Jeremiah Van Rensselaer Can't Help Reclaim Land
Updated 8/8/21
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer was an original member of the US House of Representatives and a Lieutenant Governor of New York.
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer
While today the city of Albany is known for little more than being the corrupt capital of New York, during the American Revolution it was one of the most populated cities in the British Colonies.
At the time, Albany politics were dominated by a handful of extremely wealthy families.
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer was related to most of these families.
When hostilities against Great Britain began to boil, Van Rensselaer helped turn Albany into a hotbed of rebellious sentiment.
Son of Liberty
During the Stamp Act Crisis, Van Rensselaer signed the Albany Constitution. This was an early (but important) protest against unfair taxation which established that city as a leading Patriot hotbed.
Soon thereafter Jeremiah joined the local Sons of Liberty. He was elected to the Committee of Safety (which prepared the militia) and Committee of Correspondence (for whom he would eventually serve as Chairman).
When the Revolutionary War broke out, Van Rensselaer was recruited to serve as a Paymaster in the Continental Army.
After the war, Van Rensselaer would go on to serve in the New York State Assembly. Additionally, when the US Constitution was ratified, Jeremiah became an inaugural member of the United States House of Representatives.
Louis Osmont
The most interesting thing about Van Rensselaer’s time in Congress was his involvment in the case of Louis Osmont.
Osmont was fleeing the French Revolution and purchased some land in Central New York. It seems, however, that the person who sold him this land was a trickster and did not actually own it.
American Charge d’Affairs in France, William Short, was asked to contact Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson to rectify the situation.
Jefferson asked Van Rensselaer to assist in remedying the situation, but unfortunately, Timothy Pickering had just worked out a treaty with the Native Americans in the area.
Despite his best efforts, Jeremiah could not reclaim Osmont’s property.
Osmont would later move to Philadelphia and make money as a successful merchant.
Lieutenant Governor
As for Van Rensselaer, he would lose his reelection campaign.
Returning home, he became a founder of the Bank of Albany. Though now defunct, the Bank of Albany played an important role in the growth of that city.
Eventually, longtime Governor of New York George Clinton would need a new running mate. He tapped Van Rensselaer whose years of dedication to his State paid off.
Jeremiah served as Lieutenant Governor for four years before Clinton replaced Aaron Burr as Vice President.
Van Rensselaer then retired to his countryside estate.
Here are some articles on other members of the Albany Sons of Liberty:
Goose Van Schaick Leads the Onondaga Expedition
Thomas Young Distracts the Crowd…So His Friends Can Tea Party
Leonard Gansevoort Skips the Annapolis Convention
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Want to read about the Rensselaer Family?
‘Fort Crailo and the Van Rensselaers’ discusses the family home which led to the city that keeps their name today.
If you’d like a precious copy for your very own you can through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).
