Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr.

Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr. (* August 29, 1762 in Croton, Westchester County, New York, † July 13, 1848 in Peekskill, New York ) was an American politician. He was the brother of Philip Van Cortlandt U.S. lawmakers.

Career

Pierre Van Cortlandt took classical subjects and then graduated in 1783 from Queen's College (now Rutgers University) in New Brunswick (New Jersey). He then studied law at the law firm of Alexander Hamilton, was admitted to the bar and began to practice. However, he gave up his law practice soon, and devoted himself to the management of his estate in Westchester County.

Van Cortlandt decided to pursue a political career. He was from 1791 to 1792 and again from 1793 to 1795 member of the New York State Assembly. During this time he was a member of a committee who could decide on several formal defects in the gubernatorial election of 1792. The decision was made in favor of George Clinton. Later, he was elected as a Democratic -Republican to the 12th U.S. Congress. He worked there from March 4, 1811 to March 3, 1813.

Later in his life he became a presidential elector for William Henry Harrison in the elections of 1840. He was also the founder of the Westchester County Bank in Peekskill. He was from 1833 until his death in 1848, the president of this bank. After his death he was buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Cortlandt (New York).

Honors

The Cortland County in New York state was named after him.