Robert Story
by
Stefan Bielinski

Robert Story was a Manhattan businessman trying to conduct business in Albany during the last quarter of the seventeenth century.

Family-based resources note that he was born in London in 1617 By the 1670s, he was married to one Patience Lloyd/Gardiner and/or Wilson with whom he had at least five children. He is said to have been the son and father of Robert Story. We seek defining information on his origins and path to America and Albany. Perhaps part of that story was set in Pennsylvania.

He purchased a house in Albany in 1676. He was a frequent litigant before the Albany court. He also found himself indebted to Albany creditors. In 1679, his Albany house was given one of the highest assessments! In October 1679, he sold that house to Gerrit Lansing. Five years later his Albany taxes were still in arrears.

During his time in Albany, Story is said to have employed young native son Rip Van Dam - who perhaps followed him back to Manhattan and later became acting governor of the province.

In August 1681, an early meeting of Friends (Quakers) was held at his New York house.

Robert Story died in New York in December 1683. An inventory of his extensive estate included wampum and skins but no Albany property. His wife, Patience, was made executor. One-time Albany cohort Samuel Wilson was among the witnesses. Piatience remarried in 1684. Their children, Enoch and Mercy, also were named.



notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Robert Story has not yet been assigned a CAP biography number. This profile is derived chiefly from community-based resources.

[Inventory of the estate of ROBERT STORY, who deceased in New York, the 29th day of the 10th month called December, 1683, taken by Matthew Pryor, Samuel Spicer, Francis Richardson and Wm. Frampton. The dwelling house and lot of land it stands on $350; the boulting house, back house, cooper's shop with the lot it stands on, $180; 2 negro men, 2 negro women, and a young negro boy, $135; cash, $372; Wampum, Pipes and skins, $44; Mill house and land at Esopus, $489; the sloop "Returne," $120; 1/4 of ship "Robert," $75; debts due to him in New York, Long Island and East Jersey, $1,296; total, $7,572. This Inventory is very extensive and shows a very large amount of dry goods and extensive business. An additional list shows household goods to the amount of $468. NOTE.--Patience Story, the widow, afterward married Thomas Lloyd, a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia. The daughter, Mercy Story, married John Godfrey. Patience Story married Thomas Lloyd at Flushing, Long Island, the 27th day of the 10th month, 1684.]




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first posted 6/25/03; updated 4/20/15