RENSSELAER COUNTY, NY

ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET

The early days of Rensselaer County and its various towns and townships, are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 28 Page Booklet, reprinted primarily from two hard-to-find books: the 1841 edition of Historical Collections of the State of New York by John Warner Barber and Henry Howe, and New York, a Guide to the Empire State, a WPA project.
The spiral-bound booklet, sold exclusively on eBay, is one-sided on 60# paper, with the fine print enlarged for easier reading. A clear vinyl sheet has been added to protect the front cover.
The communities mentioned include: Barker's Mills Bath, Berlin, Brunswick, Buskirk's Bridge, Castleton, Defriestville, East Nassau, Grafton, Greenbush, Hoosick, Hoosick Falls, Johnsonville, Lansingburg, Macnamara, Millville, Nassau, Patroons Mills, Petersburg, Petersburg Corners, Pittstown, Ramerton, Rensselaer, Rensselaers Mills, Sandlake, Schaghticoke, Schaghticoke Point, Schodack, Schodack Landing, Schodack Central, Shermans Mills, South Schodack, Stephentown, The Valley, Tomhenick, Troy, Ulines, and Wynantskill.
Among the many fascinating topics in the booklet are: the Barracks at Greenbush; an eye-witness account of the Excution of a Deserter in 1814; Revolutionary War conflict near Hoosick; the Troy Female Seminary and the Right of Women to Education; Fort Crailo, where Yankee Doodle was "born"; Watervliet Arsenal where "Uncle Sam" was named; Beverwyck, Lindenwald, and other 18th and early 19th Century homes; French "Citizen" Edmond Charles Genet; Robert Ross, a martyr to corruption free elections; Pioneers in Science, Education and Industry; an Early Women's Labor Union; USA start of the Bessemer steel industry; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Lollypop Sticks, Greyhound Racing, and a Museum dedicated to Collars. There's also a 1940 street map of Troy.
The booklet has no index, but names mentioned include: A. Read, Rev. Lee, Rev. Jonas Coe, Henry Hudson, Derick Van Derheyden, Dr. Samuel Gall, Col. Pawling, Elijah Adams, Horatio Winslow, Richard P. and Betsy Hart, Samuel Wilson, Russell Sage, Mrs. Russell Sage, W.H. and Mary Lane Hart, Jacob D. Vanderheyden, Dennis Belding, John and Sarah Willard, Nancy Hinsdale, Emma Willard, Pres. Martin Van Buren, John Spencer, Professor Amos Eaton, Henry Burden, Charles Veasie, Mrs. Hannah Lord Montague, Ebenezer Brown, Lyman Bennett, the Van Rensselaer family, Dr. Richard Shuckburgh, Jan Breese, the Schuyler family, Helen Van Alen (Katrina Van Tassel of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow), Generals Gates, Arnold, Morgan, and Stark, and Colonels Warner, Symonds, Baum, Nichols, Herrick, Hubbard, and Stickney.
ILLUSTRATIONS depict the Troy Female Seminary; Remains of the Barracks at Greenbush; a View of Lansingburg; and a full page view of Troy as seen from Mt. Olympus.
The Howe/Barber history covers the development of this area until about 1841, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glympse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities. There's also a small map of the area from a 1948 booklet printed by the New York Telephone Company.