Ariantie Visscher was born in 1655. She was the daughter of Beverwyck carpenter Harmen Bastianse and Hester Dircks Visscher.

Ariantie grew up in a large Albany family. She married her childhood neighbor, shoemaker Jeronimus Wendell. Their first child was born in 1676. By 1689, she had delivered five more babies.

Her husband died a few years later - leaving her use of his estate as long as she remained a widow. Having reached middle age, Ariantie did not re-marry. She continued to raise her children now as the head of a mainline Albany family. While four of those children grew into adulthood, she also continued to engage in the fur trade. In 1695, she was the only woman listed on a petition of Albany merchants. In 1703, a court case against her for illegal trading launched the legal career of her son, Evert Wendell - who successfully defended her. By that time, she also owned a second Albany house and other real estate as well.

Ariantie Visscher Wendell lived to see all six children married and raising families of their own. Perhaps she was the Ariantie Wendell who was buried beneath the Albany Dutch Church on December 19, 1741.

first posted 3/23/01; last revised 1/11/08