USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol IX > Part 11
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They are entire strangers to all religion, but they have
* Rensselaerswyck. Annals ix.]
t A schepel is about three pecks.
13
142
The Mohawk Indians.
a Tharonhijouaagon (whom they also otherwise call Ath- zoockkuatoriaho), that is, a Genius, whom they esteem in the place of god; but they do not serve or present offer- ings to him. They worship and present offerings to the devil, whom they call Otskon, or Aireskuoni, if they have any bad luck in war, they catch a bear, which they cut in pieces, and roast, and that they offer up to their Aireskuoni, saying the following words: " Oh ! great and mighty Aireskuoni, we know that we have offended against thee, inasmuch as we have not killed and eaten our captive enemies ; forgive us this. We promise that we will kill and eat all the captives we shall hereafter take as certainly as we have killed and eaten this bear." Also when the weather is very hot, and there comes a cooling breeze, they cry out directly, Asoronusi, asoronusi, Otskon a worouhsis reinnuha ; that is, " I thank thee, devil, I thank thee, Oomke !" If they are sick, or have a pain or soreness anywhere in their limbs, and I ask them what ails them ? they say that the devil sits in their body, or in the sore places, and bites them there ; and they always attribute to the devil the accidents which befall them; they have otherwise no religion. When we pray they laugh at us. Some of them despise it entirely ; and some, when we tell them what we do when we pray, stand astonished. When we have a sermon, sometimes ten or twelve of them, more or less, will attend, each having a long tobacco pipe, made by himself, in his mouth, and will stand awhile and look, and afterwards ask me what I was doing and what I wanted, that I stood there and made so many words, while none of the rest might speak ? I tell them that I admonish the Christians, that they must not steal, nor commit lewdness, nor get drunk, nor commit murder, and that they too ought not to do these things; and that I intend in process of time to preach the same to them and come to them in their own country and castles (about three days journey from here, further inland) when I am acquainted with their language. They say I do well to teach the Christians; but im- mediately add, Diatennon jawij Assyreoni, hagiowisk, that
143
The Mohawk Indians.
is, "Why do so many Christians do these things ? " They call us Assyreoni, that is, cloth-makers, or Charistooni, that is, iron workers, because our people first brought cloth and iron among them.
They will not come into a house where there is a men- struous woman, nor eat with her. No woman must touch their snares in which they catch deer, for they say the deer can scent it.
The other day an old woman came to our house, and told my people that her forefathers had told her " that Tharonhij-Jagon, that is, God, once went out a walking with his brother, and a dispute arose between them, and God killed his brother." I suppose this fable took its rise from Cain and Abel. They have a droll theory of the creation, for they think that a pregnant woman fell down from heaven, and that a tortoise (of which there are plenty here, in this country, of two, three and four feet long, some with two heads, very mischievous and addicted to biting) took this pregnant woman on its back, because every place was covered with water ; and that the woman sitting upon the tortoise grabbled with her hands in the water, and scratched up some of the earth ; whence it finally happened that the earth became elevated above the water. They think that there are more worlds than one, and that we came from another world.
The Mohawk Indians are divided into three tribes, which are called Ochkari, Anaware, Oknaho, that is, the bear, the tortoise and the wolf. Of these, the tortoise is the greatest and most eminent ; and they boast that they are the oldest descendants of the woman before mentioned. these have made a fort of palisades, and they call their castle Asserue. Those of the bear are the next to these, and their castle is called by them Banagiro. The last are a progeny of these, and their castle is called Thenon- diogo. Each of these tribes carries the beast after which it is called (as the arms in its banner) when it goes to war against its enemies, and this is done as well for the terror of its enemies, as for a sign of its own bravery. Lately one of their chiefs came to me and presented me
144
The Mohawk Indians.
with, a beaver an otter, and some cloth he had taken from the French, the which I must receive as a token of friendship. When he opened his budget there appeared in it a dried head of a bear, with grinning teeth. I asked him what that meant? He answered me that he fastened it upon his left shoulder by the side of his head, and that then he was the devil, who cared for nothing, and did not fear any thing.
- The goverment among them consists of the oldest, the most sensible, the best speaking and most warlike men. These commonly resolve, and then the young and warlike men execute. But if the common people do not approve of the resolution, it is left entirely to the determination of the mob. The chiefs are generally the poorest among them, for instead of their receiving from the common peo- ple as among Christians, they are obliged to give to the mob ; especially when any one is killed in war, they give great presents to the next of kin of the deceased ; and if they take any prisoners they present them to that family of which one has been killed, and the prisoner is then adopted by the family into the place of the deceased per- son. There is no punishment here for murder and other villainies, but every one is his own avenger. The friends of the deceased revenge themselves upon the murderer until peace is made by presents to the next of kin. But although they are so cruel, and live without laws or any punishments for evil doers, yet there are not half so many villainies or inurders committed amongst them as amongst Christians; so that I oftentimes think with as- tonishment upon all the murders committed in the father- land, notwithstanding their severe laws and heavy penal- ties. These Indians, though they live without laws, or fear of punishment, do not-at least they very seldom- kill people, unless it may be in a great passion, or a hand-to-hand fight. Wherefore we go wholly uncon- cerned along with the Indians and meet each other an hour's walk off in the woods without doing any harm to one another.
JOHANNES MEGAPOLENSIS.
( 145 )
NOTES FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
Continued from vol. viii, p. 164.
1827.
Jan. 1. The common council met and unanimously re- elected James Stevenson, mayor of the city for the en- suing year; 18 votes were cast.
At the Capitol, De Witt Clinton was sworn into office as governor of the state, and Nathaniel Pitcher as lieu- tenant-governor, for the ensuing two years.
The citizens were occupied in getting up an Atheneum. On the 20th of January a meeting was held at Knicker- backer Hall, Chandler Starr in the chair. Upwards of 160 names had been secured, and it was resolved to call for $1.25 from each, and open the rooms immediately. It was intended to be the most important literary esta- blishment ever reared in the city. S. D. W. Bloodgood, R. M. Meigs, and R. V. De Witt, were appointed to ob- tain subscriptions to a permanent fund.
Jan. 3. John Butman died.
Jan. 6. John Mancius died, aged 42.
Jan. 7. Lydia, wife of James Linacre, died, aged 78.
Jan. 12. William Morrow died, of the firm of Paddock & Morrow.
Jan. 21. The thermometer stood at 18 deg. below zero. The month had been unusually cold, and much snow had fallen. The following record of one week is remarkable:
15th, 3 deg. below zero at 7 a. m.,
16th, 19 do above do do 17th, 2 do below do do 18th, 5 do
do do do 19th, 2 do do do do
20th, 9 do do do do 21st, 18 do do do do
146
Notes from the Newspapers.
On the 24th December, 1796, the thermometer stood at 20 deg. below zero. On the 11th February, 1818, 26 deg. below zero, and on the following day 20 deg. below. In 1820 the lowest temperature was 5 deg. below zero.
1821
do
do
14
do
1822
do
do
14
do
1823
do
do
6 ,
do
1824
do
do
3
do
1825
do
do
6
do
1826
do
do
12
do
It was stated at this time, that in extreme cold wea- ther, the thermometer was lower, by two or three de- grees, at the eastern part of the city, along the banks of the river, than it was on the hill, which was supposed to be the effect of air passing over a large body of ice. At the corner of Hudson and South Market streets, a thermometer marked on the 21st, at sunrise, 23 deg. below zero, and from the 14th to the 21st it ranged from 2 deg. to 10 deg. below zero. A thermometer in Plain street on the morning of the 22d, marked 24 deg. below zero.
Jan. 22. At a meeting of the common council, William Mascraft was appointed city superintendent, Philip Hook- ar declining a re-election.
A law was passed altering the name of Marsh street to Montgomery street, the former street being considered a continuation of the latter.
Water street was ordered to be pitched, leveled, filled and reduced, from Orange street to North Ferry, and Montgomery from Quackenbush street to North Ferry.
Jan. 24. A meeting of the citizens of Albany friendly to the adoption of measures for the relief of the Greeks was held at Knickerbacker Hall : James Stevenson, chair- man; B. F. Butler, secretary. Without taking any ac- tion, an adjournment was made to a future day.
At a meeting held for the same purpose in New York, before the above, a note was read from Christian Miller of Albany, stating that he was induced, from having read the speech of Judge Irving, to contribute to the glorious cause, and enclosing check for $20.
147
Notes from the Newspapers.
The adjourned meeting of the friends of Greece met at Knickerbacker Hall, and were addressed eloquently by Gen. Peter Gansevoort, who offered a series of reso- lutions, which were seconded by Chandler Starr, with appropriate remarks. A very large number of citizens composed the committee to procure substantial relief, and the clergy were requested to preach sermons and take up collections. An appeal was made to the whole state for contributions of provisions.
Jan. 26. Catharine, wife of Dr. Elias Willard, died, aged 71. She was a daughter of John Livingston, born in New York, and by her parents sent to Montreal, to complete her education. In 1788, while on a visit to Boston, she was married to Dr. Willard, a surgeon in the revolutionary army. Shortly after they removed to Stillwater, where they resided till 1801, when they re- moved to Albany.
A committee of the Massachusetts legislature consi- dered the project of a rail road between Boston and Al- bany, and reported in favor of the measure. The ex- pense was estimated at $15,000 per mile, and 160 miles $2,400,000. The annual income was laid at $300,000.
The mean temperature of the month was 17.16 deg .; greatest height, 39 deg .; lowest, 18 deg. below zero. Rain on 2 days, snow on 10 days; 5.40 inches by rain guage.
Feb. 1. Major James Van Rensselaer died, at his resi- dence in Bethlehem, aged 81.
Feb. 2. Ann Maria, daughter of John Van Ness, died, aged 22.
David Jenkins died, aged 56.
Feb. 3. George, son of Daniel Hale, died at Liverpool.
Feb. 9. Pelatiah Adams died, aged 62.
Feb. 12. A law was passed by the common council, for "reducing, leveling, pitching, and paving North Pearl street, from State street to Columbia street, agree- ably to a plan approved and presented by I. & J. Town- send, Charles R. Webster, and others."
Feb. 16. Capt. James La Grange died, aged 64.
148
Notes from the Newspapers.
Among the donations in aid of the Greeks, which were numerous, was one from the butchers, of 53 barrels of prime beef.
Feb. 17. Philip P. Van Rensselaer died, at Cherry Hill, aged 44.
Edwin A. Caldwell, youngest son of James Caldwell, died at New Orleans, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health.
Feb. 19. A resolution passed the common council, di- recting the sale by auction, on the first Monday in March, of eleven feet of the watering place, and of eight feet of the lot north of and adjoining thereto; the purchaser being required to fill up that part of the watering place.
The sale of property adjoining the watering place, by the Dutch church, was made to the corporation, on con- dition that a common watering place of the breadth of 45 feet should always be kept open for the accommoda- tion of the citizens of Albany, and this condition the present consistory of the church refused to annul. The breadth of the watering place at this time was 56 feet.
Matthew Trotter and others petitioned the common council for a market house on the site of the watering place, and a committee was appointed to investigate the subject, consisting of Isaac Denniston, Andrew Kirk, and Daniel McGlashan. They reported that the consistory were entirely opposed to making any terms of the kind, " without receiving an equivalent therefor."
Feb. 20. The library department of the Albany Athe- neum went into operation. Paul Hochstrasser, librarian.
Feb. 27. Ezekiel Churchill, formerly of Albany, died in New York, aged 29.
Mean temperature of the month, 27 deg., 10 sec .; greatest height, 43 deg .; lowest, 8 deg. below zero; rain guage, 3.007 inches.
March 6. Jane, wife of William Bement, died, aged 50. .
An application was made to the legislature for a charter under which to construct a McAdam road from Albany to Gibbonsville. It met with a great deal of op- position, and was condemned by the common council.
149
Notes from the Newspapers.
The citizens of Watervliet, at a public meeting, passed resolutions against it.
The quantity of snow which fell during the four winter months, was as follows: December, 4 inches; January, 42 inches; February, 14 inches; March, 3 inches. Total 63 inches.
March 12. A committee of the corporation reported in favor of selling the property south of the ferry, on the . margin of the river. This property was much of the time under water.
March 18. Alexander Root, formerly of Albany, died at Springfield, Mass., aged 28.
Col. Gideon Fairman, sometime a resident of Albany, and a noted engraver, died in Philadelphia, aged 51.
March 20. Dr. Elias Willard died, aged 71. He was born at Harvard, Mass., in January, 1756, where he con- tinued until the 16th year of his age. At that time he repaired to Boston, and commenced the study of medi- cine under the direction of Dr. Jarvis, an eminent prac- titioner of that city. At the commencement of the revo- lutionary war, having completed his education, he was appointed surgeon to the hospitals of Boston and the vicinity. Being attached to the army, he was transferred to White Plains, where he continued a short time, and then returned to Boston. Here he again remained some time, and was married. He was afterwards transferred successively to German Flats and Ticonderoga, continu- ing with the army during the whole contest. At the conclusion of the war he settled at Stillwater, where he continued in the practice of his profession till 1801, in which year he removed to Albany, and resided there un- til his death. As an evidence of the esteem in which Dr. Willard was held by the physicians of his native state, it may be mentioned that in 1814 he was elected an honorary member of the Massachusetts medical socie- ty, over which a brother of the patriot Warren presided. The distinguishing traits of Dr. Willard's character, were his devotion to the duties of his profession, and his ar- dent piety. He became impressed with the truths of re-
-
150
Notes from the Newspapers.
ligion at a very early age, when he attached himself to the Presbyterian church, of which he ever continued an exemplary member. The retrospect of such a long life spent in the relief of suffering humanity, and the promo- tion of the cause of religion, can not fail to impart con- solation to a numerous circle of relations and friends .- Daily Advertiser, March 23, '27.
March 22. Mrs. Hannah Stafford, mother-in-law of Rev. Wm. B. Lacey; died, and was buried from the rec- tory house in Lodge street.
March 28. William McDonald died aged 80.
Julia, wife of John C. Shiffer, died, aged 24.
March 30. The law partnership of John V. Henry and James McKown was dissolved, and a new one formed between John V. Henry and Peter Seton Henry.
The mean temperature of the month was 36.39 deg .; greatest height, 68 deg .; lowest, 8 deg .; rain on 5 days, snow on 2 days; 23 inches of rain fell.
'April 3. Thomas Matchett died, aged 32.
April 4. Thos. Lennington, formerly of Albany, died in New York, aged 80.
April 11. Isabella, wife of Wm. Deyermand, died.
" The splendid steam-boat Sun," Captain Livingston, which it was announced had been put in perfect order, arrived with the New York papers several hours before the Chief Justice Marshall, which carried the mail.
April 12. The steam-boat Albany seems to have com- menced running at this time, without flourish of adver- tising. She professed to go through by daylight. On the 19th, when opposite West Point, in backing to take in passengers, the pivot that supported the piston, broke, and the engine was so much damaged, that the Sun had to take her in tow.
April 13. Jane, wife of Martin Van Alstyne, died, aged 44.
Charles Gould, son of the late Thomas Gould, died in New York, aged 25.
April 15. David Osborn died, aged 29.
April 17. The legislature adjourned.
151
Notes from the Newspapers.
Gerrit L. Dox was appointed by the governor and se- nate a justice of the justices' court.
The temperature of the month averaged 50.74 deg .; greatest height, 76 deg .; lowest 33 deg .; rain on 8 days; rain and snow, 1 day; rain fell, 4.66 inches.
The places of amusement at this time were: the The- atre in South Pearl street, the Circus in North Pearl, which had been closed eight months, and the Museum corner of South Market and Hudson, which had been con- siderably renovated.
May 1. John Meads associated himself with William Alvord, in the cabinet-making business.
May 7. John Whipple was shot at his residence, Cher- ry Hill, about 10 o'clock in the evening, by Jesse Strang. He was sitting in a chamber writing, at the time of the murder. Mr. Whipple was in the prime of life, an en- terprising man, and an estimable citizen; and at this time was engaged in executing a large contract on the Delaware and Hudson canal.
John Denio removed his bookstore from Greenfield, Mass., to No. 303 North Market street.
May 11. Florent Meline died, aged 37; a professor of music of great talent.
N. R. Packard, superintendent of the Alms house, re- ported 53 men, 57 women, and 33 children, in that in- stitution; and 2 men, 2 women, and 8 children, in the lazaretto.
May 18. Thomas Acres died, of the firm of Wood & Acres.
Mrs. Wendell, mother of Dr. Peter Wendell, died.
Two religious papers were commenced at this time: The Albany Christian Register, by L. G. Hoffman; and The Antidote, edited by Solomon Southwick, and pub- lished by Webster & Wood.
The gable of the two story store of Messrs. W. & G. Humphrey, in State street, fell out, in consequence of the excavations being made for the foundations of the building now occupied by the City Bank. In conse-
152
Notes from the Newspapers.
quence of this disaster, three stores were erected of four stories in height, and made a showy block at that day.
May 19. The steam boat Victory was launched at the lower ferry, where she was built by Kenyon & Hand, under the superintendence of Mr. Penoyer. The stock of this boat was nearly all owned in Albany. It was in- tended to surpass any thing on the river, for elegance and speed. The cabins were fitted up by John Meads. She was sailed by Sanford Cobb, and would have had a splendid success but for the defective construction of the engine. Her engine was put in by Birkbeck & Co., of New York, but was too powerful for her hull, and a series of accidents contributed to her total failure.
May 21. Isabella, widow of William McGill, died.
May 22. The steam boat Swiftsure was employed to tow the hull of the new boat Victory to New York; the latter, owing to the high wind, was drifted against a sloop, and both were considerably injured. The two steam boats afterwards got aground on Cuyler's bar. "Super- stitious people," remarked the Daily Advertiser, " con- sider these accidents bad omens for the Victory."
Matthew Cole published the first number of The Stand- ard, a weekly literary paper.
Two small buildings in the rear of South Market street, were destroyed by fire.
May 23. A meeting of merchants doing business on the dock and pier, wa's held at the Mansion house of Rockwell, to consider upon the best mode of establishing an exchange, for holding meetings and transacting busi- ness in their line.
May 25. A meeting of citizens was held at the Colum- bian hotel, for the purpose of considering the propriety of urging the construction of a market at the watering place, for the accommodation of the southern part of the city.
It was stated that about twenty years before, the mar- ket house in Market street was removed, and the one at the foot of Columbia street substituted. This dissatis-
VICTORY
ANY
HALL S".
STEAM BOAT VICTORY. Built 1828-Sunk 1845.
153
Notes from the Newspapers.
fied the residents in the southern and western parts of the town. A scheme for a general market was soon agitated in the common council. It agitated the board during the years 1809, '10, '12, and '13. The site of the Lutheran church was finally purchased, in 1816, for the sum of $32,000, and a market house built thereon. The most rapid increase of population was then on the hill. Soon after, Colonie became one of the wards of the city, which the market in Columbia street was well cal- culated to benefit, and which at once defeated the plan of a general market. After the completion of the canals, the current of population was southerly. In 1827 the project of a commodious new market house was again agitated. The inhabitants of the southern portion of the city opposed the measure, and advocated the erection of a market house at the Watering place.
May 27. Warren B. Cruttenden, the first commander of the steam boat New Philadelphia, died, aged 20.
May 28. Capt. Joseph Attwood died, aged 52.
A law partnership was formed between Salem Dutcher, Jr., and Ira Harris, at No. 1 Beaver street, corner of South Market.
At a meeting of the common council, the subject of markets was discussed with a good deal of spirit. The committee of three, appointed to investigate the matter, consisting of John Townsend, Daniel McGlashan, and. Hugh Robison, reported in favor of selling the lots around the Fly market, corner of South Pearl and Howard streets, and erecting a market building sufficient to ac- commodate the whole city, and also to serve for the justices' court. The citizens of the fourth ward were strenuous for a market at the Watering place, which was advocated before the board by their aldermen, Jas. Goold and Lemuel Steele. It was opposed by the recorder, James McKown, and Wm. Seymour, who doubted the possibility of such a project being consented to by the people, as did also Welcome Esleeck. John N. Quack- enbush asked for a postponement, to examine the subject .. Richard S. Treat advocated a general market. The re- [ Annals ix.] 14
154
Notes from the Newspapers.
corder advocated the erection of a general market on South Pearl street, as the most convenient place, and one which had been purchased for that purpose ; he thought the proceeds of the sale of the spare lots would more than meet the expense, and that the building would be a credit and an ornament to the city. The ground proposed to be sold was worse than useless; it was unpleasant to the eye, inconvenient to the public, and rather a nuisance than otherwise. The subject of both markets was finally referred to separate committees. A caricature of this market site was published without date, but probably soon after its purchase by the city, and is here introduced.
At this meeting, John Dows and others complained of the blowing of horns and bugles on board of canal boats in the evening, and praying for a prohibition of said nuisance between the hours of 7 and 10 p. m. This at- tempt to wrest Music, heavenly maid, from the hands of the navigators of the Erie canal, was eminently humane, for it is doubtful if she ever fell into ruder hands. Those gondoliers seemed to have been possessed with an unac- countable furore for bugles and French horns, and the whole country was serenaded by them to a painful extent.
Mr. Samuel Pruyn exhibited at his store in the Atheneum Building a ladies' hat manufactured at Ithaca, Tompkins county, N. Y., which for firmness of braid and excellence of material, was not often surpassed by those of Leghorn manufacture then in fashionable vogue.
The exchange, which the merchants were engaged in forming, had so far progressed, that they now formed themselves into an association under the name of the Albany Exchange Association. Chandler Starr, Robert Gilchrist, Gilbert F. Lush, Willard Walker and Galen Batcheldor were appointed a committee to prepare suit- a ble regulations for the transaction of business. Herman Hart, George W. Stanton, - Newton, Peter Roggen, and - Stafford, were appointed to superintend Mr. Moakley's building on the Pier to be occupied by them.
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