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RENSSELAER COUNTY. 561
St. Joseph Academy, under the charge of the R. C., was founded, in 1842, as a free school. In
1852 it was enlarged, and a boarding house was annexed.
The Troy Hospital, a charitable institution, was incorp. March 1, 1851. It was founded chiefly
through the exertions of Rev. P. Havermans, and is supported by the R. C. denomination. The
nurses belong to the Sisters of Charity.
Marshall Infirmary was incorp. in 1851. It was founded by Benjamin Marshall. The builjing
and grounds cost $35,000; which sum was donated by its founder.
Troy Orphan Asylum, ineorp. April 10, 1835, is situated on Grand Division between 7th and
8th Streets. The building is of brick, and has about 100 inmates. The Asylum is supported
by donations and State appropriations; and children are received between the ages of 3 and 9, and
dismissed at 10 if an opportunity offers. At this age they are indentured to farmers until the age
of 17. During the first 22 years over 500 had been dismissed; and most of them have since filled
respectable stations in life. A school is maintained regularly in the Asylum.
St. Marys Orphan Asylum is an institution connected with St. Marys Church, (R. C.) The
male department is under the charge of the “ The Brothers of the Christian Schools,” and the
female, of “ The Sisters of Charity.”
The Warren Free Institute, a school for indigent female children, was incorp. March 19, 1846.
It was founded and endowed by the Warren family. A free church, (Prot. E. Church of the Holy
Cross,) for the pupils and their parents, is connected with the Institute.
The Troy Water Works were built by the city in 1833-34, and they have been subsequently ex¬
tended. The water is drawn from Piscawin Creek, and the reservoir is sufficiently high to throw
the water to the top of most of the houses. The works are under the charge of water commissioners,
and the rents are charged to property owners and collected with the taxes.
The city is 150 miles from NewYork, with which it is connected by R. R., and, m die season
of navigation, by lines of steamers. Its commerce is extensive, and it has a large trade with the
region n. and e. The Union R. R. Co. have erected a magnificent depot in the central part of the
city for the accommodation of the various lines of roads that center here.1
The manufactures of Troy are extensive and various.2 Wynants Kil, on the s., furnishes 12 mill
Bites, with an aggregate of 2000 horse power; Poesten Kil, on the n., has 10 sites, equivalent to
1000 horse power, and the dam across the Hudson furnishes 4000 horse power. Besides these
there is an immense amount of steam power in use.
In 1720, Derick Vanderheyden3 acquired from Van Rensselaer the title to 490 acres of land,
now included in Troy, at an annual rent of 3f bush, of wheat and 4 fat fowls.4 Tho tract was
occupied as a farm until about 1786, when a company of New Englanders induced the owners
to lay it out as a town. It was surveyed between 1786 and ’90, and was variously known as
“ Ferry Hook,” “ Vanderheydens Ferry,” and “Ashleys Ferry.” In the spring of 1789 the place
contained 5 small stores and about a dozen dwellings. The name, Troy, was adopted at a
meeting of the freeholders, Jan. 5, 1789. The first settlers came in soon after the war.5 The
completion of the Erie Canal gave an impulse to this place that speedily raised it from a com¬
paratively obscure village to a large and important city.6 Several destructive fires have occurred,
occasioning great losses.7
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J- The Troy Union R. R., 214 mi. long, was built by a com¬
pany, composed of persons chosen by, and representing the in¬
terests of, the Hudson R., N. Y. Central, Troy & Boston, and Rens¬
selaer & Saratoga R. Rs. The depot, built in 1853-54, is 400 by
150 feet, walls 27 feet, and roof a single arch, (Briggs’s patent,)
supported only by the walls. It is built for 10, and has 7,
parallel tracks its entire length. Tower, 115 feet high. Four
complete suites of rooms and offices.
2 The iron manufactures consist of R. R. iron, rolled iron, spikes,
nails, stoves, firearms, malleable iron, steam engines, safes, agri¬
cultural implements, &c. The business is carried on by more
than 30 firms, and gives employment to 2500 men. The Troy nail
works are among the most extensive in America. Besides
these, there are 6 large flouring mills, 3 grist mills, several
breweries and distilleries, and establishments for the manu¬
facture of cotton and woolen goods, hosiery, paper, carriages,
clothing, &c,, in the aggregate employing about 7000 hands.
One establishment for the manufacture of shirts, bosoms, and
collars employs 670 hands; 3 others employ 1070 hands, and 17
others 2750 hands. The most extensive mathematical instrument
manufactory in the U. S. is located in this city.
3 A descendant of his was known as the “ Patroon of Troy.” |
4 Brandt Yan Slechtenhorst, director of the “ Colonie of Rens-
Belaerwyck,” in 1646, purchased for the Patroon two additional
tracts of land e. of the Hudson: one, called “ Paanpaack,” (Field
of Corn,) included the site of Troy; and the other, called Pan-
hoosick, farther n.—Brodhead's Hist, of IV. Y., pp. 420-534.
6 The upper part of the city belonged to Jacob Vanderheyden,
and the southern to Matthias Vanderheyden. Stephen Ashley
and Benjamin Covill were the earliest settlers under the Van¬
derheydens. They came in about 1786; and the former kept an
inn in the old farmhouse of Matthias Vanderheyden for several
years. Dr. Sami. Gale, the first physician, came from Guilford,
Conn., in 1787. Among the other early settlers were Epb. Mor¬
gan, John Boardman, Benj. Smith, Phil. Ileartt, Anthony Good¬
speed, Mahlon Taylor, Eben’r and Sami. Wilson, Moses Vail,
Lewis Richards, Eben’r Jones, Howard Moulton, Amasa Pierce,
Jere’h Pierce, Townsend McCoun, Nathan and Steph. Warren,
David Buel, and Benj., John, Sami., and Wm. Gale.
6 The following table shows the increase of the population of
Troy for each semi-decade since 1810:—
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1810........... |
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1835.......... |
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1815........... |
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1840.......... |
........ 19,334 |
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1820........... |
......... 5.264 |
1845.......... |
......... 21,709 |
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1825........... |
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1850.......... |
........ 28,785 |
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1830........... |
......... 11,556 |
1855.......... |
........ 33,269 |
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7 The fire of June 20,1820, destroyed property to the amount oi
$370,000, and another, Aug. 25,1854, to the amount of $1,000,000. |
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