Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Rutgers, Henry

RUTGERS, Henry, patriot, b. in New York city 7 Oct., 1745; d. there, 17 Feb., 1830. He was graduated at Columbia in 1766, served as a captain in the American army at the battle of White Plains, and subsequently was a colonel of New York militia. During the British occupation of New York city his house was used as a barrack and hospital. Col. Rutgers was a member of the New York legislature in 1784, and was frequently re-elected. He was the proprietor of land on East river, in the vicinity of Chatham square, and in other parts of the city, and gave sites for streets, schools, churches, and charities. He presided over a meeting that was held on 24 June, 1812, to prepare against an expected attack of the British, and contributed toward defensive works. From 1802 till 1826 he was one of the regents of the State university. He gave $5,000 for the purpose of reviving Queen's college in New Jersey, the name of which was changed to Rutgers college on 5 Dec., 1825. See memoir “New York Genealogical and Biographical Record” of April, 1886; and “The Rutgers Family of New York,” by Ernest H. Crosby (New York, 1886).