Landmarks of Albany County, New York online

of Nathaniel and Catherine (Cline) Koonz; the latter lived to be 106 years of age.
To Mr. and Mrs. Young were born four children: Mary, widow of Albei-t Relyea,
who died January 4, 1885, was married to him August 18, 1875, leaving two children
surviving her: Lizzie B., and Levi E. William H. married Libbie Main of Guilder-
land, March 10, 1885, and have two children: Olive and Lelah ; he is an extensive
berry grower. Hannah E. married Henry Goodfellow of Guilderland, October 7,
1880, and have two children: Florence and Ernest. Elizabeth E., who still resides
at home. Of the brothers and sisters of William P. Young, John A. Young resides
at Brodhead, Wis., having married in 1852 Maria Groat of Guilderland, by whom
he has had four children. Charles W. Young lives at Whitewater, Wis., and mar-
ried Mary Jane Chism. and has no children. Sarah A. Young married Peter Van
Patten and now lives in Centralia, Kansas, having one daughter. Margaret J.
Young married Charles Gemlich and resides in Guilderland and has one son. Henry
W. Young was married to Joanna Gates and lives in the city of Albany. They are
the parents of two children. Lois R. Young married David Van Patten, a brother
of Peter, and lives on an adjoining farm in Centralia, Kas. Thev have two chil-



231

dren. Eliza O. Young married Charles Severson and resides in Guilderland, having
borne him one child. Gouvenier M. Young resides at Whitewater, Wis., having
married Elva Martm of Guilderland, by whom he has had two children, of whom
one survives.

Niles, Nathaniel, son of John H. and Fannie (Mosher) Niles, was born in Bethle-
hem, Albany county, September 1, 1856, and is a grandson of Nathaniel Niles, who
came from Connecticut to Coeymans, Albany county, at an early day and died there
in 1876. The latter was prominent in town affairs, serving as supervisor, etc. John
H. Niles, a farmer by occupation, died in 1861. Nathaniel Niles attended the public
and private schools, was graduated from the Albany Free Academy in 1874 and from
Dartmouth College, with the degree of A. B., in 1878, and read law in Albany with
Judge Rufus W. Peckham. He was admitted to the bar in 1880 and for a time acted
as clerk for Peckham, Rosendale & Hessberg, in whose offices and the offices of their
successors, he has successfully practiced his profession ever since. In politics he is
a Democrat.

Mead, Charles W., son of Delois L., was born in Clymer, N. Y., December 3, 1843,
and pursued his education under private tutors and in the academies of Chautauqua
county, graduating in 1863. He completed his collegiate studies at Painesville,
Ohio, and for seven years was principal of academies and union schools in his na-
tive county. In the fall of 1870 he came to Albany and entered the Albany Law
School, from which he was graduated and admitted to the bar in 1871. He imme-
diately began the practice of his profession and in 1877 formed a copartnership with
Samuel S. Hatt. which still continues, the present firm being Mead, Hatt & Palmer.
He is a staunch Republican and in 1882 was appointed a U. S. circuit court commis-
sioner, which position he has since held. He takes an active interest in the welfare
of the citv, was at one time a member of the legislative branch of its government,
and has given considerable attention and takes high rank in the social and fraternal
organizations of Albany. He is a member of Grand Lodge, F. & A. M., is promi-
nently identified with the fraternal co-operative associations, and was the represen-
tative of one of the leading orders of the State in the matter of State legislation and
one of the framers of the present law governing the same. In 1874 he married M.
Manila Burnap, one of the leading contraltos of Albany, and they have one daugh-
ter, Edith M.

Amyot, Bruno E., D. D. S., is a leading member of the dental profession in
Cohoes, and is a son of Bruno Arayot, who has been a resident of this place for
nearly half a century. He came from Vercherer, Province of Quebec. Doctor
Amyot was born in 1869 in Cohoes and was educated in the parochial schools. At
the age of nineteen he entered the New York College of Dentistry, and after two
vears graduated, in 1890, beginning practice here at once, where he_enjoys a large
patronage. He is a member of the Third District Dental Society of New York
State. September 30, 1896, he married Miss Rosa de Lima Masson of Cohoes.

Beras, James H., was born in 1863, a son of James Berns, an artist; his mother
being a teacher, made the home of his childhood a dwelling of culture and refine-
ment. Mr. Berns is a Democrat and is a member of the County Committee.
James H. is one of the leading young lawyers of Cohoes, and came to the front be-
cause of his able handhng of the celebrated case of Cahill, who was indicted for



232

shooting his brother-in-law, Charles Scholield, at Cohoes. In 1893 he entered the
Albany Law School, after graduating from the High School and the Albany busi-
ness College. After his admission to the bar in 1894, he opened an office and began
practice.

Bullock, Joseph, came to Cohoes as early as 1846, and has been a resident here
since, with the exception of eight years in Lockport, where he was engaged in the
knitting business. He was of Dutch ancestry, born in Guilderland, in 1835, and de-
cidedly a self-made man, adding to his limited education by close observation and
personal research. In 1872 he returned to Cohoes and in 1877 established a baking
business, which he conducted with marked success until it was purchased in 1894 by
his son, John H. Bullock, who still conducts it at No. 116 Remsen street. Mr. Bul-
lock is a man of great strength of character and convictions. He appreciates highly
the picture of the domicile of his youth where both father and mother were l)orn ; it
was built in 1704 and is yet intact; the Ijrick in the fireplace and chimney were
brought from Holland.

Belanger, Israel, justice of the peace, and a scholarly young man, had the courage
and perseverance to break the fetters of circumstances which surrounded his youth,
and gain his way to the front "amid the maddening crowd's ignoble strife."' When
nine years old he began life in the mill where he remained until twenty years of age
as a weaver. He then returned to Joliette, Quebec, where he was born in 1863, and
entered Joliette College. In 1890 he graduated with degree of Bachelor of Letters
from Laval University, QueV^ec, and came to Cohoes. Here he studied law with
Hon. George H. Fitts and was admitted to the bar in 1892. Besides his law practice
and office duties, he is identified with an insurance and real estate agency. He is
now justice of peace of the city of Cohoes.

Campbell, Hon. George, a well known citizen, long identified with the interests of
Cohoes, is of Canadian birth, and first located at Cohoes in 1847, and after sixteen
years' residence at Waterford, where he learned the machinist's trade and was for a
time in partnership with George Gage, he returned to this city in 1863, and estab-
lished with John Clute the present firm. In 1873 they erected a commodious modern
block ou their old location opposite the Harmony Hotel. He makes a specialty of
machinery for knitting, but produces much other work of high grade. Mr. Camp-
bell was formerly a leader in local politics, and besides various minor offices pre-
viously held, he was elected in 1881 to the Assembly by a large majority.

Carter, William H., superintendent of the carding department of the Tivoli Mills
since 1868. Mr. Carter was born in the city of Albany in 1836. and fourteen years
later his father, Michael Carter, moved to Cohoes, when William went to work in
the Egberts Mills, where he remained for fifteen years. He was made a foreman in
1860 and took charge of the carding department. In 1S68 he became associated with
Commodore A. J. Root of the Tivoli Mills, and has for nearly thirty years occupied
a responsible position. In 1880 Mr. Carter began operating a mill at Troy with Mr.
Corliss, but they were burned out two years later, and the venture was abandoned ;
meantime he had maintained his connection with the Tivoli Mills. Mr. Carter is
one of the pioneer people of Cohoes. He is a member of several charitable organ-
izations.



233

Crawford, James F., has been a lawyer in active practice at Cohoes for half a cen-
tur\-, coming here in 1849 after two years' practice in Albany. At the close of an
academic course at Augusta, N. Y., where he was born in 1819, he began legal study
in Oneida Castle, N. Y. , with the late Timothy Jenkins, a lawyer of much prom-
inence. After four years he came to Albany and resumed his studies with Edwin
C. Litchfield, then district attorney of Albany county. He was admitted to the bar
in 1846, and was very successful from the start. As a citizen of Cohoes he has been
prominently identified with every interest which has tendered to develop its growth
and prosperity. He is a Democrat in politics and was a member of the Legislature
in 1866, when the first appropriation was made for the State Capitol.

Clark, WilHam B., was born in New York city in 1858, but has been a resident of
Cohoes since he was four years of age. He began business life empty handed, but
possessed the sterling qualities of his Scotch ancestors, and has achieved substantial
success. In every department of the milling business he has labored, and was eight
years in the plumbing business, putting in heating apparatus in the Cascade Mills
and other large buildings. The Continental Knitting Company was organized in
1891 as the Clark & Wilson, but John C. Bennett is now the junior partner. He is a
member of both the Masonic fraternity and the L O. O. F.

Dawson, John, late of Cohoes, retired from active business only a short time pre-
vious to his death in 1895. At that time he was engaged in the manufacture of
knitting needles used here in the hosiery mills. He was born at Nottingham, Eng-
land, coming to America when nine years old, and a later year to Cohoes. His
father was a lace manufacturer, and he brought his machine here but never used it.
Mr. Dawson was a skilled machinist and very successful in all his enterprises. He
allied himself with one of the first families here when he married Mary, daughter of
John Long. They had seven children: William H., Lincoln J., Lizzie, Maria,
Frank R., Alice and Herbert G.

Elliot, W. J., is city clerk of Cohoes since 1894. He is a young man of wide popu-
larity, born in 1860, and is a son of James Elliot. The latter now deceased, was a
native of England, but he spent most of his life here as a merchant in the confection-
ery line. Mr. Elliot was educated here and first engaged in job printing, the firm
being known as Craig & Elliot, and carried on an extensive business. Mr. Elliott is
a Republican and is serving his first official engagement with credit.

Foley, Edward, has been one of the leading builders and contractors of Cohoes,
where he came in 1865 to take charge of the building of the Cohoes Company dam.
He was educated in the county schools of Ireland, where he was born in 1831. He
also acquired the mason's trade there, and came to America, to New York city,
when he was seventeen years old. After two years he came to Albany and there
superintended bridge construction and church building, erecting St. Peter's church
and other buildings. In Cohoes he built the Harmony Mill, one of the largest in the
world, the Episcopal church, and other smaller buildings. By his untiring efforts
he has made a financial success, and now lives a retired life. He has five children,
the elder son, Edward, jr., is now a resident of Kansas City, and is engaged in the
real estate business.

Garland, Jerome, has for eight years held the responsible position of manager of



tlie Cohoes Iron Fouudiy and Machine Company, to whicli he came in 1871 as super-
intendent, having held a like position in the Laconia Company Iron Works, Bidde-
ford, Me., where his boyhood was spent and where he learned the machinist's trade.
He was born in Medina, N. Y., in 1833, and is a son of Joseph P. Garland, a lock
builder and contractor, and when six months old passed through Cohoes on the canal,
but was not of sufficient age to have any personal remembrance of the trip. When
a boy he had a predilection for the sea, but one voyage as a sailor changed his mind.
He spent one year in California during the gold excitement Mr. Garland is a Re-
publican, and has served as alderman of the Second ward, and was also a member
of the Board of Health and of the Excise Board. He is a master Mason and a mem-
ber of the I. O. O. F.

Kennedy, Thomas, is superintendent of the celebrated Tivoli Mills, Root Manu-
facturing Company, with which he has had a long terra of association, having first
entered them in 1863. He has always been a machinist and acquired the trade at
Gage's shops at Waterford. He also operates a factory at No. 49 Mohawk street,
which manufactures special machinery for knitting mills, and is in charge of his son,
T. Frank Kennedy. He was born in County Galway, Ireland, in 1842, coming to
America in 1848. He was on the Board of Education in 1878-79. Mr. Kennedy is a
prominent member of the Catholic church.

Leversee, Hon. Jacob D., has been a resident of Cohoes only since 1878, but has
taken a very front place in business and manufacturing circles. He was born in
Brunswick, N. Y., in 1858, aad received a common school education at that place,
where his father was then a farmer. Mr. Leversee learned the paper box making
trade at Lansingburgh, and in 1885 established the present firm of Leversee &
Snyder, with W. W. Snyder of Cohoes, of which he is president; he is also presi-
dent of the Daily News Company of Cohoes. In social and financial circles he is a
central figure, and has served as alderman of the Third ward. In 1896 he was
elected member of assembly to represent the Fourth assembly district of Albany
county. He is a member of Apollo Commandery No. 14 of Troy, also a mernber of
B. P. O. Elks Lodge No. 141, and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member
of the Cohoes City Club, the Mystic Club, the Waterford Club, Pafraets Dael Club
of Troy, and is treasurer of the Park Club of Lansingburgh. Mr. Leversee was
married September 9, 1880, to Katie Fitzgerald of Cohoes.

Lowery, Rev., J. F., LL.D., the talented and faithful pa'tor of St. Agnes church,
which is just completed, was its first pastor and builder. He has labored for years
for its erection. Rev. Father Lowery has done glorious work, which will be for cen-
turies a remembrance of one who labored zealously and effectually for the salvation
of souls and for the up-building of the church of God. He was born in Utica, N.Y.,
March 2, 1841, and studied in the common .schools of his native city, and after an
academic course, went to St. Charles College. Maryland, where he made his classical
studies, and afterwards completed the higher studies at St. Mary's University, Bal-
timore, and St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary, Troy, where he was ordained to the
priesthood, June 15, 1S67. He was appointed to Saratoga, and then to St. Joseph's,
Albany. His finst pastoral charge was in Oswego, in which city he built the church
of St. John the Evangelist, and he afterwards built St. Cecelia's church in Fonda.



335

The University of Niagara conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of
Laws in April, 1894.

McDermott, Martin, one of the popular and successful druggists of the city of
Cohoes, has been engaged in that business since 1880, when he began as a clerk for
C. S. Clute. He was born at Halfmoon, Saratoga county, in 1859, and is a son of
Roger McDermott, then a farmer, but now a resident of Cohoes. Mr. McDermott
opened the Model Pha macy at 103 Remsen street, Cohoes, and the establishment is
indeed a model in every respect He is a member of the Business Men's Association
of the city of Cohoes.

Millar, W. L., an enterprising young man of Cohoes, is practically a lifelong resi-
dent of that city, though born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1861. He came with his
father, Alexander Millar, a blacksmith, to America in 1866. He first entered River-
side Mills as a cutter, where he remained for seven years, and was afterward em-
ployed in other mills. In 1889, with his father-in-law, George P. Steenburg, he
opened up a coal yard on Central avenue; in 1890 Mr. Steenburg died, and he has
since operated the business alone.

Mansfield, W. K., editor and proprietor of the Cohoes Daily News, was born in
1856, in Waterford, where he still resides. He was educated in the public .schools
of Cohoes and at Amherst College Amherst, Mass. From 1877 until 1884 he was in
business in Saratoga county. He purchased the Daily News from James H. Mas-
ten, in October, 1884. and has since conducted it. He served for six years as jus-
tice of the peace in the town of Halfmoon, Saratoga county, and is now serving the
third term as justice of the peace of the town of Waterford. He is a member and
past master of Cohoes Lodge No. 116, F. & A. M.. and is also a member and past
high priest of Cohoes Chapter No. 168, R. A. M., and is a member of the Riverside
Club of Lansingburgh. The Daily News is the oldest daily paper publislied in the
city, having been established in 1873 by Edward Monk, the original .size of the
sheet being 13 liy '30 inches. The increasing demand upon its columns necessitated
enlargements in 1875, 1876, 1879, and again in 18S'3, when the present form, 24 by
36, was adopted. In June, 1874, Samuel Sault entered the firm, which was known
as Monk & Sault. In December, 1873, the office was removed from the corner of
Ontario and Remsen streets to enlarged quarters in the Campbell & Clute block on
Mohawk street. In July, 1879, Mr. Sault's interest was transferred to James H.
Masten, the veteran editor of the city, for many years editor of the Cataract. In
April, 1881, the firm of Monk & Masten was dissolved, Mr. Monk retiring. Mr.
Masten continued as editor and proprietor until October, 1884, when he disposed of
the paper to Mansfield & Harrington. In October, 1885, the firm of Mansfield &
Harrington was dissolved and the News passed into the hands of the present editor
and proprietor, W. K. Mansfield. In November, 1885, the News office was removed
to the present location in North's block. The News is published daily at noon, Sun-
days and holidays excepted. It presents all the local and vicinity news and full
telegraphic reports from all parts of the world. It is in every sense a family paper
and does not depend upon the sensational or scandalous for its circulation. It also
furnishes its readers with the very best miscellaneous matter and illustrated serial
stories of home reading. The News enjoys the distinction of being the only noon
pajjer published in the country, or so far as is known, in the world. The News took



a prominent part iu the labor ditiiculties of 1886 and 1887 and contended for the
constitutional freedom which was denied by the advanced labor agitator of that
time. The News and its editor went under a boycott for several years, as a result of
the stand taken at that time on behalf of individual liberty.

Stevens, Joseph, the well-known news dealer and stationer, has been located for
thirty-four years on Remsen street. He first entered the business in 1863 under the
firm name of Jones & Stevens, but since 1865 he has conducted the business alone.
He has a varied line of school books, blank books, envelopes, writing paper, pens
and ink, also fashion magazines, and he makes a specialty of Butterick patterns of
which he has the agency. Mr. Stevens is a native of Cohoes, and a lifelong resi-
dent. He was born in 1839, and is the son of John Stevens, a mechanic. He re-
ceived a common school education and first worked in a woolen mill. In 1870 Mr.
Stevens married Miss Lucy M. Reinhart of Berne, N. Y. They have two children,
Charles and Lydia F.

Slade, E. F, a son of Benjamin J. and Elizabeth (Flager) Slade, both natives of
Saratoga county, N. Y. . was born May 28, 1866 ; he was educated in the public schools
at Waterford. The original location of his business was at Nos. 21 and 29 Church
street, but in 1892 he established the coal business down town, by purchasing the
large yards of F. B. Shattock at 148 Saratoga street, where he also handles wood,
hay, and feed; he also owns extensive ice houses at the north end of the city of
Cohoes. He is a Republican and is a prominent official in the Masonic fraternity;
is a member of Apollo Commandery, also a member of the order of the Mystic Shrine
and a member of the Mystic Club. He was married April 1, 1891, to Anna Ladd, of
Waterford. They have one son, Benjamin J.

Shine James H., is emphatically a self-made man, owing the important social
and political status he occupies to his own exertions and character. He was born at
Waterford, N. Y., in 1846, of humble parentage. The exigencies of life took him out
of school when but twelve years old, and thenceforward he was a man among men. In
early life various occupations on the canals, farming labor, and the cooper's trade re-
ceived successive attention. In 1864 he enlisted in the 16th N. Y. Heavy Artillery,
and saw nearly two years' service. Mr. Shine was canal weighmaster from 1874 to
1880, and collector of canal statistics from 1882 to 1890. From 1885 to 1890 he was en-
gaged in the manufacture of knit goods at 'Valley Falls, N. Y. While a resident of
Waterford he served as trustee of the village, and as supervisor for three years. In
1891 he assumed his present position as manager of Hope Knitting Mills at Cohoes.
In 1896 he was appointed a member of the Public Improvement Commission of the
city of Cohoes.

Spillane, P. H., one of the most popular and enterprising druggists of the city, has
been in the city .since 1876, when he opened a store under the firm name of Spillane
& Davis. In 1880 he purchased his partner's. interest, and removed to LarkinHall, and
in 1890 to his present location. Mr. Spillane was born in Rochester in 1858. and isa son
of 'David Spillane, now a retired resident of Cohoes. He has been engaged in the
drug business all of his lifetime and is a past master of its requirements and the ac-
cessory lines, and although young in years is the oldest druggist in point of re.sidence
at Cohoes. He is a prominent Democrat and has filled various offices, such as com-
missioner of schools, etc.



237 \

Simpson, John F. has been a resident of Cohoes since 1840, and during that time
has been associated with the Harmony Mills, and now has a responsible position as
superintendent thereof. He is a descendant of an old family. His maternal grand-
father, Avery Le Roy, came from France with La Fayette, and took part in the
Revel utionar)- war. He was born at Saratoga in 183", and is a son of Stephen Simp-
son, a farmer and millwright, who died here. Mr. Simpson was but nine years of
age when he entered the cotton mills. He is a Republican, and was village trustee
for a time. He has been police commissioner for two years and still holds that
position.

Simmons, George E., a prominent citizen of Cohoes since 1859, came from Troy
where he was educated, and engaged m mercantile life, keeping a grocery store for
many years before conducting the Harmony Hotel. He reopened the new building
in 1880, and selling again in 1885. He now has two large farms in the suburbs of
Cohoes. He IS a son of A. C. Simmons, a farmer, and was born at Pocstenkill,
Rensselaer county, in 1835. Amelia Shelton was his first wife, whom he married in
1856. In 1808 he married Margaret Jane Baker, his present wife, who is a daughter
of A. M. Baker, of this city. Her great-grandfather was Capt. Seth Baker, who was
a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and her grandfather, Lewis Baker, was killed at
Sackett's Harbor in the war of 1812. Mr. Simmons has been prominently identified
with public affairs, serving seven years as supervisor. In 1879 he was appointed
assistant superintendent of public works, which position/ he held until 1895, Their
son, Abrara B., died in 1893 at the age of twenty-four years. He was a graduate of
the Albany Medical College and had begun to practice at Amsterdam. He was re-
garded as a young man of great promise and his death was a heavy blow to his
family and friends. There are two daughters now living, Annie E. and Amelia M.

Slavin, Thomas, though a native of Waterford, N. Y., where he was born in 1833,
has been a lifelong resident of Cohoes. His reminiscences of the place in its infancy
are very interesting, and he is regarded as a personal landmark and compendium of
data concerning the early times. His testimony is regarded as impeachable in cases