USA > New York > Noted living Albanians and state officials. A series of biographical sketches > Part 30
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Dr. Vander Veer is already a prolific writer on surgical subjects, of which the following are among the principal contributions : " The Operation for Stone as observed in some of the London hospitals. together with a report of cases from private practice :" "Operation for Closure of Cieft of the Hard and Soft Palates : " " Report of three cases of Excision of the Rectum :" " Report of eight cases of Uterine Fibroids :" " Report of ten cases of Gastric Ulcer, one case Malignant Ulcer of the Stomach. and two cases Perforating Ulcer of the Jejunum : " "Defective Drainage," a paper read at the Albany institute, October, !SS2 : " Re- port of cases of Trifacial Neuralgia:" "Some Personal Ob- servations on the work of Lawson Tait, together with a re- port of five cases of Abdominal Section :" "Case of Sub- cutaneous Section of Femur above Trochanter Major :" " Cleft Palate and Hare Lip." for Wood's Reference Hand- book of the Medical Science : " Stone in the Bladder." read before the American Surgical association : and among the latest of these, a pamphlet on " The Operation for Ovarian Tumors." published for the benefit of the profession. "Neces- sity for Complete Removal of Uterine Appendages whenever
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Operation is called for ;" " A case of Infantile Menstrua- tion ; " " Intestinal Obstruction ;" "The Relation of the Abdominal Surgeon to the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist ; " " To what extent can we classify Vesical Calculi for Op- eration ?" " Concealed Pregnancy - Its Relation to Ab- dominal Surgery ; " " The Medico-Legal Aspect of Abdomi- nal Surgery; " introductory address of the course of 1879-80 at the Albany Medical college, delivered October 7, 1879 ; "Water Supply of Cities and Villages," the anni- versary address before the Medical Society of the State of New York, delivered at Albany, February 3, 1886;" " Obituary Notice of Alden March, M. D., LL. D.," delivered at University Convocation, 1870. We may state here that the doctor is now paying the very closest attention to ab- dominal diseases at the Albany hospital and in his private practice, and that he has just given to the public a " History of Abdominal Section in Albany," with a report of seventy- five cases.
Besides his work in his study and in the lecture-room, and his attendance at the hospital, Dr. Vander Veer carries on his daily private practice at his office, corner of State and Eagle streets. The poor as well as the rich receive the same careful attention at the doctor's hands, while many of the former have only their gratitude to return for services ren- dered. The doctor cannot turn a deaf ear to the calls of the suffering, and many a long trip does he make in response for medical aid. He is a member, and since the death of Judge Hand has been president of the special water com- mission. Has been for many years a member of the board of health of Albany. With a commanding presence, a large , and wonderfully active brain, a sound constitution and an iron will, and consummate skill in his chosen work, Dr. Van-
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der Veer, now in the very prime of life, is pursuing his call- ing with all his former ardor, and with the earnest wish among thousands of Albanians and others, that many more years may be added to his useful and notable career before he is called from his earthly labors.
THEODORE V. VAN HEUSEN.
HEODORE V. Van Heusen was born in 1818, in the city of Albany, N. Y. He is descended from the German and Scotch on his mother's side, and from the Holland Dutch on his father's side. In this blending of lineage he inherits those leading qualities of intellect and heart, which have exerted such a powerful influence in the civilization, progress, intelligence and refinement of past and present generations.
His paternal ancestors, the Van Heusens, were early settled along the borders of the Hudson river, especially in the region now known as Columbia county, where they owned a large and valuable estate.
The life of Theodore V. Van Heusen has been spent thus far in his native city. He has been a constant witness of its steady growth and its increasing prosperity. In his youth he played upon its rude, unpaved streets and looked upon its old houses with their striking gable-ends. He was a small boy when the grand celebration of the completion of the Erie canal took place in the city of Albany, during the governorship of De Witt Clinton, the projector and earnest advocate of that great enterprise.
In 1828 Mr. Van Heusen lost his father, and thus, at the early age of ten, was thrown mostly on his own resources,
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his father having died poor. But he began early to lay a substantial foundation for future usefulness, in the acquisi- tion of a knowledge of the elementary principles of educa- tion. For several years he attended the best private schools of Albany, and when thirteen years of age was sent to the old Lancaster school, an excellent institution of learn- ing in its day. This school building was long ago con- verted into the Albany Medical college, from which so many physicians of our times have graduated. So well grounded in the elementary branches of education was young Van Heusen when he entered the Lancaster school, where the average attendance was three hundred pupils, that he always maintained his rank as the foremost scholar in the school, and even assumed the responsibility of an assistant teacher of the younger pupils.
At the age of fifteen he completed his school education, when he found it necessary, and entered upon the arena of an active business life to earn his own living. Entering the crockery store of the Messrs. McIntosh as an errand boy, he soon rose to be head clerk of the concern. It would seem that about this time, when he had reached his twentieth year, he was urged by some of his friends to study for the ministry, but lack of pecuniary means and an affection of the throat rendered this impracticable.
In 1843 Mr. Van Heusen entered into partnership with Mr. Charles in the crockery, china and silver ware business; and thus found his life-long occupation. He was then but twenty-five years of age, and the business thus established has been continued with increasing volume during a period of forty-seven years, until it has attained its present ample, flourishing proportions.
Though not an active politician, Mr. Van Heusen was
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unanimously nominated by the republicans of the Sixteenth congressional district, in 1882, for representative in congress. He is a ready writer and debater, and has written and lectured on several subjects, such as ancient and modern pottery, porcelains, etc.
In a letter to the Albany Evening Journal dated October 31, 1888, Mr. Van Heusen states his views on the tariff and political matters.
" I had this in mind, viz., that there is in the minds of our people a feeling of discontent against the present tariff, which was enacted to meet a condition of affairs not now existing, producing a larger revenue than is required for the administration of our government and a provocative to prodi- gal legislation of more than doubtful propriety, such as the river and harbor bill, uncalled for and unwise pension bills and the like, none of which would be thought of except for the fact that the treasury is overflowing. To remedy this evil the time has come to adjust matters to meet the pres- ent condition of affairs and lift from the people every bur- den possible in connection with the tariff and internal reve- nue finances. Now how to do this is taxing the best thought of our legislators, most of whom, I prefer to believe, are honest and really desirous to promote the best interests of our country. It is a subject too complex, intricate and far- reaching to be easily understood or fairly comprehended by even the wisest of our people. A perfect tariff bill has never existed, and never can exist, until a body of perfect men can be brought together to draft it, hence we will never have one. To come as near to this as possible to conserve and preserve the best interests of all concerned with ' mal- ice toward none and charity for all' - to harmonize the diverse and conflicting interests of our vast country so as to
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do the most good and the least harm - to any and all of our people, this is the task that confronts us. and it cannot be shirked. Now who shall do this? For myself, I say that the republican party is the best qualified for the work by reason of intelligence and patriotism. Both of these qualities have been amply shown in the history of this party during its existence, and its mission is not ended. I do not favor the Mills bill altogether, neither do I the senate bill. My hope is that out of both will be solved a wise and just tariff, which will insure our present and future prosperity. With the poetic idea of free trade I have no sympathy and dismiss it by saying we cannot afford it. I am in cordial affiliation with the republican party. My first vote was given in 1840, to Gen. Harrison, with the enthusiastic ardor of young manhood, and I served in the ranks with song and speech to secure his election. And now, after the interim of so many years, I expect to vote for his grandson, for whom I feel great respect and confidence, with assurance also that the government will be well and truly administered by him. If there is a cleaner, more judicious man ; one more entitled to implicit confidence than Gen. Harrison in all our country, I do not know him, neither have I heard of him. The republican ticket in this state and in the nation is worthy the support of every right-minded citizen. If it was an honor and pride to be a Roman citizen, how much greater to be able to say I am a republican of the greatest republic that has ever existed."
THEO. V. VAN HEUSEN.
In 1863, Mr. Van Heusen married Miss Arabella J. Man- ning of Jamaica Plain, Mass. The fruits of this union were four sons, William Manning Van Heusen, Charles Manning
5.7
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Van Heusen, Richard Fletcher Van Heusen and John Manning Van Heusen.
William Manning Van Heusen graduated from the Albany academy in 1884; studied three years at Harvard univer- sity, received the degree of Ph. B. from the Columbia Uni- versity School of Political Science, studied two years at the Columbia Law school, received the degree of LL. B. from the Albany Law school, and was admitted to the bar of this state in 1890.
Charles M. Van Heusen has chosen as his occupation the crockery, china and silverware business, and is now engaged in the house established by his father and Mr. Charles forty- seven years ago.
Richard Fletcher Van Heusen studied chemistry and pharmacy at Cornell and at the University of Michigan. For some time he was connected with the large house of Burroughs & Wellcome, manufacturing chemists, London, and he is now with Messrs. Fairchild Bros. & Foster, of New York city.
John M. Van Heusen has been in the employ of the First National bank, served as assistant book-keeper in the Na- tional Commercial bank, and recently accepted a position of responsibility with the T. T. Haydock Carriage Manu- facturing Co., which he was obliged to abandon owing to ill-health.
A man of broad intelligence and enlightened understand- ing on all the principal subjects of literature and art, of un- tiring industry and perseverance, of strict integrity and fine social qualities, Theodore V. Van Heusen is still pursuing the "even tenor of his way," attending to his extensive commercial interests, and rounding out a long, useful, active and honorable life.
WILLIAM B. VAN RENSSELAER.
W ILLIAM Bayard Van Rensselaer, one of the few living descendants of the Van Rensselaer family in Albany, was born in this city on the 4th of October, 1856. He is a son of Bayard Van Rensselaer and Laura Reynolds, both natives of Albany. His father died in 1859, but his mother is still living. His ancestry which is well known to the students of our early history is a remarkable one, of which we have only time and space here to give a pass- ing notice. His great-grandfather, Hon. Stephen Van Rens- selaer, was a man of high character and left a noble record behind him. His services in the history of our city, state and nation command admiration. He was born in the city of New York, in 1764, and was the fifth in lineal descent from the first ancestor of the family in America. His father was Stephen Van Rensselaer, who built the present manor house in Albany, as hereinafter referred to. His mother was
Catharine, daughter of Philip Livingston, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. Gen. Ten Broeck, his uncle, had the management of his estate until he reached the age of twenty-one. He attended school in Albany and at the Kingston academy, where he was a class-mate of old Abraham Van Vechten, afterward a distinguished lawyer of Albany. The young students became fast friends through
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life. Stephen Van Rensselaer first entered Princeton col- lege, but on account of the troubles incident to the revolu- tionary period in the history of New Jersey, he went to Harvard college, where he graduated in 1782 at the age of nineteen. The following year he married Margaret, daughter of Gen. Philip J. Schuyler, who died in 1801, leaving a son, Stephen. His second wife was a daughter of Judge Patterson, of New Jersey, of the United States su- preme court. Old Stephen Van Rensselaer held many important and responsible offices, being member of the assembly in 1789, 1808, 1810 and 1816; state senator from 1791 to 1795 ; lieutenant governor of the state from 1795 to 1801 ; a colonel of the state cavalry in the war of 1812, per- forming efficient service on the Canadian frontier ; member of congress from 1822 to 1829; chancellor of the university in 1835 ; for twenty-two years a canal commissioner and for fifteen years president of the board. The manor house at the head of Broadway, built in 1765, was his residence, and here he died on the 26th of January, 1839.
His son Stephen married Harriet Bayard of New York. They lived in the house now known as St. Peter's hos- pital, until his father Stephen died, and then he enlarged the manor house by adding the wings on each side, moved into it after the repairs, in 1844, and continued to live there until his death in 1868.
Old Killian Van Rensselaer, the original ancestor of the family name of whom we have any account, was a merchant of Amsterdam, Holland, who about the year 1630 availed himself of the privileges offered by the assembly of the XIX, and commissioners of the states-general, passed in 1629, by which all members of the West India Company, who planted a colony of fifty souls over fifteen years of age, were to be
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acknowledged patroons of the New Netherlands. Killian further perfected his title to the lands thus granted by pur- chasing the same from the Indians. These purchases em- braced a large territory, extending from Baeren Island to Cohoes Falls, and from the Hudson river twenty-four miles back upon both sides, Fort Orange only being reserved by the West India Company. It is not certain whether he ever came to see his new lands along the banks of the Hudson. If he did, it was only on a brief visit. He died in 1648, and his son Johannes succeeded him in the control of his large estates here. It is moreover uncertain whether Johannes Van Rensselaer himself ever looked upon the then dense forests of Greenbush or the rising, wooded hills where now stands the city of Albany. It is believed by many that he actually came here, and in 1642 built the old mansion at Greenbush, which still stands as a curious relic of bye gone ages. It was first called the Crailo, and used as a fort. In 1740 an addition was made to the building. It is worth while for any one to visit this old mansion, built the very year in which the thunders of Cromwell's guns and those of Charles the First were beginning to shake England in a terrible civil war, and which has survived the many civil and political conflicts and revolutions of the world since that period.
Killian Van Rensselaer's two grandsons, both named Killian, respectively the sons of his sons Johannes and Jeremiah, are known to have come to America and to have settled here ; and probably their uncle, John Baptiste Van Rensselaer, came also. The English patents to this family are given to these two Killians, the grandsons of the elder Killian, in trust for their grandfather. By the later patents it is recited that Killian, the son of Johannes, died without
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issue, and the grant was confirmed to Killian, the son of Jeremiah, in trust for Killian, his grandfather. After the death of Killian, the grandfather, Jeremiah's son, Killian, bought out the interest of all the other heirs in this property and became the sole owner thereof; his eldest son was Jeremias, who died unmarried, and the property went to the second son, Stephen, whose eldest son, Stephen, became the seventh patroon, or lord of the manor, and died in 1769, just after completion of the present manor house on North Broadway. This latter Stephen was the great-great-grand- father of the present William Bayard Van Rensselaer.
William Bayard Van Rensselaer, the subject of our memoir, is the direct lineal descendent of these patroons, and had not the laws of the state of New York broken up and prohibited the entailing of property, he would be the patroon and owner of this vast property comprising all of the present Albany county and the principal part of Rens- selaer county. In early boyhood he attended the Normal school and the Albany Boys' academy. With a view of seeking advantages of a continuous course of instruction he was sent to a boarding school at Catskill, where he was a pupil for two years. There he not only pursued his studies with diligence and with a genuine love for books, but was particularly delighted with the bold, inspiring, natural scenery around him. And while his youthful intellectual powers were properly developed his slight, physical frame was strengthened by the healthful influences of rural life. At the close of this two years' study he exchanged the grand views of the neighboring Catskill mountains for those of the granite hills of New Hampshire. In 1869, when a boy of thirteen, he became a student of St. Paul's school, New Hampshire, an institution designed for larger boys, at that
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time having about fifty pupils, but since grown to over three hundred, including at present a number of Albany boys. There for six years he made a steady and successful progress in ascending the hill of science. When those six years of study had passed away, our young student, now nineteen years of age, was well prepared to enter college. And in 1875 we find him a freshman in Harvard university, then as now under the presidency of Charles Elliot, where on completing the regular course of four years he graduated in 1879. After this he attended the Harvard Law school for one year, enjoying the able instruction of Langdell, president of the law school.
Mr. Van Rensselaer, naturally inclined to the study of legal science, had early determined to make it a life-long pursuit. But before completing his legal studies, an agree- able social event occurred in his life. In the fall of 1880 he married Miss Louisa G. Lane, the amiable and accom- plished daughter of Prof. Lane of Harvard university, whose acquaintance he had made while at college. Returning to Albany shortly after his marriage, he continued his law studies in the office of Messrs. Marcus T. and Leonard G. Hun ; and was admitted to the bar in the autumn of 1882. And thus after a continuous student life of nearly twenty years he finished his preparatory studies, and opened an office for the general practice of law in the Hun building, corner of North Pearl street and Maiden Lane.
A circumstance happened about this time which turned his attention from the more active duties of a general counselor, and concentrated his services in the line of real estate property. In 1881, on the death of Charles Van Zandt, long the agent of the property of the late Stephen Van Rensselaer, he was appointed as the most suitable
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person to take charge of the estate. His knowledge and experience in laws governing real estate matters are exten- sive, and his judgment upon such matters is recognized to be sound and safe.
In the fall of 1885, at his suggestion, the numerous heirs of the Stephen Van Rensselaer estate conveyed their in- terests in the property to the Van Rensselaer Land Com- pany, Albany. Of this recently organized company Mr. Van Rensselaer was made treasurer and general manager, and in this capacity he still acts with great discretion, faith- fulness and ability, and with a perfect familiarity with the numerous and often complicated questions which come before him.
Mr. Van Rensselaer has already taken an active part in the business, financial, commercial and literary affairs of his native city, and has shown himself to be a careful, judicious and capable man in his public as well as private trusts. He is a director in the New York State National bank ; a trustee of the Albany Savings bank; a director of the Cohoes Company, a company incorporated in 1823, and which supplies all the factories of Cohoes with their water power. He is one of the original members of the Fort Or- ange club, in whose prosperity he has taken a deep interest. He is also a member of the University club, the Reform club, and the Holland society, all of New York city.
It may fairly be said that to the enterprise of Mr. Van Rensselaer are largely due all the improvements that are in progress in the northern part of the city of Albany, such as good drainage and pavements, as well as the new bridges to be built over the Erie canal at Albany - improvements which are much needed and which will be appreciated by our citizens when completed. In politics, Mr. Van Rens-
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selaer is an independent, voting for the men who, he believes, will best perform the duties of the offices for which they are candidates. He is a member of All Saints' Cathedral con- gregation, and much interested in the building of the new and beautiful cathedral on Elk, La Fayette and Swan streets in this city.
A man of refined tastes and of extensive reading in general literature, Mr. Van Rensselaer gives his influence and his material support towards whatever is elevating and ennobling in social, moral and intellectual life. And this he does without ostentation, exhibiting the leading charac- teristics of a true manhood. A man of public spirit, and having the strongest feelings of attachment for his native city, he is ever interested in all public matters concerning the same, and always ready to assist in any movement that will tend to make the city more attractive or to increase its importance as a business and commercial center.
In the recent centennial celebration of the city of Albany he acted well his part in making it a grand success. He was an active member of the general committee, and of the sub-committee that gave the historical parade which will long be remembered as one of the most imposing features of that occasion. Exhibiting those qualities both of the head and the heart, which fit a man to become useful in society, as well as sound and successful in official or pro- fessional duties, he has already gained, at the comparatively early age of thirty-four, a worthy name among the rising representative young men of our old Dutch city.
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HOWARD VAN RENSSELAER.
MONG the rising young men of our city, one whose fine tastes, cultured manners, general and profes- sional intelligence, have brought him into favorable notice among a large circle of friends, is Dr. Howard Van Rensse- laer, of 94 Columbia street. He was born in Albany on the 26th of June, 1858, and spent his earliest years in the old Dutch city, in which his forefathers, many generations ago, took such a prominent part in its history and development, as well as in that of the surrounding country. Many an in- teresting and eventful page have they furnished for our municipal and county annals. But they have almost all passed away to the silent land, and new generations of various nationalities have come to take their place, showing the mutability of human affairs and the ever-occurring changes of life.
As we have already in the sketch of William Bayard Van Rensselaer, the brother of our present subject, given a suc- cinct account of the ancestry of the Van Rensselaer family, we need only refer the reader to that memoir for informa- tion on this point. Howard Van Rensselaer is a son of Bayard Van Rensselaer, a native Albanian, whose earthly career was closed in 1859, when the boy was but nine months old. Thus early deprived of a father's watchful
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