Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr.

Pierre Van Cortlandt Jr. (August 29, 1762 – July 13, 1848) was a United States Representative from New York. A member of New York's Van Cortlandt family, he was the son of Pierre Van Cortlandt, an early New York political figure, and brother of Philip Van Cortlandt, who was also a U.S. Representative from New York.

Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. was born on August 29, 1762 at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton, Westchester County. He pursued classical studies and was graduated from Queen's College (later Rutgers College) in 1783.

He studied law in the office of Alexander Hamilton and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice. He retired from his law practice and devoted his time managing his estate in Westchester County. He founded and was president of the Westchester County Bank at Peekskill from 1833 until his death there in 1848.

In the mid-19th century, he built Fort Independence Hotel below the site where Fort Independence once stood. Fort Independence had been built in August 1776, at the foot of Anthony's Nose, on the family's land on the north bank of the Annsville Creek as it empties into the Hudson River. It combined with Forts Montgomery and Clinton to defend the Hudson River Valley. Forts Montgomery and Clinton were started in June. Fort Hill Park, the site of Camp Peekskill, contained five barracks and two redoubts.

In 1792, 1794 and 1795, Van Cortlandt was a member of the New York State Assembly, and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Twelfth United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1811 to March 3, 1813. He was a presidential elector on the Harrison ticket in 1840

...
Wikipedia