Col. Hendrick Rutgers (1712-1779)

Completed in 1755, he built himself a handsome home with bricks imported from Holland on his farm at East River near his brew-house. It neighbored the farm belonging to James de Lancey. As the city expanded, he developed the land and named some of the streets: Catharine (for his wife), Bancker (named for a son-in-law, now Madison), Bedlow (named for his other son-in-law), Henry (for his son), Harman (for another son, now East Broadway), and Rutgers Street for the family.