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  • John Frederick Frelinghuysen

John Frederick Frelinghuysen  [1776-1883]
Military Leader

John F. Frelinghuysen [1776-1833] was active in the military during the War of 1812. He commanded the New Jersey State Militia at Sandy Hook. His unit was expected to prevent enemy ships from attacking New York City. At the end of the war he was promoted to brigadier general. During much of the remainder of his work life he was active in the legal profession.

John F. Frelinghuysen was a son of Frederick Frelinghuysen [1753-1804] who was a U.S. Senator and Revolutionary War general. His mother was Gertrude Schenck, another common Dutch name at that time. He was also a brother of Theodore Frelinghuysen [1787-1862], a U.S. Senator. His other siblings were Catherine, Maria and Frederick.

The expectations to be active in politics must have been significant as a member of the Frelinghuysen family. He never made it to the federal level but was active in politics at the state level. He represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Legislative Council, now known as the New Jersey Senate, from 1805 to 1814, and again from 1815 to 1820. He also served for three consecutive five year terms on the Surrogate Court for Somerset County, New Jersey.

Frelinghuysen graduated from Queen’s College, now Rutgers University in 1792. He then studied law and was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1797. Note that he graduated from college at age 16, and became a certified lawyer at age 21. He was either a rapid learner or longer school years were the norm.

John Frelinghuysen married Louisa Mercer in 1797. They had two daughters Gertrude and Mary Ann. Louisa passed away in 1809. He remarried two years later to Elizabeth Mercereau Van Vechten, another Dutch descendant in 1811. They had eight children consisting of Louisa, Theodore, Frederick J., Catherine, John, Sarah, Sophia, and Elizabeth LaGrange Frelinghuysen.

John Frederick Frelinghuysen passed away in Millstone, New Jersey on April 10, 1833. He was interred in the Old Somerville Cemetery in Somerville, New Jersey. He was 58 years old at his death.

REFERENCES

Various web sites including wikipedia.org  and freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com

 

E-BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON; GOOGLE: Kindle Store Pegels

 

PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICANS, CURRENT AND HISTORIC

EIGHT PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICAN FAMILIES: THE ROOSEVELTS, VANDERBILTS AND OTHERS, 2015

FIFTEEN PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICAN FAMILIES: THE VAN BURENS, KOCH BROTHERS, VOORHEES AND OTHERS, 2015

PROMINENT DUTCH AMERICANS IN U.S. GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, 2015

 

DUTCH PEGELS INVOLVED IN WARS

ALLIED EUROPE CAMPAIGN—1944/1945: TACTICAL MISTAKES, 2017

THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN THE NETHERLANDS: MEMOIRS, 2017

FRENCH REVOLUTION, NAPOLEON AND RUSSIAN WAR OF 1812, 2015

Dutch Treat

Financial considerations altered the original plan for a defensive work near present-day Wall Street

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Online Exhibits

Arent van Curler & the Flatts History, Archaeology & Art illuminate a Life on the Hudson

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Charting New Netherland How maps trace a growing knowledge of the land

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Books for Young Adults Several books that paint a portrait of New Netherland for young adults

History & Heritage

Peter Douglas's Totidem Verbis Dutch people, places, miscellany

History & Heritage

Dutch-Americans From Van der Donck to Van Halen

About the New Netherland Institute

For over three decades, NNI has helped cast light on America's Dutch roots. In 2010, it partnered with the New York State Office of Cultural Education to establish the New Netherland Research Center, with matching funds from the State of the Netherlands. NNI is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. More

The New Netherland Research Center

Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. More

 

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