People

Park volunteers dressed in antebellum period clothing.

National Park Service

During Martin Van Buren's twenty-one year residency at Lindenwald, an intriguing collection of people lived within his home and in the nearby communities. There was a stream of family, politicians, friends, guests and children constantly coming and going. Additionally, there was a ever-changing mix of domestic and agricultural employees. Together they represented a diverse cross section of American society. To read some of the people associated with Lindenwald and President Van Buren, explore the links below:

 

The Van Burens

 

Daguerreotype portrait of Hon. Martin Van Buren, taken at Philadelphia, Penn., 1849

Daguerreotype portrait of Hon. Martin Van Buren, taken at Philadelphia, Penn., 1849-1850, by the photographer Mathew Brady. Courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University

Martin Van Buren – Last of the Founding Fathers?

Though history may not remember him as a Founding Father, Van Buren was an influential and instrumental member of the second generation of politicians tasked with making the experiment in self government into a working reality.

Wikimedia

The Van Buren Boys

Martin and Hannah Van Buren had four sons who lived into adulthood: Abraham, John, Martin Jr., and Smith Thompson. Check out their individual biographies to learn more about their personalities, accomplishments, and families.

 

Residents of Lindenwald

 

NPS Photo

Peter Van Ness

A judge and a Revolutionary War veteran, Peter Van Ness was the original owner of Lindenwald, then called Kleinrood.

 

National Portrait Collection

William Van Ness

A lawyer and contemporary of Martin Van Buren, Van Ness famously served as Aaron Burr’s second in the duel between him and Alexander Hamilton.

 

19th Century Figures:

 

Matthew Harris Jouett

Richard Mentor Johnson

Johnson was a politician from Kentucky and the 9th Vice President of the United States, serving under the Van Buren administration.

 

Francis D'Avignon

Benjamin Franklin Butler

Benjamin Butler was a lawyer and politician from the state of New York, and an ally of Martin Van Buren.

 

University of Sheffield

"Lindmania:" 19th Century Entertainment

Although the entertainment landscape was in many ways different from our own, there were many entertainers, musicians, and actors who captured the admiration of fans in Martin Van Buren’s time. Find out if you recognize any of them!