USA > New York > Schenectady County > Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., N.Y., for 1870-71 > Part 9
USA > New York > Albany County > Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., N.Y., for 1870-71 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
3.
62
TWENTY YEAR CALENDAR.
Almanac or Calendar for 20 Years.
CB
A
G
F
ED
C
B
A
GF
E
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
D
C
BA
G
F
E
F
E
D
1874
1875 |1876
|1877
1878
1879
DC 1880
1881
1882
1883
1
8.15 22 29
Sun.
Sat.
Frid'y.
Thurs.
Wed.
Tues.
Mon.
2
9,16 23 30
Mon.
Sun.
Sat.
Friď'y.
Thurs.
Wed.
Tues.
3 10 17 2431
Tues.
Mon.
Sun.
Sat.
Frid'y.
Thurs.
Wed.
4 11:18 25
Wed.
Tues.
Mon.
Sun.
Sat.
Frid'y:
Thurs.
5 12 19 26 . .
Thurs.
Wed.
Tues.
Mon.
Sun.
Sat.
Frid'y.
6 13 20.27
Frid'y.
Thurs.
Wed.
Tues.
Mon.
Sun.
Sat.
71421 23 .
Sat.
Frid'y.
Thurs.
Wed.
Tues.
Mon.
Sun.
Jan. and Oct.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
May.
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
August.
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
Feb., Mar., Nov.
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
June.
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
Sept. & Dec.
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
April & July.
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
EXPLANATION .- Find the Year and observe the Letter above it; then look for the Month, and in a line with it find the Letter of the Year; above the Letter find the Day ; and the figures on the left, in the same line. are the days of the same name in the month.
Leap Years have two letters ; the first is used till the end of February, the second during the remainder of the year.
63
ALBANY COUNTY.
: .
ALBANY COUNTY.
THIS COUNTY was formed Nov. 1, 1683, and confirmed Oct. 1, 1691. It was one of the original counties and embraced the "Manor of Rensselaerwyck, Schenectady, and all the vil- lages, neighborhoods and Christian plantations on the east side of Hudson's River from Roeliffe Jansen's Creek; and on the west side from Sawyer's Creek to the outermost end of Saragh- toga." The Manor of Livingston was annexed to Dutchess County, May 27, 1717, and by subsequent statutes, the County of Albany was also made to comprise all that part of the Colony of New York north and west of its present limits, and at one time the whole of the present State of New York. Tryon and Charlotte Counties, embracing the present Counties of Mont- gomery, Fulton and Washington, were taken off in 1772, Co- lumbia in 1786, Rensselaer and Saratoga in 1791, a part of Schoharie in 1795, a part of Greene in 1800, and Schenectady in 1809. The Manor of Rensselaerwyck was erected into a dis- trict March 24, 1772, and subdivided into east and west dis- tricts soon after the Revolution. The County lies upon the west bank of Hudson River, about 150 miles from its mouth, and contains an area of 544 square miles. The surface is undu- lating and hilly with a general inclination to the south-east. A narrow interval extends along the river, bounded by a series of steep bluffs from 100 to 180 feet high, from the summits of which the surface stretches out in an undulating and slightly ascending plateau to the foot of the Helderbergh Hills, where it reaches a hight of 400 feet above tide. This range of hills rises from 400 to 800 feet above the plateau, and 800 to 1200 above tide. Their declivities are very steep and sometimes precipi- tous, on the east, but slope more gradually towards the west. Several other ranges of hills, inferior to them in hight. extend in a northerly and southerly direction through the County. The highest point in the County is the summit of the Helder- berghs, in the. north-east corner of the town of Berne, and is 1200 feet above tide. All these ranges are ontlying spurs of the Catskills, which are a northerly continuation of the Alleghany Mountains and a part of the great Appalachian system.
64
ALBANY COUNTY.
The geological formations of this County belong to the Upper Silurian system, and comprise nearly all the rocks of the " New York System," from the Utica slate to the corniferous limestone. Above the rocks, in the east part of the County, are deposits of drift, consisting of sand, gravel and clay; and along the river intervals are rich alluvial deposits. The lowest rock is the Utica slate, cropping out on the Hudson, Norman's Kil and Mohawk. Above this are the graywacke and shales of the Hud- son River group, which appear in the valleys of all the streams which flow into the Hudson, and apparently underlie the entire eastern part of the County. This stone is extensively quarried for flagging and building purposes. The red rocks which form the base of the Helderberghs probably belong to the Medina sandstone series, though they have sometimes been confounded with the red shales of the Onondaga salt group. Next in order above this, and forming the first terrace of the mountains, is the water lime group, from 50 to 200 feet in thickness, and furnish- ing both water and quicklime. Next in order is the pentamerus limestone, 50 feet in thickness, and consisting of impure gray and black limestone, mixed with slate and shale. Overlying this is the Catskill limestone, from 50 to 180 feet in thickness, consisting of thick compact masses of limestone, alternating with thin layers of shale. It is quarried for building stone and lime. The Oriskany sandstone next appears in a stratum only two feet in thickness, followed by the cauda-galli grit, from 50 to 60 feet in thickness. This last has a fine grit and resembles black or gray slates, but is easily disintegrated and crumbles upon exposure to the air. The Onondaga and corniferous lime- stones next appear, the latter forming the summits of the moun- tains. These rocks furnish excellent building stone and a su- perior quality of lime. The surface of the eastern part of the County is covered with immense beds of clay, gravel and sand. The highlands west of the City of Albany are covered to the depth of forty feet with sand, which rests upon a bed of clay, estimated to be one hundred feet deep. In this drift are found small beds of bog ore and numerous chalybeate and sulphuretted springs. In the limestone regions are numerous caves, sink holes, and subterranean water courses, forming a peculiar and interesting feature of the County.
The principal streams are the Hudson River, which forms the eastern boundary; the Mohawk, forming a part of the north boundary ; Patroon Creek, Norman's Kil, Vlamans, Coeymans, Haanakrois and Catskill Creeks, and their branches. Most of the streams which flow into the Hudson have worn'deep gulleys in the sand and clay. Some of these gorges are a hundred feet deep and extend from one-fourth of a mile to a mile from the
65
ALBANY COUNTY.
river. In the western part of the County the streams generally flow through narrow rocky ravines, bordered by steep banks. These streams are for the most part very rapid and subject to extremes of flood and drouth, rising rapidly during a rain of a few hours, and as suddenly falling. There are several small lakes among the hills, but they are of little importance. The soil upon the intervals is a deep rich alluvial loam. In Water- vliet, Albany, and the eastern parts of Guilderland and Bethle- hem, it consists of almost pure sand, with strips of clay along the banks of the streams. The belt of land lying between the sandy region and the foot of the Helderberghs is principally a clayey and gravelly loam, and is very productive. Upon the Helderberghs the soil consists of alternate layers of clay, slate and gravel, generally with a subsoil of tenacious clay or hard- pan. Some portions are stony and other portions are wet, cold and only moderately productive. The principal timber is pitch pine, oak and chestnut, growing upon the sandy region. In some parts these trees are mere dwarfs, the region being very barren and unproductive. A limited amount of red cedar grows in the south-east corner of the County. West of the sandy tract are found the usual trees of this latitude, including the deciduous and evergreen.
The principal occupation of the people in the farming dis- triets is raising hay, spring grains, dairying, stock raising and gardening for the Troy and Albany markets. Manufacturing of various kinds is extensively carried on in Albany, West Troy and Cohoes, each of which places has also considerable com- merce.
The City of Albany is the County Seat and the State Capital. The Court House is an elegant structure faced with Sing Sing, marble and erected at the joint expense of the City and County. It contains the principal County and City offices. The build- ing is 109 feet front and 80 deep. It has in front a recessed porch supported by six Ionic columns. The Jail is a commo- dious brick structure, located on Maiden Lane, in rear of the Court House.
The Albany County Penitentiary is a fine structure, located in the western part of the City, on a site embracing about fifteen acres. Its erection was commenced in 1845 and was so far completed as to be opened for prisoners in April, 1846. It was constructed under the supervision of Mr. Amos Pilsbury, who has been its efficient Superintendent until the present time, with the exception of a few months in 1858. The main build- ing fronts the east and consists of a center and two wings, mak- ing the entire front four hundred feet. The center building is ocenpied as the residence of the Superintendent, his family and.
66
ALBANY COUNTY.
the subordinate officers. The rear of the second story is occu- pied as a hospital, and the third story as a chapel. The chapel is 76 feet by 43, finely arranged, with a gallery, and capable of' seating 600 persons. It is one of the finest prison chapels in the United States. The south wing contains the cells of the male prisoners, arranged in four tiers, one above the other, in the cen- ter of the wing, making, with the recent additions, 256 in all. The cells are each seven feet by four, and seven feet high, fur- nished with an iron bedstead which can be turned up against the wall during the day. The doors are of iron rods, allowing nearly as much light and air when shut as when open. Each cell has a distinct ventilator. The north wing is occupied by the female prisoners and contains eighty-eight cells, besides a large, pleasant workshop. The workshop and outbuildings of the institution are commodious and all surrounded by a sub- stantial wall. There is a library of over one thousand volumes to which the prisoners have access. Since 1851 there has been but one year during which the Penitentiary has not been self- sustaining, the aggregate income over the ordinary expenditures being over 8140,000. Convicts from the District of Columbia. from the United States Courts, and from many of the eastern counties of the State, are received here.
The whole number of convicts from 1849 to 1869 was. . . 19,421 Number of males, 14,426
Number of females,. 4,995
Of this number 2,510 claim to be temperate while 16,911 were intemperate.
The convicts of native birth were. 8,1:6
The convicts of foreign birth,. 11,305
The number who could not read was. 6.007
The number who could read only,. 4,489
The number who could read and write,. 8,925 The whole number of commitments during the year end- ing Oct. 31, 1869, was. 1,029*
The average monthly number of inmates, 355
The number of natives, 494
The number of foreigners, .. 535
The number who were temperate,. 165
The number who were intemperate, 864
Income over expenditures for the year, $10,153.83
Everything in and around the Penitentiary is kept in the best of order. The convicts are chiefly engaged in making shoes and bottoming chairs. The following Resolution, passed by the Board, will give an idea of the estimation in which the Superin- tendent is held :
67
ALBANY COUNTY.
" Resolved, That Gen. Pilsbury is not only entitled to the approbation of our immediate constituency, for the prudent and skillful management by which he has so long conducted the affairs of the Penitentiary, as to en- tirely relieve the County of Albany from any taxation for the board and safe keeping of criminals and vagrants ; but he also merits the gratitude of the whole people of this State for having practically demonstrated, that under his excellent management, large bodies of convicts can be strictly disciplined, safely guarded, humanely treated and properly managed and cared for in all respects, without cruel or unusual punishment, and without imposing any burden upon the public treasury."
The ordinary expenses for the last year were.
$39,301.28
The income for the same time,. 49,455.11 Leaving a balance for the year of. 10,153.83
The Alms House is located near the Penitentiary, on a farm of 104 acres. - The whole number of inmates is 480, of whom 114 were in the Insane Asylum.
The principal public works of the County are the Erie Canal, which opens into a basin at Albany and communicates with the Hudson at West Troy; the Champlain Canal connects with the Erie and with the Hudson River at West Troy; it crosses the Mohawk in a basin produced by a dam below the Cohoes Falls. The Erie Canal crosses the Mohawk upon a stone aqueduct above the Falls. The New York Central Rail- road and the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad terminate at Albany; the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad extends south- west through the County to Binghamton; the Hudson River, Boston and Albany, Harlem, and Troy and Greenbush Rail- roads are connected with Albany by a bridge across the Hudson. A pier about one and one-fourth miles long has been con- structed in front of Albany, opening into the river at both ends. It is also divided for the accommodation of the ferries, and contains elevators and warehouses for transportation pur- poses. The basin inclosed within the pier affords a secure har- bor during the winter for vessels and canal boats. Several bridges connect the pier with the City.
Henry Hudson is supposed to have ascended the river as far as the present site of Albany, in 1607. He commenced the memorable voyage on the 12th of September, and having pro- corded two leagues, came to anchor. Here twenty-eight canoes, full of men, women and children, came from the shore, bring- ing oysters and beans, and having "great tobacco pipes of vel- low copper and pots of earth to dresse their meate in." The t xt day the Indians " brought a great store of very good oysters alword, which wee bought for trifles." The river contained great numbers of salmon and other fish, which the sailors caught. On the 16th the natives "came aboord and brought us vares of Indian Corne, Pompions and Tobacco, which wee bought for trifles." "On the 19th the natives again came on
68
ALBANY COUNTY.
boord bringing grapes, pompions, beaver skins and other skins, which were exchanged for beads, knives and hatchets." "The one and twentieth day was faire weather and the wind all southerly, we determined yet once more to goe farther up into the River to trie what depth and breadth it did beare, but much people resorted aboord so we went not this day. Our carpenter went on land and made a foreyard. And our Master and his Mate determined to trie some of the chiefe men of the coun- trey, whether they had any treacherie in them. So they took them down in the cabbin and gave them so much wine and aqua vitæ that they were all merrie, and one of them had his wife with him, which sat so modestly, as any of our countrey women would do in a strange place. In the end one of them was drunke, which had been aboord of our ship all the time that we had been there, and that was strange to them, for they could not tell how to take it. The canoes and folke went all on shore, but some of them came againe and brought stropes of beads, some had six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and gave him. So he slept all night quietly. The two and twentieth was faire weather. In the morning our Master's Mate and four more of the companie went up with our Boat to sound the River higher up. The people of the countrey came not aboord till noone, but when they came and saw the savages well, they were glad. So at three of the clocke in the afternoon they came aboord and brought Tobacco and more Beades, and gave them to our Master, and made an Oration and showed him all the countrey round about. Then they sent one of their companie on land, who presently returned and brought a great Platter full of Venison, dressed for themselves, and they caused him to eat with them; then they made reverence and departed all save the old man that lay aboord. This night at ten of the clocke, our Boat returned in a shower of raine from sounding of the River, and found it to bee at an end for shipping to goe in. For they had been up eight or nine leagues and but seven foot water and unconstant soundings." The next day they began their voyage down the river and arrived at its mouth October 4th. The diary of their voyage is published in the Transac- tions of the New York Historical Society, from which the above extracts were taken.
Soon after this voyage of Hudson, a number of adventurers followed in his track and pursued a small trade with the In- dians. The most noted of these adventurers were Adrien Block, Hendrick Corstiaensen and Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, in the year 1614. Intelligence of the discoveries made by Block and his associates having been transmitted to Holland in the fall of 1811, measures were immediately taken to secure for
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ALBANY COUNTY.
themselves the exclusive trade of the countries thus explored, which was guaranteed to them by the ordinance of March 27th. A special grant was made to "Gerrit Witsen, former burgo- master of the city of Amsterdam, Jonas Witsen and Simon Mastersen, owners of the ship . called the Little Fox, Captain Jarnde Witt, master; Hans Hongers, Paul Pelgrom and Lam- brect Van Tweenhuysen, owners of the two ships called the Tiger and the Fortune, Captains Adrian Block and Hendrick Corstiaensen, masters ; Arnoudt Van Lybergen, Wessel Schenck, Hans Claessen and Barens Sweetsen, owners of the ship, the Nightingale, Captain Thugs Volckertsen, merchant in the city of Amsterdam, master; and Pieter Clementsen Brouwer, Jan Clementsen Kies and Cornelis Volkertsen, merchants in the city of Hoorn, owners of the ship the Fortune, Captain Cornelis Jacobsen Mey, master," who had united into a company for these purposes, "that they shall be permitted exclusively to visit and navigate the above described lands situate in America, between New France and Virginia, the sea coasts of which lie between the 40th and 45th degrees of latitude and which are now named New Netherland, as it is to be seen on the figurative maps by them prepared ; and to navigate or cause to be navi- gated the same for four voyages within a period of three years, to commence from the first day of January 1615 or sooner, with- out it being permitted, directly or indirectly, to any one else to sail, to frequent or navigate out of the New Netherlands, those newly discovered lands, havens or places within the space of three years as above, on penalty of the confiscation of the vessel and cargo, besides a fine of fifty thousand Netherlands ducats for the benefit of said discoverers." Having obtained these ex- clusive privileges they assumed the name of "The United New Netherland Company," and proceeded to make arrangements to draw the largest returns from their new possessions. They took possession of a small island a short distance below the present City of Albany and erected a trading house 36 by 26 feet. Around this they erected a stockade fifty feet square, which was next encircled by a ditch eighteen feet wide, the whole defended by two pieces of cannon and eleven stone guns, mounted on swivels and garrisoned by ten or twelve men. This post was commanded by Jacob Jacobz Elkens who continued here four years. In the spring of 1618 a freshet injured the Company's works on the island to such an extent that they were abandoned, and another fort was built a short distance south, on the Nor- tan's Kil. In 1623 the West India Company erected a fort on the west bank of the river, near the present steamboat landing, and named it "Fort Orange."
E
70
ALBANY COUNTY.
In 1629 a charter of privileges and exemptions was passed for the encouragement of patroons to settle colonies, and in the following year several wealthy and influential directors of the Dutch West India Company availed themselves of its advan- tages. Among these were Killian Van Rensselaer, a pearl mer- chant of Amsterdam. Having purchased of the Indians the title to the land, ne received a grant of about twenty-four miles from north to south, and forty-eight from east to west, lying on both sides of the river, north and south of Fort Orange, em- bracing most of the counties of Albany and Rensselaer. The charter gave him privileges similar to those enjoyed by the feu- dal barons of Europe. By the terms of the grant the Colony must contain at least fifty persons over fifteen years of age, within four years, one-fourth of whom must be located within the first year. In the spring of 1630 a number of colonists with their families sailed from Texel, and on their arrival at Fort Orange were furnished with comfortable farm houses, stock. seeds and farming ntensils. The land was leased at an annual rent payable in grain, beeves and wampum, or a share of the products. The proprietor received the title of Patroon and was invested with authority to administer justice either in person or by deputy, to appoint local officers and magistrates, to erect courts and take cognisance of all crimes committed within the Colony. He was allowed to keep a gallows for the execution of criminals, but if it fell during an execution, another could only be erected for another criminal. In matters affecting life or limb, and where the amount in dispute was more than twenty dollars, the charter allowed the right of an appeal from the local courts to the Director General and Council at Fort Amsterdam, but the local authorities required of all settlers a promise never to avail themselves of this privilege. As already intimated, farms were located in the vicinity of Fort Orange, and every fa- cility offered for the establishment of colonists. At the close of harvest every farmer was required to report the amount of grain he had for sale, and if the agents of the Patroon did not wish to purchase it, he was at liberty to sell it elsewhere. The same rule prevailed respecting cattle. The Patroon was required to erect and keep in repair a mill, and the settlers in turn were required to take their corn there for grinding. No person was allowed to hunt or fish within the limits of the Colony without a license, and if any real estate was for sale it must first be offered to the Patroon, and in case a person died intestate his property reverted to the "lord of the manor." The Colony gradually in- creased, and in a few years quite a hamlet arose in the vicinity of Fort Orange, called the Fuyck or Beversfuyck, and after- wards for many years Beverswyck, by which name the City of
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71
ALBANY COUNTY.
Albany was called until 1664. One of the most important aims of the founders of Rensselaerwyck was to secure the trade in furs with the Indians. To accomplish this all foreign and un- licensed traders were excluded. The Patroon and his partners were the only privileged importers of European merchandise, and the settlers were bound under oath not to purchase any peltries from the Indians without being duly licensed. Many of the settlers subsequently obtained license to engage in this trade, but all furs must be brought to the Patroon's magazine to be sent over to Holland to him, he retaining half of the profits as his share. A change was subsequently made so that the Pa- troon received only the sixth beaver, and one guilder on each of the remaining five-sixths. This system produced competition, and the price of peltries increased nearly one hundred per cent. About the year 1640, the inhabitants of Rensselaerwyck, per- deiving the avidity of the Mohawks for fire-arms, and that they willingly paid twenty beavers for a musket and twelve guilders for a pound of powder, desired to share in so profitable a trade. The consequence was that large quantities of the munitions of war were furnished them, thus enabling them to become a terror to all surrounding tribes.
The winter of 1645-6 was unusually long and severe. The Hudson River closed the 24th of November, and remained frozen about four months. A very high freshet occurred in the spring, causing considerable damage. Among the remarkable occurrences mentioned in the annals of the "old Colonie" at this time, was the appearance in the river of "A certain fish of considerable size, snow-white in color, round in the body, and blowing water out of its head. What it portended, 'God the Lord only knew,' for "at the same instant that this fish ap- peared to us we had the first thunder and lightning this year." Scarcely had the public astonishment subsided when another monster of the deep, forty feet in length, and of a brown color, with fins in his back, and ejecting water like the other, came up the river. Some seafaring people at length pronounced the ani- mal a whale. It shortly after grounded on an island at the mouth of the Mohawk, and the people turned out in great numbers to secure so valuable a prize. Though a large amount of oil was obtained, the river was covered with grease for three weeks, and the air was infected with the smell of the decaying animal for several miles around. Several other whales grounded in the river further down, during the same season.
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