Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 716

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(II) John, son of Nathaniel Leonard, set- tled in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1636, coming there with John Pyncheon, where he was an iron-master and made a reputation similar to that of his prominent relatives. He served as constable of the town. In John Pyncheon's account books there is mention of John Leonard giving a mortgage on four oxen to secure his store debt, then something over twenty pounds, and Pyncheon got part of the cattle if not all of them. In 1641 John Leonard participated in the second division of land and received ten rods in breadth ; unmar- ried men received eight rods. His home lot was on the southwest corner of Main and State streets, and part of it was taken to make the street. His seat in the meeting-house, third from the front, indicates that he was held in good esteem. He married, November 12, 1640, Sarah Heald, who died November 23, 17II. John Leonard was killed by Indians early in 1676. They had a son, Benjamin.

(III) Benjamin, son of John and Sarah (Heald) Leonard, was born July 5, 1654 ; died December 20, 1724. He married, February 9, 1680, Sarah Scott, who died December 2, 1751. They had a son, John.

(IV) John, son of Benjamin and Sarah (Scott) Leonard, was born July 12, 1681; died November 28, 1744, and was buried in the old Agawam cemetery. He was highly respected as an eminent physician of his times in Agawam, Massachusetts. He married, January 8, 1709, Sarah Dickinson, of Hatfield,

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Mass, who died March 28, 1768. They had a son Daniel.

(V) Daniel, son of John and Sarah (Dick- inson) Leonard, was born March, 1713, died April 3, 1783. He was a civil engineer, and being a local arbiter of disputes was called "Judge." He married, February 14, 1740, Penelope Leonard, born October 29, 1717; died September 27, 1752, daughter of Joseph, born January 1, 1688, and Sarah (Beckwith) Leonard, son of Joseph Leonard, born May 20, 1644; son of John Leonard, of Springfield, Massachusetts; son of Nathaniel Leonard, progenitor, of Maryland. They had a son Daniel.

(IV) Lieutenant Daniel (2), son of Daniel (I) and Penelope (Leonard) Leonard, was born in 1748, died April 18, 1824. He was a lieutenant. He married Eleanor Ripley, born August 16, 1754, died October 14, 1815, daughter of Ebenezer Ripley, born June 22, 1729, died June 11, 1811; married, June II, 1752, Mehitabel Burbank, of Suffield, Connec- ticut, born July 28, 1729, died in 1813. Eben- ezer Ripley was the son of Joshua Ripley, born May 17, 1688, died November 17, 1773; married, December 3, 1712, Mary Backus, born November 8, 1692, died in Windham, Connecticut, October, 1770, whose great- grandfather was Lieutenant William Pratt, of the Saybrook forces in the Pequot War. Joshua Ripley was the son of Joshua, born in 1658, died in 1739; son of John ; son of Wil- liam Ripley, from Hingham, Norwich county, England, 1638, and the mother of Joshua Rip- ley was Hannah Bradford, born in Kingston, Massachusetts, May 9, 1662, died May 28, 1738, whose father was Major William Brad- ford Jr., born June 16, 1624; married in 1652; died February 20, 1693, the son of Governor William Bradford, of Plymouth Plantation and "Mayflower" fame, born March, 1588, died May 9, 1657. They had a son Daniel.

(VII) Captain Daniel (3), son of Lieuten- ant Daniel (2) and Eleanor (Ripley) Leon- ard, was born July 7, 1781, died in 1813. He married, August 26, 1805, Nancy Fenn, born September 5, 1785, died March 10, 1810, daughter of Captain Jacob and Sarah (Mat- thews) Fenn, the latter born October 31, 1758, died May 15, 1838. Jacob Fenn was the son of Christian Fenn, and was born August 26, 1755, died March, 1826; was a private at one time in Captain P. Porter's company, First Connecticut Continental Regi- ment, Eighth Company, under Colonel D. Wooster, serving May-November, 1775, in the Northern Department ; was a rate collec- tor of the town in 1780 in Northbury parish,

and married, October 15, 1778, Sarah Mat- thews. They had a son named James, and a daughter Nancy. By a second marriage to Sarah Alden, of Suffield, Connecticut, he had a daughter Harriet, who married Horatio J. Olcott, of Cherry Valley, New York, a life- long banker.

(VIII) James, son of Captain Daniel (3) and Nancy (Fenn) Leonard, was born May 25, 1806, died December 13, 1882. He re- sided in West Springfield, Massachusetts, where his entire life was spent. He was educated in the public schools; settled in early life upon a farm and followed the pur- suit of agriculture continuously during his active life. He was a member of the Con- gregational church and a liberal contributor to church and charitable societies. He was highly respected in the community, where he was a well-known figure. In early like he was an ensign of the "Hampden Grays," a local military company. Originally a Democrat, in later life he affiliated with the Republican party. He married, March 24, 1830, Mary Rood, born April 15, 1802, died July 17, 1882, daughter of Elias and Anna ( Hancock) Rood, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, and Suffield, Connecticut. On March 24, 1880, Mr. and Mrs. James Leonard celebrated their golden wedding, at which many valuable evi- dences of love, respect and esteem were re- ceived from relatives and friends. Children : I. Mary, born January 31, 1831, died May 22, 1859; married Lorin Palmer, of West Springfield, Massachusetts; afterward became prominent newspaper publisher in Brooklyn, New York ; left a son Harry Leonard Palmer. 2. Harriet, born December 1, 1832, died in Albany, New York, January 13, 1861 ; mar- ried, October 5, 1853, Thomas Olcott (sec- ond wife), son of Thomas Worth Olcott, president of the Mechanics' & Farmers' Bank of Albany. Children: William Leonard, Thomas W. and Howard M. Olcott. 3. Dan- iel, see forward.

(IX) Daniel (4), only son of James and Mary (Rood) Leonard, was born in West Springfield, Hampden county, Massachusetts, October 3, 1839. In 1910 he was head of the firm of Cotrell & Leonard, No. 472-478 Broadway, Albany, New York, with a resi- dence at No. 56 Willett street. He received his education at the public school in West Springfield, and came to Albany in 1853 to take a position in the Mechancs' & Farmers' Bank. He was compelled to leave the bank through ill health in 1862, and after a few years in the country, returned to Albany in 1867 as a partner in the firm of Joshua G. Cotrell & Company, hatters and furriers,

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then located at No. 46 State street. In 1884 the growth of the business required their removal to the present stores. He is a trus- tee of the Mechancs' & Farmers' Savings Bank, President of the Albany Safe Deposit & Storage Company, and former president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; a char- ter member of the Fort Orange Club, the Albany Country Club and the Society of Colonial Wars. He is a Republican in poli- tics, and a member of the State Street Pres- byterian Church. Mr. Leonard is of a retir- ing disposition, genial, fond of his home, of high character and greatly respected in the community. He married, at Albany, New York, June 1I, 1861, Mary Elizabeth Cotrell, born at Albany, May 1, 1840, died of pneu- monia at her home, No. 56 Willett street, Al- bany, May 9, 1897. Her father was Joshua Gardner Cotrell, of Albany, who was born at Charlton, Saratoga county, New York, September 23, 1804, died at Albany, Febru- ary 18, 1878, and his wife, Cornelia Wilkin- son, born April 7, 1812, at Sauquoit, New York, died May 27, 1885, whom he married in May, 1836. Joshua Gardner Cotrell, father of Mary Elizabeth Cotrell, was the son of Oliver Cotrell, of Hancock, Massachusetts, son of Joseph Cotrell, of Wickford, Rhode Island, and his wife, Mary (Gardner) Cotrell, born August 12, 1784, married in 1800, daugh- ter of Nathaniel and Martha (Brown) Gard- ner, of Nokingston, Rhode Island, born in 1742 ; married in 1763; died August 11, 1841. Cornelia (Wilkinson) Cotrell, mother of Mary Elizabeth Cotrell, was daughter of Dr. Jabez Wilkinson, son of John Wilkinson, born in England in 1747; married in 1768, and his wife, Nancy (Savage) Wilkinson, born February 10, 1790, died November 6, 1857, daughter of Stephen Savage, born December 10, 1769, died December 4, 1848, and Lucy (Stowe) Savage, born August 10, 1769, died August 9, 1832. Children: I. Edgar Cotrell, born in Albany, May 28, 1862, see forward. 2. Gardner Cotrell, born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, October 16, 1865, see forward. 3. Mary Louise, born in Albany, June 12, 1868; residing in 1910 at No. 56 Willett street, Albany. 4. Harriet Olcott, born in Albany, November 17, 1873, see forward. 5. Elizabeth Fenn, born in Albany, Septem- ber 5, 1877: married, June 1, 1910, Stanley Fletcher Morse.

(X) Edgar Cotrell, son of Daniel (4) and Mary Elizabeth (Cotrell) Leonard, was born in Albany, New York, May 28, 1862. He attended the Albany Academy a number of years and graduated therefrom in the class of 1879, thereupon pursued further studies

at Williams College, from which he was grad- uated in 1886 with the degree of A.B. He entered the firm of Cotrell & Leonard, Nos. 472-478 Broadway, Albany, after leaving col- lege, which business was established by his maternal grandfather, Joshua G. Cotrell, in 1832. He is a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, regent of the Philip Living- ston Chapter, Sons of the Revolution; is. governor of the Albany branch of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, through the line reaching to Governor William Bradford, of Plymouth Colony ; a director and treasurer of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; sec- retary and treasurer of the Albany Safe De- posit & Storage Company ; actively interested in the work of the Albany Chamber of Com- merce and of the Young Men's Christian As- sociation, of which he was president for five years ; member of the American Scenic & Historic Preservation Society; the National Geographic Society; American Civic Asso- ciation. University Club of Albany; Fort Orange Club: Albany Country Club; Delta Psi fraternity ; Masters Lodge, No. 5, Free- and Accepted Masons, and is a thirty-second degree Mason; elder and trustee of State Street Presbyterian Church, and a director of Auburn Theological Seminary. He married, Albany, New York, October 15, 1890, Bessie. Woolworth, of Albany, born in St. Joseph, Missouri, daughter of Calvin Colton Wool- worth, of Brooklyn, New York, and Sarah (Parker) Woolworth. Children, born in Al- bany: Ruth Woolworth, September 5, 1891 ; Katharine, April 4, 1893.

(X) Gardner Cotrell, son of Daniel and Mary Elizabeth (Cotrell) Leonard, was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, October 16, 1865. He received his preliminary edu- cation at the Albany Boys' Academy, which school he attended from 1872 until graduation in 1882, after which he entered Williams Col- lege, where he joined the Delta Psi fraternity, and graduated in 1887 with the degree of A.B. Upon leaving college, he entered the employ of Cotrell & Leonard at No. 472-478 Broadway, established in 1832 by Joshua G. Cotrell, to which firm he was admitted in 1890. The following year he established a department for the manufacture of caps, gowns and hoods for colleges and universi- ties, under the style of the Inter-collegiate Bureau of Academic Costume, which was chartered by the University of the State of New York in 1902. He became much inter- ested in these matters, and was led to publish several works on this subject, and is recog- nized as an authority. He compiled a volume- entitled "Songs of Williams," published in

Calgar @Leonard

Gardner Howard Varduer

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1898, which was so cordially received as to necessitate several editions. He is a member of Masters Lodge, No. 5, Free and Accepted Masons, Williams College Alumni Association of Northern New York, the Albany Academy Alumni Association, the Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of the Revolution, a former vice- president of the Albany Chamber of Com- merce, a life member of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society, the Fort Orange Club, Albany Club, Albany Country Club, University Club of Albany and the University Club of New York City. He mar- ried, in Albany, New York, February 18, 1903, Grace Watson, born in Waterford, New York, daughter of Daniel Matthewson and Margaret (Laughlin) Sutherland. Children, born in Albany: Gardner Cotrell, September 22, 1905; Margaret Sutherland, October 4, 1907.

(X) Harriet Olcott, daughter of Daniel and Mary Elizabeth (Cotrell) Leonard, was born in Albany, New York, November 17, 1873. She was educated at St. Agnes' School in her native city. She married, at the State Street Presbyterian Church, Albany, Febru- ary 16, 1897, John Robert Leonard. He was born in New York City, September 19, 1865, son of Arthur J. Leonard, born in London, England, April 24, 1830, died in New York City, June 15, 1870 ; married, New York City, May 8, 1857, Elizabeth Farlow, born in Lon- don, England, October 5, 1837. Children : Mary Elizabeth, born in Albany, August 19, 1898; Daniel, born in Albany, January 26, 1901; Harriet, born in Chicago, August 24, 1905.

BRETT

The family name of Brett is thought to be a contraction from Breton, a Briton ; "brette,"

French, a long sword; "brat" and "bretyn," in Welsh, signify an urchin. The Brett Arms. Shield: Argent, a lion rampant between nine crosses crosslet fitchee gules. Crest : A lion passant gules upon a cap of maintenance. Motto: Perseverantia vincit-Perseverance conquers.

The descent is traced from the progenitor of the family in America, Roger Brett, who was born in the seventeenth century, and re- sided in Fishkill, New York.

Francis Rombout came to New Amster- dam, as New York was then called, in 1664. He was of French extraction, and at that time was about twenty-five years of age. He had intended to return to his home, but through some seeming misfortune he was compelled to remain in this country, and as he grew up laid the foundation for business

resulting in his becoming a rich fur trader and owner of enormous estates, which were situated along the Hudson river not far north of New York City. Francis Rombout, in a partnership with Stephanus Van Cortlandt and Jacobus Kip, who married the widow of Gulian Verplanck later on, obtained a patent from the Duke of York in 1665, covering the whole territory lying between the Fishkill and Wappinger creeks, and running eastward on lines parallel with these creeks "four hours going in the woods," to use the quaint but not definite language of their patent. This distance was estimated at sixteen miles, which was a rather liberal allowance. By partition of the property among the original owners, Francis Rombout took a large share. It com- prised the lower or southern portion, and covered an area of more than ten thousand acres. On February 8, 1682, a license was given by Thomas Dongan, governor of the Province of New York, to Francis Rombout, to acquire a tract of land from the Wap- pinger tribe of Indians. With him in this transaction was associated Gulian Verplanck. In August of the following summer, all the right of the Indians in the large tract was bought by Rombout and Verplanck, and this land was afterwards known as the Rombout Patent.

Francis Rombout held a great many posi- tions of dignity and responsibility, both dur- ing the Dutch and English colonial periods. He became a citizen of New Amsterdam in 1664 and the mayor of New York in 1679. One finds his name appearing frequently in the annals of the colony, especially after the conquest of New Amsterdam by the British, in the reign of Charles II., 1664, when the name was changed to New York. He filled with honor the offices of schepen, 1674 ; alder- man, 1673-78 inclusive ; mayor, 1686-87, and commissioner in admiralty. He was of French extraction, and it is said that he came to New Amsterdam as supercargo. He later married Helena Teller Van Ballen, a widow and the daughter of William Teller. In his mercantile life, he associated himself in the main with Gulian Verplanck, forming with him a partnership which continued for many years. He died in 1691, leaving one child, a daughter named Catharyna, born in 1684.

(I) Roger Brett, progenitor of the family in America, married Catharyna Rombout, and removed with her from New York to the Fishkills, where he erected the historical man- sion in a beautiful grove at Fishkill Landing in 1709, and she remained there until her death, in 1764. After the death of her hus- band, she was commonly styled "Madame

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Brett" by her friends. She was sixteen years of age when she married Roger Brett, and soon thereafter, or about 1706, the patent, which has subsequently been known as the Rombout Patent, was partitioned in three por- tions, namely, to the Van Courtlandt family was allotted substantially all the land lying along both banks of what was called Wap- pinger Creek; the middle portion fell to the heirs of Gulian Verplanck, and the lower, or part along the Fish Kill, to Roger Brett and his wife. In New York they had lived on her father's property, which consisted of a large house and spacious grounds on lower Broadway, not distant from the present site of Trinity Church. The site of the home lat- terly occupied in Dutchess county in later years became known as Matteawan, New York. Roger Brett was a lieutenant in the British navy, and on familiar terms of friend- ship with the Colonial governor, Lord Corn- bury, who was a cousin of Queen Anne, to whom he is said to have borne a close like- ness, a matter regarding which he was known to be proud. He was drowned in 1716, and his wife survived him many years, dying in 1764. Children: Francis, see forward ; Rob- ert ; Rivery.

(II) Francis, son of Lieutenant Roger and Catharyna (Rombout) Brett, was (probably) born on the homestead in Fishkill, Dutchess county, New York. He married Margaret Van Wyck. Children: Cornelius, married Rachel Valentine; Rombout, married Sarah Somendyke; George, see forward; Dorus, married Polly Wilse; Phoebe, married Thom- as Arden; Hannah, married Henry Schenck ; Margaret, married Peter A. Schenck; Cather- ine, died unmarried.

(III) General George, son of Francis and Margaret (Van Wyck) Brett, was born in 1751. He was an officer in the revolutionary war, serving in the regiment of James Swart- wout from October 10, 1777, to October 26, 1777, in the Poughkeepsie precinct of Dut- chess county. He died October 15, 1833. He married Marie Cooper, born in 1754, died in 1838. Children: Deborah, died August I, 1854; Margaret, born in 1778, died Decem- ber 8, 1860; Francis G., see forward; Sarah (or Sally), married Robert Willett.

(IV) Francis G., son of George and Marie (Cooper) Brett, was born in 1775, probably in Matteawan, Dutchess country, New York, died August 14, 1835. He married, Novem- ber 19, 1802, Margaret Campbell, born in 1777, died April 9, 1835. Children: William, born in 1803, died December 27, 1869; James, born 1805, died January 15, 1872; Alfred, born April, 1808, died November 6, 1828;

Harriet, born 1809, died August 22, 1871 ; Jane Ann, born in 1813, died December 18, 1858; Harvey ; Edgar, see forward; Charles. (V) Rev. Edgar Brett, son of Francis G. and Margaret (Campbell) Brett, was born in Matteawan, New York, in 1815, and resided there a greater portion of his life. His father conducted for years the old Matteawan flour- ing mill and dwelt in the old yellow house on Mill street, across the creek from the mill, still standing in 1910. Edgar Brett was born in this homestead. On arriving at maturity, he acted as bookkeeper for his father, but later on he removed to Stamford, Connecti- cut, where he engaged as the superintendent of a cotton mill. Following this he felt called to preach the Gospel, and commenced study- ing for the ministry. He became first a local preacher, acting faithfully in that capacity and accomplishing a large amount of good Chris- tian work. He acted also as the agent for the Bible Society. He traveled much through the country, delivering lectures and present- ing stereoptican views of the Holy Land. Having a competence of his own, in his later years he retired from public activity, and was greatly esteemed by all those who knew him. He married, August 25, 1836, Myra Ann Holslander, born in 1815, died in 1881. He died in 1892. Children : Edgar Augustus, born June 26, 1840, see forward; Francis Henry, born August 31, 1842 ; married Mary Rogers, October 19, 1870, and in 1910 re- sided in Matteawan; Wilbur Fisk, born Sep- tember 16, 1847, died September 26, 1867.

(VI) Captain Edgar Augustus, son of Rev. Edgar and Myra Ann (Holslander) Brett, was born in Orange county, New York, June 26, 1840, died November 3, 1900, in Albany, New York. He was reared in Fishkill, New York, where he was educated in the public schools. In 1862 he enlisted in the One Hun- dred and Twenty-eighth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and was appointed com- missary sergeant. In 1863 he was commis- sioned captain in the First Regiment of En- gineers, composed of colored men, called the "Corps d' Afrique." Until the close of the war served on detached duty on the staff of General Day, Department of the Gulf, and was for a time provost marshal at Brazos and San Diego, Texas. He participated with his command at the battle of Port Hudson. Af- ter receiving an honorable discharge from the army at the close of the war, Captain Brett settled in Albany and held office for two years under Joseph Howland, treasurer of the state of New York. Resigning the office, he formed a connection with the National Com- mercial Bank of Albany as individual book-

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keeper, continuing until 1884, when he retired from active business life. In politics he was a lifelong Republican, but never aspired to or desired public office. He was a member of Louis Benedict Post, Grand Army of the Re- public, of Albany, later transferred to George Dawson Post, No. 63, Albany, and of the "Albany Burgess Corps," Albany's famous military and social organization. Both Cap- tain and Mrs. Brett were members of the First Dutch Reformed Church of Albany, and active in the Sunday school; for several years he served as librarian. He married, June 5, 1867, Mary, born June 25, 1840, daughter of John and Saphrona (Jacquin ). Charlot. John Jacquin, her grandfather, served in the revo- lutionary war, enlisting at the age of seven- teen for a term of three years. Children: Mary Louise, born April 19, 1868, died Au- gust 2, 1875 ; George W., born November 13, 1870, died August 7, 1875; Charles Porter, see forward; Arthur Howland, see forward; Katherine Gaul, born April 20, 1879.

(VII) Charles Porter, eldest surviving son of Captain Edgar Augustus and Mary (Char- lot) Brett, was born in Albany, New York, February 8, 1873. He was educated in the city schools, and for the first two years of his business life was with the Harder Knitting Company, of Hudson, New York. Leaving there, he was for the next ten years with the leading dry goods house of John G. G. Myers in Albany. In 1899 he formed a connection with the banking house of Spencer Trask & Company, continuing until the present date (1910) as their managing bookkeeper. He is a Republican, and through the military service of his ancestors gained admission to the Sons of the Revolution. He served five years in Company B, Tenth Battalion, New York Na- tional Guard, located at Albany, and is a member of "The Old Guard" of that com- pany ; also of the Capital City Benefit Associ- ation of Albany. His religious affiliation is with the First Dutch Reformed Church of Albany, of which he was a deacon for two years and for a term of four years treasurer of the Sunday school. He married, August 28, 1895, Grace, daughter of James and Ada- line (Rabson) Herrington, and has a daugh- ter, Edna May, born in Albany, April 14, 1900, died August 25, 1900, also one son who died at birth.

(VII) Arthur Howland, youngest son of Captain Augustus and Mary (Charlot) Brett, was born in Albany, October 19, 1875. He was educated in the city schools, specializing in bookkeeping and accounting systems. On leaving school he was for several years em- ployed in the general offices of the Delaware

and Hudson Railroad Company in Albany, The Commerce Insurance Company, Richard V. DeWitt Walsh in the insurance and real estate business, and now with the Hygienic Ice & Refrigerating Company of Albany. He is a Republican in politics : a member of the First Dutch Reformed Church; a Master Mason of Mt. Vernon Lodge, Albany; a Knight of Pythias, and member of the Sons of the Revolution. He is unmarried, residing with mother and sister at 148 Elm street.

Peter Cagger was honored in CAGGER the city of Albany as one of the foremost lawyers of his day, and that this was due to his intellectual attainments redounds to his enduring fame. He was of Irish descent. His parents came to Albany early in the nineteenth century. His father gave up a somewhat extensive business which he had been conducting in Ireland, and they first settled in New York City. There they remained for a brief period, and in the vaults of the old St. Patrick's Cathedral in Mott street several of the family are buried.

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Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed Publication date: 1911 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 716

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866- ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 716