In 1643, Arent van Curler farmed the Flatts but dreamed of land beyond the pines. By 1660, he founded Schenectady; the Flatts later passed to Philip Schuyler.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1887–1944), son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was an American military officer, businessman, and public official. A veteran of both World Wars, he earned the Medal of Honor for leadership during the D-Day landings and previously served as Governor of Puerto Rico and Governor-General of the Philippines.
In 1644, Arent van Curler delayed his return to New Netherland, securing a six-year lease to the Flatts. There, he built a thriving farm—despite wolves, runaway pigs, and hard decisions.
James Roosevelt (1907–1991) was an American Marine Corps officer, businessman, and politician, and the eldest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. A decorated World War II Marine and Navy Cross recipient, he later served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing California.
Arent did not wait for the patroon’s blessing to develop the Flatts. He built a house 30 feet long for carpenters and farmhands. His men planted oats on a dozen morgens of land. By the next autumn he hoped for as much grain as the best farm in the Colony.
Robert Barnwell Roosevelt (1829–1906) was an American lawyer, conservationist, diplomat, and politician. An uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt, he served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives and later became U.S. Minister to the Netherlands, while also advocating for conservation and the protection of waterways.
Arent van Curler was a 17th-century Dutch settler known for his fair dealings with Indigenous peoples, he played a key role in expanding Dutch influence in New Netherland beyond the Hudson River Valley.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), the 26th President of the United States, became the youngest president in American history after the assassination of William McKinley in 1901. Known for his energy and reform agenda, he championed conservation, trust-busting, consumer protection, and international diplomacy, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War.
In 1631, Dutch investors established the patroonship of Swaanendael on Delaware Bay, hoping to profit from whales. Despite earlier claims, Dutch settlement lagged due to prosperity back home and colonization risks.
Nicholas Roosevelt (1767–1854) was an American inventor and engineer who helped develop early steamboat technology. He introduced the vertical paddle wheel used on riverboats and worked with Robert Livingston and Robert Fulton on the steamboat New Orleans, helping launch the era of Mississippi River steam navigation.
