"When his blood is shed upon the block, let it have a voice afterward, that may speak his innocency and strengthen the faith of thy servants in the truth."

The government took notice of the sympathy and interest excited by this execution, and restored to the family Mr. Vane's

estates.

"He was a man of extraordinary parts, a pleasant wit, a great understanding, which pierced into and discerned the purposes of other men with wonderful sagacity, whilst no man could make a guess of what he himself intended. He was of a temper not to be moved, and of rare dissimulation, and could comply when it was not seasonable to contradict, without losing ground by the condescension."

"His personal appearance was remarkable, impressing all who looked upon him with the conviction that he was an extraordinary man."

"Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old, than whom a better senator ne'er held the helm of Rome. . . . On thy firm hand Religion leans in peace, and reckons thee her eldest son."

He married July, 1639, Frances, daughter of Christopher Wray, of Glenkworth, in Lincolnshire; and had a family of eleven children.

STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER.

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, 1822-1828.*

STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER, the fifth in descent from Kilian Van Rensselaer, the original proprietor of a tract of land in Eastern New York, forty-eight miles in length by twenty-four in breadth, was born in the city of New York, November 1, 1764; died at Albany, January 26, 1839.

His father was Stephen Van Rensselaer, the proprietor of Rensselerwyck. His mother was Catharine, daughter of Philip Livingston, who signed the Declaration of Independence. On the death of the father, when Stephen was but five years of age, the care of the large landed estate, which fell exclusively to him by the rule of primogeniture, was committed to his uncle, General Ten Broeck. "For a while Stephen remained under the control of his excellent and pious mother-long enough, no doubt, to receive those impressions of the value of religious faith which were finally wrought into the texture of his character.".

Having studied at Kingston under Mr. John Addison, he began his academic course at Princeton College, New Jersey, and graduated at Harvard University, in 1782, when eighteen years of age.

His mother married in 1775, Rev. Dr. Eilardus Westerlo, “an original Dutchman," who was the installed pastor of the Dutch Church in Albany, and there for the first fifteen years of his ministry, preached in the Dutch language. After marriage, the parties lived for a time at the Manor, afterwards occupied "the ample parsonage of the good Dominie," in North Market Street. Having attained his majority, Mr. Van Rensselaer was in "Discourse," before the Albany Institute, by Daniel D. Barnard; "Discourse," by Rev. Dr. Vermilye; Drake.

STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER.

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possession of a large landed interest, much of which was unimproved. The Revolution had just passed, and left the country poor. By offering leases for long terms at a moderate rent, he succeeded in bringing into cultivation a good proportion of his lands, comprising the greater part of the present counties of Albany and Rensselaer. And by this management he found himself in receipt of a current income, sufficient for his simple tastes and habits, and those of his family, with something liberal to spare.

Mr. Van Rensselaer was a member of the New York Senate from 1790 to 1795; was elected Lieutenant-Governor of the State in 1795; re-elected in 1798; was Representative in Congress from 1823 to 1829. When an election to the Presidency took place in the House of Representatives, February, 1825, his vote determined that of the Delegation from New York in favor of John Quincy Adams.

During the last war with England he commanded as MajorGeneral on the Niagara frontier.

"It was in the spring of 1787, when in his twenty-third year, with wealth enough to lay the world under contribution for whatever it can afford for the gratification of appetite and passion, that he deliberately chose, by a formal profession of religious faith, to pledge himself to a life of temperance, truth and purity. He united with the North Dutch Church in the city of Albany, and continued a communicant for more than half a century." Says Rev. Dr. Vermilye of Mr. Van Rensselaer: "The views of truth he adopted were those usually denominated Calvinistic. While he regarded his last severe visitations as fatherly inflictions he would say with emotion, I thank thee, Lord, for weaning me from the world!' A member of his family remarked to me, ‘He read his Bible more regularly and constantly than any person I ever knew."

Mr. Van Rensselaer founded and endowed in the city of Troy the Rensselaer Institute; and was a large contributor to the benevolent organizations of the day. Says his biographer: "It is nearly certain, that he fed more that were hungry, and warmed more that were cold, than any other man living among us in his

Mr. Van Rensselaer married first, Margaret, the third daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler, by whom he had three children; second, Cornelia, only daughter of Judge William Patterson, of New Jersey, by whom he had nine children.

ABRAHAM VAN VECHTEN.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF NEW YORK, 1810, 1813–1815.*

ABRAHAM VAN VECHTEN was born at Catskill, N. Y., December 5, 1752; died in Albany, May 10, 1823.

He was educated at the Kingston Academy, studied law with Chancellor Lansing, of Albany, and commenced practice in that city. He was elected to the Senate of the State in 1798, and for many.years held a seat in one of the two branches of the LegislaHe served as Attorney-General of the State in 1810 and from 1813 to 1815,

ture.

From 1797 until 1823, he held the office of Regent of the New York University. .

He was a man of vigorous intellect, sound judgment, and extensive learning in jurisprudence. He was known as the "father of the New York Bar," being the first lawyer admitted to practice after the adoption of the State Constitution.

Mr. Van Vechten early made a public profession of religion, and connected himself with the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Albany. "He was a sincere and exemplary Christian. He loved the Bible and prayer and the ordinances of the house of God."

* Appleton; "Appendix to Historical Discourse," by Rev. Dr. Rogers.