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Johannes
Cuyler
Johannes Cuyler was born in New Amsterdam about 1661. He was the eldest son of New Netherland pioneers Hendrick and Anna Schepmoes Cuyler. He came to Albany with his family a few years later.
Johannes
followed his father in the fur trade and helped establish
the Cuyler family upriver. As early as 1680, the
young man was leasing a bake house in Albany. In
November 1684, he married Albany native Elsie Ten
Broeck at the Albany Dutch church. Between 1685 and
1709, their twelve children were baptized in the
church where both parents were prominent members.
Johannes
Cuyler prospered and sought acceptance in the Albany
community. His success was aided by family and marriage
connections back to New York City and by his willingness
to serve the Albany government and the Dutch church.
By the 1690s, he had taken over for his recently
deceased father in the Cuyler house on the east side
of Pearl Street. At the same time, he also remained
close to his mother who had returned to Manhattan.
Prior
to the establishment of Albany's municipal government
in 1686, Johannes Cuyler already had appeared before
the Albany court as a witness, plaintiff, and as
an attorney or representative for older family members.
In 1687, he began a long association with the new
city government when he was elected assistant alderman
for the second ward. He served until 1698 when he
was elected alderman and served until 1710. During
his time on the city council, he was concerned particularly
with Indian relations and the city's real estate
- overseeing development in Albany and beyond. In
1710, he was appointed recorder of the city.
Johannes
Cuyler also served on the provincial level. In 1705,
he was elected to represent Albany in the New York
General Assembly. With only two interruptions, he
was elected to five terms from 1705 to 1727. In 1725,
he was appointed mayor of Albany and served for a
year. Over a forty-year career, Johannes held virtually
every public office - some of them simultaneously.
Johannes
Cuyler filed his will on November 1, 1736. It made Elsie his heir for her lifetime and then provided for his two sons and six daughters. His property included the house and lots on Pearl Street where he lived for fifty years. He died on July 20, 1740 - almost living to his eightieth birthday.
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Notes: The
life of Johannes Cuyler is CAP biography number
546. This profile is derived chiefly from family
and community-based resources.
Church membership: Johannes was a deacon and elder and involved with church
finances. Between 1685 and 1735, he served as a witness
or sponsor in at least thirty-five baptisms. He also
contributed to the support of fledgling St. Peters
Church.
Johannes Cuyler's father was a known Leislerian. In 1689, Johannes was appointed
clerk of Albany by Jacob Leisler. Most successful
Albany people managed to avoid Leisler.
As late as 1697, he qualified as a freeman of New York City.
By Stefan Bielinski, Colonial Albany Social History Project [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany]
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