Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 127

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 127

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).

county, near what is now South Bethlehem. He with his young wife had scarcely become settled there when he was called to shoulder his musket to fight in that war which "tried men's souls." He was made a subaltern officer in Capt. Jurian Hogan's Co., 4th Regiment, and about a year after was transferred to Capt. Con- radt Ten Eyck's Co. of the 5th Regiment, of which Peter Whitbeck was first and Albert H. Van Derzee second lieutenants, under General Schuyler, and was with him in all his engagements on the northern frontier and at the surrender of Bur- goyne at Stillwater, October 7, 1777. At the close of the war he returned to his farm, where with his wife, surrounded by children and grandchildren, he lived far beyond the allotted years of man, enjoying the blessings of peace, and that social and religious liberty he assisted to achieve. His wife died August 14, 1842, in the eighty eighth year of her age, and he on September 26, 1847, having reached the re- markable age of nearly one hundred and two years. They lived eventful and Christ- ian lives, and died honored and respected by their neighbors. The writer of this sketch, now in his seventy.eighth year, a grandson, heard repeated many of their reminiscences, one of which is related as follows: When he was in the army his wife, wishing to visit her parents in Schoharie, saddled her horse with a sheep-skin, and made the journey through an almost unbroken wilderness, where Brant and Butler, with their band of tories and Indians, were on the warpath, pillaging, burning, and

346

offen murdering. She quite frequently made this journey of over eighty miles, un- protected, and was never harmed. Who is the dame of the present day who would undertake a similar journey? Their Children: Mary was born near South Bethle- bem, November 20. 1782, married by Rev. Christian Bork (formerly a chaplain in the lessian army in the Revolution), Septemper 27, 1800, and died March 23, 1861. Michael Niver, her husband, was born in Livingston, Columbia county, June 2, 1778; his ancestors were also of the Palatinate colonists. In 1790 he with his father's family moved to Bethlehem on a large farm he had previously purchased. His father, David, had served in the Revolution as first sergeant in Capt. Teunis Van Dalsten's Co., 5th Regiment, under General Schuyler, and was present at the sur- render of Burgoyne. Michael was drafted in the war of 1812 and served at Brook- lyn Heights. He was a successful farmer, and died April 13, 1858. His farm is still owned by his descendants. Their children were: Elizabeth S .. born July 12, 1802. died unmarried September 8, 1879. Margaret, born November 2, 1805, married Peter A. Ten Eyck. September 25, 1838; now (1897) living; has one child living. Katha- rine, born March 4, 1812, married John Crum, May 16, 1832; died August 24, 1851 ; three children, Mary E., Hugh J., and James J. Conrad, born November 16, 1815: studied medicine with William Bay of Albany, graduated from Fairfield Medical College in 1837, and located in Ancram, Columbia county, where, and in Dutchess county, he gained eminence as a physician reached by few ; married Jane McIntyre, and after her death, married her sister Roxana; died January 31, 1867, leaving three children by his first wife-Caroline, John Soop and Albert C., and three by his second wife-Walter, Loda and Herman Bay. David, born February 16, 1820, married Phebe C Hotaling of New Baltimore, October 26, 1843; living and author of this sketch and owner of the old Niver homestead; has four children living- Mary Soop Haswell, Conrad, Eugene A., and Charles A .- Jacob Soop, son of Contad Soop, born May 3, 1786, married Maria Potter, September 6, 1837, died June 11. 1868; his wife died August 12, 1884; one child, Henry C. Jacob entered the United States army July 15, 1812 and served under Captain Penfield. Henry C. Soup, a well-known leading attorney at law of Rondout, Kingston, was born at Albany, N. Y, April 17, 1842. He studied law in the office of Judge M. B. Mattice at Durham, N. Y., graduated from the Albany Law School in 1863 and practiced law at Roxbury, Delaware county, N. Y. In 1890 he moved to Kingston and in January of the same year he was elected president of the First National Bank of Rondout: was also appointed attorney for the estate of Thomas Cornell, and secre- tary and counsel of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad Company; he is also the coun- sel and attorney for several other corporations, and is vice-president, attorney, and one of the founders of the Peckham Truck & Wheel Company, of Kingston. In October, 1867, Mr. Soop was united in marriage with Helen M., daughter of Eras- tus T. Peck, of Windham, N. Y., and one child, Katharine, has been born to them. Frederick, son of Conrad, born March 18, 1790, married Margaret Van Zant, September 20, 1817, who died November 3, 1851; Frederick died May 13, 1870, leav- ing two daughters, Maria and Rebecca, living. -- John, son of Conrad, born June 16. 1793, died March 11, 1874; when a young man he engaged in the grocery busi- ness at what is now known as Becker's Corners, but in later years purchased two farms, one for each of his sons, and became a successful farmer and sheep breeder. Hle also held important town offices, having been a justice of the peace for thirty-

347

two consecutive years. On February 21, 1828, he married Mary Ann Russell, daughter of William Russell and Judith MeHarg, who was born April 21, 1806, and died November 29, 1843; and susequently married Huldah, sister of his first wife, who was born June 15, 1815, and died childless April 24, 1883. He had three child- ren by his first wife; Jacob J., who was born December 9, 1828, married Ann Kim- mey, daughter of David Kimmey and Marie Niver, March 3, 1852, who died Feb- ruary 1, 1859, leaving three children, John, Jennie and Leonard. On December 6, 1862, he married Margaret Jane Coon, who died childless August 6, 1886, aged fifty years. Mr. Soop is a successful farmer and breeder of fine horses; is still living on his farm at Selkirk. His only daughter Jennie K., was born June 15, 1855, and her husband, Capt. David C. Bull, and granddaughter, Ethel J. Bull, are living with him. Mr. Bull is extensively engaged in poultry, fruit and berry farming ; he was born September 15, 1847. in the town of Coeymans; he followed the river from 1867 to 1894, then sold his boat and began farming. Ethel J. was born December 7, 1887. Sons of J. J. Soop: John Soop was drowned in the Hudson River, June 25, 1864, aged eleven years. Leonard was born November 2, 1857, married Georgia Livings- ton, January 6, 1887, and died February 19, 1891; he was a great horseman and a favorite with all who knew him. - Leonard W. Soop was born September 12, 1882, married Elvira Jane Conger of Canada, and died July 2, 1894, leaving three child- ren, Jessie, Nellie and John B. He was a farmer and was elected justice of sessions one term and justice of the peace in Bethlehem for twelve years. His widow and children are still living at Selkirk .- Mary E. Soop was born in Bethlehem, Octo- ber 19. 1834, and is living at Selkirk .- COM.

Lathrop, Cyrus Clark, is descended on his father's side from literary workers, and on his mother's from business men. A son of John W. and Margaret O. (Clark) Lathrop, he was born in Bridgeport, Conn., February 21, 1862, and when fifteen en- tered his father's book store, where he remained two years. For five years he was connected with the linen thread establishment of Barbour Brothers. Returning to Bridgeport he traveled for one year for an iron concern and then went to St. Paul, Minn., in the employ of William F. Davidson. In 1888 he came to Albany and es- tablished himself in the laundry business, in which he still continues. He has always had strong religious convictions and from the age of fifteen has been deeply inter- ested in Sunday school work as a teacher. In 1889-90 he became identified with the boy's department of the City Mission and in 1890 took charge of it, devoting every night in the week to the work. After visiting other cities, he organized, on April 30, 1892, the Albany Boys' Club, one of the most successful institutions of the kind in the country, of which he has since been the secretary and superintendent. Among the first to become interested in this organization were Charles R. Knowles, president, Charles Gibson, vice-president, Herbert W. Stickney, treasurer, Cyrus C. Lathrop, secretary and superintendent, Oscar I). Robinson, Robert W. Shannon, Charles H. Turner, Edward J. Wheeler, Albert Hessberg, Dr. A. B. Huested, George H. Thacher, William H. McClure and Percival N. Bouton, The club now has about 450 members, maintains a free reading room and library, an evening school of industrial practical training, a gymnasium and a savings bank, and reaches poor boys of the city. It was incorporated November, 1896. Its success is practically due to Mr. Lathrop's personal efforts and direction. Its present officers are: Robert Shaw

348

Ohver, president ; William F. Winship, Charles L. Blakeslee, George C. Baker, James C. Farrell, James Holroyd, W. G. MacDonald, M. D., Edward N. Mckinney, Charles T. Buchanan, J. Montgomery Mosher, M. D., directors; Edward J. Wheeler, treasurer, Cyrus E. Lathrop, secretary and superintendent. He was married in 1885, in St. Paul. Minn., to Ida F., daughter of Abram Pulis, of Troy, N. Y., and they have two daughters: Dorothy Pulis Lathrop and Gertrude Kathryn Lathrop.

Bradford, Wilham, was born in Albany, N. Y., August 4, 1860, and is of Scotch parentage. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the Albany High School in 1879. After leaving school Mr. Bradford learned the photograph business with J. L. Abbott, Haines and Horton; he took naturally to this business, having spent much time in this work when a school boy. After serving an appren- ticeship with the above named photographers he took up the study of process work, which was then in its infancy. Mr. Bradford was the first practical man to do that class of work in the city and he was employed by Weed, Parsons & Co. until 1892, when the Albany Engraving Company was organized as a copartnership, Mr. Brad- ford being an equal partner. In 1893 the company was incorporated ; the officers are William Bradford, president; F. G. Jewett, vice-president; A. H. Calderwood, treasurer; E. T. Jewett, secretary, and James Bradford, manager. This company started with almost nothing and is now one of the largest of its kind in the country, all due to Mr. Bradford's close application to the art. He is a member of the Albany Camera Club, the Albany County Wheelmen and the Empire Curling Club. July 30. 1884, he married Helen L. Smith of Tully, Onondaga county, N. Y., and they have two children, William, jr., and. Helen L.

Bradt, Samuel Cary, was born February 17, 1834. He is a son of David, who was born March 27, 1789, and who died August 26, 1854, and who married Marie Reamer. Storm Albert Bradt, the father of David, was born May 21, 1756, and died March 27, 1848. He married Catharine Winne, born June 2, 1787, died October 18, 1847. He was a son of Storm Albert Bradt, who married Magdalene Lang and who died December 13, 1799. Albert Storm was a son of Andriese Albert, who was a son of Albert Andriese (De Noorman), who came from Holland to America in 1630 and settled at what is now Kenwood, below Albany, and built the first mill in this section and named the Normanskill; he died June 7, 1686 It was mentioned at the time that he was one of the oldest residents and earliest of the settlers of Rensse- laerwyck. Samuel Cary Bradt, the subject of this sketch, moved to Albany in 1853 and became a clerk for A. M. Brumaghim, wholesale grocer at No. 68 Washington avenue. He went into business in 1856 at No. 30 Washington avenue, corner of Hawk street, and has been in business at different locations on the avenue for forty years, and is now the only merchant on the avenue who has been in business for so long a time. Mr. Bradt married Martha Wood and his family consists of one daughter, Mary Ellington, the wife of . Rev. W. H. A. Hall of Gloversville, N. Y., and one son, Warren Lansing, who married Anna E. Shill and who is now in busi- ness with his father at No. 55 Washington avenue. Mr. Bradt is one of very few Albanians who can speak the original Holland-Dutch. He is a member of the Hol- land Society of New York and of the Unconditional Republican Club of Albany.

Newton, John Milton, was born in Albany, N. Y., in November, 1838. He is of Puritan and Scotch ancestry, being a descendant of the Newtons and Whitings of

349

Colchester, Conn. Thomas Newton, the first ancestor of John M. in America, came from England previous to 1639 and settled in Fairfield, Conn., and in 1644 was elected deputy for Fairfield. John Newton, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, served in the Revolution; he eulisted July 20, 1776 in Wadsworth Brigade of Con- necticut and was discharged January 14, 1772. John Milton Newton is a son of John Milton and Eliza (Carman MeIntosh) Newton. When he was four years of age his parents moved to what is now Newtonville (so named after his father) and here young Newton's education was commenced at the public school, then continued at the Monticello (N. Y.) Academy and finally at the school conducted by the Rev. William Arthur, so well known for ripe scholarship and Scotch integrity and as the father of our model president, Chester Allan Arthur. Subsequently Mr. Newton be- came a clerk in the employ of Palmer, Newton & Co., and in 1860 he became a member of the firm. The business now owned by Newton & Co., a corporation (often known as the Albany Salamander Works), was founded in 1806 by Paul Cush- man, father of the late Paul Cushman, on the ground now known as Nos. 18 and 19 Central avenue, where stoneware was manufactured by him. About 1833 Dillon, Henry & Co. succeeded to the business and afterwards the firm was changed to Dillon, Henry & Porter; later Jacob Henry bought out the interests of his partners and conducted the business individually until 1841, when he formed a copartnership with Adam Van Allen, under the firm name of Henry & Van Allen, which con- tinued until 1848. In August, 1842, the factory was moved to Phoenix Place and soon thereafter was burned; and in 1843 a new factory was built on the corner of Hudson avenue and Hawk street. Fire brick and stove linings were first made by Henry & Van Allen in 1843. In 1848 John Gott and Amos P. Palmer bought the business from Henry & Van Allen and a partnership was formed under the name of Gott & Palmer, which continued until 1850, when Jacob Henry and Adam Van Allen bought out Mr. Gott's interest and the firm name was changed to Henry, Van Allen & Palmer. About 1851 Horace B. Newton was admitted as a partner, when the firm name was changed to Henry, Van Allen, Palmer & Co .; that firm continued until 1854, when Adam Van Allen withdrew his interest and the business was continued under the name of Henry, Palmer & Co. Soon after the last named date Jacob Henry retired from the firm and the business was then continued under the name of Palmer & Newton until about 1855, when Jacob Henry again entered the firm as a silent partner. The factory was then moved to its present location on Rathbone street. About 1853 Charles V. Henry, a son of Jacob Henry, bought his father's in- terest, became an active partner and the firm name was changed to Palmer, Newton & Co. In January, 1860, John M. Newton bought the interest of Charles V. Henry and the firm was continued under the name of Palmer, Newton & Co. until 1873, when it was dissolved; at the same time Horace B. Newton and John M. Newton formed a copartnership under the firm name of Newton & Co., which continued until 1891, when it was dissolved and the present corporation was then formed under the name of Newton & Co. The officers of the company are Horace B. Newton, chair- man ; John M. Newton, president and treasurer; William M. Newton, vice-president ; and William S. Moseley, secretary. The company is doing a very extensive busi- ness and its products are sold in nearly all sections of the United States and Canada. Their wares are also used in foreign countries and the goods manufactured have a reputation for being of superior quality. In 1864, Mr. Newton married Mary Austin

350

Gark of Albany, and they have had four children; two of them, William McIntosh and Mary Clark, are living.

Cook, Daniel HI., M. D., of Albany, N. Y., son of Philo and Sarah M. Van Natten Cook, was born July 6, 1849, in the town of New Scotland, Albany county, N. Y. On his father's side he is a descendant of Elias Cook who came from England about the year 1600, and with twelve others purchased from the Agum and Montauk tribes of Indians the towns of South and East Hampton on the east end of Long Island. His mother is of Holland extraction. When he was fourteen years of age, his parents moved to Albany that he might have the school advantages afforded by the capital enty. In 18;1 he received the degree of M. D. from the Albany Medical College, taking first prize in obstetrics, that being the only competitive examination given that year. He opened an office in Albany, and in May, 1879, married Miss Kath- erine F., daughter of William and Eliza Wentworth Crew of Albany. The Went- worth family trace their lineage back to Reginald, the lord of Wentworth, England, 1066. He has two children, Katherine F., born in 1882, and Daniel H. born in 1884. He has held numerous positions, namely, that of lecturer in the Albany Medical College, dispensary physician at the Albany Hospital, physician of the Lathrop Me- morial, president of the Albany Academy of Medicine, president of the Albany County Medical Society, delegate to different State Medical societies from the New York State Medical Society, etc. In 1894 he was appointed a member of the Board of Health of the city, a position which he now holds, and is active in promoting the cause of sanitation. In medicine he is still fond of obstetrics and diseases of women. Ilis practice is large and lucrative, and for diversion he owns a stock farm at Alta- mont, N. Y., where he makes a specialty of raising Brown Swiss cattle and standard breeds of horses.

Graves, Anthony Gardner, was born in Albany, N. Y., October 26, 1840, and has been a resident of the capital city ever since. He received a liberal education in the ,Albany Academy and the Carlisle Seminary ; at the early age of four years he began his career in terpsichorean art, from his father, who for nearly half a century was the leading teacher of dancing in this part of the country, and at the age of sixteer. was a valuable assistant to his experienced and talented parent, and so continued until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, in 1861, when he enlisted in Com- pany B. 10th Regt. N. Y. S. M. and was detailed for guard duty at the old barracks on the New Scotland road. This experience gave him a taste for active duty in the field! and he accordingly enlisted in the famous 44th Regiment, N. Y. Vols., known as the People's Ellsworth Regiment, and was warranted as third sergeant in Com- pany F. August 3; and October 21, 1861, departed with his regiment for the seat of war. He was seriously wounded at the battle of Hanover Court House, Va., by a gun shot wound entering the left side of his neck and passing through and lodging in the right shoulder. He was sent home and subsequently recovering, rejoined his regiment at Harrison's Landing, where he was promoted to orderly sergeant. He was taken prisoner in the second battle of Bull Run and paroled on the field. Janu- ary 14. 1863, he was promoted to a second lientenancy and for meritorious service at the battle of Gettysburg was raised to the commission of first lieutenant. He was again wounded while in command of his company at the battle of North Anna River. May 24, 1864. by a gun shot in right elbow ; he found himself again disabled

351

and was obliged to take an honorable discharge, June 30, 1864. After recovering from his wounds and finding his patriotism and military ardor still warm, he hast- ened again to respond to the governmental call for union troops and November 14, 1864, re-enlisted, as a private, in the 11th Independent Light Battery, known as the Havelock Battery of Light Artillery, and went to Hart's Island, N. Y., where he was detailed to act as orderly sergeant of a company to do infantry guard duty over enlisted and conscripted men. After being relieved of this duty he joined his bat- tery in front of Petersburg, Va. After doing duty with the battery at Forts Mc- Kilvery and Welsh, he was promoted to be second lieutenant and placed on detached duty as commanding 2d Corps Artillery Brigade Ambulance Corps with the rank of acting assistant quartermaster, in which capacity he served until the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House and the close of the war, He was mustered out of the service at Albany, June 13, 1865. Lieutenant Graves participated in the follow- ing battles: Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Frede- ricksburg, Chancellorsville, Aldie, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsyl- vania, North Anna, Weldon Railroad, Five Forks, Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. His highly creditable service as a soldier having ended with the end of the war, he returned to Albany to again assist his father in the teaching of danc- ing and so continued until June, 1867, when he departed for Europe to be instructed in the art there and so to better qualify himself in the best essentials of his profes- sion. In Paris he received valuable instruction from those celebrated teachers, Mon- sieurs Cellarious and Boizott. On his return from abroad with his improved equip- ment, he entered into partnership with his father and so continued until the partner- ship ended with the retirement of the elder Graves in 1876; since that time Mr. Graves has continued as a master of his art. He has devised and originated many new dances and is recognized by the public and the American Society of Professors of Dancing of which he is an honored and respected member, as being in the fore- most rank of American instructors in dancing.

Hotaling, Hon. Lansing, son of David I. and Ellen (Hillebrant) Hotaling, was born, April 17, 1838, in Albany, where his father, a contractor and builder, settled about 1828 and died in 1869. His ancestors came here, at an early day. Mr. Hotal- ing was educated in Albany, was graduated from the Albany State Normal School in 1856, read law with Oliver M. Hungerford, and was admitted in 1859. He has since practiced his profession in Albany. In 1861 he formed a copartnership with his preceptor, which continued until Mr. Hungerford's death in 1888. He was elected district attorney of Albany county in 1877 for three years, was a member of the Assembly for the Second Albany district in 1885, and is a trustee of the Albany County Savings Bank and a director in the Albany County Bank. He has never married.

Howell, Fred S., son of George Oliver and Lucy G. (Rowland) Howell, was born in the town of Hector, Schuyler county, N. Y., May 15, 1865. He received his edu- cation at the Watkins (N. Y.) Academy, and subsequently studied telegraphy. He made great progress in this profession and at the early age of fifteen became man- ager of the Western Union telegraph office at Watkins, where he remained three and a half years. Mr Howell moved to Syracuse, N. Y., being in the employ of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and later to Waverly. In 1885 he moved to

352

Schenectady. N. Y., and represented the Associated Press as operator on the Daily Union. In 1856 Mr. Howell moved to Albany to accept the position of Associated Press telegrapher on the Albany Argus; in 1888 he went with the Press and Knicker- bucker, doing United Press work, and from 1888 to 1893 held a position of telegrapher in a broker's office in connection with his newspaper work. In 1893, upon the con- solidation of the United and Associated Presses, Mr. Howell gave up press work and succeeded to the commission business of J. H. Knight, having offices in the Benson building. In 1895 Mr. Howell assumed the management of the Albany office of Price, McCormick & Co. and held this responsible position until February, 1897, when he bought the extensive house furnishing business of Isaac Hough, comprising two stores in Albany, one in Cohoes, one in Schenectady and one in Troy. Mr. Howell is a member of the Albany Press Club. April 11, 1894, he married Jane E., daughter of the late Hon. Michael Richard. They have one daughter.

Borthwick, Acton S., son of James M. and Charity (Sisson) Borthwick, was born in Huntersland. Schoharie county, N. Y., August 24, 1871, where he attended the public schools and in 1884 moved to Albany, N. Y., and spent two years at the High School. Subsequently he went to Coeymans, N. Y., where he worked three years in his father's store and in 1890 returned to Albany and was employed by George W. Yerkes & Co. until January 1, 1896, when his father, County Clerk James M. Borth- wick, appointed him court clerk, which position he now fills. Mr. Borthwick is a member of the Unconditional Republican Club, the Improved Order of Red Men, Ancient City Lodge F. & A. M., Capital City Chapter R. A. M., De Witt Clinton Council R. & S. M .. Temple Commandery No. 2, and Cyprus Temple A. A. O. N. M. S. In 1895 he married Charlotte M. Conde of Albany.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 127

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