Albany Mechanics Society


The Albany Mechanics Society. was founded in 1793 - one of the first crafts unions in the United States.

About 150 tradesmen and mechanics from Albany and vicinity met in January and appointed a committee consisting of one person from each trade to draft a constitution. The constitution was adopted in February 1794.

The Society was dedicated to "protecting and supporting such of their brethern as, by sickness or accident, may stand in need of assistance, and of relieving the widows and orphans of those who may die in indigent circumstances, and also of providing the means of instruction for their children."

Hat manufacturer John W. Wendell was elected president; Charles R. Webster and Bernardus Evertsen, vice-presidents, Isaac Hutton, treasurer; John Barber, secretary. Printer Charles R. Webster was elected president as early as 1799 and served until the dissolution of the organization in 1824. At that time, its property at the corner of Chapel and Columbia Streets consisted of the Mechanics Academy and Mechanics Hall.

The Society received a charter from New York State for the purposes described above on March 6, 1801. It was particularly notable for promoting and elevating the level of education in the city. Apparently running its course, the Albany Mechanics Society was dissolved by the legislature on November 25, 1824. Dividends on its assets were paid to its contributors.

Beginning with the first edition in 1813, a roster of society officers and other organization information was included in the front matter of the annual Albany City Directory.

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notes

Sources: The principal narrative resource is an article on the "Albany Mechanics Society" printed in Annals of Albany, volume 7:240-44. It includes charter language, lists of officers and trustees, some historical information, and a running list of members. Somewhat derivatrive but more accessible is a sketch entitled "Labor and Laborers" in The Bicentennial History of Albany, pp. 722-23. Copies of printed and manuscript records of the society are filed at the CAP office.



ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS, WHOSE NAMES ARE SIGNED TO THE GENERAL REGISTER

Henry Abel, Gilbert Akerman, Richard Allanson
John Barber, James Barclay, Thomas Barker, N. B. Bassett, Jacob Best, Ebenezer Betts, Isaac Betticher, John Boardman, Robert Boyd, William Boyd, Charles Boynton, Elijah Brainard, Timothy Brigden, Anthony Brooks, John Bryan, Nathaniel Bunnel, Samuel T Burrows, John Buckbee
Thomas Campbell, Robert Carlisle, Henry Carpenter, Thomas Carson, James Chesney, James Clark
James Davis, William M. Diamond, Elisha Dorr, John Doty, James Dunlap, John Durs, Richard Duncan
Waller Easlon, William Easton, John Epes

William Fowler, John C. Fredenrich, John W. Fryer, William Fryer, John Fryer, Peter Furlong
Garrit De Garmo, William Giles, James Gibbons, John Goodrich, James Gourlay, David I. Groesbeek, John I. Groesbeck, John Grant, John Guest, jun.
Green Hall, Thomas Harman, jr., John Heennans, Casparus Hewson, Charles Hill, Andrew Hoffman, Ephraim Howard, Elisha Husford, Elijah Hosford, James Hodge, Arthur Hotchkiss, Lucas I. Hooghkirk, Philip Hooker, Ephm Howard, Silas W. Howell, Isaac & George Hutton, Robert Hurst, James Hunter, John Hinckley
Nathaniel Judson

Moses Kenyon, George Klinck, Benjamin Knower
Myndert Lansing, Abm. K. Lansing, Edward Le Breton, James Linacre, James Lloyd, Isaac Lucas
D. M'Donald, William M'Harg, John M'Chesney, John Mascraft, John Meads, Jacob Miers, Daniel Morrel, David Mulholland
David Osborn

Gowin Patterson, Isaac Packard, Benj. D. Packard, Robert Packard, David Peck, Ebenezer Platt, Giles W. Porter, Ira Porter, Jesse Potts, David Pruyn, Elisha Putnam
William Randall, John Randall, James Rodgers, Robert Rottery, Caleb Russell, David Russell, jr , Thomas Russell, Joseph Russell, Joseph Russel (Market §t.), John Russel, Wilhs. G. Ryckman
John Scoville, Thomas Scott, James Scrymser, James Selle, Thomas Shepherd, Elisha W. Skmner, Tunis Slingerland, Ebenezer Smith, John Smith, Daniel Steele, Levi Steele, John Stilwell, Wm. Stilwell, Spencer Stafford, Thomas W. Stanton, Ziba Swan
John Todd, Thomas Thompson, Amos Thayer, John Turner

Jacob Van Ness, Jer. Van Rensselaer, Henry B. Van Benthuisen, Benj. Van Benthuisen, James P. Van Benthuisen, Jacob Van Duersen
Austin Warner, Joseph Warford, Charles R Webster, George Webster, William W Williams, William B. Winne, Daniel I. Winne, James Young, William Young


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first posted 7/31/01; last updated 9/30/18