Abraham Van Vechten

Abraham Van Vechten was born on December 5, 1762, in Catskill, Albany County (now Greene County), New York. He was the son of Dutch Americans Teunis Van Vechten (1707–1785) and Judikje "Judith" Ten Broeck (1721–1783). ==Career==

In 1792, he was elected one of the first directors of the Bank of Albany. ==Public office==

From 1797 to 1808, Van Vechten served as Recorder of the City of Albany. Concurrently, he was a member of the New York State Senate, serving in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th New York State Legislatures from 1798 to 1805, representing the Eastern District, which included Washington, Clinton, Rensselaer, Albany and Saratoga counties. His successor was Martin Van Buren, who later became the 8th President of the United States. After serving as Attorney General of New York, he was elected to return to the State Senate, serving in the 39th, 40th, 41st and 42nd New York State Legislatures from 1816 to 1819, representing the Middle District, which included Albany, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties. In 1821, he was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention, where he opposed the extension of the franchise. From 1797 to 1823, he was a regent of the University of the State of New York. In the 1828 presidential election, Van Vechten was a presidential elector, voting for the 6th President, John Quincy Adams and Richard Rush. ==Personal life==

In 1784, he married Catharina Schuyler (1766–1820), eldest daughter of Philip P. Schuyler (1736–1808) of the prominent Schuyler family. She grew up on her father's farm in the Schuyler Flatts section of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. Catharina was the great-granddaughter of Pieter Schuyler (1657–1724), the first mayor of Albany, and Maria Van Rensselaer, daughter of Jeremias Van Rensselaer (1632–1674). Together, they had thirteen children, including: • Judith Van Vechten (1785–1799) • Phillip Van Vechten (1786–1814) • Teunis A Van Vechten (1787–1811) • Anna Van Vechten (1789–1857) • Elizabeth Van Vechten (1791–1878) • Gertrude Van Vechten (b. 1793) • Samuel Van Vechten (1794–1824) • Hermanus Van Vechten (b. 1796) • Gertrude Van Vechten (1798–1842) • Judith Van Vechten (b. 1800) • Jacob Ten Broeck Van Vechten (1801–1841) • Judith Van Vechten (1803–1825) Van Vechten died in Albany on January 6, 1837, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery. ==Sources==