Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 91

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

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grower for Erastus Corning. Both brothers are members of the Society of American Florists and of the Royal Arcanum. Samuel Goldring is district deputy grand regent of the Royal Arcanum and a member of Wadsworth Lodge No. 417, F. & A. M., Temple Chapter, R. A. M., De Witt Clinton Council, R & S. M., Temple Com- mandery, K. T., the Elks and the Albany Press Club. In 1888 he married Miss Etta, daughter of William Potkora, one of the oldest florists in Albany, and their children are Edith Frederica and Jessica Louisa.

Stedman, Francis W., son of George L. (see sketch) and Adda (Woolverton) Sted- man, was born in Albany, December 7, 1867, attended the Albany Academy, and in 1884 became connected with the People's Gas Company, of which George A. Wool- verton was president, and George L. Stedman was vice-president. When they sold out he became shipping clerk for Tracey & Wilson, wholesale grocers, and in April, 1891, he entered the firm of T. M. Hackett & Stedman, coal dealers, whom he suc- ceeded in 1892. Since 1893 he has conducted exclusively a wholesale business, cov- ering New York and the New England States. He is sales agent for the coal mined by David E. Williams & Co., a firm composed of the brother-in-law and son of George B. Roberts, president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Mr. Stedman is a member of the Sons of the Revolution through Amos Hooker, whose son, John Parker Hooker, was the maternal grandfather of George L. Stedman, above named. Amos Hooker was a corporal in the Revolution, and was killed in service. In Feb- ruary, 1893, Francis W. Stedman married Clara H., daughter of Ralph W. Thacher of Albany, and they have one son, Woolverton Thacher Stedman. In November, 1896, he became a director and officer of the Albany Art Union of Albany, N. Y.

Nellis, William J., M. D., son of Jacob and Julia A. (Wright) Nellis, was born at Schoharie Court House, N. Y., September 3, 1855. He was graduated from Scho- harie Academy in 1873 and then engaged in the jewelry business in Schoharie for one year. In 1874 he came to Albany as a partner in the drug firm of J. Nellis & Sons, from which he withdrew in 1876. While there he read medicine with Dr. John M. Bigelow and graduated from the Albany Medical College in 1819; since then he has been in active practice in Albany. He took post-graduate courses in the New York Polyclinic Hospital and College, in laryngology and rhinology and in the New York Post-Graduate School in clinical medicine, pathology and diseases of the nose and throat. He is a member and ex-secretary of the Albany County Medical Society, a member of the New York State Medical Society and chairman of its com- mittee of arrangements. He is also a member of the Sons of the Revolution, through his great-grandfather, Peter Nellis, who served in the 2d Regiment Tryon county militia, from 1779 to the close of the war; a member of Masters Lodge No. 5, F. & A. M., the Phi Sigma Kappa, the Fort Orange, Albany Camera, and Albany Coun- try Clubs, the Mohican Camera Club, and served for three years as fleet surgeon of the American Canoe Association.

Bell, E. M., M. D., has been a general practitioner at Cohoes since 1893, when he graduated from the Albany Medical College. He is of French ancestry and son of Louis Bell, and was born at Ellenburg, N. Y., in 1866. He had taken an academic course before entering the medical college, and is thoroughly prepared for his chosen life work in the healing art. By his untiring devotion to his calling, which he gives, he has a brilliant future before him. He is at present located at 97 Ontario street.

His wife was Lottie Bennett of Troy, by whom he has one daughter, Edith, three years of age, and had one son, Clarence, who died in infancy.

Ford, Charles R., is a son of the late George F. Ford of Cohoes, a well known in- Surance and real estate agent, a man well known for his benevolence and a good citizen. Mr. Ford was born about thirty years ago, and as a boy attended the public schools of the city, from which he left to accept a position with Joseph Stevens, the newsdealer, where he became a clerk and acted as a newsboy. It was not long before he received an appointment as general delivery clerk at the post-office under James H. Masten, the postmaster. Here he served faithfully for two years until called to a position as messenger in the National Bank in 1884. Mr, Ford served as discount clerk and individual bookkeeper through ad- vancement until February 1, 1896, when he received the appointment as treasurer of the Cohoes Savings Institution, one of the most honored positions that can come to a man, especially one as young as Mr. Ford. It is a position of trust, as the 4,800 depositors, representing nearly $2,000,000 of the people's money, is under his direct charge. Mr. Ford, while not holding any political position, takes a deep interest in all public affairs, and is usually found battling for good government. He is record- ing secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Men's Christian Association and is one of its charter members. He is also a member of the Business Men's Association. As an active member of St. John's church, he has always taken a prominent part in its advancement, and is connected with many of its societies. Mr. Ford is also a member of the firm of Ford & Sons, real estate and in- surance agents, 28 Main street, one of the leading agencies of the city, he having charge of the real estate department.

Foster, E. H., identified with the most successful printing establishment of Albany county, the well known Foster & Co. printing, engraving and binding, of Cohoes, Remsen and Factory streets, is a native of Cohoes. He was born in 1849, and is the son of Samuel H. Foster, a lawyer who came here in 1846 from Albany. The latter was for many years president of the Board of Education here, holding the position at the time of his death. E. H. Foster was educated in the public schools here, and acquired a thorough knowledge of the printing business. He served an apprentice- ship on the Cohoes Cataract and afterwards became foreman of the composing room of the Cohoes Democrat. Later he went in business with R. S. Clark of Cohoes; however, the firm was dissolved and Mr. Foster has controlled the establishment himself since 1889. Being a man of unusual enterprise, the house stands second to none in amount or quality of work accomplished. As a citizen Mr. Foster commands the highest respect and is honored by a host of friends. In 1867 he married Mary MacKerlie of Amsterdam, N. Y. They are the parents of seven children, three of whom are living-Fred C., Samuel H. and Eugene A. For four years he was a member of the Board of Hospital Commissioners of the city of Cohoes.

Hayes, Edward, a civil engineer, is also associated with a fire insurance business. He graduated from Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y,, with the degree of C. E. He began practicing in 1878 and held the position of city engineer of Cohoes, N. Y., for eight years. He is now (1895-1896) the engineer for the Public Improvement Com- mission of the City of Cohoes, N. Y. He was born in Blossburg, Pa,, in 1852, and has been a resident of Cohoes since 1856.

Hay, Miller, city chamberlain, is a lifelong resident of the city, with whose munic- ipal government his father, the late James Hay, was also closely identified. Mr. Hay was born in Cohoes in 1849, and after acquiring a good business education, was for a short time an employee of a sash and blind factory. In 1869 he joined the fire department, became foreman, afterward assistant chief and then chief for two years; he then learned the knitting trade and was engaged in the leading mills of Cohoes; for one year he was engaged in the county clerk's office under Albert Judson in 1871. In 1872 he was appointed messenger for Senator Charles H. Adams, with whom he remained two years and for two years was with William B. Woodin of Auburn, in intimate contact with the State Legislature, and was of great service as an educa- tional factor afterward. He conducted a confectionery in Cohoes. In 1878 he was appointed jailer and served four years, and in 1883 was appointed an inspector of customs at Albany. He returned to Cohoes in 1886 and engaged in the fruit trade, but on account of ill health he disposed of his business and went to Europe. In 1890 Mr. Hay was appointed to the responsible office of chamberlain for two years, and was reappointed, and is on his fourth term, making eight years and is the present incombent; his duties he has discharged with great credit. He is a member of Cohoes Lodge No. 116, also president of the Second Ward Republican Organization, and has been on the city committee for twenty-one years, of which time he was treasurer eight years. He was married in 1875 to Anna L. Greene of Cohoes, and has had four children; those living are Laura C., Leslie M. and Ruth Eberly.

Lamb, James, whose death in 1885 was so sorely felt in the city of Cohoes, was one of its most public spirited and benevolent citizens. He was a native of Scot- land, and came to America in early manhood and located in Mechanicville, working in a tailor establishment, which he afterwards purchased. He later engaged in the same business in Troy, aud in 1855 came to Cohoes and entered the employ of R. G. Smith. In 1857 he associated with Mr. Leroy, continuing the business for eight years, and was alone until 1872, when the present Globe Knitting Mill was estab- lished, under the firm name of Leroy, Lamb & Co. Mr. Lamb was an active poli- tician, as well as a prominent manufacturer, and was serving his sixth term as alderman of the Third ward. In the Common Council he was a man of marked ability and an earnest advocate of all that pertained to the advancement of local affairs. He was a member of the Sons of Scotia, and was past grand in Egberts Lodge, K. of P., and also of the I. O. O. F. He left a wife and three children.

McDowell, George H., of the firm of G. H. McDowell & Co., who built in 1891 the Cascade Mills on Van Schaick's Island, is one of the most prominent manufacturers in Cohoes, where he came with his mother when only three years old, his father, David McDowell, having died when he was an infant. He is of Scotch-Irish descent and was born at Lansingburgh in 1853. He began business with nothing but his indomitable courage and presevering efforts with which he surmounted every diffi . culty until he has become one of the most esteemed men of his city. Mr. McDowell first began as a clerk in the National Bank in 1870, then as bookkeeper until 1881, when he went into the Egberts Woolen Mills as superintendent. In 1882, with Rodney Wilcox, he bought the business and continued the manufacture of under- wear, etc., until 1884, when Mr. Wilcox sold out to Mr. George Neil, who was again

succeeded by H. S. Greene in 1889. He was married in 1878 to Elizabeth, daugh- ter of John Clute. They have five children. He is treasurer of the board of trustees of the First Presbyterian church and a trustee of the Cohoes Savings Institution.

Smalling. L. K., has been a resident of Cohoes since the 1st of April, 1866. He was born in Windham, Greene county, in 1840; his boyhood was spent at Ashland; he enlisted in Co. F, 120th Regiment, N. Y. Vols., at Hunter, N. Y., in 1862 serving throughout the war. He was a corporal and participated in the battles of Freder- icksburg, Chancellorsville, where he was wounded. His first two years here were spent as bookkeeper in the office of O. C. Finney, then with Bogue & Wager, and was afterward bookkeeper for Hilton & Co. He established the present business for himself in 1883. For one year he was president of the Merchants' Association and was commander of the G. A. R. Post for one year. Mr. Smalling has been notary public for fifteen years. His father was Cyrus Smalling, a contractor.

Smith, M. B., chief of police of the city of Cohoes, is a native of Troy, born in 1843, but has been a resident here since two years of age. He went on the capital police force in 1869, remaining on the force most of the time since. In 1892 he reached his present position, and is regarded as a very capable officer, having the esteem of the force and the citizens. His first relations with the mills was that of spinner, soon be- coming foreman of that department, He was also foreman of the Mohawk Engine Company No. 2 of the Volunteer Fire Department, and is a member of Cohoes Lodge No. 116, F. & A. M.

Weidman, Malachi, though a native of Berne, N. Y., has been a resident of Co- hoes for over sixty years. He was born in 1828, and was the son of Abram Weid- man, who was for years associated with the Silliman's Axe Works. Here he was first employed after the acquisition of a good business education. Later he con- ducted a retail meat market and was for some years engaged in the lime and cement trade. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. A, 22d Regiment, N. Y. Vols., as a private and after two years in service came home an adjutant. He participated in thirteen battles and engagements without a wound, though a horse was once wounded under him. After the war he was for eight years engaged in the wool trade, and for the same length of time served as chief of police. In 1885 he entered his present busi- ness, wholesale and retail dealer in lime, cement and sewer pipe. In December, 1863, he married Sarah MacWha.

Wait, A. D., who has been reappointed a member of the National Racing Board of the L. A. W., is one of the most prominent citizens and business men of Cohoes. He has been a resident here for the past quarter of a century and for fifteen years has been in the employ of John Leggett & Son, paper box manufacturers, for the past five years having managed their large establishment. Mr. Wait is a veteran wheelman, having ridden since 1883. He is a member of the Cohoes Wheelmen, a most flour- ishing organizatlon. He is well known as a successful race meet promoter and takes a lively interest in wheeling and everything pertaining thereto and enjoys well de- served popularity. He was last year a member of the State Racing Board of the L. A. W. and is now chairman of that body, having recently been appointed to that position by Chief Consul Potter. In politics Mr. Wait is an active worker and al- though he has never looked for political fame by seeking office he has nevertheless

been a faithful worker for the party to which he adheres. Mr. Wait is also a mem- ber of the Cohoes Lodge F. & A. M., and an active member of the Hiram Chapter, R. A. M.

Gregory, Hon. Clifford D., judge of the County Court, was born in the city of New York and liberally educated at La Fayette Institute and Columbia College. He became an Albanian in 1875 and a student of the Albany Law School, graduating from that institution two years later. He was for seven years associated with the firm of Parker & Countryman, and in 1894 formed a copartnership with his late brother, George Stewart Gregory, which continued until the death of the latter in 1888. He is a Republican in politics, but a politician of broad guage ; his popularity is universal. His ability as a debater and his forcible and fearless advocacy of commendable meas- ures, made him an acknowledged leader in the Board of Aldermen, to which he was first elected in 1888 and again elected without opposition. Judge Gregory is a life member of the Society of Colonial Wars, and vice-president of the Albany Chapter ; a life member and president of the Albany Club; a life member of the Fort Orange Club; director of the Albany County Bank; from 1890 to 1894 was president of the Republican Executive Committee of Albany County ; and a life member and presi- dent of the Ridgefield Athletic Club. He is honored alike in political, professional and social life.

Masterson, Gen. John Philip, is the eldest son of Philip and Mary (Dolan) Master- son, natives of Longford, Ireland. who resided in Albany over fifty years, dying, the father on April 29, 1877, and the mother September 30, 1877. He was born in Al- bany, May 6, 1849, was educated in the public and private schools and in 1864 en- tered the establishment of Taylor & Waterman carpet dealers. In 1867 he became li- brarian of the Young Men's Association, which post he most creditably filled for five years, when he was made chief managing clerk in Bradstreet's Mercantile Agency, then under Samuel Moffat. In the spring of 1874 he was elected a member and secre- tary of the Democratic General Committee and occupied that position until June, 1896. In 1875 he was appointed clerk in the adjutant general's office under Gen. Frederick Townsend and held that position four years, receiving while there the title of "General," by which he has since been popularly known. In 1879 he was ap- pointed by the Board of Supervisors clerk of the committee on coroners and physi- cians, and later as clerk to all the committees of the board, and in 1884 became con- fidential and chief clerk to the state engineer, a position he held until November 28, 1892. In 1893 and again in 1894 he was appointed police commissioner, but resigned in the latter year to accept, in September, at the hands of President Cleveland, the appointment of surveyor of customs of the port of Albany, to succeed Hon. John M. Bailey, which office he still holds. Since leaving the Young Men's Association in 1874, he has been an active, influential leader in the Democratic party. He is a life member of the Catholic Union, vice-president of the Democratic Phalanx, a great lover and collector of books, and resides in the homestead in which he was born at No. 5 Chestnut street.

Milne, William James, Ph. D., LL. D., was born in the village of Forres in the north of Scotland. His father, Charles Milne, was a Scotchman by birth and a miller by occupation. His mother was Jean Black, distantly related to John Black, the distinguished Scottish journalist. William J. Milne spent the first nine

years of his life studying in the parochial school of the Presbyterian church at his birth place. In the autumn of 1852 Charles Milne with his family came to America, and after a time settled in the village of Holley, Orleans county. Here William J. Milne attended the academy ; he also spent four years as a clerk in a vil- lage store and taught school two terms to enable him to prepare for college at the Brockport Collegiate Institute. In 1863 he entered the University of Rochester and was graduated in 1868. During his course at college he taught some in the Roch- ester Collegiate Institute and by his teaching earned more than enough to meet his expenses at college. During his college course the Brockport Collegiate In- stitute became a normal school and Dr. Milne was elected professor of ancient lan-

guages. He occupied that position until 1871, when he organized the State Normal and Training School at Geneseo, N. Y., and became its principal. There he re- mained eighteen years and made the school one of the best of its kind in the coun- try. In the autumn of 1889 Dr. Milne succeeded the late Dr. Waterbury as president of the State Nertual School at Albany, N. Y., and in the following spring this institu- tion was chartered as a college to train none but teachers. Dr. Milne has brought the college into the front rank of the educational institutions of the State. He is the author of a series of mathematical text books and in addition has contributed many articles to magazines and educational publications. He has also delivered many lec- tures on the educational methods of the day. He received the degree of Ph. I). from the University of Rochester and that of LL. D. from the Indiana Asbury Uni- versity. He is an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Albany. In 1871 he married Eliza Jeanet Gates, sister of President Gates of Amherst College, and they have two children, a son and a daughter.

Ten Eyck, James, was born in Albauy, N. Y., February 16, 1840. He is a son of Visscher Ten Eyck, who for a long time was cashier of the Commercial Bank. He is a descendant of an old and historical family that came from Holland to America 240 years ago. About the year 1800 Mr. Ten Eyck's grandfather, Abraham R. Ten Evek, removed to Albany and for a great many years he was prominently identified with Albany's interests. Mr. Ten Eyck attended the Albany Academy and was graduated from Burlington College, N. J., in 1855. He passed the examinations and was admitted as junior at Yale College, but owing to ill health he was compelled to change his plans. He then started in mercantile life as a clerk in the office of the Central Railroad. In September, 1857, he left the railroad and entered the employ of Bacon & Stickney, dealers in coffee and spices. March 1, 1865, he was taken into partnership and on the death of Mr. Bacon he became senior partner of the firm. In 1864 he married the daughter of Mrs. Margaret T. Van Vechten of Albany, but his wife lived only eight months. Mr. Ten Eyck never married again. He has done much for the city of his birth and has been connected with all important organ- izations. He is a member of St. Peter's church and the Fort Orange and Albany Clubs. He is also a member of the Albany Institute and the only honorary member of the Acacia Club. In politics he is a Republican and has been chairman of the General County Committee. He was at the head of the Citizens Committee that had in charge the reception to President Harrison in 1891. Mr. Ten Eyck offi- ciated at the laying of the corner stones of the State Armory, Harmanus Bleecker Hall and the Albany Masonic Burial lot, also of the Burns Monument. April 24,

1889, he presided at the jubilee of the Masonic fraternity in celebrating the final payment of debt on the Masonic Temple of New York city. Mr. Ten Eyck is the oldest 33 Mason in Albany and has been actively identified with the fraternity since his initiation in Masters Lodge No. 5, November 23, 1863. He was master from 1873 to 1877, having passed all the chairs. June 8, 1892, he was elected grand master of Masons in the State of New York. He was also re-elected unanimously but de- clined. Only one man in the world has a larger jurisdiction over Masons than Mr. Ten Eyck and that man is Prince of Wales. When he was grand master Mr. Ten Eyck presided over 80,000 Masons. The Prince of Wales, as grand master of Great Britain has jurisdiction over about 150,000. It is needless to add that in capitular, cryptic and chivalrous Masonry, Mr. Ten Eyck is held in the highest esteem.

Paris, Dr. Russel C., son of Urias G. and Cordelia E. (Rogers) Paris, was born August 4, 1859, in Sandy Hill, Washington county, N. Y. His father was an eminent member of the bar, and for eight years was surrogate of Washington county. Dr. Paris was one of a large family of children. He attended the Sandy Hill public schools and at the age of fourteen was appointed cadet midshipman, at the Uuited States Naval Academy, by Hon. James S. Smart, M. C. He was graduated in 1877 with a high standing and completed the extended course two years later. He stud- ied medicine one year with the surgeon on the United States ship Constitution, and in 1880 resigned from the navy and continued his medical studies with his great- uncle, Dr. E. G. Clark of Sandy Hill for one year. He then came to Albany and studied with the late Dr. John Swinburne, attending lectures at the Albany Medical College. He passed the Regents' medical examination in 1883, and has since prac- ticed in Albany. He is commander of Admiral Farragut Garrison, No. 135, of the Regular Army and Navy Union, and is a member of the Presbyterian church of Sandy Hill. In 1889 he married Jessie Nichols of Albany, and they have one daugh- ter, Grace.

Russell, George H., was born in Rochester, Windsor county. Vt , August 13, 1848, of New England stock, his ancestors having gone from Northern Massachusetts into New Hampshire and thence into Vermont, in the days when that State was first settled. His parents, Horace and Abigail S. (Worcester) Russell, removed to Albany in 1849, coming by their own conveyance, an uncle, Dr. Andrew W. Russell, being in practice here for many years and dying in 1871. Dr. Russell's wife was a sister of James T. Lenox and Lionel U. Lenox, the latter colonel of the 10th Regt. in the war of 1861-65, James T. being one of the firm of Ubsdell, Pierson & Co., of New York, who opened the New York store (now W. M. Whitney & Co.) May 7. 1859. In this store on the first day of its opening, George H. Russell commenced work as a cash boy, later as a clerk, continuing until the spring of 1863, when his parents re- moved to Pittsfield, Mass., where his time was spent at the high school and in the store connected with the woolen mills of L. Pomeroy's Sons. Thence he went as superintendent of the mills run by Sarsfield & Whittlesey and then was for a time in the employ of the American Express Company. In 1867 he returned to Greenbush with his parents, his father being for nearly forty years in the employ of the Boston & Albany Railroad, and at the time of his death in 1889 one of the oldest conductors connected with the road. Returning from Pittsfield and having finished a course at the Albany Business College, he was for a year in the employ of Hinckley & Lewis,

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 91

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