How Did 10 of Utica’s Streets Get Their Name?

This former tanning pit owner was fortunate enough to have ten Utica streets named after him. Do you have any named after you?  Rutger Bleecker was a prominent landowner in the 1700's . One of the plots of land he owned was home to a tanning pit. Is that where our ancestors used to go and get bronzed and sun kissed? No, according to NYSM.NYSD.Gov:

Tanners transformed animal skins or hides into leather. The tanner stood between hunters and butchers (the suppliers of skins) and leather workers who made commercial products from the tanned hides. . Merchants also owned tanning pits and then tanneries.

Here are the 10 streets that were named  after him:

Rutger Street

Rutger

Catherine Street (Rutger's Wife)

catheirne

John Street  (Rutger's Son)

John

Elizabeth Street (Rutger's Daughter Her last name was Brinkerhoff)

elizabeth

Brinkerhoff Avenue (Named After His Daughter Elizabeth)

brinkerhoff

Mary Street (Named After His Other Daughter Mary Miller)

Mary

Miller Street (Named After His Daughter Mary MIller)

Miller

Blandina Street (Named After His 3rd Daughter Blandina Miller)

blandina

Dudley Avenue (Named After His Daughter Balndina Dudley)

dudley

Bleecker Street (His Last Name of Course)

bleecker

Rutger also named other streets after his son-in law: Morris Miller, his grandson-in law Horatio Seymour,  and the executor of his will John Lansing.