Under varied spellings, "Reightor," "Reighter," "Righter" and Rector, this family appears in the early history of the counties of Dutchess and Columbia. One of the early settlers of the town of Benton, Yates county, New York, was Andrew Rector, of Copake (originally Taghkanick), Columbia county, born in 1762. He married Charity Rockefellow, of the same place, and they had nine children all of whom married and left a numerous posterity. A son of the same generation as Andrew was:
(I) Jacob Rector was born in Kinderhook, Columbia county, New York, about 1780. He married Catherine Whittier, and after the birth of two of his children settled in the town of Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, where he died about 1822. He is buried in Kinderhook. His widow married (second) Cornelius Vedder, who died at the age of sixty and is buried in the burying ground of the Dutch Reformed church in Scotia. Catherine Rector-Vedder outlived both her husbands, and is buried in the Scotia graveyard. Jacob Rector was a farmer, and both he and his wife were pious, God-fearing people, members of the Dutch church. Children:
- Angeline, married and had issue;
- Jeremiah, unmarried;
- William, see forward.
(II) William, youngest child of Jacob and Catherine (Whittier) Rector, was born in Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, October 10, 1818. He was about five years of age when his father died. He was educated in the Glenville and Albany public schools. He began business life as a clerk in a store in Albany, and rose so rapidly that in 1850 he was junior partner of Tucker, Crawford & Rector, importers and dealers in glass, crockery and Queensware, Albany, with a large store on Broadway. He continued there in successful business until 1862, when he retired from the firm and located on the homestead farm in Glenville. In 1875 he purchased a house on Front street, Schenectady, where he resided until his death. He was well known and greatly beloved, dignified, courteous and charitable. He was the perfect type of a Christian gentleman. He was originally a member of the Dutch Reformed church, but in later years became a Presbyterian that he might be more nearly in accord with his wife's religious views and both worship in the same church. He was a Democrat politically, but his retiring, modest disposition was opposed to his seeking public office. He married, in Glenville, in 1845, Margaret Van Patten, born in that town, March 23, 1822, died in Schenectady, January 22, 1906, daughter of Cornelius and Nancy (Cuyler) Van Patten. Cornelius Van Patten died in Glenville at the age of fifty, and Nancy (Cuyler) Van Patten died at the age of seventy. Their children were:
- Margaret, who married William Rector.
- Elizabeth, married Samuel Freeman, both deceased; living issue Oakley F. and Fred B. Freeman, both of New York City.
- Rebecca, died unmarried.
- Jane, died unmarried at an advanced age.
- Adam, died young.
- Adam (2), married and removed to Salem, Oregon, where he died. Adam, deceased, was a retired farmer at the time of his death.
- Volkert, a prosperous merchant tailor of Port Jervis, New York.
Cornelius Van Patten was a descendant of Claas Frederickse Van Patten, of Albany, born in Holland, May 30, 1641, died in Albany, October 3, 1728; settled in Schenectady in 1664 and hired William Teller's bouwery. In 1668 he bought, in company with Cornelius Viele, the bouwery of Martin Cornelise Van Isselsteyn, a property that long remained in the family. In 1683-84 he owned a farm at Papsknee, below Albany. In 1690 he was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Leisler. He married Aeffie, daughter of Arent and Catalyntje (De Vos) Bradt. They had seven children, and are the progenitors of the family in the Mohawk Valley. Nancy Cuyler, wife of Cornelius Van Patten, was a descendant of Hendrick Cuyler, born in 1637, who came to Albany about 1664, died in 1691. His wife Anna died in 1703. They had five children. William and Margaret (Van Patten) Rector had five children, three of whom, Alonzo, Madison and Clarence C., died in childhood. Their fourth child was Emma, see forward. Anna Cuyler, the youngest child, married Professor J. M. Furman, principal of the "Irving School," Tarrytown, New York, and has two daughters: Rae-Alcha and Helen Cuyler Freeman.
(III) Emma, eldest daughter of William and Margaret (Van Patten) Rector, was born in Albany, New York, and educated in the public schools. She was her father's devoted homekeeper, and retains her residence in the Schenectady home on Front street. She is a member of the Presbyterian church and other organizations.