York and Philadelphia. The start of seventh Congress immediately followed the election of Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr by the preceding United States House of Representatives. Van Rensselaer went on to serve in the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh United States Congresses, serving until March 3, 1811. While in Congress, he was placed on the Ways and Means Committee. He was invited and dined at the White House with President Jefferson and President Madison, as well as at The Octagon House, the residences of Col. John Tayloe - a close friend of George Washington. He was associated with Count Fyodor Palen, the Plenipotentiary of the Czar of Russia to the United States, and Louis Marie Turreau, Napoleon's Ambassador to the United States. Afterwards, he returned to Claverack and resumed the practice of law. Personal life On January 27, 1791, Van Rensselaer married Margaretta "Margaret" Sanders (1764–1830), daughter of John Sanders (d. 1782) and Deborah Glen (d. 1786) of Scotia, and a cousin of his brother Philip's wife. Her sister, Maria, was the wife of Mayor Johannes Jacobse Beekman. Together they had five children, one of whom died in infancy: John Sanders Van Rensselaer (1792–1868), who married Ann Dunkin (1795–1845) William Van Rensselaer (1794–1855) Deborah Van Rensselaer (1795–1796), who died in infancy Richard Van Rensselaer (1797–1880), who married Elizabeth Van Rensselaer (d. 1835), and later Matilda Fonda Van Rensselaer (d. 1863) Bernard Sanders Van Rensselaer (1801–1879), who married Elizabeth Hum (d. 1834), and later Mary Targee (d. 1858). They lived at 112 State Street, a home built for them in 1801, at the same time Philip S. Van Rensselaer, the Mayor, built his home on the corner of Chapel Street (which was later purchased by Erastus Corning). Van Rensselaer died on June 18, 1845 in Albany, New York, aged 82, and was interred in a private cemetery at East Greenbush. Descendants Killian's grandson was Charles van Rensselaer (1823–1857), the first officer on the SS Central America, when it was lost during a hurricane in September 1857. References Notes Sources 1763 births 1845 deaths People from Rensselaer County, New York People of the Province of New York Killian American people of Dutch descent Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) New York (state) lawyers American slave owners People from Claverack, New York