Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 94

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 94

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married Kate, daughter of the late Gerrit Van Sante Bleecker, of Albany, and their children are Catherine Gansevoort and Gansevoort Bleecker. Judge E. P. Hurlbut had threee other children: Jeanette Cuyler, wife of Morris S. Miller, esq. ; Bertha V'an Vechten and Ernest Cole.

Ball. Dayton, son of Dayton and Mary (Phillips) Ball, was born in Lancaster, Pa., in 1832. On his father's side he is of English descent and on his mother's side of Welsh descent. He received his education in the common schools and then entered the office of the Lancaster Intelligencer, President Buchanan's home organ, where he remained one year. He then was employed by Jonathan Russell of Philadelphia, who was a last manufacturer. In 1854 he entered Bryant & Stratton's Mercantile College at Buffalo, N. Y., from which he graduated and in 1861 he removed to Albany, N. Y., where he obtained the situation of foreman in George H. Graves & Co.'s last manufactory. In 1865 Mr. Ball was made a partner in the business and the name of the firm became Graves, Ball & Co. In 1881 Mr. Graves died and the name was again changed to that of Dayton Ball & Co., the present firm name. Mr. Ball is a 32 Mason and was commander of Temple Commandery No. 2, Albany, in 1876 and 1877. He has been treasurer of Temple Lodge and is a member of the building committee of the new Masonic Hall. Mr. Ball is also a member of the Camera, Albany, Fort Orange and Acacia Clubs. In 1862 he was married to Miss Catherine A. Forbes of New York city and they had three children: Kate A., de- ceased, Henry Dayton and Mabel A.

Treadwell, George Curtis, son of Major George H. and Elizabeth S. Treadwell, was born in Albany, N. Y., August 24, 1872. On his father's side he is a descendant of a long line of Puritan ancestors, the first of whom, Thomas Treadwell, came to America in 1636 and settled in Ipswich, Mass. Mr. Treadwell's great-grandfather was Governor Treadwell, the last of the Puritan governors of Connecticut and also the last person serving as chief magistrate, who combined the theologian and the statesman. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was the late George Curtis Treadwell, well known as one of the most eminent of the men that have ad- vanced the welfare of Albany. George H. Treadwell, the father of George C., was prominently identified with the commercial interests of Albany and was the organ- izer of the George C. Treadwell Company, and one of the largest stockholders. George C. Treadwell was educated at Farmington, Conn., and at Sedgwick Institute at Great Barrington, Mass., where he prepared for Yale University and was grad- uated in 1893. At present Mr. Treadwell is a trustee and agent for two Treadwell estates, and is a great lover and student of art. For two years he was secretary and director of the George C. Treadwell Company. He is a member of the Sons of the Revolution, Society of the Colonial Wars, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Uni- versity Glee Club of New York city and of the Signal Corps of the 3d Brigade, N. G. N. Y., from which he has been recently promoted to Colonel on the Governor's staff, having been appointed military secretary to Governor Black, January 9, 1897.

Masten, James H., born in Owego, Tioga county, N. Y., May 13, 1828. After re- ceiving a common school education he learned the printer's trade with Andrew H. Calhoun. In 1851 he obtained a situation in the office of the Albany Evening Journal, then under the management of Thurlow Weed and George Dawson. He was also for a time employed by Joel Munsell. Later he bought the Cohoes Cat-

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aract, then owned by the firm of Silliman & Miller, and conducted it successfully for twenty-five years. Mr. Masten edited the Cohoes Daily News for five years, after leaving the Cataract. In 1887 he was appointed paymaster of the Victor Knitting Mills Company, where he is at present. Mr. Masten was postmaster of Cohoes from 1865 to 1886 and has held many local appointive offices. He is a deacon of the First Baptist church of Cohoes. In 1854 he married Almeda, daughter of Rev. William Arthur, of Newtonville, Albany county. They have one son, Arthur H., a lawyer, residing in New York city.

Mulcahy, Bartholomew, was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, in 1838. His father was a carpenter and died when he was but two years old, leaving him to pave his own way in the world. In 1852 he came to America and directly to Cohoes, where he learned the carriage-making trade, and he has ever since been a resident. He has been very successful manufacturing wheels for New York city trade, and during the war he made gun carriage wheels for the United States government. His first wheel factory, destroyed by fire in 1864, was located where the Victor Mills stand. He then removed to the corner of Congress and White. He has been a water commis- sioner for twelve years and was one of the first aldermen when Cohoes was made a city in 1869.

Travis, William C., with his brother, Charles S. Travis, has conducted a lumber business at No. 227 Saratoga street, Cohoes, since 1877, uuder the firm name of Jacob Travis's Sons. Jacob Travis, the father, was a pioneer here in the lumber trade, coming to Cohoes in 1846, and the establishment has been of long standing. In his death, January 8, 1894, Cohoes lost one of its oldest and most honored citizens. William Travis is a native of Waterford, born in 1833, and one of the first aldermen upon the organization of the city in 1869. He has been a member of the Board of Education for two terms. January 18, 1855, he was married to Sarah E., daughter of Alpha White of Cohoes. They have two children: Frances E., wife of Dr. George A. Cox of Albany, and Matthew S., who married Louisa Molleur; she died August 3. 1895, leaving four children . Osmond C., Matthew S., jr., William H. and Mary Louise, deceased.

Crounse, Benjamin, was born in the town of Guilderland, in 1839. He was a son of Nicholas, who was born in Guilderland in 1789. Nicholas was the youngest son of his father's family and came into possession of his father's homestead. His wife was Elizabeth Severson, and they had three sons and six daughters. Mr. Crounse died in his eighty-eighth year. His wife survived him about seven years and died iu her eighty-fifth year. Mr. Crounse remained on the farm with his father until he was twenty-four years of age. He received a common school education, and in 1863 engaged as clerk in a store. Three years later he engaged for himself in the gen- eral mercantile business, which he followed until 1883. He then sold out his busi- ness and engaged in the fire insurance business, removing to Albany where he lived for five years. He still follows the fire insurance business, in connection with which he superintends his farm of 150 acres, eighty-six of which lies in the village corpora- tion, Altamont. In 1890 he engaged as traveling salesman for the clothing house of Babcock, Shannon & Co., of Albany, with whom he is now. During the years 1885-87, he served his town as supervisor and was secretary and treasurer of the

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Guilderland Mutual Fire Insurance Co. for many years. In 1862 he married Miss Emma Keenholts, daughter of James Keenholts, and they have had six children : Allen J., died in 1885 at the age of twenty-one; Edgar, who is a teacher in the Al- bany Business College; Mimetta, wife of Dr. MeHarg, of Albany; Eugene, who is employed by Babcock, Shannon & Co., as head bookkeeper; Milton, who is assistant bookkeeper and stenographer for the same firm ; and Emma Marion.

Flansburgh, Alexander, was born in the town of New Scotland, November 28, 1846. He received a limited education and grew to manhood on his father's farm and when twenty one worked for his father by the month. He subsequently began for himself on one of his father's farms, in 1881 purchasing the homestead farm of 160 acres on the Helderberg Mountains, on which he lived seven years, when he re- moved to his father's farm, which he has since managed. He has devoted much attention successfully to fruit culture. In 1893 he became a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, Clarksville Lodge No. 781, and in the autumn of the same year was elected master of the lodge, which office he now holds. He is the only man in Albany county who is a member of the County, State and National Grange. He has visited many of the higher lodges throughout the country, at his own expense, for the ben- efit of his home lodge, and through his efforts and support, the Clarksville lodge in the spring of 1896 was enabled to purchase a building in the village to hold their meetings in. In June, 1896, he joined the Patrons of Industry as charter member, was elected president of Clarksville Association No. 515. When Albany County AAssociation P. of I. was organized he was elected treasurer and business manager of the county, and has made it a success for the patrons of the county, of which there are about 1,200 at this writing. Mr. Flansburgh is a Republican and has served one year as collector. In 1872 he married Hattie (a native of New Scotland) a daughter of John and Rachel M. (Moak) O'Bryan, and they have three children; Margaret L. (wife of William G. Moak of Westerlo), Clara C. and Charles. Mrs. Flansburgh is a member of the Clarksville Lodge, Patrons of Husbandry, in which she holds the office of Ceres; their daughter Clara is also a member of the grange and fills the office of Pomona. His wife, Hattie, and children, Clara and Charles, are also mem- bers of the Patrons of Industry. . Matthew Flansburgh, his father, was born in New Scotland in 1818 and has been a lifelong and successful farmer. His wife was Nancy M. Dunbar and their children are: Emeline, Cordelia and Alexander. John P. Flansburgh, the grandfather of Alexander, was born in the town of Bethlehem, Sep- tember 23, 1784, and was a lifelong and successful farmer. He lived in Sharon, Al- bany county, and subsequently settled'in New Scotland on the Helderbergs and there spent his remaining days. The last forty-two days of his life was spent fasting, partaking of nothing but water, believing, as he said, his Maker had commanded him to stop eating of the fruit of the vine. He died July 14, 1867. In April, 1803, he married Margaret Kniver, who was a native of Bethlehem, and their children were Peter, David, Jacob, Michael, Maria, Eva, John, William, Elizabeth, Martha, Catharine, Cornelia and Garrett ; by his second wife one son was born, James. Jacob, the great-grandfather, was a native of Holland and spent his active life in the town of Bethlehem as a farmer. The second great-grandfather and the parent tree of the family of Flansburgh in America, was a native of Holland and settled in Bethlehem. Ile was a farmer and was murdered for his money by the tax collector, Schoonmaker,

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who seeing Mr. Flansburgh had money, returned in the night with an accomplice aud asked for cider; while Mrs. Flansburgh was in the cellar after the cider, with an ax, he killed Mr. Flansburgh, secured the money and fled. He was apprehended, tried and executed.

Ireland, Francis Asbury, is a member of one of the oldest and most respected families of the town of Watervliet, Albany county, where he was born May 6, 1824. He was educated in the common schools and at Schenectady, N. Y., and has always been a farmer and resident in the aforesaid town (now called Colonie) where, as a Re- publican, though never seeking, he has held minor town offices. He has been a trus- tee of the M. E. church of Newtonville since 1872, and its treasurer for a number of years. He is the tenth of a family of twelve children of the late Rev. Selah Ire- land, who was born in the town of Easton, Washington county, N. Y., in 1785, and who settled in Watervliet, N. Y., in 1805. Mr. Ireland is a descendant of Thomas Ireland, his great-grandfather, who was one of the early settlers who founded the first English settlement in Queens county, Long Island, N. Y., in 1643. Francis Asbury Ireland was married October 19, 1848, to Christina C. Ten Broeck of Claver- ack, Columbia county. Their children are William T. B. of Lincoln, Neb., F. Jose- phine, James M., Ulysses Grant, Cora C. and Zilla A. of Albany county.

Keneston, George, was born September 11, 1853, in Somersetshire, England, where he was educated, and in 1866 was apprenticed for seven years, in which he learned the trades of plumber, painter, and glazier; he came to America and settled in Albany in 1874 and found employment with the firm of Cundall & Brint- nall, then located at 47 Clinton avenue. In 1876 he married Bridget Newcomb of Ballston, Spa, N. Y., and their children are seven in number: Joseph William, Albert Daniel, Frank Leo, Walter James Edward, George, jr., Anna Clara and Arthur. He started in business in 1878, at ?? North Lark street; in 1880 he moved to 780} Broadway, and in 1881 to 161 North Pearl street; in 1890 he moved to 677 Broadway, where he is still located and carrying on the business of house and sign painting, also dealer in ready mixed paints, oils, glass, etc. In politics is a Repub- lican.

Lynch, Joseph H., was born in 1845, and his father was James Lynch, born in Ireland, and was a central figure in the early history of the town of Watervliet. Mr. Lynch was thirteen years steamboating and during the war was three years on the tug Tempest in government employ, where he rose from a cabin boy to a captain. Since the war he ran steamboats about Philadelphia and elsewhere, until he settled permanently at West Troy. He is a grocery dealer of West Troy and has been located on the corner of Broadway and Seventeenth streets for twenty-one years.

Pratt, Augustus W., son of John G. and Alida (Walter) Pratt, was born on Van Schaick's Island, Albany county, June 7, 1843. He is of English and French descent. His paternal ancestors (three brothers) came to America from England in 1842; his merternal ancestors came to America from France and Germany previous to the Revolution and did Revolutionary service. His father, John G., was a boatman on the Hudson River for sixty-six years. Augustus W. Pratt was educated in the Waterford, N. Y., public schools and later learned the trade of machinist. In 1860 he went to New York city, where he was employed by Fletcher, Harrison & Co.

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After a few years spent as engineer on steamboats, he secured the position of re- tailer for J. B. Enos & Co., with whom he remained four years; he was then made engineer of Erastus Corning's iron works in Troy and was there seven years, when he secured the position of chief engineer at the Troy City Water Works, where he remained three years. April 8, 1892, Mr. Pratt was appointed United States local inspector of steam boilers and still holds that position. January 10, 1865, he married Kate S., daughter of John A. Kittell of Hadley, N. Y., and they have one son : Frank H. On June 1, he was appointed a member and chairman of the Board of Civil Service Examiners for the Custom House at Albany, N. Y.

Porter, Robert, is a self-made man, and started as a messenger boy twenty years ago for the company with which he is now connected. He was born at Ballston, N. Y., in 1860, and was educated in the High School at that place. When about sixteen years of age he entered the local office of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad. While in their employ he picked up a practical knowledge of telegraphy and soon after was transferred to Sandy Hill as operator, and was for five years clerk and operator at Fort Henry. He then became agent and traveling auditor. In May, 1888, he was appointed to the position he now holds, that of superintendent of the freight office at Green Island. During his residence at Green Island Mr. Porter has been active in local affairs. He is interested in educational affairs and is trustee and president of the School Board. He has developed marked ability and is recognized as a potent factor in that most worthy cause.

Swift, William, sr., was born in the city of York, England, in 1769. He married Esther Staber of the same place, and they had three children: Elizabeth, Jane and William, jr. In 1822 Mr. Swift came to America with his family, settling in Al- bany, where he engaged in the grocery business, and in 1824 he purchased a farm in the town of New Scotland, Albany county, N. Y., when he gave up his business and devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. His wife died in 1833, and he in 1851. After the death of his father, William Swift, jr., took charge of the farm, managing it with great success. October 27, 1851, he married Margaret Ann Wands, of the old Scotch family of Wands, from which the place took its name, and they had five children: William Slater, Mary Ellen, Charles Henry and Esther Ann, (one dying in infancy). Mr. Swift died March 25, 1879, in his sixty-eighth year. At the age of nineteen William Slater took a course at the Albany Business College and soon after engaged in mercantile business in Albany. December 17, 1879, he married Emma L. Wands, and June 10, 1880, he came to Voorheesville, N. Y., and engaged in general store trade, which he conducted for seven years, and then sold the business on account of failing health. April 1, 1888, he engaged in the retail lumber business and a year later added to the business a manufactur- ing plant, which he operated with success until October 5, 1893, when his mill was destroyed by fire. He at once rebuilt on the site a storehouse and continued the retail business as before until May 1, 1894, when he sold out, and since that time has been engaged in contracting and building. Mr. and Mrs. Swift have seven children as follows: Mabel Slater, Grace Wands, Annie Louis, Sarah Drew, Cyrus Burgess, Emma May and William Raymond (Sarah and Cyrus being twins). De- cember 24, 1883, Charles Henry Swift married Mary Louisa Pearl, and he is living on the old homestead in New Scotland. Margaret Ann Swift, the mother, is still

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living at the age of seventy-six, and enjoys good health, living by herself and look- ing after her household duties.

Shanks, Charles S., son of David W. and Anna R. (Seath) Shanks, was born in Albany, September 8, 1857. David W. Shanks was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1825, came to America in 1846 and settled in Albany, where he conducted an uphol- stering business till his death in 1877. He was captain of what is now Co. D, 10th Battalion, a member of the old Albany Beverwyck Club and a Mason. Charles S. Shanks was educated in the Albauy public schools, became a clerk for Archibald McClure & Co., and later for his father, and in 1875 entered the employ of Benjamin Lodge, merchant tailor, with whom he remained until 1889, when he formed a part- nership with Charles H. Lathrop, under the firm name of Shanks & Lathrop; they purchased Mr. Lodge's business and now carry on a large merchant tailoring trade. Mr. Shanks enlisted in Co. B, 10th Regiment, in 1878, was promoted by gradation to first lieutenant and was honorably discharged in 1885. He was elected treasurer of the Y. M. A. in 1884 and is now one of the board of managers. For two years he was president of the Albany Wheelmen, which is now the A. C. W. In 1884 he married Frances C. E., daughter of William Gemmell, of Jersey City, N. J., and they have one daughter, Margaretta G.

Van Olinda, John L., was born on the farm he now owns in 1832. This farm was first taken up by Henry Albright in 1740. John L. Hogeboom, the maternal grand- father, came from the town of Ghent, Columbia county, and purchased this farm from Henry Albright about 1792. John L. Hogeboorn was born of Holland parents and reared three children, Lawrence, John and Albertine. They were born in Ghent, Columbia county, the latter being born in 1794, and was the mother of Mrs. Van Olinda. With the exception of four years spent in the village of New Salem, Mr. Van Olinda has spent his whole life on this farm, he having bought it from his father. He has made many improvements, erected a residence and other buildings, cleared some of the land of the timber, and has devoted considerable time to fruit culture, principally to peaches, plums, and apples. He keeps a fine grade of Jersey cattle. For some years he was a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity but later withdrew. In 1856 he was married to Margaret Wynkoop, daughter of Abram and Susan (Albright) Wynkoop. John T. Van Olinda, the grandfather of the subject, was born of Holland parents in the town of Watervliet, Albany county, N. Y., about 1768. He was a farmer and reared four sons and three daughters. He later removed to Brewerton, Onondaga county, and there died in 1848, aged eighty · years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Jacob, the father, was born in the town of Watervliet in 1796; he became a farmer, came to New Scotland, and was employed on subject's farm by John L. Hogeboom, and later married Albertine, his employer's daughter, and lived there until after the death of his father in-law. He later purchased of his wife's brothers their interest in the farm, and here spent his remaining days. He was thrice married; his first wife, was Lydia Ver Plank, by whom he had three children: Mariah, Julian and Ann Eliza. His second wife was Albertine Hogeboon ; their children were John L., Lydia Ann, and Albertine. His third wife was Mrs. Sarah Ann Patterson. He died in 1872.

Green, Archibald S., born in Oneida county, N Y., October 1, 1825, is a son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Stephens) Green. The maternal grandfather, Archibald

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Stephens, was one of the prominent farmers of Cocymans, and was a magistrate ap- ponited by the governor. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Green were Quakers in faith and early settlers of Coeymans, coming from Westchester county. Jeremiah Green was a merchant at Stephenville, now Alcove, N. Y., whence he removed in 1531 to Westerlo and purchased the Moses Smith store and there carried on a general mercantile business until time of death in 1849. He was a Democrat and was justice of the peace a number of years. He was also a Mason, and was a birthright Quaker. Archibald S. Green was educated at Cazenovia Seminary, and Knoxville and Gallup- ville Academies. He was appointed recruiting officer in the Civil war and enlisted a number of soldiers to the credit of Albany county; was also treasurer for the club of drafted men and others hable to be drafted from the town of Westerlo, and as- sisted in disbursing several thousand dollars to these drafted members of the club. In 1852 he married Sarah, daughter of Charles Cox of Orleans county, N. Y., and they had three children: George J. and Charles G., who are in business with their father at Westerlo, and William, who died in infancy. Mr. Green has carried on a general mercantile business, succeeding his father ; he also has about 1,000 acres of land in Westerlo, which he has to look after. He is a Democrat and was postmaster under Buchanan. His son George J. is at present postmaster at Westerlo.

Harris, Hubbard C., was born in Grafton, Windom county, Vt., in 1835, and is a a son of Jasher and grandson of William, whose ancestors came from England and settled in Ipswich, Mass., in 1636. Mr. Harris came to Coeymans in 1853, since when he has followed his trade, that of a mason and contractor, successfully. In 1860 he married Laura, daughter of Elisha and Charlotte Buckland, by whom four children have been born, of whom Harry R. and Laura M. are now living.

Keller, Robert B., son of Jacob and Harriet (Dibble) Keller, was born in Hudson, N. Y., January 7, 1846, and was of Holland and English descent. His grandfather, Jacob Keller, was born in Holland and came to America in the eighteenth century ; his mother was born in Vermont and descended from an English family. Robert B. Keller was educated in the Hudson public schools and in 1857 commenced steam- boating as a deckhand and rapidly rose until he became master of a steam vessel at eighteen years of age; he continued as such until 1885, when he was appointed United States local inspector of steam vessels, which position he now holds. In 1872 he married Emma M , daughter of James M. Hurd, of Chicopee Falls, Mass., and they have one son : Robert H.

Livingston & Co .-- The business of this well known firm was founded in 1857 by Hiram Livingston, who in a small store on Green street built up a large wholesale wine and liquor trade. In 1876 he removed to the present location, No. 76 State street, and upon his death in 1879 was succeeded by his son, William H. (born 1839), who in September, 1895, formed a copartnership with Jacob H. Smith (born 1862), under the firm name of Livingston & Co. The firm carries the finest grade of goods, caters principally to the drug and hotel trade and is one of the heaviest importers through the customs warehouse at Albany. Mr. Livingston was deputy collector of internal revenue under Theodore Townsend, during the Rebellion held a position in the War Department and was a Mason, a trustee of the Albany County Savings Bank and a member of the Albany Club. Mr. Smith, son of Henry Smith, who died in December, 1891, was graduated from the Albany High School in 1881, and from

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 94

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