Ostrander

by


The first American member of this very large New York family appears to have been a Pieter Pietersen who came to New Netherland during the middle of the seventeenth century. We seek information on the family's European origins, path to America, and possible divergent branches. Spelled and referred to variously (esp. Van Oostrande[r]), the story of the Ostrander family of early Albany perhaps begins with the arrival of Kingston natives Johannes and Elizabeth Vandenbergh Ostrander following their marriage in 1713. Their many children established the Ostrander name in Albany and its environs.

In 1720, Johannes was the only Ostrander named among the freeholders (Albany third ward) of greater Albany County.

In 1742, however, no Ostrander names were found among the freeholders of Albany or Rensselaerswyck.

By the 1760s, the family had become prominent in the Manor and beyond with only a single presence within the city of Albany.

The Ostrander family of greater Albany County served the American cause in a variety of ways during the 1770s and 80s. The two John Ostranders noted below were prominent in wartime activities.

By 1790, two John Ostranders (one had been city marshall and the other became sheriff) appeared on the city census while two more Ostrander families were living in surrounding Watervliet. At the same time, that first Federal census configured more than sixty Ostrander-named households across New York State.

In 1800, recent widow Catherine stood out among the five Ostrander-named households in the city.

In 1813, the first city directory identified four Ostrander named households living in the city.

From its origins in New Netherland, by the 1800s, the Ostrander family was among the largest in New York State.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: This access page on the Ostrander family includes basic information and sourcres on the family and is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. This offering is in its formative stages and would welcome focused additions.
The "big book" entitled: Ostrander: a genealogical record, 1660-1995, by Emmett, Vinton P., and Collin Ostrander, editor (1999: Ostrander Family Association in Marceline, Mo, [Charlottesville, Va.]), has not been examined at this time. Another printed source of record appears to be Descendants of Pieter Pietersen/Oostrander & Tryntjie von de Lande, by Shirley A Krempel (Fort Collins, CO, 1994). We have not encountered a hard copy of that work.
Online: The Ostrander Family Association: OFAJ 1; OFAJ 2; From PFS as presented online; HMGFM seems to avoid the Albany Ostranders.

Follow this link to more information on the Ostranders on this website.

Ostranders in the biographical index.




first posted 1/10/13; last updated 2/22/13