Dirck Vanderheyden

by


Dirck Vanderheyden was born about 1662. He was the son of Albany pioneers Jacob Tyssen and Anna Hals Vanderheyden.

In March 1687, he married Rachel Ketelhuyn at the Albany Dutch church. By 1707, his eleven children had been christened at the Albany church where he was a member and regular baptism sponsor.

Dirck Vanderheyden was a frontier trader who, in his earlier days, sometimes ventured far from Albany. By the 1690s, these Vanderheydens had set up their home in the first ward where they were Albany mainstays for several decades. In 1699, he joined his neighbors in swearing allegiance to the king of England. He served on juries, as assessor, firemaster, constable, and was elected assistant alderman - first in 1704. His Albany property was assessed comparable to that of other businessmen. He was a contractor of the city and also served in the militia.

After 1700, he began to acquire land across the Hudson and to the north of Albany. By 1720, he had re-located to a farm in Schaghticoke which he continued to improve for the rest of his life.

Dirck Vanderheyden died in October 1738 and was buried from the Albany church.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Dirck Vanderheyden is CAP biography number 4681. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. A biographical profile appears online.




first posted: 11/20/05