USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol IX > Part 20
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May 26. John, son of Chester Bulkley, died at Amherst, Mass., aged 19.
May 28. Diana, wife of Wm. Mc Clure, died, aged 25. June 2. John C. French died, aged 50.
June 4. James L. Boardman died, aged 30.
A fire in State street destroyed several rear buildings and spreading to Washington street. destroyed fifteen stores and dwellings.
June 4. The common council raised the salary of the chamberlain to $1000, and that of the poor master to $500. At the same meeting they made arrangements for the reception of President Jackson, who was expected here on his northern tour.
June 5. The demolition of the Vanderheyden house in North Pearl street was commenced, in order to make room for the Baptist church which now stands partly upon its site.
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Notes from the Newspapers.
June 7. Mary B., wife of Rev. David Brown and daughter of L. Cruttenden, died, aged 35.
June 9. James Van Bramer died, aged 41.
June 18. Joannah, wife of Cornelius A. Waldron, died, aged 41.
June 23. John B. Southwick died, aged 28. He was a son of Solomon Southwick.
June 24. The common council resolved, 8 to 5 to widen Hudson street from Union to Market streets, by taking 14 feet on the south side. Spring street was directed to be opened from Hawk to Swan street.
June 26. Mrs. Rachel Slingerland died, aged 83.
June 30. Frederick Slecht died at Coeymans, aged 79. He was born at Helmstadt, in the dutchy of Brunswick, Lower Saxony, and served in the British army under Burgoyne, with whom he was taken at Saratoga. He was characterized as " a man of real merit, who by his industry acquired a good property, which he left to be enjoyed by a respectable family."
June 31. William Martin died, aged 32.
July 1. William Dunkley died, aged 76.
July 2. Naomi, wife of H. A. Bancraft, died, aged 31.
July 3d. Hezekiah Skinner, of the firm of Webster & Skinners, died at Hartford, aged 48.
July 4. The day was celebrated with unwonted enthu- siasm and display. The declaration was read by J. V. L. Pruyn, and the oration was delivered by adjutant general Levi Hubbel. Twenty-four young ladies from Schenectady, each representing a state, sung Hail Colum- bia. Marshal of the day Col. Peter V. Shankland. The military, firemen and civic societies were out in fine display.
July 10. Amantha, wife of Charles T. Smyth, died.
The editor of the Daily Advertiser, from observation and inquiry, formed the opinion that the manufacture of iron castings was brought to greater perfection in Albany than in any other place in the country, or even in Europe. The hollow ware of Bartlett, Bent & Co., was preferred to the best Scotch; the stoves of Dr. Nott received the
P
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Notes from the Newspapers.
preference wherever they were known, and the machin- ery castings of Many & Ward were equal to those of any foundery in the world. The quantity of castings produced was stated as follows:
Howard, Nott & Co., 1000 tons.
Bartlett, Bent & Co.,
350
I. & J. Townsend, 300
Rathbone & Silliman,
200
Many & Ward, 450
-- 2300
About one thousand persons were employed in these establishments. Besides these productions, the house of Heermans, Rathbone & Co. sold annually 750 tons of stove plates brought from Philadelphia, and Gill, Cooper & Co. about 300 tons, from the same place. From the best in- formation that could be obtained, it was found that there were about 2300 tons manufactured and sold in the city, and about 1250 tons imported and sold here, making in all 3,550 tons.
July 11. Thomas Atwood Bridgen died, aged 40.
The subscription books for the stock of the New York and Albany rail road were opened at the Eagle tavern.
July 16. The chamberlain of the city of Albany vs. James Blackall, was the title of a suit brought before the police court to recover the sum of $6 as a penaly for permitting three of the defendant's swine to go at large in the city of Albany. The jury consisted of Warner Daniels, foreman, James Hunter, Robert Strong, Robert Gill, Chester Judd, and Joseph Brown. The prosecu- tion was conducted by David Hosford; the counsel for the defendant was Calvin Pepper. These were for a long time the most eminent counsel at the bar of the police and justices courts. There were many who professed strong doubts of the propriety and constitutionality of the law restraining swine from running at large, and who regarded the presence of hogs in the streets to be conducive to the general health of the city. They were particularly hostile to one John Baker, who brought this suit, and who had undertaken to impound all hogs found
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Notes from the Newspapers. .
in the streets as a chosen profession, and it was one which it was thought he was adapted to by nature as well as inclination .* The counsel for the defendant argued that the ordinance under which Baker acted, professed to be for the abatement of nuisances, when in fact it promoted infinitely greater nuisance by compelling owners to con- fine their hogs in narrow pens near their own dwellings and those of their neighbors; while it left the offal to rot and putrify either in houses or in the public streets, which these animals had been accustomed to consume. The unconstitutionality of the law, the hardships it im- posed upon the owners of the swine, the malpractices of the swine driver under the law, were all forcibly pre- sented. The counsel for the complainant contended that if the law was distasteful to the public, they must peti- tion for its repeal; but he repelled with becoming indig- nation the insinuation that Mr. Baker, the efficient, vigilant and faithful agent of the corporation, would himself impound the swine found at large, and afterwards turn them out of the pound for the purpose of making a further complaint; and that it was much more reason- able to suppose that the owners had themselves broken open the pound for the purpose of liberating their own property.
Justice Cole submitted the cause to the jury without any charge or expression of opinion, and the jury forth- with returned a verdict for the defendant.
July 18. James Dunlap died, aged 66.
July 20. Eliza, wife of Hiram Perry, died.
July 22. At a meeting of the common council, the mayor delivered a long speech concerning the proceed- ings of the Mohawk and Hudson rail road company in tearing up the street for the purpose of laying another track in State street, and concluded by recommending the prosecution of the company for an unlawful proceed- ing. The trial came on before Justice Cole on the 1st day of August, when the company was fined $10.
*He received the name of Pig Baker, by which he goes to this day.
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Notes from the Newspapers.
July 25. The corner stone of the Universalist church in Green street was laid with appropriate ceremonies. An address was delivered by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Wil- liamson.
The steam boat Fanny ran between Albany and New York, professedly in opposition to imposition ; fare $1, meals 25 cents.
Aug. 5. At a meeting of the common council the mayor presented a long communication concerning the rail road entering the city through State street. It was submitted to a committee who reported that they thought the com- pany might safely be allowed to approach the basin from Gansevoort street under proper restrictions.
Aug. 6. The mayor's court met, the recorder and aldermen B. P. Staats and E. W. Skinner on the bench. The jury was composed of the following persons: Rens- selaer Westerlo, foreman, John Trotter, John W. Bay, Jesse Howe, John Laisdell, Walter Clark, Edward R. Satterlee, Wm. W. Groesbeeck, Asaph Sykes, Wm. G. Fry, Benjamin Gilbert, John Norton, jr., Caleb N. Bement, Charles A. Hopkins, Joseph Webster, George T. Clark, James Hunter, John Gates. Twenty-seven indictments were found for various offences. The following resolu- tion was passed, ayes 12, noes 6:
Resolved, That this grand jury do recommend to the corporation to change the Lancaster school house, into a work house for the benefit of the city and county of Albany.
Among the structures that were being erected in un- usual numbers, at this time were the Stanwix Hall,* the
*Stanwix Hall was first named The Pavilion, which was cut on a large stone tablet, on the Broadway front. After the buiding was nearly completed, the owners, whose father (Brig. Gen. Gansevoort, who died 1812) had distinguished himself in the defense of Fort Stan- wix (now Rome, Oneida co.) during the revolutionary war, changed it to its present name in his honor. Workmen were employed to alter the tablet accordingly. It was done rather privately behind a screen, so that very few knew what was going on until the screen was removed .- P.
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Notes from the Newspapers.
Female Academy and Baptist church in North Pearl street, the Universalist church in Green street, the Friends' meeting house in Plain street, the large building for a ยท rail road depot in State street, now known as Van Vechten Hall. Messrs. I. & J. Townsend were building up Jay street, and Harmanus Bleecker was erecting a block of dwellings from Pearl to Chapel streets on Steu- ben street. Wm. P. Van Rensselaer was erecting a fine house in Elk street, and Charles L. Webb on the corner of Park place and Fayette street. Nothing had been seen before on so grand a scale.
Aug. 7. John Malcolm died.
Aug. 8. Charles F. Durant, the aeronaut, made an ascension in a balloon from Meeks's garden, corner of Swan and Fayette streets, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon; he was wafted in a southwesterly direction, and attained an altitude of about 5000 feet; alighting in New Scotland, 12 miles from the city, at 6h. 47m.
Aug. 15. Jane Keown died, aged 43.
Aug. 19. At a meeting of the common council the navigation committee recommended the removal of the obstructions in the river at the Overslaugh; whereupon the board appropriated $1000 to that purpose to be paid when a like sum should be raised by subscription.
The city surveyor reported that the expense of raising the grade of that part of the city lying below Ferry street and east of South Pearl would be from $50,000 to $60,000.
Duncan McLachlan died, aged 55.
Aug. 20. James McGlashan died, aged 30.
In digging the foundation for the new livery stable of Wasson & Jewell in Middle lane, the workmen found a quantity of bomb shells which were charged with pow- der. A building, occupied as a military store house, stood here in the revolutionary war. It was owned by Philip Van Rensselaer, who afterwards lived at Cherry hill. He was a commissary during the revolution, and had charge of the public stores for the northern army, particularly during the years 1776 to 1778. After the war, this building was suffered to fall into decay, and
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Notes from the Newspapers.
the cellar filled with water. It was said that when the old artillery company was formed, soon after peace was restored, the state having no field pieces to supply them with, a suggestion was made by some one who had been in Mr. Van Rensselaer's service, that there was probably one or more iron cannon among the rubbish in this old store house, and search having been made, two iron four pounders were found in the cellar and taken out. They were fitted up and used until the state replaced them with brass field pieces. It was one of these guns which became famous in the hands of Jonathan Kidney, and was long used for firing salutes from Robison's hill on all suitable occasions. He called it The Clinton, in honor of George Clinton. It was drawn up in Green street in 1788 to be discharged upon the federal procession. (See vol. i, 335.)
Wasson & Jewell had been obliged to give up their location on the corner of Maiden lane and Dean street in consequence of the erection of a part of Stanwix Hall upon it. These premises had been in use as a livery stable by various persons since 1807, and it was proba- bly the first establishment of the kind in Albany. Pre- vious to that time a brewery stood there. Before the revolution and up to the period of its demolition in 1807, it was known as Harme (Harmen) Gansevoort's brewery, and many a barrel of good beer, made of wheat, has been brewed on that spot. It was a pleasantry with the old people of those times, to say that when the brewer wanted to give a special flavor to a choice brewing, he would wash his old leather breeches in it; showing that the slanders against Albany brewers and Albany ale is not a new thing but of considerable antiquity. So late as 1833, when the dome of Stanwix Hall was raised, the Dutchmen of that day called it old Harme Gansevoort's brew kettle turned upside down. The business appears to have been as lucrative a century ago as it now is, for old Harme Gansevoort died a very rich man.
Sept. 4. Wiliam C. Sloan, formerly of Albany, died in New York, aged 37.
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Notes from the Newspapers.
- Sept. 5. At a meeting of the common council a reso- lution was offered to permit the rail road company to continue their road through the streets from Gansevoort to the basin. It was opposed by Messrs. Groesbeck and Van Vechten; the vote was adverse, as follows: Aye, Messrs. Cornell, Corning, Norton, Staats, Stevens, 5; No, Messrs. Gould, Groesbeck, Porter, Robison, Skinner, Van Vechten, Van Rensselaer, Van Ness, 9.
Sept. 6. Margaret, wife of John H. Boyd, died, aged 34.
The old brick dwelling at the northeast corner of State and North Pearl streets, well known as the Lydius house, owned by Messrs. James and George Dexter, was taken down for the purpose of erecting upon its site Apotheca- ries Hall.
Sept. 13. James Farrel died, aged 35.
Sept. 24. Deborah G. Fry died, aged 30; daughter of Joseph Fry.
Richard Briggs died, aged 27.
Sept. 24. The charter election took place, and the re- sult was a tie in the board of aldermen, each party hav- ing ten members in the board.
REPUBLICAN. DEMOCRATIC.
First Ward.
Aldermen. J. L'Amoreux, ... 360 John E. Lovett, . 395
Joseph Fry, .. 365 Levi Cornell,. 399
Assistants. Angus McDuffy, ... 389 George M. Stevens, 370
Wm. Lyons, . 343 Wm. I. Winne, . 373
Second Ward.
Aldermen. I. L. Judson, 325 Seth Hastings, . 392
John Meads, . 307 James D. Wasson, . 383
Assistants. Josiah Winants, .... 309 Thomas Lee, .. 389
S. V. R. Humphrey, 327 Hiram Perry, 37"
Third Ward.
Aldermen. Teunis Van Vechten, 166 Peter Gansevoort, 134
Israel Williams, .... 160 C. A. Ten Eyck, 142
Assistants. Arnold Nelson, .... 179 William White,. 137
Geo. McPherson, ... 166 J. Schoonmaker, 121
Fourth Ward.
Aldermen. Friend Humphrey,. 388 Lemuel Steele, 400
Jared L. Rathbone,. 402 James Maher, 411
[ Annals, ix.] 24
,
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Notes from the Newspapers.
REPUBLICAN. DEMORATIO.
Assistants. James Robinson, .. . 402 James G.Mather,. 404
W. W. Dougherty, . 391 F. Murdock,. 399
Fifth Ward.
Aldermen. S. Van Rensselaer, Jr. 224 J. N. Quackenbush, 229
James Gibbons, .... 233 Harman V. Hart, 211
Assistants. John Van Ness, Jr .. 233 Heman A. Fay, 215
Wm. Gillespie, .... 228 J. V. Volkenburgh, 220
Sept. 25. Allen Murphy died at New Orleans, formerly proprietor of the Adelphi hotel in Albany. The Adelphi hotel was in the old Commercial bank building. The entrance to the hotel was on the east side, towards South Market street. The whole building, excepting the bank- ing room and one store in front, was occupied by the hotel.
Sept. 29. A sermon was preached in the Second Dutch church by the Rev. B. T. Welch, and a collection taken up for the Orphan Asylum, amounting to $245.57.
A petition of citizens having been made to the common council to abolish the Lancaster school and establish nine school houses in as many districts of the city, Mr. Corn- ing, chairman of the special committee on the subject, reported in favor of the project. It appears that the trustees of the several school districts had taken a census of the children over 5 and under 16 years of age, and found 6,217, of which 3,575 had been taught by 34 teach- ers, in the schools under the care of the board of school commissioners, at an expense of about $6000. As it was evident that the whole 6,217 could not be taught in the Lancaster school and the three district school houses already erected, the committee thought it expedient and economical to erect six more buildings, which should serve for school and engine houses, after the plan of the one then in use for those purposes in the second district, and submitted a resolution "That the committee on applica- tions to the legislature be instructed to apply for a law authorizing the corporation to dispose of the Lancaster school house and lots, and apply the proceeds to the erection of a smaller Lancaster school and school district and engine buildings, and to exempt them from the pay-
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Notes from the Newspapers.
ment of $500 per annum from the excise fund for the support of the same."
The memorialists reminded the board that by the acts of the legislature of 1818, 1820, 1822, 1826, and 1828, and donations of the common council, the sum of nearly $200,000, principal and interest, had been contributed to establish the Academy, which gave an education to one or two hundred young men of rich families, while the great body of the 6000 youth of humble rank, were neg- lected. They suggested that as the number which at- tended the Lancaster school had decreased to about 127, that the building should be sold, together with two engine lots and buildings, which it was thought would net $23,000, and that six school houses could be erected for $15,000, and a building for the Lancaster and African schools for $2,500 more.
Oct. John Nugent died.
Oct. 14. Mrs. Sarah S. Curtis died, aged 26.
Oct. 15. Eliza, wife of Robert Harris, died.
Oct. 18. John E. Evertsen died, aged 48.
Oct. 28. Janet Grant died, aged 58.
Oct. 29. Hugh Bradford died, aged 49.
Oct. 31. Charles Herne died, aged 31.
The trustees of the Albany Library gave public notice that by the timely contributions of several of their fel- low citizens they had been enabled to release their in- stitution from debt; and that, having received from the trustees of the Albany Female Academy a grant for four years of the free use of a very suitable room in their new building for the future accommodation of the library, its income would in future be appropriated to its support without being subject to any diminution for rent. This was the last of the Albany library. The trustees are not known to have acted since. The books belonging to it, some of which were valuable, were merged in the library of the Female Academy, where they still re- main.
During this month, the great moral paintings, as they were termed, of Adam and Eve, were exhibited at the
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Notes from the Newspapers.
City Hall, and attracted universal attention. The pro- fits of one day's exhibition were set apart for charitable uses, and the proceeds, $38, sent in to the common coun- eil, who entrusted the fund to the mayor for distribution.
Nov. 2. John Mc Gourkey died, aged 75. He took an active part in the revolution, and throughout his life maintained the character of an upright and respectable citizen.
Nov. 4. The common council, on the remonstrance of nearly all the property owners interested, resolved to suspend the opening of Hudson street above Eagle.
Nov. 6. The election, which at this time was held three days, terminated in the success of the democratic ticket. The vote for members of assembly was as follows.
DEMOCRATIC." REPUBLICAN.
B. P. Staats,
1500 H. G. Wheaton, 1588
.A. Livingston,
1717 S. Veeder,
1620
P. Williams, .. 1708 D. Gallup, .. 1414
The returns from the towns in the country swelled the democratic majority to over 500.
Nov. 7. Jacob Mancius, an old merchant, and formerly post master, died at his residence in Montgomery street.
Nov. 9. Addison Mandell, formerly an attorney in this city, died at his residence in West Florida, aged 41.
Nov. 12. A fire broke out in the wooden building of Aaron Lyon, in Pine street, which destroyed also Archer's tavern on the corner of Pine and Eagle, and two other wooden buildings adjoining on the east. These buildings occupied the site of the State Hall. The loss was about $6000.
Eliza, wife of James Taylor, died.
Nov. 14. Henry Clay arrived in the city and was received with great ceremony by his friends and the people. He was escorted to the Eagle Tavern where he was addressed by the mayor in behalf of the board, by Ambrose Spencer in behalf of the elder citizens, and by J. B. Van Schaick in behalf of the young men of the city. On the following day he visited the City Hall and other places, and left the city in the afternoon. At the City
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Notes from the Newspapers.
Hall he was presented by the young men of the city through Amos Dean, Esq., with a splendid cloak of American cloth, made up in the short space of three hours, by Messrs. Relyea & Wright, which was much admired by Mr. Clay, but is not paid for to this day.
Nov. 15. A fire in Water street destroyed a wheel- wright shop and stable.
Notice was given of an application to the legislature for the incorporation of the City Bank of Albany, with a capital of $500,000. The following names were signed to the notice: Chauncey Humphrey, John H. Prentice, Albert Gallup, James Horner, S. S. Fowler, Egbert Egberts, Martin Van Alstyne, William Seymour, G. W. Ryckman, James Roby Jr., Thomas M. Burt, John L. Schoolcraft, John Knower.
The Mohawk and Hudson rail road company extended their track down the center of State street. The common council had relieved them of this unnecessary expense, but the majority of the stock was owned in New York, and the directors found that the law of the legislature re- quiring the track to be laid could not be annulled by the city board, and they were apprehensive that their failure to comply strictly with the terms of their charter, re- quiring the track to be laid before a certain day, would reinvest the turnpike company with rail road privileges.
The inhabitants of the upper part of Washington street inclosed the gore formed by the divergence of the turn- pikes, with a fence, and named the inclosure Washington park, contemplating a statue of Washington to ornament the same. But the city laws designated the place as Townsend park.
Nov. 26. A large number of prominent citizens, learn- ing that Benjamin F. Butler was about to leave the city to fill an important office under the general government, tendered him their regrets.
Nov. 29. Dorothy, wife of Job J. Williams, died, aged 30.
Nov. 30. Sally, wife of William Simpson, died, aged 52.
Dec. 1. A meeting of citizens was called at the City Hall to take into consideration the propriety of memori-
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Notes from the Newspapers.
alizing congress for an appropriation to remove obstruc- tions in the river. At a meeting of the common council on the following evening it was determined to send an agent to Washington to present a memorial to congress and to use his influence to promote the passage of an appropriation. The board designated William Seymour such agent unanimously.
Dec. 4. Charles B. Webb died, of the firm of H. & C. Webb & Co.
Israel Smith, treasurer of the Infant school society, reported that the society maintained three schools, having in general attendance nearly 400 scholars; that the salaries of the six teachers amounted to $1050 per annum ; other expenses $100.
Dec. 5. Abraham Oake, late of Albany, died in New York, aged 85.
Dec. 8. John T. Rockwell died, aged 30.
Dec. 10. Mrs. Ann Doyle died, aged 85.
A person, who enshrouded himself with some mystery, under the name of the Wandering Piper, appeared in Albany, and gave two exhibitions at the Lancaster school house, Dec. 13 and 14.
A meeting of the young men of the city was held at the Mayor's Court room, for the purpose of organizing a young men's association for mutual improvement. On motion of Amos Dean, Esq., Charles A. Hopkins was called to the chair, and Wm. Greene and Sidney Sawyer appointed secretaries. Mr. H. Hart explained the objects of the meeting, and a constitution was adopted and presented for signatures.
At an adjourned meeting of the association, held at the same place on the 13th, 220 members present. Amos Dean was elected president.
Robert E. Ward, Ist. vice president.
William Jackson, 2d vice president.
Robert L. Kearney, 3d vice president.
Theodore Olcott, treasurer.
William Greene, recording secretary.
John B. Van Schaick, corresponding secretary.
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Notes from the Newspapers.
Philo K. Cole, Daniel Campbell, William Parmalee, Sidney Sawyer, Walter R. Bush, Dennison Worthington, Samuel B. Woodruff, Charles Woodhouse, William E. Bleecker, Henry Hart, managers.
Dec. 13. The river closed.
Dec. 18. The committee of the board of supervisors appointed for the purpose, advertised that they would receive proposals for a suitable plot of ground for the erection of a workhouse and jail; the plot to be from 100 to 200 feet wide, and from 200 to 300 feet long, not ex- ceeding half a mile from the City Hall.
Dec. 20. John Bleecker died, aged 70.
Dec. 24. Emily, wife of Wm. Carpenter, died, aged 37.
Dec. 30. Hannah, wife of Jonathan Kidney, died, aged 69
George McPherson, alderman of the third ward, died.
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