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 New York 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 Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party, he ...

Early life

Aaron Vanderpoel was the youngest of six children born in

Kinderhook, New York Kinderhook is a town in the northern part of Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 8,330 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous municipality in Columbia County. The name of the town means "Children's Corner" in the ...

to Isaac Vanderpoel (1747–1807) and Moyca Vanderpoel ( née 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 John Van Buren (February 18, 1810 – October 13, 1866) was an American lawyer, official and politician. In addition to serving as a key advisor to his father, President Martin Van Buren, he was also Attorney General of New York from 1845 to 1 ...

(1810–1866), the second son of President

), 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 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 ( née Van Dyck) (b. October 17, 1758). His great-grandparents were Arent Van Dyck and Heyltie Van Dyck ( née Van Alen). His paternal grandparents were Johannes "John" Van der Poel and Annatje Staats ( née Nautje). On October 20, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, Vanderpoel's father, Isaac, was commissioned adjutant 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 disaffection to the American government. He then joined the British forces and commanded a company of refugees on Staten Island. 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 Pieter Schuyler (17 September 1657 – 19 February 1724) was the first mayor of Albany, New York. A long-serving member of the executive council of the Province of New York, he acted as governor of the Province of New York on three occasions ...

. 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

Chatham Chatham may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Canada * Chatham Islands (British Columbia) * Chatham Sound, British Columbia * Chatham, New Brunswick, a former town, now a neighbourhood of Miramichi * Chatham (electoral district), New Brunswic ...

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

Biography

Vanderpoel studied law with

Peter van Schaack Peter Van Schaack (March 1747 – 17 September 1832) was an American lawyer, born in Kinderhook, New York. He studied law at King's College (later Columbia University); was a successful and well-respected colonial lawyer; collected, revised, and ...

before completing his studies with his brother James Vanderpoel. Vanderpoel was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1820 and commenced practice in

. He went on to serve as member of the New York State Assembly 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 The 26th 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 ...

(March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841). He retired from Congress and settled in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. 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.

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