Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 107

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1374

USA > New York > Albany County > Landmarks of Albany County, New York > Part 107

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cently graduated with high honors at Wesleyan University. Mr. Ward is one of the best known and popular men in Albany county and is well and favorably known throughout Eastern New York. He is what is called a big-hearted man, and many are the deeds of charity and kindness to those in need that he performs, always, however, without ostentation. From the time he cast his first vote Mr. Ward, as a staunch Republican, always has taken a lively interest in politics and in every con- test of his party with its opponents he has ever been found doing faithful work for Republican success. In 1882 he was the nominee of his party for member of con- gress in a hopeless struggle against Democratic fraud at the polls. Mr. Ward is now a candidate for the appointment as collector of internal revenue for the Eastern New York District at the hands of President Mckinley, and a look at the political horoscope indicates that he is to get the appointment, which will be a reward only in part for his party services. Mr. Ward possesses rare political sagacity, and with his ability to make and keep friends he is a political power in his county. His brother, the Hon. Walter E. Ward, who is an ex-member of the Assembly, owes a great deal of his political success to the unselfish efforts and splendid political judg- ment of his brother. Mr. Ward is a member of the M. E. church, to whose needs he subscribes liberally. Public spirited, amiable, and upright in his dealings with his fellows, he enjoys the esteem and respect of all who know him.

Pearsall, G. L., represents one of the younger successful business men of Albany. While but comparatively young, he has established a business that extends over the larger part of the United States and Canada, and enjoys an enviable reputation among not only the business men of Albany, but throughout the country. Mr. Pear- sall is the son of S. W. Pearsall and Synthia E. Pearsall, and was born at Groomes Corners, Saratoga county, N. Y., September 14, 1865. His father was the inventor of several photographic processes connected with the old wet plate process, and for years carried on a successful manufacturing business at Groomes Corners, N. Y. Mr. G. L. Pearsall came to Albany in 1886, and after completing his education at the State Normal College, entered on a business life, the success of which has few equals. Until 1895 he conducted the photographic business with his present busi- ness of supplying the photographic trade with electric light enlargements, bromide prints, crayon, pastels, sepia and water color portraits, also frames, and conducts one of the largest concerns of the kind in the country. His factory is located on Fulton street. In 1896 he erected a handsome villa residence on Allen street, Pine Hills, which is an ornament to the city. In 1888 he married Miss Jennie Willard of Albany, and they have three children, Marguerite, Hazel Estelle and Willard Will- ard. He is a member of Wadsworth Lodge No. 417, F. & A. M., William Lacy Lodge No. 33, I. O. O. F., the Albany Press Club, the Albany County Wheelmen and Camera Club, is active in politics and alive to all that will benefit and promote the busines's interests of Albany.

Stephens, Peter A., police justice of Albany, is a son of John and Catharine F. (Allen) Stephens, and was born in Albany, March 4, 1856. His father, who was born in New York city in 1829, remained here with his parents in 1845 and resided here till his death in September, 1888. Judge Stephens was educated in the Albany public schools Free Academy (now Albany High School), read law with Hiram L. Washburn, jr., and was admitted to the bar at Binghamton, in May, 1877, when he

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began the practice of his profession in his native city, where he has always resided. In the fall of 1885 he succeeded John A. McCall, jr., resigned as school commis- sioner, and in the following spring was elected for a full term of three years. De- cember 31, 1889, he was appointed police justice, vice Martin D. Conway elected sur- rogate, and in April, 1890, and 1892, and November, 1895, he was elected to this office by handsome majorities. He is an able lawyer, a skilled parliamentarian and a great lover of outdoor sports. His wit and humor are among his chief character- isties. He is a member, an incorporator and ex-president of the Empire Curling Club, and a prominent member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and other fraternal societies. He is married and has five sons and one daughter. The family of Judge Stephens is an old one in the city of Albany, his paternal grand- parents, James Stephens and Elizabeth (Devine) Stephens, who were married in the city of New York in or about the year 1815, having lived and died here, and his ma- ternal grandparents. John Allen and Mary (Cary) Allen, having been married in this city prior to 1820 and always resided here.

Haverly, William J., was born in the town of Knox, July 5, 1849. The progenitor of this line of the family in America was John Haverly, who came from Wurtem- burg, Germany, in or about 1750, and settled in that part of Berne which is now Knox, and was a farmer. He had four sons, Karl, Jacob, John, jr., and George. The son Jacob was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. John I., the grandfather, was born in Knox in 1783, where he followed carpentry. His wife was Marilla (born 1797), daughter of Henry Deitz, and their children were Cynthia A .. Elizabeth, Jacob, Eli and John D. He died December 2, 1866, and his wife August 30, 1891. John D. Haverly, the father, was born in Knox, January 7, 1827, and attended the common district school. When a boy he worked on a farm by the day or month; subsequently he worked at carpentry with his father, and also learned the shoemaker's trade, which he plied winters. When about thirty years old he engaged in buying and butchering cattle and selling meat; this he followed seven years, when he bought and conducted a hotel in the village of Berne, which, two years later he traded for a farm, upon which the house had been destroyed by fire ; he rebuilt the house, built new barns, wagon house and other outbuildings. In 1867 he disposed of the farm and purchased his present farm of 170 acres in the town of Knox, where he has ever since resided. His wife was Sophia E .. daughter of Adam and granddaughter of Mathias Shultes. The latter was the progenitor of the Shultes family in America and a native of Holland. Their children were Willard J., Isadore (who died when five years old), Rena and Nina. William J. Haverly has spent most of his life on the farm, engaged for many years with his father in the breeding of trotting and road horses, registered stock. They are the owners of the well known stallion, "Victor Mohawk," whose progeny has produced such satisfactory roadsters. When a boy Mr. Haverly attended the common schools and two terms at Knox Academy, taught school when seventeen years old, and later attended the Albany Normal School, from which he was graduated in June, 1869. He was then engaged in the grocery business in Albany for two years, afterwards returning to his father's farm, in which he took an interest, and followed teaching winters. Since 1874 he has been a dealer in farm machinery, and since 1890 has dealt in fertilizers. Since 1887 he has followed teaching winter and summer, having taught in all twenty-nine

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terms. Mr. Haverly has for years been prominently identified with the Republican party, has filled the office of collector for the town of Knox, and was elected in 1878 to represent his town in the Board of Supervisors, and again in 1882, 1891 and 1892, and is present supervisor of Knox. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Berne Lodge No. 684, and was for a number of years an Odd Fellow, until the lodge was disbanded. In 1883 he married Carrie M., daughter of Theodore Nauright, a native of Naurightville, N. J., and their children are Edwin B., May, Elmina D., Theo- dora N., Nellie L., Ann A. and John W.

Capron, William J., was born in the city of Albany, November 16, 1833. He was a son of John Capron, who was born in Albany in 1790. He was one of two children, Sarah and John, born to William Capron, a native of Connecticut, who was a farmer and a soldier in the war of 1812. John, the father, was a farmer and a dairyman. He spent his last days in the town of Watervliet. His wife was Sarah Pangborn, daughter of George Pangborn. Their children were Sarah, wife of Robert Harper, of Albany; John P., Martha, William J., and Mary. He died in 1849, and his wife survived him until 1887. When twenty-one years of age William J. began for him - self as a farmer, near Guilderland village, which he followed for some twelve years, when he opened a grocery store in Guilderland, which he conducted for fifteen years, and in addition to this he practiced as a veterinarian. He later disposed of his store and devoted his whole time as a veterinarian, at which he had gained a wide reputation. He was clerk for one term, justice for six years, and was overseer of the poor for many years. He was also elected constable for fourteen consecutive years. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Wadsworth Lodge of Albany, and of the Knights Chapter. He is also an officer of the Humane Society for the pre- vention of cruelty to animals and children, and has also been a member of the Board of Health for a number of years. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. B, 10th New York State Volunteers, which was changed to 177th, and was discharged after three months on account of sickness. In 1864 he married Margaret Scott, born in the town of New Scotland, and daughter of Peter Scott; their children are Alice and John H. The latter is a telegraph operator. Mr. Capron has served his town as deputy sheriff, being appointed by a Democratic sheriff, which is much to his credit.

Merritt, Mrs. Magdalene Isadore La Grange, poet, was born in the town of Guilder- land, September 17, 1864, at Elmwood Farm, the homestead of the La Grange family, originally De La Grange. She is the seventh daughter of Myndret La Grange and Juha A. La Grange, his wife, second cousins, both descendants of Count Johannes de la Grange, a French Huguenot, who emigrated from La Rochelle, France, 1656, a son of whom settled upon the tract of land, and founded the homestead, which has since descended from father to son, and where the subject of this sketch was born. At the early age of eight years she was already writing verses, which were correct in rhyme. Brought up in a home of wealth and refinement, and surrounded with all that makes life desirable, spending much of her life out of doors in a coun- try unsurpassed for its beauty, it is but natural that her work should partake largely of the religious, and always of nature. She spent three years studying art under the tuition of Prof. William P. Morgan at the Albany Female Academy, where she was educated. When but sixteen the editor of a daily paper, after hearing her repeat some of her verses, requested permission to publish them, which was given; since

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then she has been a contributor to various papers, some of her first poems having been published in the Brotherhood of Engineers' Journal, whose editor says of her poems: " They are of the highest merit and worthy to be placed among the finest songs of the day." She has received kindly encouragement from distinguished sources, and says the sweetest and most cherished is from Mrs. Frank Leslie, who was the first stranger to recognize her with words of praise. She is a fine prose writer and is an occasional contributor to the Christian Work and various other papers, with short stories and sketches. In 1893 she published a book of her earlier poems, 'Songs of the Helderberg," of which over 300 copies were sold in Albany county in two months. She is one of the poets whose biography appears in " A Woman of the Century." January 31, 1894, she married Aaron Merritt, of Port Jervis, N. Y. Mr. Merritt is a locomotive engineer on the West Shore Railroad, a gentleman of the highest integrity, who stands high in the esteem of his employers. Their home is at Oak Knoll, a fifty-acre farm belonging to the author, situated beau- tifully on the banks of the Norman's Kill. Here the author lives quietly and hap- pily, herself superintending much of the work of the farm and the care of her five thoroughbred Jerseys. Entertaining many distinguished people, and with the care of her family, her life is busy and useful.

Lamoreaux, Maus, was born in Coeymans in 1864 and is the son of William J., grandson of Jarvis, and great-grandson of George, whose father, James, came from Paris, France, and settled at Indian Fields. In 1885 Mr. Lamoreaux married Emma L., daughter of Henry C. Mosher, and settled on a farm near Wemple, where he is one of the leading farmers of the town.

Lansing, Egbert W., one of the most prominent men of Cohoes, is a represent- ative of a family who were closely identified with the history of this city from its earliest period. His first American ancestor, Gerrit Lansing, whose death occurred in the vicinity of Albany prior to 1679, and from whom he is sixth in descent, came from Holland. The residence now occupied by Mr. Lansing was built in part by his great-grandfather, Johannes I. Lansing, about 1750. Mr. Lansing was born in 1833, and was educated in Albany and has for the past twenty years been actively engaged in the real estate business. Politically he is a Republican, and was one of the first aldermen of his native city in 1870. His wife was Helena, daughter of Dow F. Lansing of this city, whom he married in 1860. Both are connected with the Reformed church.

Orelup, William H., is the son of the late John Orelup, who died in 1892 at the age of seventy.two years. He was one of the most prominent men in Cohoes, and al- ways resided here, with the exception of fifteen years spent in Ballston Spa, as an axe manufacturer. Here he was a contractor in the manufacture of axes, having reached the top of financial success by the results of his own labor and genius. He had the courage and mental strength to stand firmly by the principles of right. William H. was born here in 1849, where his grandfather, William Orelup, settled in 1830 as a local preacher. His mother, who is still living, was Eliza Hitchcock; her only daughter, Mrs. Egbert P. Lansing, is now living in New York. He is chiefly inter- ested in real estate.

Hall, James, B. N. S., (r. s.), A. M., M. D., LL.D., son of English parents,

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was born in Hingham, Mass., September 12, 1811. At the age of twenty he entered Rensselaer School at Troy, N. Y. (now the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and closely followed instruction in geology. He was graduated in 1832 and remained in the school as assistant professor of chemistry and natural sciences until 1836, when he was made professor of geology. When the geological survey of the State of New York was organized in 1836, Professor Hall was appointed by Gover- nor Marcy assistant to the geologist in charge of the second district, and in the fol- lowing year he was made State geologist in charge of the fourth district. In 1843, upon the resignation of Mr. T. A. Conrad, the palaeontologist of the survey, Governor Bouck appointed Professor Hall to take charge of this work. He made investiga- tions outside of New York State, and it was due to them that, in 1855, he was ap- pointed State geologist of Iowa and in 1857 State geologist of Wisconsin. In 1855 he was offered by Sir W. G. Logan, the government geologist of Canada the charge of the palacontological work of that survey, but declined the position. He has made reports at various times for explorations and surveys conducted by the Federal Gov- ernment, such as Fremont's Exploring Expedition in 1845, Stansbury's Expedition to the Great Salt Lake in 1852, Emory's United States and Mexican Boundary Sur- vey in 1857, and U. S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel in 1877. In 1866 he was made director of the New York State Museum of Natural History, and in 1893 was re-commissioned by Governor Flower State geologist and palacontol- ogist, which appointment had been for eleven years previous in the control of the Regents of the University from 1882. Professor Hall has received many academic degrees and titles of distinction ; Harvard, Hamilton, Union, the University of Mary- land, McGill University, Montreal and the Rensselaer Institute have conferred these. He has been president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of Geological Society of America and vice-president of the International Congress of Geologists. He is a member of about forty scientific societies, in many of which his membership is honorary. In 1858 he received the Wollaston medal from the Geological Society of London ; in 1881 the Ricordo di Benemerenza from the International Geological Congress, and in 1882 the Order dei Santi Maurizio Laz- zaro from the King of Italy; in 1884 the Walker prize of $1,000 from the Boston Society of Natural History, and in 1890 the Hayden medal from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Professor Hall is the author of hundreds of scien- tific papers.

Tennant, Albert C., is the great great-grandson of James Tennant, who, with two brothers came from England to Connecticut about 1700. His parents were Thomas and Dorcas J. (Briggs) Tennant, the latter being a granddaughter of Capt. John Briggs of the Revolutionary army. Mr. Tennant was born in Willett, Cortland county, N. Y., November 11, 1846, was educated in the district schools and at Cin- cinnatus Academy and was graduated from the Albany State Normal School in January, 1868. He read law in Geneva, N. Y., with Hon. W. F. Diefendorf about three years and afterward with Judge Edwin Countryman, then of Cooperstown, and was admitted to the bar at Albany in March, 1873. He then formed a copartner- ship with Hon. James S. Davenport and practiced at Richfield Springs until January 1. 1884, when, having been elected surrogate of Otsego county, he removed to Cooperstown and at the end of a full term of six years was re-elected to that office,

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being the only Democrat elected in that county that year. He resigned the position May 1. 1894, and moved to Albany, where he has since practiced law as a member of the firm of Hale, Bulkeley & Tennant. In 1889 he was appointed by Governor Hill a member of the commission to revise the judiciary article of the State Constitu- tion. He was chairman of the Democratic Committee of Otsego county over ten years, has been a delegate to several State conventions and in 1892 was a delegate from New York to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago. He is a mem- ber of Richfield Springs Lodge and Chapter of Masons. October 4, 1876, he married Lizzie II., daughter of Hiram Getman of Richfield Springs, and they have one son, Clermonte G.

J. M. jones's Sons, builders of street cars, was established in 1839 in its present location. Since that time there have been improvements and alterations which make the works far different than those which were from time to time built to increase the capacity of the concern, or to take the place of the structures destroyed by fire and worn out by the ravages of time. It is about half a century since the first street car line was constructed in this county, and only since then has the Jones works been engaged in making cars: previous to that they made family wagons and stage coaches. The works now employ nearly 300 men in nearly every branch of industry, and the capacity of the plant is nearly 600 cars a year, sixty having been turned out in May last, the calculation being to complete two cars every working day. Jones' cars may be found in nearly every city in the country, and many have been shipped to foreign lands.

Bowe, John, son of Michael and Mary (Purcell) Bowe, was born in Albany July 18, 1847. He was educated in the public schools and the Albany Normal College, grad- uating from the latter in 1878. He then secured a position in the State Insurance Department as clerk, where he remained until elected treasurer of Albany county in the fall of 1890. In 1878 he was elected supervisor of the Third ward of Albany and served three years. In 1888 he was elected alderman of the Third ward and re- elected in the spring of 1890, serving four years in the Board of Aldermen, all of which time he was its president. In the fall of 1890 he was elected treasurer of Al- bany county, and re-elected in the fall of 1893 and served until his term expired on December 31, 1896. In 1863 he enlisted in Co. F, 176th N. Y. Vols., and served two years and eight months. He is a member of the Catholic Union, the Dongan and Press Clubs, and Post 121, G. A. R. Mr. Bowe is a director of the Albany City National Bank and a trustee of the Albany City Savings Institution.

Templeton, Charles B., of Scotch-Irish descent, is the grandson of Philip Temple- ton, who came from the North of Ireland to Albany about 1800. His parents were John and Cecelia (Payn) Templeton, of whom the former died in 1890. John Temple- ton was treasurer of the Albany County Savings Bank and cashier of the Albany County Bank and organized both institutions. He held various corporation offices, was president of the Young Men's Association in 1863, for several years president of the Y. M. C. A., and a trustee in a number of charitable and religious organizations. Charles B. Templeton was born in Albany, October 28, 1864, was graduated from the Albany Academy in 1880 and from Union College in 1884, receiving the degrees of A. B. and C. E., and read law with Hungerford & Hotaling. He was graduated from the Albany Law School as LL. B. and admitted to the bar in 1886, and since

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then has been associated in practice with Hon. Lansing Hotaling. He is a member of the Albany Institute, the Alpha Delta Phi and the Fort Orange and Uncondi- tional Republican Clubs; was secretary and later president of the Young Men's As- sociation for several years; was the first president of the Theta Nu Epsilon (soph- more) College fraternity ; was for some time secretary and treasurer of the Union College Alumni Association, and was the commandant of the Unconditional Cam- paign Club in 1892. He was the Republican candidate for district attorney in 1889, and judge of the City Court in 1892, and has taken an active interest in the League of the Republican Clubs of the State, having been for several years a member of the executive committee, representing Albany county. November 14, 1894, he married Margaret Elizabeth Edwards of Albany.

Knowles, Charles R., is a son of the late Rev. Charles J. Knowles, whose father, Eli Knowles, was one of the first settlers of Greenville, Greene county, N. Y. and whose wife, Vina, was a daughter of Jonathan Sherrill, another pioneer of Greenville ; her brother, Hon. Eliakim Sherrill, was a member of the Thirteenth Congress, State senator in 1854 and a colonel in the Union army; was killed at the battle of Gettys- burg. Mr. Knowles was born at Riverhead, Long Island, on May 16, 1839. His early education was in the academies at Riverhead, L. I., and Greenville, N. Y., the latter being one of the foremost academies of the State. It was here Martin Van Buren and Lyman Tremaine and many others prominent in State and Nation re- ceived their early education ; among the many eminent teachers of the academy was a brother of the late Hon. Amasa J. Parker, uncle of the editor of this work. Mr. Knowles has never lost his interest in Greenville or its material prosperity ; he owns the old Sherrill homestead, where his mother was born, having modernized it for his summer home. He is the president of the Board of Trustees of the academy. His first business experience was as a clerk in his uncle's insurance office, in Washington, D. C., where he spent some three years; from Washington he entered the office of his cousin, Judge Knowles, of Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, as a law student. Before concluding his law studies, after the battle of Bull Run in 1861, he enlisted as a private in the 92d Regt., N. Y. Vols., organized a company and was elected its captain, and with his regiment served with the army of the Potomac, participating . in its victories and defeats, its marches and countermarches through the Peninsula campaign, until after the battle of Fair Oaks, when sickness compelled him to resign. With returning health there came to him the appointment of judge advocate of the Mississippi squadron, with rank of acting master on the staff of Rear Admiral Lee. At the close of the war he settled in Albany, became general agent of the Commerce Insurance Company, and in 1868 was admitted to the bar. In the same year he was appointed manager of the New York State Department of the Insurance Company of North America, and Royal of Liverpool, and Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Com- pany of Philadelphia. January 1, 1888, the Royal Insurance Company decided to unite the New York State department with the Metropolitan Department, under the management of E. F. Beddall, which left Mr. Knowles with the management of the North American and the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Companies. January 1, 1896, the Philadelphia Underwriters was added to the list of his companies. A Republican in politics, Mr. Knowles has been the representative of his party in the Board of Supervisors and State Legislature, as well as a popular stump speaker in

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 107

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1374

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1374