Jacobus Van Cortlandt

Jacobus van Cortlandt
30th and 33rd Mayor of New York City
In office 1710–1711
Preceded by	Ebenezer Wilson
Succeeded by	Caleb Heathcote
In office 1719–1720
Preceded by	John Johnstone
Succeeded by	Robert Walters
Personal details
Born	1658 New Amsterdam
Died	1739 Bergen, New Jersey
Spouse(s)	Eva de Vries
Relations	Van Cortlandt family
Parents	Olof Stevense van Cortlandt Annetje Loockermans

Jacobus van Cortlandt (1658-1739) was a wealthy merchant and the 30th and 33rd Mayor of New York City from 1710 to 1711 and again from 1719 to 1720. He was born in 1658 in New Amsterdam.

Jacobus van Cortlandt was born in 1658 to Captain Olof Stevense van Cortlandt (b. Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands, d. 1684), who arrived 1637 in New Amsterdam. Originally a soldier and bookkeeper, he rose to high colonial ranks in service of the Dutch West India Company, serving many terms as burgomaster and alderman. His mother was Annetje "Anna" Loockermans Van Cortlandt (b. Turnhout March 17, 1618) who may have been the person to start the custom of Santa Claus in America.

His parents had four children: (1) Stephanus van Cortlandt (1643-1700), who married Geertruy van Schuyler (b. 1643); (2) Jacobus van Cortlandt (1658-1739); (3) Maria van Cortlandt, who married Jeremias van Rensselaer (1632-1674); and (4) Catherine van Cortlandt, who first married Johannes Derval and after his death, married Frederick Philipse (1626–1702), the first Lord of Philipsborough Manor. Philipse was previously married to Margaret Hardenbroeck (1637–1691) and during that marriage, had adopted her daughter, Eva de Vries (b. 1660), who changed her last name to Philipse. Eva's father and Margaret's first husband was Peter Rudolphus de Vries (d. 1661).

Van Cortlandt purchased a parcel of land in what is now Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York, from John Barrett after the death of John's father, Samuel Barrett, around 1691. At that time, the plantation was considered Yonkers.

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