He was the son of Abraham Van Wyck (1738–1786) and Catherine (Van Cortlandt) Van Wyck (1751–1829; daughter of Lt. Gov.
Pierre Van Cortlandt). After the death of her husband, Catherine went to live with her children at the
Van Cortlandt Manor in
Croton-on-Hudson, the residence of her brother
Philip Van Cortlandt. Pierre Van Wyck graduated from
Columbia College in 1795. Then he studied law, was
admitted to the bar, and practiced in the courts of
Westchester County. As a member of the
Clintonian faction of the
Democratic-Republican Party, he was
Recorder of New York City from 1806 to 1807, from 1808 to 1810, and from 1811 to 1813. He was
New York County District Attorney from 1818 to 1821. On August 26, 1819, he married Alice Young. He was an
Assistant Alderman from the Third Ward for the term 1825–26. ==Sources==