Bcekman who had no issue, had large families, and those of the sons were also numerous. And when to these were added the children of Stephanus's younger brother Jacobus van Cortlandt of Yonkers, and their wives and husbands, it will be seen what an enormous family circle it was, and will explain why at this day all these families now so widely extended, are by the marriages and inter-marriages, among their descendants, so connected together as to form an almost inexplicable genealogical puzzle. In no other American colony did there exist any such great kinship. It also explains why nobody can write correctly the history of New York under the English, witliout first making himself, or herself, the master, or the mistress, of at least the leading facts of this kinship of the different governing families of that Province.

The political Influence of these New York families is best shown by the following extract from William Smith's History of New York, a most ])artizan and prejudiced work, but which in this instance can. be relied on, as the language is that of a political enemy, and was written to explain the worstingof his own side in the party contestof the day to whicii it refers. Speaking of the New York Assembly of 17r)2, and the influence of Chief Justice James de Laiiccy, Smith says, " It may gratify the curiosity of the reader to know, that of the Members of this Assembly Mr. Chief Justice De Lancey was nephew to Col. Beekinan, brother to Peter De Lancey, brotlier-in-law of John Watts, cousin to Philij) Verplanck and John Ba])tist Van Rensselaer; that Mr. Jones the Speaker, .Mr. Richard, Mr. Walton, Mr. Cruger, JMr. Philipse, Mr. Winne, and Mr. Le Count, were of his most intimate acquaintances ; and that these twelve, of the twenty-seven, which composed the whole house, held his character in the highest esteem.