Gerrit Hallenbeck

Gerrit Hallenbeck was born in October 1736. He was the son of Hendrick and Susanna Bradt Hallenbeck. He grew up on the Southside of Albany - one of several sons in the very large family of an Albany mainstay whose primary assets appear to have been in lots located in that part of the city.

In November 1764, he was named (along with his seven surviving siblings) as the co-executor of the estate of his father. Upon the death of their mother, they were to share in Hendrick Hallenbeck's extensive Albany estate.

He does not seem to have married. However, beginning possibly in 1763 (and at least to July 1779), he witnessed a number of christenings with different family members at the Albany Dutch church.

In 1766, he was identified on the assessment roll under the property of "widow Halenbeek and son Gerrit." The next year he was taxed separately - one of four Hallenbeck properties in that part of the first ward.

In 1767, he was identified as a member of the city militia company captained by Abraham C. Cuyler.

In his late thirties at the outbreak of hostilities, we expect to find some intersect during the era of the American Revolution. In December 1775, he was paid £2:8 from the city treasury for an unspecified reason. In January 1776, he was identified as a lieutenant in the Grenadier Company for the city of Albany. At that time, he stated that he already had signed "the Association" but was willing to do it again. In April 1776 (Gerrit Jr.) and perhaps again in September 1779, he was among those paid by the Albany committee for firewood and for the repair of the barracks. Although we have yet to connect him to specific wartime activism, the name of "Gerrit Haulenbeke" was included on a postwar list of "additional names on State Treasurer's pay book."

By 1779, it appears that Hendrick's holdings in the first ward had passed to his heirs. The Albany assessment roll taken in March listed at least eleven parcels located in close proximity that were held by family members. Gerret was identified as the owner of two of them. A decade later, only four Hallenbeck named owners remained on the city tax roll. Gerrit was not among them.

On the census of 1790, his name does not appear as a head of household anywhere in New York State. Four Hallenbecks were heads of Albany families with the household of brother Anthony Hallenbeck including two adult males at that time.

Past diminishing returns on the life of one-time Albany resident Gerrit Hallenbeck, we move on for now.

Sources: The life of Gerrit Hallenbeck is CAP biography number 5271. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.