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Ryer
Gerritse Gerritse
Ryer Gerritse probabaly was born during the 1670s. He was the youngest son of Albany trader Gerrit Ryerse and his wife, Anna Jans. In 1694, his father bequeathed to him clothing and other personal items. In 1697, the Albany census found him living alone in a first ward home. Two years later, he joined his neighbors in signing a loyalty oath to the royal government.
In
April 1704, Ryer Gerritse married sixteen-year-old
Geertruy Lansing at her father's Albany house. Apparently,
their long marriage was childless. However, both
partners were members of the Albany Dutch church
where they were baptism sponsors.
This
lifelong Albany resident was a prominent fur trader
and involved in all aspects of community life. Constable,
firemaster, assistant, and first ward alderman (1727-35),
he was elected to the provincial Assembly in 1726.
During those years, he was an active member of the
Albany Commissioners of Indian Affairs.He lived near
the south gate and owned other city property as well.
In
1747, he wrote his will. Without other heirs, he
left his real and personal property to his wife,
Geertruy. Ryer Gerritse died in October 1752.
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Sources: The life of Ryer/Reyer Gerritse(n) is CAP biography
number 6011. This profile is derived chiefly from
family and community-based resources.
By Stefan Bielinski, Colonial Albany Social History Project [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany]
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