USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Lansingburgh > History of Lansingburgh, N.Y., from the year 1670 to 1877 > Part 2
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2 It is probable that Lansingburgh is " one of the oldest, if not the oldest chartered village in the State.
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HISTORY OF LANSINGBURGH.
One was in the following year purchased in Philadelphia. The peculiar construction and age of this fire engine. have made it a curious relic of the earlier history of Lansingburgh, and worthy of careful preservation as a time-honored memento of the past.
The vigorous and enterprising founder of Lansingburgh lived long enough to see it grow into a thriving village, with large ware- houses, numerous stores and dwellings, and the bustle and stir of trade. His death and that of his wife, were announced in the American Spy on Friday, October 14, 1791, as follows : "Died, last Sunday evening, at his seat,' in the 72d year of his age, Abraham J. Lansingh, Esq., the original proprietor of this town. On Satur- day morning preceding, Mrs. Catharine Lansingh, his consort, died, in the 69th year of her age."
Previous to the establishment of a Post-office in Lansingburgh, letters were sent to Albany, and there mailed to their destination. The addresses of all letters received at the office were published in the local papers, and the parties to whom they were directed sent for them either by private parties, post-riders, or by the stage- drivers. Annanias Platt, to whom had been granted by the State Legislature2 the right to run a line of stages between Lansingburgh and Albany, advertised that "the public will please to take notice, that four pence will be required, as postage, for each letter which may be conveyed by the stage from Lansingburgh to Albany, or from Albany to Lansingburgh. Those who wish to have their letters conveyed by the year, will make their arrangements with A. Platt."3 Early in the month of April, 1791, Stephen. Gorham re- ceived his appointment as deputy Postmaster for the town, but it was not until the first of June, 1792, that a post-office was estab- lished in Lansingburgh. In the interval the mails, were taken to and received from Albany. Stephen Gorham, in the summer of 1792, was succeeded by John Lovett, who, shortly after his accept- ance of the office of Deputy Postmaster, was made the Postmaster at Lansingburgh.
Respecting the river navigation as far as Lansingburgh, the fol- lowing paragraphs, taken from the American Spy of March 8, 1793, refer as follows :
I West of Catharine street, near the river, at present the property of Nathaniel B. Powers, 405 State street.
2 See pages 27 and 28, History of the City of Troy.
3 The Federal Herald, August 31, 1789.
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" The sloop Arabia, of 90 tons burden, arrived at this place yes- terday, and is now loading for New York.
" It is of great importance to the business of this place that ves- sels of 80 or 90 tons can generally load at our docks through the spring season, at which time the most of the produce of the coun- try is shipped off ; and it is contemplated that the same advantage will continue through the whole season after the present year, as dams are to be erected next summer to give a sufficient depth of water up to this town to navigate vessels of 40 and 50 tons bur- then."
Although from the minutes of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, it appears that as early as June 18, 1782, Rev. Brandt Schuyler Lupton, V. D. M., preached in Lansingburgh, yet it was not until the 3d of November, 1788, that he was recognized as pas- tor of a congregation. From the records of the aforesaid body, his ordination was appointed for the third Sunday in November, 1788. Revs. Dirck Romeyn, Eli Westerlo, Lamb de Ronde, John Basset and James V. C. Romeyn, were ordered to take part in these services.
This congregation selected Flores Bancker as an Elder, and Al- bert Pawling and Christopher Tillman, Deacons. A house of wor- ship was erected on the north-west corner of John and Richard streets, where at present the large brush manufactory of J. G. Mc- Murray & Sons is situated. The old wooden structure was for many years a monument of the early history of the place, and was used for a long period as a meeting house. The two lots numbers 337 and 338, together with the old building, was sold by the Trus- tees of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Troy and Lansing- burgh, December 6th, 1832, to George Olsaver. From the time of the death of Rev. Mr. Lupton, the congregation seems to have con- tinued as an organization until about the year 1800, when the pas- torate of the church was declared vacant in the synodical assembly of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church. Ezra Hitchcock is mentioned as an Elder of the congregation in 1794.
The subsequent disorganization of this first religious body is due most likely to the incorporation of a second congregation, the First Presbyterian Church of Lansingburgh. Of this event the fol- lowing record is preserved : "Be it remembered, that on the 9th day of August, A. D. 1792, the inhabitants of Lansingburgh, in con- sequence of due notice, convened in general meeting for the pur-
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pose of organizing themselves in a religious society, agreeably to the directions of an Act of the Legislature of the State of New York, &c., and in pursuance of the directions of said act, did, on this day elect Levinus Lansingh, John Lovett, John D. Dickinson, James Dole, Jonas Morgan and Shubael Gorham trustees for said congregation ; and the said inhabitants did vote and agree that the said corporation should be known by law by the name of the Trus- tees of the First Presbyterian Church and congregation in Lansing- burgh." Proposals for building a brick church sixty-four by fifty feet were advertised for in the local paper on the 22d of February, 1793. The corner-stone of the edifice was laid on Thursday eve- ning, July 5th, 1793, by Rev. Jonas Coe, the pastor of the united congregations of Lansingburgh and Troy.1 The dedication oc- curred in June, 1794, and was thus referred to in the American Spy : "On the 22d ult. the elegant Brick Church which has been lately built in this place was dedicated to the worship and service of God. On that memorable day, the Rev. Mr. Coe delivered a sermon in the morning to a numerous and respectable audience, well suited to the occasion." A poem written for the occasion by John Lovett, was sung. "In the afternoon a sermon was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Smith." The whole was conducted with a decency, propriety and solemnity well becoming so solemn and joyful an oc- casion.
This church was built upon the north end of "The Green," with its rear upon Hoosick street. The brick of which it was construct- ed were shipped from Holland by Levinus Lansingh, to be used in the erection of a house for himself, which, instead of doing, he gave them to the church, and was content to dwell in a house of wood.
Early in the year 1794, a subscription was started for the purpose of establishing a library in Lansingburgh, which resulted success- fully, and on the 9th of September of that year, William Bell, being elected librarian, opened it, and thereafter, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 12 M. to 2 P. M. were the appointed days and hours for procuring books. .
In December, 1795, Luther Emes & Co. appointed Matthew Perry and Dudley Plank their agents to supply, with water from the aqueducts, all persons desiring it conveyed to their houses. Evi- dently from this statement, there was in the vicinity a reservoir for
I See page 31 History of the City of Troy.
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water, and a series of pipes, probably wooden ones, laid under- ground along the line of streets.
The observance of St. John's day, June 24, 1795, by several Masonic bodies is thus described by the American Spy of June 30, 1795: "On Wednesday last, the anniversary of St. John the Bap- tist was celebrated in this place by Union, Patriot and Hiram Lodges, who assembled at the lodge room at Mr. Hanmer's, from whence they walked in procession to the church, where an excellent sermon well adapted to the occasion was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Coe. The singers at the church, aided by a few instruments of music, sang the hymn to Charity, and some other pieces of Psalmody most admirably. The procession returned in the same regular order to the lodge-room, where they partook of an elegant dinner, after which several Masonic toasts were drank, with some excellent songs, and the afternoon was spent with all the harmony, decorum and hilarity so peculiar to the craft. About 7 o'clock the company re- tired."
Hiram Lodge No. 35 was the first Masonic Lodge instituted in Lansingburgh ; the warrant granted by the Grand Lodge bore date August 16, 1787. The lodge-room was, in 1795, on the second floor of Hanmer's tavern, now Phoenix Hotel. In 1799, Moses Willard, Elias Parmelee and Thomas Sketchley were prominent members.1
In Carey's edition of Guthrie's geography, published in the year 1795, the village is noticed in the following terms : "Lansingburgh, formerly called the new city, stands on the east side of the Hudson, nine miles north of Albany. It is a very flourishing place, pleasant- ly situated on a plain at the foot of a hill."
The traveling facilities between Lansingburgh and the neighbor- ing places are thus spoken of in the year 1796 : "A few years ago there was but one stage between this town and Albany. It was established and maintained at great expense by Mr. A. Platt, and for a considerable time had little encouragement. He, however, persevered, and at this day, this mode of traveling has so increased, that twenty stages pass and repass daily between the neighboring towns of Lansingburgh, Troy, Waterford and Albany, averaging more than 150 passengers per day, a proof of our growth and pros- perity."
On the twentieth of October of the same year, a resolution was adopted by the village authorities respecting the design of a corpor-
I See History of the City of Troy, Ip. 47.
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ation seal : "Resolved, That the seal of the corporation shall be made with the following device, viz : A heart festooned, with an 'L' in the centre, and shall be kept by the Clerk for the use of the cor- poration." On the 19th of January, 1802, the following proceedings were had : "Whereas, the seal adopted by the Trustees of Lansing- burgh, on the 20th of October, 1796, as a common seal, has been lost, and it has therefore become necessary to adopt another in stead thereof; therefore, Resolved, That the seal of the corporation be an oval, with an 'L' in the center, ornamented above the 'L' with a knot of ribband. By order of the Trustees. Joseph Alex- ander, Clerk."
The Fourth of July, 1798, was honored by the citizens of Lan- singburgh in a very patriotic manner. The preparations for the celebration were thus announced : "The committee appointed by a respectable number of the inhabitants of this village, give notice that they have, at their late meeting, agreed to celebrate that ever memorable day, the Fourth of July, at Mrs. Galpin's. A booth or bower will be erected at the north end of the brick church, to which those who wish to join in the celebration are desired to re- pair." The events of this anniversary occasion a correspondent of the Northern Budget describes in the following words: "The day was ushered in by the firing of cannon and the ringing of the bell.1 At sunrise, colours were hoisted under a second discharge of can- non. The Artillery under the command of Captain Keating, to- gether with the Light Horse and Grenadiers from Troy, and the most numerous and respectable procession of citizens ever formed in this part of the county, paraded in the morning, and after pass- ing in procession through two of the principal streets, proceeded to the green in the rear of the town. At 12 o'clock the federal salute was fired, during which a band of music played a variety of elegant, animating and patriotic tunes, which seemed to diffuse universal joy over every countenance and enliven every patriotic heart. After which the military and private citizens seated themselves under a beautiful bower, erected for the purpose, and partook of an elegant dinner prepared for the occasion by Mrs. Galpin. Toasts were drank under the discharge of a corresponding number of cannon. About 4 o'clock the whole company again formed a procession, and after proceeding part of the way to Troy, a military salute was fired
I The school-house bell, which was also rung as a fire-alarm, first in 1795. 1
3
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and the citizens of the two towns separated ; Captain Keating's company and the citizens of Lansingburgh returning to the green, where they spent the remainder of the day in mirth and festivity. At sunset the colours were struck and the day closed by another discharge from the artillery. The field was left in perfect harmony, order and decorum, in which alone there seemed to be a general emulation to excel, as also in their patriotic exertions to perpetuate the memory of that august day." An elegant dinner was also par- taken of at Jacob's Hotel.
The first publication of the Lansingburgh Gazette1 made its ap- pearance on Tuesday, September 18, 1798. The newspapers2 which preceded it were the Northern Centinel and Lansingburgh Adver- tiser, the Federal Herald, the American Spy and the Northern Bud- get. Gardiner Tracy was the first publisher of the Gazette.
As early as the year 1802, the question of establishing an Episco- pal Church in Lansingburgh was discussed by a number of the leading citizens. But it was not until January 5, 1804, at a meeting in the Academy, that an organization was effected. The officers se- lected at this meeting were : John Young and David Smith, Ward- ens; John Rutherford, William Bradley, Stephen Ross, John Walsh, Joseph S. Mabbett, Jonathan Burr, of Lansingburgh, John Stewart and Henry Davis, of Waterford, Vestrymen. The name assumed by the founders was that of Trinity Church of Lansingburgh. This congregation, in connection with St. Paul's in Troy, during this
I The following names of persons residing and engaged in business in Lansingburgh from 1798 to 1801, appear in the Gazette for those years : 1798-Merchants, Charles Selden, Joshua Burnham, Elijah Janes, Joseph D. & Roger Selden, Joseph Mabbett, Cuskaden & Rutherford ; Druggists, Abiel Bugbey, Russell Forsyth & Co .; Booksellers, Lord & Sherman ; manufacturing leather, William Powers ; Brewers, George & Mat Gill ; Clothing, Eli Judson and Samuel Bon- tecou ; Book-binding, John Shaw ; Hotel keeper, Ashbel Root, successor to A. Platt. 1799- Merchants, James F. Carpenter, Alfred Richardson, Taylor Fordham, Alexander Walsh. Let- ters in the postoffice for Simon Averil, Benjamin Armington, Philo Barber, Roswell Bingham, Joseph Burr, Bush & Hoogland, Jean Boune, Thomas Bassell, William Chase, James Fenn, Matthew Finlason, William Fraser, John Gaston, William C. Gooding, Benjamin Gilaspie, Jas. Humphrey, Joseph Huff, David Henry, William Hamilton, Silas Kellogg, Jeremiah Landon, Benjamin Lord, Zebulon Neal, Jedediah Pendigrass, Josiah Parker, Elias Parmelee, Daniel Pine, Keating Rawson, John Rogers, J. B. Regnier, John P. Rensselaer, William Scott, Andrew Smith, John Stilwell, Cornelius Sebring, Alex. Thompson, Peter Van Ness, Lewis Van Clive, Major White, Walter White, Judson Webb. 1800-Merchants, Thomas Wallace, Jonathan Choate, Simeon Johnson ; Furniture, Seelye & Skinner ; boarding school, Mesdames M. E. & A. Sketchley. Letters in the Postoffice for: Nathan Brownson, John Bull, Jesse Brush, Daniel Champion, Ezra Connuff, Francis Choate, William Chace, Zachariah Garnryck, William Gilli- land, Andrew Gilaspie, Aaron B. Hinman, Arthur Hotchkiss, Silas & D. Kellogg, Richard Lane, Jonathan Post, Jeremiah Stillwell, John Smith, Peter Wyckoff.
2 See page 333 History of the City of Troy.
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month, elected Rev. David Butler as Rector.1 The first building used for worship stood on the north-west corner of John and Mar- ket streets. It was built about the year 1806, of wood, costing $5,000, and had about three hundred sittings.
The opening of the Union Bridge between Waterford and Lan- singburgh, early in the month of December, 1804, was celebrated by the citizens of the two villages in a manner becoming its import- ance. Amid the firing of cannon, a large procession from Lansing- burgh crossed the new bridge to Waterford, where a dinner was served at the expense of the directors and partaken of by several dignitaries of the State and many gentlemen of the city and villages in the vicinity. "It is with much pleasure we (Waterford Gazette,) announce the completion of the bridge at this place, which for architectural strength and beauty exceeds, perhaps, anything of the kind in the United States. On examination, it will be found that its symmetry is just in all its parts, which reflects the highest honor on the engineer, Mr. Theodore Burr. And when we behold with what regularity and despatch the plans of the architect have been executed by Mr. Samuel Shelly, under whose immediate superin- tendence the work has progressed, we conceive no less praise to him is due. While we are contemplating this noble structure, let us descend beneath the waters, and there fixing our minds on its rocky base, gradually emerge from the stream, behold with wonder and admiration, three stately columns, whose strength appears to baffle the destruction of time, and whose magnitude causes the winds to murmur as they pass, and the waves to return in perpetual eddies upon themselves. Here we behold the skill of masonry, ex- emplified in Mr. James McElroy, under whose direction the pillars arose, and on whom much encomium has justly been bestowed. This bridge is 800 feet in length, and 30 feet in width, comprising four arches, which are supported by three pillars, and the two but- ments. The pillars are of stone, cemented with tarras, and strong- ly bound with iron, being in length from 75 to 85 feet at their base, and of equal length at their surface, of about 75 feet, and at their top 40 feet. Their breadth at their basis being from 20 to 25 feet, and at their tops from 18 to 20 feet. Their height being from 23 to 33 feet, according to the depth of the water, and the greatest alti- tude of the arches is 18 feet. The bridge is divided into two sepa-
I See pages 72, 73 and 74 History of the City of Troy. Rev. David Butler died July 11th, 1842, aged 80, and was buried in Lansingburgh.
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rate apartments, which not only adds to its beauty, but much in- creases its strength, and persons crossing it being obliged to take the right hand apartment will effectually prevent any contention which would otherwise probably result."
The Methodist Church, although not having assumed a regular organization until the year 1827, yet a class had been formed early in the century, and New City included in the Troy Circuit. In 1803, Rev. Laban Clark and Martin Ruter preached in Lansing- burgh. The first house of worship was erected in 1810, through the earnest labors of Rev. Joel Ketchum and Elijah Chichester, both of whom had retired from the itineracy. This building which was of wood, was erected on the bank of the river, at the foot of Elizabeth street, and was occupied by the Society about twenty years. At a meeting held July 23, 1827, over which Jacob Heim- street and Edwin Filley were chosen to preside, the following " Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lansingburgh," were elected : Ephraim Goss, Jacob Heimstreet, Edwin Filley, Al- exander Van Pelt, Jr., I. Thomas Ward, Benjamin Case and Alex- ander Van Pelt, Sr. On the 15th day of February, 1828, Derick Lane sold to these trustees lot 96, on the southwest corner of North and Queen street, where a church was shortly after erected. Rev. S. D. Ferguson was the first regular pastor officiating in this church.
The first congregation of Baptists, known as the First Baptist Society of Lansingburgh, was formed on the IIth of June, 1803. Daniel Seymour, Aaron B. Hinman, Francis Choate, Nathaniel Ja- cobs and William Spafford, were the first trustees of the association. The first church erected by the Society was a wooden building on the corner of North and John streets. September 6th, 1804, the congregation purchased of Levinus Lansing the lots numbers 25 and 26 in the third division of Lansingburgh, which, on the 23d of May, 1820, were purchased by the trustees of the Lansingburgh Academy. The Society, on the first of August, 1844, purchased of John Kennedy and wife, ground on the north-west corner of Con- gress and Richard street, whereon they erected a brick church edi- fice, afterwards known as the Olivet Church. A reorganization of the Society occurred on the 28th of July, 1858, with twenty-eight members. On the 27th of August, 1860, the following persons were elected as trustees of the John Street Baptist Church : Thomas W. Brooks, Jabez Howlet, J. G. Scollay, Warren Alger and William W. Watts. The property formerly belonging to the Second Presbyte-
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rian Church, on the east side of John street, between Richard and Elizabeth streets, was purchased, which is still held by this congre- gation. Of the John Street Baptist Church Rev. A. B. Whipple was the first pastor.
A number of the colored people of the village also. organized themselves into a religious association, on the 12th of August, 1843, under the name of the Methodist Zion Church of Lansingburgh. The following persons were elected the first trustees : John I. W. Jemison, Jacob Brown, James Hall, Frisby Way and Jehu Brown. This body afterwards worshipped in the house now known as No. 549 Whipple Avenue.
Sometime previous to the war of 1812, an Artillery Company had been organized, of which Reuben King was Captain and Caleb Al- len, Lieutenant. During the struggle it was ordered to Ogdens- burgh, where it remained a short time and then returned home. Again a draft was ordered for the 155th Regiment, Gen. Gilbert Eddy, of Pittstown, commanding, which embraced every fourth man in this militia organization. The drafted men marched as far as Granville, Vt., where information was received of the termination of hostilities, and the regiment was dismissed from active service. While the campaign continued, several British officers were quar- tered on parole with Capt. Oakley, who then resided on Hoosick street.
On the reception of intelligence of the ratification of the treaty of peace, the event was celebrated with a procession and a grand illumination. A huge bonfire blazed upon Diamond Rock, a bal- loon decorated with flags was sent off, and a splendid supper served by Robert Wands at the Village hotel.
The most memorable event which occurred at this time, in which the citizens took a prominent part, was the presentation of an ele- gant service of plate to the distinguished hero of Lake Champlain, Commodore T. Macdonough, on Saturday, the 8th of April, 1815. Having arrived in the village on his way to Washington, a commit- tee attended by a large concourse of the inhabitants, presented him with a pair of large and handsome pitchers and twelve goblets. The pitchers were decorated with impressions of oaken wreaths and other ornamental devices, and bore the following inscriptions : On one side, "Commodore T. Macdonough, with an inferior force, captured the British squadron on Lake Champlain, Sept. 11, 1814." On the other, " Presented by the citizens of Lansingburgh to the
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Hero of Lake Champlain." On the goblets, "The citizens of Lansingburgh to Commodore Macdonough." To the committee, consisting of James Hickok, David Smith, Elias Parmelee, John Topping, Elijah Janes, Gardiner Tracy, James Adams and James Reid, the Commodore returned the following written reply :
" Gentlemen-It is with much pleasure and satisfaction I receive the several pieces of plate which you, on behalf of the citizens of Lansingburgh, have been pleased to present me. This handsome testimonial of your approbation of my services on Lake Champlain is highly valued, and shall be carefully preserved among other pre- cious and flattering presents with which my countrymen have hon- ored me. Permit me to reciprocate your congratulations on the re- turn of peace to our country. With sentiments of the highest re- spect and esteem,
" I am, gentlemen, " Your obedient servant,
"T. MACDONOUGH."
The Bank of Lansingburgh was incorporated March 19th, 1813, and began business as provided by the charter in the compact part of the village, in a building No. 531 State street, (then King street,) at present occupied as a residence by Mrs. John G. McMurray. The first Board of Directors were : Elijah Janes, Shubael Gorham, Abraham C. Lansing, James Dennison, Gardiner Tracy, James Hickok, James Adams, Jonathan Burr, Timothy Leonard, Silvanus J. Penniman, Elias Parmelee, John Stewart, Calvin Barker, James Dougrey and Asa Burt. Elijah Janes was chosen President, and James Reid, Cashier. The amount of capital as authorized by the act was $200,000, of which $60,000 was paid in at the commence- ment of the Bank's transacting business. In 1814 it was increased to $66,000, and in 1816 to $72,000. By an act of the Legislature passed February 24, 1832, the charter was renewed to July 1, 1855, and the capital was increased to $120,000. At its expiration, the Bank was reorganized under the General Banking law of 1838. April 1, 1856, the amount of capital was increased to $150,000. On the 20th of June, 1866, its name was changed to the National Bank of Lansingburgh, but on the 9th of March, 1869, it was con- verted back to a State bank, and since that time has been known as the Bank of Lansingburgh, with a capital of $150,000. The bank building is on the north-west corner of State and Richard streets. Unfortunately, this long-prosperous institution, by an im-
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