Martin Gerritse Van Bergen

A number of individuals were known as "Martin Gerritse Van Bergen" and lived in the Hudson Valley during the eighteenth century. The Albany resident Martin Gerritse Van Bergen was born during the first half of the eighteenth century. He probably was the son of Peter Van Bergen and thus the grandson and namesake of Martin Gerritsen Van Bergen - a prominent Catskill landholder who filed a will in 1765.

A daybook of his accounts in conjunction with the Hudson River sloop Delancey for the years 1749-65 is in the "Van Bergen Family Papers" collection of the New York State Library.

Because of the existence of several contemporary, same-named individuals, this sketch only presents information that has a definite Albany city context.

In April 1760, the "Albany" Martin Van Bergen was left a negro man named "Dick" in the will of widow Margaret Collins. Perhaps, he was the Martin G. Van Bergen who witnessed the will of former Albany resident Thomas Lynott in 1769. From the 1750s to the 1780s, Van Bergen witnessed the filing of a number of legal documents.

In 1766 and 1767, his first ward property was valued substantially on Albany assessment rolls. In 1779, his first ward house and lot still was on the Albany tax list. Perhaps he lived near the Sharp family homestead and in the house occupied by Peter Van Bergen in 1788.

His wartime activities have not been clarified. In 1779, he signed a community based petition for the return of Dr. Henry Van Dyck. He did post bail for merchant David Waters in 1781 (at that time he was called a "yeoman") and later was accorded a land bounty right in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment.

In any event, the will of Martin Gerritse Van Bergen passed probate in Albany County on February 9, 1789.

Sources: The life of Martin Gerritse Van Bergen is CAP biography number 6658. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.