THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT. IOI 



putting the city in a state of defence. 05 In a tax list for the city of 

 NewYork, A,D., 1674, the estate of Oloff Stevensen Van Cortlandt 

 is assessed at 45,000 guilders; his eldest son's, Stephanus, at 5,000 

 guilders. b 



In 1664 the name of Oloff Stevensen Van Cortlandt, occurs as one of 

 the six commissioners appointed to meet the English Deputies at Gover- 

 nor Stuyvesant's house in the Bowery, to treat concerning the surrender 

 of the colony. 



Oloff Stevens Van Cortlandt died sometime subsequent to 1683, leaving 

 issue by his wife Annetje Lookermans, two sons and four daughters, 

 viz: Stephanus, Jacobus, (ancestor of the Van Cortlandts of Yonkers, 

 Maria, who marr. Jeremias Van Rensselear, Catharine, who marr. first 

 John Dewal, secondly, Frederick Philipse; Cornelia, who marr. Baronet 

 Schuyler; and Sophia, who married Andrew Teller. 



The Hon. De Heer Stephanus Van Cortlandt, eldest son of Oloff, 

 was born at the family mansion on Brouwer straat, New Amsterdam, 

 7th of May, 1643, and baptised in the Ref. Dutch church on the 10th 

 of May, 1643. This distinguished personage was the first Mayor of New 

 York, born in America. Upon the death of his brother-in-law, Jeremias 

 Van Rensselaer in 1675, he became one of the three administrators of 

 his estate, during the minority of Killian Van Rensselaer, (then twelve 

 years old). He engaged in the mercantile profession on the present 

 north-east corner of Pearle and Broad streets. His first appointment as 

 Mayor was at the age of 34 years, and was a high compliment to his 

 intelligence. He was sworn in Chief Justice of the Province 5th of 

 October, 1700. He was also a member of the Governor's Council, and 

 a Colonel in the Provencial militia. On the 14th of January, 1696, he 

 was elected senior warden of Trinity church, New York. As a compen- 

 sation for large sums of money advanced to the government he obtained, 

 as we have seen in 1697, a Royal Charter for Lordship and Manor of 

 Cortlandt. After a life of honesty, fortitude, and charity, he died 

 25th of November, 1700, leaving by his wife Geertruy or Gertrude, 

 eldest child (Guysbert having died in infancy) of Filyp Pictersen Van 

 Schuyler, and Magritta Von Sleecktenhorst, eleven children, who inter- 

 married with the DePysters, DeLanceys, Beeckmans, Schuylers, Skin- 

 ners, Bayards, Johnsons and Van Rensselaers. 



On the 14th of April, 1700, Stephanus Van Cortlandt made and pub- 

 lished his last will and testament as follows : — 



a M. S. vol. City Eec. N. T. 



b Moulton's sketch of New Orange, 1669, Stephanus Van Cortlandt in behalf of Oloff Ste- 

 phanus Van Cortlandt his father, applied for Letters Notary on Dan'l Whitehead, late of 

 Masbeth Kills, town office, N. Y., vol. i, p. 74. 



