Solomon Van Rensselaer

Solomon Van Rensselaer
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Solomon van Vechten van Rensselaer (August 9, 1774 – April 23, 1852) was a United States Representative from the state of New York, a lieutenant colonel during the War of 1812, and postmaster of Albany.

Biography

He was the son of General Henry K. van Rensselaer, who distinguished himself during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Fort Anne, and Alida Bratt, who named her son after her grandfather Solomon Van Vechten.

Solomon van Rensselaer was born in East Greenbush, New York, where he completed preparatory studies. He appointed as a cornet United States Army in 1792, was promoted to captain in July 1793, and then to major in January 1799, before being honorably discharged in June 1800. He was an adjutant general of New York in 1801, 1810, and 1813; and served in the War of 1812 as a lieutenant colonel of New York State Militia.

He was elected as a Federalist to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth United States Congresses, and served from March 4, 1819 to January 14, 1822, when he resigned. He was postmaster of Albany, New York from 1822 to 1839, and from 1841 to 1843 and a delegate from New York at the opening of the Erie Canal on November 4, 1825.

He died near Albany, aged 77. He was interred in the North Dutch Church Cemetery, in Albany, and reinterred in Albany Rural Cemetery. His home at Albany, Cherry Hill, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

References

• Solomon Van Rensselaer at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2008-03-21

External links

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United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Rensselaer Westerlo	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 9th congressional district 1819–1822	Succeeded by Stephen Van Rensselaer