Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 41

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

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Hill, to the house formerly occupied by Hose 9, and a new company or- ganized for it, and known as Steamer No. 2. The McQuade steamer was placed on Washington avenue, though it was temporarily located in a barn on Willett street near State street, until necessary alterations could be made to the house of Engine 5. A new company was also organized for it, known as Steamer No. 1. The Kearney steamer was allowed to remain in its old location, and was placed in charge of a new com- pany, known as Steamer No. 3. Subsequently the commissioners or- dered a second Amoskeag steamer, which was completed and deliv- ered in the city in August, 1867. As soon as it had been accepted, it was temporarily located in the house formerly occupied by Engine 8, on Madison avenue. A company was organized for it, known as Steamer No. 5. This steamer was afterwards removed to the house formerly occupied by Engine 11, on South Pearl street, when the necessary alter- ations were completed. Before the 1st day of September, 1867, all of the old companies were relieved from duty, excepting Engine com- pany 13, the commissioners deeming it unwise to discharge them from service until another steamer could be procured, to be located in the house on the corner of Jefferson and Swan streets. To complete the equipment of the department, four substantial tenders were purchased. On the 2d day of September, 1867, the board of commissioners decided to locate a steamer in the house of Engine 13, and ordered another from the Amoskeag works. A new organization was formed for it, known as Steamer No. 6. The addition of this company increased the force to one hundred and sixty-nine officers and men. Truck 1 was located in the old house on Westerlo street; Truck 2 was located in the old house on Clinton avenue, near Chapel street, the horses being kept in the house of Hose 2 on Chapel street, which was temporarily fitted up as a stable. A new building was erected on Clinton avenue, west of Hawk street, for this truck, which was completed about January 1, 1868. Subsequently the commissioners ordered one more Amoskeag engine, which was received December 1, 1867, to take the place of the McQuade steamer. The Common Council directed the com. missioners to sell such apparatus, etc., not including real estate, be- longing to the old department, as in their judgment was not required for the uses and purposes of the new department. The commissioners advertised the sale by auction, which took place on the 30th day of Au- gust, 1867, and realized the sum of $5,358.55. Some of the old appar- atus was retained and afterwards disposed of when an opportunity presented itself.

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During the year 1871 two more Amoskeag engines were ordered to take the place of the Putnam for Steamer Company 2, and the Kearney for Steamer Company 3. The Putnam and Kearney were then held in reserve.

A destructive fire on June 20, 1873, prompted the commissioners to add to the apparatus of the department, and two more steamers were purchased and two companies organized, as noted further on. On the 29th day of January, 1883, the department was again reorganized, pur- suant to chapter 382 laws of 1882. In the reorganization the commis- sioners were compelled to drop from active service many faithful and efficient men, the total number under the new law being fixed at 102. which was seventy-six less than under the old law. With two or three exceptions, the appointments were all made from the ranks of the old department. The foremen, without exception were all reappointed, as were the four assistant engineers.

The dates of organization of the various companies comprising the present department are as follows: Steamer 4, July 1, 1867; Truck 2. July 2, 1867; Steamers 1, 2, and 3, July 13, 1867; Steamer 6, Novem- ber 8, 1867; Steamer 7, September 22, 1873; Steamer 8, November 1, 1873; Steamer 9, July 2, 1888; Steamer 10, November 1, 1802; Truck 1, July 13, 1867; Truck 3, July 2, 1888.

The Fire Alarm Telegraph was put in operation on the 3d of June. 1868. The officials in charge of this branch of the service are as fol- lows: John M. Carroll, superintendent; George Stanwix and Terrance F. Hagan, operators; William B. Martin, lineman; William J. Toomey, battery man.

Following is the official list from the organization in 1867 to the present time :

Engineers-James McQuade, chief, from April 20, 1867, to July 25, 1886, when he died. Joseph C. Griffin, assistant from June 7, 1867, to date. John C. Mull, assist- ant from June, 1867, to June 1, 1885, when he retired. George E. Mink, assistant from June 7, 1867, to April 5, 1887, when he resigned. Arthur McShane, assistant from June 29, 1870. D. A. Ronan, assistant from July 1, 1870, to June 11, 1871, when he resigned. Patrick M. Mulcahy, assistant from June 11, 1871, to March 12, 1873, when he resigned. William K. Clute, assistant from March 12, 1873, to May 1, 1887, when he resigned. M. E. Higgins, assistant from June 1, 1885, to August 3. 1886, when he was promoted to chief, which position he now occupies. Matthew C. Clark, assistant from August 3, 1886, to July, 1896, when he retired. Thomas S. Jones, assistant from April 5, 1887, to date. John J. Hughes, assistant from May 3, 1887, to date.

On February 10, 1896, by act of the Common Council, the depart-

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ment was again reorganized, and thirty-four call men were replaced by permanent men as follows: Steamer No. 1, four men; No. 3, four men; No. 4, eight men; No. 5, four men; No. 6, four men; Truck 1, five men; Truck 2, five men.

The present Board of Fire Commissioners is as follows: Hon. John Boyd Thacher (mayor), president ex officio. James McCredie, Rich- ard V. De Witt, Richard Lawrence, Henry Patton, and Lewis J. Miller, clerk of the board.

Valuation of Fire Department Property.

Real estate

$163,000 00

Apparatus 61,490 00

Furniture, fixtures, etc. 33,000 00

Fire-alarm telegraph apparatus, fixtures and supplies 67,000 00

Horses, harness, etc.

20,000 00

Hose, fixtures, tools, etc. 31,000 00

Repair shop and supply department. 12,000 00

Total $387,490 00

Permanent and Call Forces of the Fire Department with Compensation.

Salary per

Permanent.

annum. $3,000

1 Permanent Assistant Engineer

1,000

1 Clerk

1,500

1 Supervising Engineer 1,500

1 Superintendent Fire Alarm Telegraph 1,500

1 Assistant Superintendent Fire Alarm Telegraph 1,240

2 Operators Fire Alarm Telegraph, each

1,000

1 Lineman Fire Alarm Telegraph

900

1 Battery-man and Janitor Fire Alarm Telegraph

720

1 Superintendent Hose and Supply Depots

1,200

1 Assistant Superintendent Hose and Supply Depots

720

10 Engineers of Steamers, each

1,080

10 Fireman of Steamers, each

720

10 Drivers of Steamers, each

24 Permanent Hosemen 720

10 Permanent Laddermen 720 1 1

3 Tillermen of Trucks, each 720

3 Drivers of Trucks, each 720

3 Permanent Laddermen of Trucks, each 720 6

1,080

1 Relief Engineer 1 1 1

1 Relief Fireman 720

1 Relief Driver 720

1 Relief Truckman 720

1 Chief

392

Call.

1 Secretary of Board $1,000

1 Veterinary Surgeon (including medicines). 600

1 Department Physician 500

3 Assistant Engineers, each 400

10 Foreman of Steamers, each 300

3 Foreman of Trucks, each 300

56 Hoseman of Steamers, each 200

23 Call Laddermen of Trucks, each 200

187 Total

The Albany Fire Department is now one of the most efficient in the State. This fact is shown by the very limited fire losses of the year from November, 1895, to November, 1896, the amount of which was only $40,000.

POLICE.

Prior to 1851 there was no police department, as the title is now !In- derstood in Albany. For more than a century and a half good order was maintained by the constables appointed by the Common Council. though they were sometimes termed police constables. The charter of 1686 designated one high constable and three subordinates with the title of constable, one from each ward, to be appointed annually. This practice continued until 1737, when the number was increased to two from each ward. These officers also collected taxes, kept the public pound, and one or more were required to be on duty on Sundays. For many years it was not a salaried office, the small pay consisting of certain fees. Anthony Bries was high constable in 1696, the first one named in the records. He was followed by William Hogan and Jo- hannes Harmesen. In the early part of the present century the title police constables began to be used for these officers, although their character had not been changed. In 1827 the constables asked the council for increased pay, as their duties then occupied nearly or quite their whole time.

Under certain legislative acts of 1851 a police force was organized on substantially the same basis of the present organization. It then consisted of a chief, four captains, four assistant captains, forty police- men, four doormen, and six constables. John Morgan was the first chief of police. The cost of maintaining the department for the year 1852 was $27,000. A reorganization of the force took place in 1856. under which some needed changes were made. In 1872 still another

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reorganization took place, under chapter 278 of the laws of that year, which provided that the mayor should be an ex officio member of the Board of Police Commissioners. Other features of the act provided for the removal of commissioners by the Common Council; for filling vacancies in the board; that certain court attendants be appointed from the patrolmen; and for the payment of traveling expenses in connec- tion with the department. At the present time the department is entirely under the control of a non partisan board of police commissioners, four in number, in addition to the mayor, who is ex officio president. The city is divided into five precincts, and the police force has been grad- ually increased as necessity demanded until it now numbers: the chief, six captains, fifteen sergeants, 133 patrolmen, four detectives, five station house keepers, four court officers, a property clerk, a surgeon and a matron. The salary list of the force for 1894-5 amounted to $137,316.82, and the other expenses increased this sum to $150,000. The receipts were about $7,000, chiefly from the police office.

In 1820 a resolution was offered in the Common Council intended to abolish the salary of the police justice, as it was claimed that the office was a sinecure. The resolution was lost and the board then chose Philip Phelps and Teunis Slingerland, police magistrates. Since then John Cole (father of Charles W. Cole, present superintendent of schools), - Kane, Cicero Loveridge, Isaac N. Comstock, Sylvanus H. H. Parsons, John W. McNamara, William K. Clute, Martin B. Conway, now surrogate judge, John C. Nott, Myer Nusbaum, John Gutman, Peter a Stevens since 1890, and Daniel Adler, who succeeded John Gutman in the autumn of 1894, both now on the bench, have held the office.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

THE TOWN OF WATERVLIET (NOW COLONIE), WEST TROY (NOW WATERVLIET CITY), GREEN ISLAND AS TOWN AND VILLAGE, AND THE CITY OF COHOES. 1

The town of Watervliet (changed to the town of Colonie in 1896) is the mother of towns in Albany county. The Manor of Rensselaerwyck was divided into the east and west districts on March 5, 1779, the Hud- son River separating the two districts. The west district was defined as all that part of the manor lying north of an east and west line from Beeren (Baeren) Island north to Cumberland county, excepting the city of Albany.

The town of Watervliet 2 was erected March 7, 1788, and included the territory of the west district of Rensselaerwyck, with certain govern- ment lands in its northeastern part which were transferred to purchasers direct from the English crown by deed. One of these old deeds is in possession of the Van Denbergh family, to one of whom it was given, as noticed further on ; it is written on parchment, bears the great wax seal of the crown, and is dated October 21, 1697.

From this great town of Watervliet, with its somewhat indefinite boundaries, was set off Rensselaerville in 1790 (then embracing what is now Berne and a part of Westerlo) ; Coeymans in 1791 (then including a part of what is now Westerlo); Bethlehem in 1793 (then including what is now New Scotland); Guilderland in 1803, and Niskayuna in 1809. Besides these territorial changes, the original town has under- gone several others of importance. That part of the city of Albany lying north of Patroon and Quackenbush streets was incorporated as

1 It will be observed that the town histories in this volume succeed each other as nearly as possible in chronological order as to the dates of the formation of the towns. This arrangement is believed to be preferable to placing them in alphabetical order for reasons that are apparent, and chiefly that historical continuity is thus preserved.

2 The name, Watervliet, is Dutch and derived from water and vlatke, the latter meaning level plains or flats; it was applied to the level lands along the river which are subject to overflow; hence "overflowed flats," or water-vlakte. The last syllable has been corrupted into "vliet."

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the town of Colonie March 31, 1791, and reincorporated March 30, 1801. On the 9th of April, 1804, this territory was incorporated as a village,1 and on April 11, 1808, it was erected into a town by act of Legislature. Colonie existed as a town until February 25, 1815, when it was divided and a part annexed to Albany, and the remainder to the town of Watervliet. In 1870 a part of the town of Watervliet, which had been included in the old boundaries of Colonie, was annexed to Albany. The city of Cohoes was set off from the town of Watervliet in 1869. The other territorial changes which have been made within the past two years will be noticed further on.

The surface of this town is chiefly upland and rises to a height of from 200 to 300 feet above the Hudson River. The declivities of the uplands are broken by many gullies which have been worn out by the streams. The intervale extending along the river with a width of about half a mile, has a rich and fertile alluvial soil and is frequently overflowed by freshets. The soil of the uplands is a light and sandy loam. Quarries of the graywacke stone furnish excellent building and flagging material, Bog iron ore has been found in a few localities, and there are several mild sulphur and chalybeate springs within the town, the waters of which have been used to some extent. The principal streams in the town, aside from the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, are Patroon's Creek and its tributaries in the southern part, the Sandy Kill, Lisha's Kill, Town Branch, Schauline Creek, Donker Kill, Dry Branch, Ralger Kill, and Red Creek.

At Cohoes the Mohawk flows over a rocky declivity seventy eight feet high, about half of which distance is nearly perpendicular. The banks above and below the falls are high and precipitous. Here an immense water power has been developed and applied to extensive manufacturing industries.

1 In reference to the village incorporation the following is quoted from the session laws of 1804: "An act to vest certain powers in the freeholders and inhabitants of that part of the Town of Water Vliet, in the County of Albany, commonly called the Colonie, which was.incorpo- rated, April 9, 1804, as follows: 'Lying on the west bank of Hudson's River, in the northeast bounds of the City of Albany, extending north about three-fourths of a mile to Mill Creek; thence west one mile up along said creek; thence southerly with a line parallel to the said river till it strikes the north bounds of said city; thence east to the place of beginning.'" The village was to elect five persons as trustees, who were empowered to make by-laws, levy taxes and per- form other duties; a treasurer, collector and five assessors were also to be elected by the free- holders. The first town meeting was held at the house of William Kane, in April, 1809, no records of which can be found.

396

The Champlain Canal was opened southward to the village of Water- ford in November, 1822, and fully completed in September of the fol- lowing year. It extends from Lake Champlain to the Erie Canal at a point a little north of West Troy. The Erie Canal, finished in 1825, crosses the eastern part of this town in a northerly and southerly direc- tion, passing through Cohoes and West Troy. It rises from the Hudson through Cohoes by a series of eighteen locks to the most northerly portion of the town, 188 feet above tide. There it crosses the river into Saratoga county in a stone aqueduct 1, 1371/2 feet long, twenty- six feet high, which rests on twenty-six piers.

The first settlements in the territory now included in the town of Watervliet, as well as in other parts of the great Manor of Rensselaer- wyck, the trading operations carried on by the pioneers in early years, and their relations with the Indians, have been quite fully treated in earlier chapters. The richness and beauty of the lands along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and their proximity to Fort Orange, which gave them protection, early attracted settlers to this immediate region. The first of these located north of Albany along the river as far as the site of Fort Schuyler, which became a part of West Troy. A map of the Van Rensselaer Manor, made in 1767, shows that at that date there were only 148 families located west of the Hudson River. Within the terri- tory now embraced in the town of Watervliet the following names ap- pear on that map : Those along the Hudson from Albany to the mouth of the Mohawk were Jeremiah Schuyler, Peter Schuyler, Col. Philip Schuyler, Peter Cluet (to the westward of the Schuylers), Jonas Sharp, Guy Young, Hans Van Arnum, Jan Outhout, Henry Bullsing, Cornel- ius Van Denbergh, and Wirt Van Denbergh. Those along the Mohawk from its mouth northward were Jonas Outhout, Abram Van Denbergh, Cornelius Van Denbergh. - Lansing, Henry Lansing, Cornelius On- derkerk, Douw Fonda, Franz Lansing, Dirk Hemstraet, At the Boght were Hans Lansing, William Liverse, Jan Douwve Fonda (with Fred- erick Clute and - Wynans on colonial lands). Along the Mohawk west of the Boght were Daniel Van Olinda, Jacob Clute, Bastian Visher, Jacob Freltie, Diederick Scheffer, Martys Bovee, Fransway Bovie, Hans Heemstraet, Bastian Cregier, - Duyvepagh, Simon Groet, Hans Cluet, Robert Canier. In the northwest corner were -- Consaloe,

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Hans Consaloe, Isaac Truax, The following lived over the Manor line : -- Cluet, John Schuyler, Nicholas Hallenbeck, and Glen Braat. On the sand road to Schenectady were John Richies, at the Knil; Christie at the Sandbergh, and one family at the Verfbergh.1 This list gives a clear idea of the early comers who leased lands of the Patroon and laid the foundation of homes.

The old Schuyler mansion is still standing on the west bank of the Hudson River, near the southern boundary of West Troy. It was erected about 1768, and replaced and stands on the old foundation of the still earlier building that was burned. The first structure was erected probably before 1700. In 1672 Philip Schuyler, father of Col. Peter Schuyler, purchased a large tract of land of the Patroon, which included territory within the southern limits of what became West Troy and ex- tended over part of the flats still farther south. These flat lands were used for agricultural purposes as early as 1642, and were occupied from that date to 1660 by Aren't Van Curler, and after him by Richard Van Rens- selaer. On September 14, 1691, Peter Schuyler, son of Philip, married Maria Van Rensselaer, sister of Killian Van Rensselaer, the Patroon, and in April, 1711, took up his residence in the mansion. At that time the main road from Albany ran between the residence and the river. For a time during Col. Schuyler's occupancy of the mansion public safety was greatly endangered by French and Indian hos- tility, but through Colonel Schuyler's friendship and influence with the latter, serious outbreak was averted or mitigated. This fact gave him a commanding position in the colony. Hence, when it was decided to send a delegation of Indian chiefs to England, to see the sovereign of that nation and thus gain their further alliance, Col. Schuyler was selected to accompany them. After considerable difficulty the chiefs consented to go, provided their friend, in whom they implicitly trusted, would be their escort. The expedition was in every way successful and the chiefs were much gratified with their reception by Queen Anne and her court. The English sovereign desired to confer knighthood upon Colonel Schuyler, an honor which he respectfully declined as out of keeping with his present habits and surroundings. In 1719 Philip

1 The reader will notice the spelling of many of these names, which has materially changed in recent years.

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Schuyler, eldest son of Colonel Peter, married Catalina Schuyler, his cousin, whose father had been for a number of years mayor of Albany. Upon the death of his father Philip Schuyler became owner of the lands and the mansion, and rose to prominence in public affairs ; was a mem- ber of the Colonial Assembly, a colonel in the army and the first per- son to raise a body of soldiers in the interior of the province to join in the French and Indian war. Colonel Philip Schuyler died in February, 1758, leaving a widow, but no children. The property was devised to the widow during her lifetime and thereafter to go to his nephew, Peter Schuyler, who was an orphan and who had lived with the Colonel. The old mansion has always remained in the Schuyler family and is still a landmark of great interest.

With few exceptions the early settlers were Dutch, and in the fore- going list are found many of the names of families that have ever since been prominent in this vicinity and many whose descendants are still among the foremost men of Albany and Rensselaer counties. Of some of these it is proper to speak more in detail.

The Lansing family is descended from Hendrick Lansing, of the town of Hasselt, Province of Overyssel. He had a son, Gerret,1 who was an early settler at Beverwyck and died before October, 1679. This Gerret was father of Hendrick, Gerrit, and Johannes (sons), and Hilletie, who married Storm Van Derzee, son of Albert Andriesen Bradt ; Alltie, who married Gerrit Van Slichtenhorst; Gysbertie, who married Hen- drick Janse Roseboom. From these children have originated the vari- ous Lansing families of the country. Hendrick Lansing, son of the first Gerret, was in Albany as early as 1666, and died in July, 1709. He had a son Jacob who married Hellina Pruyn ; Jacob died in 1792 and his wife in 1827. Their son Hendrick J. married Lena Wynne in 1769, and their other son, Benjamin, married Mary Tymerson. The children of the last named couple were Peter, who married Catharine Norris ; Helen, who married Lewis Morris; Henry B., who married Eliza Putnam and afterward Sarah Knight; Cornelius T., who married Catharine Gillson and afterward Caroline Steers. This family settled at Lisha's Kill and constitute one branch of the Lansing family.

1 This name is spelled in the records in several different ways, leaving the writer no alterna- tive but to follow the same course.

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Col. John V. A. Lansing came here in 1791 or 1792, married Harriet Verplank and settled on the farm occupied in recent years by his grand- son, Vischer Lansing. He had four sons and four daughters. The sons married four daughters of Cornelius Groat, and the daughters married respectively Richard J. Pearse (second, Garret L. Winne), Sebastian Pearse, Jacob Weaver, and Jacob C. Lansing.

Gerret and Ryckert-Claas Van Vranken, sons of Claas Van Vranken, early took up lands in Niskayuna and from them descended many fami- lies of that name. Petrus Van Vranken, a great-grandson of Gerret Van Vranken, married a daughter of Dirk Groat, from which family came the Watervliet descendants of that name.

Jacob Lansing, who had previously married Hellena Huyck, came from Holland about 1700. He had a son John who settled in the vicinity of the Boght, on the farm owned in recent years by Egbert Lansing. Gerret, son of Rutger Lansing, settled on the Mohawk River above the falls. There, in 1795, near the site of the Cohoes dam, Isaac D. F. Lansing, a descendant, erected a large two-story brick house, and made other improvements.

Isaac Fonda, born in Holland in 1715, came early to this country and in 1749 married Cornelia De Friest. He became the owner of landed interests, portions of which still remain in possession of his de- scendants. These are traced through his son, Isaac I., and his descend- ants, Isaac I., jr., Cornelius I., James V. V., Daniel D., and Charles Fonda. A part of the old Fonda house, built before the Revolution, is still attached to a dwelling on the homestead farm. In that small room Richard Kloet kept a tavern in Revolutionary times, and there is a tradition that General Washington was once a guest in the old house. Gerardus Kloet, Hendrick Rider, Jocob Lansing, and Dirk Bradt, occu- pied lands adjoining those of the pioneer, Isaac Fonda. Other Fonda families were those of Henry I., Isaac H., and Douw. The latter came with his wife from Holland, and the family is now represented by de- scendants of his sons, Abram and Douw.

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 41

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