Surgeon Cornelis van Dyck
His Early Life
Medical Education
Career
Children
References
The founder and ancestor of the Albany and upstate van Dyck families was Cornelis van Dyck. He was born to Hendrick van Dyck and Duvertje Cornelise in New Amsterdam 10 March 1642 and was baptized in the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church on 16 March 1642.
After receiving all possible instruction with that early
educator, Adriaen Jansen van Olfendam, his father sent him in
1657 to Beverwyck to study surgery and medicine with Doctor Jacob
de Hinsse who was attached to the military force at Fort Orange. [top]
Under prevailing regulations it was necessary for a prospective surgeon to serve an apprenticeship before receiving the authority to practice. Accordingly de Hinsse issued the following certificate or deposition.
On this day, the 14th of June 1661, appeared before me, Dirck van Schelluyne, notary public, and before the hereinafter named witnesses, Mr. Jacob de Hinsse, chirurgeon in the village of Beverwyck near Fort Orange, who hereby declares it to be the real truth that Cornelis van Dyck, son of the honorable Hendrick van Dyck, late Fiscal of this province of New Netherland, has served him honestly and faithfully for the space of four successive years, ending the 10th of this present month of June, having performed service in the art of surgery and what appertains thereto as well as otherwise, well and faithfully, to the satisfaction of the subscriber, and trained himself duly and honestly served out his apprenticeship, in consequence of which the subscriber thanks him for his faithful service and the respect and consideration shown to him, as likewise he, van Dyck, hereby thanks the aforesaid Mr. Jacob de Hinsse for the good instruction and friendship bestowed upon him. And the subscribers asked one or more authentic copies hereof to serve as occasion may require.
Thus done and executed in Beverwyck in New Netherland, in the presence of Laurens van Alen and Jan Claesz Backer, traders here, as witnesses hereto called.
D. v. Schelluyne, Not. Pub.1661
As a sidelight, Ryckje van Dyck, Cornelis' sister, married de
Hinsse in February or March 1671. This was the second marriage
for both of them. He died 13 August 1671 and she married thirdly
Dr. Jacob Staats. [top]
Soon after entering his practice he married Elizabeth Laeckens of Albany, about the year 1663. She died sometime before 1682. He married in 1682 Elizabeth Beck Salisbury, daughter of Pieter Cornelisse Beck and widow of Capt. Sylvester Salisbury (1629--1680), commander of the Fort at Albany from 1678 to 1680.
An old Albany record states Cornelis van Dyck served for many years as almshouse physician of Albany, and was highly respected throughout the community. Based on this record he was not lavishly compensated for such service.
From the Fort Orange court records we learn that Cornelis van Dyck was a magistrate of the court, a member of the council, and also engaged in mercantile transactions. He is registered as the plaintiff, and occasionally as defendant.
He was likewise engaged in land ventures. He was one of a party of four who obtained by purchase from the Indians a large land patent now in the County of Saratoga. These lands were known as the Sar-ach-to-goe lands. They were purchased in 1683, and confirmed by patent dated 4 November 1684.
Cornelis van Dyck died in 1686. His widow married Capt. George Bradshaw in Albany on 29 October 1691. In 1692 she was again a widow and was deceased in 1701. [top]
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Updated 19 January 2004.[top]