American Patriot. He was an American Revolutionary War colonel in the New York militia, New York State legislator, civic leader, and philanthropist. Henry Rutgers' primary memorial is the State University of New Jersey, which bears his name of Rutgers University. Although long believed to have been interred in Belleville, New Jersey, a recent investigation by Rutgers University researchers revealed that he had been buried in and exhumed from two Dutch Reformed Lower Manhattan cemeteries, both defunct since the mid-1800s, before finally coming to rest in a mass unmarked grave in Brooklyn. The site, marked by a plain, flat concrete slab bearing only the initials D.R.C.-N.Y. for "Dutch Reformed Church-New York," would probably have pleased Rutgers, a modest man who insisted that "no fuss" be made at his passing. An unveiling of a bronze marker for his grave site was on June 14, 2008. Born into a wealthy, enterprising New York family with many political connections, he was the son of Hendrick and Catharine De Peyster Rutgers. In 1766 he graduated from Columbia University and became a passionate advocate of American independence, the cause for which he later fought and was wounded during the Revolutionary War. A bachelor, his post-war life was dedicated to public service and philanthropy. From 1816 to 1817 he resided in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he saved local Queen's College from insolvency. The college subsequently thrived, and in 1825 was renamed "Rutgers." He died 5 years later at the age of 84. Although Rutgers was never buried in Belleville, University groups have undertaken the restoration of its Dutch Reformed churchyard in tribute to the dozens of Revolutionary War soldiers buried there.

American Patriot. He was an American Revolutionary War colonel in the New York militia, New York State legislator, civic leader, and philanthropist. Henry Rutgers' primary memorial is the State University of New Jersey, which bears his name of Rutgers University. Although long believed to have been interred in Belleville, New Jersey, a recent investigation by Rutgers University researchers revealed that he had been buried in and exhumed from two Dutch Reformed Lower Manhattan cemeteries, both defunct since the mid-1800s, before finally coming to rest in a mass unmarked grave in Brooklyn. The site, marked by a plain, flat concrete slab bearing only the initials D.R.C.-N.Y. for "Dutch Reformed Church-New York," would probably have pleased Rutgers, a modest man who insisted that "no fuss" be made at his passing. An unveiling of a bronze marker for his grave site was on June 14, 2008. Born into a wealthy, enterprising New York family with many political connections, he was the son of Hendrick and Catharine De Peyster Rutgers. In 1766 he graduated from Columbia University and became a passionate advocate of American independence, the cause for which he later fought and was wounded during the Revolutionary War. A bachelor, his post-war life was dedicated to public service and philanthropy. From 1816 to 1817 he resided in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he saved local Queen's College from insolvency. The college subsequently thrived, and in 1825 was renamed "Rutgers." He died 5 years later at the age of 84. Although Rutgers was never buried in Belleville, University groups have undertaken the restoration of its Dutch Reformed churchyard in tribute to the dozens of Revolutionary War soldiers buried there.

Bio by: Nikita Barlow