Van Schaick

The Van Schaick family of early Albany is descended from Goosen Gerritse who came to New Netherland during the 1630s. He established himself in Beverwyck and Albany and was known as a trader, processor, and landholder. His descendants built on those successes in Albany and beyond. The family name has many variants. The Van Schaicks were numerous and prominent in and beyond the city of Albany. However, our focus must remain with the city residents - an important minority part of the overall family presence.

Goosen Gerritse's numerous American-born offspring established the family in Albany and beyond. His son, Livinius, a multi-residence merchant, was elected to the Provincial Assembly first in 1691.

In 1697, the household of Anthony Van Schaick, Sr. was listed on the Albany census. His daughter, Gerritje, was the mother of future Albany mayor Jacob C. Ten Eyck.

In 1719, Gerrit S. Van Schaick was the first of three family members to be appointed sheriff of Albany County.

Throughout the eighteenth century and beyond, the family maintained a substantial presence on an island near the northern boundary of the Manor at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers that is today within the city of Cohoes. Over the long century, a number of Albany natives and residents enjoyed the Van Schaick property there. It was described in the will filed by Albany native Anthony Van Schaick in 1737.

Sybrant G. Van Schaick was named mayor of Albany in 1756. His was the most prominent of seven, Van Schaick-named households appearing on a census of Albany householders taken in that year by the British army. The mayor's son, Colonel Goose Van Schaick, was a field officer in the Revolutionary army.

Tory brothers Peter and one-time Albany businessman Henry Van Schaack were sons of a prominent Kinderhook branch but have not yet been definitively connected to the family of Gosen Gerritse.

In 1815, three Van Schaick households were listed in the Albany city directory including the home of Bank of Albany Cashier and realtor Gerrit W. Van Schaick. By that time, Van Schaick Street was lined with boardinghouses.

Sources: This profile of the Van Schaick/Van Schaack/Van Schoick family is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. At this point, the best genealogical resource for the family was produced by Jonathan Pearson. See also Van Schaick in HMGFM; Some records from the bible of Anthony Van Schaick appear online. The Van Schaick family papers collection at Cornell University and the New York State Library and also NYSL must be investigated!

    Follow this link to more information on the Van Schaick family on this website.
        Van Schaick website biographies.

first posted 9/15/03; last revised 5/3/14