Gosen S. Van Schaick
by
Stefan Bielinski


Gosen S. Van Schaick was born in January 1677. He was the son of first generation Americans Sybrant and Elizabeth Vanderpoel Van Schaick.

In December 1699, he married Catharina Staats at the Albany Dutch church. By 1719, their nine children were christened at the Albany church.

In his early days, he pursued the fur trade and was in trouble with the authorities for illegal trading in Canada. But, following his marriage, he settled in Albany and was a businessman and landholder who lived north of the Dutch church in the first ward. He served on Albany juries and was elected alderman first in 1714. His first ward property on Market Street was valued on city assessment rolls. In 1720, his name appeared on a list of qualified voters. He also captained an Albany militia company.

Gosen S. Van Schaick died in March 1725. He had just passed his forty-eighth birthday. His widow lived for three decades longer. Their son was appointed mayor of Albany in 1756.

biography in-progress



notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Gosen S. Van Schaick is CAP biography number 3956. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

Although his landmark home was on Market Street and what became Exchange Street (Mark Lane), it was considered to be in the first ward. Later, another Goose Van Schaick occupied that location.




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first posted: 1/10/05; revised 5/8/07