Cornelis Ten Broeck

by


Cornelis Ten Broeck was born in March 1706. He was the last of nine children born to the marriage of Wessel and Catharina Loockermans Ten Broeck. He grew up in the Market Street home of a prominent Albany businessman and civic leader. In 1723, he was named co-executor of his father's estate.

In October 1733, Cornelis married Maria Cuyler at her father's Albany home. Their family was small with only a son and a daughter living long enough to raise their own families. Both parents, however, were prominent members of the Albany Dutch church.

This Ten Broeck family first lived in the second ward where Cornelis qualified to vote in 1742 and later in 1763. He was a "skipper" (shipper), trader, and businessman whose Albany holdings were valued in the top five percent on city assessment rolls. By that time, he had settled permanently in the third ward.

In 1738, he was appointed firemaster. But in 1760, he was elected alderman for the third ward. He was re-elected for the next five years. His virtual absence from community rolls for the 1740s and 1750s may indicate that he was involved in the Indian trade on the frontier. However, during the 1760s, he was an active participant in Albany-based business and government. He owned or leased a number of city parcels and was particularly involved with the development of the city docks during that time.

He also held acreage in a number of frontier partnerships including the Sacandaga Patent.

Cornelis Ten Broeck filed a will in March 1771. He died in January 1773 - a few months shy of his sixty-seventh birthday. His widow survived for many more years.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Cornelis Ten Broeck is CAP biography number 31. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




first posted: 11/20/06; revised 2/25/10