Richard Tillman

Richard Tillman was born about 1750. He was the son of newcomer John Tillman and his wife, Margaret Hertz Tillman. He may have been born in North America as he does not seem to have been naturalized as his father was in 1752. Richard grew up in a large family in the North End home of a prominent, German-ancestry leatherworker and innkeeper.

In March 1772, he married Sara Morril at the Albany Dutch church. We seek information on the development of their family as their children do not seem to have been christened at the Dutch church.

Coming of age during the War years, he served the Albany committee in a number of ways and also in the wartime production workforce.

In October 1779, Richard Tillman was serving as superintendant of the "Continental Shoe Factory" in Albany. Thus he was excused from military service by order of General Ten Broeck.

In March 1779, his third ward real property was valued on the city assessment roll.

In 1790 and afterwards, his household was configured on the census for Watervliet.

In 1814 and afterwards, he was identified in the city directories as a shoemaker with an address of 657 South Market Street. By the census of 1820, his household was enumerated in an expanded city limits.

In May 1833, he was placed on the pension roll for service as a "pri. and sailing master" during the Revolution. He was allotted $185 a year.

Richard Tillman died in April 1838. His obituary called him "a hero of the Revolution," a long time resident of Albany, with the "character of an industrious and upright man and a worthy citizen."

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