Isaac Hallenbeck

Isaac Hallenbeck was born in April 1719. He was the first son born to the marriage of Hendrick and Susanna Bradt Hallenbeck. He grew up in a large family on a large parcel of family property located on Albany's Southside.

In December 1741, he married Gerritje Van Woert at the Albany Dutch church. By 1749, four children had been christened in Albany.

In November 1764, he was acknowledged as the heir-at-law in the will filed by his father. Thus, he was bequeathed ten shillings as his birthright. In addition, he was scheduled to receive a one-eighth share of the estate after the passing of Hendrick's widow. His father went on to specify that, in the event that son Isaac "should not return" (implying he was away but still alive at the time?), his three living sons were named to share in their father's share.

That was the last recorded reference to Isaac I. Hallenbeck. His name has not been found in the relevant records so far encountered for greater Albany County. A hundred years later, Joel Munsell noted in a piece on the family that "Isaac disappeared mysteriously and was never heard of."

In 1800, the household of a much younger, but same-named individual was configured on the first ward census. A diagram map of South Pearl Street (dated to the early 1800s) shows the houselot property of Isaac Hallenbeck between those of other family members in the block between Plain and Hamilton Streets.

Sources: The life of Isaac Hallenbeck is CAP biography number 5282. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.