20 April 2013

Van Rensselaer Family Plot in East Greenbush

Earlier today with warmer weather upon us, I decided to take a walk/hike to the original burial plot of the van Rensselaer family.  It is located in East Greenbush.  But it will not be found easily.  The only way to get there is to drive to Hayes Road (off Route 9J south to Castleton) & the railroad tracks.  At the tracks, you need to walk along the tracks for approximately 1 mile north and the small family plot will be found on the west side of the railroad tracks.

The plot is just off the tracks about 100' feet in and is surrounded by a wrought iron fence and gate.  I do not know if it is on private property or on property owned by the railroad.  There are many stones located within the fence.  Many are very hard to read.  I believe that many of these individuals have been re-interned at the family plot in Albany Rural Cemetery.

Some of the burials here include Killian van Rensselaer (died 1845), Gerrit van Rensselaer, Harriet S. van Rensselaer, Cornelius van Rensselaer, and Maria Genet wife of Cornelius.  Without undertaking any research I am assuming that Maria Genet is a relative of Citizen Genet (1763-1834) who was a prominent Greenbush resident who also lived in the vicinity of Hayes Road.


Citizen Genet home, Prospect Hill on Hayes Road in East Greenbush.  Could it be that this family burial plot was located on Genet's land?


Killian van Rensselaer grave stone.


Harriet S. van Rensselaer grave stone.


Maria Genet wife of Cornelius van Rensselaer.

A great summer project would be to find out who owns the property and contact them to ask if it is OK to clean up and restore this old family plot before it disappears.


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Location: East Greenbush, NY, USA

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous23 May, 2013 12:04

    I believe there is a group currently working on this project to rehabilitate the Van Rensselaer Cemetery. Check with the Town Historian Janet Whitbeck. You are correct that Maria Louisa Genet Van Rensselaer was the 4th child and 1st daughter of Citizen Edmond Charles Genet and his wife Cornelia Tappen Clinton Genet. She was born (according to Genet's journal in the NY Historical society), 14 August 1802 on the Jamaica, Long Island farm of her parents. She was the 2nd wife of Cornelius Van Rensselaer. They were married 21 May 1839 in the 1st Dutch Church in Albany and had 3 children, Cornelia 1841, Nicholas 1843 and Cornelius 1846. Maria Louisa died 19 October 1888. The first two children died young but I don't have all the dates. They are probably buried in this cemetery.I am currently researching Citizen Genet while working on a Master's thesis at Florida State & just presented a program for the Greenbush Historical Society on May 19th. Your interest in this family is well founded !
    Pat Riley Perrella contact: app08c@my.fsu.edu

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  2. Christopher White23 May, 2013 21:30

    Thanks Pat, I sent an email to Janet Whitbeck regarding the possible cemetery restoration project. If it materializes, I would help with it. If possible I would like to read your MA thesis when it is complete. I know the work that it involves (research, writing, and revising). I wrote my thesis on German-Americans in Albany. Good luck with your work!

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  3. Anonymous28 February, 2015 10:09

    any updates in regards to this information?

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    Replies
    1. Christopher White28 February, 2015 12:12

      Unfortunately, nothing has been done at the site. It is difficult to get to. A one mile northern walk along the railroad tracks at Hayes Road will get you there. Too cold too much snow. Also, I am told that it is on private property. With permission it would be much easier to get to if the property owner on Rout 9J allowed people to park on their property and then walk up to the gravesite. I do not know how willing the owner would be.

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    2. Wendy Schouten-Eades27 May, 2015 13:37

      Hi Christopher. Action Sign Company, LLC at 3276 River Rd. is the current property owner (my employer). It is the GREENBUSH Historical Society that has taken the project on. Maria is buried here. This was the original property of Nicholas Van Rensselaer. Please call me 518-479-0560 M-F 8-4:30. Thank you for your interest. I tried emailing you a while back, but no luck. Mine is wendy@actionsigncorp.com.

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    3. Wendy Schouten Eades27 May, 2015 13:42

      Christopher-Pat (above) did visit us here just last week & we shared some information as well. Thanks.

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  4. Unknown06 October, 2015 13:37

    Hi! I'm looking for some info on this cemetery and what gravestones remain there. I found out through find a grave.com that my 7th and 8th great grandparents were buried at the Van Rensselaer family cenetery. Any information would be helpful, I am planning on trying to find the cemetery with my mother in the upcoming week or 2. Thanks!!

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    Replies
    1. Christopher White06 October, 2015 20:02

      Unfortunately I did not transcribe the stones. Most of them are very difficult to read. There is supposed to be a rehab project on the cemetery. I don't know if it will ever occur. Feel free to contact me with some notice before you plan on checking out the cemetery. I can get you in touch with the person whose land the cemetery is on.

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    2. Unknown13 October, 2015 12:20

      Christopher, thanks for the info. I was going to try to find the cemetery this weekend. If you could send my info to the land owner that would be great. Email is the easiest way to contact me if that is possible for the land owner to do. My email is Kristinalyn24@gmail.com Thanks again!!

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