Stephen Van Rensselaer III's life (1764-1839) spanned a period
of two distinct cultures. He was born into the aristocratic
tradition that contended that men of wealth were pre-ordained to
be the leaders of the people in governmental and cultural
development. He also lived a great span of his life after the
Revolutionary War, under newly developing republican principles
that maintained the position that men could achieve their utmost
potential regardless of wealth of family position. He was called
the last Patroon because in 1787 the Legislature had abolished
the right of primogenture - the exclusive right of inheritance
belonging to the eldest son.  When Stephen Van Rensselaer III
was five years old his father died and his uncle, Abraham Ten
Broeck, was appointed guardian of his interests. Stephen was
graduated from Harvard in 1782 at the age of 19 and came home to
Albany to marry Margaret Schuyler. She was the third daughter of
General Philip Schuyler of Revolutionary War fame and the
Schuylers were a wealth