William Kirkland

by


Eventual Albany resident William Kirkland probably was born during the 1730s.

His wife was Margaret. They are said to have had at least two sons - one born in Scotland and the other at sea while the parents were enroute to America in 1759.

He (or perhaps his son and namesake) is said to have been among the Scottish immigrants who first settled what became the town of New Scotland.

Perhaps he was the William Kirkland whose name appeared as an enlisted man on the roster of the First Regiment of the New York Line.

He first appeared in the Albany record in July 1786 when his bill to the city was paid in bushels of wheat. In October 1787, he sued Alderman Peter W. Yates (representing the city government) for payment of a debt owed him by the city and won a judgment of over six pounds.

In 1788, his first ward house and property were valued on the city assessment roll. Two years later, the census showed that his Albany household consisted of him and three females. In 1799, his house and lot and property were valued modestly. In 1800, his household again was listed near the top of the first ward census and included an older couple and two younger women.

In 1792, he was a member of the Albany Presbyterian church.

William Kirkland was dead by April 8, 1803 when Letters of Administration issued on his estate identified him as a mason and named his two sons. His widow lived on in Albany for more than a decade.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of William Kirkland has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.





first posted: 2/15/10