Albany New York Genealogy – Page 5 of 7

Biography of George W. Kirchwey

GEORGE W. KIRCHWEY AMONG the younger members of the Albany bar, whose attainments, not only in his special profession, but also in the wide range of general literature, have already gained for him distinction and honor, is George W. Kirchwey, of the law firm of Eaton & Kirchwey, and dean of the Albany Law School. Born on the 3d day of July, 1855, in the city of Detroit, Mich., he is the oldest child of honored parents who are still living in our midst. He was reared in an atmosphere of ideas, and does not remember the time when he … Read more

Biography of Charles Rufus Skinner

CHARLES RUFUS SKINNER AMONG the younger men whose experience in matters pertaining to state, national and educational affairs has already been quite extensive and highly beneficial to his fellow-citizens, is the Hon. Charles R. Skinner, who, on account of his official relations, is now a resident of Albany. Born on the 4th of August, 1844, at Union Square, Oswego County, N. Y., he is a son of the late Hon. Avery Skinner, a worthy New England pioneer who left the granite hills of New Hampshire to seek a home in the richer northern regions of New York State. In October, … Read more

Narrative of the Captivity of Nehemiah How

A Narrative of the captivity of Nehemiah How, who was taken by the Indians at the Great Meadow Fort above Fort Dummer, where he was an inhabitant, October 11th, 1745. Giving an account of what he met with in his traveling to Canada, and while he was in prison there. Together with an account of Mr. How’s death at Canada. Exceedingly valuable for the many items of exact intelligence therein recorded, relative to so many of the present inhabitants of New England, through those friends who endured the hardships of captivity in the mountain deserts and the damps of loathsome prisons. Had the author lived to have returned, and published his narrative himself, he doubtless would have made it far more valuable, but he was cut off while a prisoner, by the prison fever, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, after a captivity of one year, seven months, and fifteen days. He died May 25th, 1747, in the hospital at Quebec, after a sickness of about ten days. He was a husband and father, and greatly beloved by all who knew him.

Biography of John O’Day, Esq.

Among those who have given Greene county its enviable reputation for possessing men of high character, large brain, and sterling worth and ability, is Mr. John O’Day, one of the leading members of the Greene county bar. Mr. O’Day was born in the city of Limerick, Ireland, November 18, 1843. He was brought in infancy with his father’s family to America, his parents settling at first in the State of New York. When he was about 12 years of age the family removed to Juneau county, Wisconsin, where John was educated in the common schools and at an academy. Arriving … Read more

Biography of Amasa J. Parker, Jr.

AMASA J. PARKER, JR. FOREMOST among Albanians who in various ways have devoted their time and best energies to the advancement of the public interests of the city and state, stands the name of Amasa J. Parker, Jr. Born on the 6th day of May, 1843, in the beautiful village of Delhi, Delaware county, N. Y., he is the only surviving son of the venerable Judge Amasa J. Parker and the late Harriet Langdon Parker. His parents removed to Albany when he was but a year old, and here he grew up in the midst of our institutions, in a … Read more

Biography of Frederic Gregory Mather

FREDERIC GREGORY MATHER AN ALBANIAN whose name shines with no dim lustre in the republic of letters, is Frederic G. Mather. Born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, on the nth day of August, 1844, he is a son of Samuel Holmes Mather, LL. D., of that city. This cultured gentleman was born in Jj 1813, at Washington, N. H.; his father was Dr. Ozias Mather of fl East Haddam, Conn. In 1835, a year after his graduation from Dartmouth College, Samuel H. Mather removed to Cleveland, when the city was a village of only four thousand inhabitants, today it … Read more

Biography of Hiram E. Sickels

HIRAM E. SICKELS A REPRESENTATIVE Albanian, a lawyer by profession and widely known state reporter, that is, as the reporter of the New York state court of appeals, is the Hon. Hiram E. Sickels. In the beautiful village of Albion, Orleans county, N. Y., he first saw the light on the 24th of June, 1827. He belongs to the old Holland Dutch extraction – a race that took such a leading part in the rise and progress of free institutions in the early history of our country. He is a son of Hiram Sickels, who was born in 1796 and … Read more

Biography of Theodore V. Van Heusen

THEODORE V. VAN HEUSEN THEODORE V. Van Heusen was born in 1818, in the city of Albany, N. Y. He is descended from the German and Scotch on his mother’s side and from the Holland Dutch on his father’s side. In this blending of lineage he inherits those leading qualities of intellect and heart, which have exerted such a powerful influence in the civilization, progress, intelligence and refinement of past and present generations. His paternal ancestors, the Van Heusens, were early settled along the borders of the Hudson river, especially in the region now known as Columbia county, where they … Read more

Biography of Edward A. Maher

EDWARD A. MAHER THE annals of Albany furnish several striking instances of the gradual rise of young men from the humbler walks of life to places of distinction and responsibility in political affairs. And among the number of such persons whose early aspirations have been crowned with success is included the name of ex-Mayor Edward A. Maher. His career is certainly a notable one, while it is full of inspiration and encouragement to young men. He was born in the city of Albany on the 20th day of May, 1848, little over forty years ago. He was not rocked in … Read more

Biography of Willis Gaylord Tucker

WILLIS GAYLORD TUCKER FORTY-ONE years ago an Albanian, who has already-gained an enviable reputation in the medical, scientific and educational world, first saw the light of day. Willis G. Tucker, the subject of this sketch, was born in Albany on the 31st day of October, 1849. His father, the late Luther Tucker, possessed talents of a high order, and his work as a writer and publisher, especially in the direction of agricultural science, has long been highly appreciated by the public. This noble pioneer in periodical literature established in 1826 the Rochester Daily Advertiser, the first daily newspaper published west … Read more

Biography of Charles Tracey

CHARLES TRACEY A REPRESENTATIVE Albanian whose sterling qualities of the head and heart have brought him into popular favor, and who has already been honored by the bestowal of responsible political positions, is the Hon. Charles Tracey, our present congressman from this district. He is descended from a long and influential line of Irish ancestry. Born at No. 757 Broadway, Albany, on the 27th of May, 1847, he has thus passed his forty-third year, and is in the vigor of manhood, possessing the capabilities of performing efficiently the active and onerous duties of life. In 1838 his father, John Tracey, … Read more

Biography of Matthew Hale

MATTHEW HALE A MAN of fine legal attainments and of high personal character, who has been a steady resident of Albany for the past twenty-two years is the Hon. Matthew Hale, On the 20th of June, 1829, in the little town of Chelsea, in the state of Vermont, this well-known jurist first saw the light of day. His ancestry is in every respect a notable one – including admirable combinations of intellectual, moral and religious principles. His father, Harry Hale, was a descendant of one Thomas Hale, an English yeoman, who immigrated to this country in 1638, and settled in … Read more

Biography of Howard Van Rensselaer

HOWARD VAN RENSSELAER AMONG the rising young men of our city, one whose fine tastes, cultured manners, general and professional intelligence, have brought him into favorable notice among a large circle of friends, is Dr. Howard Van Rensselaer, of 94 Columbia street. He was born in Albany on the 26th of June, 1858, and spent his earliest years in the old Dutch city, in which his forefathers, many generations ago, took such a prominent part in its history and development, as well as in that of the surrounding country. Many an interesting and eventful page have they furnished for our … Read more

Descendancts of John Remington of Haverhill, MA

As early as 1661 John Remington and his wife Abigail were at Haverhill, where their children, Daniel and Hannah, were born. John Remington is credited by one writer as being the emigrant ancestor from Wales of the Rhode Island Remingtons. He appears of record as early as 1669 at Jamestown, R. I., where Aug. 28th of that year he and two others were ordered to assemble inhabitants of Conanicut Island to consider what might be most suitable for defense and preservation against any invasion or insurrection of the Indians. He had been earlier at Haverhill, Mass. (1661), and Andover. He was one of the grantees in 1677 of what became East Greenwich, R. I. He and his sons were taxed in 1680. In 1695 he gave his son Thomas Remington, of Warwick, a deed for his Haverhill interests, and redeeded to him the same in 1709, he then being apparently of Warwick, R. I., the former deed having become “damnified through disaster.”

Biography of Douw Henry Fonda

DOUW HENRY FONDA AN ALBANIAN who has long been actively and successfully engaged in an important, special commercial interest in this city, and who, at the same time, has taken an active part in the promotion of sound education and municipal prosperity is Douw H. Fonda, the popular, enterprising wholesale druggist, of Nos. 70 and 72 State street. Born on the loth of September, 1831, in the picturesque village of Fonda, N. Y., he comes from a substantial line of Holland ancestry, noted in the olden times, some of whose members have held important and responsible public positions in this … Read more

Biography of Edwin C. Baxter

EDWIN C. BAXTER THE subject of our sketch, Dr. Edwin C. Baxter, is of A New England ancestry, born at Kenduskeag, ME., February 1, 1845. He is a son of Dr. Hiram C. Baxter, of Kenduskeag, a prominent physician, who, for nearly sixty years, has devoted himself to the practice of his profession. His grandfather, Dr. Elihu Baxter, also an eminent physician of Maine, was born in Norwich, VT., in 1781. He practiced his profession over sixty years, a considerable portion of the time in the city of Portland, where his character as a citizen and skill as a physician … Read more

Biography of Hamilton Harris

HAMILTON HARRIS A DISTINGUISHED citizen of Albany, whose fame as a lawyer, a scholar and a statesman extends far beyond the limits of his residence, is the Hon. Hamilton Harris. Born at Preble, Cortland county, N. Y.,on the 1st of May, 1820, he passed his boyhood amidst the beautiful natural scenery of his native place, engaging in the healthful exercises, sports and pastimes of a life in the country. His father, Frederick Waterman Harris, a native of the state of New York, but of English origin, was one of the sterling pioneers of Cortland county. His mother, whose maiden name … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Reede

George W. Reede was born in Madison County, N. Y., and January 28, 1857. Received an academic education and graduated at the Albany (N. Y.) law school. Practiced his profession for a short time in his native State, removing to Salem, Kansas, in 1880, and in 1882 joined Mr. Moore in the publication of the Chronicle.

Biography of Edwin K. Burnham

EDWIN K. BURNHAM A BUSY, representative man, who has faithfully served his country both in a military and civil capacity, is the Hon. Edwin K. Burnham, the present careful, efficient superintendent of public buildings of the state of New York, whose official residence is now in Albany. In his veins flow the blood of the loyal, patriotic, enterprising race of New Englanders. Vermont is his native state, and in the rural town of Randolph – named, we believe, in honor of the famous Virginian orator and statesman John Randolph – he was born on the 8th of September, 1839. His … Read more

Biography of Frank Johnson

FRANK JOHNSON. – The career of this well-known contractor is a clear case of the promotion of merit. He has acquired an enviable position in the business world from simple integrity and excellence of worth. He was born in Holland in 1844, and came with his widowed mother to New York in 1852. He went soon to Buffalo, and there began to learn the trade of a carpenter and joiner. The war breaking out, and an appeal being made to the patriotic young men of the city, he volunteered as a soldier and served gallantly until the close of the … Read more