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Johannes
(Hans) Hansen
Johannes Hansen was born in Albany in 1695 the eldest son of future Mayor Hendrick and Debora Van Dam Hansen. He was known as "Hans Hansen."
Following
his father in the fur trade that had moved beyond
the Albany stockade, during his twenties Hans spent
considerable time in the Indian country and was known
as one who traded with the French.
At
age twenty-eight, he married Sara Cuyler in 1723.
The first of their seven children was born later
that year.
Following
the death of his father in 1724, Hans became more
of an Albany-based merchant and was bolstered by
property derived from his father's estate.
To
the surprise of many, he was appointed mayor of Albany
in 1731. Although he had served as a constable
in 1721, this newly established frontier trader would
serve his political apprenticeship later when he
was elected second ward alderman first in 1736.
He was appointd mayor again in 1754, re-appointed,
and was in office at the time of his death.
Hans
Hansen made his will in March 1756 - noting that
he was "sound in body." It mentioned his two surviving sons and daughter but made his wife sole heir to his estate. He died a month later and was buried from the Albany church.
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Notes: The
life of Hans Hansen is CAP biography number 4954.
This profile is derived chiefly from community-based
resources.
By Stefan Bielinski, Colonial Albany Social History Project [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany]
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