Landmarks of Albany County, New York online

involving boundaries and conditions of a half century ago. Here has been the
scene of his early struggles in early business life, for Mr. Slavin is a self made man.
He has been compelled to gain his own maintenance since he was nine years of age,
as he was one of the seventeen children of Michael Slavin, who came from Ireland
in 1832. He firs^ engaged as a teamster for flour mills. In 1865 he established a
coal business and in 1869 came to No. 135 Saratoga street, where he also deals in
wood, hay, flour, feed and corn. In 1859 he married Elizabeth Bannon of Troy, by
whom he has had eight children, four sons and four daughters; Thomas F. and
Charles J. are associated with him in business.

Wilcox, Rodney, is a personal "landmark" of Cohoes, where he came in 1856,
when the village had about 6,000 population. He was born in Victory Mills, N. Y.,
in 1833, and is a son of John Wilcox of English birth. His early manhood was spent
on a farm, but he first engaged in the mercantile business at his native place. On
coming here he resumed the business, under the firm name of Stiles & Wilcox, until
wiped out by the panic of 1857. He then traveled in the West, returned one year
later and began business again under the firm name of Marshall & Wilcox. Since
1867 the establishment has been under his own name, and contains a general line of



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dry goods, draperies, etc. He is a Republican in politics and is interested in the
success of the party. He is an attendant of the M. E. church. In 1872 he married
Miss Adeline Coon. They have an adopted daughter, Mary Elizabeth.

Wertime, Walter H., was born in Ilion, N. Y., in 1871. His father was Herman
Wertime, born in Cologne, Germany. He was educated at the University of Bonn,
and came to this country in 1862. He enlisted in the Union army immedialely after
his arrival and served until April, 1865. He was honorably discharged at that time ;
he then settled in Herkimer county. Although a college graduate and a man of
unusual attainments, he practiced no profession, but conducted a grocery store in
Cohoes, to which place be came in 1874 and died in 1879. Walter H. Wertime was ed-
ucated in the public schools and graduated from the Egberts High School in 1888;
he taught school for one year and then began legal studies with D. C. McElwain of
this city. He entered the Albany Law School in 1891, graduating in 1892 and was
admitted to the bar that same year, after which he began practice in Cohoes. In
January, 1893, he formed a copartnership with George H. Fitts (now surrogate of
Albany county), and is actively engaged in the practice of the law. He was a mem-
ber and secretary of the Republican County Committee at the age of twenty-one.
He IS probably the youngest official as city attorney, yet the Common Council of
Cohoes appoirited him to this important position in 1895. The able manner in which
he discharged the onerous duties devolved upon him proved the wise, selection of that
body as he was by heredity, education, and character pecularly fitted for the re-
sponsible work. On October 8, 1896, he was appointed assistant district attorney of
Albany county by Eugene Burlingame. On the 6th day of August, 1896, Mr. Wer-
time was married to Estella Farrelly, of Cohoes.

Harrington, Francis A., son of Enoch Harrington, a prominent farmer and mill
owner. He was born in Morris, Otsego county, N. Y., March 31, 1843, and was
educated in the public schools of his native town. When sixteen he entered the
famous old Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin, N. Y., and was graduated in
1864. Meanwhile he had taught school to defray his expenses. In the spring of 1865
he entered the service of the old Albany and Susquehanna Railroad (now a part of
D. & H. C. system) in the chief engineering department, and on the completion of
the road continued with the company in the operating department until 1886, he en-
tered the service of the N. Y. C. & H. R. Railroad as general freight agent at
Troy. January 1, 1890, he was made assistant superintendent of the N. Y. Central
system between New York city and Syracuse. In 1891 he was made superintendent
of the Mohawk division with headquarters at Albany. In 1893 he was made super-
intendent of the Mohawk and Malone Railroad from Herkimer and Utica to Maloiie.
He is also managing director of the Troy Union Railroad.

Mather, Andrew E. and A. Dan, are of the ninth generation in America from
Rev. Richard Mather, who was born in Lowton, England, in 1596, came to Boston,
Mass., August 17, 1635, and died in Dorchester, Mass., April 22, 1669; he married
first, Catherine Holt, and second, Sarah Story (widow of Rev. John Cotton) and was
the father of Increase and the grandfather of Cotton Mather, both noted in New
England history. The line under consideration is (1) Richard, son of Thomas and
grandson of John, of Lowton, England; (2) Timothy, 1628-1684; (3) Richard, 1653-
1688; (4) Timothy, 1681-17.55; (5) Timothy, nil-lKK); (6) Jehoida, 174(1-1811, all of



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Lyme, Conn.; (7) Dan, 1774-1856, of Burlington, N. V.; and (S) Andrew A., father
of Andrew E. and A. Dan. Andrew Adrian Mather (8), son of Dan and Susannah
(Onderhouk), was born in Burlington, Otsego county, October 17, 1812, and still re-
sides where his father, a tanner, settled in 1811. He has been a staunch adherent
to the temperance party since 1841 and in 1853 was elected by it to the Legislature.
He was elected sheriff of ( )tsego county in 1860 and was appointed deputy provost
marshal in 1864. He married first, September 7, 1834, Teresa Davis Cummings, who
died January 37, 1860, leaving si.x children: Adrian O., born May 23, 1835, married
Sarah Whitford May 31, 1863, and died July 18, 1883; Andrew E., born July 3, 1837;
Addison Dan, born November 12, 1838; EHas C, born April 8, 1840, mustered into
Co. K, 131st N. Y Vols., August, 1862, appointed lieutenant and adjutant 20th U. S.
Colored Inf., September, 1864, married Mary Whitford, January 37, 1867; Kate
Maria, born May 36, 1843; and Fayette, born January 11, 1845, died January 15,
1849. Mr. JIather married second, January 6, 1862, Addie J. Birdsall and had two
children; Clara Louise and Jennie A. In August, 1862, Andrew E. Mather was
mustered as first lieutenant of Co. K, 121st N. Y. Vols., was promoted captain Janu-
ary, ise?), major Ma\- :!, isr,:;, fcjv 'gallantry al second Fredericksburg, where he was
wounded in the sli'iulilci .m S;il(.'iii Ik'i;.;hls, was appointed lieutenant-colonel Janu-
ary, 1S64, and traiislci nM i.> lliu ;,'llih C. S, Colored Inf. January 30, 1865, was ap-
pointed acting inspe