USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 1 > Part 41
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Aud be it further enacted "That the said trustees hereby appointed, and their successors, are hereby enabled to take a graut or grants feoffment or feoffments of any lands lying and being in Lansingburgh aforesaid, and to hold the same to them and their successors forever, in trust to and for the common use and benefit of the frecholders and inhabitants aforesaid.
And be it further enacted . That the said freeholders and inhabitants, at their annual meetings to be held as aforesaid, and at such other times in the year as the said trustees or a majority of them may think necessary and advertize for the purpose, shall be and they are hereby authorized and empowered from time to time, to make, ordain, constitute and establish, such prudential rules, orders and regula- tions, as a majority of such freeholders and mhabitants so assembled and having a right to vote, shall judge necessary and convenient for the better improving of their common lands, and for ascertaining aud directing the use and management thereof, and respecting the cutting of wood on the same; and also to ordain and establish such prudential rules and orders, relative to the cleansing and keeping in order and repair the common streets and highways in Lansingburgh aforesaid, and removing nuisances therefrom - and also to make and ordain rules and regulations proper to compel the housekeepers in Lansingburgh aforesaid, to furnish themselves with a sufficient number of proper tire buckets, and with necessary tools and implements for extinguishing of fires, and to impose such penalties on the offenders against suel rules orders and regulations, or any or either of them, as the majority of such free- holders and inhabitants so assembled, shall from time to time deem proper, not ex- eeeding forty shillings for any one offence, to be recovered by the said trustees for the time being in their own names with costs of suit, for the use of the said freehold- ers and inhabitants, by action of debt, before any justice of peace residing in the said county of Albany.
And be it further enacted That the said trustees hereby appointed, and their successors, shall and may from time to time, constitute and appoint, one fit person to be a common clerk for the said frecholders, whose duty it shall be, to re- cord all rules orders and regulations, made by the said freeholders and juhabitant: at their meetings as aforesaid in a proper book to be by him provided for such pur
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pose, and also to do and perform all such matters and things as the said trustees or a majority of them shall lawfully from time to time, by writing under their hands appoint and direct.
And be it further enacted . . . That it shall and may be lawful, to and for the said trustees or the major part of them, and they are hereby required with all convenient speed, to elect nominate and appoint a sufficient number of men, willing to accept, not exceeding fifteen in number, out of the inhabitants residing in Lan- singburgh aforesaid, to have the care, management, working and use of the fire en- gine or engines belonging to the said freeholders and mhabitants for extinguishing fires; and the said trustees or the major part of thein, are hereby authorized and en- powered to remove or displace all or any of the firemen so as aforesaid to be elected nominated and appointed, when and as often as they shall think fit, and others in their stead to cleet nominate and appoint; and also to make establish and ordain such rules orders and regulations, for the government conduct duty and behaviour of such firemen as to them shall appear necessary and proper.
And be it further enacted . . . That such persons as shall be elected and ap- pointed firemen, and each and every one of them during the time such person or persons shall remain firemen, and no longer, shall and hereby are declared to be, freed and exempted from serving in the office of constable and overseer of the high- ways and of and from serving as jurors, and of and from serving in the militia, ex- cept in cases of invasion or other imminent danger.
Soon after a fire company was organized, and in 1791 the band fire engine known as old No. I was purchased in Philadelphia.
Abraham Jacob Lansingh, founder of Lansingburgh, died October 9, 1791, in the seventy second year of his age. His wife, Catherine Lan- singh, died the day before in the sixty-ninth year of her age. In the notice of his death printed in the American Spy October It he is re- ferred to as " the original proprietor of this town."
The "Scotch Seceders," as they styled themselves, built a church in 1789 or 1290 on the ground later occupied by the brush factory of J. G. MeMurray & Co. The Rev. John Gausman was pastor, but the society died out after a brief career.
The first post office in Lansingburgh was established in June, 1792. Up that date letters for Lansingburgh were sent to Albany and there sent to their destination by a stage line operated by Annanias Platt upon the authority of the Legislature. Stephen Gorham was made deputy postmaster in April, 1291. He was succeeded in the summer of 1492 by John Lovett, who became the first postmaster of Troy.
As early as June 18, 1782, Rev. Brandt Schuyler Lupton preached in Lansingburgh, but he did not become the pastor of a congregation until November 3, 1788, being ordained on the third Sunday of that month as pastor of the Reformed Protestant Dutch church. The first
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JAMES HENRY LYONS, M. D.
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church edifice was erected on the northwest corner of Richard and John streets and was used as a house of worship until 1832. The congregation continued in existence until the close of the eighteenth century. August 9, 1292, the First Presbyterian church was organized and the corner stone of the building subsequently used by the congre- gation as a house of worship was laid July 5, 1793, by Rev. Jonas Coe, pastor of the united congregations of Lansingburgh and Troy.1 The church was dedicated the following year, It was built on the north end of the village green and its walks were made of brick imported from Holland by Levinus Lansingh, which he originally intended to use in the construction of a residence for himself.
The Lansingburgh library was opened September 9, 1794, with Will- iam Bell as librarian. The library was incorporated by act of the Legislature February 24, 1795, the incorporators named in the law being :
John Van Rensselaer, Jonas Coe, Nathaniel Williams, Silvester Tiffany, Elijah Janes, William Bell, Elisha Putnam, Hiram Hopkins, Benjamin Tibbits, John D. Dickenson, John Wolcott, Shubal Gorham, Mathew Lyne, Annanias Platt, Joseph Alexander. Levinus Lansing, John Gaston, Herculus Marriner, John Rockwell, Jon- athan Burr, David Spalding, Cornelius Lansing, Archibald Campbell, James Hickok, Lewis Beebe, Nicholas Schuyler, Thomas Rattoon, Wheeler Douglass, John Keating, Michael Henry, Ashbel Root, Thomas Bassell, Stephen W. Johnson, William W. Wands, John Lovett, William Bradley, Bela Redfield, Charles Selden, Jonas Morgan, Simeon Johnson, Ezra Hickok, Abiel Bugby, Thomas Turner, Zachariah Garnwrick, Joseph D. Selden, Joshua Burnham, William Sim, David Thompson, James Reed, George F. Tennery, Samuel Stewart, Jacob A. Lansing, Guert Van Schoonhoven, Isaac Keeler, Joseph Lockwood, John Hutchinson, John Hazard, Hezekiah Ketcham, Mathew Gregory, Depuy Rosekrans, Joseph Robbins, Flores Bancker. Mathew Perry and George Dibbits.
The trustees named in the charter were twelve in number:
John Van Rensselaer, John D. Dickenson, Charles Selden, Benjamin Tibbets, Elijah Janes, John Keating, William Bell, Silvester Tiffany, Nicholas Schuyler, Nathaniel Williams, Jonas Coe and Guert Van Schoonhoven.
February 10, 1795, the Legislature passed a law providing for the paving of certain streets in Lansingburgh and appointing John D. Dickinson, James Dole, Jonas Morgan, Annanias Platt, Nicholas Schuyler, John Keating and Benjamin Tibbits commissioners to direct the work of improvement. The streets directed to be paved were King street, leading from what was called South street to Richard street;
' See history of . we First Presbyterian church in Troy.
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North street, leading from Oneen street to Water street; and Iloosick street, leading from Queen street to Water street.
The first water works in Lansingburgh of which any information is in existence were constructed prior to or during 1495. In December of that year water was supplied to all persons desiring it, from aque- ducts constructed and maintained by Luther Emes & Co.
The Lansingburgh academy was chartered by the Regents of the University February 20, 1196, in response to a petition signed Decem- ber 24, 1795, by influential residents of the village.
October 20, 1796, the village trustees passed this resolution:
That the seal of the corporation shall be made with the following device, viz. : a heart festooned with an " L" in the centre, and shall be kept by the Clerk for the use of the corporation.
January 19, 1802, this preamble and resolution was adopted:
Whereas, The seal adopted by the Trustees of Lansingburgh on the 20th of Oc- tober, 1796, as a common seal, has been lost, and it has therefore become necessary to adopt another instead thereof; therefore,
Resolved, That the seal of the corporation be an oval, with an "1." in the centre, ornamented above the "L" with a knot of ribband. by order of the Trustees.
JOSEPH ALEXANDER, clerk.
The law erecting the village of Lansingburgh was soon found to be incomplete, uncertain and restricted. Upon representations to this effect made to the Legislature that body, February 16, 1998, enacted a new law, in which it was decreed in part as follows:
That the district of country contained within the following bounds, to wit, begin- ning at a point in the division line between the counties of Albany and Rensselaer opposite the mouth of the creek on which John D. Vanderheyden's mill now stands, from thence running on a line due cast to the foot of the first range of hills thence northerly on a line along the foot of the first said range of hills until the said line strikes the north bounds of the said farm to the division line between the counties of Rensselaer and Saratoga thence along the westerly line of the said county of Rensselaer to the place of beginning, and that the district of country contained within the above limit, heretofore supposed to be that part of the town of Troy commonly called Lansingburgh shall hereafter be known and distinguished by the name of the village of Lansingburgh and the freeholders who may from tinte to time reside within the aforesaid limits may on the third Tuesday of May next meet at some proper place by any justice of the peace within said village to be appointed and notified to the inhabitants thereof, at least one week previous to the said third Tuesday and then and there proceed to choose five discreet freeholders resident within said village to be trustees thereof who when chosen shall possess the several powers and rights hereinafter specified and such justice shall preside at such meet- ing and shall declare the several person's having a majority of votes as duly chosen
JAMES J. CHILD.
TOWN OF LANSINGBURGH. 385
trustees, and on every third Tuesday in May after the first election of Trustees there shall in like manner be a new election of trustees for said village and the trustees for the time being shall perform the several duties herein required from such justice in respect of notifying the meeting of the freeholders of the said village and presid- ing at such election.
Provision was also made for the election of three assessors, a col- lector, treasurer and "as many fire wardens as the trustecs for the time being or the major part thereof may order and direct." The duties of the village officers were carefully defined. One of the peculiar provis- ions of this law, which was in reality the second charter of the village of Lansingburgh, is contained in the following clause :
That if any one of the inhabitants of the village of Lansingburgh . . shall hereafter be elected or chosen trustee, or to the office of assessor or fire warden, and having notice of his said election, shall refuse, deny, delay or neglect to take upon him or them to execute such office to which he or they shall be elected, then it shall be lawful for the trustees . to assess or impose upon every such person or persons s . . such sum or sums of money as they . . may think fit, so as such fine for each refusal, denial, delay or neglect shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five dollars.
March 30, 1798, by act of the Legislature, Alexander I. Turner and Adonijah Skinner were given the exclusive right, for five years begin- ning May 1, 1198, to conduct a stage line between the village of Lan- singburgh and the town of Hampton, Washington county, passing through the towns of Hebron, Salem and Granville.
The Lansingburgh Gazette made its initial appearance September 18, 1798, Gardiner Tracy being its first publisher. Before that time, in addition to the Northern Centinel and Lansingburgh Advertiser, thic Federal Herald, the American Spy and the Northern Budget had been started.
In the reports of cases adjudicated in the Supreme Court of Judica- ture of the State of New York is recorded the decision in the case of Van Rensselaer against Dole, a unique proceeding for damages on ac- count of alleged slander. The decision in the case was handed down in April, 1800, and since that time at least one lawsuit of a similar nature has been decided in favor of the defendant, the decision being based upon the law as laid down by the presiding judge in the case of Van Rensselaer against Dole. The opinion and decision in the case, being so unusual, are quoted :
Van Rensselaer against Dole. This was an action of slander. The declaration charging the defendant with speaking of the plaintiff and others, the following
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words: "John Keating is as damned a rascal as ever lived, and all who joined his party and the procession on the 4th of July, (meaning the said John Van Rensselaer and the party and procession, in which the said John Keating acted as captain on the said 4th of July) are a set of blackhearted highwaymen, robbers, and murderers." The words were differently charged, with some additional expressions, in the other counts, but were in substance the same. Plea the general issue.
The cause was tried before Mr. Justice Benson, at the last March sittings, in the city of Albany. The words charged were proved to have been spoken by the de- fendant.
On the part of the defendant it appeared, that on the day previous to the speaking of the words, there had been a pubhe procession to a church in Lansingburgh, where the parties resided; that Keating commanded an artillery company, which formed part of the procession, attended with music; that a Mr. Bird claimed one of the instru- ments of music, a bass viol, and went to the church to demand, or take it, but it was refused to be delivered, and retained by force; that upon this, an alfray ensued, in which Mr. Bird received a dangerous wound.
It was proved, that the conversation, in which the words were spoken, was under- stood by the witnesses to relate to the transactions of the preceding day, and that the terms highwaymen, robbers, and murderers, were used in reference to the treat- ment of Mr. Bird in withholding the bass viol, and in stabbing him.
The judge was of the opinion, that the words being spoken in relation to the trans- actions of the preceding day, and so understood, were thereby explained, and on that account not actionable. The jury, nevertheless, found a verdict for the plain- tiff, for 50 dollars damages and 6 cents eosts.
The defendant at this term, moved for a new trial, on the ground that the verdict was contrary to law, and the evidence.
Woodworth, for the plaintiff.
Van Vechten, for the defendant.
Per Curiam. We agree in opinion with the judge at the trial. The words spoken by the defendant were clearly understood to apply to the transactions of the preced- ing day, and these were known not to amount to the charge which the words would otherwise import. Let the verdict, therefore, be set aside ; and there being no ques tion upon the evidence, the finding of the jury must be considered as contrary to law, and it is therefore ordered, that the costs abide the event of the suit.
Rule granted. .
The limits of the village of Lansingburgh were again defined by the Legislature April 2, 1801, as follows;
Beginning at a point in the division line between the counties of Albany and Rensselaer, opposite the mouth of the creek on which John D. Van Der Heyden's mill now stands, from thence running on a line due east to the foot of the first range of hills, thence northerly on a line along the foot of the said first range of hills, until said line strikes the north bounds of the farm of Cornelius Lansing, and on which the said Cornelius Lansing now lives, thence westerly along the north bounds of said farm, to the division line between the connties of Rensselaer and Saratoga, thence along the westerly line of the said county of Rensselaer to the place of be- ginning.
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TOWN OF LANSINGBURGIL.
By this law, or amended charter of Lansingburgh, the inhabitants of the village were accorded additional privileges and new duties were defined for them. Provision was made for new village ordinances relative to markets, streets, drainage, fire department, liquor license and many other matters, all of which were left in the hands of the new trustees.
The structure which spans the Hudson river between Lansingburgh and Waterford, Saratoga county, known as the Union bridge, is dis- tinguished as being the oldest wooden bridge in the United States. It stands intact to-day as strong apparently as in the early days of the century. When the bridge was constructed it was deemed a marvel of engineering skill. How the public looked upon the structure at that time is manifested by the elaborate character of the exercises which attended its opening. The Lansingburgh Gazette in its issue of De- cember 4, 1804. said :
Union bridge, lately erected over the Hudson, between this village and Waterford, was yesterday opened for passengers. The particulars of the celebration of this event will be given in our next paper.
The next issue of the paper, December 11, 1804, devoted more than a column to a description of the event. Among the interesting clauses it contained were these:
This handsome structure, which promises to be of durable and important public utility, was commenced early the present season, and is now so far completed as to be adjudged by the proper authority fit for the nses of travellers. The work was executed under the direction of Theodore Burr, principal architect; by James Me- Elroy, head mason, and Samnel Shelly, master carpenter, and unites a degree of strength and elegance which reflects the highest credit on those gentlemen.
'The day was a holiday in Lansingburgh. A " very numerous pro- cession " was formed at noon at Johnson & Judson's hotel and marched to the bridge, and thence across to Waterford, "under the discharge of seventeen cannon," where a dinner had been provided at Van Schoonhoven's hotel at the expense of the stockholders of the bridge. Among the prominent persons in attendance were the governor, the secretary of state, the comptroller, "and a large number of respect- able gentlemen from Albany and the adjacent villages," who " partook in much harmony and conviviality." The structure is 800 feet long and thirty feet wide, comprising four arches, which are supported by . three pillars and two abutments. It is owned by the Union Bridge company, of which Thomas A. Knickerbacker is president and John Knickerbacker treasurer.
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As early as 1803 Rev. Laban Clark and Martin Ruter preached to Methodist congregations in Lansingburgh. Seven years later a house of worship was erected on the bank of the river at the foot of Eliza- beth street and was occupied by the congregation until 1827. The church was regularly organized July 23, 1822, and February 15, 1828, the trustees of the society bought of Derick Lane the lot on the south- west corner of North and Queen streets, where a church was after- ward ereeted. The first regular pastor was Rev. S. D. Ferguson.
The First Baptist society of Lansingburgh was organized June 11, 1803, and the first edifice was located on the corner of John and North streets.
During the war of 1812 an artillery company, of which Reuben King was captain and Caleb Allen lieutenant, and which had been organized before that war, was sent to Ogdensburg, but was soon afterward sent home. When the draft was ordered for the 155th Regiment, in con- mand of General Gilbert Eddy of Pittstown, one-fourth of the artillery company was required for service, but before the regiment had pro- ceeded further than Granville hostilities had terminated and the regi- ment was dismissed. When Commodore Macdonough, the distin- guished commander of the flotilla on Lake Champlain, visited Lans- ingburgh, April 8, 1815, on his way to New York, he was welcomed by a large concourse of citizens, headed by a committee, who presented to him a pair of handsome pitchers and a dozen goblets. The pitchers were inseribed on one side: "Commodore T. Macdonough, with an inferior force, captured the British squadron on Lake Champlain Sep- tember 11, 1814;" and on the other: "Presented by the citizens of Lansingburgh to the Hero of Lake Champlain." The goblets were inscribed: "The citizens of Lansingburgh to Commodore Macdo- nough." The gift was acknowledged in a letter from Commodore Maedonough to the citizens' committee, consisting of James Hickok, David Smith, Elias Parmelee, John Topping, Elijah Janes, Gardiner Tracy, James Adams and James Reid.
The bank of Lansingburgh was incorporated March 19, 1813, begin- ning business at No. 531 State street, then King street. Its first direc- tors were Elijah Janes, Shubael Gorham, Abraham C. Lansing, Jamies Dennison, Gardiner Tracy, James Hickok, James Adams, Jonathan Burr, Timothy Leonard, Silvanus J. Penniman, Elias Parmelce, John Stewart, Calvin Barker, Jamies Dougrey and Asa Burt. Elijah Janes was the first president and James Reid the first cashier. The bank
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P. ROMER CHAPMAN.
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started with a capital of $200,000, of which $60,000 was paid in. Under the general banking law of 1838 reorganization was effected, and June 20, 1866, the name was changed to National Bank of Lansingburgh. March 9, 1869, it was changed back to a State bank and called the Bank of Lansingburgh. Its banking house was located on the northwest corner of State and Richard streets. After a career of sixty-four years the corporate existence of the Bank of Lansingburgh ceased March 19, 1817, its last president being Horace W. Day, vice-president Leonard J. Abbott, cashier Alexander Walsh, teller E. H. Leonard, and book- keeper William C. Groesbeck.
In 1819 a portion of the town of Schaghticoke was annexed to Lans- ingburgh, which contains the hamlet of Speigletown, in the northeast- ern part of the town. This hamlet received its name from the Vander- speigle families, early settlers of the southern part of the town of Schaghticoke.
Soon after Hiram lodge, F. & A. M., ceased to exist, in September, 1822, a dispensation was granted for the institution of Phoenix lodge, which was organized in the following year. A history of the lodge will be found in a separate chapter dealing with Masonry in Rensselaer county.
The First Universalist church was organized December 15, 1832, but it was not until the summer of 1834 that a small wooden house of wor- ship was erected on the southwest corner of John and North streets. The society ceased to exist after a career of a few years and its church edifice was sold to St. John's Roman Catholic congregation. This congregation was organized in 1840 or 1841 and the church was dedi- cated in 1844 by Bishop McCloskey. St. Augustine's Roman Catholic church, erected in 1861 on the east side of John street between Eliza- beth and Market streets, at a cost of $10,000, was dedicated May 6, 1866, by Bishop Conroy of Albany. Rev. Thomas Galberry, O. S. A., was the first pastor. St. Augustine Free Institute was established December 13, 1869, by Rev, Thomas Galberry, Edward A. Dailey, Mi- chael J. Collins, Ellen Wood and Mary Sullivan at the corner of John and North streets. It was afterward placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph and its name was changed to St. Augustine's Free Insti- tute.
By changes made in the bounds of the town by act of the Legislature in 1838, that portion of the village known as Batestown became a part of the city of Troy.
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Lansingburgh was visited by its first serious fire Sunday, July 9, 1843, when nearly two entire blocks in the central part of the village were destroyed. The fire originated about 4 p. M. in the stables of the Rensselaer house and spread with great rapidity. The fire companies of Troy, Cohoes and Waterford responded to the call for assistance and their presence doubtless prevented the flames from destroying the entire village. About twenty five buildings were totally destroyed and several others damaged. The burned area was located between State and Congress streets and Elizabeth and Grove streets. Two weeks later, Sunday evening, July 23, about 10.30 o'clock, fire which originated in Jacock's barn destroyed about twelve more buildings.
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