. ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁son ▁of ▁Ger rit ▁Ban cker ▁( 1 6 3 5 – 1 6 9 1 ), ▁a ▁pione er ▁fur ▁tr ader , ▁and ▁L ys bet ▁" El iz abeth " ▁Van ▁E pp s ▁( 1 6 3 0 – 1 6 9 1 ), ▁a ▁tr ader ' s ▁daughter ▁with ▁t ies ▁to ▁the ▁Moh awk ▁Valley . ▁ ▁His ▁younger ▁sister , ▁Anna ▁Ban cker ▁( 1 6 7 0 – 1 7 4 0 ), ▁married ▁Johannes ▁de ▁Pe yst er , ▁the ▁Mayor ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 6 9 1 , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁co - exec utor ▁of ▁the ▁estate . ▁Upon ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁mother ▁in ▁ 1 6 9 3 , ▁he ▁inherited ▁a ▁substantial ▁family ▁estate ▁that ▁included ▁hold ings ▁in ▁Alb any ▁and ▁New ▁York . ▁He ▁was ▁among ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Alb any ▁n atives ▁who ▁maintained ▁dual ▁res iden cy ▁- ▁being ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁" Fre edom " ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 6 9 7 . ▁ ▁Career ▁He ▁followed ▁his ▁father ▁in ▁the ▁fur ▁trade ▁and ▁used ▁his ▁ear nings ▁to ▁ac quire ▁land . ▁His ▁Alb any ▁house ▁was ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁South ▁side ▁of ▁today ' s ▁State ▁Street ▁just ▁east ▁of ▁his ▁father ' s ▁home . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Common ▁Council ▁- ▁serving ▁as