Mabee Family Papers

Biographical Note:
In 1705, Jan Pieterse Mabee acquired the land where the Mabee Farm Historic Site stands today. Originally settled by Daniel Janse Van Antwerpen, the site served as a fur trading post for American Indian traders. For 287 years, the Mabee farm was passed down through the generations, and today is the oldest house standing in the Mohawk Valley.

George E. Franchere

In 1993, the last family owner, George E. Franchere, gave the Mabee farm to the Schenectady County Historical Society, along with furnishings, heirlooms, and family papers.  Today the Schenectady County Historical Society continues to develop the farm site as a museum and educational center for the community.

Description of Collection:
This collection consists of almost 600 items including deeds, wills, letters, inventories, legal documents, bills of sale for slaves, and receipts.  The Mabee Family Papers provide a wealth of information that the Historical Society utilizes in developing interpretive programs for the farm.

1. Accounts (ACCTS)
Various bills, 1756-1895

2. Architectural Drawings (ARCH)
Historical American Buildings Survey, 1936

3. Church (CH)
Various church related items, including the purchase of a church stall or seat

4. Civil War (CW)
Documents relating to the Civil War

5. Deeds (DEEDS)
More than 50 documents relating to land transfers

6. Dutch (DUTCH)
Variety of documents, letters, etc. written in Dutch

7. Genealogy (GN)
Variety of Mabee family genealogy items

8. Insurance (INS)
Items relating to insurance on the farm

9. Inventories (INV)
Inventories made for estates of Jacob Mabee, 1824; Eve Mabee, 1863 & Simon Mabee, 1880.

10. Legacies (LEG)
Acknowledgments of receipt of legacies

11. Legal Matters (LM)
Acknowledgments of receipt of legacies

12. Letters (LETTERS)
Promissory notes, mortgages, court actions, documents relating to patents, summonses and bonds

13. Maps (MAPS)
Hand drawn and printed maps

14. Military (MIL)
Appointments, commissions, plus a number of items relating to deficiencies at company inspections, ca. 1806

15. Miscellaneous (MISC)
Variety of papers and documents

16. Periodical Clippings (PER)
Clippings from magazines and newspapers

17. Poems (POEMS)
Four undated, hand-written poems, authors unknown

18. Receipts (RECEIPTS)
Variety of receipts--many are for "payment on account" so do not give information on what was purchased

19. Slaves (SLAVES)
Bills of sale for slaves owned by the Mabee family

20. Student Exercises (STUDENT EX)
Practices exercises is calligraphy and arithmetic

21. Wills (WILLS)
18th and 19th century wills