James Parker Van Benthuysen

James Parker Van Benthuysen was born in October 1772. He was the first-born son in the large family Obadiah and Anna Rumney Van Benthuysen.

His wife was named Hannah (perhaps Anna Myers). By 1798, the marriage had produced a number of children. By 1809, three (including two namesakes) of them had been buried from the Albany Dutch church.

This James Parker VBT lived at 27 Division Street. He was a shoe and lastmaker (form for holding and working on footwear) with a store on South Market Street. Both his properties were noted each year from 1813 into the 1830s in the Albany city directory. In 1800, he probably shared that home with his brothers. He served as a fireman in 1800. He also was a member of the Albany Mechanics Society.

James Parker Van Benthuysen died in May 1835. The obituary noted that he was sixty-two. According to family records, his widow survived until 1878 and was buried in the old cemetery in Pottersville, Warren County.

Sources: The life of James Parker Van Benthuysen is CAP biography number 5384. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.