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Thomas
Williams
Thomas Williams was an Englishman who emigrated to New York during the latter part of the seventeenth century. By the early 1690s, he had settled in Albany where he was the partriarch of the Williams family.
This "young man of [from] New York," married brewer's daughter Agnietje Gansevoort in 1692. By 1708, their nine children were baptized in the Albany Dutch church where both parents were members and frequent baptism sponsors. Agnietie Gansevoort died about 1710. In 1712, Thomas took for his second wife Hilletie Bronck - the mother of six more Williams children.
Williams's
tavern and home on the east corner of Green and Hudson
Streets were in Albany's first ward where for more
than fifty years he was a prominent resident who
owned several lots in Albany and in Schenectady as
well.
Initially
charged for trading without possessing the "freedom of the city," his status improved dramatically when he was appointed sheriff of Albany County in 1699. He served as sheriff at several different times during the first three decades of the eighteenth century. In 1700, he petitioned the city council to build a jail or prison in Albany
.
In 1704, he was elected alderman for the first ward and appeared in Albany courts
as plaintiff, juror, notary, and frequently as an
attorney. At court, he seems to have been connected
with John Collins - Albany's first professional attorney.
He was a contractor for the city, delivered supplies
to the garrison at Oswego, and worked for the Commissioners
of Indian Affairs as well.
In 1714, he was among the supporters of the initiative that led to the founding
of St. Peter's Anglican church. He was a mainline
community member, continued to appear in court as
an advocate, and in 1728, was identified as "a gentleman of Albany."
Thomas
Williams died in November 1752 and was buried from
the Albany Dutch church. He had lived in Albany for
more than sixty years. His descendants became well
established in eighteenth century Albany!
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Sources: The life of Thomas Williams is CAP biography number
6285. This profile is derived chiefly from family
and community-based resources. We seek defining information
on his origins and background.
By Stefan Bielinski, Colonial Albany Social History Project [http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany]
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