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From: "Bill & Cathy McGrath" <>
Subject: [NYALBANY] Interesting Biographies - Number #3
Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2011 21:35:38 -0400


BIOGRAPHY ON SELECTED NAMES ON THE TIGS WEBSITE

One of the newer projects on the Troy Irish Genealogy Website - www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ is the Troy Newspaper Project. Click on PROJECTS and then click on TROY NEWSPAPER PROJECT. This new project has added thousands of marriage and death records to the website that were transcribed from various Troy newspapers.

Wouldn't you like to know something about the lives of some of the people that are mentioned in this database? A number of the names on the list cover individuals that are important in American History and TIGS would like to share their stories with you.

The following names are from The Troy Post death data base on the TIGS website:

1. WILLIAM HOWARD ALLEN:

William Howard Allen was born in Hudson, New York on July 8, 1790. He attended school in London but returned to Hudson one year later where he was enrolled at the Hudson Academy For Boys.

Was appointed a mid-shipment in the U.S. Navy in 1808 and as a Second Lieutenant in 1811. He became a hero during the War of 1812 when he served aboard the USS Argus. On August 13, 1813, in a battle with the British sloop of war "Pelican", he was taken prisoner and served 18 months as a prisoner of war in Ashburton, England.

Later he commanded the schooner "Alligator" , which was sent to the West Indies to destroy pirates as part of the West Indies Squadron. He was killed in action on November 9, 1822 while attacking three pirate vessels and was interred on November 11, 1822 in Matanzas, Cuba.

Years later, the Common Council of the city of Hudson requested the Navy Department to have Allen's body returned to Hudson. On December 15, 1827, the schooner "Grampus" arrived in New York with his remains which were transported for burial in Hudson near the grave of his mother.

2. GOLDSBROW BANYAR:

Goldsbrow Banyar was born in London, England about 1724. A career British colonial official, he achieved wealth and prominence in colonial New York, survived the Revolution, and lived the last two decades of his long life in Albany.

A young Banyar came to America during the 1730s. In 1767, he married the widow Elizabeth Mortier Appy of New York City. He lived in New York City but was able to acquire extensive acreage in the unsettled regions of the province. At the onset of the Revolutionary War, he retired to Rhinebeck and sought to avoid the conflict there.

Banyar had served as the Deputy Secretary of the Colony of New York, Deputy Clerk of the Council and of the Supreme Court, Register of the Court of Chancery and Judge of Probate, all between 1746 and the opening of the Revolution. His services ended with the end of British rule, and he withdrew to Rhinebeck until the end of the war, at which time he returned to Albany.

Shortly thereafter, he moved to Albany to a house at 62 North Pearl Street where he lived for remainder of his life. Approaching his seventieth birthday, Banyar used savings to live comfortably in his new home. He owned the substantial Pearl Street home, another house in the first ward, and additional lots as well. Banyar's name was included on the boards of a number of organizations including the incorporators of the Bank of Albany in 1792.

In April 1801, his son, Goldsbrow Banyar, Jr. married nineteen-year-old Maria Jay, the daughter of governor John Jay. The marriage took place at St. Peter's Anglican church in Albany. Their son and daughter were born in 1804 and 1805. But both died in childhood.

Goldsbrow Banyar, Sr. died in Albany, New York on November 3, 1815 at the age of ninety-one.

3. SILAS COVELL:

Silas was born in Pomfret, Connecticut to Stephen Covell and Elizabeth Givens in 1753. He married Rebecca Thurber (1749-1830) on March 6, 1783 in Providence, Rhode Island.

He was a merchant in Providence, Rhode Island. On 30 Aug 1792 the family started for Troy, NY. They had received letters of recommendation from the first Baptist Church of Providence. The passage from Providence was made in a sloop of which Capt. Anthony was master and John Kinnecut the mate. On arriving at Albany, the emigrants and their effects were transferred to a bateau which was at Albany from Waterford awaiting a load up the river.

In Troy, Silas carried on the business of a merchant in company with his brother Benjamin, under the firm name of Benjamin & Silas Covel.

There is a handsome monument to their memory in Troy.

According to family history, Silas was a corporal at West Point, under General Washington, and as attested by his son Stephen and also by Stephen's children, he crossed the Delaware in the boat with General George Washington.

He died in Troy, New York on December 26, 1820 at the age of 67.

4. HON. SAMUEL DEXTER:

Samuel Dexter was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 14, 1761 to the Rev. Samuel Dexter, the 4th minister of Dedham. He graduated from Harvard University in 1781 and then studied law at Worcester under Levi Lincoln, Sr., the future Attorney General of the United States. After passing the bar in 1784, he started practicing law in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and served 1788 to 1790. He was elected to the 3rd Congress and then elected to the United States Senate. In December 1799, he memorably wrote the memorial eulogy to George Washington upon the first president's death. His house in Dedham stands to today.

He served for less than a year as he was appointed United States Secretary of War by President John Adams in 1800. Upon Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott, Jr.'s resignation in December 1800, Adams appointed Dexter as interim Secretary. He then briefly conducted the affairs of the War Office. He administered the oath of office to Chief Justice John Marshall.

He returned to Boston in 1805 and resumed the practice of law. Was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1814 and 1815.

The USRC Dexter (1830) was named in his honor. His son, Samuel W. Dexter was the founder of Dexter, Michigan.

He died on May 4, 1816 shortly before his 55th birthday and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Camnbridge, Massachusetts.

5. REV. HENRY BLATCHFORD:

Henry, born December 4, 1788 in Lynton, England, was the first child of the Rev. Samuel Blatchford and Alicia Windeatt. He had 16 siblings, the first five born in England and the rest born in America.

He was a graduate of Union College, the class of 1810, and a member of the first class of students that entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey. Henry was ordained and installed on November 27, 1815 over the Irish Church on Orange Street, New York City. In 1818 he removed to Salem, Massachusetts and was installed pastor in 1819 where he remained two years.

On September 10, 1817 he married Mary Ann Coit, daughter of Elisha Coit, Esq. of New York City. They had three children, Rebecca, Harriet Alicia (died less than 1 month old) and Alicia Harriet.

On September 1, 1822, he died unexpectedly in Princess Anne, Maryland at the age of 34.

6. LIEUT. PETER GAMBLE:

Peter Gamble was born November 5, 1793 in Bordentown, New Jersey and was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

He was appointed midshipman on January 16, 1809 and served on Thomas MacDonough's flagship "Saratoga" in the Battle of Lake Champlain. He was killed in action while in the act of sighting his gun on September 11, 1814. MacDonough deplored Gamble's loss and commended his gallantry in action.

Lieut. Gamble is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Plattsburgh, New York.

The USS Gamble was named for him and his brother, Lieut. Col. John M. Gamble who was mentioned in Interesting Biographies - Number #1.

Bill McGrath - Clifton Park, NY


















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