Benjamin Egberts

Benjamin Egberts was born between 1739 and 1743. He was the first of five children born to Egbert Egberts and his second wife, Maria Lent Egberts. His father was a skipper who raised a large, combined family in the first ward. Benjamin was named in the will filed by his father in 1760.

In 1763, he was identified as the eldest son of Maria Lent and named to share in her estate which included real property in New York City.

At this point, we have not encountered marriage, family, or church information about him.

In 1764, he may have been the "Benjamin Egbertse" whose name was on a list of Albany merchants petitioning the royal governor. Two years later, his name first appreared on Albany assessment rolls with modest property in the second ward. In 1766, he was appointed firemaster.

Beginning in 1763, he was identifed as a lieutenant in the Albany militia company. By 1776, he had become a captain. In 1778, he was exempted from militia duty because he was a clerk at the hospital. An affidavit attested that Egberts had served for more than two years.

He was a member of the Albany Masonic lodge.

In 1784, he was named co-executor and beneficiary of the estate of his brother, Jacob Visscher Egberts.

In 1790, a Benjamin Egberts was listed as the head of a household in the Montgomery Ward of New York City. Perhaps, that Albany Benjamin Egberts had moved to his mother's property as his name dropped from Albany rolls after 1784.

Sources: The life of Benjamin Egberts is CAP biography number 4510. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.