Maria Ten Broeck Groesbeck

by


Maria Ten Broeck was born in April 1721. She was a daughter in the large family of Albany leaders Dirck and Margarita Cuyler Ten Broeck. She grew up in a merchant's home in Albany's third ward and would inherit a share of the assets from their extensive estate.

In March, 1739, she was not yet eighteen years old when she married twenty-nine-year-old Gerardus Groesbeck at the Albany Dutch church. Four months later, the first of their ten children was christened in Albany where she was a regular baptism sponsor.

These Groesbecks set up their home in the second ward probably in the house Gerardus had inherited from his father, another wealthy merchant and community leader. Businessman Gerardus Groesbeck was able to follow in their footsteps.

Following a marriage that lasted almost fifty years, Gerardus Groesbeck died in September 1788 - leaving Maria in charge of what was a substantial estate. She was identified as the owner of their house in 1788. But thereafter, she probably lived in the homes of family members as her name no longer was seen in the community record.

Family-based resources reveal that Maria Ten Broeck Groesbeck died in December 1805 at "Beaverdam" now Berne. She had lived eighty-four years.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Maria Ten Broeck Groesbeck is CAP biography number 70. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

Her name was not included among heads of households on the census of 1790. It appears that only one of her ten children lived long enough to marry.





first posted: 7/10/06