Cornelis Van Ness was born in 1713. He was the son of Albany residents Jan and Catalina Groesbeck Van Ness.

He married Schenectady native Susanna Swits in December 1738. The first of their four children was baptized in the Albany Dutch church several months later.

He lived in Albany's third ward where he was chosen firemaster in 1739.

Cornelis Van Ness died sometime after 1762 when he was mentioned in the will of Jacob Visscher. In 1763, the name of "Cornelius Van Ness" appeared on a list of Albany freeholders.

The life of Cornelis Van Ness is CAP biography number 889. This profile is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. The life of a contemporary Cornelis Van Ness complicates further articulation of this Cornelis's story!