USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. I > Part 21
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3. Rev. Elias Vanderlip died, aged 84. He was the patriarch of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city. He was born at Carl's Neck,
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Staten Island, Feb. 10, 1765, and left fatherless at an early age. When the British took New York, he was apprenticed to the shoe.making business. In 1787, he became a convert in the M. E. Church. In 1792, he first began to exhort. In 1796, he settled in Albany and opened a shoe store, but lost all his stock by fire; he was then invited to Nis- kayuna (now Watervliet) to preach. In 1800, he was ordained a deacon, and his first appointment was to Pittsfield circuit in 1802. In 1804, he was ordained an elder. In 1805, his name was put down for Albany. He preached from 1805 to 1836, when he was obliged by old age to desist. In April last he was laid upon his bed with a broken thigh, from which, with the frosts of years thick upon him, and fearless of death, his immortal spirit winged its flight to a better world.
5. Althia A. Loveland died; a pupil of the Normal School from Frank- lin, Delaware county .. Mary Relay died, aged 86; widow of Rob- ert Relay.
7. Hon. John C. Spencer, of Albany, delivered the Address before the State Agricultural Society, at its annual fair, in Buffalo.
9. Fire in the building north of the Mansion House, which was burnt out, leaving the walls standing. The jewelary store of Mulford & Wen- dell, the clothing store of Robert Freeman, the large law library of Samuel Stevens, and the Daguerreotype Rooms of Gavit, besides law offi- ces, work shops and store rooms, were considerably injured before they could be removed, or entirely consumed. Loss about $12.000, mostly insured ....... The receipts of the Albany and Boston rail road, for the week ending this day, were $17,000 for passengers alone, being the largest sum received from that source in any one week since the opening of the road.
12. The new steam ferry boat, T. W. Olcott. commenced running at the Albany and Boston Rail Road Ferry ....... Barney Flinn died, aged 34; a volunteer in the company under Col. Temple.
13. Nomination of Gen. John A. Dix, by the Barnburner or Free Soil convention at Utica, for the office of governor of the state ....... The house of A. McCowan robbed of money and jewelery.
14. Frost ; fires necessary in the morning. . . . Annual exhibition of the Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural Society, at the Geological Rooms. ...... Meeting of the Clay whigs at the Capitol, when it was resolved to abandon Taylor, and adopt Henry Clay, and attempt to carry his election ....... Meeting of the railroad companies at Utica, when it was resolved to reduce the fare between Albany and Buffalo to $9 75, being an average of 3 cents a mile ...... Elizabeth Wadsworth died, aged 73.
15. Fire in the wooden building, corner of South Pearl and Hamilton street; damage small. . Elizabeth Somers died, aged 48 ; widow of the late John Somers.
18. The Common Council resolved to extend the area of the steam- boat landing south to Lydius street.
19. The members of the city corporation proceeded in a body to Con- gress Hall to pay their respects to Gen. Worth ....... On the opening of the Mayor's court the grand jury came in with thirty indictments with- out having finished their business. There were 170 criminal cases on the calendar before ....... The last remittance from the New York re- lief committee to the sufferers by the fire in Albany, amounting in the whole to $12,035, ...... A ship carpenter by the name of Paul, while
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engaged at work on a boat, fell into the Basin and was drowned .. . Flour $5.75 to $5.874; wheat $1.30; oats 34 cents .; pork $13. The re- ceipts by canal this day were: flour 6,236 bushels; ashes 47 do; whis- key, &c. 7,600 gallons ; corn, 3,296 bushels; barley 2,755; oats 7,246; wheat 4,943; peas and beans 225; clover and grass seed 1,100 lbs .; but- ter 49,520; cheese 20,262; wool 1,527 ...... Sarah Winne died, aged 80; widow of Kilian I. Winne ....... Elizabeth Loucks died, aged 63; wife of John H. Loucks ....... Esther S. Meech died, aged 20.
20. Henry Z. Whitney died, aged 23.
21. The seventh semi-annual examination of the State Normal School, when 96 pupils graduated.
22. Snow on the neighboring hills ....... The heavy iron rail on the Mohawk and Hudson Rail Road being completed, an experimental trip was made with three cars, resting upon india rubber springs, and drawn by the Mohawk locomotive, built by McQueen. The trip was performed in 30 minutes, and the return trip in 24 minutes, being at the rate of 424 miles an hour.
23. Dr. Christopher C. Yates died at Parishborough, Nova Scotia ; he was originally from Albany, and took a very active and decided part in the controversy on the great question of the origin and treatment of yellow fever ....... John W. Lightbody died, aged 26.
25. Robert Sutton and Chauncey Van Lew, two notorious rogues, escaped from jail and eluded pursuit ....... William R. Cantine died, aged 49 .. . . Thomas Flood died, aged 39.
26. Meeting at the Capitol of the old Hunkers, to ratify the state no- minations. R. W. Peckham, Esq., and Mike Walsh were the principal orators, and the consumption of tar was enormous !
27. First heavy frost of the season, which had been unusually cold, with rain 13 days .. ..... Thomas Gale died, aged 28 .. .. Peter H. Hil. ton died ....... Abraham T. Evertsen died, aged 41 .. ..... Hannah Ten Eyck died, wife of William Ten Eyck.
28. Convention of Antirenters, who nominated Gen. John A. Dix for governor and George W. Patterson for lieutenant governor.
29. Ellen Ann Graham died, aged 18.
30. Two persons returning from market at night were attacked without provocation, and severely beaten by three ruffians, who escaped detection ..... .. The boarding house 659 Broadway robbed by a young man who got access under pretence of taking board .. ... David Hemp- hill died, aged 39.
OCTOBER, 1848.
2. At a meeting of the Common Council, the committee on the re- organization of the Fire Department reported in favor of paying firemen $30 per annum, and appointing a chief engineer, with a salary of $700, to devote his time wholly to the duties appertaining to his office. Matthew Clerton died, aged 73.
3. The shoe store of Jacob Lansing in Broadway robbed of a quantity of boots.
4. Jane Van Schaack died; widow of the late Nicholas Van Schaack. The dwelling house of Elijah Simmons, in Pearl street, robbed of $40.
5, The county convention of whigs nominated John L. Schoolcraft
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for congress, and James Kidd for county treasurer ....... Saran Ann Holliday died, aged 33; wife of James Holliday ....... Elizabeth Dele- hant, aged 32; wife of Andrew Delehant.
6. Flour, $5.50 to $5.87; buckwheat, $2.12; wheat, $1.27; corn, 67; barley, 71 to 74.
7. Trotting match on the Troy road for a purse of $200. Jack Ros- siter and Lady Moscow were the only competitors; the former won all three heats; time 2.38, 2.39, 2 37. After which Ferguson and McGovern had a two mile foot race for a purse of $30. Ferguson took it in 11.27 minutes ....... The grand jury came into court with the following in- dictments : burglary in the first degree, 3; assault and battery, 6; as- sault and battery on an officer, 1; grand larcency, 3; obtaining property under false pretences, 1; indecent exposure, 2; passing counterfeit money, 2; robbery, 1; sealed, 10.
8. F. W. Ingmire ordained as a minister of the gospel at the Pearl Street Baptist Church .. . . . . . A fire destroyed a barn in South Lansing street ....... William Maternaghan, an auctioneer, long in the employ of J. I. Jones, found drowned in the river below the city. .John A. Wilson died, aged 51.
9. Attempt to rob Newton's clothing store ....... The steamboat Os- wego reached the dock with 36 boats in tow ; 13 barges and 23 lakers.
10. The drug and medicine store of Burrows & Nelligar robbed; the only booty was a few pennies .. ..... The Albany Burgesses Corps elect- ed their officers for the ensuing year.
11. Hunt, alias Webb, convicted and sentenced to five years imprison- ment, for a forgery on the Exchange Bank .. . William K. Amsden died, aged 28.
13. John Gibson assaulted James Galvin with a knife, in Broadway, at 7 o'clock in the evening. ..... Robert Lyle, a native of Scotland, died. .. Catharine Carey died, aged 23.
14. The steam propeller Hartford made her first landing here; in- tended to run in connection with the Albany, between this city and Hartford; being the third steam packet plying between the two cities. Her capacity about fifty tons greater than the Albany.
15. A fire destroyed the steam saw mill of Clement Warren in Water street, corner of Quackenbush, a large quantity of lumber adjoining, and the fur shop of George C. Treadwell. Loss about $10.000 .. ... Another fire, in the basement of the Baptist Church in South Pearl street, during service ; did but little injury ..... . . Riot in the evening at a shanty in the burnt district.
16. Elvenah C. Anderson died, aged 16 ....... Harriet Booth died, aged 21 ....... Mrs. Prudence White died, aged 60.
17. Robbery of the house No. 1 Phoenix Place ....... Mrs. Ann Bas- sett died at Penn Yan, aged 86; widow of the Rev. John Bassett, for- merly pastor of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Albany .. Mrs. Almira Barnard died, aged 55. ..
20. James Keeler died at Summit, Wisconsin, aged 76; forty years a resident in Albany.
22. Arthur Quinn died, aged 36.
23. The rail road train from Buffalo, under the new arrangement, came through in 17 hours; the usual time was 24 hours; a gain of nearly one third ... .. James Butler died, aged 40.
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24. Sale of Dutch Church lots on Snipe, Knox, and Sand streets, at $32.50 to $37.50 each ....... James Frazer died, aged 52.
26. The hall corner of Green and Beaver streets, fitted up for the use of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was dedicated with appro- priate ceremonies.
27. The iron cover of the great tank belonging to the gas company, in the process of erection in the north part of the city, fell about 2 o'. clock, while more than 30 persons were at work upon it, by which one was killed, and others severely injured. The damage sustained by the company was about $1,000 ....... Giles Fredericks killed by the acci- dent at the gas works. . .Catharine Foy died, aged 50; wife of Philip Foy.
29. A fire took in the basement of No. 8 Green street, which destroy- ed the building. Loss $20,000 ....... The stable and slaughter house of James A. Putnam, on Arbor Hill, burnt ... . George L. Thomas shot by Jane Elizabeth Britton, in John street ...... Jane Connick died, aged 72; widow of Andrew Connick ....... Elizabeth Scott died, aged 59.
30. Dense fog; the steam boats due in the morning did not arrive till 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The boats which left this city the day be- fore, were overtaken by the morning boats ....... George Charles died, aged 81 ....... Dr. Amos N. Burton died, aged 37.
31. William Duncan Topp died, aged 42.
NOVEMBER, 1848.
1. Mutual agreement of the jewelers to close their stores at 8 o'clock in the evening .. . Rev. W. H. Waggoner settled pastor of the Uui- versalist Church .. . . . Trotting match on the Troy road, between Jenny Lind and Mac, which was won by the latter in 2.38.
2. The stables of Judge Gansevoort and Watts Sherman in Washing- ton street set on fire and consumed in the evening.
3. William Annesley died, aged 81.
4. Whig torch-light procession in the evening, during which several outrages and serious accidents occurred ....... Barn burnt in the rear of 14 Lumber street.
5. Rev. B. T. Welch announced to his congregation, the First Baptist Church, in Pearl street, that he had accepted a call to the Pierpont street church in Brooklyn.
7. Election day; the whig ticket elected by a large majority; on the presidential electors, the vote stood for Taylor 3473; Cass 1833; Van Buren 1376; for congress, J. L. Schoolcraft 3818; C. Bouton 1500; B. R. Wood 1351; for assembly, R. H. Pruyn, 1729; H. Rector 558; Amos Dean 631; Joel A. Wing 1858; Eli Perry 1011; J. R. Van Rensselaer 27; Stewart 727. Connected with the usual balloting, a vote was taken to get the public sentiment on the scheme of supplying the city with water at the public expense. The vote for water was 4405; no water 6; brandy and water strong, 1 ...... By a wonderful achievment of art and science in the telegraph, the result of the elections in Massachusetts and other more remote states was pretty certainly known before 9 o'clock in the evening ; and within twenty-four hours after the closing of the polls, it was ascertained almost beyond question that Gen. Zachary Tay- lor was elected president by a large majority of votes.
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Chronicle of Events in Albany.
10. Cold morning; thermometer indicated 15-1-0. Some of the ponds in the vicinity frozen over ....... A shanty erected on the burnt district took fire and was razed to the ground; during which a man in attempt- ing to push off a sloop from the dock, fell overboard and was drowned. .... Cecilia Williams died in New York; wife of Ezra Williams, and daughter of the late Sebastian Visscher, of Albany. .Jeremiah Wallace died, aged 80.
11. The mayor acknowledged a donation from the Shakers of blankets to the value of several hundred dollars .. ..... A snow storm commenced in the evening ....... Jennet White Autey died, aged 43; wife of Alex. Autey.
13. Elizabeth Kelley died, wife of Michael Kelley.
18. Fire in the basement of the Jewish Synagogue in Herkimer st.
19. Fire in the bakery corner Union and Hamilton streets.
20. Snow storm.
21. Monument erected in the cemetery over the grave of Maj. Lewis N. Morris, who fell at the battle of Monterey.
22. Christopher Anthony died, aged 25.
23. Steam boat Belle left this port with 29 boats in tow, and arrived at New York in 42 hours. The tonnage of this fleet was 4500, and its probable value $170,000 ....... Patrick Morrison died, aged 26.
24. Fire in Broad street destroyed three houses and a stable .. .. Uriah Marvin died, aged 79.
25. Silas Houghton, an aged and respected citizen died .... . Mary
Leslie died, aged 53.
26. Joseph S. Clark died, aged 68 .. .. .Joseph Blake died, aged 39.
27. The common council at a full meeting passed a new fire law, en- tirely reorganizing the fire department .. ..... James Hays a news boy, in attempting to jump from the cars fell under the wheels, and was killed. . . . . The steam boat Belle left the Dock with 39 boats in tow, and arrived in New York in 46 hours. This was by far the largest number of boats ever attempted to be towed by one steam boat on the Hudson river.
28. The Firemen held an indignation meeting at the Capitol, and had a procession with banners in honor of the new fire law, which was not framed in consonance with their views and feelings ....... Joseph Rob. inson died, aged 62. . .. .. Francis Finnegan died, aged 53.
DECEMBER, 1848.
3. John Macready robbed the house of P. Maher in Ferry street, while the family were at tea, but was caught in the street by an officer. . . .. Case of affray and stabbing at the grocery of O'Connell, corner of Green and Lydius streets.
5. Presidential electors of the state of New York met at the Capitol at 4 o'clock afternoon, and having organized, adjourned to the following day. when they cast their votes unanimously for Zachary Taylor for president of the United States ....... Wesley Goodwin arrested on the complaint of his wife for brutal usage towards herself and children, for which he was sentenced to the Penitentiary one year ....... Alida Visscher died, aged 82; widow of the late Teunis G. Visscher.
6. Horace Pierce died, aged 42.
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Chronicle of Events in Albany.
7. Great competition between the Isaac Newton and Rip Van Winkle steam boats ; prices of fare to New York 50 cts. to 0 ....... Stable burnt on the corner of Dove and Spring streets.
8. Margaret Mayer died, widow of the late Frederick G. Mayer.
9. The canals closed by order of the commissioners, in order to pro- secute the enlargement. The weather was still extremely mild, after a week of rain, and no ice had yet formed either in the canal or river. . Dr. John H. Douglass, an aged and wealthy citizen of Troy, fell and expired in the Capitol, while attending the comptroller's tax sale. . Beermah B. Herner died, aged 35.
10. Elizabeth Van Bergen died ....... Julia Ann Shaw died.
11. Edward Harty died, aged 64.
14. Henry M. Fergusen died, aged 61; Thaddeus Pomeroy died at Clinton, Mich., aged 30, formerly of Albany.
16. Athaliah Serviss died, wife of William Serviss.
17. Charles Roarke died, aged 41.
18. Fire in the area of the Carlton House ....... Christiana M. Van- denburgh died, aged 47; wife of John A. Vandenburgh ....... The store of James Osborne robbed of a few dollars in change.
20. James Goadby precipitated himself from a third story window upon the street pavement, in a fit of derangement, which caused his death ....... Sarah Beuchanan died, aged 65 ....... James Maroney drowned in the Canal Basin. ..... Rev. W. H. Wagoner installed pastor over the Universalist charch.
21 Snow; no steam boat left for New York .. .. Nancy Lovett died. .. John MacNamara died, aged 30.
22. First sleighing ....... Cynthia Webster died at Albion, Orleans county, aged 78; widow of the late Charles R. Webster of Albany.
23. John Thomas, Jr. died ...... John Timmons, a drayman, killed by a locomotive in attempting to cross the rail road track before the train.
. The cold weather completely closed the river, but the Columbia forced her way up through the ice.
24. Jane D. Thompson died, aged 80. .Harriet Bassett died, aged 16.
25. Slight fire in the Delavan Housc .... .. David Thomas died.
26. A train arrived from New York by the Housatonic road, which opened on Christmas for the winter travel, promising to make daily trips in eight hours, by daylight ....... Fanny Perceval died, aged 50; wife of George Perceval.
27. Rev. Rutger Van Brunt installed pastor over the Third Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in Albany; the former pastor, Dr. William H. Campbell, preached the installation sermon.
23. The river completely shut, no boat having arrived.
29. Jane Ann Boyd died, daughter of the late Peter Boyd.
30. Ceremony of presenting a sword to Gen. Wool took place at the Capitol. The sword, the gift of the state, valued at $1700, was present- ed by the governor, John Young, and was in approbation of his distin- guished services in the war with Mexico ....... Seventy freight cars left the depot for New York by the Housatonic road.
31. Trinity church, corner of Herkimer and Franklin streets, purchas- ed by the South Baptist Society, was first used by them for public wor- ship.
183
Colony of Rensselaerswyck.
THE COLONY OF RENSSELAERSWYCK.
1614 To 1646.
The Dutch having in 1609 discovered and explored the North river, which has since taken the name of their navigator, Hudson, a number of adventurers followed in his track, who pursued a small trade with the Indians, and made further voyages of discovery along the coast and up the rivers. The most noted of these were Adrien Block, Hendrick Corstiaensen and Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, in the year 1614. We com- pile from the valuable History of New Netherland, by Dr. E. B. O'CAL- LAGHAN, the following account of the progress of the colony of Rensse- laerswyck for a period of thirty-three years.
Intelligence of the discoveries made by Block and his associates hav- ing been transmitted to Holland, was received there early in the autumn of 1614. The united company by whom they had been employed, lost no time in taking the steps necessary to secure to themselves the exclu- sive trade of the countries thus explored, which was guarantied to them by the ordinance of the 27th of March. They sent deputies imme- diately to the Hague, who laid before the States General a report of their discoveries, as required by law, with a figurative map of the newly explored countries, which now, for the first time, obtained the name of NEW NETHERLAND. A special grant in favor of the interested parties was forthwith accorded by their High Mightinesses, in the fol- lowing terms :
" The States General of the United Netherlands to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. WHEREAS Gerrit Jacob Witsen, former burgomaster of the city of Amsterdam, Jonas Witsen and Simon Moris- sen, owners of the ship called the Little Fox, (het vosje,) Captain Jarn de Witt, master; Hans Hongers, Paul Pelgrom, and Lambrecht van Tweenhuysen, owners of the two ships called the Tiger and the For- tune, Captains Adriaen Block and Hendrick Corstiaensen, masters; Ar- noudt van Lybergen, Wessel Schenck, Hans Claessen, and Barens Sweetsen, owners of the ship the Nightingale, (Nochtegael, ) Capt. Thuys Volckertsen, merchant in the city of Amsterdam, master; and Pieter Clementsen Brouwer, Jan Clementsen Kies, and Cornelis Volkertsen merchants in the city of Hoorn, owners of the ship the Fortune, Capt. Cornelis Jacobsen Mey, master, have united into one company, and have shown to us by their petition, that after great expenses and dam- ages by loss of ships and other perils, during the present year, they, with the above named five ships, have discovered certain new lands situated in America, between New France and Virginia being the sea coasts between 40 and 45 degrees of latitude, and now called NEW NETHERLAND: "And whereas, they further represent that We did, in the month of March, publish, for the promotion and augmentation of commerce, a certain consent and grant, setting forth that whosoever should discover new havens, lands, places, or passages, should be per-
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Colony of Rensselaerswyck.
mitted exclusively to visit and navigate the same for four voyages, with- out permitting any other person out of the United Netherlands to visit or frequent such newly discovered places, until the said discoverers shall have performed the four voyages, within the space of time pre- scribed to them for that purpose, under the penalties therein expressed, g.c., and request that We should be pleased to accord to them due testi- mony of the aforesaid grant in the usually prescribed form: Wherefore, the premises having been considered, and We, in our Assembly, having communication of the pertinent report of the petitioners relative to the discoveries and finding of the said new countries between the above- named limits and degrees, and also of their adventurers, have consented and granted, and by these presents do consent and grant, to the said petitioners, now united into one company, that they shall be permitted exclusively to visit and navigate the above described lands, situate in America, between New France and Virginia, the seacoasts of which lie between the 40th and 45th degrees of latitude, and which are now named New Netherland, as is to be seen on the figurative maps by them prepared; and to navigate, or cause to be navigated, the same for four voyages, within the period of three years, to commence from the first day of January, 1615, or sooner, without it being permitted, direct- ly or indirectly, to any one else to sail, to frequent, or navigate, out of the United Netherlands, those newly discovered lands, havens, or places, within the space of three years, as above, on penalty of the con- fiscation of the vessel and cargo, besides a fine of fifty thousand Nether- lands ducats, for the benefit of said discoverers. Provided, however, that by these presents we do not intend to prejudice or diminish any of our former grants and concessions; and it is also our intention that if any diputes or differences should arise from these our concessions, that they shall be decided by ourselves. We therefore, expressly command all governors, justices, officers, magistrates, and inhabitants, of the afore- said United Netherlands, that they allow said company peacefully and quietly to enjoy the whole benefit of this our grant, and to interpose no difficulties or obstacles to the welfare of the same. Given at the Hague, under our seal, paraph, and the signature of our Secretary, on the 11th day of October, 1614.">
Having thus obtained for themselves the exclusive right to visit and trade with the countries in America, lying between the fortieth and forty-fifth degrees of north latitude, of which they strangely claimed to be the first discoverers, so shortly after Hudson's visit, the above named merchants, who now assumed the name and title of The United New Netherland Company, proceeded to make the arrangements necessary to draw from their new possessions the largest returns. On an island situated at the head of the navigation, near the west bank of the Manhat- tan river, now named De Riviere van den Vorst Mauritius, or Prince Maurice's river, and immediately below the present city of Albany, they caused a trading house to be erected, thirty-six feet long and twenty-six feet wide. Around this was raised a strong stockade, fifty feet square, which was next encirled by a moat eighteen feet wide, the whole being defended by two pieces of cannon and eleven stone guns, mounted on swivels, and garrisoned by ten or twelve men. This post
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