Aaron Vanderpoel (February 5, 1799 – July 18, 1870) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

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for three terms. He served from 1833 to 1837, and again from 1839 to 1841. He was a close friend of

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Martin Van Buren.

Early life

Aaron Vanderpoel was the youngest of six children born in Kinderhook, New York to Isaac Vanderpoel (1747–1807) and Moyca Vanderpoel (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Huyck, 1758–1827): Anne Vanderpoel (1785–1787), James Vanderpoel (1787–1843), who married Anna Doll (1782–1855) on April 7, 1808 (their daughter, Elizabeth Vanderpoel (1814–1844), married John Van Buren (1810–1866), the second son of President Martin Van Buren), Anne Vanderpoel (1789-1793), Elizabeth Vanderpoel (1791–1833), who married Lucas J. Van Alen on January 16, 1815, John Vanderpoel (1796-1851), who married Sarah W. Oakley on January 14, 1823, and was a judge of the

Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

in Albany, and Aaron Vanderpoel (1799–1870). Vanderpoel and most of his siblings were educated at Kinderhook Academy and

Lenox Academy Lenox Academy is a historic school building at 65 Main Street in Lenox, Massachusetts. Built in 1802-03 as a private academy, it was the first secondary school to open in Berkshire County. It was subsequently used as the town's high school, and ...

. Vanderpoel's maternal grandparents were Jacobus "James" Huyck of Pompaonie and Elizabeth Huyck (

Van Dyck) (b. October 17, 1758). His great-grandparents were Arent Van Dyck and Heyltie Van Dyck (

Van Alen). His paternal grandparents were Johannes "John" Van der Poel and Annatje Staats (

Nautje). On October 20, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, Vanderpoel's father, Isaac, was commissioned

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

of the 7th Regiment of New York Militia, the organization raised in the militia's Kinderhook District. After some time, he was removed from his position for

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to the American government. He then joined the British forces and commanded a company of

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

s on

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. During this time, he became very ill and purportedly through the influence of his mother, he was able to pass through the American lines and be brought home to be cared for. This was arranged with her relative General Pieter Schuyler. Upon his recovery, he returned to his company on Staten Island. After the war ended, his estate was confiscated by the government for his allegiance to the United Kingdom, and he was left penniless. After his marriage, however, he purchased a small farm in

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, about a mile and a half from Kinderhook Lake, where he died on December 25, 1807.

Biography

Vanderpoel studied law with Peter van Schaack before completing his studies with his brother James Vanderpoel. Vanderpoel was admitted to the bar in 1820 and commenced practice in Kinderhook, New York. He went on to serve as member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

from 1826 to 1830.

United States Congress

Vanderpoel was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1836 to the

Twenty-fifth Congress The 25th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 183 ...

. Vanderpoel was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the Twenty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841). He retired from Congress and settled in New York City. He served as judge of the superior court from 1842 to 1850. During his congressional service, he acquired the nickname of the "Kinderhook roarer" because of the power of his voice and his oratorical skills.

Personal life

Vanderpoel was married twice. The first time was to Harriet Baldwin on September 3, 1821, who died in April 1837. The second was to Ellen McBride on April 2, 1839. With Ellen, he had two children. He died at his residence on 16th Street in New York City on July 18, 1870, and was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery. The funeral service for Vanderpoel was held at St. George's Church in

Stuyvesant Square Stuyvesant Square is the name of both a park and its surrounding neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The park is located between 15th Street, 17th Street, Rutherford Place, and Nathan D. Perlman Place (formerly Livingston ...

References

External sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vanderpoel, Aaron 19th-century American politicians 1799 births 1870 deaths Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly New York (state) lawyers New York (state) state court judges People from Kinderhook, New York

Aaron According to Abrahamic religions, Aaron ''′aharon'', ar, هارون, Hārūn, Greek (Septuagint): Ἀαρών; often called Aaron the priest ()., group="note" ( or ; ''’Ahărōn'') was a prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of ...