Landmarks of Albany County, New York online

ness of supplying the photographic trade with electric light enlargements, bromide
prints, crayon, pastels, sepia and water color portraits, also frames, and conducts
one of the largest concerns of the kind in the country. His factory is located on
I'ulton street. In 1896 he erected a handsome villa residence on Allen street, Pine
Hill-s, which is an ornament to the city. In 1888 he married Miss Jennie Willard of
Albany, and they have three children. Marguerite. Hazel Estelle and Willard Will-
ard. He is a member of Wadsworth Lodge No. 417, F. & A. M., William Lacy
Lodge No. 33. I. O. O. F., the Albany Press Club, the Albany County Wheelmen
and Camera Club, is active in politics and alive to all that will benefit and promote
the business interests of Albany.

Stephens, Peter A., police justice of Albany, is a son of John and Catharine F.
(Allen) Stephens, and was born in Albany, March 4, 1856. His father, who was
born in New York city in 1839, remained here with his parents in 1845 and resided
here till his death in September, 1888. Judge Stephens was educated in the Albany
public schools Free Academy (now Albany High School), read law with Hiram L.
Washburn, jr., and was admitted to the bar at Binghamton, in May, 1877, when he



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began the practice of his profession in his native city, where he has always resided.
In the tall of 1885 he succeeded John A. McCall, jr., resigned as school commis-
sioner, and in the following spring was elected for a full term of three years. De-
cember 31, 1889, he was appointed police justice, vice Martin D. Conway elected sur-
rogate, and in April, 1890, and 1892, and November, 1895, he was elected to this
office by handsome majorities. He is an able lawyer, a skilled parliamentarian and
a great lover of outdoor sports. His wit and humor are among his chief character-
istics. He is a member, an incorporator and e.\-president of the Empire Curling
Club, and a prominent member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and
other fraternal societies. He is married and has five sons and one daughter. The
family of Judge Stephens is an old one in the city of Albany, his paternal grand-
parents, James Stephens and Elizabeth (l)evine) Stephens, who were married in the
city of New York in or about the year 1815, having lived and died here, and his ma-
ternal grandparents, John Allen and Mary (Cary) Allen, having been married in
this city prior to 1820 and always resided here.

Haverly. William J., was born in the town of Knox, July 5, 1849. The progenitor
of this line of the family in America was John Haverly, who came from Wurtem-
burg, Germany, in or about 1750, and settled in that part of Berne which is now
Knox, and was a farmer. He had four sons, Karl, Jacob, John, jr., and George.
The son Jacob was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. John 1., the
grandfather, was born in Knox in 1783, where he followed carpentry. His wife was
Marilla (born 1797), daughter of Henry Deitz, and their children were Cynthia A..
Elizabeth, Jacob, Eli and John D. He died December 2, 1866. and his wife August
30, 1891. John D. Haverly, the father, was born in Knox, January 7, 1827, and
attended the common district school. When a boy he worked on a farm by the day
or month ; subsequently he worked at carpentry with his father, and also learned
the shoemaker's trade, which he plied winters. When about thirty years old he
engaged in buying and butchering cattle and .selling meat; this he followed seven
years, when he bought and conducted a hotel in the village of Berne, which, two
years later he traded for a farm, upon which the house had been destroyed by iire;
he rebuilt the house, built new barns, wagon house and other outbuildings. In 1867
he disposed of the farm and purchased his present farm of 170 acres in the town of
Knox, where he has ever since resided. His wife was Sophia E.. daughter of Adam
and granddaughter of Mathias Shultes. The latter was the progenitor of the Shultes
family in America and a native of Holland. Their children were Willard J., Tsadore
(who died when five years old), Rena and Nina. William J. Haverly has spent most
of his life on the farm, engaged for many years with his father in the breeding of
trotting and road horses, registered stock. They are the owners of the well known
stallion, "Victor Mohawk," whose progeny has produced such satisfactory roadsters.
When a boy Mr. Haverly attended the common schools and two terms at Knox
Academy, taught school when seventeen years old, and later attended the Albany
Normal School, from which he was graduated in June, 1869. He was then engaged
in the grocery business in Albany for two years, afterwards returning to his father's
farm, in which he took an interest, and followed teaching winters. Since 1874 he
has been a dealer in farm machinery, and since 1890 has dealt in fertilizers. Since
1887 he has followed teaching winter and summer, having taught in all twenty-nine



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terms. Mr. Haverly has for years been prominently identified with the Republican
party, has filled the office of collector for the town of Knox, and was elected in 1878
to represent his town in the Board of Supervisors, and again in 1882, 1891 and 1892,
and is present supervisor of Knox. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Berne
Lodge No. 684, and was for a number of years an Odd Fellow, until the lodge was
disbanded. In 1883 he married Carrie M., daughter of Theodore Nauright, a native
of Naurightville, N. J., and their children are Kdwin B.. May, Elmina D., Theo-
dora N.. Nellie L., Ann A. and John W.

Capron, William J., was born in the city of Albany, November 16, 1833. He was
a son of John Capron, who was- born in Albany in 1790. He was one of two children,
Sarah and John, born to William Capron, a native of Connecticut, who was a farmer
and a soldier in the war of 1812. John, the father, was a farmer and a dairyman.
He spent his last days in the town of Watervliet. His wife was Sarah Pangborn,
daughter of George Pangborn. Their children were Sarah, wife of Robert Harper,
of Albany; John P.. Martha, William J., and Mary. He died in 1849, and his wife
survived him until 1887. When twenty-one years of age William J. began for him-
self as a farmer, near Guilderland village, which he followed for some twelve years,
when he opened a grocery store in Guilderland, which he conducted for fifteen years,
and in addition to this he practiced as a veterinarian. He later disposed of his
store and devoted his whole time as a veterinarian, at which he had gained a wide
reputation. He was clerk for one term, justice for six years, and was overseer of
the poor for many years. He was also elected constable for fourteen consecutive
years. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Wadsworth Lodge of Albany, and
of the Knights Chapter. He is also an officer of the Humane Society for the pre-
vention of cruelty to animals and children, and has also been a member of the Board
of Health for a number of years. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. B, 10th New York State
Volunteers, which was changed to 177th, and was discharged after three months on
account of sickness. In 1864 he married Margaret Scott, born in the town of New
Scotland, and daughter of Peter Scott; their children are Alice and John H. The
latter is a telegraph operator. Mr. Capron has served his town as deputy sheriff,
being appointed by a Democratic sheriff, which is much to his credit.

Merritt, Mrs. Magdalene Isadore La Grange, poet, was born in the town of Guilder-
land, September 17, 1864, at Elmwood Farm, the homestead of the La Grange family,
originally De.La Grange. She is the seventh daughter of Myndret La Grange and
Julia A. La Grange, his wife, second cousins, both descendants of Count Johannes
de la Grange, a French Huguenot, who emigrated from La Rochelle, France, 1656,
a son of whom settled upon the tract of land, and founded the homestead, which
has since descended from father to son, and where the subject of this sketch was
born. At the early age of eight years she was already writing verses, which were
correct in rhyme. Brought up in a home of wealth and refinement, and surrounded
with all that makes life desirable, spending much of her life out of doors in a coun-
try unsurpassed for its beauty, it is but natural that her work should partake largely of
the religious, and always of nature. She spent three years studying art under the
tuition of Prof. Wilham P. Morgan at the Albany Female Academy, where she was
educated. When but sixteen the editor of a daily paper, after hearing her repeat
some of her verses, requested permission to publish them, which was given ; since



206

then she has been a contributor to various papers, some of her first poems having
been pubHshed in the Brotherhood of Engineers' Journal, whose editor says of her
poems: " They are of the highest merit and worthy to be placed among the finest
songs of the day." She has received kindly encouragement from distinguished
sources, and says the sweetest and most cherished is from Mrs. Frank Leslie, who
was the first stranger to recognize her with words of praise. She is a fine prose
writer and is an occasional contributor to the Christian Work and various other
papers, with short stories and sketches. In 1893 she published a book of her earlier
poems, 'Songs of the Helderberg," of which over 300 copies were sold in Albany
county in two months. She is one of the poets whose biography appears in "A
Woman of the Century." January 31, 1894, she married Aaron Merritt, of Port
Jervis, N. Y. Mr. Merritt is a locomotive engineer on the West Shore Railroad, a
gentleman of the highest integrity, who stands high in the esteem of his employers.
Their home is at Oak Knoll, a fifty-acre farm belonging to the author, situated beau-
tifully on the banks of the Norman's Kill. Here the author lives quietly and hap-
pily, herself superintending much of the work of the farm and the care of her five
thoroughbred Jerseys. Entertaining many distinguished people, and with the care
of her family, her life is busy and useful.

Lamoreaux, Maus, was born in Coeymans in 1864 and is the son of William J..
grandson of Jarvis, and great-grandson of George, whose father, James, came from
Paris, France, and settled at Indian Fields. In 1885 Mr. Lamoreau.\ married Emma
L., daughter of Henry C. Mosher, and settled on a farm near Wemple, where he is
one of the leadmg farmers of the town.

Lansing, Egbert W., one of the most prominent men of Cohoes, is a represent-
ative of a family who were closely identified with the history of this city from its
earliest period. His first American ancestor, Gerrit Lansing, whose death occurred
in the vicinity of Albany prior to 1679, and from whom he is sixth in descent, came
from Holland. The residence now occupied by Mr. Lansing was built in part by
his great-grandfather, Johannes I. Lansing, about 1750. Mr. Lansing was born in
1833, and was educated in Albany and has for the past twenty years been actively
engaged in the real estate business. Politically he is a Republican, and was one of
the first aldermen of his native city in 1870. His wife was Helena, daughter of Dow
F. Lansing of this city, whom he married in 1860. Both are connected with the
Reformed church.

Orelup, William H., is the son of the late John Orelup, who died in 1S9'2 at the
age of seventy two years. He was one of the most prominent men in Cohoes, and al-
ways resided here, with the exception of fifteen years .spent in Ballston Spa, as an axe
manufacturer. Here he was a contractor in the manufacture of axes, having reached
the top of financial success by the results of his own labor and genius. He had the
courage and mental strength to stand firmly by the principles of right. William H.
was born here in 1849, where his grandfather, William Orelup, settled in 1830 as a
local preacher. His mother, who is still living, was Eliza Hitchcock ; her only
daughter, Mrs. Egbert P. Lansing, is now living in New York. He is chiefly inter-
ested in real estate. '

Hall, James, B. N. S., (r. s.), A. M.. M. D., LL.D., son of English parents.



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was born in Hingham, Mass., September 12, 1811. At the age of twenty he entered
Rensselaer School at Troy, N. Y. (now the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
and closely followed instruction in geology. He was graduated in 1832 and
remained in the school as assistant professor ot chemistry and natural sciences until
1836, when he was made professor of geology. When the geological survey of the
State of New York was organized in 1836, Professor Hall was appointed by Gover-
nor Marcy assistant to the geologist in charge of the second district, and in the fol-
lowing year he was made State geologist in charge of the fourth district. In 1843,
upon the resignation of Mr. T. A. Conrad, the palaeontologist of the survey. Governor
Bouck appointed Professor Hall to take charge of this work. He made investiga-
tions outside of New York State, and it was due to them that, in 1855. he was ap-
pointed State geologist of Iowa and in 1857 State geologist of Wisconsin. In 1855
he was offered by Sir W. G. Logan, the government geologist of Canada the charge
of the palaeontological work of that survey, but declined the position. He has made
reports at various times for explorations and surveys conducted by the Federal Gov-
ernment, such as Fremont's Exploring Expedition in 1845, Stansburys E.xpedition
to the Great Salt Lake m 1852, Emory's United States and Mexican Boundarj- Sur-
vey in 1857, and U. S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel in 1877.
In 1866 he was made director of the New York State Museum of Natural History,
and in 1893 was re-commissioned by Governor Flower State geologist and palaeontol-
ogist, which appointment had been for eleven years previous in the control of the
Regents of the University from 1882. Professor Hall has received many academic
degrees and titles of distinction; Harvard, Hamilton, Union, the University of Mary-
land, McGill University, Montreal and the Rensselaer Institute have conferred
these. He has been president of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science and of Geological Society of America and vice-president of the International
Congress of Geologists. He is a member of about forty scientific societies, in manv
of which his membership is honorary. In 1858 he received the Wollastnn medal
from the Geological Society of London; in 1881 the Ricordodi Benemerenza from the
International Geological Congress, and m 1882 the Order del Santi Maurizio Laz-
zari) from the King of Italy; in 1884 the Walker prize of §1,000 from the Boston
Society of Natural History, and in 1890 the Hayden medal from the Academy of
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Profe.ssor Hall is the author of hundreds of scien-
tific papers.

Tennant, Albert C. is the great great-grandson of James Tennant, who, with two
brothers came from England to Connecticut about 1700. His parents were Thomas
and Dorcas J. (Briggs) Tennant, the latter being a granddaughter of Capt. John
Briggs of the Revolutionary army. Mr. Tennant was born in WiUett, Cortland
county, N. Y., November 11, 1846, was educated in the district schools and at Cin-
ciunatus Academy and was graduated from the Albany State Normal School in
January, 1868. He read law in Geneva, N Y., with Hon. W. F. Diefendorf about
three years and afterward with Judge Edwin Countryman, then of Cooperstown, and
was admitted to the bar at Albany in March, 1873. He then formed a copartner-
ship with Hon. James S. Davenport and practiced at Richfield Springs until January
1, 1884, when, having been elected surrogate of Otsego county, he removed to
Cooperstown and at the end of a full term of six years was re-elected to that office.



208

being the only iJemoL-rat eleclcii in that county that year. He resigned the position
May 1, 1894, and moved to Albany, where he has since practiced law as a member
of the firm of Hale, Bulkeley & Tennant. In 1889 he was appointed by Governor
Hill a member of the commission to revise the judiciary article of the State Constitu-
tion. He was chairman of the Democratic Committee of Otsego county over ten
years, has been a delegate to several State conventions and in 1892 was a delegate
from New York to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago. He is a mem-
ber of Richfield Springs Lodge and Chapter of Masons. October 4, 187G, he married
Lizzie H., daughter of Hiram Getman of Richfield Springs, and they have one .son,
Clermonte G.

J. M. Jones's Sons, builders of street cars, was established in 1839 in its present
location. Since that time there have been improvements and alterations which make
the works far different than those which were from time to time built to increase the
capacity of the concern, or to take the place of the structures destroyed by fire and
worn out by the ravages of tmie. It is about half a century since the first street car
line was constructed iu this county, and only since then has the Jones works been
engaged in making cars: previous to that they made family wagons and stage
coaches. The works now employ nearly 300 men in nearly every branch of industry,
and the capacity of the plant is nearly 600 cars a year, sixty having been turned out
in May last, the calculation being to complete two cars every working day. Jones'
cars may be found in nearly every city in the country, and many have been shipped
to foreign lands.

Bowe, John, son of Michael and Mary (Purcell) Bowe, was born in Albany July 18,
1847. He was educated in the public schools and the Albany Normal College, grad-
uating from the latter in 1878. He then secured a position in the State Insurance
Department as clerk, where he remained until elected treasurer of Albany county in
the fall of 1890. In 1878 he was elected supervisor of the Third ward of Albany and
served three years. In 1888 he was elected alderman of the Third ward and re-
elected in the spring of 1890, serving four years in the Board of Aldermen, all of
which time he was its president. In the fall of 1890 he was elected treasurer of Al-
bany county, and re-elected in the fall of 1893 and served until his term expired
on December 31, 1896. In 1863 he enlisted in Co. F, 176th N. Y. Vols., and served
two years and eight months. He is a member of the Catholic Union, the Dongan
and Press Clubs, and Post 131, G. A. R. Mr. Bowe is a director of the Albany City
National Bank and a trustee of the Albany City Savings Institution.

Templeton, Charles B., of Scotch-Irish descent, is the grandson of Philip Tcmplc-
ton, who came from the North of' Ireland to Albany about 1800. His parents were
John and Cecelia (Payn) Templeton, of whom the former died in 1890. John Temple-
ton was treasurer of the Albany County Savings Bank and cashier of the Albany
County Bank and organized both institutions. He held various corporation offices,
was president of the Young Men's Association in 1863, for several years president of
the Y. M. C. A., and a trustee in a number of charitable and religious organizations.
Charles B. Templeton was born in Albany, October 28, 1864, was graduated from
the Albany Academy in 1880 and from Union College in 1884, receiving the degrees of
A. B. and C. E., and read law with Ilungerford & Hotaling. He was graduated
from the Albany Law School as LL. B. and admitted to the bar in 1886, and since



t



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then has been associated in practice with Hon. Lansing Hotaling. He is a member
of the Albany Institute, the Alpha Delta Phi and the Fort Orange and Uncondi-
tional Republican Clubs: was secretary and later president of the Young Men's As-
sociation for several years ; was the first president of the Theta Nu Epsilon (soph-
more) College fraternity ; was for some time secretary and treasurer of the Union
College Alumni Association, and was the commandant of the Unconditional Cam-
paign Club in 1892. He was the Republican candidate for district attorney in 1889,
and judge of the City Court in 1892, and has taken an active interest in the League
of the Republican Clubs of the State, having been for several years a member of the
executive committee, representing Albany county. November 14, 1894, he married
Margaret Elizabeth Edwards of Albany.

Knowles, Charles R., is a son of the late Rev. Charles J. Knowles, whose father,
Eli Knowles, was one of the first settlers of Greenville, Greene county, N. Y. and
whose wife, Vina, was a daughter of Jonathan Sherrill, another pioneer of Greenville;
her brother, Hon. Eliakim Sherrill, was a member ot the Thirteenth Congress, State
senator in 18,54 and a colonel in the Union army; was killed at the battle of Gettys-
burg. Mr. Knowles was born at Riverhead, Long Island, on May 16, 1839. His
early education was in the academies at Riverhead, L. I., and Greenville, N. Y., the
latter being one of the foremost academies of the State. It was here Martin Van
Buren and Lyman Tremaine and many others prominent in State and Nation re-
ceived their early education ; among the many eminent teachers of the academy was
a brother of the late Hon. Amasa J. Parker, uncle of the editor of this work. Mr.
Knowles has never lost his interest in Greenville or its material prosperity; he owns
the old Sherrill homestead, where his mother was born, having modernized it for his
summer home. He is the president of the Board of Trustees of the academy. His
first business experience was as a clerk in his uncle's insurance office, in Washington,
IJ. C, where he spent some three years; from Washington he entered the office of
his cousin. Judge Knowles, of Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, as a law student.
Before com:luding his law studies, after the battle of Bull Run in 1861, he enlisted
as a private in the 92d Regt.. N. Y. Vols., organized a company and was elected
its captain, and with his regiment served with the army of the Potomac, participating
in its victories and defeats, its marches and countermarches through the Peninsula
campaign, until after the battle of Fair Oaks, when sickness compelled him to resign.
With returning health there came to him the appointment of judge advocate of the
Mississippi squadron, with rank of acting master on the staff of Rear Admiral Lee.
At the close of the war he .settled ixi Albany, became general agent of the Commerce
Insurance Company, and in 1868 was admitted to the bar. In the same year he was
appointed manager of the New York State Department of the Insurance Company
of North America, and Royal of Liverpool, and Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Com-
pany of Philadelphia. January 1, 1888, the Royal Insurance Company decided to
unite the New York State department with the Metropolitan Department, under
the management of E. F. Beddall, which left Mr. Knowles with the management
of the North American and theM^ennsylvania Fire Insurance Companies. January
1, 1890, the Philadelphia Underwriters was added to the list of his companies. A
Republican in i)olitics, Mr. Knowles has been the representative of his party in the
Board of Supervisors and State Legislature, as well as a popular stump speaker in



many a hard fought conle&t in the Slate. He is a director of the Merchants' National
Bank, a trustee of the Albany City Savings Institution, trustee of the Emanuel Baptist
church, acting president of the Fairview Home for Friendless Children, vice-president
of the Board of Trustees of the Y. M. C. A., governor of the Albany City Hospital, a
member of the Fort Orange Club, and of the N. Y. Commandery of the Loyal Legion
of the U. S.. In the Assembly he was chairman of the committee on commerce and
navigation, and m that capacity was largely instrumental in saving to the cities of
New York and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge, the charter of which was in danger of
annulment. In 1862 he married Elizabeth F., eldest daughter of Hiram Gilbert,
of Albany. Their living children are four daughters, JaneS., Margaret B., Elizabeth
D., and MaryG., all of whom are or have been students of St. Agnes School, Albany,
and Smith College, Northampton, Mass., and one son, Charles Piatt Knowles, a grad-
uate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, class of '96.

Van Rensselaer, William Bayard, is a lineal descendant of Killaen Van Rensse-
laer, and were the English law still in force in this State, would be the ninth patroon,
or Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. His great-grandfather, Stephen, known
as "the young patroon," was a general in the United States array, lieutenant-gov-
ernor of New York, member of congress, first chancellor of the Board of Regents,
etc., etc., and married Margaret, daughter of Philip J. Schuyler. General Stephen's