Johannes Van Rensselaer

[1] Van Rensselaer was born on January 3, 1708, at the family estate, "Rensselaerswyck", in what is now Watervliet, New York.

[4] In 1740 upon the death of his father, he inherited Fort Crailo and became proprietor or Lord of the lower manor of Rensselaerswyck, known as "Claverack".

[1] During the later part of the 18th century, the Lower Manor was encroached on by New Englanders with Massachusetts titles to Van Rensselaer's lands.

He fought a prolonged legal battle with the Massachusetts title owners in the courts, which reportedly "took its toll on the aging manor lord.

[1] He died on February 21, 1783, and was buried in the Van Rensselaer Family Cemetery in East Greenbush, New York.