John Wendell

This John Wendell was born in December 1778 and christened "Johannes J. Wendell" at the Albany Dutch church a month later. He was the son of Johannes and Alida Hooghkerk Wendell. He grew up in the small family of a budding Albany mainliner who would die in 1786. John's mother Alida then took over management of their first ward household.

After that, his story becomes much less certain for as long as 60 years. Perhaps his (John J.) household was configured on the city census in 1800. Living in that dwelling were three children 10 and under, a male and a female aged 26-45, and an older woman. At this point, we have not assigned abundant yet non specific qualitative information to this individual's biography.

The Federal census for 1850, identified him as a 72-year-old merchant whose third ward real property was worth $8,000. Four other adults (including the 69-year-old Julia Stilwell) were living in his household.

Albany Rural Cemetery records tell us that this John (I.) Wendell died in March 1854 at the age of seventy-five. Cause of death was given as "paralysis."

His will passed probate on May 29. No direct descendants were identified. He left the bulk of his estate to his niece and nephew.

With literally a lifetime of potential material absent from this profile, we know that it accounts for only the beginning and end of his long life.

Sources: The life of this John Wendell (1779-1854) is CAP biography number 2979. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.