USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. II > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
24. S. T. Thorn's camphene factory burnt.
27. Fire in the building corner of Hawk and Hamilton streets, about two o'clock in the morning ...... The body of John L. Lawyer, drowned two weeks previously, was found below the city . . . Lawrence Dempsey died, aged 52.
29. Joseph Dibble died, aged 55.
30. Maria J. Hoyt died, aged 37.
31. Twenty two days of rain during the month.
264
Annals of 1849-50.
JUNE.
1. Rain ...... At a meeting of the journeymen printers of the city at Clinton Hotel, the following were elected officers of the Printers' Union for the six months next en- suing; Giles K. Winne, president ; John S. Nafew, vice president ; A. F. Chatfield, rec. sec, ; R. F. Johnstone, cor. sec. ; D. Farling, treasurer ..... . . There had occurred in the eighth ward 158 deaths within the year ending this day, according to the census report.
2. Rain ...... Anthony Charbonnon died, aged 36.
3. Rain.
5. Dinner given by the printers to the Hon. Edward Gilbert, of California, who was a journeyman printer in Albany before the Mexican war.
6. The Caledonian Fusileers arrived from New York as the guests of the Albany Emmet Guards, by whom they were escorted to their quarters at Stanwix Hall. . . Julius R. Ames died, aged 49.
12. The steam boat Kosciusko left the pier for New York, fare 64 cents.
15. The office of Griswold and Mattoon, lumber dealers, entered by burglars ...... The following were elected directors of the Watervliet Turnpike Company : John Townsend, John Knickerbacker, James D. Wasson, Na- than Dauchy, Edward Learned, Charles B. Lansing, Tho- mas Hillhouse, Stephen Van Rensselaer and D. T. Vail.
16. The office of T. W. Hotchkiss robbed by burglars. . . James B. Tyler died, aged 37.
17. John B. Robinson died, aged 21. Maria Louisa, wife of Dr. David Springsteed, died.
18. Robert Atkins died, aged 52.
21. Caroline Matilda, wife of Egbert W. Barnum, and daughter of Lewis Benedict, died. Isaac Turner died, aged 50.
22. The amount of down freight on the Albany and Schenectady Rail Road from the Ist June to 22d, 1849, was 1,045,554 lbs ; same time 1850, was, 3,350,219 lbs ; Ex- cess in June, 1850, 2,304,665 lbs ; equal to about 225 per cent. One-half of the above increase is owing to the great
265
Annals of 1849-50.
number of cattle passing over the road toward Boston. This is a new and valuable feature in the business of the roads, and has been the result of the repeal of the tolls on live stock passing over roads parallel to the canal. The first class passengers for the last few days, exceed those of the same time last June by 2,500.
23. John Capron died, aged 59.
24. William Champlin, of Albany, was drowned in Scho- harie creek, while bathing.
25. The O'Reilly line of telegraph was connected with New York.
26. The Horticultural exhibition at the Geological rooms was a rare display of the products of the season, among which were more than fifty varieties of strawberries.
28. Jane Ellen D. Mckown, wife of John C. Campbell died.
29. The Albany and Schenectady Rail Road negotiated to-day their seven per cent convertible ten year bonds at par to an amount sufficient to fund the entire amount of their floating debt. The takers of these bonds were the leading stockholders of this road in Albany and New York and they were taken for permanent investment. The road had now none but a funded debt and the entire net earnings of the road will hereafter be divided among the stockholders after reserving a sinking fund of not less than one per cent or $10,000 a year. The prospects of this road were now more favorable than at any time since it was built. The track and equipage were in first rate order, and the inventory larger than at any previous time. The receipts for June exhibited a large excess over June of last year ...... Mrs Margaret McIntosh died, aged 74. Owen Mead, aged 35, was drowned while bathing in the island creek. Mary Bruce, daughter of Thomas Hillson, died, aged 47.
JULY.
1. Mrs. Susan Foster died, aged 88. Mrs. Mary Cur- ran died, aged 63.
3. Mrs. Phoebe Beardsley died, aged 77. William S. McGowan died, aged 52.
266
Annals of 1849-50.
4. INDEPENDENCE ; celebrated by the usual processions and ceremonies ; oration by Wm. Barnes Esq. ; reading Declaration of Independence by Walter R. Bush. The Young Men's Association held their usual celebration in the afternoon ; the Declaration was read by John N. Cut- ler ; an original poem was read by H. S. McCall; and an oration by Isaac Edwards. .. James Meads died, aged 29.
5. Fire before daylight corner of Swan and Hamilton streets, destroyed two houses, the inmates barely escap- ing with their lives ...... The city was visited at night, by a storm of thunder, lightning and rain, the like of which has not been witnessed in this city for thirty years ; and which, in this latitude, is a rare phenomenon. It had all the characteristics of a tropical storm, or rather, succession of storms, for it was prolonged from seven o'clock in the evening till after midnight. The city seem- ed to be the centre of some extraordinary perturbation of the elements ; and the whole dome of the sky was kept illuminated with the sheet lightning, with but momentary intermissions of darkness between the flashes. Thunder and violent rain accompanied the manifestation. The electricity seemed to pervade the whole atmosphere, and to surround every object. After about two hours, a new storm from the west was attracted hither, to intermingle in the elemental strife, and sharp, forked lightning, rat- tling thunder, and bolts that appeared to strike, added additional grandeur and terror to the scene. From time to time, a new phase in the storm showed that its wast- ing energies were recruited by new arrivals of clouds, at- tracted to the vortex which the atmospheric commotion and the altered temperature produced. The rain fell in torrents and the streets in all parts of the city were inun- dated, and in many places the pavements torn up and much damage done to cellars. A house or barn on the opposite side of the river was struck and fired, and the blaze could be seen from the city. The schooner Rock- away, lying at the pier at the foot of Columbia street, loading with lumber, was struck by the lightning, which descended the forward mast, winding around it in its de-
Annals of 1849-50. 267
scent, shivering it to pieces, tearing the sails, &c. The erew were in the eabin and escaped uninjured. The sloop J. K. Polk, lying in the upper part of the basin, and one or two other vessels were also struck, but no material injury was done. The day had been extremely warm and close. We understand that much injury was done to the Rural Cemetery, the roads being broken, and the embank- ments destroyed, and large trees torn down by the storm. -Express.
6. High water in the river caused by the heavy rains of the preceding night.
7. A rail road train left for the west at night, with two days mails, there having been no communication with the west sinee Friday night, on account of the damage by the storm.
8. The corner stone of Grace Church, a new house of worship to be erected on the corner of Washington and Lark streets, was laid by Bishop Whittingham, assisted by Rev. Drs. Potter and Kip of this eity, and Rev. Mr. Bostwiek of Fort Edward.
10. Splendid exhibition of the Albany and Rensselaer Horticultural Society at the Geological Rooms ...... The counting room of Tremere and Wands entered by burglars and robbed .. . ... Intelligence of the death of General Taylor reached Albany ...... James Noonan died, aged 19 ...... Mrs. Mary Reynolds died, aged 60.
11. A store eorner Eagle and Hamilton streets broken into by burglars ...... Edward B. Colburn died, aged 48.
12. Francis N. Selkirk died, aged 44.
14. Business suspended in the morning and the stores hung in mourning in honor of the funeral of President Taylor at Washington ....... The brick building corner of Lodge and State streets was fired about 10 P. M., destroy- ing the upper part of the building, and ousting several mechanical establishments. .. Four robberies occurred at the rail road depot in the morning.
15. Margaret C., wife of John B. Stonehouse, died, aged 32. Henry Salisbury died, aged 68.
16. Jacob Griffin Jr., aged 30, was drowned by the upsetting of a sail boat.
268
Annals of 1849-50.
17. Funeral procession in honor of the late President of the United States, Zachary Taylor. It was one of the most imposing that had ever been witnessed in the city. . The store of S. Van Schaack, in Broadway, enter- ed and robbed of money and goods .. .. George Benton drowned, aged 18.
18. The stores of Avery & Co., and Hagaman & Cow- ell, in Broadway, were entered in the night and robbed of a small amount of money and other articles. .. ... Francis Kant was drowned.
19. Great rain storm . .. A man drowned at the Co- lumbia street bridge.
20. High water for the sixth time this season; the pier and docks submerged ...... Mrs. Elizabeth Russell died, aged 65. Timothy Spiers died, aged 62.
21. The store of Pruyn & Vosburgh was found to have been robbed in the night by burglars ...... The flood "which had begun to inundate the docks on Friday, reached its greatest height about 9 o'clock in the morning, when it was higher than had been known for several years, and the current of the river running at the rate of seven miles an hour. The docks were submerged several feet, and the gardens on the island below the city were from three to five feet below the surface of the water, and the crops totally destroyed ...... Richard Merrifield died, aged 67. Mrs Skerrett died.
22. Mrs. Margaret E. Dempsey, daughter of John C. Feltman, died, aged 27. .
23. The children of the Orphan Asylum had an excur- sion to Kinderhook.
26. Exhibition and Procession of the District School children of the city, who turned out with their teachers to the number of about 2500, and held their exercises in the Capitol park ..... Margaret Ann Thornton, of New Hamp- shire, was found dead in her bed at the Delavan House, from the use of chloroform.
28. John Griffin died, aged 64.
30. Mrs. Fanny Hand died, aged 50,
31. Michael Kennedy drowned, aged 23.
269
Annals of 1849-50.
AUGUST.
1. Three burglaries committed during the night; two of them corner of Dean and Hudson streets.
2. A barge laden with 12,000 bushels of corn sunk in the river a short distance below the city ...... Alicia Maria, wife of Thomas J. Tuite, and daughter of John Costigan, died at Cincinnati, aged 26.
3. Hardware store of N. Wright entered by burglars and robbed of $73. . .... John Clark died, aged 74.
4. O. Churchill's gun shop was robbed of goods in the night ...... Peter Hughes was drowned at the steam boat landing. Thomas Van Heynigen died, aged 24.
5. The Republican Artillery left the city in two barges with excellent music and other arrangements for a plea- sure excursion to Hudson. ..... The Burgesses Corps took the Rip Van Winkle in the evening for New York, on their annual excursion ...... Election of officers of Me- chanics' Benefit Society : William A. Carr, president ; John Vosburg, Ist vice president ; Oliver Houle, 2d vice pres .; James A. Buckbee, treasurer; R. S. Cushman, secretary ; S. L. Hodgkins, asst. sec .; J. W. Hinkley, physician; Stewards: First ward, H. F. Near ; 2d do., Michael De- lehanty ; 3d do., John Byrnes; 4th do., Paul Cushman ; 5th do., William A. Rice ; 6th do., Daniel Boyle ; 7th do., J. W. Parsons ; 8th do., Alexander Sickles; 9th do., E. C. Batcheldor ; 10th do., J. H. Waggoner.
6. By the books of the deputy marshal, the census of the eighth ward, just completed, was 6126, being an in- crease of 1300 in five years. There were 1155 families in the ward, and 718 houses. .Mrs. Edward Pacy died, aged 54.
7. Excursion of the Universalist Church sabbath school by steam boat to Beeren island. The steam boat Ameri- can Eagle and two barges were freighted with a greater number of people than were ever before known to embark upon a similar expedition from this city.
8. The store of J. D. Serviss, corner of Beaver and Lodge streets robbed ...... Francis McLelland, owner and master of a canal boat, drowned by an accidental fall into
32
270
Annals of 1849-50.
the river ...... Frederick Platto, formerly of Albany, died at Sullivan, Madison county, aged 55.
9. Mrs. Margaret Bergen died.
10. The Burgesses corps returned from their excursion to New York, Providence and Boston, and partook of a supper at the refectory of John McCardel, in Beaver street, at his invitation ..... George W. Burk, formerly of Al- bany, died at Sandusky City, Ohio ... , .. A frost in the vicinity, which touched lightly some of the city gardens.
11. John F. Stadtler died, aged 33. Volkert Austin died, aged 78.
13. The store of Messrs. Satterlee in State street enter- ed by burglars. .... William Hotaling, formerly of Albany, died in Westchester county, aged 40.
14. The bowling saloon of F. W. Gage and the jewelry store of D. Carson were entered by burglars and robbed of goods ...... Mrs. Margaret Finch died, agcd 33.
15. The volunteer night watch succeeded in arresting one of the burglars which had infested the city for several weeks, and who werc engaged in opening the store of Mr. William Mitchell in Broadway. The burglar captured
was Hugh Johnson. The watchman, James Wilson, was shot in the face ...... An Englishman named Nichols com- mitted suicide by shooting himself through the head with a double barrelled fowling piece . . . Mrs. Ann McHench died.
16. Another of the burglars disturbed the night previ- ous was taken during the day. It was John Finnegan, the one who shot Wilson.
19. Mrs. Margaret M. Helme died, aged 52.
20. William Stevens died, aged 33. Elizabeth Dubois died, aged 82.
22. Mrs. Agnes Johnson died, aged 29.
23. Alarm of fire proceeding from one of the upper rooms of Apothecaries Hall, which was considerably da- maged, but the fire was extinguished without the aid of the engines ...... John Hawthorn drowned in the Basin, and the body of a man found, which had the appearance of being several days in the water .... ... The Water com- missioners on behalf of the common council, purchased the Patroon's creek, with land sufficient for all the purposes
271
Annals of 1849-50.
contemplated, for $150,000. The water leases, which paid an annual rent of about $8000, but only ran for from three to seven years, were included in the purchase.
24. Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Van Valkenburgh, former- ly of Albany, died at Utica.
25. Lucia Marvin, wife of Thomas Olcott, died, aged 25.
27. Upwards of 70,000 baskets of peaches arrived in market from New Jersey, sold at from 12} to 373 cts. . . ... James Wilson and Thomas Mead, who were instru- mental in arresting the burglar Johnson on the night of the 15th Aug. received from the citizens a donation of $1125.
28. Daniel Fry died, aged 42. Abraham Phillips died, at Ithaca, aged 23, formerly of Albany.
29. John D. Fisher died.
30. Robert Wallace died, aged 40. John Hodge died, aged 55.
SEPTEMBER.
1. The grocery store of B. Lynch, corner of Green and Schuyler streets was burnt. A robber took that occasion to enter two rooms in the American Hotel, which he rob- bed of $215.
2. A drenching rain, the like whereof was not remem- bered. The common council determined to light the city with spirit gas, instead of oil as heretofore.
3. The church of the Holy Innocents was consecrated, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Whittingham, according to the ritual of the Episcopal Church. Among the officiating clergymen present, were the Rev. Mr. Reed, rector, Rev. Dr. Potter and Rev. Mr. Davenport, and several others from abroad. The bishop administered the rite of con- firmation to some 20 persons .... .. Frederika Bremer the Swedish authoress, arrived in the city ...... The river much swollen by the rain of the previous day. At nine o'clock in the evening the water was over the docks, but soon after began to fall.
4. State Fair opened at Bull's Head on the Troy road. . Abigail Mott, of Albany, died at Battle Creek, Mich.
. 5. The second day of the fair, on which occasion the
272
Annals of 1849-50.
city was visited by the greatest multitude of strangers it had ever witnessed. The New World brought up 1200 passengers. The avenue to the fair grounds was thronged all day with an interminable mass of people moving up and down, enveloped in a cloud of dust so dense as to render it impossible to discern objects across the road. At seven o'clock a rain storm came up which continued until morning. The number of tickets sold, 40,000. It was estimated that over 6000 vehicles were in attendance upon the fair. . Hon. D. D. Barnard appointed minis- ter to Berlin.
6. A man drowned at the pier. Francis Schadelle died, aged 33.
7. The State Fair closed. The net income was $10,- 465.10, being double that of any two previous fairs of the society ... . George George died, aged 59.
9. Jane Roessle killed by an accident on the rail road. 10. A strike among the tailors for an increase of wages. . A fire in Elm street destroyed two buildings early
in the morning . . Joseph R. Pitcher died, aged 23.
12. Fires were required in many houses by reason of the coldness of the weather .... Catherine E. wife of Isaac Rose died, aged 24. Sanders Van Rensselaer died, aged 35.
13. Abraham Baum, a German, accidentally fell into the river and was drowned .... ... Lord Elgin, governor- general of Canada, left this city for New York in the Hen- drick Hudson.
14. Henry E. Hills died, aged 20. . .... John. Norton, formerly teller in the State Bank, died at Buffalo.
15. Catherine Barton died, aged 40.
16. Sarah Ann, wife of Andrew Passenger, died.
17. The water commissioners opened the various pro- posals which had been submitted for the construction of the projected water works. Nearly one hundred proposals were sent in from various sections of the state. The work was awarded to the following persons; Brick, to Dennis McCall, of Albany ; retaining reservoir, Andrew Brigham, of West Troy ; receiving reservoir, Aspinwall & Jackson, of Albany ; section No. 1, William J. Martlett, Syracuse ; conduit sections Nos. 2 and 3 to A. G. Sage,
273
Annals of 1849-50.
Chittenango, The proposals were twenty-five per cent lower than the estimates of the engineer, bringing the entire cost to about $600,000.
18. Andrew Brand, the Kentucky giant boy, died. The deceased came to this city about four weeks since for the purpose of attending the State Fair, accompanied by his brother and two friends, and not being in good health was immediately after his arrival prostrated by an attack of intermittent fever, from which he never recovered. In size he was probably the most extraordinary person in the world; his advertised weight previous to his demise, being 537 pounds. He measured over 6 feet around the body, and 4 feet 8 inches round the thigh. His age was less than 16 years.
19. Sanders Lansing, formerly of Albany, died at Man- heim, aged 85. He was born and educated in the city of Albany, and passed the greater portion of his life in the place of his nativity. For the last thirty years he had been a resident of Herkimer county. A member of one of the most ancient families in the state, he was intimately connected with many of the distinguished men who acted a prominent part in the scenes of the revolu- tionary war, and who participated largely in the formation and establishment of our state government. He was one of the last links in the chain which connected the present generation with the immediate actors in those memorable scenes. Whilst the Hon. John Lansing, a brother of the deceased, held the office of chancellor, the subject of this notice was the register of the court of chancery. He held the office of county judge, and other places of trust and re- sponsibility. At a good old age he descended to the tomb, sustained by the confidence and hopes that Christianity inspires, and surrounded by numerous friends and relatives who cherish his memory with respect and affection. His widow survived him but four days.
20. Torch light procession at night, in honor of a com- pany of firemen from Utica, on a visit ...... Mrs. Eliza- beth Cluett died, aged 85. Mrs. Sarah Lay died, aged 52.
21. The St. Charles Hotel in Hudson street, burnt early in the morning,
274
Annals of 1849-50.
23. Eliza Cushing, wife of Granville Slack, died, aged 43.
24. Torch light procession in the evening by the fire department, in honor of the Howard engine company which arrived from New York on a visit.
28. James Kidd appointed postmaster in place of Lewis Benedict.
30. James A. Pratt, late teller in the Mechanics' and Farmers' Bank, died at Binghamton, aged 29.
OCTOBER.
1. Hannah Briggs died, aged 71.
2. The contract for the construction of the Albany and Rutland Rail Road from Rutland to the New York state line was closed, conditioned that the road should be ready for the rail on the first September next ..... . . Samuel Waddell died, aged 59.
3. Meeting of colored and other citizens at the City Hall on the fugitive slave law.
5. John Regan died, aged 51.
6. Arthur Bulgin book keeper and accountant was found dead at the door of his room in Blunt's Building ; age 35. Richard Cooper died.
7. Mrs. Esther, wife of Michacl Artcher, dicd, aged 50.
8. Ground was broken for the ercction of a row of splendid stores on the old Eagle Tavern lot, by Mr. Dela- van ...... Annual election of the Burgesses corps, when the following were elected for the ensuing year ; Military, B. R. Spelman, captain ; J. W. Blanchard, Ist licut ; S. W. Whitney, 2d. lieut. ; Hale Kingsley, 3d lieut. ; E. J. Lansing, Ist. sergt; E. A. Benedict, 2d. Sergt, ; Wm. O. Muir, 3d. sergt. ; John Hastings, 4th sergt .; Staff; Lewis Benedict, jr., quarter-master ; W. J. Thomas, pay master ; J. McMichael, surgeon ; William Davis, chaplain ; Civil ; John R. Taylor, president ; Joseph Clinton, vice president ; Wm. O. Muir, treasurer ; J. C. Cuyler, secretary ; S. W. Whitney, asst. secretary ... . . Sarah, wife of Erastus Hills died, aged 53. Mrs. Hannah L. Warren died, aged 68.
11. Cornelia Knower, wife of Peter D. Stevens, died, aged 27,
275
Annals of 1849-50.
12. Some idea of the magnitude of the freight business at the depot of the Western rail road at East Albany, may be gained from the fact that two hundred and fifty cars per day, were loaded and sent off. The freight busi- ness of last month, at that place, was larger than in any other previous September. In October, 1849, eight freight trains were sent off one morning. The freight bills of that day amounted to over $5000.
14. Canal receipts in Albany for the 2d week in Octo- ber : flour, 50,294 brls ; ashes, 276 do; whiskey, &c. 326 do .; corn, 33,090 bu .; barley, 100,010 do .; oats, 45,600 do .; rye, 4,270 do. ; wheat, 60,782 do .; peas and beans, 1,220 do .; potatoes, 4,580 do .; seed, 19,400 lbs .; butter, 92,140 do .; cheese, 291,400 do .; lard, 72,700 do .; wool, 10,250 do. . . . . . The house of E. H. Pease in Beaver street robbed of its silver ware, without a trace being left of the manner in which it was done,
15. Fire at the Little basin, destroyed four small frame houses, at one o'clock in the morning.
16. House of H. H. Hickox robbed of silver articles and clothing. . . Helen, wife of James Gourlay, died, aged 76.
17. Matthew Trotter died at sea, on his return from France, whither he had been for the recovery of his health.
18. Store of Joseph Clark, Washington street, robbed of $75 by burglars.
19. John A. Zuliman died, aged 21. Isabella Clark, wife of Charles O. Hagan, died, aged 46,
21. John Kerin d., aged 27. Henry Kelley d., aged 30,
23. Ashley Scovil died, aged 52, Martha, wife of Chauncey V. Crapo, died, aged 23.
25. The common council, by a vote of 15 to 1 adopted the report of the water commissioners recommending the purchase of the Patroon's creek for supplying the city with water. A loan of three hundred thousand dollars was negociated with Rufus H, King and Watts Sherman for the purpose of prosecuting the work. . Lucy Jane Osterhout died, aged 35.
26. John Harris died, aged 53. A man, name unknown, walked off the dock at the steam boat landing, and was drowned,
276
Annals of 1849-50.
27. Catherine, wife of Augustus Waterman, died, aged 20. Hezekiah W. Whitney, late of Albany, died at Mil- waukie, aged 66,
28. High water caused by the drenching rains of the previous thirty-six hours. The island at the lower end of the city inundated for the eighth time this season, causing great damage to crops , .... ,. The Van Namee Guards, a corps composed entirely of hatters, went out for a target exercise. The prizes, consisting of a silver cup and gold pencil case, were won by B. Lockwood and Teunis Visscher.
29. The horse boat attached to the Greenbush ferry sunk at five o'clock in the morning with 8 horses and milk wagons on board, four of which were lost overboard,
30. Two burglaries during the night previous. . . . . . Ą fly wheel cast at Low's furnace weighing six tons, said to be the largest one ever cast.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.