USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol IX > Part 15
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The following is a list of the churches in the city at this period:
Reformed Dutch, North Pearl, Rev. Dr. Ludlow.
Beaver,
Mr. Ferris.
Episcopal, ..
State, 66 Dr. Lacey.
Ferry, 66 Mr. Bury.
Presbyterian,
South Pearl,
Mr. Weed.
Chapel, Dr. Sprague,
Montgomery, Mr. Williams.
66
North Market, Mr. Kirk.
United Presby'n, Fox,
Reformed “
North Pearl cor.
or Cameronian,
Orange,
Mr. Christie.
Lutheran,
Pine, Mr. Mayer.
Baptist,
Green, Mr. Welch.
Mr. Paul.
Catholic,
Chapel.
Mr. Smith.
Methodist,
Division,
Mr. Green.
Universalist,
Herkimer, no pastor settled.
Friends, worshiped in a large room corner State and Lodge.
There were two other congregations of Methodists, one of which worshiped in a building on the corner of Chapel
Mr. Martin.
African,
196
Notes from the Newspapers.
and Columbia streets. The other was an African society worshiping in State street continued.
Six of these churches were of stone, and seven of brick. A sermon was preached at the Baptist church by Rev. B. T. Welch, and a collection made for the African Baptist Society, which amounted to $116.16.
Nov. 17. William Cummings died, aged 39.
The streets were lighted by 586 lamps at this time. The cups of 100 of these lamps contained half a pint of oil; the others a gill.
The steam boats Victory and De Witt Clinton were sold by auction in New York. The former cost $56,000; her engine cost $20,000; she sold for $17,500. The De Witt Clinton cost $44,000; her engine cost $25,000; she sold for $5000, and was bid in by some of her owners.
Nov. 28. Philip Featherly died, aged 74.
Nov. 30. The common council accepted the proposals of Thomas Hurst for excavating Lancaster and High streets.
The temperature of the month averaged 39.52 ; highest 58 deg .; lowest 23 deg. Rain on 7 days; snow on 4 · days; rain guage 3.86 inches.
Dec. 6. John Wilkes died, aged 67.
The president's message was delivered at Washington, at 12 o'clock on Tuesday, Dec. 8; it arrived in New York in 153 hours, and was brought up by the steam boat Al- bany, and published in the Albany Daily Advertiser on Thursday morning at the usual hour. This was deno- minated unprecedented despatch. The steam boat Albany left New York with the message at 8 o'clock in the morn- ing of Wednesday, but broke her shaft, and did not arrive till 2 o'clock Thursday morning.
Dec. 11. There was lying at the dock foot of Hamilton street, a steam boat, unfinished, intended to ply between Albany and New York, which was described as follows: 150 feet long on deck; depth of hold 9 feet; breadth of beam 24 feet; tonnage about 300; promenade deck 120 feet (usual length of promenade deck, 50 feet). Her engine, made at Pittsburgh, on the Mississippi plan,
197
Notes from the Newspapers.
occupies 5 feet in width on deck, and occupies none of the cabin, which is therefore very large and commodi- ous, and in which tables can be set of the length of 225 feet; engines usually take up one-third of the cabin. There are 150 berths and 50 hammocks. She was built at Hyde Park by Wm. Brown, and has a round stem. Her joinery work is to be done in this city during the winter by Webster & Wells. She will be ready to sail early in the season, and is to be commanded by the ex- perienced and obliging Capt. Peck. [Novelty ?]
Dec. 10. Mrs. Hannah McCoy died, aged 86.
Gen. John H. Wendell resigned the office of county treasurer, which he had held twenty-one years.
Dec. 12. John Lansing, Jr., formerly chancellor of the state disappeared in the city of New York, and was never more heard of; supposed to have been drowned. No event had caused a deeper sensation in the city since the death of De Witt Clinton. At an early period of his life he entered the office of Robert Yates, afterwards chief justice, as a clerk in the study of the law. He afterwards became a member of the military family of Gen. Philip Schuyler, and during the revolutionary war was a distinguished member of the state convention that conducted the civil and military operations of the state. He soon after was appointed mayor of the city, and in 1787, was, with Chief Justice Yates and General Hamil- ton, delegated by the state as members of the convention which formed the constitution of the United States. It is well known what part those gentlemen took in the discussions connected with that subject. Chief Justice Yates and Chancellor Lansing withdrew from the con- vention, and were known as anti-federalists. They op- posed the adoption of the constitution principally because it did not more effectually secure the rights of the indi- vidual states ; and to those men and their copatriots we are indebted for the ten "amended articles which were subsequently made a part of that constitution. On his return he was made a judge of the supreme court, chief justice, and finally chancellor of the state.
198
Notes from the Newspapers.
Dec. 14. At a meeting of the common council E. Col- lum petitioned the board for the restoration of hogs which had been taken up in the streets and conveyed to the almshouse for not being ringed. A resolution was passed for restoring all hogs taken up since the 1st December, upon the payment of charges by the owners.
Dr. Barent P. Staats, almshouse physician, reported that there were 214 paupers in that institution, of whom 74 were citizens of this state, 19 residents of other states, 40 Irish, 7 English, 3 Scottish, 5 Canadians, 1 Welsh, 4 Hollanders, 3 Germans, 1 West Indiaman.
Dec. 17. The circus property in North Pearl street was advertised to be sold by public auction. The lots were described as forming a front of 66 feet on North Pearl street, and 138 feet deep.
Dec. 21. John Townsend was reelected mayor of the city by the common council.
A large wooden building in Fox street, occupied by Barney Rhines as a grocery, was consumed by fire at 6 o'clock in the morning. It was supposed to have been fired by an incendiary, and the mayor advertised a re- ward of $100 for the discovery of the perpetrator.
Dec. 24. A fire destroyed four brick dwellings on Westerlo street, belonging to Amos Fanning, which were insured. They were supposed to be set on fire. The hose of two engines was cut to prevent the extinguish- ment of the flames.
Dec. 25. James Humphrey died, aged 37.
Dec. 28. The whole quantity of down freight received by the Erie and Champlain canals at Albany, during the year 1829, was 75,500 tons, consisting principally of the following articles :
260,520 barrels flour.
18,558 barrels ashes.
13,241 barrels provisions.
39,218 bushels salt.
18,194 barrels whiskey.
3,744 hogsheads whiskey.
9,493 boxes glass.
199
Notes from the Newspapers.
9,132 barrels lime. 266,287 bushels wheat.
206,251 bushels corn, rye and oats. 132,164 bushels barley.
Also, 18,008 cords of wood.
32,156 feet timber. 17,130 M. shingles. 28,180,844 feet lumber.
The amount of property conveyed from the city of Albany was 33,090 tons; the tolls on which were $161,- 418.64.
The tonnage of vessels that paid wharfage at Albany in 1821, was 8,802 tons; 1824, 97,895 tons; 1828, 158,- . 647 tons. This would be increased about 30,000 tons by the oyster and fruit trade, not registered.
Dec. 25. Capt. Henry Brown died at Charlton, Sara- toga county, aged 80. He had formerly resided in Albany; was an officer in the revolutionary war, and present at the siege of Quebec by Montgomery, and sub- sequently at the battles of Monmouth and Trenton.
Dec. 30. Mrs. Marinda, wife of Ira Murphy, died, aged 31.
The superintendent of the almshouse submitted to the common council an abstract from the register, showing the number of paupers entered each year since 1806, as follows:
1806
2
1818
148
1807
2
1819
161
1808
1
1820
159
1809
1
1821
137
1810
9
1822
189
1811
8
1823
225
1812
15
1824
233
1813
72
1825
174
1814
84
1826
261
1815
145
1827
368
1816
176
1828
285
1817
143
1829
420
Total .... . 3418.
Births, 30; deaths, 264.
1
200
Notes from the Newspapers.
Jasper S. Keeler, inspector of flour in Albany, reported that he had inspected 34,913 barrels during the year 1829.
1830.
Jan. 1. The new year day was remarkable for its mildness. The weather was as mild as spring; the river was quite clear of ice, and the steam boats were running at 50 cents fare; there was no frost in the ground; the trees were budding, and the winter wheat had the ap- pearance it usually puts on in the latter part of March. In consequence of the temperance movement many houses served coffee to their guests instead of liquors, for the first time.
January 2. There was a violent rain storm in the evening, accompanied by vivid lightning, and tremendous peals of thunder.
Jan. 3. Martha H., wife of Robert Swain, died, aged 34.
Jan. 4. A tannery in Lumber street, and several dwell- ing houses, were burnt.
Jan. 5. The legislature met. The senate was called to order by John F. Bacon, Esq., clerk, and the annual message received from E. Throop, governor, and read. In the house Erastus Root was elected speaker by 93 votes; Francis Granger receiving 30.
Arthur N. Sherman issued a new literary paper called The Albanian, which the literary characters of the city, male and female, had undertaken to fill semi-monthly with original articles.
Jan. 9. The day was very cold with flurries of snow, and the steam boats did not arrive till about five hours after their usual time, having been much impeded on their way by ice.
Jan. 10. It commenced to rain, with the wind from the south, and the steam boats came up much as usual.
Jan. 11. Dr. Alden March delivered a lecture intro- ductory to his course of anatomy, in which he discussed at length the importance and feasibility of establishing
201
Notes from the Newspapers.
a hospital and medical school in Albany. He has lived to see them both.
The trustees of the African Baptist church got per- mission of the common council to circulate a subscription to obtain money to pay off their debt.
Gov. Lincoln in his annual message to the Massachu- setts legislature, urged the adoption of energetic measures for establishing the proposed rail road from Boston to the Hudson river.
Jan. 11. The river closed for the season. The new Philadelphia came up to within 26 miles of the city, but in consequence of the ice, was obliged to be stopped, and her passengers reached the city by land conveyance. The river had very seldom been open to so late a period. In 1810 it closed on the 19th, and in 1825 on the 5th of January.
Jan. 12. The German Benevolent Society held its first annual meeting in the Lutheran church. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:
Rev. F. G. Mayer, president.
John I. Ostrander, vice president.
Christian Miller, treasurer.
Paul Hochstrasser, secretary. Daniel Pohlman, agent.
Henry Newman, Henry W. Snyder, John Feltman, Frederick Van Wormer, George Young, acting commit- tee.
The acting committee made a report of their proceed- ings for the past year : that from the time the agent com- menced his duties, Nov. 25, 1828 to the 25th Nov. 1829, 93 families and 33 unmarried persons, all German immi- grants, arrived in this city. That 17 of the families had received pecuniary aid from the small funds of the society. That this aid, and the counsel, assistance and advice of the agent, in forwarding them to their respective places of destination was in every instance received with the warmest expressions of gratitude; and that of the whole number, 8 families only now remained in the city. The [Annals, ix.] 18
202
Notes from the Newspapers.
accounts of the treasurer showed that the receipts had been $102.50, and the disbursements $100.62. Several of the families that remained were unable to proceed, and the society had not funds to aid them. It therefore ap- peared that with very trifling pecuniary means, a large number of strangers, ignorant of our language, have been assisted and comforted, and the city relieved of many who would otherwise have become a burden to it. The society proposed to get up a concert of sacred music at the church in aid of its funds.
Jan. 19. William W. Williams died, aged 62.
The New York State Temperance Society held its first anniversary in the assembly chamber, Reuben H. Wal- worth, president.
Jan. 22. Jane Pruyn, wife of Cornelius W. Groesbeeck, died. aged 43.
Levi Sexton died.
Jan. 24. James Matchett died, aged 80.
Jan. 29. A fire destroyed two buildings on the dock near Lydius street, owned and occupied by one Marks. Jan. 31. John C. Sickles died.
The committee of a temperance society, after making a thorough investigation of the subject, arrived at the following statistics of intemperance in the city of Albany : Estimated population, 25,000.
415 taverns and groceries.
200,000 gallons of spirits sold to be used in the city. 500 habitual drunkards.
4,000 tipplers.
2,000 who practice total abstinence.
200 families do.
9 groceries declining the sale of liquors.
2 taverns do.
200 deaths by intemperance.
100 widows by do.
170 orphans by do.
$100,000 expended for liquors at the lowest estimate.
Feb. 1. Dr. Caleb Child died, aged 71, father of Ed- mund B. Child.
203
Notes from the Newspapers.
Feb. 2. Rev. John Sellon died and was buried from Congress Hall on the 4th.
Ruby, wife of Joseph Walker, died, aged 37.
Feb. 6. A stage coach of Thorp & Sprague's line left the American Hotel in Albany at 20 minutes past 9 A. M., with 9 passengers, and arrived in Utica at 35 minutes past 5 P. M., performing the route in 8h. 15m., which was at the rate of 12 miles an hour, including stops.
A meeting of the Lancaster school society was held at the Capitol, Archibald Campbell chairman, Joseph Henry secretary, when it appeared by the report of the trustees that for a little more than $1700 nearly 1300 children had enjoyed the privileges of the school. The officers of the society consisted of Simeon De Witt president, Gideon Hawley vice president, Charles R. Webster treas- urer, and Joseph Henry secretary.
Feb. 7. Thermometer 15 deg. below zero.
Feb. 9. Sarah Tully died, aged 72.
Feb. 13. Moses Hayden, a senator from the 8th dis- trict, died at the Eagle tavern, aged 44.
Feb. 15. A concert in aid of the German Benevolent Society was given at the Lutheran church. The expenses were said to have been so great in getting up this con- cert, that although that small church was well filled, a very small balance was left. It was proposed to repeat it in St. Peter's church for the joint benefit of the German Benevolent Society and the Rev. Mr. Bury of St. Paul's church, which was done with better results.
[This was one of the first exhibitions of sacred music that had been given in Albany for many years. It had been got up almost entirely by amateurs, at the instance of the Rev. F. G. Mayer, himself an adept in the art. It succeeded admirably, and was said, at the time, to have been the best musical performance ever before heard in Albany. It is doubtful which party was the most sur- prised and delighted, the audience or the musicians; the first, that so much musical talent existed and had lain so long dormant among them; and the other to find them- selves all at once so much more highly gifted than they
204
Notes from the Newspapers.
had ever dreamt of. The impulse was thus given, and concert after concert for benevolent objects succeeded each other for more than a year with increasing popularity and success, until it eventuated in the formation of the ALBANY SACRED MUSIC FUND SOCIETY, under the leader- ship of Isaac P. Cole and afterwards of S. B. Pond and others, which existed for some 10 or 12 years, accumu- lating a large musical library and other property, and becoming extremely popular. They attempted, with good success, a higher and more classical order of music than had been produced in Albany before.
To this society belonged all the musical professors and amateurs of any note, both male and female, of the day; many of whom still survive and are among our best citi- zens.
As an instance of the attractiveness and excellence of their performances, it may be stated, that on one occa- sion (in aid of the Orphan Asylum) in 1833, the gross re- ceipts were upwards of $700.]
Feb. 17. Daniel Reading died, aged 43. At his funeral Rev. E. N. Kirk, from some information he had received, pronounced him a drunkard, but afterwards publicly retracted the charge.
Eli Roberts, an eminent instructor of sacred music, died, aged 63 (father of Azor C. Roberts).
Feb. 18. A convention of mechanics was held, which organized a political association, known as the Working- men's party. Hawthorn McCulloch was chairman of the executive committee, Henry Rector corresponding secre- tary, and John F. Porter, recording secretary.
Feb. 19. Capt. William Ensign died in New York.
Robert Martin died, aged 54.
Feb. 21. Edwin Moseley died, aged 46, formerly of Westfield, Mass.
Feb. 25. Nancy, wife of Robert McFarlan, died, aged 38.
A Unitarian preacher by the name of Thompson, is supposed to have been the pioneer of that sect in this city. His first sermon was delivered on the 21st Feb.,
205
Notes from the Newspapers.
and on the 28th he preached in the Capitol morning and evening.
Feb. 27. A state antimasonic convention, which had been in session three days, adjourned.
At a meeting of the common council, Gerrit T. Bradt, superintendent of the south ferry, reported the receipts for two years to have been $17,013.96; expenses $4,227.62: balance $12,786.34.
The committee for building the City Hall reported that they had contracted with the agent of the Sing Sing pri- son for marble for three sides of the building for $11,500.
The committee on the Albany Academy and Lancaster School reported a plan by which ten district schools could be supported. They estimated that there were 3200 children in the compact part of the city, between the ages of 5 and 16 years; of which number the
Albany Academy instructed, 200
Female Academy and Seminary, 400
Lancaster School, 400
Catholic Schools 400
Private Schools, 500
Children attending no school, 200
2200
Leaving 1000, or 200 for each of five district schools. The expense of five more schools was estimated at $8,100, and a resolution was passed by the board that a com- mittee should be appointed to draft a law for the estab- lishment of district schools.
March 19. Elizabeth Waters, wife of Cornelius Egberts, died, aged 24.
March 20. The steam boat Constellation arrived at her dock, the first boat of the season.
March 22. The Albany Evening Journal, published by B. D. Packard & Co. and edited by Thurlow Weed, made its first appearance, as a political antimasonic organ.
Herman M. Hardenburgh died; a member of assembly from Sullivan county.
March 25. A snow storm commenced, which continued
206
Notes from the Newspapers.
throughout this and the following day, accompanied by a high wind, leaving 28 inches of snow on the ground, 12 inches more than had fallen during the whole winter. Pigeons had begun their migration, and thousands of them were overwhelmed in the storm, and they were taken in great abundance in the valley of the Buttermilk creek.
March 27. Abigail, wife of Charles K. Strong, died.
Ezekiel Scott Smith died, aged 31 years, a hatter, and a man of considerable literary celebrity.
March 31. Jenkin Jenkins died, aged 35.
April 3. The Farmers', Mechanics' and Workingmen's Advocate was first published by McPherson & McKercher, as the organ of a new political party.
April 5. Paul Hochstrasser resigned the office of clerk of the common council, and John W. Hyde was appointed.
The finance committee, consisting of Messrs. Corning, Hart, Seymour, Fowler, and Wasson, reported that the business of the chamberlain's office had increased in the item of receipts and expenditures in the last nine years $265,864.77. In 1820 they were $54,923; in 1829 they were $320,788.33. They proposed some changes in the mode of managing the city business, and to increase the salary of the chamberlain from $600 to $750; and that of the clerk of the board from $350 to $450.
April 10. Gertrude Abel, wife of Ryer Schermerhorn, died, aged 43.
April 13. Daniel McGlashan died, aged 39. He was alderman of the second ward, overseer of the poor, and one of the justices of the peace, and enjoyed the reputa- tion of an honorable and upright citizen.
Elizabeth, wife of James Taylor, died, aged 24.
April 15. Roswell Steele and George Warren formed a copartnership in the hardware business.
April 16. George R. Hendrickson died, aged 29.
Anna, wife of Abraham Gould, died, aged 26.
April 20. The legislature adjourned, having passed 300 laws.
The first canal boats left for the west.
207
Notes from the Newspapers.
Sarah Wendell died, aged 59.
Calvin Edson exhibited himself as the living skeleton. He was 42 years old, five feet two inches in stature, and weighed 60 lbs.
April 21. The Mechanics' and Farmers' Bank declared a dividend of fifty per cent upon its capital stock.
Margaretta, wife of Kilian K. Van Rensselaer, died, aged 66.
April 22. An explosion took place on board the Chief Justice Marshall on her upward trip, near Newburgh, by which several persons were badly injured, of which num- ber six died.
April 23. John Cassidy, alderman of the second ward, died, aged 46. He had held the office of alderman several years, was actively interested in all measures intended to advance the prosperity of the city, and greatly respected for his benevolence and humanity.
By a law of the legislature, the Capitol was placed in the hands of trustees, who appointed Henry Weaver su- perintendent.
Joshua De Graff died, aged 48.
John Y. Staats was buried from the house of his brother W. W. Staats, 195 North Market street.
April 24. Capt. John Leake died, aged 82.
The steam boat Victory was withdrawn from the Hud- son river, and ran on the East river between New York and Hartford. The fare on that route had been $5; the Victory ran for $3; whereupon the old boats came down to $1.50.
May 3. At a meeting of the common council Garret Gates reported in favor of changing the name of Capitol street to Park street.
May 4. An election was held for town officers. The Workingmen's ticket succeeded in all but the first ward. In the third and fifth wards there was no opposition to their candidates, and in the second and fourth every inch was contested. It was about this time that Mr. Cros- well of the Argus claimed that, as goes the fourth ward so goes the state. The antimasons polled 25 ballots in
208
Notes from the Newspapers.
the first ward, 21 in the second, and 44 in the fourth; in all 90. They had no ticket in the other wards.
The following vote was cast :
WORKINGMEN.
DEMOCRATS.
First Ward.
Supervisor, John Taylor,. . 187 Barent P. Staats, .. .... 279
Assessor. Green Hall, 485 No opposition.
Second Ward.
Supervisor, Josiah Winants, ..
260 Wm. Seymour, .. 245
Assessor. I. L. Judson,. 273 James D. Wasson, . 236
Third Ward.
Supervisor, N. Bleecker, 104
Assessor, H. V. Hart,
105
Fourth Ward.
Supervisor, S. S. Fowler,
303
Joseph Alexander,
.... 226
Assessor, Robert Boyd, 283 Philip Hooker, .. .... 253
Fifth Ward.
Supervisor, J. N. Quackenbush, . 81 Assessor, Benjamin Wilson, .... 84
May 8 and 9. There was frost at night, and the days were unusually cold for May.
May 9. Maria A. Winne, wife of Dr. Barent P. Staats, died, aged 26.
May 11. Peter Brooks died, aged 54.
May 12. Israel Williams advertised that he had re- moved from Washington county, and opened an office at 388 Broadway, a few doors north of the City Hotel.
Louisa Maria, wife of Silas B. Howe, died, aged 23.
May 18. An election took place in the second ward for two aldermen to fill the places of Messrs. Cassidy and McGlashan, deceased, and of assistant alderman in place of William Seymour, who had resigned in order to be a candidate for alderman. The result was as follows:
WORKINGMEN. DEMOCRATS. Aldermen, John Lossing, 344 Wm. Seymour, 360
Abra'm Covert, 352 Seth Hastings, 357
Assistant, Jacob Downing, 332 Oliver G. De Graff, 368 May 19. Ann, wife of Sybrant Kittle, died, aged 52.
May 20. The Fourth Presbyterian church was dedi- cated; the Rev. Mr. Beman of Troy delivering the ser- mon.
209
Notes from the Newspapers.
There were both frost and ice in the vicinity of the city on this night.
May 21. The New Philadelphia, Capt. Seymour, arrived from New York in 10h. 53m.
Jane, wife of Millington Lockwood, died, aged 45.
May 24. Israel Smith, president of the Fourth Pres- byterian church, sent a communication to the common council declining a lot which had been appropriated to that society for a burial ground.
The land committee appropriated a lot of ground to the Second Methodist Episcopal church, bounded by Hud- son, Snipe and Lancaster streets on three sides, and by the burial ground of the Reformed Presbyterian church on the west.
May 29. The banks depreciated the value of pistareens, which were worth 20 cents to 16 cents ; the coin having become worn.
June 1. Mrs. Gertrude Vandenburgh died, aged 73.
June 2. Margaret, wife of Nathan Manson, died, aged 16.
June 4. Jacob I. Lansing died, aged 77.
June 4. Frederick Matthews, of the firm of A. W. Kingsley & Co., died, aged 38.
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