Petrus Van Dyck

by


Petrus Van Dyck was born in May 1760. He was the last child born to the marriage of Albany physician Henry Van Dyck and Margarita Douw Van Dyck. His mother's brother was the mayor of Albany during the 1760s. Petrus grew up in a landmark Court Street home as his father treated most of mainline Albany.

In January 1776, he was identified as the only living child in the will filed by his father. While Dr. Van Dyck was persecuted as a Tory, young Petrus served in the Revolutionary army as an enlisted man in the First Regiment of the New York Line.

In 1779, he married Alida Barheit at the Schenectady Dutch church. By 1794, eight children had been christened in Schenectady. However, into the 1780s, Petrus held a pew at the Albany Dutch church - which he had surrendered before 1794.

In 1784, a newspaper advertisement called him a dealer in general goods opposite the southeast corner of the Dutch church. In 1788, his holdings were taxed under the first ward household of his widowed mother. However, by 1790, his household was enumerated on the Schenectady census.

After that, Petrus Van Dyck may have moved beyond our Albany-based records sweep. We seek information on his later life and passing.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Petrus Van Dyck is CAP biography number 859. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




first posted: 5/20/07