Schenectady's 18th and 19th Century Newspapers

The Western Spectator masthead, 1803. 

You may have seen coverage of the Daily Gazette’s 130th anniversary in November 2024, but you may not realize that Schenectady’s rich history of local journalism and newspaper publishing dates back to the 1790s. The Mohawk Mercury, a weekly newspaper published by Abraham Brockaw and Cornelius Wyckoff, is the earliest known periodical published in Schenectady. Only a few issues survived the centuries. They cover the period 1795 to 1798 and are never more than four pages long. The first two pages were reserved mostly for national and international news, with some state information. Pages three and four were almost exclusively local news and notices, generally in the form of business ads. Around 1798, John L. Stevenson bought the paper. It is unclear if Stevenson continued printing the Mercury, but in 1799 he was publishing a newspaper under the name Schenectady Gazette (no relation to the present-day Schenectady newspaper), so it’s possible that he simply changed the name of the original publication. In 1802, Stevenson changed the name of the Gazette to the Western Spectator and Schenectady Advertiser. The Western Spectator was discontinued in 1807. The surviving issues follow a similar format and focus as the Mohawk Mercury. 

While the first two pages are interesting in their own right for a glimpse into the important matters of post-Revolutionary America, the real treasure of these early newspapers are the second set of two pages in each issue. Given the ads and notices published, the Mohawk Mercury and the Western Spectator read like a Who’s-Who of turn-of-the-century Schenectady. These pages featured articles explaining local ordinances or addressing local issues, such as the founding of Union College. Notices and advertisements focus on local businesses, legal notices, mail service, and listings of property for sale. Slavery in our area is documented in the sale ads for enslaved people and the ‘runaway ads’ enslavers posted for enslaved people seeking freedom. Occasionally, a death notice of a local person or notices for delinquent wives and apprentices appear, while marriage announcements are extremely rare.

Ad announcing runaway apprentice published in the Mohawk Sentinel, 1824

For most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Schenectady had at least two newspapers circulating at the same time. Some of these titles went in and out of publication over the decades, changing owners or editors and merging with other publications. The Schenectady Cabinet, for example, started in 1810 and continued through the 1830s, merging briefly with the Freedom Sentinel in the 1840s before reemerging as a separate title in the 1850s. The similarity and reuse of titles can be confusing. The Reflector and Schenectady Democrat ran from the late 1830s to the mid-1880s. However, within this range, the paper was published under the mastheads the Schenectady Reflector, the Schenectady Democrat, and the Schenectady Democrat and Reflector with a series of proprietors and editors. The dates and issue numbers on the surviving issues make it difficult to determine if all of these titles were indeed the same newspaper published continuously or if there were significant starts and stops or changes to the publication in this 50-year period.

Most of the nineteenth and early twentieth century newspapers were printed weekly, but a few were daily publications. In addition to the local news reports and announcements, these newspapers contain a wealth of information important to a variety of researchers including advertisements, death and marriage notices, political statements, editorials, poetry, essays, drawings, and cartoons. Most of these newspapers claim to be politically neutral or focused broadly on the news of the day and the interests of the common reader, but several publishers proclaimed their intent to represent the views of particular parties or affiliations. The Weekly Republican (1857-1863), for example, introduced itself as advocating and supporting the principles of the Republican party. This newspaper particularly focused on promoting and defending the party’s “doctrine of progress in all those inalienable, God-given rights, which ennoble and elevate the common humanity,” notably advocating for the abolition of slavery during the tumultuous years before and during the American Civil War.

Four men standing outside of Foster's Newsroom on State Street, circa 1890. One is selling newspapers.

Very few original paper copies of eighteenth and nineteenth century newspapers exist today, but the contents of these publications are available for research on microfilm at the Grems-Doolittle Library. Twenty-four newspapers, dating 1795 to 1884, are available and searchable online at the New York Historic Newspapers database, thanks to Regional Collections grants from the Capital District Library Council which allowed SCHS to digitize reels in our microfilm collection and make them fully available and searchable online through the New York Historic Newspapers Project. The New York Historic Newspapers project exists to digitize and make freely available for research significant runs of historic newspapers for every county in the state. The database is created and administered by the Northern New York Library Network in partnership with the Empire State Library Network.

The microfilm collection at the Grems-Doolittle Library is available for researchers by appointment. Contact the librarian to schedule an appointment and visit schenectadyhistorical.org/research to learn more about accessing our collections.

Pharmacies around Schenectady

The peak of cold and flu season is fast approaching, and many of us are heading to our local pharmacy to stock up on medications, COVID tests, masks, and other essentials to get us through the season. Pharmacies are essential businesses in our communities and pharmacists have years of medical expertise to draw on when they help us decipher our prescriptions, recommend an OTC remedy, or administer vaccines. While the concept of creating and selling the remedies for what ails us can be traced back to medieval apothecaries, pharmacies as we know them today are only about 200 years old.

The SCHS Library recently received a donation of a pharmacy prescription book from Kerste’s Pharmacy. The donor asked us whether Kerste’s was “the oldest pharmacy in Schenectady” - a question that led us down a research rabbit-hole. Our answer to that question and other information that we found in our research will be compiled in a future blog post, but we wanted to take a moment to share some of the materials in the SCHS collections that relate to the history of pharmacies in our area.

Page from one of the Kerste's Pharmacy prescription books showing prescription notes pasted into a large ledger. Kerste's Pharmacy Records: ledgers of prescriptions processed through Kerste's Pharmacy,  1886, 1918, 1945.

Henry Kerste and two assistants mixing prescriptions in the pharmacy. Larry Hart Photo and Research Collection.

E. Steinfuhrer Drugs and Medicines. Southeast corner of Ferry and State Streets. Photo from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photo Collection.

Ad for Richard Fuller, Druggist and Apothecary from the Grems-Doolittle Library Clippings Collection, Pharmacies File.

Ad for William Sauter, Pharmacist, in the 1896 Schenectady City Directory from the City Directories Collection.

Learn more about the SCHS Library collections on our website, https://schenectadyhistorical.org/collections/, and our Guide to the History of Medicine in Schenectady County: https://schenectadyhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/History-of-Medicine-in-Schenectady-County-Research-Guide.pdf

Schenectady's Own Band of Brothers

This post was written by library volunteer Gail Denisoff.

For the tenth year, the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation is honoring past and present Schenectady County service members through the Hometown Heroes banner program. Hanging from Memorial Day to Veteran's Day, these banners recognize brave men and women from Schenectady County who have answered the call to serve.

The Schenectady County Historical Society often nominates a candidate from Schenectady's past for a banner. This year we have nominated two brothers from Schenectady County who served during the Civil War. Jacob and Martin DeForest were not the only members of their family to enlist, however. Five DeForest brothers joined the Union effort. All five were wounded in battle with at least one later succumbing to his injuries. The DeForest brothers were not strangers to military service. Both their grandfather and great-grandfather fought under George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Below are brief biographies and service details for the DeForest boys, Schenectady County’s band of brothers.

Portrait of Jacob DeForest in military uniform. From the DeForest Family File at the Grems-Doolittle Library.

 

Jacob J. DeForest, born in Rotterdam, Schenectady County, on October 10, 1820, was the oldest of the 12 children of Jacob and Anna Schermerhorn DeForest. He was educated at the Schenectady Lyceum under the tutelage of Rev. Dr. Huntington, then taught a winter term of school in Rotterdam. Soon after, he apprenticed himself with James A. Van Voast, a prominent carpenter and builder in Schenectady. Following the completion of his apprenticeship in 1844, he moved to Albany where he worked as a successful contractor in his own businesses.

Jacob had a lifelong interest in the military and was commissioned as an engineer of the 25th Regiment of the 11th Brigade, 3rd Division, of the State of New York on December 28, 1855. At the outbreak of the Civil war in April of 1861, at the age of 40, he was placed in charge of a recruiting center in Albany and served until the following August during which time 30 volunteer regiments of New York were recruited and organized. He was then sent to Oswego, where he organized the 81st Regiment of NY Volunteers.

On February 19, 1862, Jacob was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 81st Brigade and on July 1 promoted to colonel. The regiment became part of the Fourth Corps of the Army of the Peninsula under the Command of General Keyes and a part of McClellan’s Army of the Potomac Peninsular Campaign. On May 31, 1862, he was shot through the left lung at the battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia. Jacob was sent to Douglas Hospital in Washington, and then furloughed home to recover. He rejoined his unit on September 1 and sent to North Carolina where he participated in the unsuccessful Siege of Charleston. Because of his disability from his earlier wound, Jacob was hospitalized again and mustered out September 1, 1864, although retained command of the regiment until the end of the war. After the war, he was on the staff of former New York Governor Morgan for a time and was one of the escorts who accompanied the remains of President Lincoln through the state. Soon after, he returned to work the family farm in Duanesburg, NY, and was active in community affairs, especially regarding school and educational matters. He was a friend of Horace Greeley during the abolition movement and a longtime member of the Masons and Odd Fellows.

Jacob J. DeForest had three wives, the last surviving him, and 12 children, 5 of whom died at birth or as young children. In the summer of 1903, he supervised the building of a new home at Cady’s Corners in Rotterdam, where he died on March 14, 1904, at the age of 83. He is buried at Prospect Hills Cemetery in Guilderland.

Portrait of Bartholomew DeForest in military uniform. From the DeForest Family File, Grems-Doolittle Library.

 

Bartholomew Schermerhorn DeForest was born in Rotterdam on February 9, 1823, the second child of Jacob and Anna DeForest. He worked as an architect in Albany before enlisting on August 26, 1862, at the age of 39. He obtained the rank of First Lieutenant, was assigned to the 81^st New York Infantry, and served as Quartermaster from September 1, 1862, to September 19, 1864. He was injured in battle and mustered out with a discharge disability on September 19, 1864.

Bartholomew married Elizabeth Walker in 1847 and had two daughters. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, after the war where Bartholomew continued his architectural career. He died in Cleveland on April 30, 1886, at the age of 63 and is buried in Vale Cemetery in Schenectady.

John Teller DeForest was born December 27, 1830, the sixth child of DeForest family. He worked as a carpenter in Albany with his brother, Jacob, before enlisting in Oswego on September 23, 1861, at the age of 31. He was assigned to the 81^st New York Infantry. He rose to the rank of Captain before being injured in battle and mustering out on August 10, 1864, with a discharge disability.

John was married to Emeline Stevens and had a son. He died of complications of his wartime injuries on May 25, 1866, at the age of 35, in Oswego and is buried in Mount Adnah Cemetery, Fulton, Oswego County. 

Portrait of William DeForest in military uniform. From the DeForest Family File at the Grems-Doolittle Library.

William Freeman DeForest was the eighth child of the family born on April 28, 1836, in Rotterdam. He enlisted at the age of 26 on January 25, 1863. He was assigned to the Second New York Calvary with the rank of Sergeant. He was wounded at Ashby's Gap Virginia and mustered out with a discharge disability on September 4, 1864.

After the war, William moved to San Francisco and worked as a trader. In the 1870s he was an agent for the Eureka Hair Company. He married Maggie Cosgrove in San Francisco in 1878 and died there some years later.

Portrait of Martin DeForest in military uniform. From the DeForest Family File at the Grems-Doolittle Library.

Martin J. DeForest was the ninth child of the family, born on June 23, 1839, in Rotterdam. He enlisted in the 25^th Regiment of the New York State Militia on September 21, 1861 at the age of 22. He reenlisted in the 81^st Infantry, New York Volunteers, and served with that regiment throughout the war. He was severely wounded in his left leg on June 3, 1864, at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, resulting in the amputation of his left foot. He was discharged with the rank of Captain on October 23, 1864, because of his injuries. In 1865, he was appointed Second Lieutenant, 3^rd Regiment of the Veteran's Reserve Corps, and worked in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Land, discharged in 1868.

Martin married Harriet Carmichael in 1866 in Sparta, Westchester County. He worked as a clerk in the Registry Department of the General Post Office of New York for 40 years, living in Brooklyn. He died on February 8, 1908, leaving a second wife and four children. He is buried in Sparta Cemetery, Westchester County.

There is some evidence that a sixth brother may have briefly served in the Union Army. Richard DeForest was the 12^th child of the DeForest family, born on August 9, 1844, in Rotterdam. He enlisted at the age of 19 on May 31, 1862, as a private in the 25^th Infantry of the New York State Militia. He mustered out in Albany less than four months later on September 8, 1863. Richard died at Cady's Corners, Rotterdam on April 22, 1869 at the age of 24.

The brothers of the DeForest family served the Union faithfully throughout the Civil War risking life and limb. They are part of a proud heritage of Schenectady military heroes.

The Schenectady Hometown Heroes banners will be up along State Street from Washington Avenue to Veterans Park until Veterans Day. More banners can be found along Clinton Street between Liberty Street and Union Street. Please visit https://downtownschenectady.org/portfolio/honoring-the-2024-hometown-heroes/ for more information on the program and 2024 banners. The banners for Jacob and Martin DeForest share a pole on State Street near the corner of Washington Avenue.

Niskayuna’s Newstead was Distinguished Nuclear Advisor

 This post was contributed by local author Michael A. Davi. It was also published on the Daily Gazette website on Oct. 1, 2024.

In May 2023, while researching my article titled “Niskayuna’s Beloved Lina Newstead” (September4, 2023 Daily Gazette Gleanings Series), I had the privilege of connecting with Charles Newstead, Lina's youngest son. Despite his advanced age (91) and being in hospice care at his home in McClean, VA, Charles graciously agreed to speak with me by phone. Our initial conversation. which lasted over an hour, flowed effortlessly, leading to a follow-up discussion a few days later. Our talks were extraordinary, revealing insights about Charles’ own incredible life that historical investigations alone could never uncover. 

Sadly, Charles passed away on Father’s Day 2023, just a day before our planned third conversation. However, I had already transcribed over two hours of our discussions, which, combined with further research, form the basis of the following story.

Born to Aaron and Lina Newstead in September 1931, Charles spent formative years of his youth growing up in Niskayuna. He fondly recalled his younger days living above his mother’s convenience store on Van Antwerp Road. One of his cherished pastimes was walking to the Rivoli Theater on Union Street, now a Karate studio, where he could enjoy hours of entertainment for a mere ten cents and a few extra coins for snacks. 

Charles' photo and blurb in the Nott Terrace Terracian Yearbook, 1950

 

Charles developed an early fascination with science, sparked by listening to the GE Science Forum broadcasts on WGY radio. The weekly science programs ignited a lifelong passion which led Charles to his study of physics.

Despite nearly missing high school graduation (Nott Terrace HS Class of 1950) over confusion about course credits, Charles persevered encouraged by a concerned and compassionate teacher. While initially reluctant to further his education, Charles was nudged by older brother Edwin (himself a Union College graduate) to apply to New York University, barely meeting the application deadline. From this somewhat shaky start, Charles flourished academically, later graduating summa cum laude with a Doctorate in Physics from the prestigious University of Oxford.

Charles at his graduation from the University of Oxford

 

After completing studies at Oxford, Charles ventured to continental Europe, where he met and ultimately married his soulmate, Inge. His professional journey led him to the prominent French Atomic Energy Commission and later to Brookhaven National Laboratories on Long Island, where he worked alongside eminent nuclear scientists. Charles’ expertise eventually caught the attention of the Department of Energy, leading to a distinguished career spanning 40 years at the US Department of State as a Senior Science Advisor.

Charles’ work in nuclear non-proliferation and threat assessment earned him recognition from top U.S. policymakers, including interactions with former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. His insights were crucial in helping decision makers shape U.S. responses to significant global events, such as Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

When I asked Charles about his views on climate change, he did not hesitate to predict that nuclear fusion would be the ultimate solution to this existential problem. He eloquently described fusion as “building the sun on earth,” a phrase that succinctly describes this powerful, complex technology. Despite the controversy and technical challenges with nuclear fusion, Charles firmly believed that difficulties with this promising yet perplexing technology will one day be overcome.

To underscore his statement, Charles cited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Program (ITER). ITER is a multi-billion dollar collaborative effort of 35 nations building the world’s largest fusion reactor plant in southern France. The program's goal is to demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power. 

Charles Newstead

 

During our conversations, Charles surprised me by drawing parallels between his work and my own experiences at GE -- we both essentially synthesized complex technical information for higher level decision-makers. Even in the face of serious illness, his sharp intellect and ability to make such correlations left a lasting impression on me.

Although I knew his passing was imminent, the news still came as a shock. Our rapport had lulled me into a sense of timelessness, making it hard to accept that the end was so near. Yet, despite the sadness of his loss, I find comfort in knowing that our conversations brought Charles some joy in his final days, rekindling his love for Niskayuna and keeping his mind engaged with thoughts of happier times. In reflecting on our connection, I take solace in the idea that our shared discussions offered him a sense of fulfillment and peace as he approached the end of his remarkable life.

Daniel Campbell: Businessman, Patriot, Human

This post was written by library volunteer Robert Baldwin.
Readers are advised that this post includes quotes from historical primary sources which contain offensive, insensitive, and racialized language. In the interests of accurately presenting the historical record, we do not alter the language used in original primary source documents. Spellings, punctuation, and grammar in the transcriptions are unaltered from the original document. 

 
For a recent research request at the SCHS Library, I investigated land-purchase activities of Daniel Campbell. The individual whom I assisted in this research effort was primarily interested in Campbell’s acquisition of land in Ballston; particularly, property the researcher owned in Ballston Spa that Mr. Campbell did at one time. Though my efforts had limited success for this individual, I became interested in gleaning the personality of Daniel Campbell. Research began with the Letter Book of Daniel Campbell 1771-1801, transcribed by Elizabeth D. Shaver, 1982-3. Subsequently, after investigating other sources, I discovered that information relating to the personality of Mr. Campbell was nominal. Thus, I determined that it was a worthy effort to probe Shaver’s work to paint Campbell’s personality. A fur trader, land speculator, salesman, and a military officer were among the most common labels associated with Mr. Campbell. Yet, my investigations indicated that there was much more to learn about him. What did he like? What caused him great disdain? What types of people did he embrace, or attempt to disenfranchise? Who were his favorite acquaintances, and who were not? What about politics and loyalty? How did family play a role in Mr. Campbell’s life?



Portrait of Daniel Campbell by Thomas McIlworth.

Let us begin with the most commonly known practices of Mr. Campbell without much reference to personality. The fur trade was not limited to the historical and stereotypical beaver pelt trade. He dabbled a great deal in a wide variety of furs/skins with his friendly "aborigines" (Campbell used this word frequently to describe Native Americans and used it interchangeably with "Indians"). Among these were as follows: leather (tanned cow or cattle hides), beaver, fox, deer, raccoon, otter, seal, martin, bear, fisher, musquash (muskrat), cat (referring to large cats such as mountain lions and bobcats), and elk. Of course, beaver was the most important, and followed by deer, leather, raccoon and bear. The least desirable was musquash, being inferior in quality, smaller than a beaver, and more difficult to skin and process. 

Among his most important inventory stores were wampum and cord to trade with Native Americans. Second in importance was rum, a common bartering item for fur trade. Let us not forget knives, very commonly a trade items for furs. Campbell's fur trade interactions with Native Americans led to his great feeling of appreciation towards them. He considered his Native trading partners both industrious and an excellent source of promoting revenue.



Mr. Campbell attributed his success as a merchant to the people with whom he worked. Diplomacy was critical. The fur trade was the basis for his early successes. Thus, appeasing Native American fur hunters and traders was essential for acquiring furs. Constant communication and negotiation with transporters, both within the colonies and over to Europe, required finesse. As for providing trade with the military, neither politics nor loyalty had a place until the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Campbell and several other prominent citizens, were examined about their relationship with the British military. An ultimatum was decreed by the Schenectady Committee of Conspiracies, requiring said businessmen to cease all activities with the British or be imprisoned on a ship in Kingston for the duration of the war. Unfortunately for Mr. Campbell and his affiliates, their sworn allegiance to the United States destroyed many of their business activities until the end of the war. While the American Revolution did not destroy Mr. Campbell’s practice of land acquisition or nominal trade, it caused a great deal of angst and significant loss of commerce. Furthermore, Mr. Campbell spent a great deal of time attempting to recuperate unpaid debts created prior to the war. I would venture to say that approximately twenty percent of his letters were some form of correspondence with debtors as well as law enforcement to recuperate his revenues. As anyone might surmise, his letters reflected frustration and anger, not only towards debtors, but also with the legal system.

Though the fur trade was lucrative, Mr. Campbell’s merchandise trade is nothing to disregard. Within the letters there were two times that inventory was included, and quite extensive. He was very hard on his employees to assure that conducting inventory was complete and accurate. As a matter of curiosity, I discovered that the store’s ending inventory in 1772 was £2917:19:67 (2917 pounds, 19 shillings, 6 pence); or, equal to 2024 inflation rate $664,0768 (2024 USD). Mr. Campbell understandingly had reason to be so particular. Some inventory include: wampum, linen, textile, buttons, sewing supplies, clothing, hats, hand tools, garden tools, spices, wine, rum, dishes, chimney tile, playing cards, bridles, hardware, playing cards, gun powder, paper products, and horse trade or livestock. The inventories also provide evidence of Mr. Campbell’s involvement in the slave trade.

Painting of Campbell Mansion, State Street, Schenectady.

We cannot afford to be historical apologists for the darker sides of our ancestors. Mr. Campbell was not an exception. Five of the letters reference Campbell’s willingness and promotion of slave trade. He claimed ownership over enslaved people in his own household. Within his business practice, he brokered deals to purchase enslaved people for his clients. The following are a few examples of this from the transcribed letters:


2 August 1771 Letter:


“…It is very hard to get such negroes as you described and you are very right to purchase none but such as good character. If there of any I will immediately acquaint Mr. Sherbrook…”


28 August 1771 Letter: 


“…Mr. Walker desired me to remit the amount of these bills to Mr. Mills Sherbrooke merchant in New York as he said he wanted to purchase some Negroes I have paid the money to Mr. Mills Sherbrooke Merchant in New York agreeable to such directions…”



January 1772 Letter: 


“…to Mr. Tymes…I shall do my best to procure you a good Clarke and a servant or negro…”



26 April 1773 Letter:


“…I wish you could meet with a bargain of a negro gerrill* of about from 10 to 12 years old let her be sound. I have seen several advertisd in Mr. Gains paper. I have an order from Mr. Andrews at Detroit for one.”



I would be remiss to exclude how Mr. Campbell felt about the enslaved people on his property. He did value loyalty; and, he got it. His Black enslaved servants occasionally made sure he knew about ongoing property encroachments of contiguous landholders. Furthermore, he insisted that his servants were of sound body and high personal character.

Aptly dubbed a land speculator in a multitude of resources, Mr. Campbell gained most of his wealth in later years from purchasing, selling, and leasing land. The records indicate that Mr. Campbell purchased more than forty thousand acres of land. Land acquisition within the Kayaderosseras Patent was over twenty-four thousand acres alone. With very little thinking effort, we can clearly relate his prowess to real estate magnates of today. However, this undertaking not an easy task. He wrote many letters of inquiry, and those relating to offers and acceptances; relying heavily on messenger services via horseback and carriage. Several correspondence letters were unrelenting to the point of frustration and disappointment among parties. The acquisition of land was not only to increase his land wealth; rather most often his purchases led to lease agreements for tenants to pay to use the land, as well as improving the land. 

For example:

18 November 1773 Letter:


“…I have purchased amounts to 24000 acres. It is all wood land free of any quit rent to the (King?) or any other person forever…there are on my lands about 8 tenants who must either agree with me for rent or must purchase the land…”



January 1774 Letter:


“…I have been down to York this fall & made a purchase of 20,000 acres of land which lays all around Bauls Town** & is very convenient to settle…I make no doubt but next summer I shall settle fifty or sixty families…I shall endeavor to settle it by giving leases forever.”



It was Mr. Campbell’s expectation to find tenants who were capable, hardworking and trustworthy, being of very good character. Mr. Campbell often wrote letters admonishing those who did not meet his high standards, both tenants and neighbors. As a remote landlord, Mr. Campbell was fiercely protective of his land. When individuals living contiguous to his lands encroached, he took swift legal actions. Three common encroachment issues reflected in his letters referenced theft of wood, grains, and claiming property as their own. Mr. Campbell frequently communicated intentions of litigation and incarceration. Furthermore, he did not have any compunctions to claim property of perpetrators. The following excerpts from his letters illustrate this:

30 March 1773 Letter:


“As my negroes has informed me…that you cut down part of the grass to the amt of a wagon load of hay this seems to me strange that such measures should be carried into execution at a time when I was 100 miles from home…I suppose by measuring my land which no man had a right to do and what I never in my life expected from you…”     



24 January 1774 Letter:
 

“…having proof that William Brisby cut 150 loggs of my land…be assured I will prosecute you as the law directs if you do not immediately come & make me payment for the full value of every log you have cut & for deceiving me in this manner you shant have one acre of land from me altho I was determin’d to have given you a lease.”



Mr. Campbell was very possessive with his land holdings. It was apparent that what land he had great value. For instance in 1779, the land tax assessment value for his property in Ballston was £9,045. I took the time to determine the inflation and exchange rates from 1779 to 2024. The above-mentioned amount would equal $1,505,992.5013 (2024 USD) today. Who would not be protective of such an investment? Apparently, he took land holdings very seriously.



Ireland, the place of his birth, was always on Mr. Campbell’s mind. Several letters were to his brother, Davy. The letters give a positive portrayal of how Mr. Campbell felt about America. Whether the letters were about politics and business, the gist was obviously in favor of being an American. His letters would include land acquisition and his plans for them. Planting fruit trees, keeping sheep, growing profitable livestock, and a variety of trade excursions with the Native Americans were commonly addressed. In these letters, Mr. Campbell was a braggart; for example:
    


18 October 1773:


“… I now begin to follow your example in somethings which is in purchasing land…I have of late made a very large purchase of land which is well situated to settle, 20 & farthest not more than 25 miles from this town & a fine patent of land…I have purchased amounts to 24,000 acres…”


(then expressing his patriotic perspective) “…encouraging those to come to do making them & there posterity to come over to a free country not loaded with taxes, tythes, hearth money, high rents & twenty other burdens that must forever crushd the heart of goodmen…”



Ironically, the political, economic and social climate in America quickly changed shortly after this letter to Davy. In a colonial community increasingly confronted by taxation issues, restlessness of citizens, and increase in trade restrictions, Mr. Campbell began to question on which side of the fence he should fall:



22 July 1775 to George Folliot Esq:


“…I hope Mrs. Folliot & you enjoy your health these unhappy times As yet I have been a perfect looker on neither leaning to one side nor the other this far I wish & hope that America may never be tax’d without their own concent…”    
   


One letter to his brother Davy expressed feelings about war’s end and his ability to persevere:    


2 January 1784:


“…happy to be able to write and receive letters, unable to do during the unhappy war…I have not suffered much by the war in my property farther than it has prevented me from settling my land at present there seems to be a demand for land…I have good prospects having a good many tenants next year as many people from New England states are dayly moving in our state on account of having cheape land...I have not done any business as a merchant during the war…”



In studying history, we often see people of the past as a series of life events: birth, education, graduation, marriage, military service, election to office, etc. Their personalities, preferences, and viewpoints are often lost to time or difficult to determine from accessible sources. Delving into primary source documents such as these letters maintained at the Schenectady County Historical Society provides an opportunity to explore the personality and character of Mr. Campbell. Daniel Campbell can easily be perceived as a scoundrel, money-monger, demanding landlord, unrelenting bill collector, and a self-serving community leader. Certainly, his perspective on ownership and servitude of humans is neither politically correct nor humanly acceptable to today’s standards. Notably, a great deal of his economic and political endeavors are not foreign to leaders of today. Further study of Mr. Campbell’s letters might reveal more connections and parallels to the people, places, and events we encounter today as well as give insight into the person he was and the Schenectady he inhabited and helped shape.

* sic: girl

**Ballston, Saratoga County

The WGY Players

This post was written by Gail Denisoff, library volunteer, and originally appeared in the SCHS Newsletter, vol. 65, no. 4, 2021.

Today, a century after the first commercial radio station began broadcasting, over 80% of Americans ages 12 or older listen to the radio in a given week. It’s a technology that we may take for granted now, but the rapid development of radio technology and programming in the early 1920s led to significant changes in American culture and communication. According to Professor Tom Lewis of Skidmore College, “radio became the first modern mass medium, one that knew no geographic boundary, and excited the imagination and minds as well as the ears of listeners.” The act of tuning in to hear the latest news, the weekly antics of beloved characters, the current sports game, and the most popular music quickly became a standard ritual in the daily lives of Americans across every age, class, and race. It exposed millions to new entertainment, politics, culture, and information. General Electric, as a leader in technology and invention, was one of the companies pushing the envelope of what radio could and should do. The creation of the WGY Players, GE’s in-house radio acting troupe, was one such innovation.

Early performers at WGY (from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photo Collection)

In February of 1922 General Electric received its first broadcasting license for a new radio station to be located in Schenectady, NY. The debut broadcast took place on February 20th of that year. It began at 7:47pm with announcer and Program Director, Kolin Hager, welcoming listeners to station WGY, explaining the call letters signified W for wireless, G for General Electric and Y for the last letter of Schenectady. The broadcast, “furnished by some of the city’s best talent,” consisted of live music with announcements of song titles and lasted about an hour. The next broadcast was two days later and featured a speech about George Washington delivered by W.W. Tranch, the commander of Schenectady’s American Legion post, followed by a live concert.

 
With one of the strongest signals in the state, more than three times the power of other stations, WGY could be heard in at least a 500-mile radius. The broadcasts quickly became more sophisticated and innovative. Just three days after signing on, they presented a speech by Governor Nathan L. Miller from the Union College gymnasium followed by a short concert, becoming a pioneer in remote broadcasting. They also aired the Harvard-Yale football game live from New Haven, CT, the WGY String Orchestra live from the State Theater in Schenectady, the first live broadcast of a World Series game as well as many other remote presentations from GE scientists, explorers, and politicians during their first year.

Edward H. Smith, the director of “The Masque”, a community theater group from Troy, NY, suggested to Kolin Hager that the station carry weekly adaptations of plays. On August 3, 1922, “The Wolf”, directed by Smith and mainly using actors from his theater group, became the first full length melodrama ever produced for radio. Since there was no rigid schedule to follow, listeners heard the play in its entirety, about 2 hours, with the WGY orchestra performing between acts. The response was overwhelming; the station received over 2000 letters asking for more radio dramas. One letter, from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, claimed that the screams of the character “Hilda” were so real that a policeman on foot patrol hearing the program through an open window burst into the writer’s home to stop the “assault.”

 
By September, the WGY Players were formed, becoming the first dramatic radio troupe for radio, ultimately presenting 43 plays during the initial 1922-23 season. After the production of “The Wolf”, 40 minutes were allotted for these plays as it was thought unwise to dedicate an entire evening’s programming to a single play. Director Edward H. Smith worked to carefully edit full length plays to the required 40 minutes. They became such a popular feature that after the first eight plays the time limit was abandoned and many were performed in their original length. As more regular programming was introduced, the Schenectady GE Works News included the WGY weekly broadcast schedule in each issue. Detailed information including the names of the actors playing each character was included in the schedule.

Most of the WGY Players had professional theater backgrounds, but performing on radio was a new experience for everyone. When “microphone fright” was discovered, the microphone was covered by a lampshade. The actors initially wore costumes and stage make-up, thinking it would help them get into character, but that was soon abandoned as unnecessary. They became pioneers of radio sound effects, experimenting with many found objects to get the desired effect for radio. The actors carefully rehearsed their roles, but read from scripts during broadcasts to avoid missed cues and forgotten lines.

Dr. Francis Norton, GE Research Laboratory, and Neil B. Reynolds presenting a radio broadcast on experiments in sound, 1937. (Photo from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photo Collection).

 
The WGY Players served as a springboard for talented actors in the early stages of their careers, such as Lola Sommers. Sommers, an orphan from Hoosick Falls, started her career as a Vaudeville dancer and stage actress, and supplemented her acting income by working as a maid in Schenectady. She became a household name and a Capital District celebrity as one of WGY’s first leading ladies. Several successful and celebrity radio performers and personalities started their careers with The WGY Players. Rosaline Greene, for example, started her career in radio when she auditioned for The WGY Players during her sophomore year of college. After three years with WGY, Greene went on to win a ‘perfect voice’ competition at the 1926 Radio World’s Fair, perform in numerous radio plays, and host regular programs for CBS during the Golden Age of Radio. Stars of stage, opera, and concert halls, intrigued by the novelty of radio, considered it an adventure to come to Schenectady to be part of a broadcast.

By December of 1922, WGY became part of the first radio “network” linking it to stations in New York City and Washington DC who were able to listen in to The WGY Players. Eventually that network expanded, and one night each week listeners across the country tuned in to hear Kolin Hager announce: “Station WGY, General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York. Our program for this evening will consist of the drama/comedy —,” followed by the title of the play.

The WGY Players staged both dramas and comedies. Some of their early broadcasts, in addition to “The Wolf” included such plays as:” “The Garden of Allah,” “Way Down East,” “Are You a Mason?” “Within the Law,” “Under Cover,” “Bought and Paid For,” “The Witching Hour,” “The Man from Home,” “The Sign of the Cross” and “Miss Lulu Bett.”  The light operas, “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “The Mikado” and others were also performed with the WGY orchestra and singers joining the productions. Actors in leading roles were paid, usually $5.00 to $7.50 a week. Actors in lesser roles received no pay, although they may have experienced the thrill of stardom when a limousine and chauffeur brought them to the station.

On November 6, 1922, The WGY players presented their twelfth play of the first season, “The Sign of the Four,” a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Edward W. Smith performed the role of Holmes and F.H. Oliver, who usually did sound effects, played Dr. Watson. What makes this particular performance interesting is that the famous Sherlock Holmes actor, William Gillette, has often been cited as the first actor to portray Holmes on the radio in “The Speckled Band” on October 20, 1930. However, this distinction actually goes to Edward H. Smith for his 1922 performance, although Gillette can still be credited as the first to perform Holmes in a radio network series.

Since many of the actors came from the professional ranks, they usually left Schenectady to perform in summer stock theaters from July through September. In order to continue the radio dramas, the Schenectady GE Works News encouraged workers to try out for the “WGY Student Players”. Many applicants, eager to make their radio debut, came forward and Edward W. Smith was kept busy interviewing prospective thespians. A group was selected, most employees of General Electric, and “has given some very credible performances during the summer season… which was demonstrated by the many complimentary letters received by WGY during their run” according to the Works News. Several of these players were also selected to augment the regular player group when they returned. 

The WGY Players performed many of the popular dramas and comedies of the day. By their second season, they were looking for new material. An article in the October 1923 GE Monogram, a nationwide GE publication, advertised a contest to be held “for the best play written for the specific purpose of being broadcast in Schenectady by the WGY Players.” The first-place prize was $500 (over $7700 in today’s dollars) and having the play produced over the WGY airwaves. According to the rules for the contest, the plays should be 1.5 hours in lengths and “plots must be clean with no attempt at questionable situations… No ‘sex dramas’ will be considered.” Over one hundred plays were submitted and, according to Kolin Hager, only one produced with disappointing results. 

The WGY Players perform the radio play "Danger" circa 1924 (Photo from miSci)

 

Radio dramas were soon being broadcast by many stations around the country. The WGY Players as well as groups in other cities could be heard through radio networks from coast to coast. In the late 1920s, WGY added the WGY Matinee Players that performed a weekly daytime radio drama in addition to the evening plays. Later, plays for children were introduced. By the 1930s, daily radio dramas, eventually referred to as “soap operas,” were being broadcast from New York City and quickly became very popular. Network shows for children such as “Little Orphan Annie” and weekly scripted comedy and drama programs written specifically for radio were mainstays in American households.

 
The WGY Players were also were responsible for the earliest known attempt at a television drama in the country. A production of “The Queen’s Messenger” was presented with the Baird/Jenkins mechanical TV process in 1928. As television gained popularity, radio dramas slowly declined. The WGY Players performed into the 1940s with a weekly show called “The FBI in Action” and continued to provide radio dramas on a limited basis as late as 1956. 

In their early years, no other actors had as large an audience as The WGY Players. It was estimated up to a million people tuned in around the country to listen to their productions. Thanks to the vision of Edward H. Smith and Kolin Hager, WGY in Schenectady became the true birthplace of the radio drama as well as the first “network” dramatic programs.

References:
Barnouw, Erik, A History of Broadcasting in the United States: Volume 1: A Tower in Babel, Oxford University Press, 1966.
“Forty Years of Radio Broadcasting Leadership,” WGY 40th Anniversary 1922-1962. Booklet
Huntly, Charles H., “Plays by Radio,” The Drama, Nov. 1923, pg.52-53.
Huntly, Charles H., “When All the Air’s a Stage,” The Wireless Age, May 1923, pg. 27-28.
King, R.R., “The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the 1920’s Radio Drama,” Radio Recall, June 2008.
McLeod, Elizabeth, “The WGY Players and the Birth of Radio Drama,” The Radio Historian.
Schenectady GE Works News, various issues 1923-1929.
WGY (AM), Wikipedia.
WGY 25th Anniversary, 1922-1947. Booklet
Lewis, Tom. “‘A Godlike Presence’: The Impact of Radio on the 1920s and 1930s.” OAH Magazine of History, vol. 6, no. 4, 1992, pp. 26–33. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25154082. Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
Lewis, Tom. Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio, Harper Collins, 1991.
Becque, Fran. “Rosaline Greene, Alpha Epsilon Phi, #NotableSororityWoman, #WHM2021” Fraternity History and More, March 29, 2021. https://www.franbecque.com/rosaline-greene-alpha-epsilon-phi-notablesororitywoman-whm2021/

Boot and Shoemakers in Schenectady

 This post was written by library volunteer Susan Cromer.

In November of 1852, a new firm named Van Epps & Poland opened up their shop at 113 State Street in Schenectady, New York. Their business was boot and shoemaking (sales and manufacturing). They opened after purchasing the stock of Wolf and DeForest (former proprietors of 113 State St.). Andrew C. Van Epps and William V. Poland joined many other boot and shoemakers in Schenectady as this lucrative business was quickly becoming one of the most profitable in the state. The 1859 Schenectady Business Directory lists fourteen boot and shoe manufacturers in the State Street area of the city. In some directories, Van Epps & Poland is listed as manufacturers and in others as sellers of boots and shoes, leading us to believe that they were both. The new business advertised inexpensive ready-made as well as custom-made footwear using quality materials and prompt delivery. The partnership of Van Epps & Poland dissolved in February of 1856. Both the creation and the dissolution of the firm were advertised in local newspapers. Van Epps continued the business for the remainder of his life. 

Newspaper announcement of the new firm Van Eps and Poland, 1852

We can view Van Epps and Poland as an example nineteenth century business thanks to a recent donation of papers to the Grems Doolittle Library. This small collection of papers turned out to be a treasure trove of information about the business of boot and shoe making in upstate New York although it covers only a snippet of time (1852 – 1855). The collection was donated by a Stockade homeowner who found them in the attic of her newly-purchased home. The neatly-folded papers (which turned out to be receipts, invoices, and orders) were bound together with a leather band. Rather than throw them away, the homeowner (luckily for us) donated them to the library. The majority of the papers indicate items ordered, received, and billed by various large suppliers in Albany and New York City. A gas bill from Schenectady Gas Works (Jan.1, 1855 – Feb. 1, 1855) gives us another view of the small business ($3.80 for the month!). Also included are a few more personal letters addressing order mix-ups, requests for payment, and late shipments which describe issues typical of running a small business.

The manufacturing portion of the firm is well-documented with many receipts and orders dated between 1852 through 1855. Van Epps and Poland purchased boot and shoemaking materials from several different firms in Albany and New York City. Many of their purchases were from three vendors in Albany: Samuel Gross, Jared Holt Leather and Findings, and G.A. Woolverton. A bill of sale dated December 7, 1852 from Anable and Smith (Leather, Oil, Finding, and Wool Store, Albany, N.Y.) records the sale of 2 dozen men’s cork soles for $3.50. On December 24, 1853, a sale of 4 ½ dozen calfskins for $102.19 was recorded. Various animal skins, leather, soles, and nails were frequently ordered as were decorative items such as braiding and ribbons. A letter from a supplier indicates that he has lambskins for sale but that the order should be placed “by return mail as they go off very fast” and he may not be able to supply everyone.

Van Epps and Poland also purchased ready-made footwear from several vendors. For example, a bill of sale dated January 5, 1854 from G.A. Woolverton and Co. (Manufacturers and Wholesale Dealers in Boots, Shoes and Rubbers, Albany, N.Y.) records that Van Epps and Poland purchased 25 pairs of women’s rubbers at 55 cents per pair for a total of $13.75. The same bill indicates the sale of 12 pairs of men’s sandals at 85 cents per pair for a total of $40.20. The number of orders indicates that Woolverton was a major supplier of boots, slippers, gaiters, shoes, and rubbers for Van Epps and Poland. While they purchased mostly from firms in Albany, one order for a dozen “silk fox gaiters” (at $1.10 each) came from A. Bragg and Co. in New York City. 

Newspaper announcement for the dissolution of the Van Epps and Poland partnership, 1856

 

The name of William V. Poland disappears from the business in 1856 when the partnership with Van Epps was dissolved. He is listed in the 1850 U.S Federal Census where his date of birth is “abt” 1817. He likely died close to 1865 because his wife, Eliza (Lake), is first referred to as a widow in the Schenectady City Directory of 1865. Schenectady census and earlier city directories show that Poland lived with his wife, Eliza, and daughter, Anna, at 104 Romeyn St., Schenectady. Records indicate that at some point, William V. Poland refers to himself as Vedder Poland (perhaps the “V.” in William V.). He is first listed as Vedder Poland, shoemaker, in a Schenectady Directory from 1860 and in other directories until 1865. We have few business records of William V. Poland after the dissolution, although there are several directory references to him as a shoemaker (mentioned above). There are no references to a new place of business with the possible exception of a mention of Vedder Poland, Shoemaker, at 85 Union St. in the 1862-1863 Schenectady City Directory. Since many boot and shoemakers were itinerant at this time, it is possible that Poland did not have a storefront but, instead, traveled with his work. 

Records for Andrew C. Van Epps (August 6, 1817 – March 20, 1899) are more numerous. His surname is variously spelled with one “p” or two. The Van Epps were a prominent Dutch family in New York State and thus church and various other records contain dates of his life events. Andrew joined another prominent local family when he married Catarina Peek in 1840. His death at 82 is recorded in Bible records and his place of burial (in a family plot in Glenville) is also recorded. After the dissolution of the firm in 1856, Van Epps continued as owner until at least 1897 under various names including “Van Epps, Andrew C. Manufacturer and Dealer in Boots and Shoes.” It is interesting that in the later directories, the place of business is listed in various locations, mostly on State St. but also on So. Ferry St. In the Schenectady Directory of 1882, E. J. Van Epps joined the business which was now located at 161 State St. Geneological records indicate that Andrew C. had a son named Edward James so it is probable that this son joined the business for a short time. A business listing is missing from an 1885 City Directory but reappears in 1886 under only Andrew (E.J. does not appear). The business listed under AC Van Epps continues to appear until 1897, two years before Andrew’s death.

City Directory Ad for A.C. & E.J. Van Epps Boots and Shoes

 

Van Epps and Poland (and other boot and shoemakers) conducted business during a pivotal time in their industry. In the mid-nineteenth century, shoemaking was listed as America’s second largest industry after agriculture. A sewing machine had been invented by Elias Howe in Massachusetts in 1848. While it would be a few years before machines were invented that could sew leather uppers together and attach them to soles, these inventions would revolutionize the shoemaking process which had had previously been done completely by hand. This invention also led to the development of shoemaking factories which replaced many (but not all) small shoemaker shops. Labor was done by “teams” or “gangs,” each of which had a particular task such attaching soles or polishing uppers. Mass-produced shoes became more popular. In the later half of the nineteenth century, Van Epps conducted business at several addresses (mostly on State St.) and it is possible that he was dividing up the shoemaking tasks to be performed at his various locations to make use of these new technologies and processes.