John Kidney
by
Stefan Bielinski


According to his marriage record, John Kidney was from Barbadoes. In May 1698, he married Albany native Maria Roeloffs Vanderwerken at the Albany Dutch church. By 1708, four sons had been baptized in Albany and further established the Kidney family in Albany and its hinterland.

At the time of his marriage, Kidney had been serving as a soldier in the Albany garrison. In 1699, he joined with his Albany neighbors to swear allegiance to the king of England. Also that year, he was among those cited for trading without possessing the "freedom" of the city.

These Kidneys lived in the first ward in a back-street neighborhood of former soldiers and others connected to the English fort. In 1709, his "Southside" home was accorded a modest assessment. He served as deputy sheriff and belonged to an Albany militia company.

In 1700, he had rented part of the Albany poor house. In 1720, his name appeared on a list of qualified freeholders in the first ward.

John Kidney was dead by June 8, 1722 when letters of administration were issued to his widow who appears to have survived for several decades!

biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of John Kidney (Citnie, Sidney) is CAP biography number 5976. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




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first posted 11/5/04; updated 9/2/14