The John Nicholas Bleecker was born in August 1739, the son of Albany businessman Nicholas Bleecker, Jr. and his wife, Margarita Roseboom Bleecker. When the American Revolution began in 1775, Bleecker was elected to represent the second ward on the Albany Committee of Safety, Protection and Correspondence.
He was commissioned in a militia company and while serving in the Commissary Department of the Northern Army he was involved in the removal of the cannon from Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. Bleecker died in October 1825 at the age of 87.
Albany Rural Cemetery will host the Mohawk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Saturday, May 7th, to dedicate a grave marker for Bleecker.
The ceremony will begin at 11 am at the Bleecker family plot (Section 32, Lot 9) and will include the VenDerwerker family (descendants of John N. Bleecker), members of the Mohawk Chapter of the D.A.R., representative of the Cemetery, Sons of the American Revolution, and the Village Volunteers Fife & Drum Corps.
Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Albany Rural Cemetery in The Chapel following the ceremony. It will be held rain or shine and attendees are asked to wear appropriate walking shoes as some areas are not paved.
The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required, but encouraged. To register, email Paula Lemire at paula@albanyruralcemetery.org or Mary Durgee at marydurg@gmail.com.
Photo of Albany Rural Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot provided.
Leave a Reply