Charles Newman

Charles Newman probably was born before 1750 and is said to have come from Frankfort, Germany. He most likely came to the Hudson Valley as a young man and is said to have been in business in Albany as early as 1768.

In December 1773, he married Christina Siegle at St. Peter's Anglican church. Later, he would counted as a member and pewholder at the First Lutheran Church. It appears that he had a family although no baptisms have been found in the existing records of the early Albany churches.

We have not yet connected him to wartime activities. However, he was granted a land bounty right for service in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment.

An early (undated but allegedly 1768) newspaper advertisement for "Charles Newman and Sons - Woolen merchants - South Market Street" described his business. In 1781, he was among those who purchased the "freedom" to conduct business in Albany. At that time, he was identified as a merchant.

By the mid-1780s, his regularly submitted and sometimes substantial accounts were being paid by the Albany government. At that time, he owned property along what became South Pearl Street. In 1790, his first ward household included eight people. His business related to the processing and production of animal hides and their products. In 1797, he was identified as a "skinner" and freeholder. The next year, he was called a "glover."

Charles Newman was last heard from in January 1800 when he witnessed the will of Albany resident John Ostrander, Jr. However, a tailor named Charles Newman was listed on the city directory at 70 State Street in 1814. Two Newman-named households were listed in the directory in 1815.

His descendants (particularly his son Henry), the nineteenth-century Newmans of Albany, were known for the production and sales of wool and leather products.

Sources: The life of Charles Newman has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.