USA > New York > Saratoga County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York > Part 20
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Captains -1803, Jonah Mead, John Thompson, Asa Welsh, James Milligan, Wal- ter Hewitt; 1804, James Burnham, Harmanus Van Veghten, Philip Delano; 1805,
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
David Tillotson, John Pettit; 1806, Harmon Gansevoort, John S. Taylor, Luke Fen- ton, Ebenezer Brown; 1808, Jacob Dennis, Thomas Lang, Thomas Reed, Wm. Burnham; 1810, Seth Perry; 1811, Wm. Ross; 1812, Selah Bishop, Daniel Finch, Daniel Lindsay, James Mott.
Lieutenants .- 1803, John Pettit, James Vandewerker, Thomas Reed, Seth Perry, jr., Josiah St. John, John J. Taylor; 1804, Selah Bishop, Walter Van Veghten, Sol- omon Dunham, Ebenezer Brown; 1805, Abel Caldwell, Eldad Garnsey; 1806, Wm. Harris, jr., Peter Butler, Samuel Ludlum, Joseph Rockwell; 1809, Wm. Wilcox, Wm. Chub, Daniel French, John Payne, Wm. Smith; 1810, Dudley Emerson, Sam- uel Cripton; 1811, Wm. Ross, Samuel Crippen, Wm. Wilcox, Daniel Lindsay; 1812, Elijah Dunham, Wm. Kings, David Patterson, John McDowell, Abraham Bennett, Josiah Perry, jr.
FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT.
Field and Staff .- Rufus Price, lieutenant-colonel; 1803, Isaac Young, second major; 1804, Asa C. Barney, surgeon; 1805, Gideon Goodrich, lieutenant-colonel ; John Prior, first major; Samuel Bailey, second major; Daniel Hicks, surgeon's mate ; 1806, Joshua Swan, paymaster: 1808, Howell Gardner, adjutant; Abel Baldwin, surgeon's mate; 1809, Isaac Young, quartermaster; 1810, John Prior, lieutenant- colonel; Samuel Bailey, first major; John Bockes, second major; 1812, Walter Hewit, second major; Darius Johnson, surgeon's mate.
Captains .- 1803, Abel Deuel; 1804, Eli Couch; 1805, Caleb Bailey, George Peck, Ezra Starr, Wm. G. Boss, Wm. Waterbury: 1807, Samuel Anable; 1809, Lewis Scott, Asher Taylor, Giles Fitch; 1811, George H. Benham, Jacob Kellogg, John Smith, jr .; 1813, Aaron Hale, jr., Wm. Scofield, Joseph Morehouse, jr., Alsop Weed.
Lieutenants .- 1803, Amos Smith, Stephen Seamans; 1805, Lewis Scott, Isaac Darrow, Aaron Hale, jr., Wm. Waterbury; 1806, Perez Billings, Isaac Van Austin, Wm. Scofield, Joseph Morehouse, Samuel Anable; 1807. John Ladue, John Billings, Barzillai Richmond; 1808, George Eighmy; 1809, Lotus Watson, John King, Zacha- riah Curtis, Isaac Van Ostrand, David Bockes; 1810, George H. Benham, John Smith, jr., Darius Wright, Abner Medbery; 1811, Edward Gilman, Alsop Weed, Burr Hendrick; 1812, Potter Johnson, Nathaniel Ingerson, Wm. W. Deake, Jona- than Kellogg, Nicholas Carpenter.
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
Field and Staff .- Hezekiah Ketchum, lieutenant-colonel; 1803, Gerardus Clute, second major; Joseph Ketchum, adjutant; 1805, John Stearns, surgeon; Elijah Porter, surgeon's mate; 1806, John Haswell, adjutant; Henry Ten Broeck, second major; Henry Fanning, paymaster; 1808, Henry Fanning, quartermaster; Joshua Mandeville, paymaster; 1810, Henry Bailey, second major; 1811, Samuel Stewart, second major; Nathan Bailey, adjutant; George W. Ten Broeck, quartermaster; Samuel D. Lockwood, paymaster; Elijah Porter, surgeon; John Haight, surgeon's mate; 1812, Samuel G. Huntington, second major ; Wm. McDonald, paymaster.
Captains .- 1803, Samuel Stewart, Benjamin Mix, Jacobus Rosecrans, John Mow, Christian Sackrider; 1805, Joseph Peck, Nathan Garnsey; 1806, Joseph Ketchum, Wm. Comstock, Adam I. Van Vranken, Samual Weldon; 1809, Cornelius C. Van Santford; 1810, Andrew Emigh; 1811, Nathan Bailey, Joshua Mandeville, Samuel
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EARLY MILITARY ROLLS.
Demarest, Wm. Neff, jr., Jonathan Irish, Ephraim Knowlton; 1812, Anthony S. Badgely, Andrew Frasier.
Lieutenants .- 1803, James Weldon, Joseph Peck, Peter Davis, Jason Gillespie; 1805, Samuel Demarest, Andrew Emigh, John Cramer, Gideon G. Degraff, John Barnes; 1806, Benjamin Hicks, Wm. Neff, David Garnsey, Ephraim Knowlton, Jonathan Irish; 1808, Francis Drake, Cornelius C. Van Santford; 1809, Jacob Pudney; 1810, Anthony S. Badgely; 1811, Felix Tracy, Asahel Philo, Tertullus Frost, John Nestle, Garret J. Van Vranken, Smith Irish, Frederick Clements; 1812, Laurence Travers, Benjamin Chamberlain, John Stewart, Silas Sweetland, David Ashe, Wm. Gates.
CAVALRY.
The only cavalry organization in the county during this period, as far as the records show, was the First Squadron of the Seventh Cavalry Regiment, which probably included all the cavalry in the county. The officers were as follows.
Field Officers .- 1812, Henry Edson, adjutant; Daniel Dickinson, quartermaster ; Wm. Robards, major; Isaac Q. Carpenter, adjutant.
Captains .- 1811, Daniel Montgomery, John Linnendoll, Daniel Starr; 1812, Sidney Berry, jr., Curtis Burton, Noah Vibbert, Nathan Rogers, John Sayles.
Lieutenants .- 1811, Daniel Dickinson, Isaac Q. Carpenter, Sidney Berry, jr., George Reynolds, jr., Curtis Burton, Parker Manning, Henry Duel, Chas. Foster; 1812, Henry Duel, James Meeker, Isaac Q. Carpenter, John Sayles, George Rey- nolds, Seth Pope, Parker Manning, Samuel Bacon, Stephen Swan, Elijah E. Smith, Hezekiah Reynolds, Jeremiah Rundle.
ARTILLERY.
The appointments for the Second Battalion of the Fourth Regiment of Artillery are given below. This battalion appears to be entered in the office of the adjutant general as a part of the Fifth Regiment about 1810, when it consisted of the artillery in the counties of Saratoga, Montgomery and Schoharie :
Field and Staff .- 1805, Amos Potter, second major; 1809, Kiah Harnden, pay- master.
Captains .- 1805, Solomon Day, Cornelius Whitney, James Hawley; 1806 Joseph I. Green; 1807, Lott Wood, James Garnsey; 1809, David Richardson; 1810, Joseph Ketchum; 1811, David Waterman, Simeon Sammons, Samuel Drake; 1812, Thomas Mackin, jr.
Lieutenants .- 1805, Israel Hand, Butler Beckwith, John Savage, John Baker, Isaac Phelps, jr., Abner Stone, George W. McCracken; 1806, John M. Thompson, Aaron Waters, Ebenezer Rice, Robert Archibald; 1807, Wm. Van Kark, Lemon Foot, Walter Reed, Solomon Warner, Thomas Talmage, Peter Roe; 1809, Absalom Daley, Henry Harris, Abel Foster; 1810, Francis Drake, Jesse Tracy ; 1811, Chauncey Garn- sey, Hiram Mosher, Jacob Snyder, John B. Miller, Wm. H. Satterlee, Ely Foster,
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Peter Sternberg, Wm. Fowler; 1812, Wm. H. Satterlee, John Yatman, John G. Mur- ray, Nathaniel Stewart, Jessup Raymond, John Eddy, Silas Wood.
The appointments for the Saratoga County Battalion, which after- ward was organized as the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Regiment of Artillery, were as follows:
Field and Staff .-- 1806, George Taylor, major; 1809, John Cornwall,' adjutant ; 1810, Wm. Leavens,1 second major; Ira Woodworth,2 paymaster; 1812, Levi Scovill, major; Avery Benedict, surgeon; Willard Leavens,1 quartermaster; Isaac Wood- worth,6 paymaster.
Captains .-- 1806, Daniel Hunt; 1807, Daniel Church. John Lindsay ; 1809, David Walker; 1810, Joseph Rockwell, Ira Heath; 1812, Peter Butler.
Lieutenants .- 1806, David Walker; 1807, Gideon Orton; 1809, Wm. Johnson, Ira Heath, John Taylor; 1810, Luke Johnson, Lawrence Barber; 1812, Artemus Aldrich, David Hemstreet.
OTHER OFFICERS.
There is a hiatus in the records from 1812 to 1830. From 1830 to 1832 commissions were issued to the following militia officers in Sara- toga county :
In 1830 .- October 30, Egbert C. Noxon, Halfmoon, first lieutenant, First Artillery, Third Brigade, Second Division; Joel Gould, Clifton Park, captain, First Artillery ; November 20, Gilbert Purdy, Saratoga, captain, Sixty-third Infantry, Fifty-first Bri- gade, Fifteenth Division; Leonard Adams, Wilton, lieutenant, Sixty-third Infantry ; James McCreedy, Saratoga, ensign, Sixty-third Infantry; August 7, Lemon A. Grippin, Corinth, ensign, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Infantry, Fifty-first Brigade, Fifteenth Division; Alfred Mallory, surgeon's mate, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Infantry ; August 14, Francis Milliman, lieutenant, Twenty-fourth Infantry, Fifty- first Brigade, Fifteenth Division; Ira Swan, ensign, Twenty-fourth Infantry ; August 4, John S. Andrews, Milton, major, Seventh Cavalry, Third Brigade, First Divis- ion; December 10, Henry C. Rice, Stillwater, captain, Forty-first Regiment; No- vember 11, Gilbert Purdy, Saratoga, captain; Leonard Adams, Wilton, lieutenant; James McCreedy, Saratoga, ensign; September 2, Thomas C. Hale, ensign, Fifty- ninth Regiment.
In 1831 .-- February 3, William Fuller, Ballston, captain, Thirty-second Cavalry, Ninth Brigade, Fifteenth Division; Isaiah Blood, Ballston, lieutenant, Thirty-second Cavalry; Samuel Irish, Saratoga, ensign, Thirty-second Cavalry; February 19, Jo- seph W. Wood, Ballston, captain, Thirty-second Cavalry; Samuel Rue, Ballston, lieutenant, Thirty second Cavalry; William D. F. Jennings, Ballston, ensign, Thir- ty-second Cavalry ; April 30, Aaron R. Pattison, Ballston Spa, colonel, Thirty-second Cavalry; Archibald Spier, jr., Ballston, lieutenant-colonel, Thirty-second Cavalry ; James A. Brinkerhoff, Ballston, major, Thirty-second Cavalry ; Samuel Irish, Milton, lieutenant, Thirty-second Cavalry; Ira Howell, Ballston Spa, ensign, Thirty-second Cavalry; Isaiah Blood, Milton, captain, Thirty-second Cavalry;
1 Probably the same person.
2 Probably the same person.
173
EARLY MILITARY ROLLS.
Daniel P. Wakeman, Ballston Spa, captain, Thirty-second Cavalry; May 7, John Penfield, Ballston, captain, Seventh Cavalry; Elijah W. Weed, Saratoga, first lieutenant, Seventh Cavalry; Clement Patchin, Milton, second lieutenant, Sev- enth Cavalry; Hiram Loomis, Milton, cornet, Seventh Cavalry; June 1, Thomas M. Burtis, Saratoga Springs, paymaster, Seventh Cavalry; April 23, Thomas L. Hewitt, Galway, ensign, Twenty-fourth Regiment; June 4, George Hanford, Gal- way, major, Separate Battalion Riflemen; July 4, John Shurter, Malta, captain, Forty-first Regiment, Ninth Brigade, Fifteenth Division; Elisha D. Miller, Ballston, lieutenant, Forty-first Regiment; Hiram Hutchinson, Malta, ensign, Forty-first Regiment; July 2, Henry Van Duzen, Clifton Park, captain, One Hundred and For- ty-fourth Regiment, Ninth Brigade; George Peck, Clifton Park, lieutenant, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment; Lewis E. Sheldon, Clifton Park, ensign, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment; September 30, Lemuel Spier, Ballston, sur- geon, Thirty-second Regiment; September 10, Jesse Morey, Ballston, captain, Thir- ty-second Regiment; September 3, Ephraim Hill, Saratoga, ensign; September 28, Chauncey D. Buel, Saratoga, surgeon's mate; November 12, Henry D. Chapman, Saratoga, colonel; September 14, Clark Tabor, Providence, captain; Pardon Soule, Providence, lieutenant; Huestin McMullen, Providence, ensign; September 24, Philip James, Galway, captain; Richard M. Livingston, jr., Galway, lieutenant ; John H. Dingman, Galway, ensign; November 12, Samuel Lewis, Northumberland, lieutenant-colonel; Henry Holmes, Saratoga, major; October 29, Rensselaer Thomp- son, Moreau, captain; Charles A. Sill, Moreau, lieutenant; Richard Davenport, Mo- reau, ensign; August 27, Benjamin F. Prior, Greenfield, captain; October 5, James A. Swartwout, Wilton, ensign; August 27, Rensselaer Ballou, Greenfield, lieutenant ; Alvin Day, Greenfield, ensign; October 7, Isaac Ambler, Greenfield, quartermaster ; September 3, Uriah B. Couch, Milton, lieutenant; Charles M. L. Andrus, Milton, ensign ; John Potter, Milton, captain; Isaac K. Frink, Milton, lieutenant; Porter W. Earl, Milton, ensign; October 8, Daniel D. A. Green, Milton, lieutenant-colonel; October 29, Uriah B. Couch, Milton, captain; Charles M. L. Andrus, Milton, lieuten- ant; Benjamin M. Loomis, Milton, ensign; December 31, Gordon Jenkins, Hadley, captain ; Jefferson Jeffers, Hadley, ensign; November 26, Ephraim Hill, Saratoga, captain; Giles B. Slocum, Saratoga, lieutenant; James A. Granger, Saratoga, en- sign; December 10, Stephen Welch, 2d, Schuylerville, captain; Orra Warner, Mo- reau, first lieutenant; John W. Vandenburgh, Saratoga, second lieutenant; Septem- ber 10, Isaac E. Garnsey, Clifton Park, captain; William Golden, Ballston, first lieutenant ; John Cole, Stillwater, second lieutenant; August 27, David T. Zimmer- man, Stillwater, captain; John A. J. Countryman, Stillwater, first lieutenant; Cor- nelius Cronkhite, Stillwater, second lieutenant; September 10, William McGregor, jr., Wilton, quartermaster; William H. Walton, Greenfield, paymaster.
In 1832 .- March 10, Lodewick P. Shew, Providence, colonel; John S. Green, Galway, ensign; Jonathan Bristol, Edinburgh, captain ; March 31, George W. Down- ing, Edinburgh, lieutenant; George B. Robinson, Edinburgh, ensign; April 16, Henry I .. Swartwout, Wilton, quartermaster; March 10, Jonathan Edgecomb, Gal- way, major; March 31, Seth Warren, Galway, captain; Thomas L. Hewitt, Galway, lieutenant; Solomon Ellithorp, Edinburgh, lieutenant-colonel; May 12, Archibald Spier, Ballston Spa, colonel; William Fuller, Ballston, lieutenant-colonel; Isaiah Blood, Milton, major; May 10, Joshua T. Blanchard, Saratoga Springs, quarter-
174
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
master, cavalry ; April 28, Andrew Taylor, Halfmoon, first lieutenant, cavalry; Chris- topher Snyder, Halfmoon, second lieutenant, cavalry: Mina Morse, Halfmoon, cor- net, cavalry; Duncan McMasters, Charlton, captain; William Fowler, Charlton, lieutenant; Robert Gilchrist, Charlton, ensign; August 18, Wright I. Esmond, Half- moon, captain; William Gates, jr., Halfmoon, lieutenant; Abraham James, Half- moon, ensign; August 20, Shadrach Burlison, Waterford, captain; Harry B. Scott, Waterford, lieutenant; Mason K. Eastman, Waterford, ensign; April 13, John R. McGregor, Wilton, aid-de-camp; July 7, Samuel Rice, Ballston, captain; A. R. Red- field, Ballston, lieutenant; James Wakeman, Ballston, ensign; June 30, Hiram Barras, Greenfield, ensign; Roswell Finch, Saratoga, ensign; Henry W. Peck, Sar- atoga, first lieutenant; Robert Burdee, Saratoga, second lieutenant; Henry W. Dennis, Saratoga, ensign; June 9, Alvah Dake, Greenfield, second lieutenant; Levi B. Alcott, Greenfield, ensign; March 9, William Stewart, Edinburgh, captain; Orson Wright, Edinburgh, lieutenant; August 31, Azariah E. Stimson, Galway, adjutant ; John O. Ellithorp, Edinburgh, quartermaster; September 14, Clark Tabor, Prov- idence, captain ; Pardon Soule, Providence, lieutenant.
WAR OF 1812.
The war of 1812 caused little interruption in the development of the county, though many of its inhabitants, some of whom had fought in the Revolution, enlisted in the American army and took up arms against Great Britain. The Saratoga brigade of cavalry united with the companies or- ganized in Rensselaer county, and on September 19, 1812, they left Troy for the Lake Champlain region. They were accompanied as far as Waterford by Governor Tompkins in person, and proceeded from there to Plattsburgh, where they participated in the victory over the British at that point. Early in 1813 many men from this county who had not already enlisted in the home companies, joined General John E. Wool's command being organized at Troy, and were sent to the front, where they served with honor. December 3, 1814, most of those who had fought in that war joined the Rensselaer and Albany county veterans in giving an enthusiastic reception to Commodore Thomas MacDonough, whose flotilla had achieved a complete and glorious victory over the British fleet on Lake Champlain. It is to be regretted that no complete official records of the men who served in this war are extant. As far as can be learned from meagre but authentic sources, however, the following enlisted from the various towns of the county, some of the names being those of members of the State militia which appear in preceding pages:
Saratoga Springs .- - Ham, - Danforth.
Milton .- Captain Reuben Westcott, Freeman Thomas, Cornelius Schermerhorn, Daniel Beach, W. J. Stillwell, Oliver Whitehead, John Wheeler, Timothy Bailey, Alvah Robertson,
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EARLY MILITARY ROLLS.
Ballston. - Captain Isaac Curtis, Chester Clapp, Silas Smith, Wm. Evans, S. Cur- tis, Lewis Miller.
Saratoga .- Captain James Mott, Isaac Ackerman, Wm. Clements, George Strover, Henry D. Chapman, Nathaniel Somes, Elisha Phillips, Justus Fuller, Martin Rogers, Archibald Fuller, Wm. Ward, Samuel Eldredge, Nicholas Viele, John Rogers, James Rogers.
Stillwater .--- James Hodgman, Lieut. John R. Myers, David C. Flagler, Wm. Baker, Peter Baker, Wm. Scouten, James McNeal, Thomas Elms, Daniel Hewett, jr., Samuel Edmonds, John Tompkins, David Blood.
Charlton .- Captain John Ferguson, Joseph Beach, James Ritchie, Lawrence Gar- diner, Jared Smith, Delsa Benjamin, Ezra Seeley, - Swart, Captain David Gordon, Major Millard, Surgeon David Low, Jonas Crane, Thomas Kirby, Asher Cox, Joseph Watkins.
Waterford .- Teunis Waldron, - Nelson, Benjamin Goewey, Wm. Van Every, Rubens Ryms, James Wilson, Daniel Guire, John R. Maxiber, George Finan, George Musgrave, Philip Argersinger, Rusk Norway, Perth Mudhuling, Wm. Car- pensy, George Nichols, John Ives, -- Collins, - Kline, - Kuth.
Halfmoon .- Lieut .- Col. Shubael Taylor, Gilbert Williams, Samuel Coon, Oliver Waite, G. A. Robinson, Elijah Brown, Peter Van Santford, Isaac M. Deyoe, Wm. Smith, James Houghtaling, Ezra Crittenden, John Potts, Jeremiah Francisco, Ger- man Van Voorhees, Henry Soper, Esau Wilson, Thos. Follett.
Galway .- Ebenezer Olmstead, John McDonald, Wheeler Bradley.
Edinburgh .- Capt. John Gordon, Lieut. John Brown, Sergt. Silas Washburne, Col. Godfrey Shew, John Akley, Ananias Akley, Wm. Van Avery, Daniel Buckalow, Myron White, Nathaniel Robinson, Ephraim Potter, Wm. Hill, Solomon Scott, James Rhodes, Stephen White.
Malta .- Adjt. Gould Morehouse, Seneca Hall, Daniel D. Tompkins, Eli Dunning, Peter Dunn, Barney Vail, John Story, John Van Arnam, Henry Pell.
Corinth .- Peleg Eddy, Daniel Cole, Thomas Wheaton.
Northumberland .- Adjutant Jeremiah Terhune, Charles McCreedy, Gamaliel Mc- Creedy, Jeremiah McCreedy, William McCurdy (or McCreedy), William Coffinger, Higgins Coffinger, Joseph Stevens, - Osborne.
Hadley .- John Gilbert, James De Long, Rufus Wells, Harry Burke, Squire Lawton.
Moreau .- James Coburn, Samuel Putnam, Bloster Merritt, - Tompkins, Solomon Parks, Captain Elisha Danford, Truman Wilcox.
Greenfield .- None known.
Day .- Moses Colson, William Colson, jr., Daniel Fraker, Joseph Flansburgh, Thomas Totman, Zabin Shippy, Arnold Paul.
Wilton .-- Colonel Seth Perry, Captain Jason Adams, Caleb Perry, James Woodard, Benedict Woodard, Henry Strong, Drew Laing.
Clifton Park .- Henry Palmer, James Groom, Adam R. Van Vranken, Michael Doty, John Millins, Peter Doty, Solomon C. Peck, Everett Hawley, Richard Spire, David Wiltsie, Andrew Evans, Jeremiah Clute, Timothy Doty, Deacon Palmer.
Providence .- None known.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE,
CHAPTER X.
Construction of the Railroad from Schenectady to Saratoga Springs, the First in Saratoga County -- The Rensselaer and Saratoga Road Built Soon After-Rivalry Between the Two Concerns-Other Roads Merged in the Rensselaer and Saratoga -- All Pass Under the Control of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company -- The Old Albany, Vermont and Canada -- The Adirondack -- The Fitchburg and the Mount McGregor Lines-Projected Lines Which Were Never Constructed -- Modern Elec- tric Railways in Saratoga County.
As the opening of the Erie and Champlain canals marked a new era in the history of Saratoga county, so also did the construction of the first railroad extending into the county.
February 16, 1831, the State Legislature granted a charter to the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad company, which was empowered to construct and maintain a steam railroad between Schenectady and Sara- toga Springs, passing through the village of Ballston Spa. The incor- porators named in the act were Henry Walton, John Clarke, William A. Langworthy, John H. Steele, Miles Beach, Gideon W. Davison, Rockwell Putnam, and "such other persons as shall associate with them for that purpose." The road was directed by law to be either a single or double track, to pass as nearly as practicable through the centre of of the village of Ballston Spa. The charter was for fifty years. Churchill C. Camberling, Walter Bowne, Henry Walton, John Clarke, Samuel Young, Thomas Palmer, Daniel J. Toll, John J. De Graff, William James, James Stevenson and John Townsend were designated as commissioners to receive subscriptions to the capital stock of $150, - 000. The work of construction was begun during the spring of 1831, and the road was opened for traffic as far north as Ballston Spa July 12, 1832. But it was not completed to Saratoga Springs until the fol- lowing year. The early business of the road was so limited that opera- tions frequently ceased entirely in the winter season, the company carrying such passengers as might apply for passage by horse and sleigh. It was not until the road was leased to the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad company that its business assumed profitable pro- portions.
177
RAILROADS.
In an old book containing brief sketches of the various railroads in the United States, constructed or projected, published about 1833 by an engineer, the following description of this railroad appears:1
1
SARATOGA AND SCHENECTADY RAILROAD .- This road was commenced the 1st of September, 1831, and was opened for travelling 12th July, 1832, except a short dis- tance at Ballston, which was completed in April, 1833. Its length is 21 1-2 miles. Its cost, $217,201.22, exclusive of the land it occupies, and some trifling agencies and travelling apparatus, but including everything, when in complete operation, $297,237. About 3 miles of it is put down on stone foundation. Trenches were dug 2 1-12 by 2 1-2 feet, and filled with broken stone, closely rammed; and upon this square blocks of about 2 cubic feet were placed, 3 feet from centre to centre. On these stone blocks cast iron chairs are placed to receive the wooden rails, upon which is the iron plate. Cross-ties of timber secure the rails from spreading. The re- mainder of the road is laid upon longitudinal sills, upon which the sleepers rest, notched on both sides, to secure the sills in their place, and also to receive the wood rail, upon which rests the iron plate, as in the first part of the road. It has but a single track, with turn-outs. The road is mostly level, and in no case does the in- clination exceed 16 feet to the mile. Steam power is used to great advantage, and the net income of the road from April 1, 1833, to February, 1834, was within a frac- tion of 10 per cent. upon its capital. It will be much more profitable when the Sar- atoga and Fort Edward road shall be completed, so as to bring the travel from the north via Saratoga to Albany. Chartered in 1831.
About the time of the construction of this road the trade of Northern New York, especially of Saratoga and Washington counties, was assuming considerable proportions. The people of Albany already had built a railroad from Albany to Schenectady, the second enterprise of the kind in the United States, and in order to draw this northern trade from Troy, to which it most naturally would flow, the inhabitants of Albany attempted to divert it from that channel by the construction of the road from Schenectady to Saratoga Springs.
Appreciating the motives of the rival city of Albany, the business men of Troy at once set to work to secure a charter for a new road from Troy to Ballston Spa, a distance of twenty-six miles. This fran- chise was granted them April 14, 1832, the articles of incorporation naming as the first directors George Griswold, John Cramer, Elisha Tibbits, John Knickerbacker, Richard P. Hart, Townsend McCoun, Nathan Warren, Stephen Warren, Le Grand Cannon, George Vail, Moses Williams, John P. Cushman and John Paine. John Knicker- backer of Waterford, John House, also of Waterford, Stephen Warren,
1 A copy of this book is now in possession of William Buchanan, superintendent of motive power and rolling stock of the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R.
12
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
William Pierce, William Haight, James Cook and Joel Lee of Ballston Spa were designated as commissioners to open books of subscription. Work upon the road was begun the next year, and October 6, 1835, the first passenger train, north bound, left Troy. The northern terminus of the road was near the present depot in Ballston Spa, and the south- ern terminus was at No. 10 First street, Troy.
While this road extended as far north as Ballston Spa only, the Schenectady and Saratoga railroad had been built as far north as Sara- toga Springs, the latter road thereby securing a monopoly of the traffic between Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. As soon as the Rensse- laer and Saratoga railroad had been completed, an endeavor was made to enter into an agreement with the other road whereby the passenger and the freight traffic of the Rensselaer and Saratoga road might be carried on north of Ballston Spa over the tracks of the Saratoga and Schenectady road. The project was selfishly opposed, however, by the management of the latter road, comprised almost wholly of inhabitants of Albany, who were jealous of Troy's commercial success, and doubt . less would have come to nought had it not been for the fact that the directors of the Rensselaer and Saratoga road had an unexpected oppor- tunity to purchase of a New York broker a sufficient number of shares of stock of the other road to give them its control. This settled the question, and the two other roads thereafter worked in harmony. Di- rect communication between Troy and Saratoga Springs was at once established. The first cars used on this road were made by Gilbert, Veazie & Eaton, then famous car builders of Troy. The passenger cars were looked upon as marvels of beauty, crude as they were, and were twenty-four in number. They were twenty-four feet long, eight feet wide, and a little over six feet high inside. Each was divided into three apartments. The seats were " cushioned and backed with crim- son morocco, trimmed with coach lace, each apartment is surrounded by movable panels, thus affording the comforts and facilities of either a close or open carriage to suit the convenience of the passengers."
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