USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. VI > Part 8
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YOHANNES VAN ALEN COENRAET BORGHGHRDT ABRAM VAN ALSTYN LAMMERT VAN YANSAN
THE SHERIFF OF ALBANY TO SECY. COZENS.
Albany Jany ye 15th 1702-3.
Sr Yours of the 10th Decembr came safe to my hands with an inclosed Order of Councell for the speedy sum- monsing of Johannis Van Alen Coenradt Borghghrdt, Abrahm van Alstyn and Herman van Jansen, the three former I have discharged my Duty by sending them to my Lord & Councell, as dyrected, but the latter Herman van Jansen, is not to be found within my Liberty, no man Knowing such a person in this County,*
Sr I have nothing more to trouble you with only to assure you that I shall allways be very carefull to ex- ecute all Orders I shall Receive from the Govermt And make a true returne of the same by the first opportunity. Sr Your Humb Sert JACOB FIESCH Saerf.
COENRAET BURGERT'S PETITION.
L To his Excellency EDWARD Lord Vice Count CORN- BURY &c &c &c.
The humble petition of Coenraet Burgert, humbly sheweth.
That whereas your Lordship's Petitioner is sumoned by the Sheriff of the Citty and County of Albany by a sumons from Your Lordship and Councill to apear be- fore your Excelly & Councell In New Yorke And whereas
* The warrant was intended for " Lambert" Van Jansen, but "Her- man" was inserted, it appears, by mistake.
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Church of Kinderhook.
I demanded a Copy of the Sumonce from the Sheriff & would give him all Due Satisfaction therefore which he Denyed to give me, soe that as yett I know not what is aleadged against me; therefore Your Excelly & Councills petitioner humblys Begs Your Excelly favour to Refer the Case till the Spring of the year by Reason of the Could Winter and Ilconveniencys to my Great Damage of my family or If Your Excell: Would be Pleased to Referr the Case to be Decided by any Justice or Justices of the Peace, In Our County whom your Lordship shall Please to apoint which favour the Knowledge of yr Excellencys honour and Justice gives me no Reason to Doubt : of and your Petitioner as In Duty bound shall always Pray.
COENRAET BORGHGHRDT. 28th January 1702.
Read in Councill & Rejected
THE SHERIFF OF ALBANY TO SEC. COZENS.
Albany Merch ye 2d 1702-3.
Sr Yors of ye 26th Jany came safe to my hands and was Surprised to find that the three men I summoned by order of Councell have not made their appearance; for they gave me faithfull assurance of their faithfull perform- ance, I have according to order sumond Lammert van Jansen and allso spook to the other three, so that all four designe to be at the Councell before next week Expires; as to your other Letter concerning the No of Males &c wth in this County I shall answare with all the Expedi- tion that may be, which is all from Sr
Your most humble Servt JACOB FIESCHI.
In Council 11th March 1702.
John Van Alen Coenraedt Borghghrdt Abraham van Alstyn and Lammert Jansen appeared before this Board this day in obedience to an order of Councill, and they ac- knowledging their error & submitting themselves thereon were discharged with a caution to be more carefull for the future.
( 100 )
NOTES FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
Continued from vol. v, p. 7.
1813.
Bank Speculations .- The banking capital of the state was at this time $20,350,000, exclusive of $810,000 which the state reserved the privilege of subscribing, making an aggregate of $21,160,000. Notices were given of ap- plication for the incorporation of 18 more banks, with an aggregate capital of $15,250,000. Three of these were from Albany, namely, the Merchants' Bank, the Com- mercial Bank, and North River Bank; in New York, Millers' Bank, Grocers' Bank, Commission Company, Coal Company, Patent Cloth Manufacturing Company, North River Company, Vermont Mining and Smelting Company, also one at Utica, Schenectady, Johnstown, Cooperstown, Auburn, Canandaigua, Geneva, Oxford.
May 29, The Albany regiment on the frontier sustained the loss of Lieut. Col. Mills, who was killed in the un- successful attack of the British on Sackets Harbor. He was mainly instrumental in raising the regiment, and was active and efficient in the public service. (See Alb. Ar- gus June 15, 1813. and May 30, 1844.) .
June 7. Messrs. Websters & Skinners announced for sale The Albany Directory, containing an alphabetical list of the inhabitants, &c., published by them, price 50cts. This was the Directory of Mr. Joseph Fry, the first in the city, which was reprinted in vol. v of Annals.
June 14. A writer in the Gazette urges the importance of filling up the ravines in the city ; he says : "Unless the glens are filled up, the appearance of the city must al- ways be very inelegant and forbidding; exhibiting belts of buildings separated by extensive, desolate and almost impassable chasms."
July 2. A very handsome corps of about 400 infantry, under Col. Cutting, marched from Greenbush on Wed. nesday, July 1, and encamped for the night on the hill
101
Notes from the Newspapers.
west of the Capitol, their destination being the western frontier. On the morning following the citizens of Lion street made up a contribution, and furnished the whole corps with a plentiful treat, after which they took up their line of march.
July. At the annual election of officers of the Mecha- nics' and Farmers' Bank, Isaac Hutton was chosen president, and Thos. Lennington, Peter Boyd, Benj. Knower, Russell Forsyth*, Wm. Fowler,* Wm. Boyd, - Elisha Dorr, Walter Weed, Giles W. Porter*, Benj. Van Benthuysen, Chas E. Dudley, and Thos. Herring, Direc- tors.
July 20. Green & Co advertise that they have just pub- lish a Treatise on the Disorders of Horned Cattle, &c.
July 21. Bread 2lbs. 10oz. and 2lbs. 14oz. for 1 shilling.
Sept. 17. A meeting of the common council was held on the arrival of the news of Perry's victory, when they resolved to present him the freedom of the city, and an elegant sword; that the bells of the city should be rung at 12 o'clock, and continue one hour, and a federal salute be fired; that the masters and owners of vessels should manifest their joy by the usual marks and demon- strations on such occasions, and that the military should be requested to turn out on the occasion. There was consequently as much demonstration of joy as could well be expressed.
Oct. 11. Bread 2lbs. 3oz. and 2lbs. 7oz. for 1s.
The corner stone of the Second Presbyterian church was laid on Monday, Oct. 11, by the Rev. Dr. Neill, and a most solemn, impressive and appropriate address and prayer delivered, in presence of the trustees of said church and a respectable number of citizens. The site of this church is in Chapel street, between Maiden Lane and Pine street; the edifice to be 68 feet by 99, including the tower, and to be built of stone. The gentlemen com- posing the first board of trustees are James Kane, John L. Winne, Nathaniel Davis,* Joseph Russell, and Rode- rick Sedgwick.
Oct. 18. Gilbert Stewart, Richard Lush and James Warren gave notice that they should apply to the legis-
* Surviving, 1854.
102
Notes from the Newspapers.
lature for a charter to incorporate the President, Direc- tors and Company of the Merchants' Bank in the City of Albany, with a capital of one million of dollars.
Oct. 20. John Bogart, George Webster, E. F. Backus, Joseph H. Webb and Vinal Luce gave notice of applica- tion to the legislature for a charter to incorporate the Albany Commercial Bank, with a capital of $1,250,000.
Oct. 28. A reading room was kept by one John Cook, the terms of admission to which were $6 to the reading room alone, and $10 a year including the library. Some thirty years later the Young Men's Association provided extensive reading rooms, a large library and attractive lectures during the winter, for the small sum of two dollars.
Nov. 8. Commodore Perry arrived in the city and put up at the Eagle Tavern.
Nov. 28. A collection taken in the First Presbyterian church in aid of the funds of the society for the relief of indigent women and children, amounting to $170.09.
On the same evening a collection was taken for the same object in the North Dutch Church, which amounted to $231.47
Spafford in his Gazetteer says: There is a steam boat running constantly between Albany and Troy, for the accommodation of passengers, performing four passages each day. The public stages are very numerous that centre in Albany, and the facilities which these afford of traveling by land, correspond with the importance of the place and the intercourse with every part of the country. The line for Utica runs through every day; for New York in two days, for Burlington in Vermont in two days; and there are stages for every part of the country with very little delay of conveyance.
Speaking of the " elegant conveniences" afforded by steam navagation on the Hudson, the same author says there were at this time three steam boats plying between Albany and New York, the largest of which was 170 feet long and 28 wide, which performed their trips in the average time of thirty to thirty-six hours. Their periods, he says, were very regular and uniform, and they had excellent accommodations, being designed for passengers
103
Notes from the Newspapers.
exclusively, passage and board, $7. " Independent of the novelty and ingenuity of the mode, unknown in Europe, the despatch, certainty of time, and entire security, with the perfect convenience and ease with which we pass so rapidly from place to place, we enjoy the proud reflection that the invention is American, and that no other portion of the world enjoys such facilities of intercourse. Could the bold and intrepid Hudson have known what two centuries would produce on the newly discovered waters that his little boat first explored, how would his heart have glowed with great emotions."
Dec. 5. A collection was taken up in the Episcopal church for the benefit of the Ladies' society, incorporated for the benefit of indigent women and children, amount- ing to $200. The total amount taken in the three churches for this object was $602-56, besides private donations made about the same time.
Dec. 6. The common council passed a resolution offer. ing a reward of $1000 to any person discovering a coal mine within the distance of five miles from the navigable waters of the Hudson river, of a strata not less than 4 feet.
Dec. 13. The common council regulated the price of bread, which, it will be seen by the foregoing journal, was constantly fluctuating with the price of flour. About this time flour was $11 a barrel, and the common council, it appears by the manifesto of the bakers, sought to coerce the flour dealers by making the assize of bread corres- pond to $9 per barrel, which was 2lbs. 10oz. for 1 shilling. This threw a heavy burden upon the bakers, and they re- solved to stop business, and thereby starve the people into terms.
Dec. 19. The house erected for the Methodist Episco- pal church in Division street was dedicated at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. This edifice was purchased by the Unitarian society and remodeled in 1844.
Dec. 23. John Bogart, John Townsend, William Marvin, Josiah Sherman, Joseph Webb, Henry W. Delavan, E. F. Backus, Peter P. Dox, Gco. Webster, Peter Van Loon, John Boardman and others, gave notice of application to the legislature for an act of incorporation under the name- of the North River bank, with a capital of $1,250,000. [ Annals, vi.] 10
104
Notes from the Newspapers.
1814.
Jan. 11. The subject of building a bridge across the Hudson at Albany was agitated at this time, and met with spirited opposition from Troy, who represented that their town had for a long time struggled against in- conveniences arising from natural obstructions in the bed of the river between this place and Albany; but now look with the most lively satisfaction at the result of their long and arduous exertions, which, aided by the bounty of the state, have effected an easy and convenient pas- sage for their vessels in those waters.
Jan. 17. The common council appropriated $1000 for the relief of the suffering inhabitants on the western frontier. Private subscriptions were also opened for the same purpose. A collection was taken up in the Episco- pal church, which amounted to $320. At a subsequent meeting of the common council, January 24, a further sum of $3000 was appropriated to the same purpose. The receipts of a benefit at the Theater amounted to $460.
Feb. 6. Annual sermon before the Bible society. The collection on the occasion was $251, and $20 by an un- known hand was added subsequently.
March 6. A charity sermon was preached in the North Dutch church by Dr. Nott and a collection taken up for the benefit of the Humane society, amounting to $474.
March 11. Mr. Bleecker, from the committee of the house of assembly on the bridge across the Hudson at Albany, reported adversely to the project; but the house disagreed with the committee in their report, and ordered that the petitioners have leave to introduce a bill to in- corporate the Hudson River Bridge company; which was read twice and committed.
May 9. The new steam boat Fulton made her first departure from the landing at Albany. She was adver- tised to take a limited number of passengers, no. more than could be comfortably accommodated, at $10 each. She took 60 passengers, and made but one trip and re- turn a week. She was built to ply between New York and New Haven, but the presence of British cruisers
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105
Notes from the Newspapers.
rendered the navigation of the sound unsafe. She was commanded by Captain Bunker.
May 31. With pleasure we inform the public that arrangements have been made to carry the mail from Albany to Brattleboro twice a week, by a regular line of stages, to start from Brattleboro in the morning and ar- rive at Albany the same day. The gentleman engaged in this enterprise, Mr. Hicks, will allow no accident to happen by any inattention of his. We hope the pro- prietors of the Green Mountain Turnpike will spare no pains to keep the roads in repair, by which the travel from Boston to Albany can be performed with greater · safety than by any other route.
Sept. 3. A meeting of the citizens was held at the Cap- itol, which recommended the suspension of specie pay- ments by the banks, in consequence of a similar step by the banks of New York and Philadelphia.
Troy. The number of inhabitants in Troy in 1810, was 3,894, in 1814, 4,836-increase in 4 years, 945.
Geo. W. Mancius was removed from the post office and Peter P. Dox appointed in his stead. The former had retained the office a long time.
1815.
The census of the county of Albany was as follows:
Towns.
1810.
1814.
Gain.
Loss.
Watervliet
2365
2564
199
Colonie
1406
1657
251
City of Albany
9356
10083
727
Bethlehem
4430
4325
102
Coeymans
3574
3272
302
Rensselaerville
5928
5333
595
Bern
5134
4447
689
Guilderland
2466
2264
202
34661
33945
1177
1890
The number of free white males, 4,860; do. females, 5,063; slaves, 100; total 10,023.
March 16. A law passed the legislature for dividing the towns of Rensselaerville and Coeymans, and forming from them the town of Westerlo.
106
Notes from the Newspapers.
The town of Colonie was annexed to the city of Albany' by an act of the legislature, forming the fifth ward.
Illumination of the city on occasion of the restoration of peace.
Collections were taken up about this time in the dif- ferent churches for the benefit of the Society for the Relief of Indigent Women and Children, which resulted as fol- lows:
In the Reformed Dutch Church $230.00
Episcopal Church. 158.00
Presbyterian Church 90.22
Rev. Mr. McDonald's Church 59.28
Baptist Church 8.51
Catholic Church 25.19
April 3. Bread 2lbs. 14 oz. for 1s.
May 8. do. 2 12
May 1. Notice .- Wm. McHarg having taken into part- nership Rufus H. King, the business in future will be conducted under the firm of McHarg & King, No. 51 South Market (late Court) street.
May. The clergymen of the different churches in the city at this time were as follows:
John M. Bradford,
1st R. P. Dutch.
John De Witt,
2d
William Neill,
1 st Presbyterian.
John Mc Donald, 2d
Timothy Clowes,
St. Peter's.
Isaac Webb,
1st Particular Baptist.
John McJimsey,
Associate Reformed.
Frederick G. Mayer,
Lutheran.
Methodist.
Catholic.
Division of the Dutch Church .- There were two edi- fices belonging to the Reformed Protestant Dutch con- gregation, which still remained united in one society, holding property in common, and usually designated as the North Dutch Church and the South Dutch Church. They were under the pastoral charge of the Rev. John M. Bradford and John De Witt. At this time there was some difference of feeling existing among the people, which led to a separation of interests, and a division of property ... By an arrangement the North Church retained the ancient
107
Notes from the Newspapers.
title, with Dr. Bradford as pastor, and the South Church assumed the title of the Second Reformed Protestant Dutch Church and retained Dr. De Witt. The Great Consistory (which consisted of the existing members and surviving exmembers) was composed of the following persons at this time :
Elders.
Died.
Elders. Died.
Isaac Bogart,
Sept. 27, 1818
Casparus Pruyn
Harm's A. Wendell, July 16, 1819
Elbert Willett,
Feb. 1, 1828
William Staats,
May, 1825
Simeon De Witt,
Dec. 3, 1834
Christian Miller, Dec. 1844 Jas. La Grange, Feb. 16. 1827 David Pruyn. Jan. 1843
Jacob Van Loon,
Henry I. Bogart, Jan. 1821
John I. Ostrander.
John H. Wendell,
July 10, 1832
Sanders Lansing,
Sept. 19, 1850
Jacob I. Lansing, June 4, 1830 Peter W. Hilton.
Henry R. Lansing, Aug. 10, 1819
Ab'm Ten Eyck, Oct., 1824 Deacons.
June. The corporation appropriated fifty acres of valuable land, in a very healthy and salubrious situation, on the south bounds of the city, half a mile west of the river, and near the present poor house establishment, for the new alms house, which is contemplated, and for gardens, &c., to be connected with the institution.
At this time the Academy was being built, for the en- dowment of which grants had been made; also, for the erection of a school-house for poor children, on the plan of Lancaster. The appropriations of the city to these purposes, exclusive of the sites, were not less than a hundred or a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The Academy is represented as situated on the north- west corner of the public square, on a line with the Cap- itol. The main building is 80 feet long by 70, and the wings 30 feet by 45. The building to be three stories high.
The Lancaster school-house is to be on a scale suffi- ciently large for the reception of 500 children in one room. The building to be two stories, exclusive of the basement story. Its site is in Eagle street, at its inter- section with Lancaster street, formerly Tiger street-a very happy and appropriate change in the name, and we trust ominous of great good to the rising generation.
The corner-stone of the Academy was laid on Satur-
-
108
Notes from the Newspapers.
day afternoon, at four o'clock, July 29, by Philip S. Van Rensselaer.
To expand the circle of social intercourse and human happiness, by the mild influence of the arts and sciences, which so eminently embellish and invigorate the intellec- tual faculties of man, our corporation have munificently contributed, by laying the corner-stone of the Albany Academy on Saturday last, with an adequate appropria- tion to complete it.
That this ancient city should be thus late in the estab- lishment of a permanent seminary for the higher grades of education, might excite some surprise, if the genius of the government under which it was founded, the succes- sive revolutions it experienced during its colonial depend- ence, the change of language and laws imposed by its cession to the English, and the superior attractions of its younger sister on the sea-board, were either unknown or disregarded.
Until the New-England colonists, who, laboring under common apprehensions, and actuated by a common im- pulse, transported their families and religious institu- tions, matured by a strict discipline, under the fostering care of pious and intelligent men, whose prominent ob- ject was to secure for themselves and their posterity a permanent asylum from religious intolerance, this city was first peopled by emigrants from most of the pro- vinces of the United Netherlands. Induced to abandon their native country from the greatest variety of motives by which freemen, accustomed to roam at will in quest of wealth, comfort or enjoyment, through every acces- sible region of the globe, could be influenced-unallied by the ties or hopes of a common creed-under the aus- pices of a great and opulent mercantile company, of lim- ited duration, but whose charter limits comprised a vast extent of countries, abounding with the richest produc. tions, incomparably more estimable, in a commercial point of view, than this, and whose pursuits, connected with immediate emolument, rendered remote objects either of perfect indifference or of minor importance.
As with the language, laws and manners of the Eng- lish, the Dutch were wholly unacquainted, the old and
109
Notes from the Newspapers.
new inhabitants, repelled by mutual dislike, had little in- tercourse with each other, the latter gradually neglected their common schools. To substitute others, required a long series of years, protracted by national feelings, an- tipathies and prejudices, which were slowly but progres- sively subsiding, when the Revolution, like an irresistible torrent, leveled every barrier of separation, by present- ing the most fascinating point of union within the range of human propensities-a contest for equal rights, which had been highly cherished, gallantly defended, and suc- cessfully asserted by both nations; and while the recol- lections which so enthusiastically identify the deeds of national ancestors with the feelings and passions of their posterity were forcibly associated with the objects of the strife, the banners of freedom waved over their united bands-elevated their minds above the petty distinctions which divided brethren into discordant sections-taught them truly to estimate each other's worth, and inspired those liberal and manly sentiments which have so salu- tary a tendency to absorb private into public interests. The establishment of an academy, the effect of a united effort, is one of the many happy fruits of this concord.
While in every revolving year some traces of distinct European origin is merged in the national stream, the elevating connection is daily becoming more impressive, that the proudest national boast of the natives of this highly distinguished country is, that they have the honor to be Americans.
The copper plate deposited at the laying of the corner- stone had the following inscription :
Erected for an Academy, anno 1815, By the corporation of the city of Albany. Philip S. Van Rensselaer, Mayor. John Van Ness Yates, Recorder.
Building Committee-Philip S. Van Rensselaer, John Brinckerhoff, Chauncey Humphrey, James Warren, and Killian K. Van Rensselaer. Seth Geer, Architect. H. W. Snyder, Sculpt.
June 16. The well-known partnership of James and Archibald Kane was dissolved, the former assuming the settlement of the business.
Some citizens of Albany, among whom were Peter P.
110
Notes from the Newspapers.
Dox and Philip S. Parker, sent Cobbett a suit of clothes, of American manufacture entire, as a compliment for the " able, independent and masterly manner" in which he had conducted the Register. A great portion of his paper of July 22 is taken up with his reply to admirers in Al- bany, and closes with a request that they will send him half a dozen ears of the dwarf kind of Indian corn.
Aug. 2. Died, Mr. James Ladd, keeper of the Albany Coffee House, Green street.
Aug. 11. A movement was made by the owners of property in Pearl street to have that street opened through the fifth ward to the northern bounds of the city. A meeting of the citizens was called, and a com- mittee appointed to petition the corporation, and attend · to the business of the project. 4
The line of stages from Albany to Manlius, via Cherry Valley, is again extended to Canandaigua, and performs the whole distance, 200 miles, in two days, arriving at Canandaigua three times a week. The old mail line, via Utica, will perform the route from Albany to Geneva in two days. The distance from Albany to Geneva by the way of Utica is about the same as to Canandaigua by Cherry Valley.
Sept. 3. The new Presbyterian Church in Chapel street . was dedicated on Sunday, when a very excellent and appropriate discourse was delivered, by the Rev. Dr. Neill, to the most numerous concourse of people ever before assembled in this city on a similar occasion. On Tuesday, September 5th, the pews on the first floor were put up for sale, and about ninety struck off, producing a sum exceeding $35,000, and leaving upwards of forty unsold.
The Academy was announced to open on the second Monday in September, under Benj. Allen, LL.D., of Union College, and Messrs. Neill, Beck and Sedgwick were the committee to receive applications for admis- sion.
J. Demarest established a twice-a-day line of stages between Waterford and Albany, passing through Lan- . singburgh and Troy. Fare from Waterford was 62} cts .; from Lansingburgh, 50; and from Troy, 37} cts.
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