In 1802 went to New York City and studied law with William P. Van Ness,
a friend of Aaron Burr; was admitted to the bar in 1803, returned to
Kinderhook, and associated himself in practice with his half-brother,
James I. Van Alen. He was a zealous adherent of Jefferson, and supported
Morgan Lewis for governor of New York in 1803 against Aaron Burr. In
February, 1807, he married Hannah Hoes, a distant kinswoman. In the
winter of 1806-7 removed to Hudson, the county seat of Columbia County,
and in the same year was admitted to practice in the supreme court.
In 1807 supported Daniel D. Tompkins for governor against Morgan Lewis,
the latter having come to be considered less true than the former to
the measures of Jefferson. In 1808 became surrogate of Columbia County,
displacing his halt-brother and partner, who belonged to the defeated
faction. In 1813, on a change of party predominance at Albany, his
half-brother was restored to the office. Early in 1811 he figured in the
councils of his party at a convention held in Albany, when the proposed
recharter of the United States Bank was the leading question of Federal
politics.
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