Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 112

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 112


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Harrington, Francis A., son of Enoch Harrington, a prominent farmer and mill owner. He was born in Morris, Otsego county, N. Y., March 31, 1843, and was educated in the public schools of his native town. When sixteen he entered the famous old Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin, N. Y., and was graduated in 1864. Meanwhile he had taught school to defray his expenses. In the spring of 1865 he entered the service of the old Albany and Susquehanna Railroad (now a part of D. & H. C. system) in the chief engineering department, and on the completion of the road continued with the company in the operating department until 1886, he en- tered the service of the N. Y. C. & H. R. Railroad as general freight agent at Troy, January 1. 1890, he was made assistant superintendent of the N. V. Central system between New York city and Syracuse. In 1891 he was made superintendent of the Mohawk division with headquarters at Albany. In 1893 he was made super- intendent of the Mohawk and Malone Railroad from Herkimer and Utica to Malone. He is also managing director of the Troy Union Railroad.


Mather. Andrew E. and A. Dan, are of the ninth generation in America from Rev. Richard Mather, who was born in Lowton, England, in 1596, came to Boston, Mass .. August 17, 1635, and died in Dorchester, Mass., April 22, 1669; he married first. Catherine Holt, and second. Sarah Story (widow of Rev. John Cotton) and was the father of Increase and the grandfather of Cotton Mather, both noted in New Dogland history. The line under consideration is (1) Richard, son of Thomas and grandson of John. of Lowton, England; (2) Timothy, 1628-1684; (3) Richard, 1653- 1688. 14 Timothy, 1681-1755; (5) Timothy, 1711-1800; (6) Jehoida, 1740-1811, all of


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Lyme, Conn .; (7) Dan, 1774-1856, of Burlington, N. Y .; and (8) Andrew A., father of Andrew E. and A. Dan. Andrew Adrian Mather (8), son of Dan and Susannah (Onderhouk), was born in Burlington, Otsego county, October 17, 1812, and still re- sides where his father, a tanner, settled in 1811. He has been a staunch adherent to the temperance party since 1841 and in 1853 was elected by it to the Legislature. He was elected sheriff of Otsego county in 1860 and was appointed deputy provost marshal in 1864. He married first, September ?, 1834, Teresa Davis Cummings, who died January 27, 1860, leaving six children: Adrian O., born May 22, 1835, married Sarah Whitford May 21, 1863, and died July 18, 1883; Andrew E., born July 3, 1837; Addison Dan, born November 12, 1838; Elias C., born April 8, 1840, mustered into Co. K. 121st N. Y Vols., August, 1862, appointed lieutenant and adjutant 20th U. S. Colored Inf., September, 1864, married Mary Whitford, January 27, 1867; Kate Maria, born May 26, 1843; and Fayette, born January 11, 1845, died January 15, 1849. Mr. Mather married second, January 6, 1862, Addie J. Birdsall and had two children: Clara Louise and Jennie A. In August, 1862, Andrew E. Mather was mustered as first lieutenant of Co. K, 121st N. Y. Vols., was promoted captain Janu- ary, 1863, major May 3, 1863, for gallantry at second Fredericksburg, where he was wounded in the shoulder on Salem Heights, was appointed lieutenant-colonel Janu- ary, 1864, and transferred to the 20th U. S. Colored Inf. January 30, 1865, was ap- pointed acting inspector-general of artillery and Forts Morgan and Gaines at Mobile Bay, and May 30 was appointed commissioner to parole officers and men under Gen. E. Kirby Smith and others at New Orleans, where, on April 19, he had been field officer of the day when news of Lincoln's assassination had been received. In 1868 he joined his brothers, Adrian O. and A. Dan, who had established themselves in the wholesale grocery business in Albany in 1865, under the firm name of Mather Brothers. Adrian O. died July 18, 1883, and since then A. E. and A. D. have con- stituted the firm, which has been located at Nos. 463-465 Broadway since 1886. An- drew E. was commissary of subsistence on the staff of Gen. Frederick Townsend and adjutant-general on General Lord's staff, 3d Brigade. He has been one of the governors of the Albany City Hospital since 1873 and president of the board one year, is one of the managers of the Home for Aged Men, and a trustee of the Home Savings Bank. Both he and Adrian O. were charter members of the Fort Orange Club. A. Dan Mather is a member of the Albany Club. Both are charter members of the order of the Founders and Patriots of America.


Jenison, E. Darwin, was born in Albany, November 28, 1859, being the son of William L. Jenison and a descendant of Robert Jenison, who came to America from Colchester, Essex county, England, in 1630, and settled in Watertown, Mass. Mr. Jenison is therefore of the eighth generation of the Jenison family in this coun- try. His education was obtained at the Albany High School in the class of 1878, and in 1883, after a few years of clerkship, he entered the office of the Commerce Insurance Company of Albany as its cashier. On October 12, 1886, he was pro- moted to the office of assistant secretary of the company and on May 21, 1890, suc- ceeded Richard V. De Witt as its secretary, a position he still holds. In February, 1886, he became associated in the local fire insurance business with Garret A. Van AAllen and R. V. De Witt, under the firm name of De Witt & Co., and in 1890, upon the retirement of Mr. De Witt, the business was continued with Mr. Van Allen un-


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det the present game of Jenison & Co. In 1885 Mr. Jenison was married to Miss Nama Van Allen, only daughter of Garret A. Van Allen. In politics Mr. Jenison is a Republican, but he has has never held or sought public office.


Snyder. Henry F., was born in Albany, July 18, 1850. His ancestors were Dutch and came to this country in the sixteenth century. One of them, Johannes Snyder, was a member of the second Council of Safety appointed in October, 1777, of the third Congress of the United States, and of the first Assembly in 1777. Mr. Snyder's Ihther was for many years an attorney and counselor at Bethlehem, N. Y., and died in 1563. His mother's maiden name was Houghtaling. She was a native of the town of Bethlehem, and died December 7, 1896, at the residence of her son, Henry F. Snyder in Albany. Mr. Snyder was educated at the district school of Bethlehem and in 1863, upon the death of his father, was obliged to discontinue his studies. He worked about five years in a small grocery store and was next employed in Lar- rabee's steam bakery in Albany, where he remained seven years. In 1878, with his brother, he engaged in the grocery business which they carried on successfully for ten years. In 1890 Mr. Snyder established his present grocery store at No. 11 Sec- ond avenue, which is now in charge of his youngest son. In 1886 he was elected a Republican member of the Board of Supervisors from the First ward, which position He also filled in 1887 and 1888. In 1892 he was chosen treasurer of the Republican County Committee, in 1894 and '95 he was president of the Republican City Commit- lee, and is now a member of the Executive Republican Committee of the county of Albany, representing the First Assembly district. He has been an able campaign speaker since 1884. January 1, 1893, Mr. Snyder was appointed deputy clerk of Albany county by Hon. James D. Walsh. Upon the election of Hon. George H. Fitts, the present surrogate, Mr. Snyder was appointed deputy surrogate, the posi- tion which he now holds. He has displayed fine literary taste and talent in several articles which he has contributed to newspaper literature. He is a member of the Capital City Republican Club of Albany, the Republican League of Albany and the Republican League of New York. In 1869 he married Adelia, daughter of the late David Mull of Coeymans, and they have two sons: Lemuel H. and Alvin.


Severence, Matthias j., jr., born in Albany, November 6, 1861, is the eldest son of Col. Matthias J. Severence, who was born on the Moselle River in Germany in 1837, and has lived in the capital city since he was two and a half years old. Colonel Severence was for many years engaged in the grocery and mineral water business, was connected with the old Volunteer Fire Department and State militia, and in 1861 became lieutenant of Co. H, 43d N. Y. Vols., in which he served two years dur- ing the Rebellion of 1861 to 1865. Later he was made captain of Co. H, 25th Regt. N. G. S. N. Y., and was promoted colonel. He is connected with all the German singing and several fraternal societies of Albany, and was one of the marshals of the Great German Jubilee in 1871, and of "All Nations " day during the Albany bi- centennial celebration in 1886. He has been a brigadier-general of the Uniformed Rank K. of P., was commander of Post 5, G. A. R., was the independent candidate for sheriff in 1884, served as supervisor of the old Tenth ward several years, and is now connected with the Albany Brewing Company. His first wife, Margaret C. Mc- Guinness, died in 1875, leaving six children; Matthias J., jr., being the third. He married, a second wife, Mrs. Ophelia (Nichols) Haney. Matthias J. Severence, jr.,


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was educated in the public and German private schools and academy of Albany, read law with Nathan P. Hinman and Hon. Simon () Rosendale, and was graduated from the Albany Law School and admitted to the bar in 1889, being in the mean time deputy property clerk under Mayor Swinburne. He practiced for a time in the offices of Hinman & Farren and Reilly & Hamilton, served three years as an exam- iner in the State Banking Department under Charles M. Preston, and in November, 1895, was elected judge of the city court for a term of four years from January 1, 1896. He is a Democrat, a past chancellor of Columbia Lodge K. of P. and a past captain of the Sons of Veterans, the I. (). Red Men, trustee of the Elks, Lodge No. 49, and several German singing societies. He was aide-de camp with rank of lieu- tenant-colonel on the staff of Leland J. Webb, commander-in-chief of the Sons of Veterans of the United States. January 28, 1891, he married Margaret C., daughter of the late Charles Kirchner of Albany, and they have one child, Marguerite Annette Severence.


Barber, Fletcher, son of Isaac I. and Mary (Dominick) Barber, was born in the town of Wright, Schoharie county, N. Y., and is the sixth in descent from his pater- nal ancestor, who came to America from Hertfordshire, England, in 1634, and who was one of the first settlers of Windsor, Conn. Mr. Barber attended the Schoharie Academy and later the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute. In 1855 he moved to Al- bany, N. Y., where he entered the office of M. & S. Patten as a clerk. At their sug- gestion and with their advice and assurance of their faith in his future success, in 1860 he began business for himself at No 5 Hudson avenue, making a specialty of buckwheat flour and grass seed, in connection with mill feed and grain. This was continued until 1879, when he removed to Broadway, where the firm of Barber & Bennett was formed. Here the same line of business has been continued and the house is a leading one in its specialties. Financial success has crowned Mr. Barber's efforts. He has been an active member of the Albany Board of Trade since its for- mation and has served on committees and in various offices, including that of presi- dent. He is a bank director and occupies other offices of trust. In 1865 he was married to Rhobe, daughter of Simeon Morgan of Gallupville, Schoharie county.


Delehanty, Hon. Michael, son of Daniel and Margaret Delehanty, was born in Ireland, July 12, 1820, came to America with his parents in 1825 and settled in Al- bany, where his father died in 1845 and his mother in 1847. His father was a mer- chant and dockmaster here for several years. Mr. Delehanty was educated in the private schools and academy of Albany and when sixteen learned the trade of tin and coppersmith with Whitney & Cluett, with whom he remained five years. In 1841 he established himself in the tin, copper, stove and plumbing business at No. 8 Green street, his partner being William R. Whitney. Two years later he withdrew and started the same business on Beaver street, whence he removed in 1848 to Nos. 26-32 Green street, where the house has since carried on a large general plumbing, stove, furnace, tin and copper trade. In January, 1892, he gave the active manage- ment of the business over to his son, John S., who carries it on under the name of M. Delehanty's Son. Mr. Delehanty is a Democrat and was alderman of the old Second (now Fifth) ward four years, supervisor two years, school commissioner eight years, and police commissioner under the capital police system appointed by Gov- ernor Hoffman, four years; was unanimously appointed by the Common Conncil as


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a life member of the Water Commission. In January, 1892, he was appointed by Governor Flower superintendent of the State Capitol and served until May, 1895. Ho is a trustee of the Albany Exchange Savings Bank. In 1841 he married Mary, daughter of Charles Quinn of Albany, and their surviving children are Julie, wife of Hon Edward Murphy, ir., of Troy; Daniel, lieutenant commander U. S. Navy and supervisor of the Port of New York since 1894; John S., of Albany; William E., of New York city, and Mary F., Francis B., attorney of Albany, and Helen J. of Albany.


Capron, John D., son of William and Clarissa (Dodge) Capron, was born in Al- bany, October 21, 1830, and on his mother's side is descended from the Peabodys of New England. Mr. Capron, after receiving a public school education, became a clerk for William N. Cassidy, grocer, and later entered the employ of Ford & Grant, druggists, on the site of the Hawk street entrance to the Capitol. Four years after- ward he purchased Mr. Grant's interest and in 1860 withdrew to form a partnership with Edmund L. Judson and engaged in the wholesale flour and provision business. The firm of Judson & Capron continued until 1887, when Mr. Judson retired and .it became Capron & Smith, which on Mr. Smith's retirement was succeeded by John D. Capron & Co., which was dissolved in October, 1895. Mr. Capron was one of the founders and incorporators of the Home Savings Bank, which opened for business May 4, 1872, and was vice-president until the death of William White in 1882, when he became its president. The treasurer, Edmund L. Judson, died in 1890 and Mr. Capron acted as both president and treasurer for two years, when he resigned the presidency and has since continued as treasurer, being the only charter member of the bank still living. He was supervisor of the Sixth ward one year. In 1861 he married a daughter of William White, and they have one son, William White Capron, a graduate of the Albany Academy (being major of the Cadet Corps) and of Yale College, and now of the wholesale provision firm of Lester & Capron of Albany.


Davidson, Andrew, was born in February, 1840, in Morebattle, Roxburgshire, Scot- land. When six years old he came with his parents to this country and settled in the county of Otsego. N. Y. His father, James Davidson, is still living in the same county at the advanced age of ninety-one. His grandfather, Robert Davidson, also a native of Morebattle, Scotland, possessed considerable poetical ability and wrote several small volumes of "Poems on the Border." His mother's maiden name was Jane Curle, who died in 1885 aged seventy-six years. Both of his parents early united with the Presbyterian church, of which they became prominent members. The boy- hood days of Andrew Davidson were passed upon a farm and in attending the com- mon schools. He began teaching school at the age of seventeen, and for some time taught school in the winter months, while he attended the Cooperstown Seminary in the summer, where he was fitted for a collegiate course. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E of the 121st N. Y. Volunteers. He had previously been commissioned by Governor Edwin D. Morgan to recruit a company for the regiment, which he speedily organized. He received the appointment as second sergeant in Co. E early in September of the same year and went with his regiment to Washington, and after an encampment of a few days at Fort Lincoln marched with the regiment to the front. For the first time Sergeant Davidson and his splendid fighting regiment faced


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the storm at Crampton's Gap, South Mountain, Maryland. The 121st regiment was left to guard the Gap during the progress of the battle of Antietam. On the 3d of May of the following year (1863) Davidson, now made first sergeant of his Co., while fighting in the battle of Salem Church, Va., was shot through both legs above the knee by a minnie ball. He was removed to Douglas hospital at Washington as soon as possible, where he was treated for his dangerous wounds until he was able to rejoin his regiment at Warrenton, Va., in August of the same year. Upon his return to duty Colonel Upton promoted him to be sergeant-major. On the 29th of Febru- ary, 1864, he was appointed a first lieutenant of the 30th U. S. colored troops then organizing in Baltimore, Maryland. When the regiment was fully organized he was made its first adjutant. Early in the spring of 1864 the 30th colored regiment joined the army of the Potomac and Adjutant Davidson was with it from that time until the surrender of General Johnston at Raleigh, N. C. He was with his regiment in the Battle of the Mine at Petersburg, Va., July 30th, 1864, when some four thousand Union soldiers lost their lives or were taken prisoners. Adjutant Davidson wears a medal of honor, awarded him by the war department under an act of Congress for gallant conduct on that occasion. While stationed at Goldsboro, N. C., after the surrender of Johnston, Adjutant Davidson was appointed aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Delevan Bates, commanding the brigade, and soon after was made acting assistant adjutant-general on his staff and promoted to a captaincy. He was sub- sequently acting assistant adjutant-general and acting assistant inspector-general on the staff of Gen. C. J. Paine, commanding the eastern district of North Carolina, until he was mustered out with his regiment in Baltimore, December, 1865. It would greatly exceed the limits of this sketch to follow Captain Davidson through all the battles in which he participated during his services in the war for the Union. We here merely mention the names of these engagements in their chronological order: Crampton's Gap, South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., December 11-16, 1862; Fredericksburg, Va., May 2, 1863; Marye's Heights, May 3, 1863; Salem Church, May 3, 1863; Rappahannock Station, Va., November 7, 1863; Mine Run, Va., November 26, 1863; Petersburg, Va., June 10, 1864, to December, 1864; Mine Explosion, or Battle of the Mine, Petersburg, Va., July 30, 1864; Hatcher's Run, Va., October 27-28, 1867; Fort Fisher, N. C., December 25, 1864; Fort Fisher, N. C., January 13-15, 1865; Sugar Loaf Hill, N. C., January 19, 1865; Sugar Loaf Battery, N. C., February 11, 1865; Cox's Bridge, N. C., March 24, 1865; Johnston's surrender, March 26, 1865. Though severely wounded in battles, Captain Davidson came out of the fiery ordeal of war a scarred veteran. . \ year after the close of the war he carried on a mercantile business until the spring of 1870. when he removed to Cherry Valley and began the study of law in the office of his brother-in-law, Judge James W. Barnum. He completed his course af legal studies in the office of Judge Samuel A. Bowen, of Cooperstown, and was there admitted to the bar in November, 1873. In 1874 he became editor and proprietor of the Otsego Republican, published in Cooperstown. He was elected to the State Senate for the term of 1884-5. He He served on the committees on finance, miscellaneous corporations, villages and public printing. In March, 1890, President Harrison appointed him first deputy com- missioner of pensions. After the resignation of General Raum in the early days of March, 1893, he was acting commissioner of pensions until relieved in the latter part of April following. He then returned to his journalistic work at Cooperstown. On


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the 31% of May, 1866, Captain Davidson married Miss Altana R. Barnum, eldest daughter of Sylvester W. Barnum, esq., of Middlefield, N. Y. He has three children, Clarence W., now associate editor of the Otsego Republican, and two daughters, Linda W. and Myra B. Captain Davidson is a member of the Presbyterian church at Cooperstown. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Loyal Legion, the Union Veterans' Legion, Medal Legion of Honor, and of the Masons and Odd Fellows. For many years he was chairman of the Republican County Committee, was twice chosen a member of the State Committee, and was a frequent delegate to State Conventions. Captain Davidson was not an applicant for deputy secretary of state, but General Palmer, his friend and comrade, shortly after his election in November, 1893, as secretary of state, tendered him the position, which was accepted, and he entered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1894.


Drislane, Wilham E., was born in Tarrytown, N. Y., in 1851. He received his education in the public schools of Ulster county and in 1875 went into the grocery business for himself in Newburgh, N. Y. He also started branch stores at Tarry- town, Sing Sing, Poughkeepsie and Peekskill, and in 1884, having given up his branch stores he removed to Albany, N. Y., where he opened a grocery store at No. 147 South Pearl street. In 1886 he bought the old Jewish Synagogue property at Nos. 153 to 159 South Pearl street, and after overhauling it started a grocery store there. In 1890 he opened another grocery in the old Music Hall where he carried on a very successfulbusiness until January, 1894, when the property was destroyed by fire. Mr. Drislane then purchased the old Female Academy property on North Pearl street, which he thoroughly overhauled, putting in a new front and opened for business there June 15, 1894. His first year's business in Albany amounted to $50,- 000 and last year's to $250,000. He has seventy-five people in his employ.


De Witt, Richard Varick, son of Richard V. and Sarah (Walsh) De Witt, was born in Albany, N. Y., in 1832. He is a grandson of Simeon De Witt, who was born in Ulster county in 1756 and who joined the line of the Continental army as volunteer and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne, October 17, 1777. In 1778 Congress appointed Simeon De Witt geographer-general and chief of topographers to the Continental army, which positions he retained until the close of the Revolutionary war. In 1784 he was appointed surveyor-general of New York State and served as such until his death in 1834; in 1784 he was appointed by Congress surveyor-general of the United States, but he declined. He was a regent of the University of New York from 1798 until his death, and was vice-chancellor from 1817 and chancellor from 1829. He was also one of the founders of the Society of the Cincinnati. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in 1800 and died in 1868. From 1823 until 1828, he was brigadier-general commanding the forces in Albany county and was vice-president of the Society of the Cincinnati from 1848 until his death. Both father and grandfather of the subject were for many years elders of Second Dutch church of Albany. Richard Varick De Witt, the subject of this sketch, was educated at the Albany Academy and in 1849 went into the employ of the Albany Insurance Company as clerk. In 1854 he was appointed to a clerkship in the New York State Bank and remained there until 1868, when he again engaged in the insurance busi- ness. Mr. De Witt was secretary of the Commerce Insurance Company from 1872 to 1890 and was secretary of the Albany Insurance Company from 1890 to February,


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1896, when he resigned to engage in business for himself. He has been a member of the Board of Fire Commissioners since 1887; a trustee of the Madison Avenue Reformed church for ten years, and was at one time a director of the Albany Ex- change Savings Bank. He is now president of the Albany Board of Fire Under- writers, a trustee of the Albany Medical College, a member of the standing commit- tee of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of New York, and president of the Albany branch of the Local Fire Insurance Agents' Association of N. Y. State.


McCredie, James, son of Thomas and Margaret (Smith) McCredie, was born in AAlbany, N. Y., February 27, 1861. Thomas McCredie was born in Glasgow, Scot- land, on St. Andrew's day, November 30, 1808. When Thomas McCredie was very young his parents died and his foster parents apprenticed him to a master carpenter for three years and six months. But his mind and attention turned toward malting, inasmuch as his father had been a wine and malt liquor dealer. He had always been a great student and, having read much of America he determined to visit it, and on October 30, 1838, he reached the city of Albany. He soon made the acquaintance of Peter Ballantine, the famous maltster and brewer, a fellow countryman of Mr. McCre- die, and he commenced work in the malt house of Howard & Ryckman. The three following years of his life were spent in the Andrew Kirk malt house and brewery, he having decided upon malting as his life work. For two years he was superin- tendent of the Andrew Kirk plant. For six years after this he was in the employ of Robert Dunlop, another Scotchman, as superintendent of his houses at Troy, N. Y. He then went to Philadelphia as superintendent of a malt house owned by the Messrs. Gaul and remained there one season, after which he returned to Albany and entered the employ of Mr. Dunlop again. In 1848 he married Miss Ellen Dunlop, who lived only two years and who left an only daughter who survived but a short time. About this date Thomas McCredie entered or formed a partnership with Mr. Robert Dunlop, which partnership proved an unusually happy and agreeable one for both. In 1851 Robert Dunlop's death occurred, and at the settlement of the latter's estate Mr. McCredie acquired possession of the Dunlop malt house on Clinton avenue. From this date a character, which for careful and undivided attention to business and a studious effort to equal, if not excel the best in the line of work which he had undertaken, showed itself and not without its beneficial results. Soon after he obtained the entire control of the malt house of John McKnight, corner of Orange and Hawk streets. Thirty years before his death he was ac- corded the first place among the maltsters of the United States, and he sustained his reputation as a maltster until his death March 24, 1892. He took a great interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of Albany. He was a member of the board of governors of the Albany Hospital and served as a director of the Mechanics' and Farmers' Bank, and a trustee of the Mechanics' and Farmers' Savings Bank. He was a member of the Albany City Curling Club and St. Andrew's Society. Four times he visited the land of his birth, but he never lost interest in the land of his adoption. He was ever kind-hearted and deeply religious, and was beloved of all who knew him. At the time of his death he was a member of the board of trustees of the First Reformed church. In 1854 he married Miss Margaret Smith, of Albany, by whom he had five children, two daughters and three sons. In a word, for a person of such prominence and wealth, Thomas McCredie was a most unostentatious man,




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