Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 109

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

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Terry, Washington C., was born in Coeymans, and is a son of Francis and Bar- bara (Carhart) Terry, and grandson of John and great-grandson of Philip, whose father was George Terry, who came from Rhode Island to Coeymans and settled

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near Coeymans, and was mostly engaged in farming. Mr. Terry is a farmer on the farm where his father settled in 1847, and where he died in 1869. He married Sarah E., daughter of Daniel Carhart.

Van Allen, Richard B., was born in the town of Bethlehem, Albany county, in 1842. John Van Allen, the great-grandfather, was a native of Holland. John, the grandfather, was born in the town of Bethlehem in 1786, and was a practical and successful farmer. His wife was Anna Elmandorth, who was born in Kinderhook, a daughter of Jacob Elmandorth. They reared nine children: John, Samuel, Gar- rett, Philip, Jane, Catherine, Maria, Kaziah and Julia. He died in 1863 and his wife died several years before. Samuel, the father of Richard B., is a native of Bethlehem, born September 2, 1815. He received a common school education and remained on his father's farm until twenty-two years of age, when he married and began for himself on a rented farm. He later purchased one-half of his father's 199 acres, on which he resided until 1875, when he removed to Guilderland, bought a lot and erected a residence at Fuller's Station. Soon after he came into possession of the general store at that place, which he conducted for fourteen years. In 1890 he was succeeded in business by his son Richard and his brother-in-law. He has since led a retired life. While in the town of Bethlehem he was elected school commis- sioner and was trustee of the district school for fifteen years. In 1836 he married Elizabeth Becker, who was born in Bethlehem in 1813, and was a daughter of Rich- ard and Catherine (Snyder) Becker. Their children are John, Richard, Ira and George. His wife died in 1867. The past few years his children have quietly brought about a reunion at his residence, greatly to the surprise and delight of their aged parents. Richard B. worked on his father's farm and attended the common schools, but at the age of twenty-five left home and engaged as mechanic in the steel works of Troy, and later spent a time at farming, and from 1879 to 1883 he was in the produce business in Albany. In 1883 he removed to Fuller's Station, where he assisted his father in his store. In 1890 he, with his brother-in-law, pur- chased his father's store and business. He has also been a dealer in hay and straw for the past five years and was for a time interested in a cider mill. He was post- master at Fuller's Station for two years under Harrison and Cleveland. In 1888 he married Emma Goodman of Schenectady. Mr. and Mrs. Van Allen have two chil- dren: Voorhees and Mattie May.

Washburn, Hiram L., son of Hiram L. and Magdalen T. (Clark) Washburn, was born in Westford, Otsego county, N. Y., June 14, 1840. He is of English descent, being descended from one of three brothers who came from England to America prior to the Revolution ; and of Holland-Dutch descent, his maternal ancestors hav- ing been among the first to settle the town of Schenectady, N. Y. Mr. Washburn attended the Albany public schools and the Ballston Spa Institute, after which he studied law in the office of Hungerford & Hotaling of Albany and was admitted to practice in 1861. Since his admission to the bar he has practiced law in Albany. Mr. Washburn was the attorney for four or five German banking and loan associa- tions that were organized between 1866 and 1875, and was for several years searching clerk in the Albany county clerk's office. He also tried the case which brought about the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in New York State for several months after the war of the Rebellion, the question involved being in relation to the mus-

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tering out of men who had enlisted to fill unexpired terms. He was the inspector of rifle practice on the staff of the Third, Fifth and Ninth Brigades, N. G. N. Y., for ten years and was on duty at the West Albany riots. Mr. Washburn is at present the attorney for the Permanent Savings & Loan Association of Albany and has a very large real estate practice. He is a Royal Arch Mason, being a member of Cap- ital City Chapter, De Witt Clinton Council and Masters Lodge No. 6. April 1, 1866, he married Phebe Neemes of Albany, and they have three children: Mrs. William J. Mckown, Mrs. R. J. LeBoef, and Lucius H. Washburn.

Wallen, William, is a son of Frederick J. Wallen, born in Birmingham, England, October 21, 1837, who came to America about 1849 and settled in Philadelphia, Pa., where he learned the trade of gas and steam fitting. In 1860 Frederick J. came to Albany and had charge of the steam and gas fitting department of Tucker & Craw- ford until 1873, when he established business for himself. He became one of the leading steam and gas fitters in Albany. Mr. Wallen was a prominent member of the Philadelphia and Albany Volunteer Fire Departments from the age of seventeen, being foreman in Albany of Steamer No. 4 several years. He was also connected with the present fire department of Albany and while discharging his duties July 13, 1885, was killed in the Boardman & Gray fire, being forty-seven years of age. He was an active Republican and a member of the I. O. O. F. He married Elizabeth Virden, who died July 30, 1878, and of their ten children eight are living. Mr. Wallen's mother died in Philadelphia in 1892, aged eighty two and his father, Will- iam, in Albany, in 1893, aged eighty-three. William Wallen, son of F. J., was born April 5, 1863, associated himself with his father in 1876 and on the latter's death in 1885 succeeded, with his brother, George E., to the business. under the firm name of F. J. Wallen's Sons. George E. withdrew in February, 1895, and since then Will- iam Wallen has continued alone, having one of the largest plants between New York and Buffalo, and doing a large amount of steam, hot water heating and gas fitting. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the Elks and the Empire Curling and Albany Bicycle Clubs. April 15, 1884, he married Minnie E. Evans of Albany, and their children are Nathan Evans and Frederick William.

Rankin, Edward W., is a great-grandson of William Rankin, who was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, May 16, 1745 (died 1834), and came to Troy, N. Y., in 1763. He married Wilhelmina Payne, daughter of Dr. Lodowick Dunkel, of New York city. William Rankin, his son, born 1785, died 1869, married Abigail Ogden, of Elizabeth, N. J., in 1809, and removing to Newark, N. J., became prominent in busi- ness and religious circles. His son, Edward E. Rankin, D.D., born 1830, died 1889, was pastor at Springfield, N. J., then of the 42d Street Presbyterian church, New York city, 1849 to 1863, when he went to the war under the Christian Commis- sion. From 1866 to 1879 he was pastor of the First Church of Christ at Fairfield, Conn. Retiring in ill-health he settled in Hartford for two years and then returned to Newark, N. J. He was one of the directors of the Hartford Theological Seminary and a lecturer in his later years at the Bloomfield Theological Seminary. He mar- ried, 1847, Emily Watkinson, of Hartford, Conn., whose family came from Laven- ham, Suffolk, England, in 1795. Her father, Edward Watkinson, married Lavinia Hudson, of Hartford, and was a brother and partner of David Watkinson, the founder of the Watkinson Library. Edward Watkinson Rankin, son of Rev. Dr.

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E. E. Rankin, born in New York city, August 12, 1850, educated at Collegiate School, N. Y. C., Newark Academy and Williston, Easthampton, was gradu- ated at Princeton College in 1871, receiving degree of A. M. in 1874. He studied law at Southport, Conn. (where he also edited the Southport Chronicle), and at Bridgeport. He received degree of LL. B. from the Albany Law School and was admitted to the bar at Albany in 1873. He was in Europe until 1875 and studied for a time at Leipsic. He returned to Albany in 1875, since which time he has followed his profession, making a specialty of office practice and real estate titles. He is a member of the Albany Institute, Albany Historical Society and Albany Camera Club. June 3, 1884, he married Catharine Bogart Putnam daughter of Dr. Alonzo and Harriet Maria (Van Rensselaer) Putman, who on her father's side traces her descent back six generations to an ancestor coming from Holland. Her grand- father, Cornelius H. Putman, married Gazena Visscher Maybee, the granddaughter of Col. Frederick and Gazena De Graff Visscher, of Caughnawaga. Mrs. Rankin's mother, Harriet Maria Van Rensselaer, was the daughter of Robert Sanders Van- Rensselaer (married Catharine Bogart), who was the son of Col. Philip Van Rens- selaer (married Maria Sanders), who built the mansion "Cherry Hill," at Albany in 1768, in which Mr. and Mrs. Rankin now live. Col. Philip Van Rensselaer was a son of Col. Killian Van Rensselaer (married Arriantie Schuyler in 1742), and he the son of Hendrick Van Rensselaer (married Catrina Van Brugh, daughter of Catharine Roeloffsen, and granddaughter of Anneke Jans), who was a brother of Kil- lian Van Rensselaer, the third Patroon of Rensselaerwyck. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin have three children, Edward Elmendorf, Herbert Edward and Emily Watkinson.

Keenholts, Hon. James, of Altamont, was born in Guilderland, April 13, 1868, son of James Keenholts and Helen (Horner) Martin, grandson of Christopher, whose father was Christopher. James Keenholts was educated in the district schools and remained on his father's farm until he was sixteen years old, when he engaged in the meat business on his own account in Altamont. In 1866 he engaged in the fruit and produce business, which he still continues. From 1889 to 1893 he conducted a livery in addition to his other occupations. Mr. Keenholts is a Republican and act- ive in politics; he assisted in the incorporation of the village of Altamont, and is now serving his third term as trustee thereof; he was a prime mover in establishing the Altamont Driving Park and Fair Association, of which he was made superin- tendent, and has been a director since the organization; on January 9, 1897, he was elected president of the association. In 1894 he was elected to the Assembly and re-elected in 1895. He is a member of the Voorheesville Lodge I. O. O. F. and Na- tawa Tribe of Red Men of Albany. In 1887 he married Della C. Griggs of Cobles- kill, daughter of C. L. Griggs. They have had three children: Ella, Anita and Helen J.

Reynolds, Charles W., was born in Petersburgh, Rensselaer county, N. Y., Feb- ruary 8, 1848. He is descended from William Reynolds of Providence, R. I., who, on August 20, 1637, with twelve others including Roger Williams, signed the follow- ing compact :

We, whose names are here under, desire to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active and passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good of the body, in an orderly way by the major assent of the present inhab-

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itants, masters of families incorporated together into a town fellowship, and such others whom they shall admit unto them, only in civil things. 1

The great-grandfather of Charles W., William W. Reynolds, came from Westerly, R. I., and settled in Petersburgh in 1780. Prior to this, in 1777, he served in the de- fense of his country against the English, at the battle of Bennington. . He spent his remaining days in Petersburgh, being supervisor in 1801, 1802 and 1803, and magis- trate for many years. The grandfather of this subject was Parley Reynolds, who was born in Petersburgh in 1580: He became a merchant and for many years, in partnership with his brother Thomas, conducted an extensive and profitable business in Petersburgh, and was supervisor in 1837 and 1838. William W. Reynolds, the father of Charles W., was born September 25, 1816, and died June 4, 1876, and was supervisor in 1847, 1848, 1856 and 1857. He was married to Mary (born January 14, 1825), daughter of Braddock Peckham, jr. (born June 4, 1781, died January 7, 1834), and granddaughter of Braddock Peckham, sr. (born May 4, 1757, died January 9, 1830), who was a soldier in a Rhode Island regiment during the Revolutionary war. Previous to this service he was second in command in an expedition composed of patriotic citizens of Wickford, R. I., that made a prisoner of the British General Prescott, July 10, 1777, at Newport, R. I .; the prisoner was delivered to General Washington at Newburgh by the same party, and on July 18, 1777, was exchanged for Major-General Harry Lightfoot Lee. At the close of his connection with this duty, he came to the valley of the Little Hoosick, looking for a future home. He had but just arrived when Captain Hull's company was being formed to go to the relief of General Stark at Bennington; he joined this company, was made lieutenant and served in that capacity at the battle of Bennington and continued with the company until after the battle of Bemis Heights and the surrender of Burgoyne, when the company was disbanded; he then joined the command of General Gates and with that little army of 1,500 marched away to New Jersey. He was at the defeat of Brandywine and on the bloody field of Monmouth. He remained with General Gates's command until the latter was superseded by Gen. Nathaniel Greene, and with him saw the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. At the termination of the war he returned to his home in Rhode Island, and in 1786, accompanied by his brother Abel, came to the beautiful valley of the Little Hoosick and there reared a family of thirteen children and where many of his descendants still reside. The first an- cestor in this county of Braddock Peckham was John Peckham of Newport, R. I., who was admitted an inhabitant May 20, 1638; he married Mary Clarke, who was a sister of the Rev. John Clarke from Bradfordshire, England, "one of the ablest men of the seventeenth century and a founder of Rhode Island." In 1648 John Peckham was one of the ten male members in full communion of the First Baptist church. Charles W. Reynolds grew to manhood on his father's farm, and obtained his educa- tion in the common schools, at Fort Edward Institute and Alfred University. When twenty-one years of age his father assisted him in purchasing an interest in a general

1 " The government established by these primitive settlers of Providence was an anomaly in the history of the world. At the outset it was a pure democracy, which for the first time guarded jealously the rights of conscience by ignoring any power in the body politic to interfere with those matters that concern man and his Maker. Principle, not precedent, formed their only standard of judgment. Could the record of their proceedings have been preserved (meetings were held monthly), with what interest should we now pursue the debates of this earliest of modern democ- racies!"-Arnold's History of Rhode Island.

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store in the village of Petersburgh in partnership with the late David H. Kellyer where they soon after, in connection with their mercantile interests, began the manufacture of shirts by contract, and with such encouraging success that in 1874 they sold their store and engaged exclusively in the manufacture of shirts on their own account, in which undertaking they have been successful as well as furnishing employment to a large number of people. Mr. Reynolds makes the village of Petersburgh his home, but spends the winters at his Albany residence where his children enjoy greater ed- ucational advantages. In 1874 he married Lucy M. Gifford, born December 7, 1856, a native of Albany and daughter of Alonzo (born March 9, 1832) and Mary J. (Hakes) Gifford (born August 4. 1835), who has borne him five children, as follows: William G., born August 12, 1875; George T., born September 21, 1878; Grace born Decem- ber 31, 1880; Alonzo P., born January 21, 1886: and Noyes, born April 8, 1891. Mr. Reynolds has traveled extensively over the United States, and in 1891, accompanied by his son William G., was of the party of over two hundred Knights Templar who visited Europe. Mr. Reynolds has never sought office, but in the spring of 1896 was elected supervisor of Petersburgh without opposition and at a considerable per- sonal sacrifice consented to serve in that capacity.

Thacher, Ralph W., was born in Brockport, N. Y., April 24, 1839. He is a son of Dr. Ralph Thacher, who was born in Lebanon, Conn., where five generations of Thachers have lived or were born. Mr. Thacher's mother was Jerusha B. Harri- son of Williamstown, Mass. The first member of the Thacher family in America was the Rev. Thomas Thacher, first pastor of the Old South church in Boston, Mass., from whom is also descended John Boyd Thacher, mayor of Albany. Rev. Thomas Thacher landed at Boston in the ship James in August, 1635, in charge of his uncle, Anthony Thacher, who had been a curate of his father's church in Salis- bury, England. Rev. Peter Thacher, the father of Rev. Thomas, was rector of St. Edmund's church at Salisbury, England, and lies buried in the churchyard under the shadow of Salisbury cathedral. Ralph W. Thacher, the subject of this sketch, and seventh in descent from Rev. Thomas Thacher, spent the years of 1855 and 1856 at Williams College and was graduated from Hamilton College in 1859. While at Hamilton he was a member of the Phi Upsilon fraternity. After leaving college Mr. Thacher removed to Albany, N. Y., in 1860 and engaged in the grain business with David N. Glazier and Harvey D. Leonard. After three years Mr. Thacher was taken into partnership and the firm became Glazier, Leonard & Co., which existed five years. Mr. Leonard then retired and the firm became for two years Glazier & Thacher. In 1870 Mr. Thacher withdrew and went to Kansas, where he established the First National Bank of Ottawa, of which he was cashier five years and vice- president four years, including two years after he returned to Albany, in 1877. When Mr. Thacher returned to Albany he bought of David N. Glazier the business that he was originally interested in. Mr. Glazier was then in failing health and shortly after died. Mr. Thacher continued in this business until July, 1891, coupling with it a mill and elevator at Schenectady, N. Y., a mill and elevator at Kenwood, near Albany, two malt houses in Albany and a coal yard in Schenectady, having in all ninety employees. He retired from that business to go into the export trade in New York in 1891, that being the year when there was a shortage in all the wheat producing countries in the world save America. Mr. Thacher was very successful

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in New York and in the fall of 1892 he retired from active business on account of impaired health. In November, 1896, he took the presidency of the Albany Art Umon as a pastime, growing out of his liking for amateur photography and to some- what satisfy his love of the beautiful in art. Mr. Thacher is a member of Masters Lodge No. 4, F. & A. M., and a demitted member of Temple Chapter, R. A. M. ; he was also a charter member of the Fort Orange and Albany Clubs. He is now a member of the University Club of New York and of the New York Produce Ex- change. He was formerly a member of the Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Board of Trade. His first wife was Anna Elizabeth Glazier, of Brockport, N. Y., by whom he has one daughter. Mrs. F. W. Stedman, of Albany. His present wife was Louisa C. Huntington, of Albany, by whom he has a son, Ralph Hunting- ton Thacher.

Lawson, Stephen, was born in 1830, and is a son of Levi, and grandson of Law- rence Lawson, who first settled at Bethlehem and later at Rufus Corners, where he died and left two sons, James and Levi. Levi came to Coeymans in 1830 and bought the farm where Stephen now lives. He was a farmer and died in 1860. He had four sons: Henry, William, Isaac, and Stephen, who remained on the homestead, and has two sons: Frederick and Howard.

Griffen, Edward C., son of Edward and Harriett (Perkins) Griffen, was born in Newark, N. J., September 5, 1868. In 1875 he moved with his parents to Schuyler- ville, N. Y., where he attended the high school at that place. Subsequently he at- tended the Albany Business College and graduated from that institution June 6, 1887, when he entered the employ of Henry Russell, flour merchant, and remained with him seven years, rising to the position of bookkeeper. In January, 1894, Mr. Griffen resigned his position with Mr. Russell and opened a store at No. 43 Hudson avenue, where he deals in flour, feed, hay and grain. He is one of Albany's young- est merchants and is respected for his integrity, perseverance and fair dealing. Feb- ruary 10, 1892, he married Harietta Meader of Quaker Springs, N. Y., and they have one son, Chauncey Rider.

Miller, S. Edward, jr., was born in Albany, N. Y., in 1855. His father for many years was a prominent merchant on Broadway. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Frances Silsby. On the paternal side, Mr. Miller is descended from Elizabeth Staats (great-grandmother) who was born just below Albany in the old Staats home- stead, the oldest inhabited house in America, bearing date of erection of 1630. Mr. Miller received his education in the public and high schools and was bookkeeper for Corning & Co. until 1882, when he opened a men's furnishing store at No. 36 Maiden Lane. His business rapidly increased so that in 1891 he took premises at No. 34 Maiden Lane; now he occupies Nos. 34 and 36. He began this business in a small way and owing to his pleasant manner and fair dealings, was not long in hav- ing it very well established. He now has a plant outside used solely for the manu- facture of shirts giving employment to a large number of hands. Mr. Miller has a large double store and does the largest strictly furnishing goods business in the State, outside of New York and Buffalo. He has a very large custom shirt trade extending to all parts of the United States, and the Hanan shoe agency which is developing into a large business. He is a member of the Albany Club, Old Guard, Albany Zouave Cadets and the Empire and Capital City Curling Clubs. Mr. Miller is also

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a life member, ex-vice-president and director of the Young Men's Association and a member of the Y. M. C. A. In 1880 he married Sarah Louise Nash, daughter of John H. Nash and sister of Willis G. Nash, cashier of the New York State Bank. They have.two children: Louise Adele aud Edgar Nash.

Danaher, John E., son of Francis M. and Mary E. (Hillenbrant) Danaher, was born in Albany, N. Y., March 4, 1861. He attended the public schools and Christian Brothers' Academy and graduated from the Albany High School in 1878. After leaving the high school he obtained a situation as bookkeeper for Tallmadge & Carter, commission merchants, and remained with this firm a year and a half. Subsequently he was bookkeeper and afterward traveling salesman for William H. Livingston, wholesale liquor dealer, with whom he remained seven years, when in 1886, he started in the wholesale liquor business for himself at No. 34 Green street. He remained at that location for one year and then owing to increased business he moved to Nos. 394 and 396 Broadway, where he was located five years, when his business became so large that he was compelled to find more suitable quarters and moved to his pres- ent location No. 97 Hudson avenue, corner of Grand street, with storehouse in the rear at No. 14 Grand street. Mr. Danaher is a member of the Catholic Union, the Commercial Traveler's Club, and is a member of the Board of Control of the National Wholesale Liquor Dealers Association of America. He married Elizabeth B., daughter of Patrick McCarthy, for many years a builder and alderman of Albany. They have one daughter, Hortense E. Mr. Danaher's success may be accounted for somewhat by the fact that he was born of that good stock, Irish and German. His maternal grandparents were of the first German immigrants to locate in Albany. where they came in 1830. Mr. Danaher if a self made man and great praise is due to his efforts. He does a strictly wholesale business, being a large direct importer of wines and brandies and has sole control of the "Optimus" brand of whiskey. He has a large business equal to and as important as any in Albany.

Ertz Berger, Edmund J., son of William G. and Mary L. (Sheridan) Ertz Berger, was born in Albany, N. Y., September 3, 1856. About 1765, Daniel Ertz Berger came to America from Basil, Switzerland, and settled in Albany and engaged in trading skins and furs with the Indians, and was in many a bloody encounter with them. Daniel, his son, the grandfather of Edmund J., was born in Albany in 1788, and Charlotte Dunlap, his wife, was born in Albany in 1794. William G., the father of Edmund J., was a manufacturer of cigars and candies in Albany and did an exten- sive business during the war. He died in 1885, aged seventy-five. Edmund J.'s mother died when he was two years old and he went to live with an uncle who put him through the public schools and high school, from which he was graduated in the English and mathematical course in 1874. He then entered the employ of S. L. Munson, shirt and collar manufacturer, where he learned the business and with whom he remained twenty years, rising rapidly until he had entire charge of the shirt de- partment. In 1881 Mr. Ertz Berger went West on an extensive trip for his health. In 1894 he entered the Hudson River Garment Company in partnership with William R. McGraw, and is now junior partner and financial manager. Mr. Ertz Berger is a member of the Unconditional Republican Club, the Ancient Essenic Order and treasurer of the Albany Bicycle Club. In 1883 he married Eloise Ross of Albany, and they have one daughter, Edna D.

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 109

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