Volkert Douw
by
Stefan Bielinski


Volkert Douw probabaly was born during the 1670s. He was the son of New Netherland pioneers Volkert Janse and Dorothe Van Breestede Douw.

In November 1701, he married Albany native Margarita Van Tricht. By 1717, five of their children had been baptized in the Albany Dutch church where he was a prominent member and frequent baptism sponsor.

In 1715, he was a member of an Albany militia company. In 1716, he was appointed firemaster for the first ward. In 1726, he was elected assistant alderman. In 1742, his name appeared on a list of eligible voters in the first ward.

Absent from extant city assessment rolls for his lifetime, he may also have lived in Rensselaerswyck where a "Folcort Dow" was included on a list of freeholders in 1720. In 1732, he received land in the "Verebergh" from the city government.

Volkert Douw lost his wife early in 1752. He died in 1753 and was buried on the second of September.

biography in-progress



notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Volkert Douw is CAP biography number 2228. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




Home | Site Index | Navigation | Email | New York State Museum


first posted: 5/10/04