Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 81

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 81

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).

Hendrie, James H., born in Albany, October 19, 1855, is a son of George and Margaret (Haddow) Hendrie, the former of whom came to Albany from Scotland about 1853 and died here in 1892, being for many years foreman with Smith & Covert, leather dressers. When fourteen Mr. Hendrie began learning the trade of book- binder and blankbook manufacturer of his uncle, Robert G. Hendrie, who had es- tablished business on the corner of Broadway and Hudson avenue in 1867. He re- mained there until 1879, when he went to Cape Colony, South Africa, and engaged in gold and diamond mining. Returning to Albany in 1887 he bought out his uncle, gradually increased the manufacturing capacity fourfold and now carries on a large

business as a bookbinder and stationer and blankbook manufacturer. He is a mem- ber of the Albany Caledonian Club and was its secretary three terms. In Septem- ber, 1889, he married Emily E., daughter of Henry Miller of Albany, and they have one daughter: Emalie Miller Hendrie.

Cook, John B., was born in Troy in 1856, and was a son of Robert Cook, who came from Scotland in 1854 and was in the employ of the Burden Iron Company, then H. Burden & Sons, in the capacity of foreman until his death in 1873. Mr. Cook served an apprenticeship to the machinist trade with that company. He re- ceived his education in the public schools of Troy, and later took private lessons in mathematics, mechanical engineering and drawing. Mr. Cook has been associated with the Watervliet Arsenal for twelve years as foreman of the metal work carried on in the shops east of the canal, and has had charge of the construction of the plant at the gun shop under the supervision of the constructing engineer.

McNab, Dr. Duncan, son of Duncan and Sarah (Osborne) McNab, was born June 6, 1870, in Troy, N. Y., where he was educated in the High School. He was grad- uated from the Albany Medical College with the degree of M. D. in 1892, and then took an eight months' course in the New York Polyclinic Hospital and Medical Col- lege. In 1893 he began his practice in Green Island, Albany county, where he has since resided. He is a member of the Troy and Vicinity Medical Society, King Sol- omon's Primitive Lodge No. 91, F. & A. M., and Watervliet Lodge, Knights of Pythias. April 20, 1896, Dr. McNab married Millie, daughter of John B. Groat, of Green Island.

Soderstrom, Charles E., came from Sweden to America in 1881, then about thirty- three years of age. In his native country he had learned the trade of machinist, and soon secured a position with the Albany Iron Works, with whom he remained for three years. In 1884 he went to Watervliet as a machinist. He was a a member of the Free church of Sweden, and here in America belonging to the Methodist Epis- copal church, which granted him the freedom of speaking for his country-people.

Lenway, W. A., was born in West Troy, December 11, 1849. The late Alexander Lenway, his father, came to West Troy about 1835. The paternal grandfather of W. A. Lenway came from France. Mr. Lenway was carefully educated at select schools and at the Troy Business College. He has been officially connected with canal administrations since 1880, at which date he was appointed chief clerk to John H. Hulsapple, then a canal collector. Before his association with the canal departments he was associated in a clerical capacity with F. B. Durant and William Hollands in the fire insurance line. He spent five years in the D. & H. freight office as clerk and was for a time mate of a river steamer plying between Troy and New York.

Pickett, Robert, youngest son of William and Mary (Egan) Pickett, both natives of Ireland, immigrating to America about 1823 and 1820 respectively, was born in West Troy, Albany county, March 9, 1850, and received his education at the parochial school of St. Bridget's church. His father died in West Troy in 1853, aged fifty- three, and his mother in April, 1889, aged eighty-seven. They had six sons and three daughters. When nine years old Mr. Pickett entered the factory of Roy & Co., and in 1863 began making cartridges in the Watervliet Arsenal. In 1865 he re-

turned to the employ of Roy & Co. ; in 1869 he was employed on a Hudson River dredge: in 1870 he entered what is now the Troy and Rensselaer Iron Works; in 1873 he found employment in the machine shop of the Arsenal; in 1874 he re- turned to the steel works; and in 1876 he engaged in the grocery business in West Troy. In 1882 he became a State patrolman under James Shanwahan, and six years later again opened a restaurant, a business he had followed in 1881-82. No- vember 18, 1894, he was appointed to his present position as inspector of customs under John P. Masterson. October 11, 1878, he married Katie, daughter of John Shaffer of Troy.

Visscher, Edward W., was born in Albany, April 5, 1870, and is descended from one of the oldest families in this section. Bastiaen Visscher came from Hoorn, Hol- land, to America, prior to 1644 and settled in what was then Rensselaerwyak, now Albany. His son, Harmen B., was born there and had a son, Manning Visscher, whose son Barent J. was baptized in Albany, March 13, 1737. Johannes B. Visscher, son of Barent J. was born here September 4, 1769 and died April 15, 1825. His son, John B. Visscher, was born here August 31, 1825, and married first, Ann, daughter of Abraham R. and Annetje (Visscher) Ten Eyck, and second, Alida, daughter of Douw and Jane Ann (Lieverse) Lansing. He died January 31, 1890, and was survived by Edward W. Visscher and William L. Visscher. Edward W. Visscher was educated in the Albany Academy and in 1887 entered the Mechanics' and Farmers' Bank, with which he has since been connected. He is a member of the Holland Society of New York and of the Fort Orange Club. In January. 1895, he married Miss Mame E., daughter of Eugene P. Palmer of Chicago, Il1.

Colburn, E. S., & Son .- Edwin S. Colburn, son of Jonathan Colburn, was born in Jewett City, Conn., Jannary 5. 1829, and for about thirty years was engaged in farm- ing at New Baltimore, N. Y., where he still resides. In 1884 he was engaged in the commission business under the firm name of Colburn & Smith; in 1886 he purchased part of the present confectionery and ice cream business in Albany, and a partner- ship was formed under the firm name of Rawson & Colburn, which in 1888, became Rawson, Colburn & Co. In 1888 this firm was succeeded by Mr. Colburn as sole owner and in 1894 he admitted his son, Edwin E. to partnership, under the present style of E. S. Colburn & Son.

Hills, James W., was born in Watervliet, now Colonie, in 1841. He is the son of the late John Hills, of English descent. He has always been engaged in farming and gardening, and in 1875 purchased the farm of Newton, known as the Newton place, from whom the hamlet of Newtonville took its name. Mr. Hills is an up-to- date and enterprising farmer, finding market for his product chiefly at Troy. Mrs. Hills is a daughter of the late James McDonald of Delhi, Delaware county, brother- in-law of the late Assemblyman John McDonald of Delaware county. Mrs. and Mrs. Hills have two sons, Goldsmith and Donald E. Hills. They were educated at the Troy Academy, State Normal and Albany Business College.

Heidrich, Charles A., born November 18, 1856, in Albany, is the son of John Heidrich, a native of Germany, who came to Albany about 1854 and died here in 1886, being a mason by trade and a prominent contractor and builder. After finishing his education at the Albany Academy, Mr. Heidrich entered the architect-

ural office of John Cornelius and remained there five years. Meanwhile in 1880 he had associated himself with his father under the firm name of Heidrich & Son and continued as a contractor until the latter's death in 1886, when he opened an architectural office. Since then he devoted his whole time to architecture and building and since 1882 has done a large amount of contracting, numbering among his chief efforts the Fourth Reformed and St. Matthew's churches. He is a member of Guttenberg Lodge No. 737, F. & A. M, Temple Chapter No. 5, R. A. M. and De Witt Clinton Council No. 22 R. & S. M. July 19, 1882, he married Elizabeth Herzog of Albany and their children are Dora Elizabeth and Victor Carl.

Waters, M. B., was born in Duxbury, Plymouth county, Mass., in October, 1831, and is a descendant of good old Puritan stock. He had none of the advantages of education so liberal in this day, but he was a great reader and seeker after knowl- edge and always had a book with him, to which he applied himself during leisure moments. His mind therefore became stored with very useful information, for he read only those books from which he could derive practical knowledge and which tended to strengthen his mind. He began railroading in 1851 on what was then the Hudson River Road, now the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R., and leaving there he went to the Troy & Boston Railroad, now the Fitchburg Railroad, where he filled such posi- tions as baggagemaster, ticket agent and freight and passenger train conductor. He was also the first passenger agent and during the war was stationed in New York with an office on Broadway. That office was abolished after the war and he became connected with the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. as passenger train conductor. The genial disposition and courteous manners which he showed in that capacity, emi- nently qualified him for advancement and to-day he holds the position of general passenger agent of the People's Line Steamers on the Hudson River. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico and the West Indies. Mr. Waters is also a very interesting correspondent and has many times favored the general public with letters to newspapers describing his travels. He was formerly president of the Railroad Conductors' Insurance Company of the United States and Canada and is now an active member of that body. He is also a life member of the various Masonic bodies, from the Blue Lodge to the Mystic Shrine, and is also a member of the International Association of Ticket Agents, also a member of the American Association of General Passenger Agents. He is a very public spirited citizen and nothing which will improve his home city, Troy, escapes his notice; and he has written many articles setting forth his views on public matters which have always carried great weight. Mr. Waters was married October 15, 1866, at North Dorset, Vt., to a daughter of the Hon. Welcome Allen.

Gleason, James M., was born in Troy, N. Y., August 25, 1860, and removed to West Troy and Watervliet in 1865, where he has since resided. He was educated in the public schools, Troy Christian Brothers' Academy and Troy Business College. At an early age he became an active member of the West Troy Old Volunteer Fire De- partment and served as foreman of the J. C. Dayton Hose Company, and as assist- ant chief of the department until its disbandment in 1883, and is an exempt fireman. Before and since attaining his majority he has taken an active part in politics as an enthusiastic Democrat and is prominent in his party organization in city and county. At the Watervliet town election in 1885 he was nominated and elected to the re-

sponsible office of collector of taxes and was re-elected in April, 1886. On January 1. 1887. he was appointed deputy court clerk by Hon. Robert H. Moore, county clerk, and served for three years to January 1, 1890, when he was promoted and appointed by Hon. A. C. Requa, county clerk elect, to the position of deputy county clerk, which he held until the expiration of Mr. Requa's term of office December 31, 1892. On December 4, 1893, he was appointed by Hon. Frank Campbell, State comptroller, a commissioner to make an examination of the papers, books, records and docu- ments in the office of the surrogate of Kings county, N. Y., relating to the enforce- ment of the inheritance tax laws of the State of New York, and at the expiration of his commission he retired to private life and engaged in business in Albany, N. Y., where he is still located. Mr. Gleason was married February 16, 1886, and resides with his wife, two sons and three daughters, on Sixth avenue, in Watervliet, N. Y.

Godfrey, James H., was born on the site of his beautiful home, in 1841. He spent his whole life with his father, the late George A. Godfrey, one of the first settlers. Mr. Godfrey is a farmer and a dairyman, and his home is located so as to command extended views of the lovely landscape. of which the Mohawk Valley is widely famed.

Baldwin, H. W., the shoe dealer of 29 North Pearl street, is, like a large propor- tion of Albany's prominent merchants, a self-made man. His business career com- menced in New York city, where, when quite a young man, he laid the foundation for the knowledge which was to be of great benefit to him in conducting an estab- lishment of his own. He came here from New York in 1888 and started in business at his present location, succeeding Sherman & Green. By close application and acuteness in buying goods, he built up his trade to such an extent that up to the present time he has had to enlarge his store three times, until now he occupies com- modious quarters fitted up in the most modern style. Mr. Baldwin's last improve- ment was made about a year ago when he nearly doubled the space of his main floor. Mr. Baldwin's business acumen is hereditary. His father was one of the largest lumber dealers in Buffalo and built one of the first houses on the famous Delaware avenue of that city. Mr. Baldwin was born in Buffalo in 1855, and spent his boyhood there.

McNeil, Thomas J., was born in Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, in 1860. He is the son of John McNeil, a linen manufacturer, who came to America with his family in 1866, and located in the city of Albany, N. Y. In 1872 they moved to Cohoes, N. Y. McNeil, the elder, was employed by the Harmony Company as an overseer and cloth expert; he remained with that company for twelve years, when he re- signed. After that time, and until his death in September, 1894, he was employed by the Tivoli Knitting Mill Company. Thomas J. enlisted in the 7th Separate Com- pany, State Militia, in 1880, being that time twenty years of age. His record in that company is as follows: Private, May 15, 1880; sergeant, April 18, 1883; first sergeant, June 18, 1884; second lieutenant, June 20, 1884; first lieutenant, March 15, 1889; resigned (honorable discharge), December 30, 1890; re-enlisted, January 12, 1891 ; corporal. February 16, 1891; sergeant, November 9, 1891; first sergeant, May 2, 1892. At the present time he is first sergeant of the company and also drill_ master. His rating as drillmaster and tactician is of the highest. He received the appointment as armorer of the above named company in 1883, which position he

now so capably and acceptably fills. He was married January 21, 1885, to Elizabeth Fisher Hume, a daughter of George Hume of Cohoes, N. Y.

Targett, Alfred E., is a pioneer in the laundry business of Cohoes, his establish- ment being the first of its kind here. It was first an adjunct to his hat and furnish- ing goods business organized in 1873, and the washing was done by hand. Now the extensive establishment contains all the modern machinery of an up-to-date laundry. Mr. Targett was born in England in 1842 and was the son of Charles Targett. He came to this country in 1846 and with his parents settled in Danbury, Conn. In 1853 he moved to Wisconsin, where he worked on a farm about two years, when he returned to Danbury, Conn., and worked for a while in a fur factory ; then went to Bethel, Conn., and learned the trade of hat finishing, after which he returned to Danbury and attended the academy and prepared for college, which he entered in 1862 and graduated from the University of Rochester in 1866 with the degree of A. B., being a classmate of Hon. George Raines of Rochester. After graduation he returned to Danbury, Conn., went into the music business and also taught singing in the public schools, an accomplishment he had acquired with his other studies. He came to Cohoes in 1872, where he has ever been highly esteemed as a man, and appreciated for his musical talent. He is an accomplished tenor singer, and sings in various churches. He served for several years as alderman of the Third ward.

Wheeler, Frederick F., son of John C. and Adaline (Freeman) Wheeler, was born in Oshkosh, Wis., February 25, 1859, and was educated at the Vineland, N. J., Academy, where the family settled in 1864. In 1882 he came to Albany and the same year established his present furniture business. He was one of the organizers of the Albany Chamber of Commerce in 1890, and has since been a director and the secretary. He organized the South End Bank, was continuously one of its directors and during the first five years was its first vice-president. He is an associate director of the National Life Association of Hartford, Conn., was one of the founders and is vice-president and director of the West End Savings and Loan Association of Albany and was an originator and officer of the West End Association, designed to effect improvements in the western part of the city. In politics he has been from youth up a Prohibitionist, casting his first vote (the only Prohibition vote cast in Cumberland county, N. J.) for Neal Dow for president in 1880. He has never voted any other ticket. In 1884 he was elected chairman of the State General and State Executive Prohibition Committees and served five years, declining further service in this capacity. During that period the Prohibition ticket received the highest vote ever given it in this State. He is still a member of the Prohibition State Executive Committee and in 1896 was elected a member of the National Prohibition Commit. tee. December 24, 1879, he married Alice Amsden of North Walden, Vt., who died July 22, 1891, leaving four children : Herbert A., Fannie A., Alice A., and Effie A. June 6, 1893, he married, second, Hattie Hall of Leslie, Mich.

Long & Silsby .- The carriage manufacturing firm of Long & Silsby was founded in 1847, by James Long and Henry W. Silsby, who successfully carried on an exten- sive business until 1888, when Mr. Long purchased his partner's interest and became sole owner. Mr. Silsby was a blacksmith and was born at sea about 1815. Mr. Long, a native of Ireland, came to America in 1824 and spent his active life in Albany. He

was a practical wagonmaker and after the retirement of his partner, carried on the business alone until February, 1892, when his sons, Le Roy Y. and John S., were admitted. He died in November, following, and since then his two sons have con- ducted the establishment, which is one of the oldest of the kind in this city. The original firm name has always been retained. This concern is widely known, has continually enjoyed an extensive trade of the best class and makes a specialty of the finer work.

Keeler, John, son of Daniel and Margaret (Murphy) Keeler, was born in Albany, N. Y., January 7, 1843. He received a common school education and in 1865 went to work in the restaurant of his brother William, on Green street. In 1871 he suc- ceeded his brother in the management of the Green street restaurant and remained there until July, 1884, when he and his brother formed a partnership and opened a restaurant at No. 56 State street. In 1890 Mr. Keeler again assumed management of the Green street restaurant and since then his sons, William H. and John, have been the proprietors of the State street restaurant.

Harris, Julius F., son of Marvin C. and Huldah (Dickinson) Harris, was born in the town of Queensbury, Warren county, N. Y., January 3, 1839. Thomas Harris, born in 1576, came from England and ran the ferry from Boston to Winnisimmet and Charlestown. Joseph Harris, who was directly descended from said Thomas Harris, the great grandfather of the subject of this sketch lived in the town of Queensbury, served in the Revolution and originally came from Dutchess county. William D. Harris, the grandfather of Julius F., was a prosperous farmer living in the town of Queensbury. Julius F. Harris was educated at the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute, from which he was graduated in 1863. Soon after he removed to Albany, N. Y., studied law with Col. William H. King, was graduated from the Albany Law School in 1882 and was admitted to the bar in the same year. He has since practiced law in Albany. He is a member of Temple Lodge No. 14, F. & A. M., and is a class leader in the Ash Grove M. E. church.

Dreis, L. Theodore A., son of Anthony and Catherine (Geimer) Dreis, was born in Albany, N. Y., January 24, 1868. He was educated in the public and private schools and at the age of eleven years was apprenticed to W. H. Slingerland & Sons, civil engineers, with whom he remained eighteen years and in addition carried on quite extensively the real estate and insurance business. August 1, 1896, he went with the Albany, Helderberg and Schoharie Railroad, with whom he is at present. He is secretary of Co. I), 10th Battalion, N. G. N. Y., and was for three years financial and corresponding secretary of the Capital City Club and is at present. In 1895 he represented the Capital City Club at the convention of the National League of Republican Clubs at Cleveland, Ohio, as delegate. He is at present orator of Germania Council No. 110, C. B. L., recording secretary of the City Club and president of the Young Men's Society of the Holy Cross church and was the organ- izer of that body. He has been for four years the Republican president of the Third district of the Second ward, and at the last primary was re-elected by a vote of 64 to 25. He is also a prominent member of the Republican League. That he is prom- inent among the young men is assured by the great esteem he is held in and in society he is a prominent figure. Invitations are refused owing to the surplus of meetings.

Burdick G. Dudley, son of G. W. and Mary Elizabeth (Van Antwerp) Burdick, was born in Albany, July 19, 1842. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of mason, which he followed until 1878, when he engaged in his present business of contractor and builder. He built the Tweddle Building, the Dudley Ob- servatory, the Albany Safe Deposit and Storage Building, the Madison Avenue Presbyterian church and Wolfert's Roost and many other notable structures. Mr. Burdick is a member of Wadsworth Lodge No. 417, F. & A. M. and of the board of deacons of the State Street Presbyterian church. He served seven years in the old volunteer fire department and in Co. B, 10th Regiment, N. Y. N. G. December 26, 1876, he married Emma Havard, daughter of John Havard of Brooklyn, N. Y., who died November 24, 1881, leaving a son and daughter, Clarke Havard and Mary Louise. Clarke Havard died March 6, 1883. October 10, 1884, he married Juliette, daughter of Epraim Hotaling, of Albany, N. Y.

Wands, John B., was born in the town of New Scotland, N. Y., June 13, 1833. The first of the Wands to come to America were two cousins, James and John Wands; they were Scotch Highlanders, and were weavers by trade. They enlisted in the English army and came to Canada to take part in the French and English war (1754 to 1762), having enlisted as volunteers for three months; they served their time, and upon their discharge started as pioneers through the woods of New York State, toward Albany, and finally located in what is now New Scotland; their settle- ment dates about 1762. Ebenezer Wands, the grandfather of our subject, was another of these hardy Scotch pioneers; he was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and was also a weaver by trade; he was a cousin of James and John, who had preceded him a few years to America; he married Mary Ann Miller, and came to America imme- diately after, probably about 1780, and settled on a tract of land, about 400 acres, which he purchased for two dollars per acre, and began clearing him a home, and plied his trade winters. He reared eight sons and three daughters; the sons all be- came tradesmen, some blacksmiths, wagonmakers, carpenters, weavers, etc., and among them they grew and manufactured everything needed on the farm. He died when eighty eight years of age. Benjamin Wands, father of our subject and the fourth son of his father's children, was born in New Scotland in 1797. He learned the weaver's trade from his father; he afterward became a farmer, owning a farm of sixty acres, which he operated, and plied his trade winters. In politics he was first a Whig, later a Republican, and, though not an aspirant to public office, he mani- fested an active interest in the electing of his party ticket. His wife was Margaret Wands, who was born in New Scotland in 1797, daughter of James 2, who was the son of James 1, the pioneer; they reared five sons and five daughters. He died in 1865 and his wife in 1873. John B. Wands worked on his father's farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Albany and engaged as cartman, which position he occupied for five years ; he then accepted a position as porter in a whole- sale grocery store, where he remained six years, and in 1864 engaged with Mather Bros., as shipper in their wholesale grocery; he remained with them over twenty- four years, when, on account of failing health, he was obliged to resign his position. In 1888 he moved to Voorheesville, where he engaged in the retail general mercantile business, and where he has since remained. Mr. Wands is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Wadsworth Lodge, Albany, in which he

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 81

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