Catharina Dyckman was born about 1763. She was the daughter of Jacob Dyckman, Jr. and the younger sister of States Dyckman. She grew up on her father's farm and tavern in lower Westchester County and then in the Manhattan household of her protective brother, States - even after Dyckman left New York for England during the War for Independence.

About 1783, she married entrepreneur Daniel Hale - an emerging businessman headquartered in Albany. They set up their Albany home on Market Street. The marriage produced several children who were baptized in Albany churches. Like her husband who was a church officer, she may have been a member of St. Peter's Episcopal church.

From the beginning, Caty's marriage was troubled. Not understood by her self-centered and overly ambitious husband, the young bride was sickly, depresssed, and paranoid. Often bedridden, she was treated by Dr. Samuel Stringer - Albany's premier physician. She was sedated with laudanum (which contains opium) and became addicted. Following the destruction of their Albany home in the fire of 1793, she was committed to the Manhattan home of her doting brother for recovery.

During the 1790s, Catharina returned home to Albany several times and took part in some real estate transactions in concert with her husband. However, with Daniel Hale unable to cope with her illness, by 1800, Caty had left her marriage to live in the lower Hudson Valley home of States Dyckman.

Daniel Hale died in September 1821. Catharina Dyckman Hale died in New York in March 1829.

Sources: The life of Catharina Dyckman Hale is CAP biography number 2128. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. The chief resource for her life is James T. Flexner's biography of her brother.