Catharina Verplanck Schuyler
by
Stefan Bielinski

Catharina Verplanck was born in 1639. She was the daughter of New Netherland pioneers Abraham and Maria Vigne Roos Verplanck.

She married recently arrived David Pieterse Schuyler in 1657 at the New Amsterdam Dutch church. In her wedding papers, she acknowledged that she had been born in New Amsterdam. Her eight children were born between 1659 and 1678 and were baptized in the Dutch churches of Manhattan and Albany. Both Catharina and her husband were prominent members of the Albany Dutch church.

From the 1660s thru the end of the century, these Schuylers lived in a landmark Albany house near the river and just inside the north gate of the city stockade.

In May 1688, David Pieterse's will bequeathed to her his "great house" and other Albany assets for the duration of her "natural life."

David Pieterse Schuyler died in 1690. At that time, all eight of their children were still living. Catalina was named executor and chief beneficiary of his estate. As her children began to start lives of their own, Catalina continued to live in the North Albany home. She died in October 1708.



notes

the people of colonial Albany The life of Catharina Verplanck Schuyler is CAP biography number 1108. This profile is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. We have found interesting reading on the Verplancks on several Internet websites. The spelling "Verplanck" has been adopted for consistency.


Family: Abraham Verplanck and French-born Marie Vigne may have been in New Netherland as early as 1634. Reportedly, Catharina's mother and father both died in Albany in about 1670 and 1690 respectively. PAGE IN PROGRESS

Her house was on the southeast corner of today's Broadway and Steuben Street. In 1699, her petition to add fourteen feet to the north side of her lot was denied because it was too close to the stockade. The "little house on the street" was occupied by her sons, Abraham and Jacobus Schuyler. The Schuylers lived on that site into the nineteenth century. PAGE IN PROGRESS


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