John Church Cruger (1807-1879)

He was born in New York City and his mother was a niece of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. He completed his education in France before returning to the States where he briefly practised law. In 1835, he purchased an estate in Dutchess County that he named Cruger Island and where he settled down to live the leisurely life of a gentleman farmer. As a Republican, he was nominated for Congress but was defeated and did not try again. His obituary read that he was, "eminent for his public spirit, his intense patriotism, and his unostentatious domestic values". He was married to Euphemia White Van Rensselaer and they were the parents of five children.