Pierre Van Cortlandt (January 10, 1721 – May 1, 1814) was an American politician who served as the first lieutenant governor of New York.
He was first elected to the New York Assembly in March 1768 and served in that body as the representative from Van Cortlandt Manor until 1775. Subsequently, he was a member of the Second Provincial Congress, 1775–1776, and chairman of its Committee of Safety, 1776. He sat for Westchester County at all four of the Provincial Congresses and was chosen to preside over the last three; was vice president of the Fourth Provincial Congress, 1776; of the Constitutional Convention of the State of New York, 1776–1777; of the First Council of Safety, 1777, of which he was the president; a senator from the Southern District, 1777; president of the New York State Constitutional Convention, 1777; and lieutenant governor of the state, 1777–1795. On July 9, 1776, he was among thirty-eight delegates to ratify the Declaration of Independence at White Plains.
As a colonel, and later general, be commanded the Third Westchester Militia Regiment and later was advanced to be a general. Gen. George Washington ever referred to Pierre Van Cortlandt as his most trusted friend and ally. With NY Gov. George Clinton away from the state in active military service, Lt. Gov. Van Cortlandt had full charge of the revolutionary government of the state and directed its entire war effort. On November 25, 1783, this earnest patriot accompanied General Washington on his triumphant ride into New York City. He was made an original honorary member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati on July 6, 1784. In 1787, he was elected president of the state convention meeting in Poughkeepsie to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
Early life
He was born in New York City, the son of Philip Van Cortlandt (1683–1746) (a son of Gertruj Schuyler and Stephanus Van Cortlandt, Mayor of New York City from 1677 to 1678 and 1686 to 1688), and Catherine de Peyster (daughter of Abraham de Peyster, Mayor of New York City from 1691 to 1694 and Governor of the Province of New York from 1700 to 1701, and granddaughter of Johannes de Peyster, Sr.).
Pierre's uncle Johannes de Peyster, Jr. was Mayor of New York City, 1698–1699. His great-uncle Jacobus Van Cortlandt was Mayor of New York City, 1719–1720.
Residences
Van Cortlandt Manor
In 1697, King William III granted by Royal Charter, Van Cortlandt Manor to his grandfather, Stephanus Van Cortlandt. Originally, it was a tract stretching from the Hudson River on the west to the first boundary line between the Province of New York and the Colony of Connecticut, on the east, twenty English miles in length by ten in width, in shape nearly a rectangular parallelogram, forming, "The Manor of Cortlandt." The massive holding was acquired by direct purchase from the Indians, in part, by Stephanus van Cortlandt, a native born Dutch gentleman of New York, and in part by others whose titles he subsequently bought, this tract, together with a small tract on the west side of the Hudson River opposite the promontory of Anthony's Nose, which he also purchased from the Indians. The Van Cortlandt Manor House was built sometime before 1732 but was not any owner's principal residence until Pierre moved there in 1749.
Inheritance
In 1748, Pierre inherited from his father the Van Cortlandt Manor House and significant surrounding lands. He diversified and organized the Croton lands to develop income-producing tenant farms. Pierre maintained the Van Cortlandt Manor House and lands as a farmer/planter.