George Klinck

George Klinck (or possibly Johann Georg Klink) appears to have been born before 1756. Although we suspect he was born in Germany, we seek more definitive information on his background and early life.

His wife was a somewhat younger Catherine Graham. Beginning in 1781, their children were christened at several Hudson Valley churches. During the 1790s, their children were christened at the Albany Presbyterian church.

This George Klinck was known in Albany as a tailor and a merchant. In December 1790, the Albany Gazette carried the notice that George Klinck the tailor had moved from 21 Maiden Lane to the corner of Washington Street near the German Lutheran church. He was a member of the Albany Mechanics Society.

In 1788, he was a pewholder in the Albany Lutheran church. But in 1792, Lutheran sources noted that his name was among those stalwarts that had disappeared from church records. In 1802, he was one of the first trustees of the Albany United Presbyterian church.

In 1788, his first ward house and personal property in the third ward were valued separately on the city assessment roll.

In 1790, the census noted six people in his first ward home. A decade later, his third ward home included four boys, two girls, and a middle-aged woman.

In 1808, he was a bearer at the funeral of a Market Street neighbor.

In 1809, the third ward assessment roll valued his houses and lots on Columbia Street and noted that he was a non resident at that time. Perhaps Mary Wallace was living in one of the houses.

George Klinck was dead by June 5, 1812 when his will passed probate. In 1813, two of his sons were listed in the first city directory.

Sources: The life of George Klinck has not been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. We find this senario interesting and suggestive of a more complicated marriage history.