaghticoke, came under his control. By 1756, he was in his late sixties and ensconced in the family home where he was identified by the British army as "Mr. Tripp" the "Indian Trader." He remained a contractor of the Albany government and managed his property which included a bolting house. His home and holdings were serviced by a number of slaves.

In 1762, he still was considered an active trader. However, by 1764, his name no longer appeared on petitions submitted by Albany-based fur traders.

Isaac Kip filed a will in February 1765. He died before it passed probate on October 29, 1771. Except for the illusive Benjamin Kip, with Isaac's passing the Kip family name dropped from Albany annals!


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Isaac Kip is CAP biography number 5953. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




first posted: 1/10/06