Jan Janse Bleecker

• http://hdl.handle.net/2027/wu.89062943741 pages 56/414 to 58/414, family Bible

Jan Janse Bleeker arrived in 1658 from Meppel, Drenthe (NL) and settled in New Albany, born 1641, died 1732 in New Albany.

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The first of his family to come to North America, Jan Jansen Bleecker was born in Meppel, Drenthe, Netherlands on July 9, 1641. In 1658 he emigrated to New Amsterdam (now New York City), and shortly thereafter he moved to Beverwyck (now Albany). Bleecker became a successful trader and merchant, and was also involved in land speculation. When Albany received its city charter in 1686 Bleecker was appointed the first City Chamberlain (treasurer). In 1689 he was also appointed Captain of the Albany Militia. When Jacob Leisler led a rebellion against British authority in New York from 1689 to 1691, Albany was a stronghold of anti-Leisler opposition. Bleecker served as a member of the Albany convention that attempted to convince Leisler to allow British military supplies to move north from New York City in anticipation of a French attack from Canada. (These events took place during King William's War.) Bleecker was a member of New York's provincial assembly from 1698 to 1701. He also served as an Alderman, and was City Recorder (deputy mayor) from 1696 to 1700. He was appointed several times as a Justice of the Peace. In 1700 Bleecker was appointed Mayor, and he served until 1701 One of the tracts of land Bleecker came to own in partnership with several others was the Saratoga patent. Bleecker's portion included what later came to be known as Bemis Heights, the site of the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolution. Bleecker died in Albany on November 21, 1732. He was originally buried at Albany's First Reformed Church, and was later re-interred at Albany Rural Cemetery.