Abraham Lyle

by


Abraham Lyle may have been born during the 1730s. He probably was of Scottish ancestry and was in Albany by the late 1750s.

In March 1761, he married Jannetje Van Allen at the Albany Dutch church. In 1762 and 1764, their children were christened in Rhinebeck, Dutch County.

Lyle was a trader who seems to have had a number of partners in New York and on the frontier. In October 1763, he received title to a lot of land in the southwestern part of the city of Albany. He was involved in the establishment of the Albany Presbyterian meeting house and was a church elder.

Early in 1766, he joined with other prominent men is signing a constitution for the Albany Sons of Liberty. In 1766, his first ward property was valued on the city assessment roll. The next year, he was deceased but his holdings still were accorded a substantial assessment.

In November 1766, Abraham Lyle filed a will. He identified himself as an Albany merchant. His estate was bequeathed to Jane and their two children. His will passed probate on December 2.

In 1767, his executors called for those who still had business with Lyle's estate to come forward. Those notices were printed in New York newspapers and identified some of his former partners. His widow probably lived with her brothers who had been Lyle's business associates. She may have survived until after 1800.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Abraham Lyle is CAP biography number 1169. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




first posted: 11/20/06