US Congressman, Entrepreneur. He was a United States Representative from the State of New York. He was born in Ulster County, New York, on September 27, 1754. He was educated locally and attended the common grammar schools. Following his education, he engaged in mercantile pursuits and became a very successful businessman and slaveowner living in an old historical stone house in Kingston, New York. He then entered the military and served with the rank of Captain and Major in the Ulster County Militia of Ulster County, New York, during the American Revolutionary War. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Cornelius Corneliusen Schoonmaker (1745-1796), on March 4, 1793. A Member of the Federalist Party, he then served New York's 4th District (Third District), in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1795. During his time in the United States Congress, he was also a staunch supporter of then President of the United State President George Washington (1732-1799),'s administration. After leaving the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative John Hathorn (1749-1825), on March 4, 1795. He retired from politics shortly thereafter and resumed his mercantile pursuits until his death. He passed away in Kingston, New York, sometime in 1797, at the age of about 42 or 43, but the actual date is currently unknown to historians, and he was buried in the Old Dutch Churchyard in Kingston, New York. He was married to Sarah Dumont or Dumond Van Gaasbeck (1768-1837), in 1794, and the couple had one child together, a daughter also named Sarah Van Gaasbeck (1796-1850). His wife Sarah passed away in 1837. and his daughter Sarah passed away in 1850, and they are both buried in Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.