Philip van Cortlandt  [1749-1831]

Early Founder/Historic Leader

Portrait by Ezra Ames, ca 1810

 

Philip Van Cortlandt lived at the end of a chain of noted family members who had served their country well. His father, Pierre Van Cortlandt [1721-1814] was one of the originators of the State Constitution of New York State, as well as New York’s first lieutenant governor. Philip’s great grand father was Stephanus Van Cortlandt [1643-1700] who became New York City’s first native mayor, and served as mayor for two terms.

Philip Van Cortlandt was a colonel, who commanded the Second New York Regiment in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. At the end of the Revolutionary War, he was promoted to brigadier general for gallant conduct at the siege of Yorktown under General Lafayette. Following the War he served in the New York State Assembly from 1788 to 1790, in the New York State Senate from1791 to 1793, and then was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Republican and served in Congress from 1793 to 1809.

The Van Cortlandt family is well remembered and honored to this day for the many places named after them. Cortland County and the city of Cortland in Central New York, as well as the town of Cortlandt in Westchester County are named after the Van Cortlandt family. In New York City there is the Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, the Van Corltlandt House Museum, located in Van Cortlandt Park, and the Van Cortlandt Golf Course, also located within the confines of Van Cortlandt Park.

Philip Van Cortlandt lived to a ripe old age. He passed away at the advanced age of 81 at the Van Cortlandt Manor, Croton on Hudson, in Westchester County, New York on November 21, 1831. He was interred in Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill, New York.

 

 

REFERENCES

Philip Van Cortlandt, Wikipedia

Van Cortlandt, Wikipedia

Van Cortlandt Park, Wikipedia

Van Cortlandt, Philip [1749-1831], Congressional Biographies