USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Gazetteer and business directory of Rensselaer County, N. Y., for 1870-71 > Part 15
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ยท Schodack Landing, (p. v.) in the south-west part of the town, on the river, is a station on the Hudson. River R. R. and con- tains a Reformed church, two hotels, and about 250 inhabitants.
South Schodack (p. v.) is a station on the Boston and Albany R. R., containing about 100 inhabitants.
Muitzes Kill is a hamlet on Muitzes Kil Creek, and contains about 20 dwellings.
Schodack Depot (p. v.) contains about twenty dwellings.
This town appears to have been visited by Hudson while on his voyage up the River in 1609, and was thickly inhabited by native tribes. When near the site of Castleton, he went on shore and was received with the greatest hospitality by the Gov- ernor of the country, who was Chief over forty men and seven- teen women. This Chief occupied a house made of the bark of trees, very smooth and well finished. Large quantities of corn and beans were found, sufficient, the early accounts say, to load three ships, besides what were still in the fields not yet harvest- ed. On arriving at the house two mats were brought forward and spread upon the ground for Hudson to sit upon. Food was
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also brought in well made wooden bowls and men were dis- patched with bows and arrows to bring in game. They soon returned with a good supply of pigeons, to which was added a fat dog killed and skinned with shells from the river. The feast was got up without regard to expense, and doubtless was relished by the natives, if not by their guests. The land is de- scribed as the finest ever seen for tillage, and timber in large quantities fit for ship building was growing upon its surface .- Pumpkins, grapes and other fruits were abundant. The na- tives exchanged furs and other articles for beads, knives, hatch- ets and whatever else the sailors could spare. When the Chief found that Hudson would not remain upon shore over night, and supposing that it was through fear of their bows and ar- rows, he caused the arrows to be broken and thrown into the fire.
The first settlements were made by tenants under Van Ren- selaer. Over forty settlers are mentioned in Bleecker's survey in 1767. Among them we find the names of Van Buren, Barhudt, Van Valkenburgh, Springsteen, Schermerhorn, Janze, Ketel, Poel, Miller, Schevers, Lodwick, Huyck, Beek- man, Mills, Molls, Salsberg, Witbeck and Nolton.
The first mill was built before the Revolution, below Castle- ton.
The first inn was kept by a man named Barhydt, in 1778. A carding mill was erected on Muitzes Kil in 1800.
The population of the town in 1865 was 4,015, and its area 36,666 acres.
The number of school districts having their school houses in this town is fourteen, employing fifteen teachers. The number of children of school age is 1,317; the number attending school 909; the average attendance, 378, and the amount expended for school purposes during the year ending September 30th, 1869, was $6,518.80.
STEPHENTOWN, named in honor of Stephen Van Rensselaer, was formed from Rensselaerwyck, March 29, 1784. Petersburgh was taken off in 1791, and parts of Berlin and Nas- sau in 1806. It lies in the south-east corner of the County. The surface consists of two rocky, mountainous ranges, separat- ed by the valley of Kinderhook Creek. The highest summits are about 1,800 feet above tide. The principal peaks are Round Mountain, and Whitney and Butternut Hills, east of the valley, and Brockway Hill and Webster Mountain on the west. Ex- tensive forests cover a portion of the town. The principal streams are Kinderhook and East Creeks, Black River, Black and Roaring Brooks. The soil is hard and sterile among the mountains, but a gravelly loam in the valleys.
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Stephentown, (p. v.) situated on Kinderhook Creek, contains two churches and about twenty dwellings.
Stephentown Flats, on the same stream, contains a cotton bat- ting factory, a machine shop and about twenty-five dwellings.
Mechanicsville, on Black River, contains a church, a saw mill, a grist mill, a brush factory, four turning shops and about twenty-five dwellings.
West Stephentown,
North Stephentown and
South Stephentown are post offices.
The first settlement of this town was commenced about 1766. Asa Douglas, his son William, and his grandson Benjamin, Na- than Rose, Elnathan Sweet and Joseph Rogers settled near the center of the town, and Joshua Gardner in the east part, at a very early day. Edward Carr settled near Kinderhook Creek, and John Mills, - - Husted, - Lewis, - Berry and others settled in the north part. Most of the early settlers were from Rhode Island.
The first child born in the town was William Douglas, a grandson of Asa, one of the first settlers. He afterwards mar- ried the first white female born in the town. The late Hon. Stephen A. Douglas was a descendant of the first settler. The first church (Baptist) was organized in 1782, under Rev. Justus Hall. Rev. Robert Miles was the first pastor.
The population of the town in 1865 was 2,026, and its area 33,538 acres.
The number of school districts is fifteen, employing the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age is 717 ; the number attending school 536; the average attendance 214, and the amount expended for school purposes during the year ending September 30th, 1869, was $3,528.57.
TROY was formed as a town, from Rensselaerwyck, March 18, 1791. Brunswick and parts of Grafton and Lansingburgh were taken off March 20, 1807, and a part of Greenbush in 1836. A part of Brunswick was annexed in 1814. The first village charter was passed in 1791, and another one in 1798. The vil- lage was formally incorporated by an act of the Legislature, passed April 2, 1801. This charter conferred limited powers on five Trustees, but the power of levying taxes was reserved to the voters. In 1805 the charter was revised and the Trustees were authorized to raise a tax of $1,500 for night watch, lighting streets, &c., and $1,000 for contingent expenses. The village
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contained four wards, each of which elected one Trustee, the President being appointed by the Governor and Council of ap- pointment. Edward Tylee was the President for several years succeeding the year 1805.
The City Charter was granted April 12,1816. Col. Albert Pawling was the first Mayor. A portion of Lansingburgh was annexed May 4, 1836. It lies upon the Hudson, near the center of the west border of the County. Its surface comprises the al- luvial flat, from half to three-fourths of a mile in width, along the river, and the high bluffs which border it on the east. The high land upon the east border of the City is known as Mount Ida, and that upon the north-east as Mount Olympus. Mount Ida is chiefly clay and has been the scene of several destructive land slides. Poesten Kil and Wynants Kil both break through these hills in narrow ravines, and in a series of cascades, form- ing an excellent water-power.
The City is quite regularly laid out, River Street following the general course of the river, and the other streets at right angles to each other. It contains many beautiful residences and public buildings, and is noted for the enterprise of its inhab- itants and its extensive manufactures. It also contains the County Buildings, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy Fe- male Seminary, Provincial Seminary, about forty churches, sev- eral extensive iron manufactories, paper and linen collar manu- factories, manufactories of optical and mathematical instru- ments, safes, cotton and woolen goods, paper, &c., and about 50,000 inhabitants.
The Public Schools are under the charge of twenty Commis- sioners, elected for two years, one from each ward being elected annually. The schools are divided into four grades, viz., Pri- mary, Intermediate, Grammar and High School Department, and are free to all residents of the City between the ages of five and twenty-one years. A school for colored children is estab- lished, affording facilities equal to those enjoyed by the mem- bers of the other schools. The number of teachers employed during the year ending Sept. 30, 1869, was 109. The number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years was 16,700 ; the number attending school, 10,420; the average at- tendance, 4,690. The number attending private schools was 2,183. The amount expended for teachers' wages, exclusive of the colored school, was $54,336.50; expenses of colored school, $1,906.62 ; the whole amount expended for all purposes,including teachers' wages, buildings, apparatus, &c., was $104,676.85. The number of school buildings is fourteen, all but one of which are of brick, estimated value $153,200. The estimated, value of school lots is $51,800. H
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The Troy Academy was incorporated May 5, 1834. It is locat- ed on State Street, corner of Seventh. T. Newton Willson is the Principal.
The Troy Female Seminary, is located on Second Street, ad- joining a beautiful park. The germ of this Seminary was start- ed in Middlebury, Vt., in 1814, by Mrs. Emma Willard. In 1819 it was removed to Waterford, N. Y., with the hope of se- curing aid from the State to establish a permanent institution. The expectations not being realized, and the school increasing to such an extent that no suitable building could be procured for its accommodation, it was removed to Troy in 1821, the City appropriating $4,000 for the erection of a building. It was in- corporated May 6, 1837, and received under the care of the Re- gents Jan. 30, 1838. It has been enlarged at several different times, and for many years has enjoyed a national reputation, re- ceiving pupils from all parts of the United States.
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, located on Eighth Street, at the head of Broadway, was established in 1824 through the liberality of Stephen Van Rensselaer. The Institute embraces four separate courses of study, on completing which the student is entitled to an appropriate diploma. The curriculum em- braces a course of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering and Natural Science.
The Provincial Seminary is a theological institution under the control of the Roman Catholics. It is located upon the high- lands which overlook the City, and occupies the spacious build- ing and grounds formerly occupied by the Troy University. The main building is in the Byzantine style of architecture, 259 feet in length, with an average width of 58 feet, and four stories high.
St. Peter's College is also under the control of the Roman Catholics.
The Troy Hospital was incorporated March 1, 1851. It was founded chiefly through the exertions of Rev. P. Havermans and is controlled by the Roman Catholics. The nurses belong to the Sisters of Charity. A new building is in process of erec- tion on Eighth Street, a portion of which is already completed.
The Marshall Infirmary for the insane is located a short dis- tance from the business portion of the City. It was incorpo- rated in 1851. The building and grounds, valued at $35,000, were donated by Benjamin Marshall, the founder.
The Troy Orphan Asylum was incorporated April 10, 1835 .- It was originally located on Grand Division Street, but during the great fire of May 1862, it was burned, and afterwards re-
-
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built on Eighth Street, in the north part of the City. The Asylum is supported by donations and State appropriations.
St. Mary's Orphan Asylum is an institution connected with St. Mary's Church (Roman Catholic). The male department is under the charge of " The Brothers of the Christian Schools," and the female under that of the "Sisters of Charity."
The Warren Free Institute, a school for indigent female children, was incorporated March 19, 1846. It is located on Eighth Street, at the head of Grand Division. It was founded and en- dowed by the Warren family. The Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross is connected with the Institute.
The Troy Young Men's Association was organized December 22, 1834, with the following officers, viz: John T. McCoun, President ; David L. Seymour, Henry Landon and Thomas Coleman, Vice Presidents ; John T. Lamport, Recording Secretary ; Giles B. Kellogg, Corresponding Secretary ; and Charles E. Seymour, Treasurer. The first rooms occupied by the Association were at No. 197 River Street. The first an- nual meeting under the constitution was held February 16, 1835, at which time the Association numbered 450 members .- The Library at that time contained about 1,200 volumes, in- cluding 600 or 700 volumes loaned by the " Troy Library." The Association now occupy rooms in the Atheneum Building.
The Reading Room is furnished with the leading newspapers from all parts of the country, and the principal magazines, re- views, &c. The Library contains about 18,000 volumes. The Association sustain a course of lectures annually. In 1862 Mr. Wm. R. Yourt made the Association a bequest of $5,000, $3,000 of which were, by direction of his will, expended in books, un- der the direction of his executors, C. L. Alden and John Yourt. The remaining $2,000 were to be invested in good securities, the interest to be applied to making additions to the Alcove called after Mr. Yourt's name. In June 1868, Mr. G. M. Tibbits made the Association a present of a fine bronze statu- ette of Abraham Lincoln. It was obtained by Mr. T. in Munich, during his travels in Europe. It is a reduced copy of a larger one cast for the city of Chicago. It is about two feet eleven inches high, and standing upon a neat pedestal three and a half feet high, forms a very suitable ornament to the Library. We are indebted to the Librarian, Mr. F. H. Stevens, for the facts herein contained, as well as for the opportunity to consult the Library during the preparation of this work.
There are several cemeteries in and around Troy, the largest and finest of which is.
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Oakwood, situated on an eminence overlooking Troy, Albany, Lansingburgh, Waterford and Cohoes. It lies chiefly in the town of Lansingburgh, contains many beautiful monuments, is laid out in good taste and kept in fine order. It is under the control of the Troy Cemetery Association.
Mount Ida, New Mount Ida and St. Mary's Cemeteries are lo- cated within the corporate limits of the City.
The Troy Water Works were built by the City in 1833-4, and have since been extended as the necessities of the City demanded. The water is drawn from Piscawin Creek, and the reservoir is of sufficient hight to throw water to the top of most of the houses. The works are under the charge of Water Commis- sioners, and the rents are charged to property owners and col- lected with the taxes.
The Troy Union R. R. Co. is composed of persons representing the interests of the Hudson River and N. Y. Central, Troy and Boston, and Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroads. A Union Depot was erected in 1853-4, 400 by 150 feet, walls 27 feet high, and a roof composed of a single arch. It had a tower 110 feet high, and four complete suits of rooms and offices. This structure was burned in May 1862. A new building has' been erected upon the same site and about the same size, though differing somewhat in style. It is located on Sixth Street, between Broad- way and Fulton Streets.
The Troy Iron Works, of Messrs. Burden & Sons, located in the south part of the City, manufacture nails, railroad spikes, horse-shoes, merchant iron, &c. The Troy Iron and Nail Fac- tory, incorporated in 1812, was the germ of the present exten- sive Works. Mr. Henry Burden became agent and manager of the Works in 1821, which at that time consisted of a small wood- en building, containing two water-wheels attached to a single pair of rollers for manufacturing nail and spike rods, and a few machines for making nails. Mr. Burden was an ingenious me- chanic, and set about inventing and improving labor-saving machines, the result of which is some of the most important in- ventions of the age. The upper works consist of the main building, containing the forge and rolling mill, and is 400 by 75 feet, built against the perpendicular face of the rock which forms the bank of the ravine. A stone structure, 46 by 130 feet, contains the horse-shoe machines, while attached are other buildings containing the spike and rivet factory, punching shop, foundry, machine shop, &c. These works are driven by an immense over-shot wheel, sixty feet in diameter and twenty-
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two feet in length, with buckets six feet four inches in depth, equal to 1000 horse power. A single spike machine turns out 45 railroad spikes per minute. Twenty puddling furnaces are also in the room. The machines for making horse-shoes turn out sixty shoes each per minute. The nail holes are punched by another machine. Some idea of the immense business in this department may be had from the fact that during four years ending with 1868 the Burden Works manufactured in round numbers twenty-five thousand tons of horse-shoes, or, at one and a half pounds per shoe, over thirty-three millions of shoes. The merchant iron from this establishment is of a supe- rior quality. The "Steam Works" of Messrs. Burden & Sons were commenced about 1862, and consist of blast-furnace, forge and rolling mills. They are located between the railroad and the Hudson River, on land that has been raised about eleven feet above the original level. The river has been dredged for about a mile and the navigation greatly improved. The Works give employment to about 1,500 workmen. The blast-furnaces have a capacity of about 75 tons per day.
Albany Iron Works, owned by Erastus Corning and Erastus Corning, Jr., are located on the Wynants Kil, in the immediate vicinity of the Burden Works. In 1809 John Brinkerhoff, of Albany, erected a small foundry and rolling mill for converting Swede and Russia iron bars into plates. These plates were sub- sequently partially cut into nails, the nails being headed by hand. Brinkerhoff transferred these Works to Corning, Win- slow & Co., who enlarged and run them for several years. The production in 1835 was six and a half tons per day. The Works assumed their present name in 1837. The Works are designated as the " Water Mill," "Steam Mill " and "Star Forge." The first puddling was done in 1838. There are now thirty-four puddling furnaces. The manufactures consist of merchant iron, railroad chairs, car axles, rivets, spikes, nails, horse-shoes, &c. About 750 hands are employed, at an expense of $250,000 per year. The value of the merchant iron, railway car axles, chairs, &c., made annually, is about $1,750,000 ; value of rivets, spikes, &c., $400,000 ; nails $40,000; horse-shoes $40,000. The patent solid lip railroad chairs were invented here and have had an immense sale.
Rensselaer Iron Works were started in 1846 by Le Grand Can- non and his son Le Grand D. Cannon, and Peter A. Burden, with a capital of $100,000. The Works were subsequently greatly enlarged and the company re-organized. The present proprietors are John A. Griswold, Erastus Corning, Erastus
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Corning, Jr., and Chester Griswold. They manufacture rail- road iron, merchant iron and steel, car axles, &c., and give em- ployment to between 500 and 600 hands. 'They have blast-fur- naces at Hudson and Fort Edward. The annual product is valued at about $2,500,000. .
Bessemer Steel Works are owned and operated by the same company.
The Manufactory of Civil Engineers' and Surveyors' Instru- ments, by W. & L. E. Gurley, is one of the largest in the country, and their instruments have no superior in the State.
The Chain Works of J. B. Carr & Co., located in the upper part of the City, have been erected within the last few years and form an important item in the manufactures of the City.
The Paper and Linen Collar Manufactories are numerous and extensive, giving employment to a large number of persons.
In 1720 Derick Vanderheyden obtained from Van Rensselaer, the proprietor of Rensselaerwyck, the title to 490 acres of land lying between the Poesten Kil and Meadow Creek, and em- bracing the original allotments of Troy, paying an annual rent of three bushels and three pecks of wheat, and four fat fowls. This land was possessed by the grantee and his descendants, and portions of it were cultivated as a farm. It attracted but little attention until after the Revolution, when a few New Eng- landers persuaded the Dutch proprietors to lay out a portion of it into lots. About 1786, when the Yankees made their ap- pearance, there were three ancient brick dwellings within the present limits of the City. The most northern of these houses stood between Hoosick and Vanderheyden Streets, and a short distance east of River Street. It was occupied by Jacob I. Van- derheyden, grand-son of the original lessee, and familiarly known as "Big Jacob." Jacob D. Vanderheyden, the proprie- tor of the middle farm, situated between Division and Grand Division Streets, occupied a residence at the south-west corner of Eighth and Grand Division Streets. He died in 1809, leaving several sons, one of whom built and occupied as a residence what is now the International Hotel, corner of River and Ferry Streets. The last was the residence of Matthias Vanderheyden, and is still standing at the south-east corner of Division and River Streets. From 1786 to 1790 the place was known by va- rious names, as Ferry Hook, Vanderheyden's Ferry and Ashley's Ferry.
Stephen Ashley and Benjamin Covell were the earliest set- tlers under the Vanderheydens. They came in about 1786, and
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Mr. Ashley opened a tavern in the old farm house at the corner of Division and River Streets. Among the other early settlers were Dr. Samuel Gale, Ephraim Morgan, John Boardman, Ben- jamin Smith, Philip Heartt, Anthony Goodspeed, Mahlon Tay- lor, Ebenezer Wilson and Samuel Wilson.
In 1788 Elkanah Watson visited the place, passing from Sche- .nectady, across a thickly settled country, embracing many fine farms, to " Ashley's Ferry," six miles above Albany. He says: " On the east side of the river, at this point, a new town has re- cently been laid out, named Vanderheyden, at the head of navi- gation. Several bold and enterprising adventurers have already settled here, and a number of capacious warehouses and several dwellings have already been erected." " It bids fair to be a se- rious thorn in the side of New City, but in the issue a fatal ri- val." New City was the name by which Lansingburgh was called at that time.
In the spring of 1789 the place contained five small stores and about a dozen dwellings. By vote of the freeholders the village received the name of Troy, Jan. 5, 1789. On the organ- ization of Rensselaer County in 1791, a spirited contest was car- ried on between Troy and Lansingburgh for the location of the County Buildings.
Dr. Samuel Gale came to Troy in-1787, from Killingworth, Conn. His family, consisting of a wife, a daughter and four sons, together with his furniture, medicines, &c., were placed on board a sloop, in August of this year, with the intention of set- tling in New City. Owing to adverse winds, he was three weeks in making the passage to Troy. Through the influence of J. D. Vanderheyden, who kindly offered him the use of half his own house until he could be otherwise provided for, he was in- duced to settlerin Troy. He immediately commenced the erec- tion of a double frame house on the west side of River Street, below Ferry, where he lived until his death in 1799. His sons, Benjamin, John, Samuel and William, were among the early merchants. Samuel Gale was post master from 1804 to 1828.
The post office was established in 1793 or 1794, and John Woodworth was the first post master, holding the office until 1800, when he was succeeded by David Buel. For several years Troy was a general depot for all mail matter throughout an ex- tensive region of country, north, east and west. Letters were carried to distant places by the newspaper post-riders, before mail routes and post offices were established. The publishers of the Albany Gazette established a line to Niagara and delivered letters free of expense, through their post-riders, to all places
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on their route where there were no post offices. These riders traveled on horseback, and when the business was not sufficient to pay, subscriptions were sometimes raised for the purpose. The following is a copy of a post-rider's advertisement in the Northern Budget. We regret that we cannot give a fac-simile of the cut at its head :
" News ! News! Aaron Oliver, Post-Rider, wishes to inform. the public that he has extended his route and that he now rides through the towns of Troy, Pittstown, Hoosick, Mapleton, part of Bennington and Shaftsbury, Petersburgh, Stephentown, Greenbush and Schodack. All commands in his line will be re- ceived with thanks and executed with punctuality. He returns his sincere thanks to his former customers and intends by un- abated diligence to merit a continuance of their favors."
"O'er rugged hills and valleys wide, He never yet has failed to trudge it ; As steady as the flowing tide, He hands about the Northern Budget."
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