James Bloodgood
by
Stefan Bielinski


James Bloodgood was born at Flushing, Long Island in 1735. He was the son of Francis and Mary Doughty Bloodgood and the older brother of Albany skipper Abraham Bloodgood.

He was in Albany in October 1759 when he married carpenter's daughter Lydia Van Valkenburgh at the Albany Dutch church. Over the next two decades, their children were baptized in Albany churches. Later, he was a trustee of the First Presbyterian church.

These Bloodgoods quickly settled into a mainstream Albany life. His house and lot in the first ward eventually gave way to a larger home in the third ward on Market Street. In 1790, five slaves were part of his riverside household. He owned and leased other Albany real estate as well.

James Bloodgood was a carpenter who also made carriages. In 1766-67, he was involved in building the new barracks in Albany. Over the years, he was paid by the city government for carpentry and other public work. He served in an Albany militia company and later was accorded a land bounty right in conjunction with the Albany County militia.

James Bloodgood filed a will in 1796. It mentioned his wife Lydia and four surviving children. He died in May 1799 at the age of sixty-four. His son, Francis, was elected mayor of Albany in 1830.

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notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of James Bloodgood is CAP biography number 7354. This profile is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

Mainstream: His holdings were included on the city assessment rolls in 1766-67, 1779, and 1799. He built a carriage for Sir William Johnson.


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first posted: 4/20/03