Do we have two Van Ness families mixed up?
Early Albany Families project has Cornelis' father as Gerrit.
" Cornelis Van Ness was born in Albany about 1670. He was the son of Gerrit and Maria Van Ness. His mother died while he was a boy. His father was an Albany mainstay who re-married in 1677.
In July 1695, Cornelis married Maria G. Vandenbergh at the Albany Dutch church. By 1706, three children had been christened in Albany.
This Van Ness family set up their home in Albany where Cornelis signed a loyalty oath in 1699. However, his property does not seem to be valued on the Albany assessment roll for 1709.
In 1715, he was a member of John Schuyler's troop of horse.
Cornelis Van Ness is said to have been living in Halfmoon in 1720. However, he was not mentioned in the will filed by his father in 1715."
https://exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/vn/covness886.html
Under Gerrit, father, it says:
"Gerrit Van Ness was born about 1645. He was the son of New Netherland pioneers Cornelis Hendricks and his first wife, Maria/Maycke Van Der Burchgraef Van Ness.
In October 1674, he was among those invited to the funeral of Jeremias Van Rensselaer.
In February 1677, he married widow Maria Teller Van Allen. She may have been his second wife! He was the father of several children - none of whom were alive in 1715. He was a member and deacon of the Albany Dutch church.
In 1679, his name was included on a census of Albany householders. He was a wheelwright by trade but this Albany mainstay owned property in the third ward that was assessed comparable to that of a successful merchant. In 1699, he joined with his neighbors in swearing allegiance to the king of England.
From the 1680s on, he served the community as constable, firemaster, and assessor and was elected assistant and then alderman for the third ward. In 1702, he testified in court and gave his age as fifty-seven. In 1709, his third ward property was accorded a substantial assessment.
Gerrit Van Ness filed his last will in March 1715. It left his wheelwright's tools to his wife's son, Willem Van Allen. The will passed probate in June.
https://exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/vn/gevness899.html
